Stein felt the pain as soon as Chiyumi transformed. It was as if someone was leeching away his very soul, his life force. He hit his knees and almost didn't block the blow that was angled at his neck.
Then it was gone. But so was everything else. Stein was on the floor of his lab, Sid and Nygus looking down at him and Chiyumi.
"Stein?" Sid started.
A scream interrupted him, and Chiyumi's eyes flew open, her back arching until they could hear the vertebrae cracking and popping. They were unprepared for what happened next.
Another form pulled itself from Chiyumi's body, one scream becoming two, then a horrendous silence broken only by the panting of breaths and then a very quiet whisper.
"Shiyumi..."
The other form growled in response, lunging not at Stein but at her sister. "You should have listened to me! I could have kept you safe! I told you you could never trust a stranger! Why, Chimi, why?"
Sid and Nygus darted around the table, but were too slow. They could only watch as Stein pushed Chiyumi behind himself and Shiyumi collided with him, a spray of blood hitting the air as Shiyumi was pushed backwards by Stein's soul wavelength.
The other girl stood unsteadily to her feet. Stein moved to hit her with his soul wavelength again only to find his way blocked by Chiyumi, tears flowing down her face.
"I... I have to. Help me."
Stein just nodded, bracing himself for the pain. It never came. He looked at the sword in his hand, and could sense just how much she was holding back, how hard she was trying to not hurt him.
'Chiyumi. Don't hold back. We won't be able to win this if you're unwilling to do what has to be done.'
His only answer was a hollow ache that seemed to fill his entire soul. While not as bad as it had been the first time, the ache grew and grew, and he knew it wouldn't take long for it to become unbearable.
'Let's get this over with quickly. I'm sorry Chiyumi, I truly am.'
'I... know.'
The battle was brief and brutal. Shiyumi was no match for the meister and his weapon, landing only a handful of hits, though one did cut Stein's arm deeply. Stein's lab, unfortunately, suffered for it more than either one did.
With a final slash, Stein cut through the girl, then stared at the floating red soul in front of him.
"A... kishin egg... hidden here..." He stammered out before hitting his knees and passing out.
It was early morning when Stein opened his eyes again, immediately jerking into a sitting position.
"Relax, Stein." Came Sid's voice from his left. "Kid's asleep on the couch in the next room. You needed a few stitches for that wound on your arm. Nygus patched you up. That was pretty crazy back there."
Stein swung his feet off the side of the table, standing up. "My glasses."
"On your desk. Nygus is off at the DWMA now speaking with Lord Death about last night. She took the soul with her. Didn't think that offering to left Chiyumi eat it would be the most appropriate thing, since it is her sister's after all."
"You're probably right. How long was I out?"
"About 3 hours, Stein." Sid paused as Stein knocked a cigarette out of the box and lit up. "I've always been a curious man, that's just the type of man I was. How did that happen? We both saw her go to attack you, then it was like time stopped for the two of you. Next thing we know, she's peeling out of her sister's body like a banana. What happened?"
"I wish I could tell you Sid. But, I think that's something Chiyumi would have to tell you." Stein flexed his hand, feeling the stitches in his arm pull tight. Stein took a deep drag on the cigarette before exhaling and turning to walk into the other room.
Chiyumi woke a few minutes before Stein walked into check on her, but made sure to keep her breathing smooth and steady, old habits dying hard. It was hard to keep the ruse going when she heard them talk about her sister's soul, but she did.
"I know you're awake, Chiyumi. Your soul is quivering." Stein said quietly.
She opened her eyes, pulling back when she realized that he was kneeling down right in front of her.
"I... I'm sorry. I tried to warn you. I told you what would happen. That I could hurt you." Chiyumi whispered, tears welling unbidden in her eyes. "And now... now Shiyu's gone forever again. But... thank you... and I'm so sorry."
Stein tilted his head, trying to understand, and reached up to crank the screw in his head. "Stop apologizing. That fight would have gone a lot longer if you hadn't done what you did. Now, I don't know about you, but that ramen should reheat well, and neither of us have eaten. Perhaps you would like to see if Sid would join us?"
The smile that Stein wore was perhaps the most sincere one he had ever had.
The ramen did, indeed, reheat well, though Chiyumi couldn't help but smile as Stein reheated it over a Bunsen Burner in beakers. They ate in silence, with Sid politely refusing any food. Nygus returned about 45 minutes after they had awoke, bearing news that Lord Death would like to speak with them.
Nervously, Chiyumi stood behind Stein as they waited on Lord Death to make his appearance.
"Well, hello, hello, hello, wazzup?" Called an unnaturally cheerful voice from the mirror.
"You asked to see us, I believe." Stein stated.
"Yes, I did. It seems that you had a bit of a breakthrough last night, didn't you Chiyumi?" Lord Death asked gently.
Chiyumi gulped and whispered, "Yes, sir."
"Well that's just wonderful! Now that you're over that dreadful fear, you should attend the upcoming festivities!"
Stein spoke up. "You asked us here to invite Chiyumi to a party. Seriously?"
"Oh, well, yes. And to congratulate you and her on her first soul. Did you enjoy it? Only 98 more to go!"
Sid coughed.
"She gave it up." Stein said quietly.
"Oh, well, I see then! Anyway, carry on!" And the mirror stopped showing Lord Death.
Stein turned to Sid and Nygus. "I thought he had something important to say. A waste of time." He turned and left quickly, with Chiyumi moving swiftly beside him.
"Now, that was interesting, Nygus." Came Lord Death's voice once more as he stepped out from behind the mirror.
"I thought you would be interested in seeing it for yourself."
"Yes, yes, I was. I never thought that I would see Stein's soul so wrapped around one person as it was before Marie's untimely death." Lord Death through up the Victory sign. "That solves that!"
Sid and Nygus left smiling.
A/N: Yes, I know its sacrilegious to have Stein without Marie... and I miss her :( But, keep your heads up! She's gone for a reason ;) Also, Soul eater is not my intellectual property. /sad