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Observation Number 25
The doctor sighed, leaning back in his chair, his eyes falling from the computer screen in front of him. As he scanned his lab, his eyes fell upon the calendar on the far wall.
“December 23.…” he noted aloud, not to anyone but him self. There were two days until Christmas, Marie had gone back to Oceania to celebrate, leaving the doctor alone. He hadn’t been invited anywhere, and he didn’t feel like going back to his birthplace…. Not just to visit his deceased parents... the thought sent a shiver down the young doctor's spine.
His Father, a supposedly respected man, to everyone but his family. He had drunk heavily... and showed his son the joys of dissection... of being a scientist.... by dissecting his own son.
His Mother, a wonderful young woman. She acted much like Marie, so kind to even the oddest person. No wonder she had married Stein's Father. Obviously, like the boy, his father was... unstable. However, his mother never complained, no matter how much she or her son got hurt... never...did she complain.
The small gray haired boy smiled, his friends leaving him on the street corner as he turned and ran back to his house. Upon opening the door the smell of baked goods filled his senses. “Mama!” the boy called, speaking his native tongue, German. “Oh! Franken!” the woman called, stepping out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. “Your home early!” she commented giving her son a kiss on the forehead. “We were let out of school early! For Christmas!” the boy said, his teacher, much like his mother, where from America, so they celebrated Christmas. “Why don’t you wash up and help me make some cookies, your father will be home soon.” the woman said disappearing back to the kitchen with the boy at her heels.
Later that night, the boy would never guessed Christmas would be this horrible. He sneaked down the stairs, hoping to catch a certain red suited Santa leaving presents…. But instead, he found his mother. Laying on the floor, like she had collapsed. ”Mama!” he cried rushing to her side, he leaned beside her as she weakly opened her eyes. He felt tears run down his cheeks as she reached out to him. “Franken. Please do your mother a favor…. Take the money on the counter, and escape to America. Go to Death City Nevada. Do you understand Franken? Death. City. Nevada. Go to Shibusen, you will be welcomed there. Do not worry about me or your father… just go…” the boy nodded, though he didn’t want to leave. “Yes Mama.” he replied, his mother smiled, kissing him on the forehead, her lips colder than normal. “Good boy Franken.” she said, her voice weak. However, by the time the boy had left the house with the money, he knew that his mother died shortly after he left her side.
Franken Stein arrived in Death City, long after his mothers death, now being six years of age, he had matured much more than others his age, not bothering to listen to others, it made him want to go mad! As he sat outside a store front in Shibusen, he stared blankly at the sky. It looked so much different from the sky in Germany…. He clutched the little money left in his hands in a tight fist, not paying attention as some one walked up to him. “You look lost, can I help you?” the stranger asked. Stein looked up at the red headed boy, he had to be at least two years older than him. “I’m looking for Shibusen, my mother told me to run there….” The red head tilted his head, but held out his hand, and smiled again. “The Name is Spirit, Spirit Albarn.” he introduced himself. “A Pleasure.” the boy muttered. Spirit sighed withdrawing his hand and waiting for the smaller boy to stand. “Follow me!” Spirit said, taking the lead as Stein followed him.
Stein then found that the headmaster of Shibusen, a Shinigami, or ‘Death God’, would in fact take him in. However, he was to live with a foster parent until he came of age to enter Shibusen Academy. Though, the God would have never thought, that keeping the boy tame would be an easy task. He seemed to have a interest in science, and by that meaning, tearing apart and looking through something. Be it electronics or animals, not foster parent kept the poor boy long. So he ended up with no one, again out on the streets, waiting for the Shinigami to take pity on him and enroll him….
Franken sighed, the rain pouring down upon him, the tree he sat under was not much help to him… it more or less added to the rain that was drenching him. His gray hair plastered to his head, his clothes sticking to his skin, and his complexion turning ghastly. He didn’t bother to look up, no passer by taking pity on the ten year old. He despised this, no where to go, no one to care for him. Like his Father….. Who he hated with a passion. “Out on the street corner again?” a voice asked him, he had heard it before, but did not look up or reply until he felt the rain stop abruptly. “You’ll get a cold if you stay out here too long.” the voice said. The voice belonged to Spirit Albarn, a friendly face amongst the crowd of hatred. “I have no where else to be… to go.” Stein muttered, his olive eyes cold. “Then come to my place, you can stay with me until Shinigami-sama enrolls you!” the red head said holding out the hand that was not holding the umbrella over the gray haired boy. The boy nodded, taking Spirit’s hand as he helped him up. “Thank you.” Stein said, as he followed Spirit yet again.
Soon, the boy found himself standing beside the death god, one of his giant white hands on his shoulders. “Spirit-san! You can come in now!” the god called, the boy walking through the guillotine hallway, until he stood in front of the god and the meister. “Spirit-san~ Would you please be Stein-kun’s weapon? He seems to not have one chosen yet, and you’ve yet to choose a meister!” the red head looked up at the god’s emotionless mask. “Of course Shinigami-sama.” the red head said, bowing. The gray haired boy looked at the Shinigami, his olive eyes emotionless. “Well then~ Good luck both of you~!” the god of death said, pushing Stein towards his new weapon, waving as the two walked away.
“You’ve NEVER celebrated Christmas?” Marie, the demon hammer, asked. “Well… not formally, or at least, not for a very long time.” the 14 year old replied. The blonde scowled, rather cutely, at the gray haired teen. “Then… lets make this your first. With us.” she said, nodding her head once to make her point. Spirit nodded, his hand draping across Stein’s shoulders. “Let’s do it! Come on Stein, I’ve put up with you not celebrating it long enough. Lets start a tradition this year! We’ll all spend Christmas together.” he said, looking from Stein, to Marie, then to Azusa, Sid and finally Nygus. “Lets go!” the blonde said, pumping her fists in the air excitedly. Azusa nodded, adjusting her glasses. “Senpai…. I don’t really want to--”
“No Stein, your celebrating this year.” Spirit said, cutting him off.
”But… what if I do not want to--”
“Not exceptions, we are starting a tradition this year!”
“But Senpai--”
“Enough! That’s that!” the red head said again, and with that, Marie smiled happily, this was going to be great!
The group now sat in Stein and Spirit’s shared apartment, a green Christmas tree in the center of the room. “We… decorate that? “ the gray haired technician asked. Spirit nodded, handing an armful of garland to the 14 year old. Marie smiled at him, as she dug through a box, coming up with a few ornaments, she wore a yellow dress, with black leggings her coat abandoned long ago. Spirit wore a green shirt with a cross design on it, his hair pulled back in a ponytail, and black jeans. Stein though, was dressed in a plain white long sleeve shirt and white pants, stitches decorating the fabric. “Put it around the tree Stein.” Nygus said, giving him a hint as to what it was he was to do with a arm full of garland. The meister then nodded, moving to the tree and doing as he was told. Half way through though, he realized he was to short and hand to hand off his duty to Spirit and Sid. He then turned to see Marie handing him a few ornaments, “Why don’t you put these up?” she asked, smiling, Stein nodded, turning and going to put the ornaments on the tree, as Sid put lights on it as well.
Soon they had a very nice tree, the lights illuminating their faces. Stein then, allowed himself a small smirk, feeling proud of the tree. ”Every year…” Spirit said, again draping his arm over Stein’s shoulders. ”We’ll get together, and decorate a tree, just like this. Just one tradition to add, right guys?” the scythe asked, and everyone, minus Stein, agreed. ”Franken… what’s wrong?” Marie asked, noticing that the boy had put his head down. ”I just… realized… my mother would love this…. Decorating the tree… seeing me with my friends…” the boy muttered. Maries eyes softened, and she stepped forward, once….twice… until she reached him. She then wrapped her arms around him, tears forming in her eyes, “We won’t leave you alone again Franken! I promise! No matter what! Even if I get Married! This will always be special to us! Christmas together! Like a family!” she said, hugging the gray haired boy tightly….
“A family….. Hah!” the doctor laughed, emotionless leaning back in his chair. “Every year… together… hah!” the doctor laughed again, turning in his office chair. It was true, they hadn’t gotten together much… not after Kami had came into Spirit’s life… not since his friends had become Death Scythes…. And looking back at it, he despised the lies he had been told. His expression was cold, unfeeling… Spirit had left, spending the holidays with his family. Marie went back to Oceania every year…. Leaving Stein alone….
The doctor sighed, his hands running through his hair, returning his focus back to the computer, a message on his screen.
To : Franken Stein
From : Your Family.
Dear Stein,
We hope you are having a Merry Christmas. Please do not think poorly of us.
Why don’t you come to Shibusen, we’ll meet you there…..
After all, we still have to decorate the tree.
Your Family,
Spirit, Marie, Azusa, Sid and Nygus.
Stein smiled sadly, so they did care….. He stood, throwing his lab coat on and heading out of his patchwork lab heading towards Shibusen.
“Perhaps…. I wasn’t forgotten after all…. I hope your proud Mother, I’m spending Christmas with my Family again.” he muttered in German, hands in his pockets as he walked through the snow.
 Insanity is Contagious · Sat Dec 19, 2009 @ 12:39am · 3 Comments |
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