Chapter 8

"You stand before the giant pillar. It's covered in various runes and sigils. You can actually feel the evil radiating from it; there's this sickly green aura that pulsates from this structure, silencing any and all animals within the heart of the forest."

Mac sits before his friends, dramatically describing a fictional setting to them.

In the indigo living room, the group of teachers sit around a table littered with papers, manuals, mugs, dice of various shapes, and small figurines on top of grid paper. All eyes are focused on the bandana wearing Professor.

"So, what's the plan, guys?" Mac asks, whilst taking a drink from his mug.

Stein speaks up. "I want to examine the runes."

Mac turns his head right to face Stein on the sofa. "Okay then. Make an investigation check."

Stein lifts a twenty-sided die from the table in front of him, and rolls it back onto the table. He leans forward to inspect it, and then the sheet of paper he has in his hands. He sits back upright to inform Mac the result. "Eighteen."

"Eighteen?" Mac pauses to think for a second. "It's hard for you to decipher what exactly these sigils and runes would mean. However, you do recognise some arcane and Elven symbols in different sections of the pillar."

Stein listens intently to Mac, same goes for Sid and Spirit who are sitting on the opposite side of the table; Marie and Nygus however, begin writing down what Mac says on their notebooks.

"These symbols represent time, space, shadow, necromancy, and corruption."

"Right. I'm gonna hit it with my Great Sword!" Proclaimed Spirit.

Stein and Nygus instinctually turn their heads right, to face Spirit and protest before he carries through with his action.

First Nygus. "Wait! Don't do that!"

Then Stein. "We don't know what will happen if we touch it!"

The others realise this too; they stare at the red-haired Death Scythe, in anticipation of his next move.

Spirit halts, thinking it over; Mac looks at him, grinning ominously, knowing full well what consequences this action will have. "What'cha gonna do, Darion?" Asked Mac, addressing Spirit as his character's name.

"…I'm gonna hit it." He responds.

Nygus flings her pencil onto the table in frustration, Stein takes his spectacles off, to rub his eyes, Marie looks to everyone in worry, and Sid flip through his notes in preparation of whatever the Game Master might through at them.

"Alrighty then." Said Mac. "Roll your d20 to see if you hit it."

Spirit lifts his twenty-sided die from the table in front of him, shaking it in his hand whilst whispering "C'mon baby, c'mon baby" to himself. He rolls the die back onto the table. He leans forward to investigate what number it landed on, then starts counting in his head; leaning back, he tells Mac "Fourteen?" Unsure if the roll was good enough.

Mac chuckles to himself, like how an evil mastermind would; the party members look at him with concern. "Well, despite the best efforts of Syallia and Vo'faar…" referring to Nygus and Stein's character names. "…Darion, unsheathes his Great Sword, swinging it in a horizontal motion, to cleave through the pillar. However, your sword doesn't scratch the construct, but causes it and your blade to loudly vibrate, and those very vibrations echo throughout the forest."

Mac pauses for dramatic effect. His friends look to him, expecting the worse.

"From beyond the reach of the light of your torches, in the darkness of the forest around you, a rustling sound is heard, getting closer and closer."

"I cast Light on the source of the sound!" Exclaimed Marie, in panic.

"Uh, just to clarify, the sounds are coming from the trees all around you." Mac explained.

"Oh, okay. Uh… so we're in a clearing in this forest, right?"

"Yep."

"Okay, and how far are the trees from our position?"

"Like about… roughly seventeen feet."

"Right. I'll use my Light spell at a higher level to expand it around us."

"Alrighty. How far is max range for it?"

Marie begins checking her notes. "Twenty feet radius."

"Swell. You do this, the blinding light shoots out of your hand, upwards, and illuminates the area around you up to twenty feet. From the edge of the light, you can make out figures hiding behind trees and bushes, watching you."

"Can I roll for perception?" Nygus and Sid ask in unintentional unison. All present chuckle softly at their timing; it would seem that asking stuff like that has become routine for some during these game nights.

"You guys can certainly try." Mac responds between chuckles.

The two roll their dice and give Mac their results. "Eight." "Thirteen?"

Mac takes these numbers into consideration. "Hmm, okay. Sid, with an eight, it's hard to make out with the light above you being that bright. Mira, you can kinda see a leg that somewhat looks bug-like, but it's difficult to tell what for certain you're dealing with."

The five party members share a look of worry, as Mac reaches over the little screen that obscures his notes and dice rolls from the players, for his drink. After slurping the last of it through a straw, he continues with the game.

"Eventually, multiple loud clicking sounds emit from all around. Suddenly, four medium sized, orangey armored, four-legged bugs charge right out from the trees and bushes to your location!" Mac starts off calm and ominous when describing the situation, but he quickly becomes more intense in his description.

"Oh shit!" Exclaimed Spirit, looking more worried than what he was when he attacked the pillar.

The Irish Dungeon Master looks to everyone, seeing the anticipation in their eyes. "Guys… let's take a quick break before we continue."

A collective groan escapes the players before him, but their smiles are ever present; they're enjoying themselves. A moment of realisation dawns on Sid as the others relax in their seats.

"Mac? You say these orange bugs have four legs?"

"Yep."

"And have long antennas and tails?"

"Mmmm hmmm."

The undead teacher flips through several pages with determination. He stops, analyses the page and asks… "Are these Rust Monsters?"

Hearing the name, all look to Mac for confirmation. With a devious grin, Mac nods.

"No! No! Not again!" Shouts a panicked Spirit Albarn, incurring Mac Tire to giggle.

"You evil bastard! You're trying to lower my AC again, aren't ya?"

Calming himself, Mac responds smugly. "Hey, you were the one who hit the pillar."

"Why didn't anyone try stop me?!"

"We did!" Retorted Nygus, slightly annoyed.

Mac lifts himself from his comfortable, dark blue chair. "Welp, too late now." He exclaims in his typical upbeat tone.

The doorbell rings, catching everyone within the apartment's attention.

"Back in a sec." Mac exits the room, walking to the front door.

Opening the blue door, Mac is greeted by 5'5 girl, with long blonde hair flowing out from under the black and red cap on her head, that curls as it reaches down to her shoulders. From just slightly below the cap's visor, her violet eyes sparkle with determination and enthusiasm. A wide smile plastered on her fair skin, greets Mac.

"Oh. Hello. Can I help you?" Asked Mac.

"Good evening, sir!" responded the young woman with a salute. "I got parcel for you! Just came in, sir!" The eager Mailwoman lifts the said parcel up from her black and red uniform to the curious Professor.

"Thank you. I didn't know the Death City Postal Services delivered this late."

As Mac accepts the package, the keen woman gives him an explanation. "Well we don't normally, sir, but I requested to deliver the mail tonight!" She says with another cheerful salute.

"You were that eager, huh?"

"You betcha! I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight if someone was really eagerly expecting some important mail! Waiting up all night, worried their packages might never arrive on time! It's my duty to ease their worries! Except if it's bills." The Mailwoman's passionate speech turned into embarrassed chuckles, indicating to Mac she's probably knocked on many a door in the middle of the night, greeting people with just as many bills as packages.

"You're sure passionate about your work, Miss… Fleeter?" Said Mac, noticing her name tag on her uniform.

"Yes sir! China Fleeter, sir!" Responded China, adopting her saluting stance yet again.

After a few seconds of silence, China dropped the stance and lifted a clipboard and pen to Mac.

"Could you please sign here, sir?"

"Uh, sure." Mac takes the pen and writes his name on the page attached to the clipboard. China smiles, taking back the pen and clipboard from Mac to inspect it.

"Thank you very much, Prof. Mac Tire! I hope you enjoy your mail!" Raising her hand once more for a final salute, before walking to the stairs.

"I'm sure I will. Thank you, very much, and good night." Mac raises his right hand's index finger and middle finger, to give his own relaxed salute back at the young Mailwoman, before closing his apartment's door as he brings his parcel in with him.

As inspects the parcel, Mac hears Marie calling out to him.

"Is that Azusa, Mac?"

"Nah, it was a Mailwoman."

"This late?" Nygus says to herself.

"Yeah, a bit weird, I know, but I'm not complaining." Responded Mac, surprising Nygus at how good his hearing was.

The bandana wearing Professor slightly opens the package, just enough to see what's inside. After a minute or two of investigating the contents, a happy smile spreads across his face.

"Hey guys? We'll start back up in five, okay?"

"Sure thing, Mac. Doubt Azusa will make it tonight." Chimes Sid.

"That's a shame, guess she was too busy. Oh well, she can join in next time."

Mac takes the package to his bedroom with him closing the door, leaving his friends alone for the next few minutes.

The gang remain seated around the coffee table.

Spirit speaks up. "Typical! First game of Dungeons and Death in a year, and he's pitting us against Rust Monsters! I'm nearly convinced he's trying to kill us!" His tone is exaggeratedly annoyed.

"Beats being burned alive." Said Sid. "Actually, you see any smoke coming from Deathsteraunt out there?"

The undead teacher points to the window behind Stein and Marie, with the dark orange curtains covering it.

Stein, gets up to look behind the curtains, closing them and returning to his seat. "Nope. Guess they put it out."

Earlier in the night, the group of DWMA teachers planned to go out to Deathsteraunt, and maybe have a sesh. However, before they could arrive, the restaurant caught fire. With everywhere else booked up for the night, Mac made a suggestion to head back to his apartment to play some D&D like how they used to. That's currently what's happening now.

Marie turns to her husband on her left. "Good thing we didn't go there after all. Though, I hope no one was hurt." A look of concern was visible on the Death Scythe's face

"I'm sure no was harmed." Said the bandaged woman on her right.

"Yeah you're probably right." Marie responded to her friend, Mira Nygus, feeling a little better.

Spirit glances around the living room of Mac's apartment. "Man, Lord Death has some favouritism for Mac. My apartment isn't this nice." He says, with a hint aggravation in his voice.

Nygus speaks up. "Spirit, you know Mac payed for all this himself. Lord Death just maintains it for him while he's away."

"I don't know. Where the hell did he get the money to afford all of this?"

Mac's nonchalant voice is heard by his friends in the living room, from his closed bedroom. "Oh, from a bit of treasure hunting, bounty hunting, odd jobs, that sort of thing!"

Spirit is caught off-guard by Mac's very good hearing, much like how Nygus was earlier. "Jeez! I bet you can hear a pin drop from four floors down."

"Now that's just being unrealistic." Laughed Mac.

A moment of realisation dawns on Marie, she was meaning to ask Mac about something, and seeing how he can hear them from his room, she decides to speak her inquiry. "Ah! I almost forgot to ask, Mac. I know it's only your second day, but how's the EAT class treating you?"

"They're a swell bunch. I can see how Asura was defeated by them."

"And is Crona settling in well?" Marie further asked, much how a mother would about something concerning her child.

Mac answers. "Yeah, he's doing fine. A little shy, but I was shy around new people when I was his age. But yeah, he's a good kid."

Nygus enters the conversation. "Hard to believe he's Medusa's son."

"Maybe biologically…" Said Stein. "But she treated him more like a pet she would abuse."

"Medusa Gorgon…" Mac says quietly, behind his closed door. "Oh, that reminds me! Sid, Stein? Did you find those records from Fogtown I asked you to look for?"

"Uh, yeah. I left it with Stein." Replied Sid.

Stein glances up from his notes. "Julie Taylor… Those files, right?"

Sid looks over to Stein. "That's right."

"Yes, those files are back at home. If you want, Mac, you can collect it after this game."

"Sure thing!" Answered Mac.

Before returning to his notes, Stein feels a compulsion to ask a question. "Actually Mac, going back to what you said before, if you saw the EAT students' potential, I take it you understand what Zarroth wants from them?"

The question changes the mood from jovial to sombre, from the mere mention of that name. Everyone pauses, silently remembering their past with him, how he's hurt them, some in more ways than others. Even Mac takes a moment before answering.

"Yeah. I believe it's less about controlling them, and more like treating them as a new means of entertainment."

Mac's words carry a weight of dread that hang over the heads of the other teachers of the DWMA.

"Agh. There I go worrying everyone. Sorry guys." Said Mac, trying to help raise their spirits again.

"It's fine, Mac." Says Marie. "It's the reality of our situation and theirs."

Marie lets out a melancholic sigh. Worrying about her dear students, her family, her friends, and the whole of Death City.

Spirit speaks up. "Hey c'mon. We'll pull through. We always do. Zarroth can knock us down but we'll always get back up, right?"

His friends smile, admiring Spirit's resolve and simultaneously regaining their own.

"You got that right! That's the type of people we are after all!" Proclaimed Sid, raising his mug, the others doing the same, meeting his above the table, exclaiming "Cheers!"

"Great! Now let's get back to the game! Hey Mac! What's keeping ya?" Asked Spirit, back to his original mood again.

From within his own room, Mac has fully opened the parcel he received from the young Mail Lady, taking out the clothing inside and trying them on. After examining how it looks on himself, he tightens his bandana and ruffles his hair before calling out to the others.

"Coming now! Just trying something out."

Mac opens his door, walking out to be met with surprised looks from his friends. Mac now stands before them, wearing an untucked orange dress shirt with the top two buttons undone, navy trousers with his signature sheathed katana strapped to his left side, and a midnight blue trench coat with the collars raised and pointed.

The only familiar garments he wore previously are the black fingerless gloves, his grey shoes and his ever present long black bandana tied to his forehead.

Even Mac's hair style is a bit different, it appears more untidy and scruffy looking, covering his ears and reaching down to his neck. He has also allowed his fringe to hang over the front of his bandana, reaching down to the top of his eyebrows, with the exception of a single long hair-bang dropping down past his nose.

"Wow! That was in that package?" Asked Marie.

"Yeah. I'm surprised it got here so quickly, I only ordered it today."

A flabbergasted Spirit interjects. "Damn! Who the heck did you order it from?"

"Oh, an old woman who lives near Bill's place."

Stein inspects the clothing from his seating position. "Back to your old colour scheme for good?"

Mac smiles. "You betcha, the incognito look's time has passed. Mac Tire is back and here to stay." He says in a chipper tone, referring to his old outfit, of which he grew tired of.

During this time, Spirit begins thinking about what Mac had said earlier. "Near Bill's place? Wait… Was that why you wanted to go there? To have my Maka collect clothes you ordered?!"

Mac attempts to calm the angry Spirit. "Easy Spirit. I had other reasons to go there anyway."

"Like what?"

"The old woman does other stuff besides running a small eleven outta ten sewing business, she has some insight about Zarroth's dealing as of late." Mac walks towards his seat, taking his place as the Dungeon Master yet again. "Trust me guys, I know what I'm doing."

Spirit feels an urge to let out another outburst, but he restrains himself, nodding to Mac as a sign of trust. The blue clad swordsman grins. "I won't let you down."

Mac looks to his friends. "We ready to start again?"

Everyone seems ready enough. Mac takes in a breath before starting up his game again.

"Alright guys, Ready? Then roll for initiative."

"Here goes nothing."

"Don't let me down, die!"

"Franken, what time is it?"

"11.30pm"

"I hope Maka and Crona aren't having any trouble looking after Victor."

"I'm sure they're doing fine, Marie."

Meanwhile at Marie and Stein's home, Maka and Crona sit calmly together on a couch, with Victor sitting in-between the two of them. They normally babysit little Victor, whilst his Mother and Father are going out on dates or missions.

"ACHOO!"

"Bless you, Maka."

"Thank you, Victor." Maka replies, whilst rubbing her nose with a handkerchief. "I guess someone must've been talking about me." She whispers to herself.

Maka and Crona enjoy spending time with the ever-polite Victor; Ragnarok does not. He personally finds Victor to be creepy, seeing as it's a rarity for him to visibly display any form emotions. However, in despite of this trait of his, Victor enjoys his time spent playing games, listening to stories, and watching movies with Crona and Maka.

Up to now, the three of them played several fun little board games, of which Maka brought with her. Now however, they're watching a film called 'The Princess Bride'. Mac gave this to Victor as a present earlier in the night, just before he and Victor's parents went to Deathsteraunt together. Both Crona and Maka, only recently found out that a lot of films that Victor has watched together with them, have been presents from Mac, back when he used to visit Death City from time to time. It's good to know that Victor really likes these presents from Mac, the two Meisters thought.

They were each having a good time watching this film; but when the hero and his love interest reunite with each other in the middle of the film and start kissing, Victor, quite out of the blue, asks Crona and Maka a question.

"Maka? Big Brother Crona?"

"Yes, Victor?" Maka asked.

"Will you two ever have a baby together?"

Maka and Crona both choked on their own gasp in shock, at the moment when Victor asked his question.

"W…w…w…w…w…wh…wh…why d…d…d…do you ask?" Questioned the two dumbstruck Meisters, in surprising unison.

"Don't people who love each other have babies, after a little while?" Innocently replied the white haired boy.

Maka and Crona glance at each other, and then turn their gaze right back at Stein and Marie's son. Both Meisters thought the same thing: 'How do I explain it to him?' Maka, decided to make an attempt to clear up Victor's confusion.

"Um, you see Victor… me and Crona have only been dating for a few months now. We need to take our time while we're together; it's still too soon for us to… um, make babies." Despite her best efforts, the uncomfortable atmosphere only got even more uncomfortable, at least, that's how Maka felt after her explanation.

Victor was quick to counter however. "But, you lived together for years before you even started dating. If you wait any longer, you'll both be too old to have one. So, maybe it's better to be safe and make one now."

Victor's direct statement further shocked his two babysitters. Crona felt as if he was in the verge of having a heart attack, and Maka tried to think of something to say, to no avail. How does one clear up this kind of bewilderment, especially to a three-year-old, who doesn't know any better? By avoiding the question with a distraction.

"Oh! Hey, Victor! Look!" Announced the panicking Crona, as he pointed at the television screen.

Victor, turns his head to once again face the film, to behold the film's protagonist fighting a giant rat. The movie once again grasped the young boy's attention; Victor leaned forward, whilst still sitting on the couch, in order to get a better view of the fight. Right now, he was more curious about what could happen next in the movie, than his earlier query to Crona and Maka. The two babysitters let out a sigh of relief.

Maka leaned over slightly, to whisper into Crona's ear. "That was quick thinking. With any luck, he'll forget what he asked."

Crona nods in agreement. They then continue to watch the rest of the film with Victor, without any more awkward questions.

After a while, Crona felt Victor's head resting on his right arm. Looks like he's fallen asleep.

Maka looks upon this sight, with a smile. "Out like a light."

"Yeah." Replied Crona. "Should we turn the movie off?"

"No. Let it play to the end. Just in case he wakes up and wants to know what happened." Answered Maka, softly, to avoid disturbing Victor while he sleeps.

Crona agrees, and both he and Maka return their gazes to the television.

Despite how much they're both enjoying the movie; Maka finds herself looking back at Crona and the sleeping child, resting his head on him. Crona notices Maka doing this.

"Is something wrong?"

"Hmm? Oh, no, there's nothing wrong. I'm just thinking about… no. Never mind." Maka returns her gaze back to the TV screen.

"Please tell me. What were you thinking about?" Crona's curiosity began to grow.

She looks into Crona's eyes, piecing together what she could say. Then she speaks. "It's just… Victor's got me wondering, what it would be like to… raise a child."

Crona was clearly taken aback by what Maka said to him. He struggled to find the right words to say to that; in his internal panic, he eventually says… "W…w…w…whuh?!"

Maka attempts to calm him, whilst not disturbing Victor's slumber.

"I… I'm not saying we should try now or anything! At least, not now. I was just having a little fantasy, that's all!"

Ragnarok, suddenly emerges from Crona's back, pulling the lavender-haired boy close to whisper something.

"Looks like the cow's hit THAT point in her life. Dreaming about kids, and a family. If I were you, I'd get outta this relationship before she forces that hell on us. We'd be cleaning diapers, wiping asses, mowing lawns and doing taxes for the rest of our lives!"

Suddenly, a powerful Maka Chop strikes Ragnarok over the head, causing him to retreat back into his Meister's spine. 'Where does Ragnarok get off saying that stuff to Crona? Scaring him like that.' Maka thought to herself, in annoyance at the little Demon.

Maka quickly quells her anger at the Demon sword and speaks to Crona. "Don't listen to him, Crona. It was just a random thought I had. I know it's too soon for us to be thinking about that kind of stuff." Maka rests her left hand gently on Victor's head as he sleeps. "Sorry if I got you worked up over it." She finishes, with a big cheery smile; the same smile she gave Crona when they first became friends.

The timid swordsman, swallows the saliva in his mouth, laying his right hand on top of Maka's left and he smiles back at her, visually showing that she has once again eased his worries. Maka has a way of doing that to him, and he couldn't be more grateful for that.

Crona, looks into her eyes, feeling a sense of tranquillity and happiness when he does so; his fears and anxiety fading away by her kindness. 'Someone such as me, doesn't deserve to be with someone as good as her.' Thought the swordsman. He wants to say something to Maka, something to make her feel the same way as he does right now; he believed he owed her that much at least.

He opens his mouth to say something to her…

However, he's prevented by the sound of the front door opening, and then closing when three familiar figures enter the house.

"Hello you two. So, how's my little Victor doing, you guys?" Marie asked excitedly, to both Crona and Maka.

Both Maka and Crona, quickly retract their hands from Victor's head, and turn to face Marie, Stein, and Mac, who has walked home with them.

"Oh! Welcome back. Victor only fell asleep not too long ago." Maka replied.

"Well, he certainly lasted longer this time." Stein says, as he carefully lifts the sleeping child from the couch, to hold in his arms. "Did he behave while we were gone?"

"Yes, Professor Stein, he did, like always." Answered Crona.

The two student Meisters, lift themselves from the couch, and put on their coats, as they continued their conversation with Victor's parents.

"S… so how was your night out?" Asked Crona.

"A lot of fun!" Mac and Marie say in unison.

"Rough." Spoke a melancholic Stein, at the same time as the other two.

"Franken. It's alright. You were just having an off day." Said Marie.

"An off day?" Exclaimed Mac. He rolled three ones in a row! And two more a little while after!" The blue Professor turns to the gloomy screwhead next to him. "I hope you haven't inherited Azusa's curse." Mac says, half laughing at the hilarity they got into earlier in the night."

"Hahaha, don't worry Mac, I'm sure it not that serious."

"I wouldn't speak too soon, Marie."

The stitched Professor sighs. "I just want to say… it was all Spirit's fault."

With that Stein heads upstairs, to put little Victor to bed. Mac looks over at the TV.

"Ah, so you guys were watching the film?" He says to his two students in front of him, with a smile. "Was he enjoying it?"

"Y… yeah, he was really liking it." Spoke Crona, still feeling a little shy around his new Professor.

"I'm glad he did. Hopefully, next time he'll be able to finish it."

Stein returns from putting his son to bed, to join the others in the living room, bringing a brown folder with him. "Here comes your favourite scene, Mac." He states, whilst pointing at the TV.

The scene in the film that Stein's referring to is when the Spanish swordsman finally duels against the man he's been searching for. Maka, could see Mac's eyes sparkle as he viewed this scene. He even says the same lines the Spanish swordsman says before he slays his opponent, mimicking the same accent as the swordsman.

"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my Father. Prepare to die."

After quoting that line, he gleefully turns back to face his two students. "Ah. Such a good movie."

Stein gives the movie fan the folder he requested. "Here ya go. Everything we could find on Julie Taylor."

Taking the folder, Mac examines its contents.

'Julie Taylor? That name's familiar' thought Crona, unsure how that's possible.

Marie walks up to the young babysitters, and stuffs money into their hands. "Thank you both again for watching him. This is for a job well done." She cheerfully proclaims.

Maka, looks at her hand, wide-eyed; she looks back up at Marie. "Miss Marie! Please, you don't need to pay us! And besides this is too much!" Pleaded the pigtailed Meister.

"Don't be ridiculous. You've both done a great job, and this is your reward." Replied Marie, with a tone that clearly indicates she was going to have the final word on this.

The two babysitters admitted defeat and placed the money Marie gave them, safely in their coat pockets.

"Now, would any of you like a drink before you leave?" Asked Marie.

"No thank you, I'm fine." Answered Crona.

"Same with me. We need to get back and make sure those two don't burn our apartment to the ground." Said Maka, referring to Blair and Soul.

Marie looks at Mac, awaiting his answer.

"That's nice of you Marie, but I probably need to get going too."

Maka lifts up the bag full of board games she brought, sitting next to the couch, and then she, Crona, and Mac exit the building from the front door. Marie and Stein stand beside one other at the porch, as the others left. Once they said their goodbyes, Maka and Crona walked home; Mac Tire did the same, down another street.

"See ya later!" Said Mac, giving that same two finger salute, he has a habit of doing. "And Maka, Crona? I see you lot on Monday at that village, Grey Thicket. 'Kay?"

"Yeah, we'll see you then!" Replied Maka.

The three individuals disappear into the night, on the way to their respective homes.

As they return back indoors, Marie surprises her husband with a question. "Franken? Did you notice…?"

Stein gives an inquisitive look. "Notice what?"

"Never mind. Probably just my imagination." She says with a laugh.

The blonde-haired Death Scythe, turned off the TV and made her way upstairs, while Stein pulls out another envelope from under his coat.

She calls down to Stein. "You going to bed soon, hun?"

"Yeah, just a sec." He responds.

Stein opens the envelope, scanning the pages inside; they were copies of the files Mac asked for. The files contained information of a woman with pink hair named, Julie Taylor, she was from Fogtown but disappeared years ago, eighteen years ago to be exact. Stein found it strange that Mac was looking into something like this, what could it mean. A theory pops into Stein's mind; 'Perhaps this woman was in that picture Mac had. I should've asked him earlier. Oh well, I've plenty of time to talk to him' thought Stein.

Whatever interest Mac has with these documents and this missing woman, is anyone's guess. But who knows, maybe the answer will be clear eventually. Only time will tell.

Hey! I'm back folks! Sorry for that year long hiatus there, this chapter required quite a few rewrites. Well, at least I got it completed now, I hope you all enjoy!

Also, for reference, here's a picture of what Mac Tire looks like and a picture of what their D&D game was like:

art/Commission-MacTire-652461706

art/Losing-at-Dungeons-and-Death-Soul-Eater-Com-726718314