Hey guys, I know I should be working on movie 2 right now but I'm facing a major case of writer's block right now so I decided to do this now instead of after the movie. Basically, this is what a real fanfic movie is supposed to look like, and yes I will do this to movie 2 once I've finished it.

War of Heaven and Hell (True movie version)

Venice, 9:30pm

"I don't like this." A man stated to his partner. Both men wore black suits and black hats. And most disturbing of all was their faces. Both seemed to have plain, black masks on making both of them look like the carbon copy of the other.

"What?"

"It's too damn quiet. I got one of those chills, feels like a hurricane gonna' come out of nowhere." The first guard said shivering.

"Tch." The other one clicked his tongue in understanding. "All you're feeling is the cold. Understandable since we've been standing here all freaking night while the boss sits all comfy cosey inside." Both of these two were small time thugs, two of hundreds more, all working under the vicious crime lord: Don Chino.

An arc of light suddenly set the sky ablaze causing the shivering guard to reel back in fright.

"It's just lightning, you coward. Looks like there's a storm coming." The second guard assumed.

"You don't know the half of it."

Both guards suddenly jumped back in surprise as a teenage boy suddenly appeared in between them. Both leveled their guns at the intruder and pulled the trigger. In an instant he was gone, and both guards were dead, having shot each other.

The teenage boy reappeared in front of the door they were guarding. He had dark brown hair and wore a light blue denim jacket over a red t-shirt with black combat pants. Around his neck was a pendant with a red jewel at its center. He pushed open the door and made his way inside to meet the Don's next wave of guards.

"Intruder!" The carbon copy guards charged forward, all armed with hand guns, knives and clubs. The boy didn't stand down against the charge and calmly walked forward to meet them. They opened fire on him, but none of their shots seemed to touch him and the closest of them suddenly found the assailant standing directly in front of him. He swung out with his knife but the boy disappeared again.

"Behind you!"

The guard suddenly felt a powerful impact across the back of his head and he fell forward. The other guards were astonished, in that single instant their comrade had attacked, the boy had instantly appeared behind him only to club him across the back of his head with his elbow. Now the boy turned to face them, a look of boredom across his face.

"Waste him!" The guards pointed their guns at the boy again, fingers almost at the trigger. The boy responded by lifting one arm forward and opening his hand splayed out at the guards.

"You're in my way."

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Don Chino heard the sound of gunfire right outside his door. He knew what this was. Being the number one crime lord in all of Italy, and one the most powerful Kishins in Europe, came with more risk than the average glory seeker could guess, and all this did was make the Don more careful.

Thud! Bang! Bang!

Now another assassin was at his door, literally.

"Come on in." The Don pressed a button on the chair he was lounging in, this caused the door to unlock so he could face the intruder personally. Don Chino knew that all his guards were probably dead, so it seemed that the time for him to flex his muscles were here again. The Don's chair was faced away from the door, but he could see the assassin well enough from his champagne glass. He didn't look like some dog from one of the other families so he must have been Shibusen. Nothing Chino hasn't seen before.

"So you gonna read me my rights kid, or how about that cute little soul stealing monologue you twerps do." The brown haired boy remained silent.

"I see. Well then before we skip the formalities, I'd like to introduce you to my best bodyguard." The Don was expecting the boy to start looking around for another opponent, but still he just looked ahead straight at the Don's back.

"Say hello to my little…" The Don suddenly spun his chair around, leveling a rocket launcher at the intruder. Or at where he was. The Don looked this way and that for a target and saw nothing.

"Where are yo-!" The Don's words were cut short as he felt a something go into his back and through his chest. He looked down to see a bloody hand sticking from his torso. The hand was metallic, with screws and bolts sticking from the knuckles and tubes attached to the wrist running back to the arm.

The boy had somehow got behind him and stabbed his hand through the back of the chair and into Don Chino. All in an instant.

"What are you?" The dying Don asked to the back of his chair. He suddenly saw blue sparks arcing up and down the glove and he felt numb when he realized they were being shot into him.

"I guess you've never heard of…" The Don suddenly screamed in pain as electricity was run throughout his entire body.

"The Bios."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X

The Death Room

"So that's all he said to you?" The reaper asked to Allison as they held a conference in the Death room. The subject: The disappearance of the Devil Buster, Gabriel.

"Yes." She said softly. She had felt it was best that she told Shinigami that she had seen Gabriel just as he had left. She said how Gabriel had felt that Thomas' murder was a way to get to him and how he had left. She also added that Gabriel hadn't said where he was going.

"This is most troublesome." Shinigami grumbled rubbing his temples, he seemed to do that a lot when Gabe was involved. "We found the Death Rail he had used to get there, but it was empty save for this note." Shinigami tapped a piece of paper on his desk with a short message written across it.

'I'm sorry and Goodbye.'

"The train was found along the Chinese shore, so we assume he hasn't gotten too far." Shinigami tried to reassure her but then he sighed as if he remembered something. "However, Gabriel is an expert at covering his tracks, if he doesn't want to be found he usually won't. I've even sent Black Star, Tsubaki and Angela after him, but there's no telling how long it could take them to find him."

"I understand. I'll let you know if we hear from him." Allison said as she got up to leave and join her friends.

"Please do." Shinigami said as Allison dismissed herself. As she left his office he couldn't help but wonder if she was holding something in. The young girl had seemed to be deep in thought ever since Gabriel had left and she looked like she was pondering her place in some grand scheme.

"Sigh. Can't tell if they're kids or adults."

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Allison had indeed been pondering something. Something that filled her every moment of private thought. Gabriel had kissed her.

'But why did he kiss me? Why did he hold me so tightly? It was as if he didn't want to let go.' Gabriel had all ways been a sort of enigma to her. Lately he'd been much friendlier with everyone, he didn't seem as troubled being around them lately and yet he always seemed to keep them just within arm's length. Not wishing to get any more serious than he absolutely had to. Was it perhaps because he didn't feel he would come back.

As she was deep in thought she didn't watch where she was going and walked straight into Mint. Allison fell back and landed painfully on her backside.

"Whoa. Earth to Alley. Are you sleepwalking?" Mint asked as she and Lavender tried to help their fellow Team Diablon member back up to her feet.

"I'm sorry I wasn't watching where I was going." Allison apologized as she tried to get the grass and dirt off her pink uniform.

"You were thinking about Gabriel weren't you?" Mint asked causing Allison to blush in shock. She would have denied it but Mint's sure stare forced the truth out of her.

She nodded shyly.

"Is it something you can talk about with us?" Lavender inquired. Allison thought about this for a bit. She had told everyone about what happened at the Death Rail station, except of course, the kiss. She hadn't even told her best friend Sakuya. But perhaps she could confide in someone who knew Gabriel for a long time, someone who was a girl. But, it would still be embarrassing if she told anyone about it in detail. So why not try hypothetically speaking?

"It's just… has Gabriel ever shown interest in… um." Even hypothetically it was still very embarrassing, but the girls seemed to catch on quick.

"Oh! Are you wondering if maybe Gabriel's run off with a girl you never knew about?" Lavender inquired. Mint cooed at the (and I can't believe I'm even typing this) scandalous subject. "Ooh is someone jealous perhaps?"

Allison blushed redder. She guessed they had at least gotten to a similar subject. "I just wondered if Gabriel seemed to even care about those kind of things. He always seems so distant to other people." She explained as best she could.

"Yeah that's seems to be his way. Gabriel usually seems so naïve to subjects like that. But I suppose that's what makes him so cute, right?" Mint winked at her. (Desp.D: Gag me)

"Be confident at least." Lavender added to Allison. "You're the first one our age to make Gabe come out of his shell. He usually only hangs around adults and you made him change." Allison thought about this for a second. Gabriel had said something similar to her just as he left.

"And please take heart to the fact that if it wasn't for you I would've never become human."

He said this as if he wasn't human to begin with. This opened further questions. How much about himself was Gabriel keeping secret?

"Allison-chan!" Allison was pulled out of her trance at the sound of her partner, Sakuya, as well as the rest of their team coming to join them."

"What were you all talking about?" Sakuya asked.

"Oh nothing." Mint cast a knowing wink Allison's way when Sakuya wasn't looking.

"Any word on Gabe?" Robyn asked the question on all their minds.

Allison shook her head. "They've only found the Death Rail he took. They think he's somewhere in far East Asia. It's beyond me why he chose to go their."

"He might not be there at all." Daniel postulated. "He may have got off at another point and just sent the train off in another direction as a decoy." His theory sounded viable. It's seemed pretty clear that Gabriel didn't want to be found.

"I still can't get my head around it." Sora commented. "He always accepted help from us before when fighting enemies he didn't think he could beat, why go to such lengths to keep us out of it now?"

The group pondered in silence for a moment. "It could be that this particular adversary is far worse than Duncan or the Bios. He does seem to have the unfortunate luck of making enemies often." Mariam stated.

An enemy worse than Duncan and T.R. Mori's Bios? The group shuddered at the prospect.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hokkaido, Japan

It was a quiet afternoon. The streets were barely busy and the sun was covered by the clouds. Just another busy day for the elderly Mrs. Shiba Nadehiko.

"Oh dear." Loaded down with groceries, she trudged through dusty streets. Widowed at the age of 54, she worked hard to support herself, though often, she wished she had an extra pair of arms to help with such burdenous task. She tried to adjust her grip on one such burden that refused to stay in her arms. The bag of groceries hit the ground hard, scattering its contents here and there.

"God bless it!" She set her other groceries down and stretched out her aching back. She bustled about the side walk, attempting to retrieve her scattered purchases before they became too dirty or some pest came by and picked it up. She then noticed that she was no longer alone in her work.

"Mind if I lend a hand ma'am." A young man in jeans and a red long sleeve shirt held out an apple to her. She accepted the piece of fruit and his generous offering.

"Thank you dearie."

With the groceries reassembled the young man handed the refilled bag to the older woman while he took the rest of the groceries as they returned to her house. A thought suddenly occurred to Nadeshiko, this young man hadn't asked her where her house was yet he seemed positive about their direction. Could he be a burgular? She hardly possessed anything worth burglaring.

The young man set the parcels down on the kitchen table and readjusted his satchel back over his shoulder. He appeared to be leaving. She couldn't allow a suspicious person to walk out without knowing his intentions. "Just a minute dear. May a curious old woman inquire as to where you're off to?" She asked.

The look he gave her seemed to be one of familiarity. "I'm just traveling around and I thought I would visit my old home."

"You used to live around here?" She inquired with an up raised brow. She took in his pale blonde hair and scarlet eyes. Suddenly her mind wandered back to bygone days when her husband was still alive and sound of children laughing and playing out in the sun. And a young maroon eyed boy.

Her hands covering her mouth in surprise she stammered. "Is it really you… after all these years."

"Ah, I'm home Granny Nadeshiko." He smiled, it was a smile weathered by ten years of new experiences, but it was still the smile she recognized.

"Gabriel." She wrapped her arms around him as tears threatened to pour down her face. "Where have you been all this time?" She still remembered the little group of boys who would often escape the confines of their orphanage to play at her house and keep her and her husband company.

He held her out to arms length. "I've been working as a weapon in Shibusen. And decided to take some time off to visit the old neighborhood. How's Daigo?"

A melancholy look crossed her face at the mention of her husband. "I'm afraid he passed away some years back after you left."

Gabriel's face hardened in sorrow. "Oh I see. I'm sorry for your loss."

"I should be saying that to you considering…" She cut herself off. Of course that must have been what he came here for.

"Don't worry I intend to visit them soon. I'm just glad to have gotten the chance to stop by. Sayonara." He readjusted his bag as he cleared the porch.

"Do come back! And bring any new friends you may have with you." She waved goodbye to him happily.

Gabriel waved back, though his face was a mask of sadness. "Sorry Granny but I don't think that will happen."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Several hundred feet over Death City

Hikari Mori stared long at her newly revived comrade. Only a day out of surgery and Akira was already far more active than was recommended by any doctor. When he had finally gotten out of the infirmary, he flashed them all a reassuring smile that immediately put all their worries to bed. Even Beltza wandered from his room to witness the miraculous recovery.

But. Not even an hour later he left, saying he wanted to try out his new weapon powers. Sho and Beltza volunteered to accompany him, but he turned them down, explaining he wanted to go alone. This was the most startling thing they ever heard him say. Often he would ask them to join him on missions, not for the assistance, but simply for the "bonding experience" as he put it. He had returned just that morning with an incredible collection of Kishin eggs in tow, which he split amongst them. Now, he had volunteered for today's mission without even taking any time to rest.

This mission was basically an even larger assault on Shibusen. Being dropped off via large, helicopter like transports, the Bios, and one of Plaguea's henchmen, would lead an army of automatons as a "Declaration of War" against Shinigami and his Meisters.

"Hikari?" Joe tapped her on the shoulder indicating it was time. The lightsaber weapon nodded.

"Aki-kun?" Akira turned from his view of the clouds to answer her call.

"Time to get to work?"

She nodded. He noticed that her hands were balling up the hem of her shirt. "Something wrong?" He asked.

"Just… be careful." Her eyes had a worried look in them.

He smiled and ruffled her hair playfully. "I don't need to be careful. I got luck don't I?" He pulled the Phoenix Pinion from his pocket and placed it on around his head. "Don't worry I just need to take care of one thing then I'll back you guys up. Just save me some action okay." She smiled and walked off to retrieve parachutes for hers and Joe's landing, confident that her friend was still the same.

As Hikari walked off the smiled on Akira's face melted away to that of a hardened soldier. He had come here for only one thing. He had to keep only that in mind. He would not be beaten this time. And with this new power granted to him from Mori-sama he would accomplish his goal.

"This time. The Devil is mine." And just as the claxon call to begin their assault began, he was gone.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Boom!

"What was that?!" Shinigami the KID exclaimed in shock. Several more rumblings followed the first. It sounded as if these explosions were taking place in Death City.

"KID!" Soul Eater burst into the Death Room with a look of panic on his face. "We've got trouble. Look" He hit a button on KID's desk causing an array of monitors to swivel down. KID blanched at the images he saw.

"Mori's Automatons?!" In every screen images flashed of metallic creatures of varying height rampaged in Death City, along with images of known Bios members.

"What the hell's going on?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What the hell's going on!?" Wu exclaimed as he, the rest of Diablon, and many teachers and students of Shibusen rushed down the steps of the Academy. Smoke seemed to billow up from Death City and large pod like objects fell from the sky to land within the vicinity of Death City. Some of the pods landed in the park at foot of the stairs, where small groups of human sized and gigantic automatons began marching from the pods to begin their rampage with their comrades.

"We gotta get down there." Phoenix said as many students began regrouping with their partners and rushed down the stairs to face the growing threat.

"Sakuya-chan!" Allison held out her hand to her partner. Sakuya nodded as a cloud of cherry blossoms overtook her form. She jumped to her best friend's out stretched hand where she was caught, now fully in her Katana form.

Allison jumped the last flight of stairs and reverse-handed her katana as she sailed toward an unknowing Promethean mech.

"Muramasa style: Zantetsuken!" She slashed forward, taking the robots head from its shoulders. The colossal machine staggered for a second before it finally pitched forward, defeated.

Marie twirled in place as she set arrows and fired, relying on Robyn's commands to guide her shot.

"Three comin' at ya. 6'oclock!" Marie set a trio of black arrows into place on her crossbow and spun 180 degrees to where she trusted her targets to be. "Explosive Arrow: Black Eagle!" All she heard was the Twang of her bow and the satisfying sound of projectiles hitting metal. And then.

Boom!

"Dead on!" Robyn's cry assured Marie that she had indeed hit the mark.

"Basilisk!" Daniel stabbed forward with his newly forged blade. A saber with a white, horned guard and a golden, needle like blade. Basilisk's blade extended forward gutting several smaller automatons in a metallic shish kebab.

"Watch it!" Daniel heard the sound of gun fire. He turned to see Natsumi blocking a spray of machine gun fire, the lady weapon's arms now transfigured as a sword and shield. When the gunfire finally ceased Daniel leaped over the doctor, slashing the barrels from the robots' machine gun like appendages. Natsumi's blade suddenly charged up with blue energy. The blade grew outward as she slashed horizontally. Daniel had just enough time to duck before the Death Scythe doctor took off his head along with the robots'.

The fight for the park ceased just as soon as it began. All the robots had either fallen back or were scrap metal on the lawn. Natsumi called the Team Diablon members together.

"Good. We've dispersed the invaders on this side with few casualties. However there are still hundreds more within Death City and they're being dropped in by the dozens."

"What do you need us to do?" Allison spoke up.

"For now I need to find Soul, Hisako and Shinigami-sama. I want all of you to relay orders to the other students. At this moment we are facing an invasion and we need to confine it to the lowest area of Death City. Your orders are to push the enemy down to the lowest levels while leading the citizens to the upper. Understood?"

"Understood!" They all said at once.

"Then go!"

The group split up then. Some leading groups of the other students down to face the robot menace, others heading back into the school to relay orders to those who have yet to join the battle.

In each of their hearts they knew. They were in the middle of a war. And they were one member short.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Xeal spotted a group of automatons heading down a side street, apparently in pursuit of a young mother and her son. The little boy suddenly tripped, separating him from his mother. She knew she could never get to him in time before the pouncing robots. Luckily she didn't need to.

Xeal split Phoenix into dual katanas. He flipped over the pack of robots and slashed down as he landed, slicing the lead bot in two. He then commenced to hacking and slashing the first's undaunted comrades. He never moved from his spot, making himself a wall to protect the boy whose mother finally helped him back to his feet. The last robot fell headless at his feet.

He turned to address the family he had just saved. "Head up to the Academy. The area's been cleared out already so you should be safe there." The woman thanked him as she led her son away.

Suddenly a promethean mech came around the corner, its large metal fingers reaching out for victims. Xeal turned at the sound of the woman's scream.

"Hurry Bro.!" Phoenix screamed as they finally spotted the colossal bot.

"Law Abiding Silver Gun!" A white light instantly filled the street, blinding Xeal. When the street came back into focus Xeal saw that the giant robot had stopped moving and that white sparks were running up and down its body from the giant hole in its chest.

Duncan Richards suddenly appeared around the corner, glaring at Xeal. He then noticed the cowering mother and child. He grunted and cocked his head away, telling them to go. The mother picked up her child and ran off, hoping to never see another robot as long as she lived.

Duncan finally turned his glare back on Xeal. "I don't think he's here to help." Xeal stated.

"These soulless shells are a mere quibble. You are my true quarry." He said pointing his spike knuckled fist at Xeal.

"We don't have time for this." Xeal spat angrily but knowing he couldn't just walk away he returned Phoenix to double voulge mode and pointed him back in a ready stance.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Beltza Herriotza walked tiredly through the body strewn street. All of the humans were unconscious. At least he hoped they were, he didn't hunt Death Meisters often and he didn't really like killing them, but sometimes he forgot how fragile they were, and how terrible his powers were.

He suddenly spotted one meister still standing, using his long spear as a support. "Damn monster!" He spat at Beltza. The Black Death only sighed and turned his hands into armored black claws.

"I'm sorry but you have to go to sleep."

"Hold It!" Beltza and the spear wielding boy suddenly looked upward as a humanoid shape jumped from one of the adjoining roofs.

Wu landed lightly on his feet, although he landed on the spear wielding boy.

"Ahg! Not again." The boy sputtered before falling into unconsciousness.

"Sorry 'bout that."

Beltza recognized the new boy as one of the Meisters he had met in Central America, the one who had vomited from fear.

Wu pointed at the sickly, blue haired teen. "This time I will banish your darkness."

"Sure you're not going to throw up again?" Beltza said as he readied his onyx hands.

"Shut up! I've been itching for a fight ever since my favorite punching bag, Gabriel, disappeared. And since you're the only one here I suggest you get ready." Wu shot back, bringing both Sora's wing blades to bare.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Akira watched the encounter from a roof top not far from the two's location. He had scowered the whole city looking for his target and found nothing. When he found Beltza he was hoping his comrade could shed some light on the Devil Busters absence. But when he overheard the Chinese boy say Gabriel he recalled that that was the Devil Buster's name.

Now his frustration grew. His prey wasn't even here!?

Blue sparks shot up from his metallic hands. The red pendant around his neck began to glow.

"Where are you, dammit!?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Gabriel set his satchel down in the dirt as he entered the garden like area. He was home. His first home before Death City. A life before KID, Hisako, Thomas, Wu, Mint… before Allison. And all that was left of it was a cleanly cut grave stone and a plaque that read:

In Memoriam of the victims of the Mifune Memorial Orphanage fire.

It was this event two years ago that had driven him into seclusion. He could take being feared as a monster, he had done so all his career in Shibusen. But this the fact someone had gone out of their way to destroy his first sanctuary, kill innocent children, orphans. He never believed in coincidence. He knew why someone would do this.

His heart ached. Were any of his childhood friends buried with these victims? He could only selfishly hope that they had been adopted after he had left, to spare them such a violent death.

"Junpei, Shimon, Kai,… Aniki." He had always been able to use his past as a reminder for why he fought. He had always wished he could fight with courage like Maka, Thomas, Allison and the others. But courage was never what empowered his fist. Only a primal rage that this cursed right arm seemed to feed upon. After all, this rage was the proof of his true namesake.

10 years previously. The Mifune Memorial Orphanage.

I was just seven back then. I ran away from a home and family I wanted no part of. I walked who knows how many miles. Anything to distance myself from where I came from, futile effort that it was. Eventually I was picked up by a group of men in suits. They asked me where my home was. I said I didn't have one. It didn't feel like a lie.

So they fed me, cleaned me up and finally dropped me off here. An orphanage filled with other kids, smiling despite them not having families. I was nervous at first and tried to keep my distance. But they all ways came to me trying to make me join in their little play groups. I just grunted and walked away. But one kid always seemed to come back.

"Hey kid do you want to play with us?" He had sloppily brushed brown hair. He seemed to be older than me, but because I was always so much taller than most kids we were about the same height. I responded the same as always, grunt, walk away. But he wouldn't be satisfied with that kind of answer.

"Please play with us!" He begged while I dragged him across the floor with foot he wouldn't let go of. "We need one more player, otherwise we'll be playing with unequal teams!" I sweat dropped. This guy was nuts. And annoying.

"Would you let go! Fine I'll play!" He immediately jumped up to his feet in joy.

"Wahoo! I knew you'd see it my way." I deeply considered stowing this guy in the freezer.

"What's the game again?" I didn't really care. I figured if he saw how badly I played he give up and leave me alone. "Basketball. We challenged a group of older kids so they wouldn't bully one of our friends anymore."

When we got there I knew he must have under stated older. These kids were at least in middle school. Most of them had to be at least 2 or 3 years older than us. "We're gonna lose." I muttered.

"Hey! That's no way to talk." One of the boys on our team, a skinny guy wearing a base ball cap called Shimon. "We're younger and sprier, we can't lose." A dark haired member of our team, Kai, who always used weird words. The one of us who had been bullied was Junpei, a portly sort of kid, but despite his bulk he was timid, unbelievably. The bullies continuously refered to him as Lardo.

When the game started I just hung back. Whenever the ball came to me I would pretend to miss and let the ball bounce away. Despite everything my team kept encouraging me.

"Make sure to embrace that ball hard when you catch it." Kai

"Don't worry you'll get the next one." Shimon.

"I appreciate you helping us. I'm sure with you we can't lose." Junpei

And always was the weird guy right beside me, giving me pointers and he even tried to get my arms up to show me how to shoot properly.

Throughout the whole game the older kids were playing very rough. Sometimes tripping up one of us. Violently knocking the ball out of our hands. One of them shoved Junpei aside to keep him from getting the ball. This kept going on until:

"Your ball Lardo." The middle schooler passed the ball too fast and too hard. The rubber ball smacked into Junpei's face and caused him to stumble backwards. Blood on his nose and tears in his eyes.

"Oh look, fattie's crying." The opposing team started laughing it up and constantly called him that name that was even starting to get on my nerves. My team then dropped their happy nature and blocked their hurt friend from the group.

"You got know right to laugh. Look how broken up his face looks." Kai said shoving the accused boy. He shoved back and his gang followed. They held all four boys in headlocks while the accused boy punched them all in the gut. That's when I decided to take action.

The boy stumbled forward as the orange basket ball smacked into the back of his head. He turned around to see me, my arms crossed and challenge in my eyes. "Lookie here. The quiet twerp thinks he's tough." He threw the ball back at me. I batted it aside, my anger now prominent as blue lines began forming across my right arm. Immediately terrified by my murderous gaze, he backed away, his gang huddled away in fear.

"Hey now, c'mon kid we we're just playing." He backed into a wall. I pressed my left hand into his chest to keep him in place while my right was pulled back, now burning in red fire. I had murder in my eyes as I said: "Then let's my play."

I closed my eyes and the flames shot up hotter. I smashed my fist into the wall inches away from his head. "How about blind man's bluff? He screamed in terror as my fist came toward his face. And then I heard another scream.

"Monster, Mommy! Monster!" A little girl and her mother were also in the park and they stared at me with eyes filled with fear. The little girl kept calling out "Monster! Monster!" and pointing at me.

The flames on my arm suddenly died down and I released the bully to run away with his gang. I ran then too. From the frightened mother and girl, from the astonished kids who were my teammates. I just ran back to my room and stayed there.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX

Another machine's face caved in as the sanjiegun swung down. Mint retracted Lavender and held the two end poles ready as more machines swarmed toward her. "This is getting monotonous." Lavender commented up to her partner. Mint met the first robot with a double thrust of her clubs. One of the clubs stuck in the machine's chest. She retracted the second and swung out, using the trapped machine as a flail. The sound of metal striking metal resounded as the oncoming machines were struck with by their comrade's sailing form.

"All that means: is that we're probably killing more than the others." Mint said back. The sound of more fighting caught her attention. She turned to spy Wu in combat with the clawing Beltza.

Wu parried one of Beltza's swipes with the back of his blade, he then countered with a round house kick to the other boy's face. He went in for a low cross slash, but Beltza parried with an upper cut swipe that caused Wu to stumble back.

"Give up." The sickly teen ordered.

"So bossy. Why don't you shut up and fight?!" Wu spat back sending Sora's blade's sailing like boomerangs. Beltza ducked under the first and spun back around with a horizontal slash as the second came back around.

"Meteora!" The blades sailed back to Sora's heel just as Wu jumped in with his flying side kick finisher. He struck the off guard Bio straight in the chest, causing him to skid back into a wall.

"Gotcha." Beltza's confident remark caused Wu to realize that he couldn't remove his foot. Black tendrils began running up Wu's leg pinning him in place, and leaving him vulnerable.

"Wu! Hang on!" Mint called as she charged into the fray.

"Don't make me have to absorb you too." Beltza muttered as his clawed hand collapsed into a mess of snakelike tendrils. Mint just stifled a scream as the black mass wrapped around her arms. Her feet skid across the ground as the tentacles dragged her in.

"Mint! Get back or you'll be pulled in." Wu warned his comrade as more of the black tendrils covered his lower body.

Mint's look of terror suddenly melted away and was replaced by a confident grin. "Just what I was counting on."

She somehow freed one of her arms and charged forward. As she reached the sickly Bio she began pounding the black mass with her fist.

"That won't work." Beltza commented as his black blood hardened, causing bloody red scabs to appear on the Tibetan girl's knuckles. Still she continued to pump her fist faster and faster into his armored hide. Beltza's confidence suddenly faded when he felt a bite behind those punches and his armor suddenly crumbled.

"Soul Force!" Her fist sparking with green energy she leveled her fist at Beltza's chest and then struck forward with a point blank punch. Beltza, and his tendrils, reeled back as the dangerous energy was shot into his body.

Now freed, Wu jumped back to his feet. "You never said you could attack with your Soul Wavelength." Sora commented in surprise.

"Still it's the perfect thing for this fight. Happy to have you on board." Wu said confidently.

Beltza glared angrily at the two Diablons. Suddenly his form seemed to start quivering and a cloud of black blood wrapped itself around him.

"Version Virus: Airborne Form."

"Looks like round two starts now."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX

Grave yard within Death City

Hisako stood straight as she continuously stared at the head stone.

Here lies Thomas Gunn. A true friend and a Well done man.

The one man she had always loved was buried here. And she never had the chance to tell him that. So many things left unsaid. So many plans for them. Marriage. A family together. With Gabriel, if he could truly accept them as his adopted parents. But now Thomas was gone and Gabriel had run off to Death knows where. She felt truly alone, though she wasn't.

"We will begin with dismantling this area." Hisako turned to the sound of voices and mechanical clanking. She saw a skinny man in lab coat ordering around a group of automatons. And before her eyes the robots were uprooting the tomb stones and digging out the graves.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing?!" She yelled in outrage. The tiny doctor turned to regard her and sneered. "A common practice in war is the degradation of holy sites to lower morale. It's rudimentary, don't you agree?"

Hisako felt her fist shake with fury. "A great man once said that it's not the grave that matters, but the feelings by the mourners as their love ones pass on. But I am not that great man and this type of disrespect I will not abide!"

"Neither will we!" The doctor and Hisako turned as Tsuname Natsumi, riding a wickedly winged staff, appeared overhead.

"One of the coolest guy's I know is buried here. He wouldn't let anyone desecrate graves and neither will I." The winged shaft said.

"Soul! Natsumi!" Hisako called out to her colleagues. Natsumi held out her hand to her. "Let's fight together Hisako-san."

"Right! " She grasped the Death Scythes hand and hauled herself. Natsumi glowed bright blue as she took her weapon form. Hisako gripped the handle of the half oval shield, with a sea dragon design across the front. The shield was actually the guard of a majestic silver blade that grew from its back.

"Let's go Soul Resonance!"

A colossal white orb grew around them. Soul's wings grew out sharper and brighter than ever and Natsumi's blade began glowing bright blue and extended out, now as a long sword.

The tiny doctor only sneered and snapped his fingers. "Verns."

The sound of stomping feet caught Hisako's attention as a huge reptilian monster clambered threw the trees, crushing graves and robots in its giant wake. Many of its body parts were replaced with mechanical appendages as if this monster had just been in the shredder but someone had revived and repaired it.

"Now. Cower before Mecha Verns!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Allison was panting hard. They had done good work. Many parts of Upper Death city had been cleared of automatons with minimum Shibusen and civilian casualties. This was probably the last big push they had to drive them out now or lose their momentum, and that could cost lives.

Allison suddenly spotted Leon and Marie coming to meet her.

"We just got word from Lord Death. They've succeeded in pushing back the helicopters that have been dropping those pods. The enemy should be on their last legs."

"Are we?" The trio turned in surprise when they heard the familiar voice. "Tetsu Ryu Dan!" The group jumped away just in time as the x-shaped slash blast destroyed the spot where they had just been standing. Marie notched an arrow and launched at the voices direction. The arrow was suddenly blasted aside as a gunshot could be heard.

Sho grinned confidently at them as he stared down from a nearby rooftop alongside a green haired girl holding a pistol with an axe tipped grip. The girl leveled the gun in Allison's direction.

"You're the ones who hurt Aki-kun before, aren't you?"

Allison didn't know what to make of the new girl. She seemed angry about something but Allison couldn't figure out what.

"We've scowered this whole city for a true challenge. But I suppose you small fish will have to do." Sho said as his chain saw blades roared loudly.

"It seems we are being underestimated." Marie commented as she readied another arrow.

"I've actually wanted to test my metal against the Bios' Iron Dragon." Leon said, bringing Basilisk up beside his head and pointed toward Sho.

Well, this was the last push, no one said it would be easy. Allison unsheathed Sakuya and charged straight ahead, her friends at her back.

"Let's go!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I messed up, plain and simple. My rage got the better of me and now it showed all those people what I really was. A monster? No. I am worse than any monster of human nightmare. I was and still am…a Devil.

I sat alone in my room for a whole week, and I rarely made contact with anyone whenever I had to leave it. On one such occasion I was cut off from retreating to my room by the very people I was trying to avoid.

"Can we talk?" The annoying brown haired boy asked me. They were blocking my escape route. 'Great.' I thought to myself. I grunted in response, but allowed myself to be led away.

Apparently their idea of a quiet talk spot was on the roof where some unlucky soul could probably fall and break his neck. They just waltz about as if they were born to live up in high places. Finally they crowded me and started their interrogation. It wasn't what I expected.

"You never told us you were a weapon?!" The ring leader asked excitedly. I noticed he was holding a black parcel in his hands.

"Are you some kind of super hero?" They all leaned in expectedly.

"You're not scared of me." I asked a little off guard.

"No way! You saved our hides from being busted up. We owe you man." Kai slapped me across the back.

"Why did you call me a weapon?"

"Aren't you one? I've never seen any human with that kind of power. It was awesome!" The weirdo was straight in my face, I backed up nervously.

Shimon pulled him back. "Forgive him he worships the people who work for Shibusen."

"I idolize them! There's a difference!" He then unrolled his black parcel to reveal a patchy, black jacket. It seemed to have been put together quite sloppily and was clearly too long for him. "This is one of the jackets worn by Shibusen Death Meisters. I slaved over a sewing machine in order to restore this jacket. And when I finally leave this orphanage I plan to join Shibusen and proudly wear this jacket into battle." He then slipped on the too large jacket and puffed out his chest proudly.

Unfortunately since the tail was caught under his feet, when he tried to take a step his foot slipped and he stumble back. He rolled back, in danger of falling off the roof.

"Aniki watch out!" Junpei called out to his falling friend. He was right to the edge of the roof, he closed his eyes at the impending fall. Just as he was going over the edge, he felt a jerk on collar as I hoisted him back up. I threw him over my shoulder and scaled the landing. I set him down panting as we regrouped with his friends.

"I think this is a sign that you need to find a new hangout." I stated plainly and ushered them back into the building.

As we made our way back to my room. I stop ask to ask: "So your name is Aniki?"

"Nah. That's just what my younger friends call me. Name's Hibino Kenji. Nice to meet you-"

"Fur- Uh I don't have a name." I wanted to leave my own name behind when I ran away from home. I told any adults asking that I didn't have a name and so far they accepted it and just gave me various nick names.

"FuruhIdon'thaveaname, huh? Sounds to me like you need any new name." He seemed to ponder this for a second. "Okay how about this. Until we find you a name that fits, I'll call you Kyoudai."

"Kyoudai?"

"Hah. That's perfect. Kinda like Tiny in a way." Junpei chuckled and then all the others joined in, and I'll admit so did I. The first time I ever laughed so hard.

And so, for another whole year, I found a true home in the orphanage with Kenji and the others. I even started calling him Aniki like the others. We got in and out of so much trouble together. Like how we first met Granny Nadehiko and Daigo.

Junpei had "accidently eaten" one of the pies she had left out to cool. She made us all make new ones until she tried one she liked. We apologized. For some reason she had taken a liking to us and let us play in her back yard. All her children had grown up and got married and she just loved to have kids to look after. Daigo was great too. He often coached us at basketball and told great stories that would always leave us laughing.

Throughout that whole year, Kenji constantly tried to run new names by me.

"How about Wataru?"

"No."

"Shabutaro?"

"Oh heck no!"

"Kenji II?"

"Okay now you're just being stupid."

"Hm. Perhaps the problem is that I'm trying Japanese names. I mean you're clearly not Japanese." He stated. He did have a point. I never explained what my nationality was. But since I was apparently a John Doe on paper, I didn't figure it mattered.

"I got it. I know this one's perfect!" He then pointed at a ceramic plate lying on a mantel in the hallway we were walking through. It depicted a silver winged angel battling demons with a golden sword.

"Angel?" I practically burst out laughing at my own private joke.

"No! The name of the angel. From now on you're Gabriel." I didn't argue the name. Though I asked why he said it was perfect. "Don't you know about this angel? It's one of the legendary fallen Arch Angels." A fallen angel, now that sounded perfect for me. "This angel was kicked out of heaven because he chose to stay on Earth and protect us humans from demons. You saved us, me twice. What do you think?"

I stayed silent for a moment. Finally I held out my hand. "Gabriel."

Kenji smiled and shook my hand vigorously. "Hello Gabriel my name's Kenji."

We both burst out laughing.

I had finally found a home, and a best friend I could always depend on. But like all things in my life, my happiness was cut short.

"Gabe you've gotta hustle away!" Kai ran up to me one day, he was panicky and breathing hard.

"Two suspicious looking people are here looking for you. They said something about you being involved in a disturbance."

So here it was. My slip up from what felt like a lifetime ago finally came back to bite me. I sighed and started packing my stuff, to my friends' dismay. "I have to run." I told them plainly. "I attacked someone. I'm surprised the Grim Reaper himself isn't busting down my door." The others started arguing trying to convince me I'd done nothing wrong, Kenji however seemed to get a look of inspiration.

"Kyoudai! Stay here I've got an idea." He then ran off to do who knows what. I wasn't going to wait for his next big flop so I packed even faster. But it was to no avail. Just as I started to figure out an escape plan, a white haired man in a red striped black suit and a woman with long sandy blond hair reaching past her shoulder wearing a black jacket similar to Kenji's walked in.

The white haired man got up in my face and flashed me a slightly threatening toothy grin. "Hey kid. Is it true that you're a weapon?" Before I could answer his question his partner pulled out a huge book and called out "Maka Chop!"

"Ahg! What you do that for?" He demanded as he rubbed his dented skull. I swear that kind of impact could have killed someone, he must have built up some kind of resilience.

"Don't scare the boy. We're not here to interrogate him." She then put a reassuring hand on my shoulder and pulled out Kenji's jacket. "We're sorry sweety, but were from Death City." So the Grim Reaper has come knocking?

"We were sent to investigate a disturbance involving a child of your description, but you're friend here kindly explained your… unique situation." Kenji then stepped out from behind them, giving me a knowing look. "He explained how you came to the orphanage with just this jacket with you. Could one of your parents have possibly worked for Shibusen?" So that was his plan.

"Can I borrow that book?" I asked glaring at Kenji.

"I think anything my honey here might read may be a little too advanced for you, kid." The man said, then his "honey" smacked her book across his skull again.

"Don't call me honey while we're working!"

"Sorry babe."

This rewarded him with several more smacks, giving me the chance to confront, or kill, Kenji.

"What are you trying to pull?"

"I'm making sure one of us gets out of here and has a fulfilling life."

"But this is your dream. I don't have the right to accept this." He then took my shoulder and smiled. "Gabe, you're my best friend. You have the power to protect people, I don't. If anyone deserved to carry on my dream it should be you."

I couldn't find the will to argue anymore.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx

And so I left The Mifune Memorial Orphanage. There was teary goodbyes from all my friends, Granny Nadeshiko, Daigo, but I never saw Kenji again till I found him on the roof on my last night there.

"I thought we decided to never come up here again?"

"Yeah well I had a lot of thinking to do. Guess I better think up a new dream huh?"

I stared at him for a second and then shrugged. "Oh that's too bad. Who's going to be my meister now?" He looked up in shock.

"You serious?!"

"So much for a new dream." I chuckled. "I have to admit. You never give up. You have the capacity to become really strong." I meant it.

He mulled this over for abit. "Oi, Kyoudai. Why do you think I'm strong?"

"Cause you're an idiot and idiots can do anything."

"Ha. I think it's because I have something to protect. Junpei, Kai, Shimon, the other kids and you." I realized this was one of those times he was being serious. "Gabe, there's something I want you to do. Before you decide to make me your partner, I want you to find someone you want to protect more than anything. Then we'll meet as equals and find out which of us has gotten stronger." He then threw a punch my way, I caught it without looking sideways.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX

"Someone to protect." Gabe's mind then traveled back to the Death rail station and that sudden moment he had shared with a girl whose face seemed to fill his every private moment.

"Is that really something you should be worried about at the moment? After all you're only purpose in life is to insure our great destiny." Gabriel turned to the familiar mocking tone. The voice he had tried to escape from so many years ago.

"Malus." The witch boy was lounging against a nearby fountain. The water had froze at his very presence. He pulled up his hood, revealing red eyes, golden hair and a face exact to Gabriel's in every aspect.

"Hello little brother." He greeted with a pleased smile. "It's been so long since you abandoned mother and I that I seem to have forgotten just how long ago it was. Care to help me, Fury?"

"Like you care." Gabe responded with a straight face, ignoring Malus' accusation. "We're barely brothers."

"Ah right. Forgive me. Let me start over." He cleared his throat as he walked over to face Gabe face to face. He extended his hand and smiled warmly. "It's good to see you again, my mother's ungrateful bastard."

Gabe grunted and shoved Malus' hand away. "Well that's a fine hello. I came all this way to see you, Fury-"

"That's not my name anymore!" Gabriel practically snarled.

"Ah yes. You go by a new alias now. Gabe was it."

"Gabriel." He clarified. He then pulled up his right sleeve revealing his demonic arm. "Let's get this over with." His maroon eyes burned with withheld rage.

"Sigh. If you insist." Mist began to collect around Malus' left arm as he revealed the white and angelic limb.

"Not here. Outside the city." Malus' shook his head in disappointment but gestured for Gabriel to lead on. "One last thing. A fire burned down this orphanage two years ago. Are you responsible?"

Malus looked the plaque over and shrugged. He seemed to get what Gabe was accusing him of. "Not my handy work. Last I checked fire was your game. Now if we can move along."

Well that was it. His only suspect for this crime and he was innocent. Gabe could tell that he wasn't lying. So now he would never learn the truth. Because even if he did survive this day, he wouldn't be himself anymore.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Finally relocated on the outskirts of Hokkaido, the two brothers faced off once more.

"I have to say, I'm impressed at how you were able to hide from me for so long. Just how were you able to hide your wavelength from me?" Malus asked. Gabriel glared impatiently at his doppelganger, but complied, pulling down his left sleeve, revealing the black bracelet with the comical skull emblem around his wrist.

"A magic tool." Malus deduced. Gabriel nodded in affirmation.

"This magic tool was part of my contract with Shibusen. I could live in Death City as long as this halved my power. Hiding my wavelength was just a perk."

Malus then lost his jovial smile and examined Gabriel quizzically. "Are you so bold now as to believe that you can fight me with only the power of your right arm?"

Longinus then shot out from Gabe's wrist as he leveled it at Malus in challenge. "You better be damn sure I'll try." Gabe charged forward swinging Longinus in a diagonal slash, aiming for Malus' throat.

"Hrunting." Malus' own blade appeared to block Longinus' path. The two struggled for control as their blades clashed, sparks flew where the two met.

"Well you certainly have determination, but we both know that's not what you need." The witch chuckled. Fire glowed in Gabe's red eyes. He tried to shake the anger away.

"Shut up and fight!" Breaking from the struggle he went in for a low kick, Malus back flipped away and countered by sending out a spread of ice shards.

"Loki Fangs!"

"Diablos Spada!" Gabe countered, slashing out with Longinus and melting the ice with a blast of heat. Malus took advantage of his distance once more and pressed his hands to the ground. Icy mist began building around the area he touched. "Polar Stampede!" Spires of ice suddenly began racing toward Gabriel.

Unafraid, Gabe charged into it, he then leaped into the hair with a flying front kick, his legs awash with crimson flames.

"Rising Lucifer!" he smashed through the charging icicles and skidded to a halt as he finally touched down. But Malus had disappeared.

Suddenly, more ice spires shot up from the ground, encircling Gabriel in a makeshift mirror room. Malus' reflection sneered at him from each of the spires.

"Come brother let us play like the old days."

Fury surged through him at the witch's mocking. "You think this is a game!?" He raised his leg up as flames spread across it once more. "Ogre Hammer!" He smashed his foot into the ground with an axe kick, sending out a wave of flame that immediately shattered the icy mirrors. But still no Malus.

"Fenrir!" Gabriel turned just in time to block the downward arc of the great sword with his demonic arm. However, despite how much he struggled he couldn't stop himself from being pushed to his knees. Malus chuckled as Gabriel was finally forced down. "Just where you belong, on your knees, kissing my feet."

Gabriel wasn't about to take that lying down. "Leviathan!" The blazing dragon surrounded his arm as he pulled his fist back. Malus pulled his great sword back, one handed, to counter attack. Icy mist forming as his blade grew larger.

"Ryu Hadou!"

"Feral Impact!"

The blazing-punch and slash finishers clashed. Flames and icy mist flew here and there as the two fought for control once again. Suddenly Malus chuckled and placed his second hand on Fenrir's hilt. His sleeve ripped away, revealing a second angelic arm. Gabriel grimaced as he began losing ground, literally, Malus was taking even steps forward, pushing Gabriel backwards.

"Not good enough Fury."

Gabriel looked on in shock as Leviathan sputtered out and vanished. Malus then took his advantage and blew Gabriel backwards with a horizontal slash. Gabriel rolled back before he finally landed face first into the dirt. Gabe grimaced as he tried to push himself back up but was stopped as a boot was planted into his back.

Malus looked down at his fallen adversary and sighed in disappointment. "Are you still holding it back?" He stared into his twin's crimson eyes. He saw anger, but it was held in, not harnessed like it should. "Why do you hold that anger back, become what we both know you were born to be?"

Gabriel ground his teeth as he tried to force Malus' foot out of his back. "I won't do it. I won't become like you."

Malus planted Fenrir in the ground beside him and twisted around to sit on Gabe's struggling back. All he had to do was prod at his brother's heart. Use pain to bring out rage, and that rage will become the power Malus needed. "So what does that make you? Human? Like this poor soul?" He reached into his cloak and pulled out a white hat and placed it on his head. Gabriel's breath caught in recognition. His fingers dug into the dirt in agitation. 'Good. Progress.' Malus thought to himself.

This however was old pain, what Malus needed was a fresh wound to his brother psyche, something that could send him over the top with fury. Malus reached into his cloak once more and pulled out a single apple. Gabe immediately ceased his struggling as he stared up at Malus.

"I can't understand what you see in these humans. Or why you feel the need to protect them. It's the way of evolution isn't it? The stronger species rules, the weaker species…" He took a bite out of the apple. "Get's eaten."

Gabriel continuously stared up at the apple, unaware of the blue lines forming across his left arm.

"I mean they're just so frail." Malus continued. "Take this one old woman I met recently. She lived alone in a rundown house. Even if time didn't eventually overtake her she could have easily been Kishin food." His grip tightened on the apple. "They're so frail, so weak, so easily snuffed out." Apple juice poured from his fingers as the apple was squashed within his powerful grip.

That did it.

Crack!

(BGM: Asura's Wrath OST In Your Belief)

Malus jumped away as a colossal red soul expanded around his downed victim. The soul had two stubby horns and a pointed, imp like tail. White energy chains were wrapped about the soul's front, connected together by a comical skull mask lock. Cracks were beginning to spread across the lock.

Malus grinned as Gabriel pulled himself back to his feet. His eyes were twin pits of hell fire. Suddenly new flames were burning behind his left eye. A bright magenta light blazed forth as the lock cracked further.

'Good. The eye of Surtur is finally revealing itself.' Malus chuckled as his own right eye began glowing bright green, almost in flux with Gabriel's own.

Great bat like wings began to struggle against the encompassing chains. Red spurts of flame shot up from Gabriel's back. The flames twisted and shaped themselves into a second pair of arms. The fingers then extended up, a fiery membrane forming between them.

Gabriel gripped his head as the rage began to burn into his brain. "That's it brother!" Malus cheered as Gabriel fell to his knees in pure agony. "Burn him away. All his useless memories and emotions. Make Gabriel no more. Make Fury your everything!"

"Raaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhg!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx

"Hmm!" Shinigami turned this way and that, searching for the disturbing wavelength that seemed to burn the very air. A horrible sensation overook him.

"Gabriel."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX

Mori stared at Plaguea in surprise when she seemed to go weak kneed and fell to the floor. Her eyes were saucers as she stared in surprise out to open space. Tears filled her eyes as a smile began to appear at the corners of her mouth.

"My boy. He's alive."

Mori was taken back at this statement. Of course Malus was still alive. But did she really mean Malus?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The lock finally shattered. The red soul's great wings triumphantly stretched out practically filling the sky. The tiny stubs for horns stretched skyward as great pillars. And finally, Fury's left arm exploded in a cocoon of fire, shattering the sealing bracelet. He was Fury now in emotion, name and soul. Everything else just burned away.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh hhhhhhhhhggggggg!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Back in Death City

"Where are you?!"

Another enemy fell to the ground as Akira rampaged through the streets of Death City. His quarry no where in sight, he took his anger out on the unfortunate Shibusen students that crossed his path. "Show your self, Devil Buster!" Bolts of lightning flashed from his hands as he sent the meisters and weapons running. The red pendant around his neck glowed, almost giddy in the presence of his rage.

"I'll tear this place down, brick by brick, until you fight me!" Akira lifted his hand up, behind his head, as if he were about to throw a spear. Suddenly, sparking yellow light enveloped his hand.

"Zeus Chariot!" He slammed his hand down in a mighty karate chop, his arm began curling up until it became a crackling golden wheel. The wheel detached itself from him and sped off toward the retreating students.

One of them looked back just in time, he slammed into his comrades, sending them all sprawling out of the way as the deadly projectile flew by. It kept going until it slammed into a building, but instead up disappating it began to climb upwards, slicing into the brick and plaster. The building finally collapsed in on itself as its two halves were severed.

The wheel then flew back towards Akira, reataching itself to his shoulder, sleeve and all.

The shibusen students backed away, fearful of this unstoppable berserker, as he marched on them with murder in his eyes.

Slice!

Akira jumped back in shock as a golden tear suddenly formed in mid-air between him and his victims. The tear continued to widen, Akira could vaguely make out to shapes forming within the opening. And then:

"Fus!"

Akira was thrown off his feet as what sounded like a clap of thunder sounded off from within the tear. Pushing himself lateral once more, Akira witnessed the opening finally open itself wide as its two occupants stepped out. One, a very infamously familiar white creature with an equally white top hat, tux vest, and cane. The other, an unfamiliar college aged guy with jet black hair and eyes, a scar on his left cheek, a bandage wrapped around one of his hands and a completely black jacket, pants, and boots ensomble over a white T-shirt. He also possessed a white bracelet wrapped around his wrist.

Akira glared hatefully at the clashing black and white interlopers, the guy in black seemed to be glaring back at him. He then turned to his companion, the infamously famous Legendary Sword.

"Well it seem listening to you hasn't been a waste of time after all." He said contemptuosly.

"FOOL!" Excaliber spat back pointing his cane at the much taller man's nose. "What could be more important than what I have to say?" The boy in black glared angrily and swatted the white stick away. "Get that fucking cane out of my face!"

He then noticed the group of astonished students huddling together in awe at their entrance. He gestured them away with his thumb. "I'd take my wounded and go if I were you." The group got the message and began shuffling away, muttering their thanks.

"A sweet gesture, but not our priority. We must make sure that pendant is secured safely. And then we'll deal with that rude thief and that lying yet handsome impostor." Excaliber tapped his cane against the ground as he issued orders to the barely listening teen.

"Whatever." He barely got it out before he had to side step the charging Bios, now wielding a 7'' shaft of blue electricity. "These mortals are as rude as ever."

"Who the hell are you?! And why do you want this Phoenix Pinion?!" He said holding the red pendant tightly to his chest. The interloper in black raised an eye brow at the word "Phoenix Pinion". He sighed and pulled out what looked like a dog collar from his jacket pocket.

"First, that thing's not called a Phoenix Pinion. It's a very dangerous artifact that shouldn't be in the hands of mortals. Second, I don't feel like using my name in another world I barely feel like associating with, so for now just call me World Eater." He then dropped the collar, where instead of clattering to the ground, it sank into the ground in a pool of chaotic black flames. As if this was natural to him, World Eater reached into the pool. His hand then pulled up, bringing with it what appeared to be the head of a small, rigid, black dragon. Looking closer, Akira realized that the black dragon was actually a hilt as the dragon's wings appeared, splayed out like a horned guard of a sword. The blade finally appeared. World Eater wrenched the claymore free revealing its curved, midnight black (Kinda looks like a patterns forming here) blade.

Akira was unfazed as his opponent leveled his impressive looking blade toward him. His eyes scowered for Excaliber, but he had disappeared in that instant.

"Don't bother worrying about him." World Eater commented at Akira's wandering eyes. "That thing's useless without a meister, and no one in their right mind would wield him." Akira then brought his eyes back to the true threat. Sparks raced across his hands as his anger returned two fold.

"This is a good luck charm given to me by one of my best friends. And you think you can take it from me?!" Lightning erupted from his fingers as he raised his hands towards World Eater.

Without blinking, the teen brought his bracleted hand to bear.

"Gospel."

"Hai Master."

Akira watched stunned as his lightning splayed in all directions but its intended course. The lightning died down to reveal a colosal white wall, shaped into the form of a white dragon's head. Smoke billowed from the point the lightning hit as the wall shrunk down till it became a shield on the unharmed World Eater's arm. He lifted the claymore two handed beside his head, not encompassed by either the sword's, nor the shield's weight.

"Bitch and moan all you want, but in the end I will have that crest."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Allison parried Hikari's incoming stroke as the green haired Bios used the tomahawk end of her gun as a melee weapon. The Shibusen meister countered by stabbing her sheathe into her opponents stomach. Hikari stumbled back, the wind, inexplicably, knocked out of her.

Allison jumped forward, ready to bring her katana down on the stunned girl. With barely any time to react, Hikari raised Joe up in gun form and she pulled the trigger.

Ping!

The bullet smashed into the incoming blade, knocking it aside and jarring Allison's hands. This gave Hikari time roll back to her feet.

"Hikari. Switch out." She nodded, tossing the pistol into the air. In a flash of light Joe had retaken human form, catching her partner as she took beam katana form.

Allison shook the numbness from her hands as she took in her new opponent. With them both being weapons, this fight could be in their favor since they can easily tag out if the other becomes winded or for the sake of throwing her off by changing fighting styles. As these thoughts crossed her mind she took in the sights of the other fight going on.

Daniel was struggling against Sho's saws. At some point during the fight he had switched out the smaller basilisk for the heavier handed Gilgamesh. The chain saws screeched against the golden great sword.

Marie was keeping back, dealing out support fire whenever either Allison or Daniel needed, and keeping back any interfering automatons whenever Robyn spotted one.

They had been successful at keeping the battle out of the heavily populated areas of Death City, they were even able to lead their enemies outside of Death City. But this could easily leave them vulnerable to enemy reinforcements. She truly wished the rest of their team were out here with them. She really wished one person in particular were here.

"Allison-Chan! Eyes up!" The distraction of her internal thoughts nearly cost her the fight as Joe rushed in, her axe blade skates leading in a slicing round house kick. Luckily, hand to hand combat was Allison's specialty.

She countered with her own kick, though she successfully blocked it, she almost lost her nose to the longer legged girl's bladed boot. Joe kept up her offensive by swinging Hikari around, aiming for Allison's throat.

Instead of switching back to bladed combat, Allison back flipped away. She re-sheathed Sakuya and brought her upward palm forward in a one handed version of her Phoenix fist stance.

Accepting the challenge, Joe jumped in with her foot vertical in an axe-kick. Allison held her covered blade up horizontal, catching the impact on her weapon and keeping Joe's leg back. She then side stepped and back handed Joe across the back of her head.

The Bio stumbled forward. She turned just in time to see Allison's foot stop inches from her face.

"This doesn't have to end in violence. Yield." She commanded. Joe was quiet as always, however she did lift her hand up, index finger out. Allison blinked in confusion at this strange gesture, that is until the finger became a gun barrel.

Bang!

Allison grimaced as the bullet grazed her cheek. She reacted just fast enough to keep the bullet from blowing through her skull, but she grimaced again when she wiped the blood away from her bruised cheek. This was not going to be easy.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX

Xeal ducked as another haymaker came rushing towards his head. The mad priest was definitely playing for keeps this time as he pursued Xeal and Phoenix through the streets of Death City.

"Doesn't this guy ever get tired?" Phoenix commented as Xeal used his blunt ends to knock Duncan's fist aside.

"Maybe he has a little witch in him too." Xeal joked as he split Phoenix into dual mode, using one to hold back another hook while he smashed the pommel of the other into Duncan's abdomen.

"Enough of your blasphemes. Die!" With speed that could be called only superhuman, Duncan pulled his hook back in and smashed his fist into Xeal's stomach, knocking the air out of his lungs and lifting him off the ground. He then used his momentum to hoist the stunned witch-meister over his shoulder and tossed him against a far wall.

"Bro!" Phoenix called out as his best friend slipped to the ground. Duncan stood proudly over his victim, white energy crackling from his spiked fist. He raised his fist back, a gleam of triumphant in his eyes as the white energy enveloped his arm.

"Law Abiding Silv-!" His technique was ceased as a familiar metal boot landed on top of his head.

"Hey! Outta the way! Outta the way!" Duncan's face hit the ground as Wu used his head as a spring board. He seemed truly eager to continue running. A tired looking Mint followed after him, until.

"Xeal!" Mint skidded to a halt as Lavender called out to their wounded friend. Even Wu spun back to assist.

"Man. What happened to you?" Wu said as they gently propped the recovering boy back on his feet. The sounded of struggling nearby caught their attention.

"Damn…you." Duncan had finally pulled his face free of its ostriche like position. Wu rolled his eyes at the sight. "Oi, this guy." Though, his humor vanished when he remembered what they were running from.

"Found you."

Xeal raised his eyes at the familiar, sickly voice. Black fog seemed to be rolling in. Suddenly, pieces of the fog began to converge together into a humanoid shape.

Beltza's face broke free of the black mass first as the fog parted around him.

"Witch." Beltza regarded Xeal within a mixture of surprise and expectation. Xeal returned with a glare of his own as air finally reentered his lungs. He noticed that Duncan had finally reached lateral footing again, and now blocked their last escape route.

"Well what now?" Phoenix asked aloud. Xeal returned him to single mode.

"Wu. Can you and the girls handle Richards while I try to cure this disease."

Wu didn't know what it was. Did he like the confidence in Xeal's words? Was he amazed at the boy's speedy recovery? Whatever it was, Wu couldn't find any reason to argue.

"Got it. Let's rock it babes!" Wu stood back to back with Xeal, knocking his wrist against Xeal's own.

Mint giggled as the green electricity sparked in her hand. "If were gonna rock, might as well make it as loud as possible."

"You heard her boy's." Sora stated excitedly." Let's settle this in one blow!"

"AH!"

"Resonance Link!"

The huge white orb filled the street with light, causing the two assailants to back away cautiously.

"Djinni Destroyer!" Phoenix's blades grew even farther out, now glowing a bright gold. Xeal then raised him above his head and began twirling him around his fingers until he was nothing but bright golden ring in Xeal's hands. He jumped straight at the surprised Bio, who had black blood swirling through his hands as he stepped back in a familiar stance.

Wu dropped down to a knee as the wings on Sora's heel grew out as a pair of white energy wings. "Jet Step!" In the blink of an eye Wu was hopping from place to place as he charged toward the waiting Duncan. He then hit the sky as he came down in his usual flying kick fashion. Duncan jabbed his crackling fist forward to meet him.

"Halo Fang!"

"Bloody Cannon!"

"Meteora Shower!"

"Law Abiding Silver Shot Gun!"

Both pairs of finishers collided against each other at once. Xeal using his halo like weapon as a buzz saw that cut through the stream of black blood fired by Beltza. Wu's leg was a blur as it pumped in unison with Duncan's rapid fire white blast, his booted foot knocking the blast aside. Both meisters pushed their resonance rates to the maximum, the speed of their attacks increasing as they slowly began to gain ground against their astonished opponents. Until:

"All the way through!"

Xeal sliced through Beltza's black blood armor like butter, the healing aura generated by his blade burning the diseased ridden Bios. Wu smashed away the last of Duncan's blast as his foot finally met the priest's face. Both assailants staggered from the force of the two boy's attacks. What they were unaware of is that the final blow had yet to be given.

"Here we go!" Mint connected Lavender together as a Bo-staff, driving the end into the ground as she pole vaulted over the confused Duncan. Landing nimbly behind him, she drove her plams into his back in a crackling hand above hand strike. He was sent flying forward into Beltza as her Soul Wavelength was shot into him.

"We did it!" Wu pumped his fist into the air in joy of their victory.

"Don't celebrate yet." Xeal seemed to be staring off to the direction of Death City's main entrance.

"He's right." Mint agreed. "There's still a war to be won. For now we need to regroup with Alley's group." The two boy's nodded in agreement and they all sped off in the direction where they believed their friends to be, unaware that one of their enemies was already back on his feet.

Beltza panted as he leaned against the wall. He had avoided the bulk of Xeal's attack but his black blood was still agitated from that healing magic coming so close to him.

"Sho and the others are in that direction. I need to move quickly." He then melded into the black mist again as the mass of black blood followed the three Diablon members.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Is that truly your best?" Hausen snickered at the sight of the panting Hisako. The red haired woman was using Soul to keep herself on her feet, while Natsumi was on the ground unconscious at her feet, recently knocked out by the doctors hideous abominations last attack.

"I believe it's time to put her out of her misery Verns. Due to try to keep the Death Scythes alive. They'll make excellent research subjects." The mad scientist cackled evily as the colossal cyborg-dino reared it's head back, blue energy building behind its jaws as its main weapon, a particle cannon, began charging.

"Man. This is so uncool. Killed by Doc. Steins evil twin. Well, more evil twin anyway." Soul commented as Hisako held the scythe forward in a defensive stance.

"I'm sorry." Soul gaped as tears appeared in Hisako's eyes. "If I were Maka, this wouldn't have happened."

"Hey! Even Thomas would agree. No one is better suited to wield a scythe Death Scythe than Maka's very own student, you. We both know what will happen if Maka finds out you start sniveling like this."

"That's true! Hisako's scary but Maka's plain evil when she's mad." They both watched stunned as Verns suddenly fell forward, its hands going to where its groin would be. Soul cringed in sympathy pain as blood streamed through its fingers.

"Gotcha'! Right in the knads!" A burgundy haired teen age girl appeared out of thin air on the kishin's shoulder. She wore a black, long sleeve shirt with a green vest over it with a pair of combat shorts and a black kunoichi like skirt over that. On her head was a pointed hat with a chameleon like face stitched onto it, a fabric tongue lolling out. Over her shoulder was a quiver held up by yellow boundary tape. Instead of arrows, the quiver was full of katanas, one of which she pointed into the air triumphantly as blood dripped from it.

"Angela!" Hisako called out happily. Hausen however was not amused by the witch turned Shibusen's treatment of his monster.

"Verns! Swat that annoying fly away!" Angela disappeared again as the cyborg clawed at her. It fired its particle weapon in all directions, hoping for a lucky shot on the pesky girl. Three katana's suddenly appeared in mid air in front of it.

"Infinite One sword Style: Sword Fang!" Angela appeared behind them as she brought her blade into the butt of one of them. "One!" It raced through the air to pierce the creature's hand. "Two!" The second flew into the creature's muscular shoulder. "Three!" Verns gripped its face in pain as the last stabbed into its eye.

"Idiot! Above you!" Hausen called out to his blinded creation as the true danger appeared over head.

"Witch Hunter!"

Verns had no time to react as its head was sliced free from its impressively long neck. Hisako landed with a skidding halt, the crescent moon shaped scythe blade adding weight to her momentum.

Hausen was stunned. His greatest monster had been killed not once but twice now. "I'll remember this!" Hitting a remote hidden in his jacket, he caused a twin rocketed jet-back to break free of his lab coat. Hisako watched as he flew off into the distance. She greeted their colleague with a glad smile as Angela retrieved her blades and waved at them.

"What happened? Why are you here?" Soul asked as the three tried to rouse the still out of it Natsumi.

"Well, Spikey and I lost track of Buster, and we decided to back track the whole course in case we missed something." She admitted a little embarrassed. "Good thing we got here when we did."

"Black Star's here?" Soul asked. "Where is he?"

"Knowing him… he's probably trying to be the center of attention."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So… you think you can take them?"

"Look at them all. Wheeling about without any kind of pattern or uniformity. I'd expect better of machines. I need to destroy them quick before I get sick."

Standing at the bottom of Shibusen's giant stairwell, Shinigami the Kid and Black Star stood as the only obstacle for a large force of automatons.

Black Star grinned as he brought Tsubaki in dark kunai mode, ready to face the oncoming hoard. Then he noticed that his dark haired comrade was without a weapon, but seemed completely unconcerned as he took that awkward looking fighting stance of his.

"Reaper Martial Arts: Sin Stance."

Black Star looked at his own weapon thoughtfully and with the grace of a trained assassin, he slipped the black knife into a sheathe on his belt.

"Black Star?" Tsubaki stared at him perplexed.

"You take a break this time Tsubaki. I feel like tearing up with my own bare hands."

Kid chuckled beside him. "Don't feel the need to give me a handicap."

"Shut up!" The teal haired ninja spat back. "I just feel like putting that stupid pose of yours to shame."

"Very well. Let's go!" Both men sped into swarm of machines, cutting a path of death through the waves of metal men. This battle will surely be short.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I was burning. That was all I knew. I was burning.

Suspended over a raging pit of fire, held up by several scaley red arms with blue lights filtering from their cores. They gripped my arms and legs spread eagle over the pit. They wrapped about my chest and neck, not allowing me any movement what so ever. All I could do was hang there and burn.

"Nice place for a tan." My eyes shot open in surprise. I couldn't move my head but I could have sworn I knew that voice.

Suddenly, a man in a brown trench coat and a white fedora appeared beside me, grinning.

"Who are you?" I asked. He looked hurt, placing his hand at his chest.

"How could you forget about me already? Have you clearly forgotten the visage of a Well-done man?" I stared in puzzlement. He sighed and pulled down the brim of his hat.

"He wears his hat low, so as to cover the emotions of his eyes. He holds his passion within his fist. Fists empowered to strike down evil and protect his loved ones. That passion is the true mark of manliness. A passion that fries the soul until it is perfected. That is the proof of a Well-done man." He pulled his hat off allowing me to see into his eyes. Brown eyes that always looked into your own and saw the true you behind them.

"Thomas." He smiled and nodded.

(Hit the music: Stay the Ride Alive by Gackt)

The wind shines,

The trees sway and sparkle.

I can't help thinking

That this moment will be unforgettable

More important than the time I spent walking…

Or the distance.

Are these immeasurable encounters with people

They shine even now.

"I'm not the only one here kiddo. Check it out." He pointed behind him, my eyes followed revealing an empty blackness. But then, white light sprung forth. I turned my head to avert my eyes. I could move? Yes, the demonic arms holding me in place were crumbling and falling to the ground.

As the light dimmed I stared stunned at the crowd of people smiling back at me. Tears threatened as I recognized them. The faces of my teachers, my rivals, my friends.

When I was looking from a place with no light.

In the heights of loneliness I heard everlasting words

In the past you gave me.

Even as the constellations change,

What never changes

Is this steadfast everlasting bond

Even if we never meet again

Stay Alive!

A new light suddenly appeared in front of me. I stared in awe as the young brown haired girl appeared in front of me. She smiled that unforgettable smile I came to depend on. She held out her hand to me. I grasped hers without a second thought. Suddenly the girl and the crowd behind her shimmered and became light again. They all flew toward my hand and rested their as a new shape took form.

I opened my hand to reveal my key to salvation. It was golden pin with a triumphant angel at its center. I smiled as I remembered who I was and what I had to do. This angel and I shared a name and a purpose. One I would gladly accept.

"So that's your decision?" Thomas stood beside me his hat covering his heart as we looked into the abyss.

"Ah. Now I just need something to give me the strength to do it."

"Then take this." He placed the white fedora on my head. "Take care of it okay. You know what that hat is for me."

"Yeah. And now it will become the same for me."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXx

Malus marveled at what he had created. Fury stood there panting and looking at Malus like a dog awaiting orders.

"Perfect. Come Fury. Mother will be pleased to see you again." He began walking away; a grin of triumph etched across his face. His grin faded when he heard a rush of wind. Malus spun around just as his seemingly loyal brother smashed into him. Fury grabbed the white fedora from his head and utilizing his new wings flew back. He skidded as he pulled off a jerky unpracticed landing.

"What the hell are you doing Fury?!" Malus roared in outrage.

The rebellious Fury eyed the white fedora with recognition and before Malus could stop him, he placed it on his head. And then something incredible happened.

Malus watched in true astonishment as the red soul grew out once more, larger than before, but the wings and horns were fading, shrinking back into themselves until all that was left was a featureless red soul. No, not featureless. In an instant a white fedora like shape appeared across the top of it and a black curtain like mass enveloped the back and sides of the soul.

Fury stared at the astonished Malus, his eyes were no longer filled with anger and his arms, both left and right, were the corded flesh of human skin. His wings had receded as well.

"What did you do?! What the fuck did you do?!" Malus demanded.

"It's something they teach you in Shibusen. The usual method is similar to something you do." Malus blanched at the confident tone, he was like a whole new person.

"Normally the soul wavelength can be shot outward as a blast of energy. But I decided to go the other direction. I pushed it down, so far down that I doubt even you could detect it."

Malus snarled in anger. "Why? Why!? Why do you refuse to obey me?! Fall to your knees and accept your purpose for living!" Malus ripped Fenrir free from the ground and charged forward with an overhead slash. Gabriel easily side stepped it.

Malus swung toward the retreating Gabe. "Rescind yourself to your fate and serve me!"

Malus was surprised when his great sword was stopped by Gabe's bare hand.

"Never!" Gabe jumped up and snapped off a round house kick. Malus blanched in surprise as his unbreakable great sword, shattered in his hands. Gabe hit the ground twirling in place as he skidded to a halt on the balls of his feet, gripping the fedora so it didn't fall off.

"Where did you get so much power?!" Malus was practically quivering in rage.

"It's something else they teach in Shibusen. It's called Courage. Stronger than both anger and hatred combined."

"Silence!" Malus smashed his hands into the ground, sending out another a charging line of ice spires.

Malus panted had he done it? Had he finally silenced Gabriel's insolent mouth?

"Sorry I can't play anymore." No! "There's been something bothering me for abit. So I'm heading back to Shibusen. But believe me Malus, we will finish this later."

Malus pounded the ground in rage as Gabriel's voice faded away. But a malignant smile etched across his face.

"Fine brother. Go save your little friends. But be warned, you face a true God of Rage now. Perhaps you will finally be swallowed up by his fury."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXx

Gabriel panted as he ran. Despite how cocky he seemed he was having a hard time. True he was able to keep his anger controlled by forcing his wavelength to remain dormant but that required tons of concentration. What he needed was another magic tool to seal his power away. But for now he may need the anger, and the strength it granted him.

"Allison. Everyone. Wait for me. I'm on my way."

He let go then. The bat-like wings flared forth from his back. He felt lighter as his burning wings caught the wind and began beating as one. He took the sky, his single thought was that he had to get home and this power would take him there. Not once did here fear for his sanity, for his salvation was nestled safely in his pocket, his hand never leaving it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx

"Ha…ha…ha." Allison could barely hold up her katana as she stared up with the equally winded Hikari and Joe. All three girls had been fighting for what felt like hours to them, even the two Bios "tag out" left them with very little time for recooperation. Unfortunately for them, there were three more members of this particular duel.

"Alright! Hands up!" Robyn ordered as Mariam leveled her bow at the exhausted Bios. Sakuya retook human form in order to help her tired partner from collapsing. The two Bios, begrudgingly, raised their hands in surrender. Meanwhile:

"Ryu no Tekken (Dragon's Iron fist)!" Sho slammed his vibrating fist into Gilgamesh, causing Daniel to skid back from the sheer force of the heavy blow as he blocked. Quickly regaining his footing, he only had time raise up his sword in defense as Sho brought his saws down in rapid succession. Steel screeched against steel as Daniel struggled to hold his defense against the constant punishment.

"Ahn! This could be it!" Rosa exclaimed as the golden blade began to crack and chip against the powerful impacts.

"Stop making those weird little sounds!" Fauna tried to shush her, though she had a look a terror across her face.

"Just try to hang in there a little longer you two!" Hana tried to reassure them. "Daniel-kun do something!"

"Split up."

"What!" They exclaimed as one. "On my command. Split up into three blades again." He grimaced against the strain in his arms, but he had to remain strong. He had to find break in the pattern of the chops. Where was it? Where?

There! "Now!"

Sho blinked as his opponents great sword disappeared and split off into three smaller blades, one of which gripped tightly in the red-haired boy's hands and now pointed at his nose.

"Yeild!" Daniel commanded as brought Hana closer to his captives face. Sho grimaced but he conceded as his chain saws slid back into his wrist.

"Nice work princey." Daniel turned at the mocking tone of Robyn as he noticed that his comrades now had the two other Bios in custody as Sakuya marched them forward with her blade.

"Alright. Spill it! Why are you attacking Death City?" Fauna demanded to the red haired girl, whose cowboy hat and bandana Fauna had snatched from her head in order to see face. The girls stoic silence caused an anger mark to form on her brow.

"You know it would probably be smarter to ask one of the more talkative ones." Robyn replied to her as he settled up next to Sho. "So what's it gonna be? You gonna talk or are we going to have to resort to drastic measures?" Robyn seemed to threaten. Sho however put on a defiant glare.

"No form of torture will make me talk!"

"Not really torture. A different interrogation method is used by us in Shibusen." His friends raised their eyebrows, they had no idea what he was going to do.

"Kyaaah!" Allison screamed as Robyn reached back and flipped up her skirt with a backwards flick of his wrist. "What the hell are you doing!?" Sakuya started throttling Robyn as he lifted his hands up in peace as if he didn't do anything wrong.

"We were ordered to." The Diablon's and the two other Bios stared stunned at Sho's declaration, taken off guard by the distant look in his eyes and the blood running from his nose. "White with pink-"

"Kyaaaah! Don't tell them!" Allison smashed her heel down on his head to silence him before she realized he could probably see them again. She straightened her skirt down, her cheeks flushed bright scarlet.

"What do you mean ordered to?" Daniel took over the interrogation then.

"Not us directly." The green haired girl responded. "The one who wanted this war is Plaguea-sama."

"Who?"

"A Witch who funds our organization. She had us develop those robots as her foot soldiers. There are thousands more where this wave came from."

The Diablons stared dismay at this startling news, however something else was bugging Sakuya. "But why are you apart of the attack? A smuggling operation like yours would never enter open warfare with Shibusen."

"We know. But our boss has no choice. Plaguea is a truly fearsome enemy to have. Her son alone nearly killed us once before. We didn't even want to join this assault. We came because Aki-Kun did."

Allison looked at the girl with abit of understanding. "By Aki-kun, do you mean Akira Toya?"

Hikari was surprised she had been so personal with her answer but there was no denying it now. "Ehm. Aki-kun wanted to defeat the Devil Buster at all cost. So he signed up for this mission immediately despite being hospitalized recently."

"I hate to break it to you, but Gabriel's, that is Devil Buster, left not to long ago. No one knows where he is."

"Then find him!"

The group turned in astonishment at the harsh command. Akira Toya himself stood huffing and puffing behind them. His clothes were slashed and scorched in places. Angry light seemed to be glowing within his furious eyes.

"Akira that's enough!" Sho tried to dissuade his friend. He was shoved aside without a backwards glance. Hikari and Joe attempted to block his march towards the Shibusen, but they cringed back as their hands met the electrified air surrounding him.

"He's not here anymore! Let's just go home!" Hikari begged.

"I can't do that Hikari." He responded in a cold tone that wasn't his own. "My rage won't vanish until my hands are around his throat." He gripped his hair with a look of absolute pain. "His image is burned into my brain, setting my skull on fire. I have to bring him here and kill him at all cost!" The red pendant around his neck seemed to flicker with internal fire as he continued his warpath.

"Not good." Robyn said as he changed back into a quiver for Marie. The other meisters readied their weapons for the incoming attack. He didn't keep them waiting.

"What!?" Daniel almost lost hold of Hana and Rosa as Akira disappeared in a flash of lightning and reappeared in behind him.

"Thor!" Akira smashed his elbow atop Daniel's shoulder. Daniel screamed in pain as electricity coursed through Akira's blow into his own body. He fell to the ground completely stunned as Akira moved in on Marie and Allison.

"Meteora!" Akira zapped away as a familiar Chinese boy's kick sailed right through where he had been standing. "Slippery bastard." Wu grumbled as he, Xeal and Mint regrouped with Allison and Marie.

"Xeal, Daniel needs help!" Rosa called as she and the other girls kneeled over the unconscious Leon.

"I'll be right there!" Xeal broke away from the group, already muttering the spell to his healing magic. "Lupes, Lobos, Lupes, Lobos…" He was so preoccupied with his chanting he didn't see Akira reappear, his arm crackling with yellow electricity and raised back.

"Xeal watch out!" Mint rushed in, raising Lavender up defensively as she shoved Xeal aside.

"Zeus Chariot!" Akira's hand came down, causing the lightning wheel to soar toward Mint. The wheel collided with Lavender, but the Sanjiegun screamed as the electricity from the attack was shot into her and Mint. Both girls collapsed to the ground, their friends unable to tell if they were dead or not.

"Son of a bitch!" Xeal pulled himself back on his feet and charged toward the crackling Bios, not watching for the wheels return trip as it slammed into his back.

"Bro!" Phoenix retook human form and kneeled beside his downed partner, trying to shake him awake. "Come on buddy get up. This isn't funny!" Phoenix glared up at Akira as he teleported over him.

"Now you can join them." Akira splayed his mechanical fingers at the kneeling weapon, electricity crackling between them. Phoenix closed his eyes as heard his friends call his name. This was probably the last time he'd here it. Just as the electricity seemed to build to its maximum, a black tendril suddenly wrapped around Akira's arm, tugging it back as the lightning was let loose.

Akira glared at the tendril's source. "This doesn't concern you Bel." He said with a hint of threat.

"You've done enough Akira. Let's put an end to this." The sickly teen commanded, wearing a look that said he was prepared to fight if he had to.

"That's exactly what I'm doing. I'm putting an end to my anger and you won't stop me." He teleported away, the tendril fell to the ground uselessly. Beltza's head spun to and fro as he tried to predict his oddly behaving comrade's movements. He knew he wasn't really teleporting. The concept of Akira's instant movements was by turning himself into living lightning and moving at the speed of light, now he just had predict his moves.

"Raiden Lance!" Beltza shuddered as he felt an impact through his back. He looked down to see an arrowed hand stabbing through his chest, electricity crackling through it. Akira had moved behind him and stabbed him through the back with his bare hand. This would have killed most people. However…

"You of all people should know that won't work." Beltza's form shimmered for a split second before his body broke apart into many small pieces of black mass.

"Bloody Shell." The black pieces swarmed around the struggling Akira, covering him from head to toe in quick drying black shell.

"Is it over?" Marie asked when the sound of struggling ceased.

"I wouldn't count on it." Marie, Wu and Allison jumped in surprise as an unfamiliar man in black walked past them, a huge black claymore with a dragonic design resting on his shoulders and a white dragon head shield on his arm.

World Eater's prediction turned out true as arcs of lightning erupted from the black cocoon. The air filled with a yell of pain as the remaining black blood in the air began to swirl around chaotically. The black cocoon suddenly exploded away as a huge orb of crackling blue electricity exploded forth from it.

"Beltza!" Sho ran to assist his comrade, Joe and Hikari behind him, as Beltza separated from the black cloud. Unfortunately he had not escaped the explosion of electricity as he twitched upon the ground.

Akira was panting from the strain of letting out so much energy at once. World eater noticed that his soul was beginning to settle down abit. The blue orb was still crackling unstably, like a miniature super cell. A tattoo of a black phoenix stained the orbs blue surface.

"Ira is beginning to take hold. I may have to put him down." Allison couldn't tell if he was struggling with the idea or not.

"Hold it!" Wu stepped in front of the black clad teen. "What the hell is Ira? And who the hell are you?"

"I'm the guy who doesn't have to save your mortal hide but decided to anyway." The taller boy responded with a heavy hint of annoyance. "Now grab your friends and get out of here. As of right now this is my fight."

Before Wu could respond with a rebuttle, World Eater shoved him back, placing his shield infront of them and the bolt of lightning shot by Akira.

"I told you to stay away from this!" Akira snarled as he tightly gripped the pendant hanging around his neck.

"That thing is killing you kid. Give it up!" Hikari's eyes widened when she heard that. Of course! Who else but Malus would give her something so dangerous? She internally chastised herself for being so gullible.

"Shut up!" A shaft of lightning appeared in Akira's hands as he teleported out. Unflinching, World Eater calmly stood his ground. Even when Akira appeared behind him and swung his shaft toward his head.

"Tiid."

Akira's eyes widened as he hit nothing but open air. He desperately searched left and right for his opponent but saw nothing.

"Doesn't matter how fast you are…" A fist covered in black flames and lightning smashed into Akira's cheek from out of nowhere. The mad Bios flew sideways until he skidded to a painful stop. World Eater appeared beside him before he even stopped. "When your opponent can control time."

"This guy can control time? What the hell's going on?"

"I can explain."

The Diablon's were due for more heart attacks as a funny looking white creature somehow appeared beside them. Robyn and Wu grimaced, their faces taking on a funny appearance as their jaws tightened and their eyes squinted as they looked to the right.

"Fools! Why does everyone make that face? I haven't even said anything yet." The holy sword soon regained its composure as he cleared his throat. "That pendant is an artifact from that boy's world. It contains a malevolent demon sealed within it. That demon is attempting to use that young fool as a vessel. Eventually it will swallow his soul in its all consuming fury." Allison noticed the Bios' looks of horror. She felt for them.

"Time out!" Robyn commented. "If that thing's from another world, what's it doing here?"

"Fool! Obviously I brought it here." He sounded almost proud. "I was given that pendant while on vacation in another world and I was told that by keeping that pendant I would save that world. I was unaware however that that boy there, was the true savior of that world and that he was meant to have it. Unfortunately, the item was recently stolen from me and now it is in that boy's hands."

"So basically, your worlds about to have a disaster of biblical proportions because of him." World Eater called to them over his shoulder. Akira was already back on his feet.

"Die!" Lightning shot from his hands, faster than the eye could have predicted. World Eater had no time to lift his shield.

"Los!" Flame poured from his mouth, colliding with the lightning and cancelling each other out. Akira used the blast as cover as he zapped out, now beside World Eater. The black glad teen only had time curse before an electrified round house kick slammed into his chest.

"Now we end it!" Akira arrowed his fingers as blue electricity gathered in his upward palm. World Eater slowly tried to get back to his feet, but the previous shock had stunned him slightly and hampered his movements.

"Raiden Lance!" Akira charged forward, his hand pulled back beside him. He was just within stabbing distance when he thrust his hand forward.

"Aki-kun stop!" Akira just barely pulled back before his hand pierced through his friend's chest. He panted, with barely contained blood lust as he stared into the mournful eyes of Hikari. "Just stop please. The pendant doesn't matter anymore, just give it up!" She begged as she gripped his shoulders. His panting intensified into a growl as he began to grip his skull.

"I… can't!"

"Out of the way girl!" Hikari gasped as World Eater charged past, smashing his shield into Akira's chest and sending him stumbling back. He followed up with a powerful drop kick to Akira's stomach that caused blood to erupt from his mouth as he landed on his back.

"Fo!" Akira covered his face as a frigid blast of ice and snow erupted from his opponent's mouth. He struggled until he found he was pinned. The ice stuck to his clothes and limbs, his back and legs were to the ground.

"I'll be taking what's mine now." Akira snarled in pain as the World Eater pressed his boot down on one of Akira's arms to keep him from struggling. The pendant practically began to tremble in fear as he reached for it, his hand crackling with that black flame and electricity of his.

"Don't touch that!" Another voice seemed to mix in with Akira's as his other hand shot to World Eater's leg sending a blistering red current of electricity into his body.

"What the-?!" With strength that couldn't have belonged to any normal human, Akira tossed his captor away. The red lightning crackled all down his body, instantly melting the ice.

"This isn't good." Marie stated as a bead of sweat ran down her face. Allison and Wu may have had much weaker sixth senses, but even they could see the black phoenix print completely encompassed Akira's soul. Arcs of red lightning radiated from his eyes as a scarf of blue lightning formed around his neck. His mechanical hands grew out and became three fingered bird like talons.

"Hmmhmhm." Akira began chuckling, a deeper tone beginning to rise in his voice.

"Damn!" World Eater held his claymore in both hands as the sky suddenly turned black. Red arcs of lightning striking the ground, almost in time with a heartbeat.

The possessed Akira wagged his finger in gesture of challenge. "Come and get me. All of you work together. It doesn't matter to me."

Allison and Wu pulled up next to World Eater, both of them visibly trembling. "I've never felt so much blood lust before." Allison's hand tightened on Sakuya's hilt, her other hand shakily trying to find the will to remove her sheathe.

Smack!

Allison and World Eater turned to see their companion smacking his palms into his cheeks, to their disbelief, his trembling stopped.

"You only get to live once after all. Jet Step!" He raced ahead despite World Eater's warning call. "Eat this!" The blades on Sora's heel began spinning like twin buzz saws.

"Jet Storm!" Wu pulled off directly in front of the unimpressed Bios. Wu brought his foot down on Akira's head in an axe-kick. Akira didn't even grin as he brought his clawed hand up to block. Sora's spinning blades kicked up sparks against Ira Akira's metal hand.

"Something itches. Is that really your best?" Wu only grinned to the possessed Bios confusion. "It's called a distraction, asshole." A shudder went through Akira as a katana blade pierced through the back of his shoulder.

"That's for my Bro you disgrace to fire birds." Phoenix stabbed his other blade into Akira's fore arm, trying to saw through the metal appendage.

"More insects." Ira Akira sighed. The scarf around his neck suddenly went rigid like a snake. It wrapped it self around Phoenix and hoisted him into the air. Akira then gripped Wu's foot and shoved his saw blades back.

"Insects deserve the bug zapper." Wu and Phoenix cried out as red arcs of lightning struck them both. The possessed boy tossed them aside like old rubbish as their charred bodies went limp.

"Next." His eyes then fell on the terrified Bios and his face broke out in an amused smile. Allison suddenly slid into his path blocking the weakened Bios from his view.

"I thought they were your friends. What reason do you have to attack them?" She demanded.

"What use will friends be to this boy?" Ira chuckled at her as if she told a hilarious joke. "He's to become the vessel for the new god of this world. Friends are only a millionth of the things he will possess with my power."

"You're no God!" Allison quickly unsheathed Sakuya and ran her hands over the muramasa sword's blade.

"This world has no need for a God who only takes." Sakuya added in as the Crimson Hunter flared to life. Allison, resheathed the red, hooked sword and took a sideways stance. Allison's eyes closed as the sky blue orb rose up around her.

"Come then. Test your metal against a true god." Akira spread his arms out in open challenge, grinning confidently that he could stop their attack.

"Muramasa Style Iai…" Allison charged forward.

"Messatsu Giri (Destruction Slash)!" Akira's claws flew in as Allison drew her blade. In an instant, both attacks had been dealt. Allison fell to her knees as bloody claw marks appeared across her torso. Akira chuckled as he licked the blood from his claws.

He blanched when he noticed his fingers had fallen away. He roared in pain as blood erupted across his upper body, a long, diagonal scar running from his waist to his shoulder. Sakuya detransformed as she helped her partner to her feet. Both of them were grinning proudly.

"Hurts like a bitch doesn't it?" World Eater and Marie encircled the bloody Ira. "Take it from me. When these mortal can even make a God bleed, it's time to call it quits." His voice held what sounded almost like respect.

"Yeah! Tha't what ya get when you mess with a God Slaying blade." Robyn bragged from Marie's shoulder. The Bios were moving in on the group, more to check on their friend than to offer congratulations.

Ira stared wide eyed at the sight of his own blood. A mortal, a little girl had wounded him? Almost killed him?

Ridiculous!

The group backed away in astonishment when the abysmally black soul erupted from the kneeling Akira. Bolts of red lightning shot forth forcing the Bios back and slamming into World Eater, Marie and Sakuya, knocking them back several feet. Leaving Allison alone as a murderous Ira Akira stepped from the black orb. Those red sparks flared angrier than ever as he stared daggers at Allison.

"You impudent little bitch!" He grabbed her by the throat and lifted her up off her feet. Allison struggled against the iron grip as oxygen was cut off from lungs. To her confusion, the hand slackened its grip.

"Don't worry about suffocation. I want you good and conscious for what I have in store."

Red lightning instantly shot down. Allison screamed from the pain. It felt like a hundred tiny fires had flared up under her skin. Her brain couldn't tell if what it felt was pain or just cold numbness.

Ira answered her question when he noticed her eyes rolling into the back of her head. Allison screamed again as intense pain shot into her arm as the bone snapped.

"Don't worry. Eventually I will let you slip away. But even then I will not stop. I won't stop until even your soul has been reduced into atoms!"

More lightning came down. Allison definitely felt the pain, but her mind was so far gone that she could barely respond to it. She could still see and hear, but she could not recognize anything going on around her. Not the sound of a certain black haired girl calling out her name. Not the image of the boy with the claymore coming to her aid and then immediately pushed back by another blast of lightning.

I'm going to die.

That was what her brain was telling her as it melted into the abyss of death. Her heart however was full of questions.

Am I never going to see him again?

Will I never find out what that kiss was for?

Will he come save me?

"Will you save me?" Akira chuckled at the inquiry. The last request he was hoping for. The final release from death.

"If you wish." But she kept talking calling out a name the possessed Bios barely recognized.

"Please save me… Gabriel."

"Devil Dynamite!"

Allison felt herself falling. Was this what death felt like? As if your soul was falling from your body?

Her fall ceased. She felt strong hands holding up her back and legs. Her eyes could only make out a red blur.

Her eyes focused as they met the red ones looking into hers.

"All you had to do was ask." He was here! His red eyes that glowed with an internal fire that held both passion and reason. His pale blond locks were covered by a familiar white fedora. And his smile. He showed that smile that she was still not used to but loved from the moment she first saw it.

"Gabriel!" Tears welled up in hers eyes as she covered her mouth with her hand.

"Who the hell are you?!" Somehow this new insect had appeared from nowhere, almost as if he fell from the sky, and had floored the mighty demon with only a single, burning punch.

The boy clad in red, turned toward the possessed Bios. His eyes shown with something so volatile that even the blood thirsty Ira could not keep from trembling.

This one boy's fury was overwhelming.

"How dare you harm my friends like this." Red sparks of soul wavelength crackled down his body as a snarl crawled into his tone. "This is low even for you, Akira Toya."

World Eater watched the stand off between the Ira possessed Bios and the so called Devil Buster warily. There was something volatile about the situation. As if you just set two armed bombs beside each other and let your enemy hold the detonator.

Still holding the wounded Allison in his arms, Gabriel took in the sight of Hana's group pulling their downed comrades back. He marched over toward them, clearly unconcerned with how vulnerable it made him to his angry adversary.

"How are they doing?" He set Allison down gently beside the still recovering Sakuya as he asked the questions on all of their minds.

"Everyone's still breathing." Fauna answered. "We're hoping to wake Xeal first so he can heal himself, and then everyone else." While she was talking Gabriel cast his eyes on the unexpected members of their group. The remaining Bios seemed wary of him, understandable considering their last meeting. When his eyes fell on the patiently watching Excaliber his mouth broke down in a slight grimace, not a full Excaliber face, but anyone could see he wasn't happy for the encounter.

And then there was the figure in black. Gabriel's eyebrow rose when he realized he couldn't see the man's soul but his white shield's he could see. He'd have to run that by Mariam later, hear her thoughts on the matter.

"I assume you're the same Devil Buster this guy's been asking for." World Eater stated as Gabriel returned his attention their main concern. "He seems pretty hell bent on killing you?"

"Yeah. I seem to have that problem of attracting people's disdain." Gabriel straightened Thomas' fedora as he made his way back to Akira. That is until the Bios crossed his path.

"You're not going to kill him are you?" Hikari was surprised that she could even toy with such a notion, but despite everything she felt that this man could put an end to this, that he could beat this monster. That didn't mean she wanted to take her friend home in a body bag.

Gabriel looked into all their worried faces, he understood then. Despite their adversities, he and Akira were similar. They both had friends who depended on them and were fully concerned for them.

He put on a reassuring smile. "I won't kill him. I am going to kick his ass though." He replied honestly.

"We'll hold you to that." Joe said as she led her friends away.

"Do you really have the where with all to keep that promise?" The black clad youth had settled up next to him, his black claymore resting over his shoulder. Gabe touched the brim of his hat as he thought over this.

"I guess…listening to idiots most of my life has led me to think I can do anything like one."

World Eater chuckled at response. "If they're anything like the idiots from where I'm from, I can't help but feel for you." He cracked his neck as he gave his sword a warm up swing. "Let's settle this then."

"Who asked you to get involved? He's gunning for me." Gabe demanded.

"And he's got something I want. So I have first cracks at him." The annoyed sounding teen responded.

"What? The pendant?" Gabe's eyed the red jewel with the phoenix design covering. He could practically taste the unbridle fury coming from it. "That thing seems to be what's causing this unusual behavior. It's toast."

"Well now I definetly won't let you fight him alone. I need that thing."

Ira Akira couldn't help but feel forgotten as the two continued to argue. Gabriel's friends couldn't help but sweat drop as sparks began running through both the two teens' eyes. They had apparently forgotten who they were fighting and were now fighting each other about how they weregoing to fight.

"Is this really the time for a strategy session?!" Robyn called to the two so called "saviors".

"Butt out!" They both shouted back angrily.

"Enough of this." Ira teleported out as he summoned a new shaft of lightning to his hands. He had reappeared right beside the two but they seemed to preoccupied with each other to notice.

"Now you both di-!" Just as he was about to swing, both boys turned and slammed their fist into his cheeks, knocking him back several feet.

"Can't even have a decent conversation till these mortals pop up and get all in your face." World Eater said as he held his claymore and shield up ready.

"I don't know about mortals, but you're right. This guy needs to be taught some manners." Gabriel agreed as he brought his right arm back in a fist beside his stomach and his left forward, palm facing front.

"Let's Go!"

(Hit the music: SuperNova)

Afuredasu kanjou ga
Kono karada tsukiyaburi
Toki wo tokashi hajimatta Next Stage

Both boys charged ahead, World Eater leading with his claymore. Akira Ira just barely blocked it with his metallic claws. Gabriel followed up with his Under Taker technique, his sliding kick slamming into Ira's side and knocking him further back.

"Fus!" World Eater continued the assault as what sounded like a clap of thunder slammed into the surprised Bios ,sending him flying back.

Itsumo tari nakute
Iiwake teki na akirame
Zutto tsumiagete ita kakusu you ni

"Damn you! Die!" Twin arcs of red lightning flew from the angered demon's claws.

"Get behind me!" World Eater commanded. Gabe complied, ducking behind his ally's back as the lightning slammed into his upraised shield. "On my command…GO!" Gabe spring boarded off of World Eater's shoulders just as the lightning ceased.

"Rising Lucifer!" Gabe slammed into the startled Ira with his burning drop kick finisher.

Doko ka toomaki ni
Nagameteta you na keshiki
Kyuu ni tenohira no ue konagona ni kudake chiru
Kono kimochi no ikiba oshiete

Just as he hit the ground, Gabriel grabbed his downed opponent by the legs. He began turning on the balls of his feet. He let go just as World Eater pulled back fist.

"Soul Focus!" Just as the black electricity and fire covered fist made contact, Ira zapped out, leaving World Eater to hit empty air.

"That's not gonna work! Tiid!"

Seigyo funou atsui honoo
Tomadoi wo yakiharai
Kinou mate no kankaku wasuresaseru
No one ever knows boku no oto
Dokomademo shinka suru
mada shiranai jibun ga mezameteku
Supernova

Ira suddenly appeared beside Gabe, his hand arrowed back in his Raiden Lance technique. He was pushed back as World Eater suddenly slammed into him with his shield. The two struggled for control, Ira finally knocking World Eater's shield aside and slamming him back with an electrified punch.

Gabe caught the hurtling man and tossed him over his shoulder. "On my command… now roar!"

"Fus Ro Dah!" World Eater had his back to Gabe as the explosion of sound went off. World Eater slammed into Gabe and caused them both to propel forward.

Mae ni susumu koto
Kowagattari wa mou shinai
Koukai suru koto ni narenai ou

"Ryu Hadou!" The World Eater propelled Gabriel smashed into the unsuspecting Ira with a momentum empowered burning uppercut, sending the possessed Bios hurtling into the air. World Eater then used Gabe's shoulders as a springboard as he took to the sky.

Mamoritai to negau
Taisetsu na hito no mirai
Kizuita shunkan kara subete wa kawari dashita
Hora unmei kasoku shite yuku

"I DON'T NEED A NAME FOR THIS!" World Eater slammed the airborne Ira back down to Earth with a colossal slash blast.

"I've had enough of this!" Red of arcs of lightning crashed down as Ira rose from the crater caused by his impact. Golden electricity built within his hands and extended out as dozens of energy whips, twisting and unfurling out like a mass of snakes. "Hydra!"

Shougekido saidai no
Dekigoto ga kiseki yobu
Umarekawaru jibun wo tomerareani
No one ever knows boku no hadou
Sekaijuu hibikasete
Atarashii jidai e to hashiridasou
Supernova

World Eater and Gabe stood back to back as the energy whips flew toward them, surrounding them.

"Longinus!" Gabe slashed the first tendril asunder as it neared them. World Eater smashed his away with his Soul Focus technique while holding another back with Gospel.

Afuredasu kanjou ga
Kono karada tsukiyaburi
...There's no need to escape
Boku wa ima kawatteku...
Unmei no naka chiisana hoshi umareru metai ni

"Eat this!" The black flames in World Eater's fist suddenly became long and chain like as he cut down the whips enmasse. His way clear to Akira, Gabe ran full ahead.

"Get Back!" Two more energy whips went sailing toward Gabriel, which he easily knocked aside. He finally skidded into range.

Seigyo funou atsui honoo
Tomadoi wo yakiharai
Kinou mate no kankaku wasuresaseru
No one ever knows boku no oto
Dokomademo shinka suru
Mada shiranai jibun ga mezameteku
Supernova

"Ji!..." Gabe slammed his burning fist into Ira's stomach, causing blood to pour from his mouth. "GO!..." He slammed two more quick jabs into his opponent's chest. "KU!... Reppu!" Gabe's barrage of burning Jabs ended with a mighty straight into his opponent's stomach.

Mienai kurayami no naka
Kasuka na hikari tsukuridasu you ni

Ira collapsed to his knees at Gabe's feet. Despite the blood running from its mouth. Despite the agony it felt from its many bruised ribs, it was chuckling.

"You think you've won. The boy is still mine." Gabe didn't respond as the wounded demon continued its raspy declaration. "I am anchored to his rage. Only death will part us. You'll have to kill him in order to truly obtain me." A raspy coughed followed as Ira gave a pathetic sounding victory laugh.

Gabe was silent, his maroon eyes telling nothing of his next move. World Eater watched curiously for how this would play out.

"Aki-kun!" World Eater held his claymore out to keep back Akira's and Gabe's friends. "This is the crucial moment. We shouldn't interfere."

"Gabriel?" Allison watched as her trusted friend seemed to be contemplating something. Was he going to break his promise to Hikari? Was it really so hopeless?

His eye's turned to meet theirs. Xeal had woken up and had commenced with his healing of the others but anyone could tell he was tiring out. He saw Allison's concerned look. She would understand if he chose the wrong decision, death was a release for Akira compared to living a life where fury occupied the deepest parts of his mind. Gabriel understood that better than anyone. And then there was the Bios. Hikari threw him many pleading looks. Sho smashed his fist into his hand in frustration, while Beltza and Joe remained silent.

"All of you step back."

"Please. No." Hikari tried to shove past World Eater, but her friends dragged her back.

"So you choose death for the boy." Ira's smile of victory was gruesome.

Gabe didn't answer as his demonic fingers went to Akira's head, lifting the Bios until they were both eye level. Gabe brought his face to Akira's ear as he whispered:

"I can only offer a little assistance. The outcome is up to you…Akira Toya."

"What!" Ira tried to struggle free from Gabriel's grasp as the colossal red soul grew around the two. Red arcs of energy seemed to flow from Akira into Gabriel's arm. Ira cried out in rage as he felt something begin to slip away. His vessel's rage that had been his power source was fading.

"Awaken! Akira!"

The red light in Akira's eyes had disappeared, replaced with their normal hazel color.

Snap!

The red pendant went flying as Akira snapped its chain free from his neck and tossed it aside. Both boys fell back.

"Aki-kun!" The Bios raced to check on their friend. Their concern swiftly changed to relief as their eyes met his reassuring smile. HIkari collapsed into his arms, tears streaming down her face.

"What did you do to him?" World Eater asked as he helped the Diablon's assist their exhausted looking friend back to his feet.

"I… absorbed his fury into myself, returning enough of his consciousness for him to act." He answered a little warily.

"You can do that!?" Wu asked astonished.

"It's not something I practice, I just know I'm able to do it." He sounded almost scared about the subject.

"Well now it finally makes sense." Akira had pulled himself back to a standing position. "The reason you two look so similar. You're just like him aren't you?"

Allison and the others looked to Gabriel for an explanation. Did his Adams apple just drop a little? "You've met Malus?"

"Met, work for, got my ass handed to me by." Akira responded with a little disappointment. Before he could continue Hikari's eye's shot up with rememberance.

"Aki-kun, you should know. I received that pendant as a good will gift from Malus-sama. From what I've heard, the same goes for your Soul Cog."

"Well, now we know who your thief is." World Eater replied to Excaliber. When he realized he was talking to empty air he noticed the Holy Soul slowly trying to tip toe away, almost guiltily. "Hey what are you hiding? Get back here with that!" Excaliber was trying to make off with the red pendant, still intending to use it to decorate his hat.

"We better help him." Daniel said as he and some of the more recovered members sped off after the pirouetting thief. Gabe was relieved for the change in subject, though he could feel Allison, Sakuya and Marie's eyes on him, the matter not forgotten as far as they were concerned.

"Hack!"

"Aki-kun! That's so gross!" The group that remained finally noticed a now coughing and hacking Akira, apparently trying to remove some kind of disgusting annoyance from his sinuses.

"I think he knocked something loose." Akira replied as he grasped his chest.

Joe rolled her eyes at her friend's lack of tact. "Here." She made him stand up straight as she circled around him. "Are you sure you know wha-!" A leather boot raised up between his legs, forcing him to his knees as he coughed up harder.

"Yikes." Sho and Beltza said as one, glad it wasn't them.

"Hack! Caff! Ptoo!"

His retching stopped as a small golden object appeared in a puddle of saliva and phlegm under his feet (Classy, ain't it?).

"Dude. What ya eat?" Robyn commented digusted as Akira cleaned off the golden wheel, recognizing it for what it was.

"Akira!" He looked down to find just what he expected to see. One plain human arm and an empty sleeve. Without the Tesla Project Cog he was human again.

"Probably better off without it." He tossed the unwanted magic tool aside, to his friends' joy.

"Perfect."

Everyone immediately stopped what they were doing. Even Excaliber, for the voice had come from the seemingly lifeless jewel in his stubby hands. A red light suddenly emminated from its center, blinding everyone as it suddenly began to levitate and fly off to the forgotten Soul Cog.

"This power can still be of use to me." The cog and Jewel suddenly began to levitate, rising and twirling in midair in some frightful ballet.

"Stop that thing!" World Eater shouted just as Gabe lunged up for the floating items. A new red light followed.

Allison slowly recovered her vision. She couldn't see Gabriel or the two dangerous tools anywhere. In there place was something that brought horror to everyone's face.

A giant mechanical tower, several stories in height, towered before them. Its frame was a mix match of bolts and tubes, electricity running through them. Tall, spider-leg like struts acted as the tower's supports. Its tip was a massive red jewel, and at its center, futitly pounding against his prison, was Gabriel.

"Gabriel!" Allison called out as the jewel began to glow. Gabe fell to his knees as pain streaked across his face. Red arcs of energy were flowing from him to his prison's frame as the jewel grew brighter.

"It's feeding off him now." Xeal postulated. Blue electricity was building at the towers tip. A colossal hand made up of blue electricity rose up from the tip. A second, a pair of shoulders and finally, a feature less humanoid head, with pits of red as eyes.

"Such power!" Ira declared as pillars of lightning burst from his hands, scattering the astonished on lookers.

"This is the true power of God!"

"No that's Gabe's power!" Wu declared as Sora's energy wings flared out in his hands. "You don't deserve to have it!" He jumped toward the towering behemoth of electricity. A gigantic blue fist rose up to block him. Wu's blades collided against the oncoming wall of electricity.

"This is suicide. He can't possibly defeat this thing when it's taken a form of its own." World Eater stated watching the struggle with dismay. He was startled when Xeal and Mint shoved past him. Mint used Lavender as a pole vault once again, her soul force empowered palm knocking the arm aside so that Wu could land safely. Xeal had split Phoenix into dual swords again as he began hacking and slashing at the tower's struts and tubes, dodging the lightning flung toward him.

"It's not suicide to die for a friend. It's an honor more worthy than even heaven could give." Daniel sauntered past the stunned World Eater, a golden broadsword flung over his shoulder. He grounded his feet as a cobalt blue soul enveloped around him, a long, red mane sprouting from its top.

"Climhazzard!" The lion crest on the sword's guard roared as light built around the blade. Daniel swung Gilgamesh in an upward slash, a wave of golden light sent racing from its apex. The wave sliced through two of the struts Xeal had yet to work on. The tower shuddered as its weight was forced on its remaining supports.

"Damn you!" Ira roared sending more lightning blast down in its blind fury.

"We're going too guys." Akira declared to his stunned comrades. "We owe that bastard that much for what he's done." They didn't argue further. "Beltza, looks like I'm going to need a new arm." Akira offered his shoulder to his blue haired companion.

The sickly Bios sighed. "I some times wonder if you have a death wish." He split himself into multiple streams of black blood, each stream slithering up Akira's shoulder until a clawed, onyx appendage formed from the swirling mass.

"C'mon. My lucks not so bad that I'd get killed by my friend." Akira tested the black arm, confident in its strength. "Ready Hikari?"

"Ehm. Aki-kun!" The green beam katana grasped in his hands, Akira sped off toward the behemoth, Sho and Joe in hot pursuit.

'I'll be damned.' World Eater thought to himself. His grip instantly increased on his shield and claymore as a look of expectation crossed his face. "They'll break the damn thing if I don't get involved." He hit the skyline with a super human jump, using his wickedly curved sword to slice away one of the giants limbs.

"We'll back you up." Marie said to Allison and Sakuya as she fumbled for an arrow from Robyn's quiver.

"Marie, let's use the big boy this time." Robyn stated excitedly. Marie nodded as she pulled a long bronze colored arrow with a sharp, spade like point.

"Ready Sakuya-chan?" Allison called to her partner.

"Ikou daibou!" She responded confidently. Allison used Marie as a spring board as she knocked the bronze arrow.

"Balistic Arrow: Rampart Albatross!" The arrow zoomed forward, exploding in size just as it was released. Allison landed feet first on the soaring wooden missile. She thrust her katana forward as they soared toward the red gem.

"Gabriel, don't worry. This time…we'll save you!"

Shatter!

The red jewel shattered where Sakuya had collided against it. Finally released, Gabriel collapsed into Allison's waiting arms.

"You came for me this time." He said, exhausted but happy.

"I'll never let you go again." She replied, embarrassed but genuinely relieved.

He raised his eyes to meet hers as he smiled. "I'll take it from here."

"Tamashi No Bakugan!"

"What! What is this light?!" Ira declared as he clawed at the gigantic red soul forming at his base. The soul receded as a red blur escaped to the air above him.

Allison glowed with a majestic red aura as twin wings of fire exploded from her shoulders. The usual blue of Allison's eyes was replaced with an intense maroon. Sakuya had changed once again into the Crimson Hunter.

Akira whistled as the force of Diablons and Bios stared up at the majestic sight.

"What the-!" The group turned as streams of red wind began to swirl around the confused World Eater. White, bonelike patterns began to appear across his arm. He clenched his fists as the wind began to spin faster and faster.

"Hah!"

The wind parted immediately as black flames flared up around the empowered teen's neck, becoming a scarf of pure flames. His eyes had also gone through a transformation as they stared slitted up at the astounded Ira.

"It doesn't matter how strong you little shits become. I am God!" Ira declared at the crossed armed arch angel above him.

"And I am the Devil Buster. It's time to put this war of Heaven and Hell to rest." Gabriel's words declared from Allison's voice.

"No! I kill you with my bare hands!" The furious giant declared as his lightning made hands grasped up for the unflinching Devil Buster.

"Ho-oh Hou!" The giant's colossal hands were cleaved apart with a single swing of Sakuya's blade.

"Soul Focus!" World Eater smashed his raging black fist into the tower's frame, causing it to shutter as it began to collapse in on itself.

Gabriel floated down to ground level to stand shoulder to shoulder with the expectant World Eater as they watched the struggling behemoth try to keep itself lateral.

"Let's finish this, Devil Buster!"

"Ah!"

The bonelike patterns on World Eater's arm flared up in unison with Gabriel's Leviathan as both pulled their fist back.

"I am an immortal Daedra! I will never die!" The frightened Ira declared.

World Eater grinned as they shot their fist forward. "We don't want you to die. We want you to GET THE HELL OUT OF OUR WAY!"

"Chou Ryu Hadou!"

Both flames shot forward as one, mingling together until a colossal dragon of black flames soared toward the downed Behemoth.

Gabe: "Hissatsu:"

World Eater: "REST IN PIECES…"

Both: "Breaker!"

The black dragon blasted through the collapsing tower, the Behemoth at its top cried out in mortification as Ira finally sputtered out. The insuing explosion knocked everyone off their feet. The sound echoing all throughout Death City.

"Is it finally over?" Mint asked what was on everyone's minds.

"Yes." Back to his normal state, World Eater held up the unharmed and dormant crest proudly. Gabriel and Allison beside him, giving their friends reassuring smiles. Gabriel spotted a familiar golden cog upon the ground next to his foot. He picked it up and snapped it in two between his fingers.

The sharp sound of a cane clacking against the ground drew their attention. "Yes. Truly this is a victory meant to be retold for ages and ages." Excaliber said proudly, as if he hadn't played a minor role. "I believe I will call it: The Holy Sword, Excaliber, and some Fools, defeat the immortal demon."

"HELL NO!"

"Fools. What other name will be perfect for it?"

"How about Excaliber's LONG Vacation." Gabe pulled his foot back as he snuck around the distracted Excaliber.

Punt!

"I like the Excaliber part…." The annoying creature became a distant star upon the horizon.

"Good riddance." World Eater said amused as he slipped the reclaimed Ira into his pocket. His amusement suddenly faded when realization kicked in. "Oh shit! He's my way home!" He started running off after the most likely lost white creature.

"Hey wait a minute." World Eater slowed at Gabe's call. "Just who are you?"

"None of your damn business. Tiid!" And he was gone as well, leaving a shrugging Gabriel to return home with his friends.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Death Room

"So let me get this straight. You let the Bios get away." Shinigami asked the gathered Diablons. Soul, Black Star, Hisako, Tsubaki, and the girl that Gabriel introduced as Angela, stood on Shinigami's side as the group their report.

"Yes." Marie answered. "Both of our teams were badly injured, so we decided to cut our losses in order return the information we obtained from them."

"You kids chose right. Shibusen has always put the lives of our soldiers in top priority." Shinigami assured them, causing them all to sigh in relief. "Still, it's hard to believe a lot of what you told us."

"There is evidence to support them though." Hisako added. "The lightning, the explosions, even a group of students recall seeing this youth in black."

"Lucky Gabe showed up when he did though." Soul clapped the crossed armed Devil Buster playfully across the back. Gabe lifted up the brim of his hat to cast Soul an annoyed look. It reminded the group of Adults so much of Thomas.

"That brings us to our second item of business." Shinigami broke in as he stared toward the understanding Gabriel. "We wish you to explain your absence of late. Ms. Rogers has already explained the bit you told her.

Allison threw him an apologetic look, which he waved away acceptingly. "I understand, and I accept any punishment I deserve for going AWOL."

"For now…" Shinigami's eyes fell on the other teens. "We'd like you to explain this private."

"Hey! What ever he can say in front of you he can say to us." Wu declared outraged.

"It's your call Gabriel." Tsubaki assured him.

He looked at his expectant friends, they were clearly curious about his doings as well. "If it's all the same to you guy's, I kinda want to explain this one group at a time." He said apologeticly.

His friends were dismayed, but they complied as they were ushered out by Hisako.

"So let's have it. Did you defeat Tommy's killer." Black Star asked curiosly.

Gabriel shook his head. "I could hold him off on my own, but not kill him. He's much more powerful than I could hope to be." Gabriel explained almost in confidence.

"Exactly how do you know him." Shinigami inquired.

"He's my brother, Malus." A fumbling behind the door made them all jump in shock.

"I got it." Angela said as the fabric tongue on in her hat stretched out to unlock the door. Allison, Sakuya, Robyn and Wu fell forward as the door slipped away from their ears. They had been the only ones to remain, listening at the door to hear the happenings of Gabe's hearing. They stared at him in astonishment, Gabe gave away nothing as he stared blankly back at them.

"This makes it easier I suppose." Not really confident in his words. "Added to what I just said. I should also explain that the witch Plaguea, is my mother."

"What!" Sakuya, Robyn and Wu said at once. Allison just stared open mouthed and wide eyed at him.

Soul cut the insuing silence first. "But the operators of the orphanage said that you had no surviving family."

"That's what they assumed. My words were, "I have no family". I ran away from home when I was seven, as far as I cared, I didn't."

"But your soul wave length is that of a weapon. How could you of been born of a witch when you're clearly a weapon?" Shinigami demanded, trying to keep a civil tone.

"Malus and I have two different fathers. Or in my case, a donor." Gabriel answered. "Plaguea somehow obtained the genes of an unknown weapon and impregnated herself. Thus, here I am." He said with a flourish of his hand.

"You sound unconcerned." Sakuya accused.

"Up until this point, I wasn't." Gabriel replied. "Malus killed Thomas in order to draw me back into their fold. He wasn't exactly happy with my response. I predict he'll try again. That's why I'm telling you this." He began to get up, though he was not given permission to leave. He stopped suddenly, removing the white fedora from his head and passing it to the wordless Hisako. "He would have wanted you to have that. I'm not worthy." He left then, leaving a roomful of astonished onlookers.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He wandered Death city, with his hands in his pockets, until he came upon a small lot. The walls were covered in graffiti. The majority of the lot was a simple basket ball court, a single orange ball left forgotten at its base.

"Aniki." Gabe was awash with melancholy as he began to absent mindedly dribble the ball. He eyed the far hoop, taking aim.

Boing.

The ball hit the rim and bounced away. Gabriel shrugged. He never could grasp this game, even after so long.

"You'd probably get better height if you bent your legs more."

Gabe turned at the sound of Hisako's voice. She smiled to him as she held out Thomas' fedora. "I think you're wrong. He definetly would want you to have it."

"Not if he knew who and what I was." Gabe turned his back to her as he responded. He jumped as her thin arms wrapped around his shoulders.

"Thomas loved you. You're like a son to both us. To everyone of us of the staff." She assured him as she pulled the hat back over his head.

"Like I'm great son material." He responded. "I ran away from my first mother. Though, I had no real reason to leave her. It was Malus I wanted to escape from."

"Was she a good mother?"

"I don't know. She never offered anykind of affection towards me, though neither did I her."

"And me?"

He smiled as he turned to meet her eyes. "I wouldn't be half as decent of a man without you always looking over my shoulder. Half of what I am today is thanks to you, Thomas and the other crazy old people."

She smacked his arm playfully at the remark, though she had another question. "Then what about the other half."

He was silent. Slightly blushing red.

"I see. I won't keep you then." She turned to walk away. "You have more people to answer to." She turned the corner then as his friends appeared at the parks entrance. Allison was carrying a familiar black bundle.

"We thought you would like this back." She offered awkwardly. He slipped it back over shoulders with his thanks.

"So you're a witch?" Phoenix said bluntly.

"Yep."

"You a spy for this Plaguea lady?" Fauna added.

"No."

"One last question." Sakuya also added.

"Shoot."

"If worst comes to worst and Shibusen gets into a full scale war whose side will you choose? Us or your family?" That would be an impossible question to anybody and he seemed to take abit to respond but ultimately he spoke his honest feelings.

"If that does happen. I'll be with you. I will never allow Malus to claim another important life."

Sakuya beamed at his answer. "You heard him guys." Gabe backed away wearily as the group rushed him, the closest wrapping theirs arms around him as he was smothered on all sides.

"Welcome home! You big idiot!" They all cheered.

"Huh?!" He was speechless.

Wu gripped his shoulder with an assuring grin on his face. "You think just because you got witch blood swimming around in ya we're gonna stop being friends. C'mon that's not fair to Xeal."

"It's true." The half witch beamed.

Gabe covered his face in his hands trying to contain his laughter. "You are the strangest group of people I've ever met. You know that right?"

"Ah that's too bad." Mint pouted. "And we had such a nice gift ready for you too."

Gabe's brow rose at this, he didn't see a gift.

"Same as before. A kiss from your princess." She winked at the surprised and blushing Allison. Gabe expected Sakuya to get pissed then but instead she joined the girls in pushing Allison forward.

"I won't try to stop two people who like each other so much from being together." Allison blushed deeper and Gabe rubbed his hand over his face again. An idea suddenly hit him. His left eye turned purple for a brief second as the firey membranous wings surrounded him and Allison.

"Hey no fair!" He chuckled at the outrage from outside.

"There, privacy." He said contently to the astonished Allison.

"Privacy for what?" 'Was he going to kiss me again?' She thought nervously.

"For this." He said as he raised Allison's hand to his lips. "The sealing of my second vow, same as the first. I will never let you worry about me again." He reached into his pocket, pulling out the angel hair pin.

"Gabriel. This angel will have to live with sharing more than a name with me." Gabe said as he replaced the one in her hair with the more rightful accessory. "It does look lovely on you."

"You really think so?" Allison blushed deeply but her nerves were replaced with joy as his warm hands stroked through her auburn hair.

"Absolutely." He said almost proudly. "There's something I want you to do for me though."

"What?"

"Promise me, that no matter what you'll always call for me when you need me."

"Gabriel." She said shyly looking away, but he pulled her chin back to look him in the eye.

"I'm serious. No matter how far away I am. No matter what danger awaits me. No matter if you don't feel for me what I feel for you. I will always protect you."

"What you feel for me?" She held her hand over mouth in astonishment.

"Yes. My life, my soul, my everything. It's all for you Allison. You're the most important person in my entire li-!"

He didn't know what happened next. In that one instant, she threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his.

"Geh?!" Was his only response as his eye's rolled into the back of his head and his wings folded away. They both fell as Gabriel's legs went weak beneath him.

"Gabriel?" Allison looked into his blushing but blank face. It wasn't looking at her or at anyone else.

"Ha!" Wu started holding his gut, he was laughing so hard. "I guess kisses wake princesses. And knocks out princes." Robyn waved a hand over the stunned boy's eyes.

"Yep he's out cold. Or dead. Maybe you should flash your panties again."

"What?!" The group backed away as the outraged Gabriel suddenly returned to life. "When did this happen?!"

"Huh. Never fingered him as the over protective type. Now I'm glad I did it." Robyn mistakenly didn't stop his last remark as the death stare came his way.

"Did what?" He said more menacingly than Hana could have ever attempted.

"Uh. Gotta go!"

"Get back here!"

The group followed after the two. Allison calling embarrassed for Gabriel to stop.

"Gabe!" Soul ran into the park then panting and looking scared. Gabriel released Robyn's collar as he curiously watched the clearly disturbed Death Scythe.

"Gabe its terrible." The group pulled in expectantly.

"My wife's coming back!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X

"Hey babes. Wanna party?" The drunkard asked a trio of women as they exited a nearby restaurant. Two of them wore matching white jackets over red button up vest with cowboy hats on their blond and brunette heads. They appeared to be sisters with the brunette being the older sibling. The other woman wore her blond hair down. She had green eyes and wore a black jacket with a white skirt.

"Watch out…" The woman said.

"Eh? What's that cutie?" The lecherous drunk eyed the woman's impressive endowment expectantly as his hands went reaching. He nearly lost his head as a huge book whizzed infront of his nose to make a crater on the wall. The drunk fell back frightened as the blond sister laughed manically.

"I said watch it. Or I'll take your soul."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"No more chops. No more chops. No more chops."

"What's got Gabe so spooked?" Fauna asked as they watched their usually stead fast comrade dangle from the basket ball hoop, chanting the same three words over and over. At the first mention of Soul Eater's wife he had made a mad dash for the pole, scurried up it and clung on as if it was his only float in a vast empty ocean.

He was clearly terrified.

So there you go, Soul Eater in true movie form, I know its long, and kinda unorganized, if need be I will restore it to its former glory. Please enjoy once again.