Medusa and Stein prepared to square off against each other within the confines of Medusa's circle of vector arrows. The snake-like Medusa was poised to strike, and Stein held the Death Scythe known as Spirit at the ready to counter. But first, the banter.
"Tell me something, Medusa," Stein asked. "Where did you steal Crona from?"
"I didn't steal him from anywhere. He's mine," Medusa said. "Yours too, by the way."
This threw Stein off his game, but he had expected that from his opponent. "Explain."
"Remember that one drunken night after the symposium some sixteen years ago?"
Stein was deadpan yet defiant. "No."
"Well, no matter. We were both there. One thing lead to another, and..." Medusa paused for dramatic emphasis, but neither Stein nor Spirit reacted or said anything. "Then I spiked your drink."
Stein smirked, thinking to catch her in a lie. "I doubt it would have had an effect on me. I've experimented on my body so many times that I am impervious to date-rape drugs."
"Ah, but this was an aphrodesiac of my own special concoction." Medusa smiled evilly.
"Oh sh*t!" Stein cursed under his breath.
"You monster!" Spirit spat at Medusa. He felt he should have more to say but the words wouldn't come out.
***
After the battle against Asura had been lost, Stein used Death Scythe to chop Medusa in half, laughing as her blood rained down in arrow-shaped droplets. Presently, Spirit turned back into human form to address the situation they had found themselves in. "No soul appeared when we defeated her, Stein. You know what this means."
"We haven't seen the last of her. She is a witch, after all, and quite a resourceful one at that," Stein responded, twisting the screw on the left side of his head as he regained his composure. "We'll deal with that later. For now we have to go find those kids."
"That includes Crona, doesn't it?" Spirit asked. "If you really are his father, shouldn't you take responsibility for him?
"The academy will take him in. I prefer to live alone," Stein replied, walking away.
"Hey, wait!" Spirit called out, following. "I'm a parent too, you know!"
"At least yours was intentional."
"You know what I'm getting at, Stein. Shouldn't you at least try to form a bond with Crona?"
"And what kind of father would I be?"
"Better than Medusa was as a mother, that's for sure."
Stein shook his head and lit a cigarette. "No, I don't think I'm any more cut out for that than she was."
"Stein!" Spirit could see that he couldn't persuade him, at least not at that moment.
"As a trial student, he'll be in my class. It's not like I won't ever see him at all," Stein said, hoping this would appease Spirit. It didn't, but neither of them said anything more about it.
***
As a result of what had happened, Spirit was instructed to stay at Lord Death's side instead of partnering with Stein while the other Death Scythes were called in to assist. The Death Scythe named Marie was staying with Stein as his new partner, something that Stein himself wasn't all that happy with, especially since he preferred to live alone and the two had dated once before. Crona was adjusting to life at the academy, where he now lived. Unlike Maka and Soul who lived in an off-campus apartment, he lived in one of the dungeon-like dorm rooms in the basement. Not that it made any difference to him where he lived, but becoming friends with Maka and the others had made his quality of life a little better. Stein had made Spirit promise not to tell anyone about him possibly being Crona's father, but that didn't stop Spirit from fantasizing in his head that Stein could eventually come out with it one day and that Marie could act as Crona's stepmother.
His thoughts were interrupted when he encountered Maka in the hallway. She had just come from visiting Crona and was on her way to see Lord Death about him. Spirit was headed the same way, so he was glad to have the time with his daughter. Maka was less glad, but she did also have Crona on her mind.
"So, how did you like the book I gave you?" Spirit asked, breaking the silence.
"What book?" Maka asked.
"You know, the book I gave you for getting the high score on your exam a while back. Blair gave it to you, didn't she?"
"Papa, she gave me a bag with panties in it," Maka told her father.
Spirit was horrified, though he had to wonder what kind of panties they were. "I can't believe she did that!" he exclaimed.
"Then they weren't from you?" Oh thank God, Maka thought. At least her father wasn't a complete lech.
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