Mary climbed wearily up the stairs, using the railing for support. Her knife was safely tucked away in her pocket, along with a small doll she nabbed from the gallery. Her chest heaved as she climbed. Why are there so many stairs?! she thought as she plopped herself down on the ground once she reached the last step. The doll poked its head out of her pocket and peered up at her, its red eyes blinking.
"What do you want?" she snapped at it, and it cowered, sinking back to the bottom of the cloth hole. She panted, running her hand along the railing, "Took forever…. just to find the dumb school," she commented to herself as she watched the main doors creak open, as if inviting her in. Out came a man dressed all in black, a mask shaped like a skeleton on his face. Taking his hands from behind his back, he revealed large cartoony foam like things attached to his wrists. Mary tossed her head and spit at the ground. The doll peered out of her pocket at the strange man before them.
"Well, howdy-doo!" greeted the man. Mary grimaced.
"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" she asked through gritted teeth. She felt the blade of her knife resting against her leg.
"Well, the Headmaster of the school, of course!" the man gave a little salute as he continued, "Lord Death, at your service! I saw you climbing the stairs on the security cameras, so i figured I'd greet you myself!" Mary scoffed, blowing her hair out of her face.
"Uh-huh," she said blankly, "that's all fine and dandy, but I don't need to be wasting my time with you." Lord Death leaned forward unit he was eye-level with her. She looks somewhat like that silhouette in the photos, he thought, better bring her to Stein just to be safe.
"And who might you be?" he asked, his voice still cheery and bright, "a newly enrolled student? If so, please, let me show you around!"
"Hey! I'm not-!" she protested as he pulled her off her feet and ushered her towards the door, bringing her in. Wait! If I say I'm a student- it's perfect! Mary thought, clearing her throat.
"Actually, yes, I am," she said in a sugary tone, "it would be lovely to show me around, sir!" She took the cartoonish hand he held out and followed him in, the doors slamming loudly behind her. Lord Death gestured towards the vast corridor that lay in front of her.
"This, my dear, is the main hall," he explained, "and along the walls, you will find the doors to the classrooms." Mary yelped when he suddenly gripped her hand and dragged her sharply around a corner, "and this is Professor Stein's lab, which I think you'll be visiting very often!" Pushing open the door, he led her in to a laboratory. Counters filled with syringes and papers lined the walls. In the middle of the room was a metal examination table, with velcro straps hanging from the sides. Above the table a dingy light bulb hung from the ceiling, dimly lit and flickering. Lord Death knocked on the door with his free hand to get someone's attention, although Mary could see no one in the lab with them. A trail of smoke drifted throughout the air as a man suddenly walked out of the darkness of the corners, a cigarette hanging from his lips.
"This my dear," Lord Death said, "is our Professor Stein. He's head of the Science Department here at the Academy." Lord Death gave Stein a stern glare as if saying, "I think this is the girl who's been tormenting Garry." Stein nodded as if he understood.
"So," Stein plucked the cigarette from his mouth and squished it under his boot as he pulled a new one from his pocket, "what's your name?" Mary crossed her arms and huffed.
"Why do I have to tell you?" she asked haughtily. Stein chuckled to himself, spitting out his cigarette and crushing it under the toe of his boot.
"Because I think it would be unwise not to," Stein answered, an evil glint in his eye. Mary arched an eyebrow, unsure of what to make of him. His skin was littered with railroad tracks of scars, his eyes looking bloodshot and weary. A huge bolt stuck out of his head, which he grabbed and cranked viciously before sighing, "Ah, much better. Now-"
"Where's Garry?" Mary asked, cutting right to the chase. Stein eyed her carefully as he noticed Lord Death slip out the door. I guess I'll have to deal with her myself then, huh? he thought, Oh well.
"So, you know he's here?" Stein asked nonchalantly, "then I guess there's no point in stalling then." Walking backwards slowly, he reached for a drawer in one of the desks. The wood scratched his fingers as he felt around for it, then jumped slightly as he prodded the needle with his finger. Grabbing it, he concealed it in his large fist, stowing it safely away in his pocket. Mary jutted her chin at his hand, which twitched slightly, "Why so jumpy, old man?" Stein smirked as she continued, "Of course, the other one seemed a lot more snippy."
"Soul Eater Evans is not an old man," Stein explained, calmly taking a step towards Mary, who stood as still as a statue. The dim bulb buzzed as the yellow-orange light flickered. The velcro straps hanging off the sides of the examination table swayed side to side idly.
"Who?" Mary asked, cocking her head to the side like a curious newborn puppy. Is he talking about that other guy with the white hair? she thought, then quickly realized it was, in fact, him and said, "Oh, him. No, I still think he's old. He has white hair after all."
"You know, not all old men have white hair- kids can prematurely age too," Stein explained as he took a few more steps towards her, slipping his beefy hand into his pocket. Mary eyed him carefully.
"What is that in your pocket?" she asked, reaching into her own, feeling around until she found the handle to her knife.
"What's in yours?" Stein countered, smiling to himself. The stitches on his face seemed to stretch until they would come undone. With his free hand, he reached up as his head jerked to the side. Grabbing the huge bolt protruding from his head, he twisted it. Sparks flew from the metal as he turned it, sighing with relief when he let go, letting his hand drop to his side.
"How come you have a bolt in your head?" Mary asked. Maybe if I stall him enough, i can stab him, since he keeps walking over here, she thought as he took a few more steps, leaving a foot of space between them. Stein sighed, pushing his glasses up his nose.
"That's none of your concern," he answered nonchalantly, alms bored, "and besides, it's a long story. I don't think it would interest you very much. But if it's okay, may i ask a question?" Mary shrugged, her fingers culling around the handle of her knife. Stein glared at her , activating his ability to see souls. He used this technique often to size up his enemies- he knew that all the students had souls, and Lord Death's was so big it surrounded the city. I wonder how big hers is? he thought squinting.
"Sure, but I don't expect you's be….interested," she said, imitating his choice of words, "and why are you squinting like that, huh? Need a new prescription?" A smile spread across her face, wide and somewhat menacing. Stein del a drop of sweat slide down his temple. He ignored it, trying his best to see her soul- the only problem is that there is nothing, he thought as he answered, "Well, my eyes aren't what they used to be, you know?" Mary rolled her eyes as he gave a chuckle, then asked, "So, how'd you escape?"
"What do you mean?" she scoffed, "I found the exit, duh."
"No, I mean from your frame," Stein pressed. He smirked when her eyes widened with surprised. Her shoulders trembled slightly as she tried to breathe deeply, calm herself down.
"H-how do you know about that?" she stuttered, "it isn't possible, they didn't know-"
"It's called evidence, my dear," Stein interrupted, "and we use it to track down suspects. Photos as well. And they just so happened to lead us to you." Mary wiped at her forehead furiously s she felt sweat begin to drip on her face. When she took her hand away, they were wet, glistening with what looked like, cloudy water…..
"What….?" she asked herself, "what is this?" She gripped the knife tightly, withdrawing it from her pocket. Stein raised an eyebrow, leaning over to peer closer at her hand, wet with her own paint.
"It seems your paint is wet, no?" he asked, "and nice weapon you have there, want to see mine?" Before Mary could say anything, throw her hands up to protect herself, Stein whipped out the syringe and had the needle pressed against her neck, the tip pricking the skin of her neck.
"Wh-what are you doing?!" she exclaimed, raising the knife, then stopping- Stein smacked her hand, causing her to drop it. Paint the color of her porcelain skin dripped from her fingers, some of it stained on the handle of her weapon. The blade clattered on the ground as it landed.
"You've caused a lot of problems here, you know that?" Stein said, whispering in her ear. His breath was hot against her skin, making it tingle.
"And?" Mary asked, annoyed, "what's it to you?" Her voice cracked slightly at the end of that question.
"As a teacher, it's my job to protect anyone who comes inside these doors," Stein said. Mary laughed, her voice booming in the empty air.
"Then aren't you going against your rules?" she asked, challenging him.
"See, that's the thing," Stein answered, his voice almost a growl, "it's my job to protect them from harm. The students who went to the gallery- they were injured. Tsubaki need to get stitches, and the Headmaster's son was out cold for maybe a day or two."
"So? I don't care," Mary gritted her teeth, hissing like a snake.
"The best was that boy-" Stein laughed low, deep.
"Your breath stinks," Mary commented, "do you even bother brushing your teeth?" Stein ignored her comment, continuing, "- he came in, his eyes wild with panic, his clothes torn and dirty. Guess what happened to him?" He knows it was me, Mary thought, crap! Gotta get out of his grasp- but what if he kills me before I can move? Not unless I drip to death….
When Mary was silent, he shook her violently, her head looking as if it was about to snap off her neck. Wet paint dripped from her body onto the floor, the examination table, Stein's face and clothes.
"He had cuts covering every inch of his skin, including around his eyes!" Stein rises his voice, pushing Mary to the ground. She landed with a crash, feeling the smooth blade elf her knife chaff her skin as she landed on it. She felt tears sting the corners of her eyes as Stein approached, towering over her. An evil glint was in his eyes as he bent over her, his glasses sliding down the bridge of his nose.
"That was because of you!" he yelled in her face, spit flying from his mouth, "and you know what else?!" Mary wiped her face cautiously. He still had his hand in his pocket- why? What's he gonna do?! Mary panicked, letting the sweat fall freely, not hiding the fear in her eyes, wide and panicked. Stein continued, his voice getting suddenly low, almost a whisper, "When I went to examine on him, I opened his mouth- guess what was there?" He waited for her to answer. Mary's blue eyes were panicky, her head shaking side to side as she mumbled a weak, "No….no…." An insane smile slowly spread across his face, showing all his teeth, gleaming and white.
"Oh yes," he answered, talking as one who might talk to a child, "cuts and scrapes everywhere. His gums, the insides of his cheeks. Some went as far as down his throat. But the best was that his tongue…" he stopped when he saw tears stream down her cheeks, her body shaking with fright at the insane man who was holding her captive, who was holding a weapon at her throat, one hand in his pocket, concealing what else he might use to torture her.
"…His tongue," he repeated, "was torn apart." Mary felt him race her neck with the needle, the point pressing her skin, "ripped apart as if he was attacked by a wild animal, you couldn't even tell it was a tongue, you destroyed it so bad. Bandaged so many times, he was, we ran out of supplies." He opened his mouth to say something, but his head whipped around to look at the door when there was a loud bang.
"Stein!" barked Sid, "you in there?" Stein growled at the door, Mary shaking under him.
"Yo, Stein!" came Spirit's voice as well, "Lord Death-sama needs us! Open up!" Their voices were muffled by the wooden barrier.
"Go away!" Stein growled, sounding more animal than human, "I'm busy!"
"With what?" Spirit asked, "Listen, I'm gonna com in with Sid, okay?" The doorknob creaked as it was turned, then a click.
"Suit yourself, but you won't like what you're gonna see," Stein warned, turning back to Mary. He pressed the needle harder against her skin as the door creaked open and Spirit entered with Sid, crying out with horror. There was a crash as Spirit collapsed against Sid, who fell to the floor. Mary's lower lip quivered as she let out a weak cry for help.
"No one is going to help you!" Stein cried with a laugh, "don't you realize?! You don't have anyone to save you! You never did!"
"The artist-" Mary protested.
"The artist is dead!" Stein cut her off, "face it! You don't have anyone because you never wanted anyone until Ib came along! So you killed her in order for her to stay! But there's difference- she didn't truly stay in the gallery! Because she was a human! You were a painting! A mere figment, idea of some psychotic murderer!"
"You-you-" Mary stuttered.
"I what? You know I'm right- no one can save you- no one ever wanted to save you!" Stein shouted. Mary wailed with frustration.
Stein didn't notice Sid getting into a sitting position, pushing Spirit off him. He watched with horror, the doctor torture the little girl- if that was what she really was. Stein's body shook with laughter, an insane smile spread across his face.
"And you know it!" Stein continued to yell. His voice was hoarse and raspy- he was screaming now, nearly screeching at the top of his lungs, "Your existence means nothing! You are nothing!" Mary's skin- her paint, really- was dripping rapidly, pooling on the ground. His screaming drowned out footsteps that were coming closer. Sid could hear Marie shouting at students to stay in their classrooms, that "Soul, Maka do not follow me, whatever you do! I implore you to listen to directions just this once!" Her shoes squeaked as she slid to a stop in the doorframe and screamed just as Stein plunged the needle into Mary's neck, emptying the canister completely. Two more pairs of feet sounded and Maka and Soul appeared next to her, trying to push past her to get in.
"What's going on, what's happening?" Soul asked frantically. Marie grabbed them, holding them behind her as Mary's body shook violently, like one who was possessed b demons. Paint began to flood, leaving rivers on the floor. Stein's shoulders heaved along with his chest as he panted, out of breath. Where Mary was, there was nothing but a puddle of paint. The syringe fell from Stein's fist, clanging against the floor. Maka and Soul succeeded in pushing past Marie and gasped, surveying the scene.
"Wh-what happened…..?" Maka asked, trailing off.
"Yeah, where's Mary?" Soul asked dubiously, shoving his hands in his pockets. Stein snapped his head in their direction, making the teenagers jump. He looks scary! Soul thought as the teacher pushed his glasses ion their proper place.
"Mary….." he panted with a mad grin, "won't be coming back, I'm afraid."