Marie stood protectively in front of Stein, one of her hands transformed into a hammer. "You will NOT hurt my meister any more than you already have, witch Medusa." Marie said, her voice wobbling with anger. Her arms were spread and shielding his paralyzed body. Medusa smiled a cold, sharp, smile.

"Oh, the poor little girlfriend can't accept that Stein has fallen into my hands once again. You should realize that the dark side attracts him. Insanity is his calling. You claim to be his best friend, yet you don't see what he truly desires. How pitiful," Medusa sneered. Marie sniffed, holding back tears. Medusa smiled with her yellow eyes piercing into Marie's. For a second, Marie looked as if she would begin to sob, but instead she clenched her fist, and turned her head away from Medusa.

"You're lying." She growled. Medusa narrowed her eyes, and spoke in a voice without the previous ridicule. "Excuse me?"

Marie faced her full on, now yelling. "You're lying! I won't deny that Stein may be insane, but he's so much more! He's one of the most considerate, appreciative people I've met! He has a damaged soul, I know, but it's one of the most beautiful souls I've seen. I…I used to love him… and I think I still do."

Stein crinkled his brow in confusion. "You never told me t-" he wondered, but was cut off by Marie pressing her head against his shoulder. "Remember?" she asked, in a soft voice, "I do."

A younger Marie stood at the academy doors, her heart fluttering out of control. She wore her hair in a French braid, and donned a yellow pleated skirt and a black tank. Red roses adorned the steps of the DWMA, and a white banner stretched over the doors. Azusa looked up at it with distaste. "Valentine's day…" she muttered, "What a pointless occasion."

Marie let out a gasp of horror. "Azusa! Valentine's day is all about the beauty of love! And just because you're single today doesn't mean you're going to be single forever? Right? Right?" Azusa looked her over.

"By this point I assume you are just trying to reassure yourself." Marie delivered her a swift punch to the cheek. Azusa recoiled, rubbing her sore cheekbone. "Thanks a lot Ma-" she grumbled, but was cut off by a sharp "shh!" from Marie. The scythe meister Stein was walking past, with his weapon Spirit. Stein had a quizzical expression on his face, casually observing the decorations laid out for the holiday. He rolled his eyes, and pushed the doors open, not seeing the swooning Marie on the steps. Azusa raised an eyebrow.

"Him?" she asked quizzically. Marie nodded, blushing violently.

"I know he likes me, but he's just really shy. Maybe if I make the first move, he won't be. Maybe he'll accept the valentine I made for him, and then he'll ask me out, and we'll be together forever and-" Marie rambled, but she was cut off by the bell for class.

He swished past her in the hall, bumping her shoulder roughly as he passed. He turned around, a shocked expression on his face. "Oh, sorry Marie. Didn't see you there." He said apologetically. "Yeah, um, sorry." She said to the floor. A pensive look crossed his face, then vanished. He gave her a casual smile. "Well, see you in class," he said, and turned to leave. "Wait!" she shrieked. The valentine was burning a hole in her hand. He sighed, then turned around. "Yes?"

Marie looked the valentine over in her palm, remembering what she had written. It suddenly seemed so pointless, so pathetic. Maybe Azusa was right. Maybe this whole game was pointless after all. She was a petty fool for believing they could ever be together. He was tall, handsome, at the top of his class, and undisputedly the most considerate person she had ever met. And Marie was a socially awkward hopeless romantic. The valentine crumpled in her hand.

Stein shook her out of her daze. "You wanted to ask me something?" he said patiently. "Oh, uh, just wanted to know how your Valentine's Day was going." She said, a false smile plastered on her face. Stein seemed puzzled at her motive but casually shrugged and said, "It's been okay." Marie let out a pleasant laugh as he began to slowly drift away. She had lost her chance. And…now she was alone again.

Hours later, Marie laid splayed on her bed, her eyes red, her mouth still open in disbelief. Her thoughts bounced around in her skull. Perhaps she should've given him that letter, but again, maybe she made the right choice. She read again and again what she had written.

Dear Stein,

I think that you are one of the most amazing people I have ever met. Every time I talk to you, it raises me up. You are one of the greatest friends I've ever had… but maybe that's not where we should leave it. I want you to be a part of my life. I can't go a second without thinking of you, and though I'm being stupidly bold and hopeful right now, and this may ruin our friendship, I'm being honest. I want you to be my Valentine.

Marie

She was right, it was too bold. She would probably scare him off, and then not only their chances of a relationship, but their friendship would be ruined. It was better for them to stay like this… Separate. But if it was the right decision, why did it hurt so much?

Stifling her tears, she went to the window, and pulled open the screen. A faint breeze stirred her hair, and the letter fluttered papilionatiously. She began tearing, and with each part that was pulled into the breeze, she lost a part of herself. When the letter was gone, she stared impassively up at the clouds. "Goodbye, Stein."

But that wasn't the last time she would have a chance with him. She had now.

"My meister can't fight right now," she yelled, "but that doesn't mean I can't! This is his mind, so I can still fight you. And when I win, you'll see you're wrong! He can be salvaged!" Medusa laughed an awful crescendo. She adapted a fighting position. "I'd like to see how long you last without your meister. My bet is 10 minutes. However, that's just to be safe. I highly doubt you'll last five."

Marie smiled. "We'll see about that." She rushed forwards, bring her hammer arm into contact with Medusa's ribcage, sending her soaring backwards with a blast of her soul wavelength. "Remember, I'm a death scythe," she threatened. Medusa bounced off the back wall, onto the ground, and drew herself up using one of her arrows. She pushed off into a run, sending several of her snakes flying towards her. Marie reflected several, but one got past and scarred her cheek, causing her blood to splatter. Marie gritted her teeth and steadied herself. She smashed her arm into the floor, causing electricity to flow under the tiles and to Medusa's feet. She shot up in a bolt of blue static and slid back violently. When she skidded to a halt, her hair stood on end, and her hands still shook from the shock. Medusa snorted with anger and began to move her hands in a mesmerizing fashion. "Snake, snake, cobra,cobra," she chanted. Two obsidian arrows glinted in the pale light of the room. Marie didn't have time to react. They plunged down, honing in on their target.

Squelch. The arrows found their target, and Marie fell to their floor, her heartbeat pounding in her ears. Thump, thump. Thump, thump.

"MARIE!"