She stood still, the wind blowing at her long bangs and getting them all in her face. The young woman stood on the edge of the cliff, staring out at the city she had lived in exactly thirteen years ago... The city she had always loathed, always wanted to leave it and watch it burn. She had accomplished the first part, although now she was watching it simply exist peacefully rather than burn.

She had wanted to come back sooner, if only to kill a certain person living in it... But it would have ruined everything. She had to wait thirteen years instead. Why? She had left at the age of five, following her mother. Soon after, she had been turned into an eighteen year old with magic... Now it just wouldn't make any sense at all if she left a five year old and, a week later, returned as an eighteen year old. So the short female had waited thirteen long years.

"Tema-sama..." A hesitant, anxious voice spoke. A teenage girl slowly stepped up to Tema's side, looking a little nervous. "This is it, geko?" Her eyes drifting from the grey-haired one to the huge city below, she pushed her bangs out of her eyes. Tema nodded slowly, then spoke with her usual sadistic smile plastered on her face.

"Yeah, Luna. This is Death City." She replied, waving a hand to the city. "This is the place where I used to live... The same place I was born in." Her smile then vanished as she looked at Death City with a cold, murderous look, snakelike eyes glittering venomously.

"Luna, you know what to do, right?" She asked, still staring at the city. Luna nodded quickly, looking at the snake witch beside her. "I transform and sneak in once a week, and you tell me anything you find out, geko." Tema gave a single nod, then another sadistic smile pulled at the corners of her mouth. "And I'll gather any information I can... for Mother."

***

Taking a deep breath, Dr. Franken Stein let out a frustrated sigh. He had never quite given up on finding her... And now, on her birthday, he was trying especially hard to find out where she could possibly be.

She's turning eighteen today... The sadist thought, slowly raising a hand to the bolt going through his head. My daughter is eighteen... She went missing when she was five... She's eighteen today. Multiple clicking sort of noises could be heard as he rotated the bolt, until finally it gave a louder click and stopped.

He was still for a moment, a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Leaning back in his chair, he stared up at the ceiling, although the only light in the room came from a computer screen in front of him. Then, all at once, he lost control of his frustration. Slamming his fists on the desk in front of him, he nearly dropped his cigarette as he shouted, frustrated.

"****IT, TEMA! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?"

"My, you look mad..." He groaned out loud when he heard that voice. "**** you, woman... Out of my head already..." He didn't even look at her, even though he was glaring.

"Tsk, tsk... Don't you know where she is? I thought you of all people would be smart enough to know..." Medusa chuckled, smirking at the man. He had become almost used to the way she would seem to appear, the conversations they had, it was all in his head... Even though it was all much too real...

He whirled around to face her, eyes narrowed to slits. "I've considered that possibility... But I highly doubt it. She would never..." But he knew that there was a fifty-fifty chance... It was quite possible, if not probable. And Stein hated that fact.

"Ku ku ku... How would you know what she'd do and what she wouldn't do? She's much older now... Old enough to pick sides, I'm sure..." Medusa was behind behind Stein, arms wrapped about his neck and chin on his shoulder. He sat still in his chair, the warmth coming from her was too real, as if she was actually there, not just a hallucination... And then, as suddenly as she had appeared, she was gone.

"**** that woman..." Stein muttered. But Medusa wasn't the only thing that never left him alone. It seemed that madness just couldn't keep its filthy hands off him...

***

"Stein! Stein!" A familiar voice yelled, and the sound of someone pounding on the front door could be heard. Stein groaned, eyes blinking open. He had, apparently, fallen asleep at his desk, chin resting on the keyboard. He slowly dragged himself near the front door and called, "It's open, Senpai..." He already knew it was Spirit from the voice.

The door quickly opened, and a flustered Spirit stood in the doorway. "There's someone here to see you, Stein... I'll leave you two alone." And with that, the Death Scythe took off. Stein, however, was completely still, looking stunned.

Right in front of him, there was no mistaking it... It just had to be.

Standing there in the doorway was Tema.