"Well dad?" The newcomer called to the remaining soldier, "What's it gonna be?"
The remaining soldier dropped to the ground, cracking the pavement on his impact. His armor and faceplate were black and purple. He wore a jet pack that had two large wings sticking out the sides with two stabilizers only barely visible behind them. The soldier's hair looked exactly like the newcomers. He pulled out a strange version of Dalkos' device and activated it. A broad blade erupted from the device, but did not hum with energy.
"That is not a lightsaber," Dalkos pointed out.
"What was your first clue?" Keith asked, "The fact that it looks like a broadsword or the lack of humming?"
The newcomer charged at his father and, as he was about to swing his sword, he vanished and reappeared behind his father, bringing his sword down, only to have it blocked by his father's glowing red blade. The two swords continued to clash as the combatants rose into the air, the son using his wings, the father using a jetpack.
"Wait a minute," Sonic said, "if those two are father and son, then why isn't the old man using wings of his own?"
Before he could get a response, a white laser bolt burned through their table cover and whizzed past Sonic's ear.
"I don't think he likes being called "old man"." Dalkos commented.
"Does anyone?" Keith asked, "And to answer your question, either a, he doesn't have wings for whatever reason, or b, he doesn't want people to associate him with his son."
"Well he's got the wrong hairstyle for the latter choice," Sonic chuckled.
"Hey guys," Dalkos chimed in, "we might need to move."
Keith and Sonic looked in the direction that Dalkos was looking and saw that the soldiers that the son had taken out were getting back up.
"Looks like it's time to fight," Keith exclaimed, drawing his swords, "dibs on the guys who can still fly!"
"Wait! We need a..." Dalkos called as Keith jumped into battle, dodging lasers and rockets as he charged, "battle plan. I hate it when people do that. Please tell you aren't going to…" Dalkos turned to Sonic, who wasn't there. He looked into the battlefield and saw Sonic moving like a blur, taunting and kicking soldiers as he went. Dalkos sighed, pulling out his lightsabers, "Of course you are."
Keith planted the blade of one of his swords into the ground and extended the handle, allowing him to rise up into the sky to fight the airborne soldiers. Each rocket and laser bolt sent his way was met with a blue energy blast. Those foolish enough to get close to him had their jetpacks cut, sending them spiraling to the ground. Those who kept their distance weren't safe either, since he could extend the handle of his other sword as well.
Dalkos deflected laser bolts with his lightsabers and cut the blasters of the soldiers as he got close. Those who retreated as they fired were flung into buildings with simple gestures of Dalkos' hand.
Sonic delivered flurries of kicks to various soldiers, either sending them flying or knocking them out, mostly both. Keith looked over and saw the way that Sonic was fighting.
"Heh heh," he chuckled, "Road House."
Seeing that there were no other flyers besides the father and son who had stopped using their swords and started chucking fireballs at each other, the father throwing purple ones while the son threw red, Keith retracted his sword handles and headed for the family squabble. As he arrived, the son crashed in the street directly in front of him.
"Hey," Keith said, helping the son up, "I'm Keith, half-alien dimension hopper."
"I'm Darren," the son said back, "half-demon and the new demon king."
"Nice," Keith said, impressed, before looking to the father, "mind if I tag in?"
"Go ahead, I needed to call my sister for backup anyway. It looks like your friends could use it."
Keith and Darren looked towards Sonic and Dalkos, who were driving the stragglers back, and laughed. Darren then pulled out a phone and called a number from his speed dial and flew for cover while Keith turned to face the father.
"You a demon or a human?" Keith asked.
"What does it matter to you?" The father asked back.
"It'll let me know how much I need to hold back."
"Guess," the father threw a fireball at Keith, who jumped to dodge it.
"Definitely a demon," Keith muttered, growing black wolf ears and a black wolf tail with a white tip.
Keith put his swords away as his hair and fur turned bright blue. He jumped from rooftop to rooftop, sending energy blasts towards the father, who blocked it by making a shield out of fire.
"Looks like you can handle my Alpha state," Keith commented, "not many people can."
"And very few people can contend with a demon having demon blood in them. I have to give you credit for that, boy."
Keith continued to circle the father, each refusing to let up, for several minutes. At this point, Darren, Dalkos and Sonic were watching the battle from a distance.
"So," Sonic turned to Darren, "just how strong is your dad?"
"He single-handedly put Canadian demons on the endangered species list in a span of five days. The only survivors were a couple of elders and myself as a baby."
"Jeez, that sucks."
"I moved to Japan not long ago. I live with my grandfather, who owns a manga store, and go to school in a city that is basically devil territory. Apparently it's supposed to be safe there for half-demons."
"Hiding in rival territory," Dalkos commented, "a strategy I used during a self induced exile. I wasn't found until I returned to Republic territory eight years later. So it's a smart and effective strategy if you don't wish to be found."
"Hey guys," Sonic interrupted, "do you hear that."
Dalkos and Darren heard what Sonic was talking about. It sounded like a big ship headed their way. They turned around and saw a large, red ship hovering above the city.
"About time," Darren stated, "gentlemen, the Extra Terrestrial Unit. ETU for short."
"Their ship is definitely bigger than the Fraxinus," Dalkos commented.
A door on the side of the ship opened and several girls in matching red and grey battle suits, each with different non-human features, poured out of the ship as reinforcements for Darren's father arrived.
Keith backed off from his fight with Darren's father and met up with the others as one of the girls, this one with black hair, brown eyes and a simian tail landed next to the group.
"Hey big bro," she said to Darren.
"So this is your sister?" Keith asked, "I take it she's adopted?"
"Yeah," Darren responded, "her name is Sonoro, I took care of her since she showed up on Earth as a baby. Hell, I even gave her her name."
"Pleasure to meet you," Dalkos extended his hand, "I'm Dalkos. The blue haired one is Sonic, and the brighter blue haired one is Keith."
Keith reverted back to his normal state a and waved. Sonoro looked out to the city.
"Looks like dad and the DEU are retreating," she said, "you guys must've did a number on them."
"DEU?" Sonic asked.
"Demon Extermination Unit," Darren explained, "I'm number one on their hit list."
"I will never understand why you're so proud of that," Sonoro sighed.
"Well," Dalkos said, "we should probably get back to the Fraxinus so we can start our mission."
"Our mission?" Keith asked.
"Like it or not, you got us involved in your mission, right Sonic?"
"Hey, don't look at me. I only just met you guys a couple of hours ago. But if you're askin', then yeah, I'll help."
"You can count me in too," Darren stated, " I don't really have anything planned for summer break. This could be fun."
"If my brother is going, then the ETU has got your back," Sonoro exclaimed.
"All right then," Keith sighed, "guess I don't have much choice here. Welcome to Team CROSS." Keith looked at everyone and thought for a moment, "Actually, make that Team NEOCROSS."
The gang's all here and the mission will start soon. Now, which series do you think Darren is going to school in?