"There." Kid said as he took a step back and smiled. "You look perfect." Liz couldn't help but laugh at her husband`s actions. He had woken their son, Junior, up at five in the morning just so he could fix his hair. Kid wasn't wrong though, their son did look perfect. To the way his hair fell to the way Kid`s old jacket hugged his shoulders. Liz smiled at her son he was so handsome and smart, he was sure to pick up a few girls on the first day of school. That probably wasn't going to happen though. Junior`s not really a ladies man. He`s more focused on preparing to become the next Lord Death than having a social life. Liz worried about him, she felt he needed to let go and have some fun. God Bless, Akio and May. Without them he`d probably wouldn't know what the sun looked like. Liz walked up to her son and gave him a hug. She leaned down towards his ear and whispered,

"Good luck at school, Hon." With that Liz gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and took a step back towards Kid. Once she stepped back Kid gently put his arm around her. He had to tilt his head downwards a bit in order to kiss her on the cheek. Over the years he had grown past his wife. Liz now, only reached up to his shoulders. Together they watched Junior gently close the gate to Gallows Manor and walk towards the academy.

Today would be his first day at the D.W.M.A. Junior prayed that his Dad wouldn't embarrass him at school. May`s mother told him all about how her father embarrassed her at school. It was pretty obvious that he was Lord Death`s son. He had the three white stripes that only circled the right side of his black hair, he also had on the same brooch his father use to wear. Hopefully, tomorrow morning he won`t be woken up at five again. He honestly couldn't understand how his mom put up with him for all these years. He had to ask her when he got back from school how she handled him back when they were just partners.

As Junior continued to walk down the street he noticed a figure flying through the air. It was too big to be bird but too small to be a plane. He attempted to get a closer look by climbing a tree. Once he reached the top he could only see whatever the thing was only a little bit better. From where he was it looked like a girl; a girl on a broomstick.

A chill ran up the back of Junior`s spine. It was the same feeling he had when a thunder storm occurred. One night in particular stood out in his mind.

It was the night his mother and father went out to hunt down some demon egg. It was so long ago he can`t exactly remember what age he was, but he knew he had to be no more than five. Since his parents were out, his aunt had to watch him and his sisters. His sisters were near infants so by the time the first boom of thunder and the pouring of rain came around they were already fast asleep.

Patty, his aunt, let out a yawn and closed her eyes. Minutes later she was in a dreamlike state. She was half asleep and half awake. She soon became lost in her thoughts. She let her little nephew lay on the couch next to her. She slept sitting up on the couch so Junior could lay his head on her lap. His little legs filled up the rest of the space.

They were waiting for Liz and Kid to return home. Patty was worried. Liz and Kid were on an undercover mission. By the time they had received their assignment it was too late to call a babysitter, so it was decided Patty would stay home and take care of the children. This worked out better since Kid and Liz were undercover as a married couple who recently moved to a small village not far from the Village of Needles. Their mission was to locate a resident in the village who was rumored to be collecting human souls. It was easy for them to act as a married couple since they were really married. It was Kid`s first time without both of his weapons. Patty wondered if Kid and her sister would be okay.

As Patty worried for them Junior felt his Aunt hug him tighter. This made him feel a bit happier. He too was missing his mom and dad and wasn't sure if they were going to come back.

Right as he began to sink into his aunt`s lap a loud boom was heard. Patty had fallen asleep so the thunder didn`t wake her; she was a very heavy sleeper. Junior began to tremble. A cold chill ran up the back of his spine making the hairs on his neck stand up. There was another loud boom sending panic and fear into his mind. All he could think to do was snuggle closer to his aunt. He closed his eyes and tried not to let out tears.

He was Lord Death`s son. Death gods aren`t supposed to me afraid of a little thing like thunder. He shivered still attempting not to cry. What if his dad came home and saw him crying? If that were to happen his dad would never let him take over the position of Lord Death when he got older.

Junior couldn`t take it anymore. He tapped on his aunt`s leg with tears in his eyes. After a good fifteen minutes of poking Patty`s leg. Junior saw his aunt finally open her eyes. She looked down at her nephew surprised to see he was still awake. Then she noticed the tears in his eyes. Instantly her motherly instincts kicked in. She gently wiped Junior`s tears and pulled him closer to her. She then began to stroke his hair. Even though Junior wasn`t her son, in that moment it felt as though he was.

"It`s okay Junior. I`m right here." Patty gave him a kiss on the head and cradled him in her arms. Soon he was fast asleep and paid no attention to the thunder storm going on outside. Hours later Kid and Liz came home. Kid opened the door and slowly walked inside. It was in the wee hours of the morning when the couple came home and he didn`t want to wake his sleeping family. When he made it to the family room he was surprised to see Patty up. Liz shared the same surprise. Usually her sister fell asleep at nine. Liz walked over to her sister and took a seat on the couch.

"Thanks for watching the kids." Liz smiled. She then looked down at her sleeping son. He was so cute when he was sleeping. Soon Kid came over and took the seat next to his wife.

"Did the kids give you any trouble?" Kid asked. He too looked down at his son and smiled. He looked so innocent and adorable. Even though his hair was completely asymmetrical. He would fix it but he didn`t want to disturb his son.

"No. They gave me no trouble at all. Angela and Cecilia went right to sleep with no fuss. Junior wanted to stay up with me and wait for you guys though. I let him but he soon feel asleep."

"That's good. Did the thunder storm bother the twins at all? I heard there was one in this area." Kid asked Patty concerned. He hope Patty didn`t have to run around all night trying to sooth two year-olds.

"Surprisingly no. The thunder storm didn`t wake them at all. But guess who takes after his mother."

"You mean Junior is afraid of thunder like me?" Liz asked trying to confirm what she just heard. If anyone was going to inherit her fear of thunder she thought it would be one of the twins if not both.

"Yep. I had fallen asleep by the time the thunder storm probably started but soon I felt something poke my leg. Imagine my surprise when I wake up to see Junior with tears in his eyes."

"Is he okay now?" Kid asked. He looked at Patty with concern in his eyes.

"Yes. I wiped his tears and gave him a quick kiss on the head and soon he was asleep."

"Good. I`m glad he`s okay now."

"Aw. My poor little baby!" Liz exclaimed. If his fear of thunder storms was anything like hers she could imagine how scared he felt.

"Yo! Junior. What are you doing up in May`s tree?" Junior heard a voice coming from below ask. The sound of the voice soon pulled him away from his trance and brought him back to the present. Junior quickly forgot about that moment when he was five and tried to look for the witch. The voice almost sounded like his friend Akio. "Hello? Junior. Are you okay?" Junior then looked down at his friend. He had black spiky hair and green eyes. He wore a black tank-top and white pants. On his left shoulder he had a star tattoo. Yep, definitely Akio. Junior was about to tell his friend about the witch but was interrupted by another voice.

"Do you guys have to be so loud? I`m trying to sleep." A girl with white hair and red eyes yelled as she came out of her house. She had on what she usually dressed in. A blue pleaded skirt and an orange and yellow sweater over a green tank-top. Junior figured she was probably too tired to change. That`s what happens when you stay up all night.

"You should thank us. If we let you sleep in any longer you might have been late for school." Akio said. He then put his hands on his hips. Akio mostly took after his father. He was loud, obnoxious, and a total slob but May had some sort of sweet spot for him. Junior just couldn`t understand how someone could fall for a guy like that.

"Since when do you care about school?" May questioned. She was dreaming of her bed right now. She could imagine it, her crumpled up covers and soft pillows were calling her name. Akio started to answer her question when he was stopped by Junior yelling something at them.

"Guys! There is a witch in Death City as we speak. This is no time for talking!" Junior tried to tell his friends but sadly from where he was his message wasn`t very audible. "Guys! I think she might be heading towards the Academy."

"What?" Akio and May asked in unison. Junior was starting to get annoyed. He loved his friends but sometimes they bugged him. He decided to get down and tell them about the girl he saw in the sky. Junior then jumped down from the tree and walked up towards his friends. The tree wasn`t that tall anyway so the landing was nice and smooth.

"I said. There is a witch in Death City and she appears to be heading towards Shibusen." After May and Akio heard this they began to examine the sky. They looked all around but there was no witch.

"Dude. I don`t see anything." Akio said. He wasn`t really paying attention, he more worried about what his dad had told him. Apparently, Professor Stein`s son was going to be their teacher this year and if he was anything like his father then Akio really didn`t want to be late.

"Me neither." May agreed. She was a little less concerned about school. She inherited almost none of her mother`s traits except her intelligence. It was kind of funny how a troublemaker like her could be at the top of her class.

"Come on guys let`s just get to school. I think we all know by now that Junior gets scared easily."

"I don`t get scared easily." Junior shouted. His face was a bright red. He hoped Akio wasn`t referring to his fear of thunder.

"Akio don`t pick on Junior. He can`t help he`s afraid of thunder." May then walked over to Junior and wrapped her arms around him. "Besides he`s just a poor little baby." May cooed. Teasing was her specialty. Akio started cracking up laughing and soon May joined in. Usually this was Junior`s cue to start laughing too but something was different. Junior wasn`t laughing. May suddenly realized this wasn`t another one of Junior`s neurotic episodes. She could tell he was being serious. May stopped laughing and looked up at her friend. She could tell by the look in his eyes that he was telling the truth. He indeed saw a witch. "You...you aren`t lying are you?"

"I wish I was." Junior said in a serious tone. May was used to him being serious and uptight but his voice never sounded like it did in that moment. Akio still hadn't noticed the change of mood. He was still bent over hugging his side, laughing.

"Akio, we need to get to the Academy." Hearing this Akio stopped laughing and stood up.

"Finally we can get going. I was afraid we were going to get dissected."

"Not for that reason. We`re going cause there`s a witch."

"Oh come on, May. Not you too."

"We`re being serious Akio. We have to tell Lord Death." Akio then noticed the look on his friends faces. He realized now that they weren't joking.

"Okay but how are we going to get there? There`s no way we can make it in time."

"Yes there is." Junior spoke up. He held out his hand and said, "Beelzebub." As soon as he uttered those words there was a flash of pink light and a sound of static. Then a floating skateboard appeared in mid-air.

"Well, that works out for you but what about us?" Akio asked. He could always run to the school and carry May while she is in weapon form but that plan probably wasn`t going to work.

"You guys will hold to the skateboard." Junior said calmly.

"Sounds okay with me. What about you May?"

"No way in hell!" May shouted. She had a small fear of heights. Well, it wasn`t really a fear of heights more like a fear of drops. No one in there little group of friends knew of her fear and May intended to keep it that way.

"May, you have nothing to worry about. I`ll catch you." Junior tried to convince his friend. He was afraid the longer they took to get going the farther the witch got from them.

"How are you going to catch me? You`ll be the one piloting the skateboard and if you catch me then we all fall."

"Don`t worry. There are some perks that come with being a reaper."

"Fine, I trust you." May said. Soon she found herself flying above the clouds at a tremendous speed. She was holding onto the skateboard for dear life.

"May, if you`re scared just close your eyes." Akio suggested with a smile. He knew about her fear of heights ever since she refused to compete in his challenge to see who could make the biggest splash off the diving board one summer at the pool. May listened to his advice and closed her eyes. In little to no time they found themselves at the doors of the Academy. They arrived ten minutes early. Classes didn`t start until eight. Akio scanned the sky for the witch but didn`t see her. May looked too but couldn`t find anything. All they saw was a blue bird flying past the Academy and towards the desert.

"Looks like you were right Akio." May said as she quit looking. "Turns out it was only his imagination." May wasn`t surprised they didn`t see anything. This kind of thing happened all the time. Junior wouldn't admit it but he was a bit paranoid.

"But I swear I saw something." Junior argued.

"You sure you saw something?" Akio asked. He had a feeling since the beginning that this was going to turn out like all the other times.

"Of course I`m sure! I saw her with my own eyes."

"Maybe you can use your soul perception to see where she is?" May suggested. She still held a little bit of hope. Junior looked pretty serious this time….maybe he wasn`t freaking out after all.

"Okay, I will." Junior then closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on the all of the souls in Death City. After a couple of minutes he gave up on searching everything was perfectly normal. No witch souls.

"Find anything?"

"No. You guys were right."

"Face it man. You`ve been stressed out for a couple of days over the first day of school." Akio said as he put his hand on Junior`s shoulder. "That witch you saw was probably just a figure of your mind."

"I guess that's a theory." Junior sighed as he tilted his head down.

"Junior you need to stop being so hard on yourself." May said. She was concerned for her friend. If he kept stressing out like this she didn`t know what would become of him.

"I know it`s just that I`ll never be able to take over the position of Lord Death if I continue to fail like this."

"Aw come one Junior. Don`t say that."

"It`s true though."

"Shut up." Akio shouted. He couldn`t take any more of this. "You have nothing to worry about Junior. You`ll probably be the best grim reaper ever."

"You really think so?" Junior looked up at his friend with a smile just as the morning bell rang.

"I know so. Now come let`s get to class." With that the trio walked through the doors of the Academy and may their way to class Crescent Moon. Junior felt a little bit better from the pep-talk Akio gave him but he couldn't shake this feeling. The feeling that he saw a witch.