This chapter is dedicated to everyone who is dying for a fight scene and all who have read this far. Thanks so much, you guys are awesome! Now... Onward to the battle!
The three men who broke into the laboratory all stared at Stein in pure hatred, rage and fear. If a regular human, someone who was not a meister nor weapon, were to see any of these intruders, they'd run away and hide. Unless, of course, they had the courage to fight. But even so, these men were quite intimidating, and Stein could tell they could probably beat many different men in a fight. However, Stein was not one of those men. If only they knew it... Two of the men, the one on the far left and the middle, had short black hair, the formal which came up to a spike in a swift slope at the hair line of his forehead and the other was completely unstyled. The man on the right had somewhat of a punk rocker type of hair style, but it was still short. All were clad in black, even the bandanas they wore on their faces were of the same shade of color.
The man in the middle's hand was shaking ever so slightly, but Stein easily noticed it. "Oh, you are afraid." Stein remained expressionless. Marie was in her room just down the hall and he was rather tired, so he really was not in the mood for any usual delinquit's scwabblings. The man released an odd sound from his throat, it was somewhat of a growl. His eyes full of rage, he rushed at Stein with his knife, as did the others. The man on the left was quicker than the others, the man in the middle being the slowest.
Stein decided to just simply play with the men. For some reason, their anger was amusing to him. First, one of the men swiped at his face, and Stein bent backward so the blade flew over him. The second attack, one from the man on the right which came only a second after the first, tried to stab him in the abdomen. The tall doctor only jumped backward, and his attacker lost his balance and began to fall but he quickly regained his balance. Then the last attack, the one from the man in the middle, was an attempt to slice diagonally down his chest. Stein only stepped to the side and laughed inside as the man actually did fall on his face. On any normal day, he would have laughed out loud. But today, he kept his exterior completely plain. As several waves of the mens' attacks were hurled at Stein, he kept on dodging and thought of the reasons why he shouldn't really fight back.
Marie has already witnessed enough bloodshed in this house. Furthermore, if she hears too much fighting, she might come out. But then, I actually do need to fight back so she will be safe... Damn it. I was really enjoying messing with these dumbasses. As several more attacks sprang forth, one of the men finally succeeded in injuring his target. The man with the punk hair style had managed to slice his arm rather deep, down from his shoulder to his elbow. Stein tried to stifle any sounds of pain, but a grunt belowed from his throat and the men continued on with their assualts. A minute passed without anymore successful cuts or stabs, but Stein's luck was beginning to turn. These men may be stupid as hell, but Stein did have to admit they were quite good fighters. Actually, "good" was an understatement.
They were all fast and agile with more than decent muscle mass, and they knew excellent fighting strategies. All three of them were soon able to predict Stein's fighting, so they could easily tell what assualt he was going to use next, and when he was going to defend himself. They all must have had the same instructers. Stein observed as he continued to try to escape the blades.
Stein was mainly jumping backward and to the side silently so to not give Marie reason to leave her room, trying to evade all of the blades. However, he bumped into the coffee table and one of his coffee mugs fell to the hard grey ground, shattering loudly. White porceline flew everywhere, shrapenal stabbing into the calves of his pants. The glass hadn't gone completely through, but they did scrape and poke him everytime he moved. At the sound of the cup breaking, Marie poked her head out of her room.
"Franken?" She called worriedly. All four of the men stopped, the three intruders smirking.
"Oh, who is that?" One of the men spoke through his bandana and turned toward the hall. He looked back at Stein who was still remaining expressionless, but inside he was burtsting with anger. The man looked back at Stein, then began walking toward the hall. "Keep him busy."
While one of them stalked down the hall, two of the men were trying to fight Stein. One of them managed to get behind him where he wrapped his arms around Stein's throat and began pulling him down. Even though Stein was quite strong, this man was pretty strong himself. He almost even equaled the doctor. While he pulled Stein down, the other man sliced at Stein's abdomen, creating a long slash across his belly. Stein hissed in pain, more anger pouring into him.
"FRANKEN!" Marie's screams pierced Stein's ears, and his eyes widened, more anger pouring into him. This damned soul that was pulling him down now had Stein trying to hold himself up on his heels. The muscles of his thighs began to burn from holding himself up- The man holding him was only doing that: holding him down. He didn't offer any support though. The sharp pieces of glass that stuck into the back of his pants were now starting to nick his calves.
A volcano of rage erupted in Stein, giving him the strength the break away from the damned soul behind him and blast the other attacker away with a powerful soul purge. He hit a bookshelf, causing it to fall over on top of him. The other intruder ran to the man that was crushed by the bookshelf, yelling out and cursing. If Stein were not so pissed off or determined to save Marie, he would have guessed the men were brothers or very close friends. As Stein bolted down the hall to Marie's room, he could hear Marie scream and sob; his anger was now boiling over so rapidly causing him to completely forget about the porceline cup shrapenal that was digginf into his legs.
By the time Stein had reached her room, Marie was on her knees, the intruder clad in all black shoving his knife against Marie's throat. His fingers were laced through the roots of her blond hair, gripping her tightly. Tears fell from Marie's uncovered eye infinately. Stein stopped dead in his tracks the moment he saw the knife, staring in horror at how her skin just barely went over the blade. Just one movement could slice her skin.
"Now," the man started calmly, "You are going to get on your knees, with your hands on your head." Stein nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving the threatening knife as he did exactly what he was ordered.
"What do you want?" Stein asked, his voice low and dangerous. His eye twitched in anger, and his hands trembled.
"Oh, were you not paying any attention earlier? Or did you just not hear? You killed Desmond, you bastard!" His voice began to rise, but he soon composed himself by taking in a deep breath. "You killed my brother."
Stein's anger was still continuing to expand and overflow. "Your brother broke into my house and attempted to kill the woman you threaten now!" He was trying to keep his voice even and low, but it was a useless effort.
The other man paused for a moment, rage burning in his eyes. His voice a whisper, "You killed my brother."
"Fr- Frank- ken..." Marie bawled quitely. The man pulled her hair up, causing her to whimper in pain.
"Shhh..." he pulled the knife a few milimeters away from her throat to the point where it was just barely touching her skin, then gently slid the blade up so the tip was resting next to her uncovered eye. He then bent his knees and sat on the balls of his feet behind her. "Hey, sweetheart." the man whispered in her ear. "How about... I gouge out your eye? That way I can kill your little boyfriend here, and you won't have to watch?" Marie's eye shut tightly as more of her tears continued to fall.
Stein never let his olive eyes stray from Marie. How much more fear and pain could she withstand? Stein himself had already dumped tons of said feelings on her, and now this... Marie may be a strong person, and she may be a Death Scythe, but she was also a woman. Just how much longer could she go on before she falls apart and gives up? "Marie..." Stein whispered. His voice was barely audible, but she had heard it. Marie's eye opened and met his green ones.
When their eyes made contact, Stein's eyes were filled with anger and despair, almost the same as Marie's. The only difference was the hot rage. Stein narrowed his eyes and pressed his lips together as the man that threatened her life continued to whisper in her ear, his face pushing into her hair. Stein slowly began to move his arm from behind his head so his hand was visible, then pulled it into a tight fist. Marie blinked and twitched her upper lip in response, and Stein knew she got his message.
Right before Marie executed Stein's plan, the man that was behind her snapped his head up and was about to yell something and possibly slice her with the knife. However, he was too late. Marie had already thrown herself at Stein, turning into a hammer as she flew. Stein lunged forward and grabbed the hilt of her in weapon form, preparing to bash this man's head in to the ground for threatening the women he... Loved. The woman I love...
Both men glared at eachother furiosuly in a deadlock. Stein's olive eyes burned with a certain fire, the fire that only the rage of hell could bring forth. The man who stood before him seemed intimidated by the towering doctor- he seemed as if he just noticed who he was dealing with, not to mention how tall Stein was- but he never backed down. "Leave this premises," Stein growled as his recently gained enemy stood straight up and raised his blade in preperation to defend himself. "Or I will rip you apart."
Through the entire ordeal, this intruder who seemed to be very well composed was gradually losing his self control. After a few excrutiatingly long moments of nothing but staring eachother down, the man finally broke. It started with him pacing, cursing at Stein and himself. Then he stopped in his tracks, and he held his breath. Stein tried to predict what the man would do, but at this point he figured anything could happen.
The man screamed out and launged at Stein with the knife, attempting to slice his face. The doctor ducked, letting the blade pass over him and swung the hammer into the attacker's side. He flew into the wall and hit the ground, lying on his right side. Stein raised Marie, the hammer, over his head and prepared to smash the intruder's skull in, but he stopped. This man was simply avenging his brother's death. If it were for Marie, I'd do the same... Plus this is Marie's room. I'm pretty sure she's tired of the smell and stains of blood in here.
Stein huffed in annoyance and anger as he quickly bent his knees and sat on the balls of his feet. The glass from the broken cup dug into his flesh, but he paid it no mind. The man put his hands above his face, a natural reflex to protect himself. Stein hastily navigated around his hands and pulled the bandana down his jaw to expose the man's face. He then grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him close to his face, Stein's eyes boring into his.
"I will only tell you once more: Leave my house." Stein added a slight giggle at the end of his words, knowing that the psychotic scientise touch would convince the intruder. Damn it... I really don't want to tap into that side of myself, but I also don't want to kill him... Well I do. But Marie doesn't. Stein produced a dark, sadistic grin and the man nodded quickly before scrambling to his feet and bolting out the door.
When he heard the front door open and swing shut heavily, Stein sat back on his rear then rested Marie, who was still in her weapon form, down on his lap, trying to remain emotionless. He could now feel the madness reaching forth, but it was still very weak. If I remain emotionless now, perhaps it will stop it. With a bright yellow glow, Marie morphed back into her human form. Her first thought was to get off of his lap, but her mind traveled back to Stein's giggles and insane grin from just a few moments ago. If he really was slipping into the madness, I need to stop it now...
"Franken..." her voice soft, Marie grabbed his hand and overlapped it with her free hand. Stein had his head dropped, looking downward, still trying to completely supress the expanding insanity. "Franken." her voice still had its soft qualities, but firmness was touched in, and Stein looked up at her through his eyelashes, moving his head up ever so slightly. At first glance, his eyes appeared to be blank. But Marie could see past that, she could see through the hole she had chiseled in the doctor's brick wall. She could see what he was really feeling.
Feeling.
Marie could see the pain, the guilt, the torment, the hatred, the rage. Knowing that Stein was only just beginning to really feel and almost understand negative emotions and having to deal with all of this pained her; it made her feel as if someone was gripping her heart and stopping it from beating, stopping the bloodflow, thus making her feel as if she couldn't get enough oxygen throughout her body. Marie inhaled deeply, trying to clear her head.
"Yes?" He asked quietly after a few long moments passed and he felt the madness was just about fully contained. He knew he was now able to let his feelings and emotions out without consequece to his sanity- so went his theory- but he still didn't want to. She can't see me like this anymore. She can't see my pain.
"Thank you... For saving my life." Marie said softly as she pulled his hand up and held it to her chest.
Stein scoffed slightly, then scolding himself. Now she's going to start asking questions...
"Franken, what's wrong?" she said after her brow furrowed.
Stein sighed. "I'm... I'm just worried about you. How much longer can you keep this up, Marie?"
"Keep what exactly up?"
"How long can you stand being with me? My presence in your life has only caused you more pain in two months than you've probably ever had in your whole life. I've hurt you, Marie, mentally and physically." Stein looked down again and outstretched his long fingers, lightly resting them on her abdomen where the knife had entered her.
"Franken..." Marie began, she knew he was depressed and felt extremely guilty. He didn't respond at all. "Franken." Again, no response. Then, Marie attempted something she had not done since... Since she first met him. "Stein!" Her voice was raised slightly to add emphasis to what she said.
Stein's eyes shot up to Marie. Did she just call me... Stein? She never calls me that. he asked himself silently, feeling a little awkward by referring to hisself by his own name. "Marie?"
Marie successfully tried to supress a smile at her small victory in capturing the doctor's attention. "Stein, you need to listen to me." Her voice was quite firm and her grip on his hand tightened. "It was my decision to come here in the first place. Yes, Shinigami referred me here, but I could have gone somewhere else. I made the decision. And yes, Stein, you've hurt me. But that was not you. It was something that was controlling you."
"Yes, Marie, but my point is-"
"Don't interrupt me." Stein fell completely silent, curious in seeing this side of Marie. She was normally so warm in her words and tone of voice. Now she was firm and was talking in a tone that he had seldom ever hear. "For the past couple of months, I have been making the decision to stay here with you. And, Stein, I know you don't want to admit that you're dependant on another person, but you need to face the fact that you can't do this alone. The madness may be spiking spasmatically, but we will figure this out. I will figure out a way to put an end to this."
A few long moments passed, Stein pondering over the Death Scythe's speech. Maybe... Maybe she's right. But still... I don't see a way to supress the madness. And plus, the spikes are not spasmadic... They have a cause. Wait! That's it! If I can... Maybe I can... The corners of Stein's mouth curved up ever so slightly, but Marie was able to see it and her mind rushed, as did her heart beat. If Stein was beginning to smile, that meant two things: he either found something out that he found amusing or he could be slipping into the madness. She loathed the thought of losing him right now, not only because seeing him like that was something of nightmares, but more particularly because she was breaking through to him.
"Franken, what are you smiling about?" Marie's voice was rather small.
"I have collected my data..." Stein's voice trailed off as his smile began to grow even further. The smile might be exhaggerated, but she needs to see that right now. Plus I still am smiling. Marie tilted her head in curiosity and confusion. "I have formed my hypothesis. Now, Marie... We just need to test the experiment."
DUN DUN DUNNNN. Cliffhanger. Haha sorry for that :P Just to get this out of the way, I am going to be changing the title of this fic (if lets me, that is.) If I can change it, it will called Hymn for the Missing.
Thanks again for reading this far, and thanks for being patient with how long it takes me to upload the chapters. Starting my first year in high school has been easy, but it is still pretty time consuming. Anyway, THANK YOU! I love all of you! :) -Mikshizels