Chapter Text
Lord Death had requested that Maka and her friends return to the now buried rubble of the academy’s basement, guided by Professor Stein just in case anything goes awry, to check on some energies that didn’t feel right a year after everything in the world had settled again. It wasn’t insanity, he had assured them, but it was still strange and it worried him.
“What do you think is down here?” Maka looked up at the professor, trying to study his face as they descended the stairs.
“Not a clue, but I can detect a soul we might have missed.” What he didn’t say was that it felt familiar to him.
Much like how it did when he focused too much on Medusa’s soul before he’d need to stop, which still puzzled him. He’d never get an answer with her gone for good, however and he was okay with that.
Though as they continued to walk down the steps, that feeling grew and Stein focused on ignoring his discomfort, the stairs were broken in some places so it was best to tread carefully, as Black Star has already almost fallen down the steps already by rushing. Thankfully he’s learning to slow down, better late than never. A few waves of residual insanity made all of them uncomfortable, but they powered through and began to walk down the hallway and it was uneventful until Maka squinted ahead of the group and asked, “Is… Is that the soul you felt, Professor?”
Which made everyone look ahead and Stein gathered himself before responding. “Yes. It is.”
And he thought he knew exactly who’s soul it was.
It had a mix of purple and blue hue to it, and a darkness around it that grew the closer they got. As if the darkness wanted to get into the soul to protect itself but the soul’s aura was keeping the darkness away.
“Wait.” Stein held up his hand and all movement halted, something was happening with the soul.
Kid, Liz and Patty noticed too that the soul was moving, lowering to the ground slowly and Kid pointed something out. “The darkness is being repelled.” And Stein had a bad feeling about it. “Stay away from it and the soul, and be on guard.” All of the kids tensed and Maka and Soul kept near Stein, since they were closest to him and he was willing to defend them with his wavelength control.
But what was astounding was what happened with the soul. Magic was piecing together a body for it again, clearly, as a feminine body formed around it, caging it in a corporal body with long hair. Colour came to the body once it had formed, a long royal blue dress hiding most of the pale skin.
Long black hair, pale almost flawless skin, and somewhat sharp black nails.
And Stein knew who this person was, his lungs sucking in a deep breath as his eyes widened. “Professor?” It was Soul’s voice that snapped him out of his daze and he turned the screw in his head until it clicked.
“Keep away from her for now, we don’t know what the insanity wants with her.” That’s what the darkness was, and it seemed angry now that the soul had a body to hide it away. The darkness approached the woman’s body and the right hand twitched, digging her claws into the broken ground she lay on. She was waking up, and the darkness rushed the body.
Only to be repelled once again with an obvious show of a magical barrier, some of the insanity was destroyed upon contact with said barrier.
The magic was a golden colour, mixed with black and Stein could see everyone around him bristle. Yes, they all knew who’s colours that was. He knew this woman. They all did but not on his level or research.
Maka’s voice shook when she found her voice, “Is that… Medusa?”
“Yes. Before the insanity, by the looks of it.” Stein kept his eye on the insanity keeping away from the body now, realising it couldn’t get in anymore and it was getting angrier. But the woman stirred and let out a hissing sound, much like an angry snake but she lifted herself half up on her left elbow, her head hanging down for a moment but they heard that familiar voice mumble something unintelligible before hissing out a quiet, weakened ‘Tttace’ (Bbbe silent) when the insanity approached again.
This time her reaction was seen but not acted upon, her hair changing to golden at the tips the closer the insanity got. Then it hit another barrier and more of it was eaten away.
Liz saw something interesting and whispered to Kid, who looked at her quizzically before studying the woman more. Liz was correct. “She isn’t opening her eyes.” Stein knew why, “From what I know, she’s blind like this.” His voice wasn’t quiet enough apparently, as Medusa seemed to react and lift her head a bit.
“Audio te…” (I hear you…) Her voice was still weak, she was clearly gathering her strength, and Maka couldn’t help but shake. “Y-You’re- How are you-?” The girl could see how the woman’s face shifted, slightly confused and she didn’t seem to recognise her voice. “Do you… Do you remember me?” It was interesting, but it stunned the kids when they saw her shake her head. 'No'. Medusa didn’t recognise her voice.
“Now isn’t time for a confrontation.” Stein’s hand was placed on Maka’s shoulder before removing it and cautiously approaching the witch. “Can you respond to us in English?” Medusa considered it but ultimately shook her head again, ‘no’.
Stein let out a quiet sigh but he knelt down a good distance away from her, “Can you stand?”
‘No’. Though this time she did seem guilty. “Can I carry you?” It was the easiest way to get her out of here and he ignored the group’s looks of surprise. Even the witch seemed shocked, and instinctively recoiled her right hand, the closest limb to him, before her expression changed to defeat and she nodded. “Alright, I just need to get us out of here before anything happens.” Again she nodded, she understood their words but couldn’t respond.
Cautiously Stein moved up pick Medusa up as carefully as possible, and she was evidently hurt by it when she let out a small whimper when her legs were bent over his arm under her knees. But she nodded ‘yes’ when he asked if she was okay, so it must just be an issue of having a new body.
The roof cracked as the hall rumbled, rattling the rubble and everything around them and Stein instantly let out a bark of “Move!” which made the group run back to the steps. Medusa clutched onto his shirt when he began to run as well, and Stein held her closer to him as well just to keep her safe. Each jostle pained her but she kept the pained sounds down as best as she could. The insanity was chasing them up the steps as they ran, though in the middle of the chase, Medusa moved one of her hands to thrust it out behind Stein in order to put out a barrier.
Without time to react, the insanity slammed into it hard and the barrier shuddered but didn’t break, and the enraged shriek sounded behind them but didn’t chase.
The group stopped at the top of the stairs and Medusa lowered her hand to her lap once more, her eyes more heavily closed with the effort of using spells so soon, and Lord Death’s silhouette got everyone’s attention.
“Ahh, so that’s why something felt off.” Lord Death mused, tilting his head to one side and the kids saw Medusa perk up at his voice.
Even though she was still weak, she found her voice enough to speak. “Dominus Mors?” (Lord Death?) And it was apparent that he knew what she was saying. “Hello again, Medusa. Bring her to my hall, we have a lot to discuss.”
When they were situated in Lord Death’s room in the academy, Lord Death begun asking Medusa questions, starting with what she could remember. What she was talking in was Latin, Lord Death explained, and she couldn’t remember much. She was one of the first to try talking to Asura before he lost himself to madness, and she could remember the confrontation, the days afterwards until confusion begun, questioning everything and that was all she could remember. Vague voices and pain afterwards but nothing else.
It was hard to believe but Lord Death seemed to trust every word, and when the discussion was done, he explained who she was.
“Medusa was a previous student here, half witch and half… Mind if I say?” Medusa shook her head, ‘no’ and he continued. “Half witch and half demon, despite the blue in her soul. She isn’t as destructive as how she was while infected with insanity, and it was the reason why she could restore a physical body, she’s a lot stronger than she looks now.”
Medusa smirked a bit, and slowly opened her eyes to blindly glance around. Maka noted that they were a pale, blind gold, and she shivered at the sight of snake-like slits for pupils.
“So uhm… You… Don’t know what you did?”
‘No’, with a very guilty expression that wiped the smirk off her face within milliseconds. She could write so when Lord Death gave her a pen and paper, she wrote down:
“I know that I have done horrible things, possibly towards you and your friends. I don’t expect forgiveness, but I ask for a second chance to prove myself, if you will allow that of me. I’m not the monster insanity made of me.”
It surprised Maka and the team, even Stein too when she held it up. Black Star couldn’t help himself when he piped up with a loud voice.
“How can you write if you can’t see?!” The loudness made her flinch but Medusa got a new paper to write.
“Blind from birth, I’m used to it and I can see with smells and tastes. My animal is a snake after all.”
The sound of the others shifting uncomfortably made her smile a bit, very amused but too tired to show it much. Lord Death spoke up once again, and they saw how her eyes locked onto where he was since he wasn’t moving thankfully. “She was the best tracker we had at the time, so don’t let it unnerve you too much. Do you have anywhere to go?”
Medusa shook her head, ‘No’. A thoughtful hum left Lord Death and he checked his map of the city before sighing slightly. “I have a few rooms here that I can give you temporarily until you’re up and about comfortably, would that be okay?” She nodded her head ‘Yes’ before writing down.
“I can find a place when I’m okay. It might take a while, I haven’t done this before, but” She paused for a moment before continuing, “I can help in the academy too?”
Lord Death’s voice held a smile, “We still have an opening for a head medic if you’re interested?” Medusa lit up a bit and she nodded. It took a little longer to get through specifics, that Stein stayed back for after the others left since she was barely able to walk still and he helped her walk to one of the spare dorm rooms when everything was settled.
When he helped her sit on the bed, Medusa gave him a genuinely grateful smile and thought for a moment before signing to him ‘Thank you’. Thankfully he knew that one.
“No problem. It’s good to have you back.” Her smile brightened, but it faltered and she signed once again.
‘I am sorry, for what I have done’.
“It’s okay. They knew it wasn’t your fault.”
‘Thank you for doing what you had to do’.
A small huff left the man but he responded, “Didn’t really have a choice. We can talk more tomorrow, you need rest.” Medusa nodded, and Stein patted her shoulder softly before getting up and leaving the room to allow her to sleep.
This was going to very interesting.