Chapter 25. Truth Seekers.


"Ha!" Poch sliced the air with his daggers. "Hyat! Huup! Horya!" He swept, did a spin slice, followed by a blade kick. He was on the fields and everyone was watching, even Gen was there.

"I think that settles it! He's healed!" Blitzø remarked.

"Took him long enough!" Jack said.

"Hey you try getting shot by a heaven bullet!" Poch shouted from the fields.

"No thanks!"

"Then shut up!" Poch smirked. He came up to them all. "This gives me about a few days and a week to try out my stage two powers!"

"You're really excited about being at stage two huh?" Loona asked him.

"Loona you've seen the others, wouldn't you be excited if you were an exterminator?"

"Fair enough."

"Plus I got some catching up to do!"

"Before that," Gen pulled out a new brace from his bag and tossed it to Poch, "try this out!"

"A new brace?" The brace was deep black with blood red trails. There were runes on it and below the clip there was a small triangle shaped tail that stuck out. He replaced it with his old brace. "Any new features?"

"Yep! Curl your toes, kick an arc and kick what comes out!"

"Ok!" Poch curled up his toes and kicked in a rising arc. A thin blood red streak appeared when he kicked. "Whoa," he kicked the streak and it became a sharp cutting wave that traveled six feet before disappearing, having gone at great speeds, "whoa whoa!"

"Gen you make the best shit!" Blitzø said.

"Yes I do!" Gen said with pride.

"What should I do with the old one?" Poch asked.

"Toss it to me, I'll use it for scrap."

"Allright," Poch tossed it to him.

"I'm guessing tonight you're gonna attempt stage two?" Stolas asked.

"Course!"

"Well maybe you should have someone with you for the first part, especially considering….things that's happened."

"Oh...um...no I think I'll be fine?"

"You sure? Loona can be there, she can sleep next to you, and I know you'd like that." He smirked.

Loona and Poch blushed. "N-no I'm fine!"

"You sure dude? One of us don't mind going through it with you," Jack said, sympathetically.

"Guys I'll be fine, trust me."


Poch sat on his bed, looking at the red jewel in his hand. It was close to midnight. "...I'll be fine….I'll be fine," he said to himself before swallowing the jewel and laying down. He felt his body jolt and he drifted to sleep.


Loona silently walked up to Poch's room. It was midnight so she knew Poch would be deep asleep. Lately she had been sneaking into his room to lay with him, telling herself it's just to keep the nightmares at bay. She did this every now and then. She walked in and froze when she saw him.

"Ahh….hnng...AH!" He was groaning in his sleep, sweating profusely and panting, writhing about on his bed.

Loona looked at him worriedly before approaching him. He looked like he was in pain. She reached out to him and as soon as contact was made, sparks ran up her arm and she saw a vision. It was Poch, running desperately, he stopped when something appeared in front of him.

"Go away...go away!" He shouted in the vision, backing up.

"Gah!" Loona pulled her arm back, stunned and confused by what she saw.

"NO!" Poch jolted up, panting, close to hyperventilating, scaring Loona.

"...Poch?"

"Ah!" Poch looked over at her, startled. "Loona? Why are you here?"

"I uh...left something here," she lied.

"Oh...ok." Poch didn't seem to care at the moment.

"You...you ok?" She reached out for him.

He grabbed her wrist before she could touch him. "I'm fine! You uh...I'm sweaty so you don't wanna touch me."

"...ok," she pulled her hand back.

"Sorry I'm… a bit jumpy."

"It's fine...want some company?"

"...honestly...I wanna be alone right now."

"Oh…" She felt hurt by that but left it alone. "I'll uh...I'll head back then….goodnight." She headed for the door.

"Sleep well," Poch said before she left. Once she did he hacked and coughed, having held it back to the best of his ability when she was there. He hacked out the ore he ate, it tumbling on the bed. Poch grabbed it. "...gotta try again," he said before swallowing it down.


Loona and the I.M.P. crew walked to the base. Loona wasn't listening to what they were talking about, she was still thinking about last night.

"Sweetie?" Blitzø got her attention.

"Huh?" Loona snapped out her thoughts, "sorry what?"

"You ok?"

"I'm fine, dad."

"Well you wanna come with us today?"

"Sure, but can you guys at least try to hide yourselfs?"

"We also do that?"

"You do it terribly. One day someone's gonna catch us and you're gonna regret it," Loona rolled her eyes.

"Oh we'll be fine!" As they got close they saw Poch on the bench near the fields they use for training. He was looking at his right hand. "Hey Poch!" Blitzø waved.

"Hm?" Poch turned to them and waved somewhat weakly. "Hey guys. Solis cooked this time. He made monster omelets."

"Monster omelets!? That sounds good!" Millie commented.

"I already ate so go on in!"

"Don't have to tell me twice!" Blitzø said as everyone walked in.

Loona stopped at the door and glanced at him. "...guys I'll join you in a bit."

"Ok sweetie! I'll make sure Mox doesnt eat your omelet!"

"I would never do that!" Moxxie exclaimed.

Loona left to Poch coming to his side. "...hey."

"...hey." Poch smiled weakly before leaning back and looking forward.

Loona noticed that he looked tired but tried to show he wasn't. "..." she sat next to him, "...are you...sure you're o-"

"Can we not talk about last night?...please."

"...sure….how was breakfast?"

"It was good. I was gonna make breakfast but...Stolas is a good cook too."

"...I still prefer your food…"

"...heh...thanks….I'll try cooking later this week...I'll make you something special." He smiled.

"...that'd be nice," She smiled back, "and after work we can continue Jojo or overlord...or something new."

"I...I can't tonight."

"What, why?"

"I...got something I need to do...sorry."

"Oh...it alright...we can...do it another time." She didn't know why but she felt hurt by him declining their usual anime night.

"Sorry…"

"I told you it's fine."


Blitzø, Jack, Millie, Moxxie, Loona, and Poch walked through the gate.

"Alright, everyone remember the plan?" Blitzø asked. Everyone nodded. "Alright! Good luck Loonie and Pochy!"

Jack grabbed the three imps. "Now try not to move so much, holding others in Dust isn't easy!" He told them before sinking them into Dust, traveling away.

"Alright," Loona turned human, "let's get going!"

"Right!" Poch covered himself in 0red flames. When they dissipated he was still a hellhound. "What the-!?" He tried again but was still in his hound form.

"Poch, why can't you change?"

"I-I don't know!" He kept covering the red flames on him but the results were the same. "Oh great! Another problem with me!"

"Another?"

"Nothing just…I'll get a jacket from my room." He took off his usual jacket and pulled out his red dagger and made a portal, reaching his top half in and staying in for a bit. He came out with a brown hood. "Let's roll!"

As they left they didn't notice two figures standing on a nearby roof, recording them. It was One and Two.

"Though they said they got human forms?" Two questioned.

"Maybe he had some magic issues? Magic is finicky," One said.

"How would you know?"

"I've been to magic shows."


Poch and Loona peeked around the corner of where they were supposed to be. It was a warehouse with two yakuzas keeping guard with swords and guns.

"Huh. More yakuzas. They migrating or something?" Poch asked.

"Pft, No idea,"

"Alright. I'll go in and be back in like...seven minutes."

Loona looked at him and he still looked pretty tired. "How bout I join you this time?"

"You wanna?"

"Yeah, why not."

"Well...I've never seen you fight before...so this'll be interesting...let's do it!"

The two ran up to the gate. The yakuzas were startled and told them to halt but they kept coming so they drew their guns and fired. They fired at Poch first since he sped up when the guns came, dodging gun fire, decapitating one's head. Loona got up to the other one, elbowing his gunt before taking his gun and flipping him down, shooting him in the face.

"Nice," Poch said, impressed. They walked in and already more yakuza were coming to investigate the commotion. "Got a challenge for ya. Whoever kills the most has to give the other a back massage. To make it fair, I won't use my shadow demons."

"Better warm your hands," Loona smirked, turning hellhound.

"You first," Poch smirked.

Several yakuzas surrounded them with swords pointing at them. Loona and Poch split. Loona dodged a downward swing, punched one in the face before hooking her arm around his neck in a chokehold, using the gun from earlier she shot three near her before shooting the one in the hold. Poch easily deflected a swing from a yakuza and sliced three others heads off before stabbing on in the head and back flipping to downward slice the one coming from behind, killing him.

"Five for me!" Poch said.

"I'll catch up!" Loona told him. A bunch of yakuza came out of the warehouse, rushing to them. Loona aimed her gun and tried to fire, only for the gun to be empty. "Already!?" She tossed the gun away and rushed up to them. She ducked under a side slash and bit into one's neck, blood splattering out as he died. Loona grabbed his Kodachi and stabbed one in the chest, bit one's face off, decapitated the next three after deflecting their weapons, kneed one in the gut and slammed the blade in his back. "Ten!" She looked at Poch and saw while she killed seven, he killed twelve.

"Seventeen," Poch smirked, "Better flex those fingers!"

"Whatever! You'll slip!" Loona smirked.

The two ran in and kept killing the yakuza that came. Loona was biting and cutting through them, managing to get a new gun, hoping that would help her catch up. Poch however was having a much easier time, which made sense since he's fought angels and these are humans. He had an overwhelming lead. Loona had thirty one and Poch had sixty eight.

"Seriously, there's so many yakuza here! Did they really migrate?" Poch said, lunging forward and killing five others in one cut. "Seventy three. Hope you know, I got a krink in a special spot."

"Shut up!" She rolled her eyes, still smiling, shooting at a group of yakuza before running up and biting one's throat. She spat out their blood. Rumbling was heard and the ground shook. She looked behind her and saw from the corner came a large tank. "Oh shit," she said, looking at it hopelessly and fearfully as it came closer, aiming at her.

"Loona!" Poch saw the tank from across the room and cut a gate with his blue blade. When he cut, the blade stopped partially. "What the-!?" He struggled to cut the gate further. "Cmon, not now!" He yanked the blade and finished the gate, jumping through and grabbing Loona before they fired. He carried her to somewhere where she could have cover, going behind a small storage room. "Stay here!"

"Wait, this won't count since you're gonna use your shadow demons!" Loona grined.

"Uh...I'm not gonna."

"What, why!?"

The tank came closer. "Just stay here!" He jumped out and ran to the tank. It shot its mini gun at him and he maneuvered around the bullets. It shot a mortar and jumped out of it's way and its explosion. He cut down with his blue blade in an attempt to make a gate but he got heavy resistance and didn't even reach half way. "Fine, damnit, I'll do it myself!" He landed and rushed to the tank. "Haaaaaaa!" It shot another mortar and he planned to slice it but Klarna came in front of him and sliced it for him. "Fuck off Klarna!" He dismissed the demon and kept running. It shot its guns but Poch kept over them. He twirled and cut its muzzle off. He jumped off the muzzle and got to its lid, cutting its lock, opening it and jumping in. Screams came out of the tank as Poch slaughtered them. He jumped out covered in blood. "All clear!"

Loona walked out the corner. "Wouldn't using Ardov make that easier?"

"I..I guess."

"..." Loona sighed, "Poch what's wr-" She was cut off by another tank crashing through a box beside her, its muzzle aimed right at her face. She felt pure terror and death and closed her eyes tightly, bracing herself.

"Ardov!" Ardov crashed into the side of the tank, crushing it and pushing it away.

Loona breathed a sigh of relief and walked up to Poch in Ardov. "Thanks Po-"

"Loona, back up!" Poch shouted. Ardov started to move, grinding into the tank before rolling back at high speeds, crashing into the wall. It shook and Poch was heard grunting and struggling inside. Ardov rolled around, crashing through and into everything. It was out of control. It rammed into the storage room near Loona, making her jump back before it went straight for her. "NO!" He dismissed Ardov just in time, landing on his feet. He ran up to Loona. "You ok?"

"Are you!?" Loona got up.

"Huh?"

"Poch ever since last night you've been acting weird. Solis told me you refused to fight Jack and show him your stage two powers because you said you wanted to surprise them, but that doesn't sound like you. Plus you look like you hadn't slept or that you had a terrible nightmare, then there's you not being able to change, and don't don't think I didn't notice your portal problem! Now this!? What's wrong?" She looked at him distraught.

Poch looked away. "...It's nothing."

"Bullshit, it's something!"

"It really is nothing."

"You're lying!"

"I'm not!" He growled.

"Poch, just talk to me, I wanna know what's wrong!"

"Shut up!" He barked, "why do you care!?" As soon as he said that he regretted it. Loona looked at him with shock and betrayal. "..i… i"

"Why do I care?" She looked at him angrily, growling, "Why do I care!?"

"L-loona I didnt-" He approached her.

She looked at him with anger, water forming in her eyes, before reaching back and slapping him hard on his left cheek. "WHY DO YOU THINK, DUMBASS!" She shouted before turning back, taking out the grimoire, and making a gate, walking through.

Poch rubbed his cheek, it had a painful sting, before trying to catch Loona. "Lonna wait!" He was too late, the gate closed behind her. "...damnit.'' The doors opened and yakuza people rushed to Poch. they were saying things but Poch wasn't listening. He sighed, drew his daggers, and started killing them.


Poch came out of the private bath. He got back twenty minutes ago and needed to wash off all the blood. He didn't see Loona on his way back and he was told she wasn't at Millie's parents' home in her room. He sighed and went outside, sitting on the bench, rubbing where Loona slapped him. "...God damnit." He leaned back and looked up, closing his eyes. He heard footsteps approach him from behind. He opened his eyes and saw Loona looking down on him with a soft expression. "Loona!?" He quickly got up and looked at her.

"...hey." She greeted

"Hey….um…"

"I'm sorry," they said in unison.

"Wha- what are you sorry for!? I'm the jackass!" Poch said, surprised she apologized.

"Yeah but I should know better than to pry on something that you're uncomfortable with...you always tell me eventually and I just...forgot that at that moment," Loona said.

"Loona," he came up to her and hugged her, "I'm the one who said why do you care. I know you care, cause you're my friend...I should've never said that...so you have nothing to apologize for."

She slowly hugged him back. "...you ok though?"

"...honestly...no...but I...i,"

"It's ok...tell me when you're ready….by the way… I haven't forgiven you yet," she smirked.

"What?" He looked up at her, confused.

"I haven't forgiven you yet."

"Well...what can I-"

"Remember our bet?"

"...fine," Poch smiled, "I forfeit, you win it."

"Now you're forgiven,"

"So when do you want it?"

"Tonight while watching something sounds nice."

"I...can't do tonight."

"Oh...right…"

"I can try tomorrow."

"...sure."

"Sweet!" He hugged her again and she returned it. "...We should probably separate before Blitzø comes out and sees us."

"Yeah good idea," she said as they pulled apart.


Poch startled awake, sweating profusely and panting, coughing up the ore. "Damnit!" Poch Cursed, punching his pillow. "...ok...just gotta try again!" He looked at his phone. It was one in the morning and he felt tired. "...after some sleep…" he set his alarm and set the ore next to his phone. He laid on his pillow and quickly drifted asleep.

Loona opened his door and came in. She came by earlier and saw him tossing and turning again. She waited outside with the door cracked, listening in, he woke up twice, went back to sleep only to sleep in discomfort and startle awake. She waited there for two hours and was glad to hear he'd finally slept without taking the ore, which seemed to be the source. She went to his phone and saw that he set his alarm for six o'clock. She took out her phone and headphones and set an alarm for five thirty. She put in both headphones and looked at him, sleeping soundly. "...I wish you'd talk to me…" she looked at the ore, "that ores supposed to help so why is it hurting...god why do you have to worry me so much!?" She wanted to yell. She sighed before climbing onto the bed, getting close to him and holding him close.

"...mmmng." He shuffled and wrapped her arms around her, thinking she was a pillow.

She blushed but kept her arms around him, going to sleep.


Poch came into Gens workshop.

"Hey, Poch! Jack told you got a brace problem. Hand it to me and I'll be quick so you can go to work," Gen told him, ready at his table.

"Actually...my brace is fine," Poch told him.

"Huh? Then why are-?"

"I have a problem...its...with my shadow demons…"

"...go on."

"...the first night after I took the pure ore… I went outside early in the morning to train.…I summoned Shiva and…."

"And what?"

"...it attacked me. It choked me for some reason...I couldn't call him off and Klarna came to pull it off," he said that part with some grump, "I dismissed them...I tried Taurus and he attacked me, Ardov rolled around like crazy, and Chomper started chomping on everything and moving like a wild dog….I can't control my shadow demons for some reason."

"...did you spit out the ore?"

"...yes."

"And lemme guess...you took it again?"

"Yes."

"...you failed your first trail. That's what's happening and you're trying to force yourself to evolve. The reason your shadow demons arent listening and are attacking you is cause the first trial is a mental one...you failed it cause of trauma no doubt. Do yourself a favor...spit out the ore, and...revisit your past."

"What?"

"No doubt your failure has something to do with the past. So you need to revisit it before you can reach the second stage."

"Revisit it!? Gen I've already moved on from it so revisiting it for this doesn't sound right!"

"Have you moved on," Gen confronted.

"What?"

"Have you actually moved on from it all? Or are you just saying that?"

"What are you implying?"

"I'm implying that maybe you didn't move on. That maybe there's a part of you that's still stuck on what happened those few years ago."

"I'm not stuck!" Poch got up, "I've moved on! Everything that happened is part of the past!"

"...then answer me this...where is Celis buried and when did you see him last?"

Poch was taken back by what he said and looked at him wide-eyed before scowling. "Low blow!" He walked off, cutting a red gate open.

"Poch wait! You're only gonna hurt yourself and hold back the others like this...atleast spit the ore out."

Poch stopped for a second. "...I'll be fine." He walked through his gate.

Gen sighed.


Poch and Jack were jumping from rooftop to rooftop. They were meeting up with the others, having just finished up some kills. It was night time so they weren't worried about being seen.

"Maybe we should talk to Stolas about you not being able to change human," Jack advised.

"Yeah, maybe we should," Poch said with a yawn.

"Sleepy?"

"Little bit."

"...hey," Jack stopped at the roof near their rendezvous point, "how come you haven't been using your shadow demons lately?"

Poch stopped when Jack did, and when he asked that question, he quickly formed an excuse. "Oh uh...just...challenging myself."

"Yeah but that one nearly ran you over when he got in his car."

"It's fine, I stabbed him in the neck didn't I?"

"That's beside the point. Beside you als-"

"Moxxie look out!" Blitzø screamed from the alleyway.

"What the-?"

"Loona close the gate!"

"I don't like the sound of that!" Poch said with a bad feeling.

The two rushed to the edge and peaked over, seeing two humans, one a lady, the other a man, both in suits, with net guns chasing after Blitzø and Moxxie.

"Who the fuck are they!?" Jack asked.

Poch put on his brace and loaded two ether daggers. "Let's ask!" He drew his weapon along with Jack.

They jumped from the roof. Poch kicked his ether daggers at the gun of the lady, knocking it out of her hands while Jack sliced his scythes down to cut the man's gun in half. Poch landed behind the lady, placing his dagger against her neck, and Jack surrounded his scythe blade around the man's neck.

"Alright, who the fuck are you?" Jack asked.

"What took you guys!?" Blitzø asked with a grin.

"Heh, sorry boss!" Jack chuckled

The lady gasped. "One! It's them! The brown hellhound with portal daggers and the imp with a scythe!"

Blitzø, Moxxie, Poch, and Jack were taken by surprise when they mentioned them.

"Alright, now I really need to know who the fuck you are!" Jack demanded.

"Quick! Call them, Two!" One shouted.

"Don't move!" Poch pressed his blade against Two's neck.

"Heh, not even the pinky I just wiggled?" Two smugly said.

"What?" Poch's symbol glowed and so did Jack's. They got a reaction.

"Wow it does light up!" One said, surprised.

"This is-! Blitzø, Moxxie, ru-" Poch was cut off by the ground becoming a melty puddle beside him and a white spear launching out of it straight at him. "Woah!" Poch jumped back.

The one holding the spear emerged from the ground and kicked Poch away, the hellhound managing to block. What emerged was a six foot lanky bluish white falcon. He wore a dress vest and brown slacks on. His eyes were dark black and his wings were smooth. He had a crusader mark on his right hand. His spear was thick and had spiral indents.

"Poch! Huh?" Jack saw three huge needles dart to him. He took his scythe away from One's neck and twirled it to deflect them. He noticed a shadow loom over him and looked up to see two fuzzy left hands with mid sized wrist blades come down on him. He jumped back, avoiding the blades.

The one who attacked was a blue humanoid bee the same height as Jack. He had four arms, smooth fuzz, sharp mid sized mandibles on the sides of his mouth, and spiky white hair. He wore a white shirt and black shorts. He had four wrist blades, one for each wrist. He had a large stinger on his back hip. On his top right hand was a crusader mark.

"Guys, run, now!" Jack yelled, blocking a double left stab from the Bee.

"Don't have to tell me once!" Blitzo stated, grabbing Moxxie and running.

"Be careful you guys!" Moxxie shouted.

"After them!" One shouted, chasing Moxxie and Blitzø.

"Toket, wanna make a bet?" The bee asked. Swiping at Jack, who jumped back.

"Sure Nugen, why not?" The bird known as Toket said, sending a flurry of stabs at Poch, who blocked and deflected.

"Bet you I can capture this imp before you get the hellhound."

"Sure. You're on."

"Capture us? Not happening!" Jack said, twirling his scythe up for an upward strike at nugen, followed by a side spin.

Nugen narrowly dodged the two strikes and smirked. "Oh, nice! Youse a strong one!"

"I'll show you strong!"

Toket slammed his spear down on Poch. He swayed to the side and stabbed at him, toket bringing his spear up to block it and the following stabs. Poch swept his foot under him and he responded by jumping up and kicking at him.

Poch blocked with his arms but didn't feel any force, Toket leaping back. "What the-?" A white marking was marked on his arm. "What is this?"

"I'm not telling," Token said, dashing to Poch.

"Hya!" Jack slammed his scythe down on Nugen, the bee guarding just like he wanted. He hooked his scythes against his blade, jumped and flung him to the wall.

"Gah!" Nugen crashed into the wall. Jack came in for a side slash. Nugen raised his blades against it and blocked it, grabbing the staff of it and retracting his blades and punching at Jack with one arm.

Jack grabbed his fist. "You got two arms on one side and you went for one punch?"

"Heh, all I needed was one!" Nugen opened his hand and grabbed Jacks."

"Hng!" Jack could feel his energy and stamina being drained from his arm. "Grrr!" He held tightly onto Nugens hand and sank into a small pool of Dust, dragging a startled Nugen down. Nugens arm got pulled in but he pulled back. As he tried to pull his arm back, Jack laid into him with a series of punches to the face.

Nugen scowled and got angry. "Boost!" He gained blue markings on his body and suddenly yanked Jack out of his Dust pool and punched him in the chest and tumbled to the wall.

"The fuck!?" He exclaimed in pain.. He had to quickly guard a scissor attack coming from Nugen, pushing his scythe in the middle of the scissoring. He struggled to push forward, losing it until the marking on Nugens body faded."

"Shit! Dof!" As soon as Nugen lost his boosted strength he was kicked back. "Heh. Needed to drain some more from ya."

Back with Toket and Poch, Toket wrote O+C邤 "Chakram," he said as the light went into him and a deer like the one Lara summoned came out of him except it had no hood, just a vest. He swung one of the chakras at him.

"Oh shit," Poch jumped out the way, ran to the side, and jumped to avoid the second one he swung, both embed themselves in the wall before he yanked them back to keep attacking. Poch jumped, slid, and backflipped over every strike of the chakrams. "Whoever works here is gonna have a field day with insurance!" He said before jumping on a Chakram and running up its ribbon arm. A chackram came from behind, he back flipped over it and kept running. Toket made a motion with his arm and the ribbon moved and wrapped around Poch's leg. "Shit!" Poch shouted as he dangled from the arm, as he hung there Toket sent the other bladed weapon slashing to his side. "Double shit!" He quickly cut at the arm, Toket making another motion with his arm to pull the ribbon, making Poch spin. He went with the motion, about to deflect the blade. Toket snapped and a force hit Poch's arm from the mark that was placed on it, hurting him and stopping his momentum. "Triple shit!" He brought his daggers together to block, getting sent flying away, crashing into a wall, landing on his feet but kneeling when he landed.

"I'll admit you're skilled," Toket complimented, walking to Poch, "but are you really so cocky that you think you can beat me without a shadow demon?"

'Dammit he's right!' Poch said, glaring at Toket before looking at his right hand. 'But will I be able to control it….damnit I gotta try or else I'm screwed!' He wrote Xțøæß. Toket swung his arms together, swinging both chakrams from boths sides of him. "Please work, Taurus!" Taurus came out and followed Poch's motion to slam down the Light Angel's weapon, and upper cut it. "Ye-! huh?" Poch saw Taurus's fist come down on him. He jumped back as the fist slammed down and Taurus slammed his other fist down on him, poch avoiding that too as Taurus started chasing Poch, attacking him. "Fuck, not now!" Poch exclaimed. He swiped his arm to dismiss Taurus but he stayed. "What!?" He tried again, but Taurus was still there. "Shit shit shit shit!"

Jack sunk into Dust and when Nugen went for a downward stab, he jumped out, spun forward and double kicked him back. He looked to the side and saw Poch being attacked by his own shadow demon. "Poch!?"

Poch kept trying to dismiss Taurus but he kept failing. Taurus grabbed him by the neck and pinned him against the wall. "F….fuck!" He said, getting choked.

"Hm. This is...interesting, but I'm not one to look a gift horse in the-" Toket started.

Klarna appeared and hit Taurus' arm off Poch before pushing him away. Poch coughed before he felt the ore come up, stopping himself and trying to force it down. 'No no no, stay down!' Taurus kept trying to attack Poch but Klarn blocked each attack.

"He can use two at once!?...wait...that one's...different….hmm." Toket punched forward, sending a chakram straight for Poch.

Klarna quickly shoved Taurus back and deflected the chakram and the follow up one that came from above. Taurus took the opening and punched at Poch, who was too busy choking to dodge. Klarna quickly grabbed him and jumped back, swiftly ducking a chackram strike from behind. Klarna looked at both Taurus and Toket approaching. He quickly set Poch down, grabbed his daggers, made a portal and threw his blue dagger in it. He put the dagger back and punched Taurus out the way, the damage going to Poch, making things more difficult for him. Klarna looked back, almost apologetically, before focusing back on the fight. He deflected a chakram and cut at the arm, knocking it, also knocking Tokets arm. He stopped Taurus from ramming his head into Poch, flinging him away. A chackram went to the hellhound and Klarna stabbed his blade into one of its holes before yanking it back to pull the deer closer, about to slice it in the face until Taurus went to grab Poch. He acted quickly and slammed the butt of his blade down on Taurus' neck. That was a mistake. The damage was transferred to Poch. He felt himself lose consciousness as he fell. Taurus disappeared and Klarna reached for Poch before he too faded.

"Hm...I think I'll study you more," Toket said, about to dismiss Chakram.

"I dont fucking think so!" Jack shouted, a shadow Blitzø slamming his sche down on Toket. Jack used the distraction to get to Poch, picking him up. Once he did he saw a red jewel fall out his mouth. He picked it up. "Fucking- So Gen was right! Poch you dumbass!" He put the ore in his pocket.

"Sorry Toket, he slipped past," Nugen said, getting to Tokets side.

"It's fine," Toket calmly replied.

"He's using one of those things used to kill Luke."

'How the fuck do they know about that!?' Jack thought.

"I noticed," Toket said.

"By the way, you helping me capture him still counts as my win," Nugen said before writing Oď§×ß. "Syphon!" The light entered him and out came a tall being with both forearms being needles, along with its lower legs, it had a thin mechanical like body, no eyes, and its face was structured like a horn. Nugen maneuvered its needle arms at Jack, then extending and thrusting at him.

Jack jumped, deformed shadow Blitzø to get his blade back, went into Dust, and slivered away. 'Can't fight these two alone! Gotta run!' As he ran a needle almost met him, having gone to where he's going to be. He jumped out of Dust to flip over the needle.

"Nugen? I win," Toket said before snapping two times with each hand.

Chains came out of white Mark's that were around Jack, grabbing his scythe and Poch's sheathed daggers, yanking them away. "What the-!?" A two inch thick white collar launched out to other Mark's and snapped around his neck and one on Poch's. He felt something change as his mark faded in color and Dust disappeared as if he was dismissed. "Dust!?" He tried to write for him to make him come back but the words failed to appear. "Where are my words!?" A light ring surrounded Jack from the bottom before a pillar of light shined up, blinding Jack.

"Poch, Jack!" A human Shelly yelled.

"Shelly!?" Jack questioned before he disappeared.

Shelly growled, though still in human form. She was with a human Loona, Dundy, Echo, and Shred, Millie being there too. They all glared at the two crusaders.

"Oh Great, guests," Nugen groaned.

Toket bowed. "Apologize, but we have no time to indulge you." He and Nugen stepped back, a ring of light appearing beneath both of them. "Though I suppose we'll be seeing you soon. Tata!" He said before they disappeared.

"Wait!" Loona shouted, reaching out. "Damnit!"

"Where the hell did they go!?" Dundy questioned.


Earlier.

Millie was punching at angrily with tears in her eyes before sliding down the wall. "Shit! Shit, shit shit!"

"You oh… you ok there?" Loona asked, concerned.

"What're you doing sittin' there? The boys are in trouble! Open it again!"

"Dad was using a total of zero euphemisms, innuendos, or swears. That means it was serious, which means I don't open it until-"

Millie grabbed Loona by the shirt and pulled her in. "Open the fucking portal now!"

"Guys?" Shelly walked in. "What's all the commotion about?"

"Shelly!" Millie embraced the exterminator.

"Whoa! What happened!?"

"We were on our way back, then these two people showed up and attacked the boys and now we dont what's happening to them!" She said, crying.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't worry. Jack and Poch were nearby."

"Th-they were?"

"Yeah, Jack texted us saying he was about to be home. Those two are exterminators, so no humans gonna be a problem for them. I'm sure right now they're questioning who those two are and who they work for before ripping off their heads. You know what they're capable of."

"Well, yeah but,"

"No buts. Those two won't let anything hurt Moxxie or Blitzø."

"Well...I guess you're right."

"I know I'm right." A red portal opened above near them. "See, that's Poch right now about to tell us to-" she was cut off by his blue dagger being thrown in, getting lodged in the ground before the gate disappeared.

"Uh, that's weird," Loona commented.

"Uh oh." Fear washed over Shelly. She quickly grabbed her phone and called all the exterminators available. Shred, Echo, and Dundy answered and before they could say hello, Shelly was already shouting. "NGet here now! Poch Threw in his blue dagger!"

"Be right there!" The three shouted from the phone.

"Shelly?" Mille looked concerned.

"Loona, get ready to open the gate as soon as Shred and Dundy get here!"

"Why, whats-?" Loona started, confused.

"Poch throwing his blue dagger through a red gate is his emergency signal! Somethings wrong!"

"Guys, I'm here!" Shred said, running in from the room area.

"I'll go get Dad's emergency bag!" Loona rushed off to the radio room with Millie.

Dundy came in from the lobby entrance along with Echo. "We're here!" Dundy said.

"What happened?" Echo asked.

"Two humans attacked Blitzø and Mox but I doubt that's the reason for the signal, something must've happened afterwards!" Shelly said.

"Think it's angel related?" Shred asked.

"No idea! Could be demon related for all we know!"

"We're back!" Milllie jumped down with Loona. She had her axe while Loona had a backpack that said "Blitzø's Emergen-C Bag" on the back.

Loona quickly made a gate and turned human along with the rest of the exterminators. "Let's go!"

They all went through and didn't see anyone.

"They aren't here…" Millie ssid falling to her knees.

The exterminator's symbols light up due to a reaction.

"Guys!" Shred exclaimed.

"I know this feeling!" Echo said in fear.

A commotion was heard nearby.

"Over here!" Shred said. They all followed the source of the noise.

They turned the corner to see Jack holding Poch, a light enveloping them.

"Poch, Jack!" Shelly yelled.

"Shelly!?" Jack questioned before he disappeared.

Shelly growled, though still in human form. They all glared at the crusaders.

"Oh Great, guests," Nugen groaned.

Toket bowed. "Apologise, but we have no time to indulge you." He and Nugen stepped back, a ring of light appearing beneath both of them. "Though I suppose we'll be seeing you soon. Tata!" He said before they disappeared.

"Wait!" Loona shouted, reaching out. "Damnit!"

"Where the hell did they go!?" Dundy questioned.

"Did they teleport!?" Shred questioned.

Shelly activated her clairvoyance. "Wait! I can see a trail with my clairvoyance! We can follow it to them!"

"I'm coming too!" Loona said.

"The fuck you aint!"

"What!?"

"Loona no doubt those were crusaders, so you'd just get in the way if you came with, plus you need to sniff out Blitzø and Mox, cause they no doubt got taken somewhere else seeing as they weren't with Jack and Poch! I know you're worried and all, but just trust we'll handle this!"

"But-"

"Loona they'll be fine! Just trust them! We gotta get Moxxie and Blitzø!" Millie told her.

"Alright, fine!"

"Contact the other when we find who we're going after!" Dundy told them. "Let's go!"

The exterminators ran off, following Shelly. Loona looked at them, thinking about Poch and how he's been recently, worried as hell.

"Loona, cmon!" Millie pulled.

"R-right! Let's go find the dumbass twins!" She said, picking Millie up and running after the scent of her dad and coworker.


Poch groaned as he opened his eyes.

"Hey, you ok?" Jack asked beside them. They were in a dark empty room with a large gated door open in front of them.

Poch slowly rose up. "Ugh...yeah I'm ok...what happened?"

"After you got knocked out, I tried to get us outta there, but then we got teleported here somehow. Got no service so I can't contact anyone."

"How?"

"No idea. By the way," Jack pulled out the blood red ore, " here. You spat this out."

"Oh…" Poch took it.

"So when were you gonna tell us you failed?"

"I...I was just trying again."

"Horseshit dude, you were forcing it down! You can't force yourself to stage two! If sometings wrong with your trial you know you can talk to us!"

Poch sighed. "...its...look we don't have time for this, we gotta find out where we are."

"...fine but we're talking when we get home."

"Ok…"

"Since you dont got the gem, can you try summoning your shadow demons? They shouldn't attack you now."

"Sure," Poch wrote for Shiva but the words didn't come, "huh?" He tried a few more times. "Where's my words!"

"Guess that confirms it. These collars are stopping us from summoning," Jack taped the collars on his neck, making Poch feel for his collar.

"We can't summon our shadow demons!? How'd they pull that off!?"

"No clue. I can still feel my demon shadow energy though so we shouldn't be affected combat wise at last when it comes to enhancements."

"That's good to know. I'll make a gat to base and-" Poch felt the back of him noticing his weapons missing, "where are my-!?"

"Our weapons got swiped dude."

"Shit."

"Still got your brace though."

Poch looked down and saw his brace. "Better than nothing. Guess that means the door's our only option."

"Yep. Let's be careful."

The two looked outside seeing a hallway going down the left followed by a series of doors on the left side of the wall. They cautiously walked down the hallway, peaking in the rooms to see plain offices.

"These offices look too plain for those two people we saw," Poch said.

"Yeah but we got captured by crusaders, remember?" Jack said as they continued down the hall.

"Yeah but since they signaled them, they had to be working with them."

"True. In that case how'd they meet them?"

"No clue but those two they were with were specifically after Blitzø and Moxxie, no real interest in us. That's gotta mean something."

"We don't know enough."

They got to the end of the hallway. There was a small lobby.

"A lobby? Where the fuck are we?" Jack asked.

"I'm guessing some autozone type deal based kf where we were."

"Why you say that?"

"All the tools there. It was missing a lift but still. Didn't you see?"

"It was dark as hell in that room, course I didn't!"

Poch walked to the window and looked through the blinds. He saw hu,and thought not a whole bunch. "Ah shit."

"What?"

"We gotta find another way out. People are out there."

"And?" Jack turned to his human self.

"I can't do that now, remember?"

"Try again. Just humor me."

Poch rolled his eyes and attempted to turn human. It worked that time. "Now it works!?"

"It was probably the ore the first time. Y'know the one you held in?"

"I get it Jack, we're talking later."

"Just making sure you knew. Let's go!" Jack said as he two left the building.

"Yeah see," Poch pointed at the turned off sign. It read Dhorks car servicemen, "autozone type deal."

"Pft, Dhorks? Was that their first choice?"

"Yeah, its kinda dumb." Poch looked up and looked at the night sky oddly. "Hm…"

"What's up?"

"The night sky looks...weird to you?"

"Hm?" Jack looked up. "Hmm not really, why?"

"Nothing, it just looks...fake."

"Maybe it's just you. What bothers me is why would those Crusaders teleport us here?"

"Maybe the teleportation messed up?"

"I don't think that's the case." Jack checked his phone, "still no service!?"

"Maybe these collars block connections?"

"We should find a pay phone or something with a cable then."

"Let's ask around." Poch looked around and went to a lady at the store next to them. "Excuse me miss?"

The lady smiled at him. "Why hello there! Who are you?"

"Oh, I'm Poch, that there is my friend Jack," He pointed at Jack.

"Poch and Jack? Nice to meet you!"

"Same. Any idea where a pay phone, or a cable phone is?"

"Oh yeah! In that bar over there!" She pointed to the far corner at a bar.

"Thanks! Cmon Jack!" Poch motioned for Jack to follow.

Jack followed Poch to the bar. Once the two left the woman she pulled up her collar. "Their names are Jack and Poch." She said into a mic on her collar.

Jack and Poch entered the bar, a small hallway before them, followed by the sound of voices, clinking glasses, and some laughs.

"Sounds lively," Jack commented.

"I'll say," Poch agreed. They opened the door. "The hell!?" He gasped in surprise. A white hallway that went left and right was before them. The sounds they heard before disappearing.

"Wait, how!?" Jack turned back and saw a shutter seal the door behind them.

"So that sky was fake! I knew it!"

"A fake room? But, why though?"

"I don't know...anyways we should keep going."

"Yeah, no where else to go." They entered the hallway. "Alright. Left or right."

Poch sniffed the air. "Hmm."

"What are you sniffing for?"

"A while ago I had Gen implement something in my sheathes. If it's ever forcefully removed, they release a special scent that spreads in a wide area. I'm sniffing for it and," he sniffed again and faced the right, "I'm getting a faint smell this way," he pointed forward.

"My scythe may be there too. Let's roll!"

They ran to where Poch sniffed, making turns in each hallway.

"It's strange that we're not finding anyone?" Jack questioned.

"Not if you consider they wanted us here. They probably got a trap set up for us so be careful," Poch said.

"Got ya!"

As if on cue, they entered a large two story room and a gate shut behind them.

"Right on cue," Jack commented, amused.

"The smell's strong here. We're close," Poch told him. They walk deeper in the room, keeping a lookout.

"There!" Jack pointed to the side where two rooms were. In the back of one room it had Jack's scythe, the other had Poch's sheathed dagger.

"Great now we ju-" On the ceiling of a room appeared five heaven gates. Angel's came down from them. "Right on cue," Poch said annoyingly.

They were surrounded by Angel's. Poch and Jack backed up to the middle of the room and were standing back to back with each other.

"They're all the normal variety so we can handle this without shadow demons," Jack said.

"Or weapons I guess."

"We got weapons, they're just holding them," Jack smirked.

Poch smirked. "I'm that case," he twisted his leg and loaded three daggers before tapping his heel, eying an angel with a katana, "dibs on that sword!" He dashed to it, dodging attacks from the other Angels. Once he got to it, it swiped down on him, he leaned to the side to dodge, then kicked up on its head, impaling it with his ether daggers, killing it. He took its blade and sliced in half the ones next to him in one swipe.

Jack scoped for any scythes, avoiding attacks from ones that rushed to him. "Dammit, I only see mini scythes. Oh well," one with two mini scythes tried to scissor his head off, he ducked and slipped behind them, "beggars can't be choosers." He twisted its head and took it. He started fighting.

"Hya!" Poch lunged forward and cut several Angel's in half. A group came at him, he jumped up and put the katana on his brace, kicking to the side to slice the first wave by the heads, landed on his foot, spinning to slice the second by the hips, keeping the spin and jumping again to slice the third diagonally, spinning again to cut the last wave by the hip again. A set of lions started running around him, ready to pounce. Once they did, Poch did a handstand and twirled around, cutting them up as they got to him. He jumped back onto his foot and kicked straight at the last one only for the sword to turn into a halo and his foot to meet its face. "Oh right. Their born with their weapons so they halofy with it." He twisted a few knives and kicked them at the lion, killing it before it got up.

Jack hooked the jaw of an angel and lifted him up, swinging it around to knock around the other Angel's around him. When they fell he slashed down in an arc to kill them. He stabbed the other mini scythe into its chest and ripped its head off. Jack threw one at the many Angel's beside the, the blade cutting through multiple necks before coming back to him. He caught it and was surprised. "Oh! Boomerang scythe! There's an idea!" The scythes popped into halos. "Shit," He saw an angel with two scythes run up to him, " no shit." He headbutted it with his horn and took its weapons. He threw the scythes, cutting off appendages and heads. This time they didn't come back. "Oh boo! Boo!" He booed, ducking and stabbing the two that striked from behind with his horns. They didn't have scythes. "Damn, I do wanna use a sword."

"Why not?" Poch asked, having been nearby, pulling a sword out the chest of an angel.

"Swords are lame."

"You take that back!"

"No. Hm?" He spotted one with the weapon he wanted. "There!" He rushed to it, grabbed its face before it could attack, grabbed its back, and pulled back, cracking its neck and killing it. It held a tight grip on its weapons but Jack pulled them off anyway. "Don't think I won't pry a scythe off a dead body, especially if it's an angel...pry...hm." He looked at the mini scythes in his hands and angled them to where they faced each other. "Poch come here."

"Why?"

"Just do it."

Poch jumped to him, stabbing an angel in the head. "What's up?"

"Turn around. I'll make this quick."

"Ok?" Poch turned.

Jack brought the blade of each mini scythe on each end of the link on the back of the colar. He pushed them and pulled in opposite directions.

"Uh, Jack?" Poch became concerned when pressure tightened on his neck.

"Hang on." He pulled harder, choking Poch before the link snapped.

"Gah! Huh?" Poch gasped for a quick gulp of air and noticed color returning to his exterminator mark before it went away. "Can i… " he hesitated but the approaching Angel's made him throw caution to the wind. He wrote and his letters appeared, letting him write for Shiva. "Shiva!" Shiva appeared. "Please," he maneuvered his hands and had Shiva form a shield then two arms. "I can control him again! Yes!"

"Cool," Jack said, yanking an angel's head off, "now quit lollygagging and get this collar off me!"

"Oh right." He directed Shiva grab Jack's collar and yank it off.

"Allright!" He wrote for Dust. "Dust!" He felt real happy when the black miasma surrounded him. "Hey Poch. There's no more gates, so let's clear these guys out in one attack!"

"Right!" Poch said, excited that he can use his shadow demons again.

The two turned, getting back to back, facing the surrounding Angel's. Jack raised his arm up, gathering up Dust while Poch had Shiva extend the blade he was holding, becoming a large bone blade. Jack slammed his hand down, Dust becoming a huge wave of spikes that crashed and impaled the Angel's as it went. Poch swung his large bone blade, cutting through all that faced him with only some difficulty. Once their attackers were done, all that laid before them corpses and halos.

"Not bad for a guy with a lame scythe," Poch grined. He stepped forward and his foot sank into dust, tripping him. "Woah!" He nearly fell on his face.

"Oops," Jack smiled.

"Bitch," Poch pouted.

"Cmon, let's get our weapons." Jack walked to the room with his scythe while Poch went to the room with his weapon. He brought Dust along the frame and sliced across it. He dismissed Dust and pushed the door down.

Poch grabbed the door with Shiva and yanked it off, tossing it back, dismissing his shadow demon. "With my daggers I should be able to get back to the base and get a gate for you."

"Sounds good...then we talk."

"Yeah I know…" Poch walked into the room, it was some type of laboratory. There were scanners and such on one half of the room with monitors on the other, both seated by glass. Poch was about to punch the glass with Shiva until he noticed the door with a panel that said "Open" next to it. He went to it and pressed it. Once he pressed it a gas sprayed out from the front and onto his face sending him into a coughing fit. "Di-hi-icks!" He hacked. His dagger and sheath was on a podium. He went to it and grabbed it. Both daggers in their sheath. "Nice!" Poch put them back on his waist, "Jack I'm all se- ah!" He was startled when he saw a katana Angel at the glass door. "Musta missed one. Better check to make sure it's only- hm?" He attempted to draw his daggers, only able to pull the red one, the blue one not coming out. "The hell?" He pulled harder but it wouldn't budge. "Why wont it come out?"

"...Why should it?" The angel spoke.

"Huh!?" Poch looked at the angel, shocked that it spoked.

"Why should it draw to the one who abandoned it's original user?" It walked towards Poch.

"Wh-what the hell?" Poch stepped back as it approached.

"Infact, why should it be owned by one that abandoned its original user?"

"Th...the hell do you mean by abandoning its original user?" Poch said, a fear growing inside him.

The angel got in his face. "You're brother of course."

Pochs eyes went wide and he bared his fangs while fighting the grip on his dagger. "Ragh!" He angrily strikes with his blade.

The angel stopped it with its katana. "Touch a nerve there?"

"Wha-" The angel blocking took him majorly by surprise.

"Does it hurt knowing you're the cause of his downfall. His death."

"Shut up!" He pulled back and stabbed at the angel, each stab being deflected. He jumped and tried to cut its neck only for it to lean back to avoid it.

"Such a terrible pain. Not only did you kill him, but you pushed him away."

"It wasn't my fault!" He slammed his dagger down on him. When the angel blocked, he kicked upward and into its chin, a knife going in its skull, killing it. It fell back. "I...I wasn't me when it happened… it was that bastard Russo's fault!"

"Bullshit," a voice came from behind.

Poch slashed behind him, his dagger being stopped by another red dagger. He gasped in fear. "What!?" In front of Poch was another him, glaring at him, pushing his dagger against the real Poch.

"You know that's not true," The other Poch said.


"Huh, a lab," Jack said, entering the room. "There's my scythe and there's a wall. Time to subtract from the equa-" he was about to write for Dust till he noticed the door, "or use that door." He went to the door and hit open, gas blasting him in the face. He coughed. "Di-hi-cks!" He kept coughing as he went to his weapon. "Oh man, kak! That sucked!" He picked up his scythe, folded it, and placed it on his back hip. "Got my scythe!" He shouted to Poch. He got no answer. "Poch?" The faint sound of a piano was heard from outside. "The hell?" He walked outside and heard the piano more clearly, it was coming from the other room. "Poch you playing music?" As he got closer, he began to recognize the song. He slowly walked to the room, the music becoming louder. He looked in and saw someone playing a piano in the middle of an empty room. He could only see them from behind, but it was behind he knew well. He got closer, stopping behind them. "...Mom?"

The one on the piano turned to face Jack with a smile. It was a four foot three inch woman with light brown hair tied into a bun. She wore a khaki V-neck and jean shorts. "You like this song dont you? It's called… Blue bird right?" She asked.

"Y-...you can't be here, your-"

She took his hand and pulled him forward. "Play with me," She smiled warmly. She turned back to the piano and started playing.

Jack froze there a bit before he leaned in, his arms surrounding her, and played the piano with her. As they played, nearly in perfect sync, Jack began to smile. They kept playing, the melody echoed throughout the room, being the only noise heard. When they finished, Jack's mom turned to face her son.

"I'm a bit rusty, sorry," She apologized.

"You played fine mom, don't worry," Jack smiled, turning to his human form.

"Oh shut your damn mouth, I know I'm rusty." She laughed. "...wanna play that song from Nala's play?"

Jack's age regressed as he spoke. "Sure!" A young sounding voice came out his mouth as he de-aged. "Can I sit on your lap?"

"Of course!"

A ten year old Jack ran to the front of her mom and got in her lap. He placed his hands on the piano. "Ready when you are!" They began playing together.


Poch was locked in a struggle with his own self.

"You know that's bullshit!" The other Poch pushed against him.

"Who the fuck are you!?" Poch asked, pushing back but getting overpowered.

"I'm you but honest apparently."

"No you're not!" He shoved the other Poch back and started attacking him.

Evey strike Poch made, the other Poch met with his own, as if knowing where his dagger would go.

"Celis loved us! He was the best older brother we could ever ask for! There for us whenever we needed him!" The other Poch yelled.

"I know that!"

"Then why did he push him away! Why did we treat him like that!"

"It wasn't our fault! Russo tricked us!"

"Oh grow up!" They locked blades in a clash. "We really gonna blame Russo for this? Why? Is it because our own friends don't rightfully blame us? "Oh it's not your fault Poch! Oh, you weren't yourself, it was the drugs!"", fake Poch mocked his freinds "Dont be a fucking idiot! They only said that because they don't know what we said to him! How much we denied him!"

"Shut up!" Poch jumped back, and kicked at him with his braced foot.

The other Poch kicked and clashed braces before jumping forward and grabbing Poch by the neck.

Poch choked and tried to pull off his other self's grip.

"If they knew what we last said to him, you think they'd still forgive us!? If they knew about the call, think they'd still hug us and tell us everything's ok!?"

"Shut...UP!" He double kicked his other self off before angrily swiping at him.

"You know were the sole cause of Celis's death!"

"SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!" Poch's slashes were full of a nearly blinding rage. He managed to knock away the other Poch's dagger. "DIE!" He embedded his blade into the other Poch's chest, slamming him into the ground. He panted and rose up over his other self's corpse."...It wasn't… me."

"Yes it was." A voice Poch knew ssid behind him.

He froze, utter shock on his face.

"And you have the balls to say you moved on?"

Poch slowly turned around. Behind him was a pure white hellhound with blood red eyes. His features were sharper than Poch's though somewhat similar. He had on a blue vest and black jean shorts. He was three inch taller than Poch and had a black tuft of hair on his forehead. "Celis…" Poch said.


Ten year old Jack and his mom finished their song.

"That was great mom!" Jack said.

"Agreed Jackie!"

"Can we play another song!?" Jack excitedly asked.

Jack's mother laughed. "Give me a second. My hands are fucking tired!"

"That's another for the jar!"

"Oh shut it you!" She said stuffing up his hair before hugging him.

They stayed there for a bit before Jack's mom spoke. "Jackie? You love me don't you?"

"Yes, definitely!"

"How much?"

"More than I love chocolate!"

"More than that!? God damn!"

"Yeah mom!"

"...then why did you kill me?"

"What!?" Jack was taken back.

"You know I was a wonderful and great person...even though I swore a lot, I loved you very much...I died naturally and if I saw any mention of you in hell I'd rush to you. Meaning I went to heaven, and you know what they create for the Purge and the Cleansing."

"..." Jack stayed silent.

"You know there was a possibility I could've been turned into one of those Angel monsters!" Her body started to change. "I could've been sent to a Cleansing or Purge you were involved in!" Her hair disappeared and she grew wings. "There's a chance that one angel you killed, the one that dropped its weapon when you got close to it, the one you mercilessly killed, could've been me!" She turned into an angel monster. "You killed me again! How is that loving me!?"

"...I remember when I was eleven," Jack said in his normal voice, "Nala and I snuck in on you watching a scary movie where a mother got possessed and killed her kids," Jack rose up, pulling his monsterfied mother up with him, aging up. "We were so scared, and you kept us company all night. The movie ended with one kid killing her mother to save themselves. I wondered if the kid could kill her own mother and if they made them a bad kid." He turned to face his mom, now I'm his imp form, back to his regular age. "You said to me that if that was us, you'd want me to kill you. Why? Cause you would never, ever, try to kill us. If you did, then that wasn't you, and you'd want to die….when I killed that angel, the one that dropped its weapon as soon as I came, I wondered...was that you? Did I just kill you?...then I thought about that moment...I knew you were serious...even though I was only eleven...I knew you'd never want to hurt me or anyone that didn't deserve it, that if you became a monster, you'd want to die...it hurt thinking that I killed you...but remembering those words helped me move on…" he hugged his mom, "I love you mom."

"..." Jack's mom hugged him back, turning back into her regular form. "I love you too, Jackie."

"...I gotta go."

"Then go then...and take care!"

"I will."

"...goodbye." Jack's mom hugged him tight before fading away.

"...goodbye," Jack smiled.


"Celis…" Poch said, facing his brother.

"You have NO right saying my name!" Celis barked, getting closer to Poch.

Poch fell back, looking up.

"I helped you learn how to use two daggers at once, I helped you find us Tom's dad, I helped you when you got poisoned after the accident!" Celis angrily walked, nearly stomping to Poch.

Poch crawled backwards. "I...I-I…" He didn't have the words.

"And you pay me back for all those years by your side by pushing me away, making me feel like I'm a terrible brother, and finally,"

"...i… it was..." Poch met the wall in his crawling.

"You killed me! Cut my damn throat! And you," Celis got into Poch's face, "have the gall to blame someone else?"

"...r...Russo he...played those fake videos of you saying those things and i-"

"And you believed them...you believe I'd say those things! Are you serious?...you know me, don't you?"

Tears welled in Pochs eyes. "I...I…"

"I I I is that all you have to say to me!? What's wrong!? Dog got your tongue!" Celis growled.

"Im…"

"And you know what makes things worse? Not once, not...once… have you come to my grave...not once have you come to where they buried me, where Tom, Ilas, and uncle Greg bawled their eyes out during my funeral, and you didn't visit me...NOT...ONCE!"

"Im… I'm sorry," Poch said in a crackly voice as he cried, the tears coming down his cheeks like a waterfall.

"...those things you said...hurt...like you wouldn't imagine...especially when you said you never needed me...know how that made me feel?...dead inside….and then you actually kill me?"

"Im..so sorry...I'm so so sorry!"

"Then you ran away from me...from everything...and say you moved on?...you're pathetic….no matter how many times you apologise," Celis rose up, "I will never...ever...stop hating you."

Those words were like a bullet to the heart for Poch. Celis walked away. "Celis...Celis wait!" He reached for his brother, trying to rise, only to fall forward, looking up, stretching his reach out. "PLEASE! DON'T GO! DON'T LEAVE ME! I...I…" he looked down. "I'm so pathetic…" he fell to his side...so god damn," he got into a feedle position, wailing, "pathetic."


People in suits like One and Two walked into the room Jack was in. He stood there as if in a trance.

"Should we wait for him to fall or?" One of them questioned.

"I don't know. The other ones on the ground," another stated.

"Well the Angel wants him and the dog out so go ahead and-"

"So they want me, huh?" Jack said, startling the agents. He smiled sadistically. "They're gonna have to do it themselves!" He grabbed his scythe and in one swoop, cut off all their heads. As he left he saw two vials of something. "Hm?" He checked the labels of it. "Oh I can use this!" He put the vials in his pocket, ran out the room, and went to the other.

"Help me carry him," one agent in the room asked.

"You need hell carrying a small dog?" Another agent questioned.

One agent looked at the door and saw Jack. "Oh shit gu-" they were impaled by Jack's scythe that he threw, impaling them into the wall.

The other agents were about to draw their weapons but Jack was already inside, removing his scythe, and decapitating them. He shook off the blood and walked to Poch. "Poch? They gas you too dude?" He looked at Poch's face and saw that he was just crying, a huge amount too based on the small puddle under his head. What scared Jack the most was his blank stare and his empty eyes. He was alive but he wasn't ok. He's seen this before. "Oh shit!" He knelt beside him, "if what happened to you was like what I saw then...dammit, we gotta get outa here!" He picked Poch up, the hound feeling like a weighted doll, and ran out. "Oh fuck!"

Outside was a huge crowd of agents, all aiming rifles at Jack. In the middle was Nugen, walking towards Jack. "I don't think so. Youse see...I lost a bet cause of you so I had to make a new one to make up for it and I don't plan on losing it."

"Heh, well I hate to tell ya, but you're gonna need more guns," Jack smirked, ready to deflect.

"You really think you can kill all these Dhork's and deal with me while holding that deadweight?" He pointed at Poch.

"He aint dead weight, fucker, and I can take out these dorks easily! Also kinda mean to call your allies that."

"Hey that's their agency's name, D-h-o-r-k forgot what it means but I dont give a shit right now. Right now I'm focused on you and you know what...I believe you can kill all these guys...so," He wrote for his Light Angel, "Syphon." When Syphon appeared he raised its arms up. Its needles on its arms spun and un-twisted to a bunch of smaller needles. "Waste not, want not." The smaller needles shot out like tendrils, going into the Dhorks, their shocked expressions shifting to ones of exhaustion. Syphon raised its legs, shorting the needles on them, stabbing them into Nugen's back. "Boost! MMPH!" He yelled. His muscles tightened as he was getting injected with something. "HAAA YEAH!" His veins started to pop and his muscles began to expand. "MORE...MORE!" His pincers became sharper and his thorax grew along with its stinger. "Hehehe normally this would be too much for me, but I had the Dhork's scientist and doctors do something to my body! I gotta thank them for that later!" He had Syphon toss the agents to the upstairs balcony.

Jack got a bad feeling so he quickly threw Poch in a Dust pool before Nugen could charge at him, getting to him in a split second, swinging his swords into him. Jack managed to block but was pushed back into the lab room and slammed into the wall. "Ack!" He fought through the pain and made a motion with his hand. The Dust pool Poch was in, moved somewhere.

Nugen noticed this. "Oh, moving ya friend huh?" He backed off and aimed his stinger to where he assumed Poch was based on his hand movements.

"No you dont!" Jack swung his scythe at him. Nugen blocked with his bare arm. "What!?"

"Hehe, my skin got tougher, bitch!" Nugen grabbed Jack's arm and flung him outside, flying to him and kicking him in the gut, crashing him into the wall.

"KOFOG!" Jack spat out his air and saliva. He grit his teeth and moved his hands faster, trying to get Poch outta there.

"Hmm...over here!" He aimed his stinger to where a group of Dhork's that he tossed laid.

"Shit!"

"Didn't think I'd kill these guys to get him? Their deaths are noble sacrifices!"

"No!" Jack desperately tried to lob Nugens head off.

The scythe didn't pierce any skin. Nugen laughed. "Say goodbye!" He shot five needles in that direction.

"NOOO!"

The needles landed and destroyed Nugen's target, killing anyone that was there. Nugen laughed hard. "Oh man, you know he's dead! And you tried so hard!"

"I...I can't believe…"

"Heh," Nugen looked at Jack intensely, "let's see some despair."

"...heh...hehe."

"Huh?"

Jack smiled and started laughing. "Hahahaha I can't believe that worked!"

"What?"

"Yknow something?...Tails are awesome!"

"Huh!?" He looked behind Jack to see him moving his tail around. That's when he realised that Jack's hand movements were a bluff. He was actually directing Dust with his tail. "You bitch!"

"Bitch I may be but," He wrote for Dust, "a smart one I am also! Dust!"

"Heh, if you think that'll help you, you're sorely mistaken," he wrote for Syphon, "Syphon!" He brought Syphon out again.

"Bring it, double bitch!" Jack taunted, making himself some Dust wings and flying to meet Syphon in a clash.


"How the fuck did you get caught by humans? Are you little creatures not being careful up here?" Stolas chastised. He just summoned himself to the I.M.P. crew, rescuing them, agent one and two cowering in the corner. "You know, if you get in trouble," he flicked Blitzø's head, "I get in trouble, and we'd don't want that!" He pulled Blitzøs cheek.

"They caught us off guard, your highness, they had crusaders with them," Moxxie told them.

"Crusaders?"

"Yeah and they took Poch and Jack!" Millie informed.

"Speaking of," Loona handed Millie the book and walked up to Two. She grabbed her by the shirt, picked her up and slammed her into the wall, growling. "Where's Poch!?"

"Th-the brown dog?" Two asked in fear.

"He's a hellhound! Not a dog! Now where is he!?"

"Loona calm down!" Millie came up to her side.

"Not till this bitch tells me where he is!"

"Aww that's cute, she's asking about Poch specifically, and not even mentioning Jack," Stolas said.

"Shut up, Stolas!"

"Loona! The other exterminators already left for them! By now they've probably already met up with the boys! Now calm down!" Millie shouted.

Loona glared at Millie before her face softened. She sighed and let go. "You're right...I'm sorry."

"It's fine! I'd go crazy too! Loves weird like that!" Millie smiled.

Loona blushed. "I don't lo-" a loud whistle from the whistle one blew, interrupted her.

Millie looked at him annoyed. "Uh, you mi-" he whistled again, "were trying to-" another whistle.

Loona brought her claws out. "I'm killing him." She was about to cut his throat till the whole room shook.

"What's that!?" Moxxie asked, trying not to fall.

"Two! I just remembered that thing the Angel's gave us!" One ssid with a smile.

"Oh yeah, that thing," Two seemed to remember.

"What thi-" Loona was cut off by a wet tongue like tendril coming out the ground and wrapping around her, lifting her up.

"Loona!" Mille exclaimed before the same thing happened to her.

Stolas, Blitzø, and Moxxie got the same treatment. As they rose higher from the ground, four huge white fists crashed from the ground. From the hole the arms made rose a stone faced angel monster like the one Poch and Jack faced on a Cleansing day except it was larger by half an amount, was white with red trails on its body, had four arms, and green eyes. As it rose it crashed through the wall, entering a much larger room.

"I told you it'd go to the bigger room!" One said, feeling like he won a bet.

"WOOOLOLOLOLOOOOO!" The angel monster screamed, carrying the demons with its tongue tendrils.

"Where the fuck this thing come from!?" Blitzø asked.

"This is bad! We don't have an exterminator with us to kill that thing!" Moxxie shouted in fear.

"I'll hold it back!" Stolas said.

"What!? Stolas you may be royalty and a strong demon but you won't be able to kill that thing!" Blitzø told him.

"I know but I can at least buy some time for you all to leave!" He starts changing to his monstrous form. "As soon as you're all free you must-" the tongues were cut, freeing them all. "What!?" They all fell and the monster reeled back in pain.

"Brace for impact!" Blitzø shouted as they came close to the ground only for their descent to be halted by some sort of black broken and rotting ring. "Or not." They landed gently and whistling was heard. The whistling was to the tune of Hey now, you're a rockstar.

"Oh, god damnit," Stolas deadpanned.

"Where's that whistling coming from?" Moxxie asked.

"Over there." Stolas pointed to a hole that was behind the angel monster.

From the hole he pointed to, a figure became more noticeable as the whistling became louder. Out of the hole emerged a seven foot tall black hellhound with white shaggy spiky hair. He wore a thick red sleeveless shirt that had a V-neck, and had on a pair of black Jean's with a chain on them. On his hip was a sheath for a long katana which currently held. The katana was long and pure black, a small broken chain hanging off its handle. He had on a dark muzzle like steel mask. His left eye was blue while the right eye was red.

The angel monster turned to him, roared and punched at him. It suddenly froze to a halt when its fist reached three quarters of the way to him. He sheathed his sword and kept walking, going past the angel and to the demons. As he got in front of them the body of the angel became segmented into a multitude of pieces, all falling to the ground, making everyone but Stolas' jaw drop. "Hey Stolas. Saved ya in a bind there!" The hound chuckled, sheathing his sword.

Stolas sighed. "Hello Rex. You're not gonna let me live this down are you?"

"I might."

"That's a no." Stolas sighed again but grined, "I appreciate the rescue, but what are you doing here?"

"We got some strange readings and decided to check it out. Luckily for you I came here instead of Albest, cause I'm sure you're still mad at him for kicking your ass."

"Wait what!?" Blitzø was taken by surprise along with the others.

"It was a cheap shot!" Stolas grumbled.

"Sure it was." Rex said with sarcasm. "So what the hell happened? Also-"

"Who's that!? The Angel's didn't say anything about him!" One said, peeking out the corner.

"We should probably get out of h-" Two began before both their bodies began to fade from the bottom up. They screamed as they disappeared and reappeared in front of Rex.

Rex grabbed their heads. "Who be these guys?" He asked.

"Some humans that apparently got into contact with two crusaders," Stolas answered.

"Ah, I see. Care to extract some info before I mind wipe them?"

"Oh sure. Book please," he said, pulling his book from Millie's arms. His book opened up and he waved a hand in front of agents faces, bubbles of memory coming out of their ears and going into the book. "I'll look over them later."

"Cool." He turned the two to face him before pulling something out his pocket. "No men in black references," he pulled out a red stick and tapped it on both their foreheads. They yelped, were shocked, and lost consciousness, falling to the ground. "That's that."

"Uh, you gonna introduce us, or?" Blitzø said with curiosity.

"Oh, sorry! Ahem! Everyone, this is Rex. He's a stage five exterminator," Stolas introduced.

Rex waved. "Hey there!"

"Stage five!? That's the highest stage you can reach! No wonder you killed that angel so easily!" Blitzø complimented.

"I didn't even see you attack!" Millie said in awe.

"Uh...Rex was it?" Loona approached.

"Yes? Who you?" Rex asked her.

"Loona. I have a very serious question for you."

"Ask away."

"Those red jewel things are supposed to help you go to the next stage right?"

"Yeah."

"Then why is it hurting Poch?"

Everyone looked at her confused. "Whatdya mean?"

"Ever since he took the damn thing he hasn't been able to sleep, like he's having some nightmare, and he can't control his own shadow demons! What's up with that!"

Stolas and Rex grew concerned looks. "He's forcing it down after failing!?"

"I'll look for him now! He's in danger if he's gonna be fighting crusaders!" Stolas said, getting his book.

Rex sighed. "It's fine. I'm sure Albest is already there."

"Albest?"

"We got a second reading and he went to that one. No doubt that's where Poch and Jack are."

"But still...shouldn't you go to him...you are his-"

"It's fine! Albest is there….so I don't need to go."

"Rex…"

"We missing something here?" Blitzø whispered to Moxxie.

"I don't know," Moxxie answered.


Syphon used its tendril needles to destroy a Dust shield Jack made before Nugen kicked Jack into another wall.

"That's the fourth shield broken and the sixth wall I kicked you in! You trying to redecorate?" Nugen taunted.

"Grr!" Jack growled, raising up.

"What's up? Not gonna use that fancy cloning thing with the guns and blades? Or is it starting to sink in how powerless you is?"

'Damnit...imp parade is gonna be useless since I can't pierce his skin! They only serve as being a nuisance at best!' Jack felt the vials in his pocket, 'I'm gonna have to use that...hopefully these vials help me keep the form. But I need time to go into it, how am I gonna-' he looked up and saw the lights. 'That's how!'

"Done getting your shit together?" Nugen asked.

"Yeah, thanks for waiting!" He had Dust turn into a multitude of spiraled spears.

"Hah! Still haven't learned!" He opened his arms, telling with his body language to go ahead.

Jack suddenly aimed upward and shot the lights, getting them all and darkening the room. "Fooled ya!"

"Really? Gonna blacken the room and run?" He snapped and a second pair of lights came out and turned on, lighting the room up again. "Nice try b- huh?" Where Jack once stood was a cocoon of Dust. "They hell is that? You gonna emerge as a butterfly?"

"Hnng." Jack groaned.

"Well I hope you didn't think I'd wait cause- huh?" He noticed to empty vials near the Dust cocoon. They read "adrenaline". "Adrenaline? Why would he-?" He got worried and quickly shot three of his needles at Jack.

Before they could make contact, they were deflected by Jack's scythe. The cocoon turned into two large pairs of demon wings. They unfurled and revealed Jack. Each arm had a scythe, one having a purple spiral. Under his arms were longer black Dust arms also wielding scythes. On his shoulders were tendrils that had blades on the end. On his back were the GB holders, held by a streak of Dust. Jack looked forward, his face having a sadistic smile as strands of black were shown going down his eye. "Look! I'm a butterfly!"

"The he-" suddenly, Jack got to his front and slammed his right scythes into him, flinging him to the wall. "Agh!" He felt a sharp sting where was striked. "What!?"

"Hurts don't it!?" Jack sent two tendrils after him.

Nugen flew up to avoid them, seeing Jack fly up, about to crash his scythes down on him. He had Syphon block with his arms only for his lower arms to strike up and break Syphons guard, the scythe blades crashing down on his shoulders. "Gragh!" He yelled in pain, meeting the ground hard. "Wh...what the hell happened to you!? There's no way adrenaline is doing this!" He asked, getting up.

"I call it," He appeared from behind and kicked Nugen far away, "Devil mode! I ingested my own shadow demon, strengthening me and its bonds!" He shot his tendrils at him again. Nugen flew up and he sent them upwards too, wrapping around him and Sypon before slamming them into the ground. "Normally," he pulled and crashed them behind him, "I got thirty seconds then I can't move for a bit, but," he spun them around before flinging them to the side, "thanks to those adrenaline shots, I can go on for longer!" He flew to Nugen.

Nugen's light angel dismissed itself, having run out of time. He quickly grabbed a red and white whistle with a halo on it out of his pocket, blowing it.

Gates appeared above Jack and out came Angel's and four of the face bosses he and Poch faced before. "I remember these guys!" One of the boss Angel's sent its tongue tendrils to Jack. He wrapped his weapon around the tongues and yanked it back, stabbing its eyes with his tendril blades. It yelled in pain. "Rend!" Jack pulled back and closed them in on it, cutting off its midsection, killing it. Another opened its mouth and Jack flew in it. "Rend!" He yelled in its mouth a cutting force emanating from the middle of its body. It split in half and each half falling to opposite sides. The third tried to punch him only for one of his scythes to stab into it, him pulling back, cutting off its arm and throwing it to Nugen, who got rocketed to a wall, before he did a double X slash. "Rend!" He didn't waste time and rushed to the last one, cutting it in half. "Rend!" He bent forward and the guns on his back stretched out and aimed downwards, firing wildly upon the Angel's left. "DIE DIE DIE!"

Nugen pushed the fist off him, seeing Jack finish off the angels. "Holy shit!"

"Impressed!?" Jack said, spearing in front of him.

"Ah!" Nugen squealed, trying to stab him.

"Too slow!" Jack swiftly hooked a scythe under an armpit and hammered Nugen down behind him. He slammed him over and over into the ground around him, laughing like a maniac. He then tossed him up and started to wildy slash into him. "Dance for me bitch! DANCE!" He swings become more furious and fast and he finishes by kicking him away.

Nugen met with a dead boss body, sliding down it. He had cuts and gashes all over his body, his toughed skin having finally been broken through. He looked forward and saw Jack take steps forward to him. As he got closer and closer, laughing like a madman, Nugen felt his fear grow. He couldn't move, he sweated profusely, and he shook. "S-stay back!"

"What's wrong? You scared? Gonna wet yourself!? Gonna shit yourself!?" He laughed crazily before a jolt hit his body and his vision blurred. "Hrg!" He stumbled slightly before falling to his knees. Dust began to lose form. 'Shit not now! It's only been two minutes!'

Nugen fear started to go away. "Hah...hahaha," he started to rise. "Something wrong?"

"Hng...d-dammit!" Jack tried to get up, but fell again. Dust's bonds were weakening and the strands on his eyes were going away.

"I'll admit you had me going! But it looks like in the end my power up was the better one!"

'Get up! Get up!' Jack shouted in his mind. Dust disappeared, all his blades falling. 'Shit!' He looked up at Nugen getting right in front of him.

"Just be glad I cant kill you," he raised his arms up, "nini!"

Before he could slam his fist down on Jack a bolt of lightning struck down in front of him, pushing Nugen back. From that lighting strike appeared a thin Five foot two inch imp with straight red hair and black patches in his skim. He wore a black slacks and had on a black shirt with ripped ends on the sleeves. On his back was a giant hammer with the hammer part being nine feet long, three feet wide and threw feet tall. Its pole was skinny but long. In the middle of the hammer was a symbol of a lightning ball and there were markings surrounding it. In his arms was Poch, still looking spaciously at nothing.

"A...albest?" Jack said.

"Hey Jack!" Albest said.


Earlier

"The trail goes in there!" Shelly told the others. They were hiding in a nearby corner and facing a warehouse. She blinked, changing her clairvoyance. "I'm also seeing a bunch of people in suits."

"Think they're the same as the ones that were after Blitzø and Moxxie?" Echo asked.

"I'm thinking so."

"So what's our plan?" Shred asked.

"We don't know what's going on there so I saw we raid!"

"For once, I agree to that," Dundy said, "but how do we enter?"

Echo looked back. "Anyone have an i.o.u?"

"Hm?" They all looked at him curiously.


A truck rammed through the gate of the warehouse, on it were the exterminators in their demon forms, with Shred following behind in an amortized Ripper. Dundy drove while Echo and Shelly were in the flatbed, shooting at agents they passed. Shelly transmitted her clairvoyance to Dundy so he could see the path.

"Shelly keep your eyes forward, I can only see your point of view!" Dundy said.

"Sorry, they just keep coming! So distracting!" Shelly responded.

They drove through, Shred slicing through the agents while Shelly and Echo shot them up. They turned the corner and came across a small door the truck wouldn't fit through. Dundy screeched to a halt and the clairvoyance link ended.

"Everyone out!" Echo shouted. They all got out and Shred cut open the door, all of them jumping through. They entered a giant two story room, being on the top balcony floor.

"Jeez, this room's huge!" Shred noted.

"Shelly, where to!?" Dundy asked.

"Down here!" Shelly jumped down and ran to the door in front of her with the others following. Once they entered the center, gates opened above them. Out of them came several lion bosses. There were eight in total, all surrounding them. The team quickly turned their backs against the other, forming a ring.

"There's so many!" Shred commented!

"Demons, now!" Dundy shouted, writing for Asura. "Asura!" He summoned Asura.

"Le-armes!" Shelly summoned her shadow demon.

"Familia!" Echo got his, "Autumn!" He brought out Autumn.

The lions approached them, snarling.

"It was nice knowing yall," Shred laughed nervously.

"We're not dying here!" Echo promised.

"Going to close range mode!" Shelly said, stretching her arms out and crossing them. Le-armes started to change.

Out of nowhere and in a flash, a bolt of lightning pierced the necks of all the Angel bosses, hitting them straight from the side, killing them.

"Whoa!" Shelly gasped, her shadow demon stopping its change.

"Mind telling me what you're all doing here?" Albest said, standing in the middle of them.

"Ah!" They shouted, startled. Jumping away.

"Albest!?" Dundy surprisedly questioned. He, along with the others, dismissed his shadow demon.

"Got a strange angelic signal and decided to investigate. Now what yall doing here?"

They explained the situation.

"Hm. I see. Shelly, have you tried looking specifically for them? Since we're in this base, you might be able to see them."

"I can try," Shelly activated her clairvoyance, searching specifically for Poch and Jack. She looked around and looked below. "There! I see them!"

"Transmit into me." Albest pulled out his hammer and pressed a switch. From one end came a cylindrical spike. He got the clairvoyance sight. "Alright, you can stop." He walked to where he saw them, standing near above. "This should work." He raised his hammer up and a shockwave hit the ground without his hammer moving or at least it looked like it.

"Woah!" The others were pushed by the shockwave before being placed back on their feet in less than a second by a flash of lightning.

"Sorry bout that." He held his hammer over a newly formed narrow hole that was two inch wide. The spike returned to his hammer. "Be back soon!" He stood over the hole and went into it as a lightning bolt.


Present

Albest twisted Jack's scythe to return his blades. "Saw the fight with that form. That form looks powerful but you're really straining yourself with it. Maybe try a weaker version?"

"And who are you?" Nugen asked.

"Too much for you to handle," he picked up Jack and hoisted him over his shoulder. "Let's head back and you can explain shit."

"You ain't going nowhere!" Nugen struck at Albest with bladded arms, sparks deflecting him before contact could be made.

"Wanna try again?" Alebest asked, facing Nugen.

"Ragh!" He strikes again with his other blades getting the same results. "What the-!?"

"Close. Wanna try again?" Jack said weakly but smugly.

"Why you-!" He kept trying to attack him but sparks would always push his attack away. "How are you doing this!? My boost is still on!"

"I'll give you one last try," Albest smugly smirked.

Nugen glared at him angrily. He flew back as far as he could. He pulled back his two left arms, gathering strength before flying forward full force, slamming his fist to Albest. The sparks persisted but so did he. It burned but he kept it up. The sparks raged and soon they stopped and so did the clash. "AAAAAAAAAGH!" Nugen screeched in pain, holding his left arms that now had no forearms.

Albest grabbed his head. "Hope we learned something. Though it doesn't matter, that was your final lesson." Lightning surged from his hand and into Nugens head. His eyes expanded and blood poured out every hole. It wasn't long till his head exploded and his body fell. "Alright. Let's go home." Albest said casually.


One and Two woke up. They got up in the broken room.

"What happened?" One asked. "Whered the demons go?"

"Ugh, no idea. What now?" Two questioned.

"What now!?" He got up and pulled her to the computer. "We finally got evidence to be taken seriously!" On the monitors showed the I.M.P. crew and Stolas. "No one I'm corporate is ignoring this!"

"Congratulations," Toket said behind them, startling the two agents. "I'm happy for you. Things could've gone better on my end. I lost Nugen," He feigned sadness.

"Oh um...I'm sorry for your loss," Two said.

"It's fine, it's his own fault trying to fight that man. So did you get what I asked for?"

"Oh yeah!" One typed at the computer and brought up pics of Poch and Jack. "Their names are Poch and Jack! Poch is the dog while Jack's the red one!"

"He's an imp!" Two said.

"Ah good, but I wish to focus on the human them," Toket told them.

"Why?"

"Aww I get it! Just in case they come here and in disguise! Want the female ones too?"

"No no, you see with these too that's not a disguise."

"Huh?"

"You see, those two are demons in form only. They're actually humans and I'd like you to see if you can find any records or ids."

"We can look for ids but...humans in demon form?" Two said in disbelief.

"Search and you'll believe."

"Hm…" one did the search, not expecting anything. He was surprised he actually got something. "Holy shit! I found something!"

"No way!" Two looked at the screen seeing two drivers licenses with Poch and Jack's info on it. "I'll be damned! Jack Adrock and Poch Rintin."

"Wait, it says here that Poch isn't his real name, it's his alternate name. His real name is...Arnello Thortan."

"Hm...how interesting." Toket smirked.


End.

Next chapter. Moving on.