"Well, look at you…"

Typhon looked down at the baby boy in his hands with a smile. "Lucky for you, you mostly got your mother's looks," he said chuckling. "Although you can still see where I left my mark." He poked at the tiny little horns on the infant's head.

"What should we name him?" the blue haired woman lying nearby asked. "I don't mind if you pick it. You're his father after all," she said smiling at him. She had long dark blue hair, and green cross bones on her cheeks.

He smirked. "Hmm… I think we should still keep your family tradition going. I like the theme of it. So how about… Asterossa?" he said, poking his tiny little cheek marks.

"That sounds lovely," the woman said with teary eyes.

"I see such a bright future for you Asterossa. You're going to accomplish so much…"

Astro gasped as his eyes shot open. He quickly sat up and looked around. What happened? Where was he? Why was he lying in a pile of rubble? He heard a crash outside and then looked through the large hole in the wall across from him.

Drake was outside, doing his best to dodge as the creature flew after him and attacked. Astro frowned. That's right. He was here. Sooner than expected too. He pushed himself back up to his feet and grabbed his sword. So what if he was caught off guard. He still needed to finish this.

Today the king of monsters was going to fall.

Drake flipped over another attack and delivered a kick right to Typhon's neck. The monster smiled, completely unphased by the attack. Drake jumped back and frowned. He'd hit him with at least five lethal blows by now, but nothing seemed to scratch him.

Typhon dusted his shoulder off. "I'll give you a credit little human. You're quite quick on your feet. I can't remember the last time a mortal managed to land an attack on me, weak as it may be," he said cracking his neck. "But… perhaps that's because you're not all human. It's a small untapped little bit, but I sense the blood of our kind running through you."

Drake snorted and got ready to attack. "I'm not sure what business you have here, but you'd be wise not to underestimate me," he said before charging in again.

Typhon spread his wings out and flapped them, the gust of wind sending him sliding back. "You'd be wise to consider if this battle is worth fighting. There's no reason for you to run headlong into a meaningless death," he said shaking his head.

Drake looked irritated. "What do you want?"

"Merely to have a few words with my son. Is that so-?" Sear jumped out and landed on Typhon's back, biting down on his shoulder. Rather than looking pained however, he looked curious. "Oh! A dragon! The last time I was out and about your kind was nearly extinct!"

He reached up and grabbed him by the horns before yanking him off. "But I'm afraid I have urgent business to attend to, so I'll see you later," he said before throwing Sear aside. Drake used the chance to move in and strike, aiming a killing blow at his temple.

This time he actually seemed to feel it, but he only made him flinch slightly. "My! You really are an impressive Earthling! Given a few more years I'd say you could actually become a worthy challenger!" he said before raising his hand. "But you're still just a bit too green."

Drake braced himself, but before Typhon could attack a wave of ice shot by, freezing him over. He looked over and saw Astro holding up his sword. "Who is this?!" Drake asked, jumping back away from him.

"It doesn't matter! Just kill him!" Astro said rushing at Typhon again. Before he could try and shatter him apart, he broke out of the ice and grabbed him by the throat.

Typhon smiled. "Looks like you got some fight in you after all boy! I thought with you hiding in that weak form of yours your senses would be dulled!" he said tightening his grip on him. "But still, this is embarrassing. You should be far stronger than you are now!"

Drake jumped up and tried to deliver a drop kick, but Typhon raised his wing and blocked it before knocking him back again. "This one has an excuse! He's yet to unlock his true potential. But you. You have the nerve to deny your heritage! It's shameful!" he yelled angrily as he threw him to the ground.

Astro coughed and quickly got back up to his feet. "You're talking to me about shame?! Knowing I'm related to you brings me more shame than you could ever know!" he said, swinging his sword as him. He sent a wave of ice spikes at him, but Typhon once again blocked them with his wings.

Typhon growled and rushed at him with his fist reared back. Astro tried to block it with his sword, but he was too quick. He punched him in the stomach and then grabbed the front of his shirt before headbutting him to the ground. "Do you know how humiliating it was watching you serve the very people who suppressed my kind?! My own flesh and blood, running around acting as their guard dog!" he shouted rushing over towards him.

Astro tried to get up, but Typhon stomped down on his chest, pinning him to the ground. The prince yelled out in pain. How?! How was he THIS strong?! He knew he was powerful, but he never thought the gap between them would be this big!

He had trained for years for this fight! He thought he'd be ready! Or at least be close! But they weren't even in the same league!

"Look at me when I'm talking to you boy!" Typhon yelled angrily. Drake scowled and charged in, and Sear who had finally collected himself took flight and went in as well. Typhon glanced back towards them. "Begone fledglings," he said, flapping his wings.

The wind blew both Drake and Sear back, and he turned his attention back to Astro. The prince tried to lift his foot off of him, but couldn't budge it. "I'll kill you! I swear I'm going to kill you if it's the last thing I do!" he shouted angrily.

Typhon smirked. "Not in that weak pathetic little form you aren't…" he said before stepping down even harder. Astro screamed out again. "You're a fool. All those years you spent trying to earn the trust of those who did nothing but oppress you. Queen Star taught you many things, but the one lesson she neglected to teach was that of harsh reality."

He leaned down before grabbing him by the front of his shirt and lifting him up. "You can fight as hard as you want! You could save them a thousand times over but they will NEVER see you as anything but a monster! They're a group of fools stuck in their old ways!"

He brought his fist back and punched him to the ground once more, then followed up with a kick, sending the prince flying. Astro grunted, but quickly lifted his hand and sent a torrent of water at him. Typhon walked right through it. "If you're too foolish to see the truth, then I'll beat it into you," he said grabbing him by the ankle.

He lifted him up and then threw him. He went flying back and braced himself for whatever he was bound to crash into, but was suddenly stopped when a pair of arms caught him. He coughed a few times before looking up to see Micah. "Are you okay?" he asked, flying back down to the ground.

Astro was barely able to stay on his feet. "I've been better…" he admitted.

Amber ran up beside them. "I take it this is your father?" she asked glaring at Typhon.

Astro panted and waved his hand. "You… you both have to get out of here. I have to deal with this. If you get involved he'll kill you…" he said trying to catch his breath.

Drake scoffed. "I take it that means you were okay with him killing me then," he said dusting himself off. Micah and Amber both looked at him surprised, but Drake cut them off. "Save the shocked expressions. We have bigger things to deal with at the moment."

"Please, get out of here. I can deal with this on my own." Astro said, steadying himself.

Micah frowned. "So what, we're supposed to leave and let you keep getting your butt kicked? Not a chance," he said as lightning sparked around his fist.

Amber raised her sickle. "We're not abandoning you. Just stay back and let us handle it."

Drake narrowed his eyes. "This threat needs to be dealt with, now."

Typhon laughed, already back up on his feet and heading towards them. "My, how noble of you all. You've found some rather loyal friends Asterossa," he said clapping. "I wish I could say the same of those you chose to serve. But I'll make this very simple for the lot of you. Asterossa will come with me, and no harm will come to the rest of you. That sounds like a more than fair arrangement."

"We're going to have to kindly refuse your offer," Amber said, lighting up her sickle with fire.

Astro frowned. "Damn it, this is my fight. I have to be the one to take him down, just let me-"

"You can barely stand you idiot," Micah said, scowling at him. "I told you before you can relax some. Let us cover this. Sear!" The dragon rose out of the ruble he'd been buried under and flew towards them. Micah pushed Astro back towards him. "Watch him!"

Sear caught Astro who reached out to try and stop Micah, but the teen had already flown at Typhon going full speed. He zipped around him, delivering punch after punch and moving before the monster could turn to get a hit on him.

Typhon grunted. "I always hated dealing with speedsters," he said annoyed.

Micah flew over him. "Then you're really gonna hate me!" he shouted before blasting him with lightning. Typhon scowled at the attack, but then reached up and tried to grab him.

Micah quickly flew out of the way, giving Amber a chance to move in and slash him with her sickle. It didn't break skin, but it did leave a scratch across his chest. He growled. "This has gone from amusing to annoying…"

Amber made a number of duplicates of herself, all of them surrounding Typhon. They let their sickles on fire and charged in. Micah flew above him again and got ready for another attack. Before either of them could connect however, Typhon lifted both of his arms and then slammed them down on the ground.

The force of the blow was so powerful, it not only blew them, but Drake, Astro, and Sear back as well. The ground shook again, this time shaking the entire city. When the dust finally cleared, Typhon was the only one left standing. "Enough of these games Asterossa."

Astro shook his head and looked up to see him walking towards Micah. The teen glared at him and tried to get up, but he stepped on his back pinning him down. "From what I've observed during your time here, you seem fond of this particular human," he said. "Perhaps killing him will motivate you to drop this embarrassing charade."

Typhon pressed his foot down, and Micah yelled out in pain. Astro's eyes widened. "Stop!" he shouted angrily as he reached out towards them. "Stop! He doesn't have anything to do with this! None of them do! It's between you and me!"

The king ignored him and pressed down harder. "If you want to save him Asterossa, then do so. You have the power to stop me. You just refuse to use it," he said coldly.

"I-I don't know how! I haven't done it in years! Just stop!" he yelled. Typhon looked over towards him as he kept on stomping down harder. Micah coughed trying to breath in, but it felt like his lungs were being crushed. "Stop! Please stop, I'm begging you!"

Typhon crossed his arms. "No. I won't stop. Only you can stop it. I will kill every single person you care about until you stop this rebellious phase of you. Starting with this one, and ending with that tiny little princess you're so keen on protecting. Nia, was it?" he asked, smirking.

Astro stopped, and then grit his teeth. "Yes, you're always been so diligent in watching over her. Were you afraid I would come and take her away? Well that's what's going to happen if you don't stop me. Her, the Queen, your friends. I'll kill them all."

The prince's eyes slowly turned black, and he growled towards him. "Not if I kill you first…" He slowly started to push himself up to his feet as a dark magic surrounding him. He didn't care if they saw him. It was too late at this point anyway. He'd just have to go full throttle and end it.

Amber pushed herself out from under some ruble and coughed. She shook her head and looked up towards Astro who was now hunched over. His eyes had changed, and he grunted as horns slowly began growing out of his head. "Oh no…" she muttered.

Drake who was back up on his feet looked on with interest. "Hmm…"

Astro's horns finished growing out, and the whites of his eyes were once again black. The marks on his cheeks turned to lines running down from the bottom of his eyes. His teeth turned razor sharp, and a thin pointed tail sprouted from his back.

Typhon smiled down at them before stepping off of Micah. "Now that's my boy…"

Micah finally took a breath and then looked over towards his friend. Was that… was that really Astro. It still kind of looked like him, but something was different. He didn't look like his usual calm and cool self. He seemed… savage.

Astro glared at him. "This ends today…" he said as he dropped his sword and began walking towards him. "I'm killing you, right here and right now!"

He rushed at Typhon who laughed and raised his arms. "That's right! Show me what you can really do!" he said, readying himself for a fight.

"What the fuck…?"

Nia watched along with the others at the Vanguard base as the news helicopter circled around the scene. Everyone had been ready to get moving and back the others up. That was until they had seen what Astro had just done.

"I… didn't know Astro could do that," Damian said. That explained the strange aura he felt when they had first met. The exact same kind of dark energy was flowing off of the other monster as well. Were they related somehow?

Serena frowned. "I'm not sure we were supposed to."

"Is that some kind of transformation spell or something? Cause if so he needs to teach me that shit," Vivi said excitedly, obviously not grasping the seriousness of the situation.

Hank looked at the monster scanners. It was going absolutely nuts right now. Astro and that other monster were making it go crazy. "I don't think it is…"

"Well whatever it is, we still need to get down there and help! C'mon!"

Nia kept staring at the screen. Was that… was that really her brother. He was so different. And not just looks either. The way he was fighting was different too. He was biting and scratching at that monster like he was some kind of animal.

"Nia, are you okay?"

The princess looked up and saw Envie looking down at her with a worried expression. She stared down at her feet for a moment and then shook her head. "Y-yeah. I guess I just… never mind. Let's go!" she said heading for the door.

She would just have to find out what was up with her brother later. Right now the only thing she cared about was that he needed her help.

Astro roared and bit down on Typhon's shoulder as hard as he could. The king winced in pain before reaching up and grabbing him by his horns, prying him off. He punched Astro sending him sliding back, but unlike last time Astro managed to stay on his feet and charge at him.

Typhon charged back, and they clashed, locking horns. "That's right! Let your instinct take over! None of that nonsense the mewmans taught you! You're a monster, fight like one!" Typhon said, smiling at him.

"SHUT UP!" Astro yelled, managing to push him back. He lifted his hand and sent a blast of dark magic at him. Typhon used his wings to block them, but was pushed back. "All the years of being judged by the commission! All those years having to hide! All the pain, and misery, and shame that came with being your son! I can finally be rid of it all!"

Typhon frowned. "You think killing me will somehow redeem you in their eyes?! You're a fool! You're nothing to them! I know it, you know it, and your mother knew it! Why do you think Rosetta bothered to bring you to this dust ball of a dimension?!"

Astro grit his teeth. "You keep her name out of your filthy mouth!" he yelled firing another blast at him. Typhon moved out of the way and flew at him. They clashed again, but this time Astro was pushed back. Astro's tail moved around and stuck him in the back, knocking him to the ground. "You're not even worthy to have known her!"

He tried to hit him with his tail again, but Typhon grabbed it. He pulled Astro and began spinning him around before slamming him into the ground. "What do you even know about that woman! You were barely even old enough to remember her face?!" Typhon roared back.

Astro got up and tried to tackle him, but Typhon moved to the side. "I know she was smart enough to keep me away from you! You just couldn't stand it could you! You couldn't stand anyone standing up to you!" he swung at him again, but Typhon caught his fist. "Anyone who doesn't go with what you believe has to die! It's how you are! It's how you've always been!"

The king looked down at him with narrowed eyes. "You little fool…" he muttered. Astro tried to punch him with his other fist, but he easily caught it as well. He tightened his grip, and Astro winced. Even in his monster form he still wasn't strong enough to outmuscle him. "Did you ever think to question anything they told you? Even for a moment?" he asked.

Astro glared at him. "What are you on about?"

His father sneered. "Idiot. You really don't know…" he said disappointed.

"Know what?!" Typhon sighed before he suddenly pushed Astro away from him. He then turned and began walking away. Astro looked confused, but then glared. "Don't you just walk away from me you son of a bitch! You're going to stay here and answer for what you've done!"

Typhon looked over his shoulder. "Don't press your luck boy. You know as well as I do this is a losing battle. You may have my blood, but you have no idea how to use it," he said before opening a portal. "Besides, I'm not the one who owes you answers. If you want to know what really happened, go ask the commission."

"What do they have to do with anything?!"

"Ask them…"

He walked through the portal and it closed behind him. Astro stood there, not believing what had just happened. He just walked away! He had the nerve to actually lecture him and then walk away! He growled and then punched the ground. "GOD DAMN IT!"

"Astro?"

The prince looked up and then saw Nia standing a few feet away. His eyes widened as she just stood there and stared at him. A few other members of the Vanguard were with her, as well as some of the others helping Micah and Amber up.

The siblings just stood there, both looked at one another surprised.

Vivian suddenly walked over towards them. "Man, I bet this is awkward as shit!"