Chapter 27. Getting stronger.
Poch laid in his bed, trying not to think about how he just kissed Loona. "Why did I do that!?" He shouted to himself in a whisper. "How weird is tomorrow gonna be!? Oh man, I'm gonna see her first thing in the morning! Ugh, Poch, you stupid hellhound!" He groaned, stretching himself out on the bed. He sighed. "One way to get my mind off things." He cut a gate and pulled out the pure red ore. "...let's try again." He swallowed it.
Poch opened his eyes. He stood on a white floor of a grayish void. He heard choking and looked behind to see his brother choking on his own blood, with his neck slit, lahing on the ground. In front of him was himself, looking at Celis blankly, blood splattered on him. He turned to face the real Poch, not saying anything, just a blank stare.
"..." Poch walked up to the other him and embraced him in a hug. "It's ok….no one hates you…"
The other Poch's eyes lit up before looking relieved, hugging Poch back. It faded away after the hug, leaving Poch alone. His shadow stretched out in front of him and out emerged the fragments of Shiva, and Klarna. Klarna's appearance surprised Poch, but he remembered Celis' last message. "Well...I guess Celis did leave you with me."
Klarna brought out his sword with his right and stretched his left hand out. Shiva began to gather, forming a long bone sword for Klarna to use.
Pochs leg lit up in a red fire. "Whoa!" He was startled at first till the flames disappeared, his combat brace now on. "Huh?" Another red flame appeared beside him, surprising him. As the flames disappeared his chaos blade was revealed. He looked at the weapon, then at Klarna wielding a Shiva sword. "...a combat trial," Poch took the chaos blade, "against Shiva and Klarna?...well...gotta try!" He readied his blade and Klarna readied his. They looked at each other intensely before dashing to the other.
Klarna thrusted the bone sword at Poch, the hellhound raising his blade to slide the stab away, pushing it off to deflect the coming slash on the right, swinging his blade to Klarna. Klarna blocked with the Shiva sword and tried to downward strike Poch with his normal blade. Poch loaded two daggers, jumped to the side, and kicked two blades at Klarna who deflected them with ease, chasing after Poch. Poch moved back, backfilling, jumping, avoiding, and blocking Klarna's attacks. He did a spin slash to deflect his last attack, jumping back into the portal he made behind him. The portal's other end was above Klarna where Poch fell through, slamming his bladed brace down on him. Klarna brought both swords up to guard, swiftly turning to face Poch. Poch kept the blade on his brace, kick blading and narrowly dodging Klarns slashes. Poch jumped up high, raised his foot, and curled his toes. He did a front flip, creating a red arc before kicking it, the cutting blast going to Klarna who blocked and tried to push it back. Poch rolled forward and slammed his foot down, adding his blade kick to the force of the red wave. Klarna struggled but planted his feet firmly on the ground and shoved them away. Once Poch landed, Klarna slammed his foot into Poch's chest.
"GUFOH!" Poch was kicked back, tumbling away. Klarna dashed to him as he tumbled, failing to notice Poch take his sword off his brace. As rolled away, he managed to reorient himself and send a chaos slash to Klarna.
Klarna stopped his pursuit and raised the Shiva blade, making it form into a shield. He needed both hands to push against the slash, still being knocked back by it, nearly falling, Shiva turning back onto a sword and stabbing it in the ground to stop his fall.
Poch felt his arm tingle and small sparks ride up it. He needed to separate his blade back into daggers and he did so. He loaded two knives and dashed forward, Klarna balancing himself and readying his swords to meet with Poch's daggers. Poch swinged his blade and so did Klarna except Klarna's met with a portal Poch made, the other end appearing at his face where Poch kicked out off. Klarna raised an arm to defend the kick but an ether dagger launched out, embedding itself into his arm. Poch kicked off and when Klarna came close to strike, he kicked his other dagger at his face. Klarna bobbed his head to the side, getting nicked in the face. He crossed his swords at Poch, trying to scissor him. Poch slammed his daggers down on them, giving the momentum to front flip over them and kick down. Klarna took a step back and avoided the kick, a red arc appearing where his foot fell. Poch punched the arc and it shot out to Klarna. Klarna narrowly dodged with a sway, flipping the Shiva sword around and swinging at Poch. Poch ducked and was about to duck until Shiva broke apart and quickly reformed into a blade but pointing at the other end, allowing Klarna to swing back with both swords. Poch blocked and flew back, twisting to make a gate behind him, and spin kicking Klarna's legs from behind , making the shadow demon trip. Klarna hastily turned while in the air, having Shiva turn into a bone shield to block the oncoming assault by Poch. Poch striked furiously and strongly at Klarna and the shield, keeping them in the air, cracks forming in the barrier. He did a hard double swing, sending them across the other side. Klarn landed on his feet and before Shiva could reforge or change forms, Poch kicked at him with a powerful blade kick, having formed his chaos blade after launching them. Shiva broke apart and Klarna was pushed back. As he fell back he swiped with his normal blade, the hellhound bending back but feeling the tip graze his chin.
Poch flipped back to land on his feet while Klarna rolled back to his. Both felt the scratches on their face, glaring at the other. It was time to end this. Klarna raised his sword up and Shiva gathered around it, forming onto it and reinforcing it, making it longer and thicker.
Poch held his blade beside him, gathering chaos energy, the red and blue aura raging from it. He steeled himself for this final clash.
They stood, staring down the other, the tension in the void rising, becoming so thick it was hard to breathe. Seconds passed before they finally moved. Klarna leapt forward and Poch ran to meet him, his chaos blade grinding against the ground as Klarna reached back with his sword. They got right up to each other before they striked, Klarna swinging down with might and Poch slashing upwards with a powerful swing.
They connected for a brief moment, each moving past the other, backs facing them both, standing still after their strikes.
"Hrg!" A cut came across Poch's shoulder, blood spilling out as his clothes ripped. He stood strong, fighting the pain as he moved to stand up, separating his blade into daggers before taking a breath, holding his wound.
Klarna stood still, unmoving, holding his sword firm. Slowly, he swayed before losing balance and falling forward. He was defeated.
Poch turned to face Klarna. His pain started to fade and he looked at the gash he got. It started to heal and his clothes became repaired, surprising him. Klarna then rose up off the ground. Poch thought there was gonna be another fight so he readied his daggers. A red fire consumed them and his combat brace, making them disappear. "What the-!?" He looked back to Klarna and saw him sheath his blade and Shiva turn back into a sword, being stabbed in the ground. The shadow demon formed a halberd with his right hand, a bit of Shiva forming around his fingers, and wrote words the same way the exterminators do when summoning a shadow demon. He wrote X+Ď§ŞŁß flipped it over and pushed it to Poch. Poch looked at the words curiously, relaxing himself. He looked at the words, then at Klarna and Shiva, before going back to the words, reading them. "...Sh-...Shivarna?"
As soon as Poch said those words, Shiva floated up and aimed itself at Klarna's chest. It stabbed into it, red sparks coming out of the impact. Poch was taken aback by what happened, seeing red cracks form on Klarnas body, emanating from his center, as he convulsed, red cracks also forming in Shiva. The light grew brighter before a flash of red exploded from his body. Poch covered his eyes, blinded by the light. When the light died he looked to where Klarna and Shiva were and his eyes widened in surprise and awe.
Where his two shadow demons once stood was a tall black wolf creature that was a few inches taller than Klarna. Its eyes were pure white, its hair went back down to his hip and was real spiky, its ribs were shown, having nothing cover them, and its arms were nothing but bone, with bone claws as well, its bottom jaw was also skinless and meatless and so was its legs from below the knees. It leaned forward before arching back and howling loud.
Poch marveled at his new shadow demon. As Poch looked at it, information started flooding into his mind. He groaned as he felt his head. The void started to fade as the words in his head died down.
Poch slowly opened his eyes. "So...those are...my new powers…" he said groggily, he felt exhausted and decided to review what he learned tomorrow. "...hm?" He realised he was hugging something. " ...was my pillow always this...furry?" He rubbed around on the back of the white furry object before he noticed its smell. He pushed his nose in it and sniffed a few times. 'Smells like...Loona…' he thought, then images of him kissing her came to his mind. 'No no no! Don't need this! Going to bed!' He quickly shut his eyes to sleep, wanting something to dream of other than the kiss.
Poch was cooking in the kitchen, setting the food on plates, waiting for Loona to wake up. The furry pillow he slept on last night wasn't there so he just assumed it was his imagination. He heard footsteps and groans coming from the hallway. He looked to see Loona coming out, rubbing her eyes.
"Hey," Poch waved and blushed thinking of last night.
"H-hey," Loona waved back a bit awkwardly with slightly red cheeks.
"How...how'd ya sleep?"
"Good...you?"
"Rough in the beginning cause of my trials...but I passed them!"
"You did!?"
"Yeah! I'm stage two now!"
"Awesome dude!"
"Thanks! was not easy though! Had to fight both Klarna and Shiva!"
"Both of them!?"
"Yeah, Klarna used Shiva as a sword! Still I won though! Weird thing, I woke up and I coulda sworn I was holding some furry pillow."
Loona jumped at the spot. "A-a-a-a furry pillow? tha-thats crazy!"
"Yeah, it wasn't there when I woke up so I must of like...imagined it or something."
"Y-yeah you had to!" She said nervously.
"But it felt so real, it even had your smell."
"Wh-why wou-"
"Not saying that in a bad way!" Poch said, quickly thinking he said it in a bad way, "I love your smell!"
"Huh?" Loona was taken back by what he said.
"Uuuh, I mean well...it's not like you smell bad...you smell good...like clean and stuff...and it's...really comforting...and sweet...it's one of the reasons I like sitting near you so much and...I am making this conversation so much weirder!" Poch's face glowed bright red, not noticing the slight wagging of Loona's tail. "Uhh daaah y-you hungry!?"
"Y-yeah."
"Cool!" He grabbed the plates and set them on the bar. Loona took a seat and Poch sat a seat away from her, not wanting to be even more awkward. Then Loona moved next to him. He looked at her with some confusion.
"I uh...like being close to you too...you...also have...a good smell," she said, avoiding eye contact, turning red.
"Oh uh...thanks." Poch turned to his food, smiling a small bit without trying.
The two started eating in silence, not knowing what to say. Poch finally broke it after a few bites.
"So uh...Shiva and Klarna fused," Poch told her.
"They did?"
"Yeah. They turned into a new shadow demon. I think it's my new unique? I don't know, I'm still processing all the info that got dumped in my head."
"Info dump?"
"Yeah, after the trial I got information on their new abilities drained into my head. Apparently I can still call upon sSiva and Klarna separately but my new unique shadow demon is their fused form, Shivarna." As soon as Poch said its name, Shivarna appeared behind him, startling them both. "Ah!"
"The hell!? You didn't write your words for him!"
"No I didn't! He just came when I said his name!...come to think of it...Klarna always came when I was in trouble...I never called for him...and Shivarna is Klarna fused with Shiva...so maybe...hmm." He dismissed Shivarna, going back to his food as he thought.
"Think up something?"
"Yeah...I wanna test it out before we leave….by the way...when I told Blitzø we'd be staying over here tonight, he let me off cooking duty at the base but he's gonna ask about the movie we watched last night."
"But we didn't watch a movie. You went to bed after you," she blushed, "after you...uh…did a thing."
"Uh yeah...the-the thing...a thing we won't mention around him...or ever...deal?"
"Deal!"
"And if you break this deal I'll uhh...pinch your birthmark!" Poch's cheeks turned a bit red.
"Huh!?" Loona covered her butt when he said that.
"You heard me! So make sure you don't break it, or I'll make sure to get that mole too!"
"What mole?"
"The mole somewhere in the middle of it."
"I dont have one!"
"Yes you do!"
"No I don't!"
"I felt it last time!"
"Whatd you mean you felt it last time!?"
"I know what I said!"
"That's bul-" her phone buzzed. She checked it. "It's dad. He's asking when we're coming back."
"Tell him about ten minutes. I gotta try something."
"Ok," she texted Blitzø the time, finishing up her food along with Poch.
Poch took the plates and placed them in the sink, heading out to his patio, Loona following. "Alright let's try this out,"
"What are you gonna try?"
"When we first encountered those Dhork's and the crusaders with them, Klarna came out while Taurus was attacking me. Normally that'd be impossible but I think it's cause Klarna's a special case. So I wonder if...hm?" He looked down at his shadow and thought something looked off.
"What's up?"
"Does...does my shadow look weird to you?"
Loona looked at his shadow. "I don't see anything."
"It just...it kinda looks like there's some...silhouette around it….maybe it's me. Anyways," he shook his head, going back to what he was doing. He wrote for Taurus. "Taurus." The bull demon came out in front of him. He was about to write again but stopped himself. "...Klarna." Klarna appeared right next to Taurus.
"Whoa! You didn't even write for him!"
"Well, I never did before...he'd just appear when I was in danger...or like yesterday, just appear for other reasons."
"Maybe it's because he has some of Celis' soul?"
"...maybe...let me see something." He dismissed the two shadow demons. He wrote for Shiva. "Shiva," he summoned the bone demon and then wrote for Ardov. "Ardov," Shiva disappeared and Ardov came, wrapping around Poch like usual, "Hmm...Klarna." Klarna showed up in front of Ardov. "Guess that confirms it," Poch dismissed his Shadow Demons, "I can summon Klarna with any of my shadow demons except Shivarna for obvious reasons."
"Looks like it...if Shivarna's your new shadow demon, does that mean he'll appear when you're in danger or Klarna?"
"I'm thinking Shivarna. Anyways, that's all I wanted to check. Let's head back to base."
Poch and Loona met with everyone at the Lobby base. Dundy wasn't there and as soon as Poch entered his symbol lit up in a reaction so were the other Exterminators.
"Uh, what's that?" Poch asked.
"Dundy's outside trying to control his wrath," Shred answered.
"Control his wrath?"
"Yeah, here lemme recap for ya what happened when he met the voodoo lady," Jack said.
"How would you know? You spy on them?"
"Yeah, I didn't trust that lady so I made sure she didn't do anything to Dund. I told him I was gonna keep watch beforehand and he was alright with it. So what happened was-"
The day the voodoo lady came.
Dundy entered the tent that was placed outside the base. The imp lady was in the center, sitting on the ground near a short table that had a mat on it.
She ushered him in. "Come, sit. We have much to discuss."
Dundy sat down in front of her. "What were you saying about untapped potential?"
"First," she pulled out a round ball from under the table, "squeeze this until you feel an orb inside. The orb is very fragile, so don't break it. Once you find it, place it here," she pointed to the table.
"Eh, ok?" Dundy took the ball and squeezed. It was very hard so he added more strength, slowly so as to not break anything. He felt the orb and stopped. He placed it down.
"Now," she pulled out a bar, "bend this into a U without breaking it."
Dundy took the bar. It was sturdy but not that sturdy, so he was gentle and bent it with ease into the shape she asked for.
"Set it down," she waited till he placed it down before getting the next object. It was a black round object. "Pull that apart."
"Hm," Dundy pressed his thumbs in the middle and attempted to do so. The object was hard but he eventually broke his fingers in and broke it in half, some flakes of it scattering.
"Good, set that down," Dundy did so. "Do you know why I had you do that?"
"A strength test?"
"Yes, but one for control of strength. You are a very strong individual and you have great control over that strength, and not only that, but you have a strong unwavering will, a strong dedication to what you do, and a strong mind...but to bring out Asura's power, those alone will not be enough. You need another type of strength."
"What do you mean?"
The lady removed the objects from the table before taking out a small red liquid filled bubble. "Let me see your right hand."
Dundy was hesitant but did so. She pressed the bubble on the back of his hand, splattering the liquids on it. His exterminator symbol glowed and smoke rose from the liquid. The smoke took the form of Dundy with Asura. "What is this?" Dundy marveled.
"It is Asura in his sealed form."
"Sealed form?"
"When you had your combat trial, what did you fight?"
"A silhouette of myself with Asura in use...wait how did you-"
"When you fought this silhouette did it seem like its form was trying to change?"
"Well...it did actually...I just assumed it was to make it obvious it was some creature I'm fighting."
"You assumed wrong. It was Asura trying to form his true self."
"Its true self?"
"Dundy, I want you to look at this illusion above your hand and think about what angers you."
"What angers me? But I am not angry."
"That's why I said think about it. Think about things that light a rage in you."
"Well….I tend to not show this but...I did get angry when Poch and Jack were taken from our very eyes...then herring those agents also kidnapped Moxxie and Blitzø was also frustrating...then...they made Poch...depressed again…" Dundy scowled remembering when Poch was first in a depression.
The smoky figure of him started to convulse and change, as if something was trying to free itself from it.
"Hmm...think more on that depression...how much did it anger you seeing him like that again?" The lady asked him.
"I'd rather not…"
"If you wish to grow, you must...you don't have to talk about it, just think on it."
"..." Dundy tight about. The first time they separated with their handlers. How worried Celis was for his brother, how they barely saw him, how Celis told them how bad he looked when he did, his death, Pochs depression and addiction, he thought about all of it and he gritted his teeth as his anger grew. The silhouette made of smoke exploded, startling Dundy. The smoke reformed itself to show a lean bird with spiky hair, red eyes, and metallic like arms. It looked to be filled with anger, steam coming out its mouth. "What is that!?""
"That...is Asura."
"Tha- that can't be Asura! He only has two arms!"
"This is Asura's unsealed form, it is also his first form. While only two armed, he is much more powerful than the three you sprout from your back."
"Really?...why does it look so angry?"
"Because anger is what fuels it. It's what makes it strong. He's named after the god of wrath for a reason."
"So...in order to bring this power out...I must… get angry?"
"More than just angry, you must let out some of that inner rage, let it burn like a hot flame."
"I...I'm unsure about that…"
"I see your fears about letting out anger, but holding back this power can only lead to holding back your team."
"Hmmm…" Dundy seemed lost about it all.
"...perhaps words from one closer can help. One who has raised you with one who has since passed."
"Mother?"
"Yes. She may clear the fog that resides in your mind."
"...that could help."
"See her tomorrow. The sooner the better...also tell your friend I charge for sneaking in my tent."
"Eep!" Jack squealed before squirming off in Dust.
Present.
"That's the gist of it," Jack finished.
"What'd his mom say?" Poch asked.
"Don't know, haven't had a chance to ask. He ate quickly then went to work on rage control."
"Ah."
"So...how was your date yesterday?"
"There was no date," Poch groaned.
"Oh yeah? What'd you do then?"
"We….saw my family."
Everyone looked at him wide eyed with shock.
"Apparently...Celis left some of his consciousness in Klarna to...leave me a message...thanks to Loona I was able to talk to him again one last time...he wanted me to tell you guys...he's sorry...and thanks for everything."
"Celis…" Shelly said under her breath, wanting to tear up.
"Yesterday is when I decided to see them again...and...finally visit Celis's grave...it was...it felt like...a weight on my chest was removed….I owe Loona alot for it though….she was there when she didn't need to be."
"Hey," Loona placed a hand on his shoulder, "I told I'd be there whenever you need me, especially when you cry...you're special to me remember?"
"Yeah I know," he took her hands, "and you can expect the same from me cause you're just as special to me too."
"Thanks...that means a lot." She smiled warmly.
"So do you."
"You already said that dingus," Loona chuckled.
"I know, but I mean it."
They heard a snap shot from Blitzø's phone and remembered they weren't alone. They blushed and turned to see them all smugly grinning.
"Shut up!" They said in unison, letting go of the other.
"Dad, delete that photo!" Loona demanded.
"No way! This ones a keeper! Want a copy, Mox?" Blitzø asked.
"Sure!" Moxxie answered.
"Ugh just don't send it to Stolas, he teases us enough about when he walked in on….uhhh," Poch stopped talking while Loona looked at him wide eyed.
"Walked in on what?" Millie asked.
"N-nothing!"
"Sounds like something."
"Y-you know Millie I think you'd love Ilas! She's a boxer you know!"
"Like Echo's mom?"
"Yeah! Hey Echo, maybe you can teach her a few things!"
"I could," Echo said.
"Yeah so...how bout yall meet the day after the cleansing?"
"That sounds great!" Blitzø said. He walked up to Poch and hugged him. "Glad you were able to see them again, Poch."
"Thanks. You helped too boss, so did you M&M." He smiled and they smiled back.
"So...what movie did you guys watch last night?"
"The Matrix."
"Mugen train." Loona said along with Poch.
"Loona! We agreed on the Matrix!"
"Sorry! But I did wanna see Mugen train!" She said defensively.
"You haven't even watched demon slayer yet!"
"I uh...kinda did."
"Huh?"
"I watched a few episodes last night."
"And you did it without me!"
"Well I had to watch something to get my mind off of you kissing me, so it's your fault!" Loona clamped her hands on her mouth while Poch looked at her with disbelief.
Shelly, Millie, and Blitzø gasped while smiling widely. The boys looked surprised before smirking.
"Poch, you kissed her!?" Millie and Shelly said together.
"It was an accident!"
"Funny, Loony said the same thing when she kissed you!" Blitzø remarked.
"How exactly did this accident go down?" Moxxie asked.
"Well...I hugged her...she said something...then I...accidentally….pushed my lips onto hers," Poch said blushing.
"Ah ok, but how does one accidentally push one's lips onto another's?"
"Yeah Poch, how does that happen? Does it count as an accident when it's your heart telling your body what to do?" Jack teased.
"Do not make me call Shivarna on you!" Poch groaned.
"Who's Shivarna?"
"Oh right. Well I'm at stage two now and well...Shiva and Klarna fused."
"They fused!?" Shred said in amazement.
"Yeah. I can still use them separately but their fused form is my new unique."
"Wow, that must've been a real smooch to see, I mean, sight to see!"
"Ayeee!" Jack gave Shred a high five.
"Ugh!" Poch pinched the bridge of his nose.
"So what are your new kisses, I mean powers?" Echo said.
"Are all of you gonna do a pun!?" Loona exclaimed in annoyance.
"I lip so, I mean think so," Moxxie said.
"Oh my fucking- can we just go to the feilds so I can show you my new powers!" Poch grumbled
"I'd kiss to see that, oh I'm sorry I meant love to see that!" Shelly grined.
"Shelly you Make out that on purpose? Oh wait, I mean, say that on purpose?" Millie asked smugly.
"That one was bad Millie, you really smooched it up there," Blitzø added.
"I'll kissing say, I mean-" Solis joined.
"Are you done!?" Loona and Poch asked in unison.
"I still got a few in me!"
"Shut up, dad!" Loona growled.
"Alright alright, let's go see these new powers," Echo said, having had his fun.
"Hmmm," Dundy stood outside, concentrating. He was trying to get angry but not too angry. There was a smoky silhouette of him with Asura above his mark that he kept his eyes on. He was trying to change it into Asura's unsealed form but if he got too angry, it would explode, something the voodoo lady set up for him. He focused and then its form changed to his unsealed form. Now he tried to maintain that anger, trying to keep its form like it is for a few minutes. "Hrnng...rrrg!" Its form stayed for a few seconds before the smoky figure exploded. "Ah! damnit!"
"Dundy?" Jack called out behind him.
Dundy turned to see the other Exterminators and the I.M.P. crew. "Oh, hello all. Something happen?"
"Nothing much besides Poch giving Loona a kiss last night, he also reached stage two finally."
"Oh they kissed again? That mean their finally-"
"We're not dating, it was an accident!" Poch told him.
"Didn't Loona say the sa-"
"Shut up!" Loona barked.
"Ok ok, jeez."
"So how's your practice going?" Jack asked.
"Less than ideal, but I'm working on it."
"Cool. Poch is gonna show us his new powers and his new shadow demon."
"He got a new one?"
"Yeah," Poch approached Dundy, "its Shiva and Klarna fused together….I also was able to speak to Celis one last time thanks to Klarna...he wanted me to tell you along with the others, sorry and thanks for everything."
"I see," Dundy smiled, "glad to hear from him one last time."
"So Poch is gonna show us his new abilities and shit so we need the field," Jack told him.
"Oh sure." He walked to the benches along with the others.
"Alright kissy man!" Jack got his scythe, "I'll be your sparring partner for this!"
"I'm so glad you are cause I have to kill you for that one!" Poch said, grabbing his daggers.
"Ready when you are!"
Poch threw his dagger at Jack. Jack was about to deflect it when Poch suddenly appeared behind the dagger in a dim red flash before it made contact, grabbing it and spin kicking Jack in the face.
"What!?" Jack shouted as he regained his balance after stumbling to the side from the kick.
"Pretty cool, huh?" Poch smirked, throwing his dagger at him again.
Jack was ready for him to appear. He didn't so he just deflected it, sending it twirling in the air. Poch warped to it, took hold of it, and slammed both down on him. Jack blocked it with his scythe's staff. "A teleporting power!? Way cool!" He sunk into a dust pool and went behind Poch, making some distance. Poch threw one dagger at him and he swiped his scythe out to deflect, ready for him to warp to it, failing to notice the other dagger going below till it was too late. The brown hellhound warped to it and striked down, forcing Jack to jump out. Poch warped to the dagger Jack deflected, which was still spinning in the air, and kicked a ether knife at Jack.
"Wow he's really zipping around!" Millie commented.
"Hm...Millie can I ask you something?" Dundy asked.
"Shoot!"
"Whenever you get angry...what do you do?"
"Well...guess that depends. Like when Striker was attacking Moxxie, I got so mad I was seeing red and stabbing the shit outta him!"
"Heh...you're always so cheerful and yet you can get so terrifying when you're mad…"
"Something bothering you Dundy?" Moxxie asked.
"Well...it's about Asura...as you know, I've been using his sealed form and I have to get angry go use his true first form...but...I," Dundy sighed, "I don't like to be angry...my mother tells me that anger can be a great driving force, like a burning fist to punch the wall that blocks you...she also warned me that those flames can hurt me if not tempered...well I prefer to use something else than risking burning myself and those around me...but if I'm going to help this team then I need to learn to let out my anger."
"Well, what frustrates you?"
"Plenty things frustrate me...my fathers illness… his death...echos family...What happened to Poch...i try to think about those things but they end up being to much for me...I can't risk summoning him with such wrath."
"Well...when you're trying to get mad, are you only thinking about those things?"
"Yes, I try to focus on the rage I felt in one of those moments but every time I do I begin to think of the others, like a chain reaction."
"Have you tried thinking small things and working your way up? Y'know like starting with pet peeves then going to the real frustrating bits?"
"Hm...I could try that."
"Yeah, by the sound of it, you bottle in your anger, that's not healthy, so this could help slowly ease that fury out before ya pop," Millie told him.
"I just don't like getting angry. I've seen my father angry and...it was scary."
"If your father is someone who can kick your mom's ass then yeah, I'd be scared too if he got mad."
"Ye- oh hey Jack's summoned Dust! Pay up sir!" Moxxie smugly said to Blitzø.
"Damnit," Blitzø cursed, getting his wallet.
"Let's rip it up!" He dived into a big pool of Dust, creating two razor wheels that came out of it, rolling to Poch.
Poch smirked and dashed to him.
"Uh, isn't he gonna summon his Shadow Demon?" Blitzø asked.
"Oh don't worry, he will," Loona smirked.
Jack and Poch came closer together, neither stopping. As soon as they were five feet apart, Poch called for him. "Shivarna!"
Shivarna formed from Pochs shadow, grabbing the razor wheels Jack made, grinding them to a halt. He growled before diving his head into Dust and pulling Jack out, throwing him up. Jack was surprised by Shivarna and how Poch called him but was quick to bring Dust to him, forming him into needles to shoot at Poch, however he realised the hellhound wasn't below him.
"Where'd you- Gah!" Jack was cut off by Poch slamming his foot into his back. He fell and Shivarna howled, slamming his bone paw into Jack's face. Jack was sent flying away. He reorinted himself and got back to his feet, firing the needles he made.
Shivarna changes his hands to spear headed shields, two of his ribs becoming a part of it. He covered Poch as the two dashed to Jack, Shivarna deflecting the Dust needles. Sliced down on him, making him form two Dust blades to block while Poch pincered his blades onto Jack, who backed up and slashed his scythe down on him, the hellhound holding him back with his daggers.
"Heh! I'm impressed, Pocho!" Jack said, smiling wildly.
"You ain't seen nothing yet!" Poch smirked back.
"So I've been wondering….how does gothic hound taste?"
"..." Shivarna's arms changed back to claws, getting its ribs back. Its rib bones launched at Jack, slamming into his face and having him trip backwards. He then clamped his rib bones on him and pulled him close, growling in his face.
"Uh...Poch?"
"Oh man, it seems like I lost control of Shivarna," Poch feigned a struggle to pull Shivarna back.
"Dude!?"
"Gee sure hope Dust is strong enough to hold back me and Shivarna."
"Both of you!?"
"Yknow what they say, can't beat em, join em,"
Shivarna cracked his knuckles and raised them up high, about to use them on Jack.
Jack shivered in fear. "...mercy…" he said, getting Dust ready. He got none.
Toket looked at the two training sights in awe. He was at a Dhork facility in an observation room with Two and One. "I'm impressed!" Toket said.
"Like that huh? Once we showed the higher ups the video of demons, they freaked but not as much as the whole humans in demon form thing!" One said.
"They agreed to give our agency the necessary resources to help you Angel's, but this is all secret since they don't wanna spread panic among the agency," Two informed.
"That's fine, the exterminator corps did the same, but seriously this experiment you asked for did wonders one those two! This went better than any expectation!" Toket said, marveling at the destruction done in the rooms before them, a lion-like roar coming from the ends.
"Yeh but they're still in testing...so how bout we move to phase two of testing?" One considered.
"Phase two?"
"It's a...field test," two smirked.
"Go on," Toket said with interest.
End
Next chapter. Improvements
