Chapter 30. Challenges.


Red and black was all that could be seen in the void. The red was chaotically swirling around all of it emanating from one point of the void. Jack looked at that point, peering into its center. There was a hazy figure but he couldn't make out what it was. It didn't look like a person, but he could hear a sound coming from it. It almost sounded like laughter. He tried to walk but there was no ground to walk on. He tried to lean forward but he stayed in place. He attempted to summon Dust or Taurus but his voice couldnt be heard and his words would not come. He looked forward, trying to make out what was seen. He reached forward as if trying to call it. As he reached, his vision began to fade and the sound drowned out, being replaced with the dim sound of rock.


Jack cracked his eyes open as the sound of rock became more prominent. It was his alarm. He turned it off and rose up, thinking back to what he dreamed. "What was that?"


Poch slept, feeling his furry pillow and finding some comfort in its familiar scent. He felt it shuffle and leave but he was too deep asleep to register it but he did whine.

A bumping sound was heard. "Shit!" a feminie voice said almost in silence.

"Hm?" He rose from his slumber, opening his eyes slowly and slightly. In his blurry vision he saw a tail disappear into a hole in his wall. He raised up and rubbed his eyes, looking again. There was nothing there, no hole or tail. "Did I imagine that?" He sniffed the room, only getting his scent and Loonas scent. 'Well...Loona was in here before she left last night so that makes sense.' he shrugged, assuming it was just him.


Jack bumped into Poch while on his way to the kitchen.

"Hey dude." Jack greeted.

"Hey Jack. Surprised that you're up this early," Poch said.

"Well it's my turn to cook so yeah." He headed in and went to the stove.

"You ok?"

"Yeah just...had a weird dream,"

"What was it about?"

"Some...thing in this...void...I couldn't see it but...I think it was laughing? I don't know, I couldn't reach it nor call my demons."

"You heard it laugh?"

"Yeah but I'm sure it wasn't a person, demon, regular, or angel."

"Huh."

"How'd you sleep?"

"Well...I slept good but...this is like the sixth time I've dreamt of this furry pillow and just like the other times it felt real. It even had Loonas smell."

"Ah the symptoms of-"

"Say love and I will kill you."

"...so what ya want?"


"I'm gonna be honest guys, I'm starting to miss the office," Blitzø said in the Lobby.

"Same. I like the base and all but the office is where we first started and where we first met, it's so sentimental," Jack reminisced.

"It's only right I get to see it, being your new employee and all," Shred said.

"When did you get hired?" Poch asked.

"After his first assignment. Was fun taking on those butchers with one hand," Jack said.

"Why did noone tell me?"

"Forgot to."

"Dick."

Octavia entered the lobby. "Hey everyone." She smiled.

"Octavia! How are you?" Dundy greeted.

"I'm good. How's your arm?"

"Much better!" He slowly flexed it, not in a show off way but in a way to show its healing.

"That's good! I've actually come to tell you all something. Dad can't since he's busy."

"What's up?" Shred asked.

"Well he's just been informed that they completed the T-array, whatever that is. Fully tested and everything."

"The T-Arrays are done! No way!" Shelly said excitedly.

"What's the T-Array?" Solis asked.

"Ok, so normally, how we teleport from place to place is through a demons help but that process takes a while as only a few demons with such power have ties to the Corps, plus there's calling it in, pinpointing our location, suitable place for the portal to be placed, and having it connect to where we want. Last time I went to see Gen, I had to wait like an hour." Jack said.

"So is this T-Array something that speeds up the process?"

"Much better! It's our own teleportation service! See how it works is that there's this terminal that one can access to select a waypoint to open a gateway. The downside is, we have to place a marker for it to exactly pinpoint where to open the gate. However that's only if we need a way point! There's these bracelets we get that lets us remotely access the terminals and it can pinpoint instantly and take us to a marker or to someone else!"

"That sounds convenient!" Moxxie said.

"Thing is the terminals are also useful for using communications, connecting to the bestiary, it's even got a map feature!"

"Wow!" Millie said with intrigue.

"We already brought a terminal to your parents place. They're setting it up right now. Dads gonna come by later to set up the way points," Octavia informed.

"Thanks!"

"Now he wants an exterminator to meet him at the I.M.P. office, he's already set up the terminal there, he just needs help with calibration and where to set the way point."

"I'll go! It'll be a quick hop over," Poch volunteered.

"Actually, Loony, do you mind going with him? I need you to check company mail." Blitzø asked.

"Uh, sure." Loona agreed.

"Not a quick hop over," Poch said.

"Oh relax I still got the book,"

"I'm still quicker,"

"Yeah sure you are,"

"Wanna race there then? I'll even give you a two second head start."

"Yeah, I'll pass."

"Oh she's learning."

"Oh shut up," Loona smirked.

"Huh...dads right, they are cute together," Octavia said in a low voice.

"Aren't they?" Dundy whispered back.


Poch was in the main office room waiting for Loona to return as they waited for Stolas.

Loona walked in. "Alright done." She sat next to him.

"Sweet. How many Bill's he got?" Poch asked.

"Eh, not many. He can pay them easily thanks to all the DMB shit he got."

"How much did he, and by that I mean we, make for him?"

Loona tapped on her phone and brought up a screen. "This much." She showed him the screen.

"Wow!"

"Yeah he even got a few gifts, those were sent directly to him though."

"Oh cool. Wonder if he got any panties sent to him."

"What?"

"Believe it or not, Jack and I have literally gotten panties sent to us and a few boxers."

"Did...did you keep them?"

"What? No! Why would I!?"

"To sniff them like a pervert," she smirked.

"I'm no pervert! Besides, why sniff those when I can sniff you for free?" He blushed as soon as he said that.

"What?" Loona also blushed.

"I mean...obviously I like your smell better so...why would I sniff some random demon's smelly undergarments when...I can smell something I actually like, which is...you."

Loona's tail slightly wagged. "Heh...that's some kink."

"I-it's not a kink! It's your fault for having such a good smell!"

"I'm messing with you...besides...I like your smell too."

"Oh...uh...thanks." He smiled

"...still a pervert."

"Oh shut up," he chuckled along with her. "How long till Stolas gets here?"

"I think like ten minutes."

"Hm...yknow now that I think about...I never pinched you."

"Huh?" She looked at him confused.

"Remember how you told everyone about me kissing you?"

"Y-yeah."

"Well I told you I'd pinch your birthmark, remember?

"Oh...right."

"So c'mere, ima get your mole."

"Wha- I don't have a mole!"

"Yes you do."

"I don't!"

"You do! I swear I felt it last time!"

"Where!?"

"In the center!"

"Bullshit!" She got up and pulled his chair back, getting in front of him, pulling her shorts down, and leaned forward, leaning her butt out to him. "Where!?"

"Right….hang on." He grabbed her left thigh and lightly pressed his thumb around her birthmark. She gasped slightly but he didnt pay it much attention, he was trying to find the mole on her birthmark. He went over it three times.

"Can't find it, can ya?"

"Hold on…" he pressed his thumb down harder, going over two more times.

Loona slightly bit her lip. "Poch it's not there. I don't have a mole."

"Huh...guess I imagined it…" he gave it a hard pinch.

"Eep! Hey!"

"I told you I'd get y-"

"Loona? Poch? That you in there?" Stolas's voice came from outside.

"Oh shit!" Poch reached for Loonas pants and so did she, both yanking them up differently causing her to trip back.

"Woah!" Loona fell back and hit the ground. She felt something hot against her rear along with some vibrations. She rose up and saw she was sitting on Poch's face. She flushed red. "S-sorry!"

"Mmph!" Poch yelled, muffled.

"Ah! Stop that!" She tried to get up but her shorts went to her knees so she had to reach up to grab them. Before she could, Stolas walked in.

"Are you two h-" Stolas saw Loona sitting on Pochs face. He smirked. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'll give you some time." He attempted leave.

"W-wait!" Loona tried to get up, quickly leaning off Poch who gave her a small push. She grabbed

Poch gasped for air. "Sorry! Didn't mean to push!"

"N-no that's fine! I didn't mean to-"

"Oh no, that was my fault too, infact sorry I," he turned red, "breathed so hard."

"It's...it's fine."

"Ahem." Stolas coughed.

The two looked at him and quickly got up to straighten themselves up.

"Not one word!" Poch glared.

"Hmhm you two are so cute!" Stolas commented.

"Stolas!"

"Alright alright, now let's get this all set up."

They were led to the meeting room where there was a red object in the corner. It was flat, four feet high with a screen, and a keypad. It was screwed to the floor and the screen was red with the words "Start up" on it. It had a chair in front. On the wall beside it was a magic circle that had smaller circles inside, with some bracelets in front. The bracelets were red with a round sky blue gem at the top. Beside it was a pull out foldable screen.

"Now it's actually a good thing you both came, this makes this easier," Stolas said.

"What do we got to do?" Poch asked.

"You see inside this console is a special gem that...resonates with this ring I guess you can say. This magic circle here is meant to attune itself to said gem so it can track where to open a gate, so it's more like a compass, and if we do it with those bracelets near it, it'll also attune them."

"Alright, what'd you need an exterminator for?"

"Well, this magic is unique. It's a combination of human magic and demon magic so while I can draw it, I can't interact with it."

"Human and demon magic? Wow, I didn't know that was possible."

"It's because of the hell intertwined with your souls that you're able to use demonic magic. Though you've only scraped the barrel of your magic abilities so this will be hard. Fear not, I will help you on this one."

"Ok, what do I do?" Loona asked.

"Hit the start up on it and it'll give us a radar to pinpoint the circle that resonates. Let us know when it gives these exact coordinates. It's gonna use itself as the center." He handed her a slip of paper.

"Ok," She took the slip and sat in front of the terminal.

"Now then Poch, I'm afraid since I can't fully interact with it, you'll have to take the lead."

"Ok. What do I do?" Poch asked.

"First, you must bring out your magic power."

"Like my warp?"

"No no, think of it like focusing your demon shadow energy but not the shadow demon part of it or using enhancements. Like the thing that triggers your warp."

"That triggers it?"

"Yes. How do you use it naturally?"

"Well, I place some sort of mark on the object I'm throwing and when I throw, I trigger it when I want to and there I am."

"That's the magic I'm talking about, the way you place and trigger it, draw that out."

"Ok," Poch closed his eyes and focused. His exterminator symbol appeared and his hands gained a white afterglow.

"Good good, now reach out to the circle and have your magic interact with it."

"Alright." He opened his eyes and reached his hands out to the circle. The circle glowed a blueish white and sparkled.

"Now then, do you feel the mechanisms of the circle?"

"I...I think so...it...feels like...gears?"

"Can you take hold of them?"

"I can try."

"Just think of it as Loonas butt."

"Shut up." Poch tried to grab the gears, not with his hands but with his magic. He felt it take hold and he gave it a twist. The circles within the Magic circle began to move as its axis turned.

"Alright, Loona, start it up!"

"Starting," Loona hit start and the screen said locating.

"Let us know when you get something. Now, Poch, keep turning the gears."

"Which one, There's like two." Poch informed.

"Go with one and if we get nothing then go with the other."

"Ok." He turned the first gear going one way, hopeful to get something.

"Hey, its saying weak signal," Loona informed.

"Ok, stop turning that gear and turn the other," Stolas told Poch.

"Got it!" Poch took hold of the other gear and started turning it.

"It's getting weaker," Loona said.

"Other way," Poch turned the gear the other way.

"Better...getting stronger….stop!"

Poch stopped turning. "Am I good?"

"Go back a little."

"Backing," he turned back some.

"There. It says "signal located"."

"Hit lock on," Stolas turned to Poch, "now you're going to feel something on those gears, like there's another force grabbing it. When you do, press onto the gears and don't let go until that pressure disappears. Keep in mind it will be difficult."

"Ok, ready!" Poch stated. Loona pressed lock on and Poch felt the pressure. He pressed onto the gears, holding tight. The pressure increased but he stayed there.

"Syncing….tuning...halfway there," Loona announced.

"Cmon…." The pressure became intense so his body tensed up in response, still keeping his hold. "Hard to hold but...not nearly as hard as blocking that megablast from that lion."

"You don't have long...and...there!"

Poch felt the pressure disappear and felt relief letting go, along with some fatigue. "Phew...that was kinda tough."

"You did wonderful though! Now it just needs to calibrate." Stolas said. He grabbed a bracelet and handed him it. "Here you go."

"Oh, I'm fine. I already got a means of travel," He patted his daggers.

"It's not just that. It also has a map, a better means to communicate, and it'll help you track the others."

"That does sound helpful...alright." He took the bracelet and placed it on. He pulled out the screen and started registering himself to it. "Name. Poch….hm."

"What?"

"Well...nothing. Rintin….picture," he smiled at the camera and it took his photo, "alright… exterminator soul detected? Please register shadow demons? What?"

"Oh yes that's something for the research files they add to these terminals. Wasn't my idea, but you just need to write your summoning words on the screen, you'll feel a slight tingle though."

"Hm," He wrote Shivarnas words and when he hit enter he felt a big shock and his mark lit up. "Zzzzt!" The shock died down. "That wasn't small!"

"I think that may be because you technically did three at once."

"Huh?"

"Well Shivarna is the combination of both Shiva and Klarna so…"

"I see your point," he continued registering.

"So what now?" Loona asked.

"Well now we set a waypoint at the base, Moxxie and Millies, and yours of course,"

"Does Poch have to do all that?"

"No, I'm going to go to the base and show the others how to do it and have one go to Moxxies and Millies, while Poch goes to your home."

"Wait, why am I going there?" Poch asked.

"Well Loona has to stay here and help with calibration and you can just hop over there, draw the point, and set it up while I show the others how to do it."

"I don't have a key, plus I wouldn't know where they'd want it."

"Can't you just warp in?"

"He's never been further than the front door," Loona explained.

"Oh? Well I guess it's no surprise, more privacy at his home."

"Yea- h-hey! It's not like that!"

"Anyways, I can message Blitzy to meet Poch there and let him in, then he can call you to set up the waypoint since the coordinates will be set to his T-watch."

"T-watch? Creative." Poch rolled his eyes.

"Not my choice, I assure you."


"Come on in!" Blitzø let Poch inside his and Loona's place.

"Huh. Looks cozy," Poch commented.

"Thanks! It's cheap too, but your place is much better so I've heard!"

"Oh yeah, maybe I should invite you next time."

"Really!?"

"Hey yeah!" Poch stopped and looked at the photos atop the desk near the front door. "Heh...nice pics."

"Thanks."

"This your mom?" He pointed at one with a motherly looking imp and child Blitzø.

"Oh, uh y-yeah, that's mom."

"What she like?"

"Sh-she's uh...pretty cool. A-anyway here's where I want you to put the way thingy," he went for the living room.

Poch raised a brow but decided not to pester. He got out the pen Stolas gave him and wrote on the wall Blitzø pointed at.


"Done," Loona told Poch over the phone.

"Phew," Poch relaxed, "What's left?"

"What's left is me getting Mox and Mils done. Jack just arrived."

"Oh he's got your number?"

"Pft no. Millie does."

"Ah makes more sense."

"What are you gonna do?"

"Well Blitzø said he's gonna make shakes so I guess after that I'll head home. What are you gonna do afterwards?"

"Gonna give this thing a try when I'm done and just warp home."

"Guess you'll get a feel of what it's like when I do it with my daggers."

"Heh, I guess, except I tap, you swipe."

"I slash, not swipe. One does not simply swipe a gate."

"Oh don't you meme me."

"Speaking of Lord of the rings, wanna watch it tonight?"

"A three hour long movie about a cursed ring being carried around by midgets….sure but you're making more of that sweet meat."

"Deal. See you then. Also they're Hobbits not Midgets."

"Nerd."

"Oh shut up. See you then."

"See you then." Loona hung up.

Poch put his phone away then headed to the kitchen where Blitzø was adding the finishing touches to the shakes.

"Hope you like Strawberries," Blitzø told him, mixing the last bit.

"Sure do, boss."

"When did Loonie say she'd be home?"

"Not too long, said she had to help Jack set it up at M&Ms, then shed warp home."

"Oh neat. So how do those bracelets work?"

"It's pretty easy. Soon as you get one just register yourself and you got terminal access. Even takes your photo."

"What for?"

"Photo id I guess. Probably for the map."

"Oh ok. Welp," He poured the contents from the pitcher into two large cups and added whipped cream, "Shakes are done."

"Nice, they look good."

Blitzø picked them up and walked towards Poch. "Just wait till you taste-" his foot caught on the leg of one of the chairs and he tripped forward, "-them!" The two cups in his hand flew out of his hands and went forward, its contents spilling and splashing onto Poch, smearing him with whipped cream, staining him with milkshake, and pelting him with minced strawberries. As soon as Blitzø got up he saw the mess he made. "Oh shit!"

"Did you mean to say wear them or taste them?" Poch said, trying to rub one eye free of cream.

"I am so sorry!" He got up and approached the hellhound.

"It's fine, it was an accident, but it's all in my fur." He went for his blue dagger. "I'm gonna need a shower."

Blitzø stopped him. "No no no, this is my fault, so I'm gonna fix this!"

"How?"

"You showere here and I'll wash your clothes."

"Blitzø you really don't have to."

"Are you seriously gonna let me live with this quilt for my entire life?" He gave him sad eyes.

"..." Poch sighed, "Fine." He took of his sheathes and set the on the table along with his wallet, T-watch, and phone. "Where's your shower?"

"Loonys room."

"Course it is."

"Speaking off, there's a hair net in the drain that you need to dump before and after, but don't be weird with it just cause it has Loonys hair in it."

"Why would I- what would I even- Y'know what nevermind. Where should I put my clothes?"

"You can take them off here if you want, unless you're too embarrassed about your size." He smugly smirked.

"My size?...oh...well it's none of your business but my size is fine."

"Then you'd have no problem taking off your clothes here."

Poch felt like he was challenged. "...fine." he started with taking off his jacket first, then his shirt, followed by his pants and boxers, setting them on the table. "You can wash these however but I'd suggest a heavy wash."

"Alright, also hard to tell your size in that sheath."

"Deal with it."

"Heh, anyways," he went and grabbed a wash rag from the drawer, "here's a rag,"

"Thanks. Ima go ahead and wash."

"Kk, I'll bring your clothes to you when they're done."

"Thanks again," he left for Loona's room. He went and looked around. It had some goth and punk rock aesthetics which fit her and there was somethings from Blitzø. On the side of the nightstand was a gundam figure he gave her once along with the plushy he got her which had his shirt sewn on. "Huh...Blitzø sewed it on….I'm in a girls room, inspecting said room, nude….wheres that shower?"


The waypoint glowed and a red gate appeared in front of it. Out came Loona who tapped on her T-watch for the gate to close.

"Dad, I'm home! Poch still here?" She asked. She didn't hear a response but heard the shower going off. "Oh he's probably showering." She went to her room and in front of the bathroom door. She knocked. "Dad, I'm coming in, need to brush."

Poch was in the shower, finishing up by cleaning his ears, so he didn't hear the knock or what Loona said. He was finishing up when he heard the door open. 'Huh. Blitzø is right on time, I'm just about done.' He thought while rinsing his head one last time, shaking off before turning off the water and grabbing a towel, drying off his head first, before exiting the shower. "Blitzø, quick question."

Loona was applying toothpaste to her brush when she heard the shower turn off and the curtains open. She didn't look over because she thought it was her adoptive dad but as soon as she heard Pochs voice she turned that way and as soon as her eyes hit him, her eyes widened, her tail stiffened, her face turned red, and she squeezed the bottle so hard that toothpaste exploded out the tube and splattered in the sink.

"What was in those milkshakes? Cause it was so sticky, I had a hard time getting it out my fur." He rubbed his face. "Hope you set that wash to heavy, cause my clothes are gonna need it. Oh right!" He turned and bent down to reach into the tub, taking out the catcher in the drain. "I don't shed much but still," he dumped the small bit of hair in the trash, "and before you say it, I did nothing wei-" he froze as soon as he saw who was in front of him. It was Loona, who was staring at him with wide eyes and not looking him in the eyes. His face turned bright red. "...hi…

"...hey…."

"...so...ysee...I needed a shower after Blitzø spilled milkshake on me and i… wanted to go home but he insisted I shower here while...he washes my clothes...which I don't see in here so they might not be done yet…."

"O-oh yeah?"

"Yeah….that's why I'm here….naked...with you staring at my junk….uh...lemme fix that." He shyly wrapped the towel around his waist. Loona was still eyeing his crotch. "Um...my eyes are up here."

"Huh, o-oh right!" She looked up at his eyes.

"So uh...you...wouldn't happen to have seen Blitzø and or my clothes?"

She shook her head, "no…"

"Ok...I'm gonna go out and see if I can find him...uh...seeya." He nervously walked past her and out the restroom. He wanted to scream so badly but took a deep breath instead. "Oooooh man…." He went for the door and saw a note. It read "Dear Poch, your clothes are in the dryer. Had to leave to get some groceries. Love Blitzø. P.s. your phone was ringing." "Thanks Blitzø…" he left to find where the dryer was cause he wasn't gonna ask Loona.

Loona dropped everything in her hands, leaned forward on the sink, and looked in the mirror. She saw her reflection but also saw Pochs parts in her mind. She took a deep breath, wanting to scream. "Oh my fucking god…."


Poch soon found the dryer and got dressed. He checked his phone to see he missed a few calls from Albest and received a text from him. The text red -Meet Rex at the base asap!-

"Huh. Hope everything's ok." He was about to cut a gate to the base but stopped for a moment. "...should at least tell her I'm leaving." He made his way to the door and gave it a light knock. "Uh Loona?...I uh….I gotta head out so….see ya," he turned and was about to cut a gate until Loona called out.

"Poch wait!"

"Hm? Y-yeah? What's up?"

"...can you...can you come in for like...two seconds?"

"Um...sure." He grabbed the doorknob and opened the door. When he stepped and looked in his eyes felt like they were gonna pop out, his tail straightened, and he felt his body freeze up like a popsicle.

Loona stood in front of him, bent down, shorts and panties down, her ass facing him, and her hand spreading out one of her butt cheeks, giving him a full view of her nude rear. she was looking back and blushing madly, making sure he was looking. "There...n-now we're even!" She pulled her pants up a bit slowly, covering her rear before walking to her bathroom.

Poch had that image burned in his mind, feeling his brain overheat, processing what just happened and if he was dreaming.


Poch came to the front of the base, still shocked by what Loona did. He quickly shook out of it when he saw Rex near the front.

"Rex?" Poch greeted the Veteran Exterminator.

"Hm?" Rex turned his way. "O-oh, hello Poch."

"Thought you'd be inside."

"Well I wanted to wait out here for when you got back. I thought you'd go inside and then when you did I would have brought you all out."

"Oh, I'll get the others." He was gonna head inside but he was stopped by Rex.

"W-Wait…"

"Uh, something wrong?"

"Um...How….how are you?"

"Oh...well I'm ok I guess...still trying to process something that happened earlier."

"Oh? What happened?"

"Nothing! Nothing!"

"Ok?...Well at least you're doing ok….um...can I...ask you something?"

"Sure."

"I hear that this...Shivarna is a fusion of your brother's shadow demon and yours."

"Yeah he is. He's my new unique."

"I see...I also heard that Klarna or rather Shivarna now, Possesses some of Celis's soul. That true?"

"Yes. With it he basically has his own consciousness in a sense."

"Does he also…."

"Also what?"

"...Nothing...could I perhaps...see him?"

"Uh...sure. Shi-" Shivarna came out on his own, "Woah! Ok I Guess he knew he was gonna get called."

Shivarna walked up to Rex, leaned forward and looked him straight in the eyes.

"Um...Shivarna?"

He didn't respond and kept his eyes on Rex. Next few seconds later he moves closer and embraces him in a hug, surprising the two Exterminators.

"I...did not expect that."

"..." Rex slowly returned the hug.

"Or that." Poch said with some surprise.

They stayed that way for a few seconds before Shivarna dismissed. Rex looked to where he was before turning around.

"Rex?"

"Go ahead and get the others. I need to get the gate ready."

"Oh. Ok, but are you alright?"

"I'm fine, just...go."

"Alright," He walked in the base.

"...you always did have a good eye….Ralsin."


Rex had called in a gate and taken the exterminators through it, Solis also being allowed to come because of Shelly asking with puppy eyes. They were at the entrance of a cave, standing at said entrance was a red demon with antlers in a suit, holding a microphone, with red dial like eyes.

"What took ya?" The demon said in a radio-like voice.

"Sorry Alastor," Rex told him.

"It's fine, you can make it up to me later."

"Whos this?" Jack asked.

"Oh, where are my manners?" He bowed, "I am Alastar, young exterminators! I'm an overlord!"

"Wait, Alastar as in the Radio Demon?"

"I'm sometimes called that, yes."

"Oh shit! Didn't expect the corps to know such a famous demon!"

"Well I am one of these beneficiaries."

"Hold on, don't you work at some hotel?" Solis asked.

"I do but more on the side, as I find the exterminators much more entertaining."

"I feel honored knowing that!" Shred said.

"Now with greetings out of the way, let us continue with our findings!" Alastor said, turning to the entrance of the cave.

"Findings?" Dundy asked.

"Yes. There's a reason we asked for you all specifically and had Alastor join us. Would've asked Stolas but he was busy," Rex said.

"Lucky me!" Alastor said.

"Is something wrong?"

"Not specifically, it's just something that's related to you. You see, some of our Exterminators work in a mining company and one of their workers reported something that called for our attention and the erasure of the memories of those who found it."

"Whatd they find?" Shred asked. As they came close to the large opening at the end. Everyone's Mark's began to glow and they felt a reaction. "The hell?"

"Jack, calm down," Echo said.

"Why do yall always assume it's me!?" Jack said.

"It's none of you...or rather...it's all of you, at least partly," Rex told them. They looked at him confused. "You'll see, come on in."

They looked amongst each other, curious what they'd find. They entered into a large dome shaped room. The top looked to be carved out in some unnatural way and the ground was smooth. But that wasn't what shocked them. What shocked them was what resided in the room. An assortment of statues of angelic beings, all with some sort of weapon and armor set, fighting, standing on some misshapen earthly pedestals each with a different elevation, with a glowing crusader mark on the back of their right hands.

"C-crusaders!?" Poch and the others reached for their weapons.

"Calm down. While yes they are crusaders, they seem to be frozen into statues," Rex said, calming them enough to sheath their weapons. "They're unresponsive, and unable to move, it seems."

"There's so many," Jack commented.

"How did they recruit so many in such a short time?" Dundy asked.

"The better question is, why are they stone?" Solis questioned.

"Good questions to have, but not the reason we brought you!" Alastor said, "follow us!"

They lead them to the center of the room, passing by more statues.

Poch noticed something. "...What are they fighting?"

"Hm? What do ya mean?" Jack asked.

"Notice how there's some space in front of them? It's as if what, or whoever they're fighting just disappeared."

"Maybe they were humans?"

"They look way too intense to be fighting humans. They're fighting something that's at least equal in power," Dundy observed.

"Exterminators maybe?" Shred wondered.

"Could be, but where are they then? Why aren't they stone?"

"There are some Exterminators here alright," Rex mentioned.

"Really? Where?" Shelly asked.

"You'll see."

As they got closer to the center they noticed a small orb in an open space on the ground. It was opaque and white with a book inside of it. The book was tan brown with thick covers and corners. The center had two rings on it with a large bold V in its center.

"What's that?" Poch asked.

"No clue! It's got some protection on it, locking it away, any forceful entry and the book burns. I've been trying to dispel it but I have a feeling it would allow you all access," The radio demon smirked.

"Why do you say that?" Jack questioned.

"That does." He pointed to the side.

Once their eyes laid on what he pointed at, they were given a mixed feeling of shock and confusion. Alastor had pointed at a certain group in the middle of the crusaders also fighting enemies that weren't there.

"What!?" Jack exclaimed.

"No…" Dundy nearly whispered.

"That...this can't be right…" Shelly was confused.

"How's that possible?" Poch wondered, bewildered.

"That's… that can't be us!"

Shred said.

The group that was pointed at was Poch, Jack, Dundy, Echo, Shelly, and Shred. However something was different about them. They came closer to inspect themselves.

Poch was wielding a katana in one hand and a shurikens in the other, the patterns on it looking like his chaos blade. He swung the katana to the side he was currently leaning. His combat brace also looked different, having a pointed tip stick out the bottom.

Jack's left arm was morphing at the ends, his fingers turning into chains with bladed tips. The unchanged part of his arm had some odd chain like marks going across it. His scythe was also different, the blade having teeth like markings, a smaller blade on the back, and its pole was different. He was smiling sadistically, about to swing his morphing arm.

Dundy had on two large gauntlets that covered his whole forearms and were bigger than them. The top of them had a crested shield with cerberus marks. He rammed his fist into someone that wasn't in front of him anymore.

Shelly's left gun barrel was spiraling inward, the tip looking like a pistol while the end looked like the barrel of a shotgun, both being square like. She also had on boots with what looked like slim ice skates. She was sliding on those skates while shooting behind with her right gun looking like a shotgun.

Echo's gun had his sword compacted and inserted on the top on its side, going a bit in the barrel. On his left arm was a grapple hook. He had his left arm yanked back as if he had just pulled someone back.

Shreds claws were at least half a foot long and razor sharp, two small nozzles on the side of each blade. Attached to the tip of his tail was a brace with a spike at the end. He was on the air about to maul someone.

"This can't be us," Jack said. The Mark's on each of their petrified hands were glowing.

"The Mark's are glowing though," Shred mentions.

"So? Doesn't mean it's us."

"Hey...anyone else getting a weird feeling from...well us?" Shelly asked.

As Poch got closer, he could feel something acting up inside him, and hear a familiar sound. "Shivarna?" He said in a non summoning way. He looked to his shadow, seeing a dim silhouette of his shadow demon around him. "...Shivarna!" Shivarn appeared before him but as he was, a shadow stretched out from the other his feet, another Shivarna appearing. "Whoa!" The other Shivarna stood there, slumped forward, asleep. "The hell?"

"Two Shivarna's!?" Shred exclaimed.

"The other one is attached to the statuted Poch," Echo said, "hm…" he wrote for Familia. "Familia!" The totem form of his shadow demon came and so did one from his statue but that one was barely upright, threatening to fall.

"The hell!?" Shred wrote for Ripper. "Ripper!" Two rippers appeared, the other one having dim eyes and on its knees as if it's been shut down.

"Le-Armes!" Shelly wrote and called for her shadow demon, another Le-Armes appeared but floated in the air tilted and close to the ground.

"Dust!" Jack had written and summoned for his next, the other Dust blanketing the ground.

"Asura!" Asura's arms came from him but his other self produced an unsealed Asura.

"SQUAAAAAL!" He screeched, beating its chest and swinging around. It slammed down its fist and Dundy quickly dismissed his, making the other one fade away as well.

"Well... that was a close one," Dundy smiled weakly, wiping the sweat off his brow.

"Way too close. Why does the true Asura come out and not the sealed on?" Jack asked.

"Why did any of our demons come out of these statues? Also why do they look so...asleep?"

"Hahahahaha!" I knew this would be interesting to watch! Any ideas what's going on, my masked fellow?" Alastor asked Rex.

"Hm...I think it's some sort of resonance," Rex theorized.

"Resonance?"

"Normally, a shadow demon has only one master, with some exceptions," He glanced at Poch, "and while resonating can share abilities it doesn't share control of shadow demons. However I doubt the same could be said when resonating with one's own self."

"Go on,"

"The shadow demons were summoned along with their other selves, but they seem unresponsive, as if in sleep mode. I think the only reason they came was cause it felt like they were called by their owners. The sleep mode is likely due to them being statues which is akin to being asleep or unconscious. When an exterminator is unconscious, their shadow demons, unless given orders otherwise which is a stage four power, go into a dormant state, unable to do anything."

"Orders?"

"Giving a shadow demon a directive to say the least, putting them on autopilot. Like Jack's imp parade but that's more so the power of his vision which is a specialty of his Shadow Demon."

"Then why'd Asura go nuts?" Echo asked.

"Because you were unable to control him and his rage at that moment. This pseudo resonance to your own selves seems to only serve for summoning your other shadow demons, nothing else."

"So...these statues…are us?" Poch said.

"That's nuts," Jack stated.

"Yeah...hm?"

"What's up?" Shred asked.

"I just noticed I'm wearing a ring."

"Hey I am too!" Shelly said.

"I'm not," Jack said.

"Neither am I. In fact," Echo looked at the other, "It's only you two."

"Wonder why."

"I'm more curious on why we're stone." Dundy brought up.

"You...you guys think this is a future us?" Shelly asked.

"What do you mean?" Shred asked.

"Think about it. Poch has Shivarna, who he got recently, and these weapons are no doubt better than our current ones, so this has got to be some future us."

"I think Shellys right," Poch agreed.

"You can't be serious," Jack said.

"Got a better explanation?"

"Nope but...if this is a future us then why are we, or they, here?"

"Maybe that book can tell us," Rex mentioned, "It was obviously left here for a reason."

"Alright then," Poch walked to the orb that held the book, "Lets see." He pressed his hand on the barrier and it dispatched in a split second. "It worked!"

"Thought so! Knew i felt some connection to you when I tried to dispel it!" Alistor mentioned.

"Let me see it." Rex asked. Poch handed him the book and he opened it. He flipped through the pages. "...It's blank. Nothing fi-" before he could finish the front of the book shined and so did a few of itf front pages. "Oh hello," he went to the beginning and started to read. "To the one who reads this, and I hope it's the Exterminators we met, my name is Lizel. I am an angel from the unknown period."

"The unknown period!? Unbelievable!" Alastor said with some glee.

"Unknown period?" Jack asked.

"There's a period in human history that's unrecorded and forgotten, a blank slate in the timeline, as if it were erased. No records, artifacts, remains, barely anything can be found or heard about in that time period. Here's the thing, during that time, not even Angels or Demons were allowed in the human world!"

"Woah, really?"

"When was this period?" Dundy asked.

"It was about 1000 years ago and it lasted for four years!"

"Really? How come this is the first we've heard of it?"

"Actually I think I heard my mom talk about it once before. The reason it's not talked alot about is cause of how much of an enigma it is. That or people just stopped caring," Shelly told them.

"To have a written record from that time period, and from an angel mo less, is intriguing to say the least! What else does it say?" Alastor asked.

"It says, if you are reading this, then you have found one of the sealing grounds, and hopefully the ones with those with white marks on their hands and not red,"

Jack groaned. "Oh great more crusader bu-"

"And I don't mean exterminators, for they are the good guys."

"What?"

"I hope you are an exterminator and or the seven we met during the war, but I have a fear that the other book may already be in bad hands."

"Other book?" Poch questioned.

"I placed a spell on this book to at least help in case it did. New entries shall be added after a set amount of time has passed, each time different. Now then, allow me to tell you about the unknown period, or as we like to call it, the war between the Saviors and the Ravagers."

"War?"

"Sadly that's where the first entry ends," Rex closed the book, "and before you ask, we will keep you updated on new entries."

"Thank you! I must admit, my interest is piqued with this war!" Alastor said.

"I'm curious too, especially with our involvement, the sealing grounds, and whatever the hell Saviors or Ravengers are," Poch said.

"Yeah...my head hurts, we done? Cause I wanna go home," Jack asked.

"Yes, I think we're good here," Rex told them.

"Millies gonna flip when she hears about this! Oh wait, are we allowed to talk to others about this?" Shelly wondered.

"Just as long as it's not the other exterminators, I trust the I.M.P. crew to keep secrets, especially sense they kept it secret about us being humans."

"Sweet!"

"Guess I can tell Loona tonight…" He blushed remembering her flashing him.

"Oh yeah. Boss texted me earlier asking if anything happened while he was gone cause apparently Loona was acting a bit weird when he got home," Jack said.

"Uhhhhh no….nothing weird at all happened! Nope! Just...friends being friends!"

"Uh huh…" Jack wasn't convinced.


Loona walked into Pochs place through a gate.

"Hey," Poch smiled nervously.

"H-hey...how's it going?"

"Good...I'm finishing up the sweet meat...wanna join me in the kitchen and I'll tell you what I got called in for?"

"Sure."


"So it was a future you?" Loona asked, standing on the opposite side of Poch in the kitchen while Shivarna was mixing up the sauce before he could mix it with the meat.

"That's what we're thinking," Poch said, on his phone.

"What are you looking for?"

"Anything on the unknown period, wondering if what little was left could hint on something. Lizels book said there was a war and I did find some speculations on that due to some markings found in certain areas, but they're only theories. There's hardly any remnants at all, no diaries, nothing...it's so weird."

"Not even demons were allowed out to the human world so it's too big not to have anything on it...maybe there's some demon records on it?"

"Maybe. I'll ask Stolas later," Poch kept looking and Shivarna took off his hat.

"Done," Shivarna said.

"Thanks," Shivarna dismissed, "...still not used to him being able to talk."

"It is...uncanny," Loona admitted.

"Anyways, food is done. Go ahead and get some."

"Nice!" She went to the tray and took a plate, adding some of it on. "So what's the difference between a hobbit and a dwarf?"

"Well, dwarves are harrier and live longer for one. Two," his eyes went forward, gazing up on Loona as she had her back against him, "they live longer, are...sturdier," his eyes stopped on her butt, thinking about her flashing him and the times he's touched her birthmark, "...rounder...softer….funner to touch," Poch turned red, 'What am I saying!?' He looked up higher and froze, seeing her glance back at him with a small tint in her cheeks. "Uhhh...s-sorry," he looked away.

"Its...its ok...should be used to you staring at my ass,"

"Heh...yeah I guess...especially earlier when you...yknow…"

She blushed harder. "Y-yeah, that...I mean...it's only fair since I stared at your...um...rod."

"Well...it's not like you had too...It didn't...didn't bother me that you saw...well it did but...not like that."

"It bothered me, I mean," she felt like she insulted him and turned to face him, "not like your size is bad! It's actually really impressive!" She mentally facepalmed, cringing at her words.

"Uh...thanks...still you didn't have to do that...not that I didn't like it," Now Poch mentally facepalmed.

"Oh um...thanks...I mean you've seen my butt so often I'd be shocked if you didn't."

"Hah, yeah...see your butt more than I see your tits, says alot about me," that was a mental face punch with a cringe.

"Y-yeah...d-...do you want to?"

"Huh?"

"I mean...I saw all of you so...I only showed one part of me so...I guess it's only fair to...show you my tits." She was nervously avoiding eye contact.

"What!? N-no, really, it's fine, besides wouldn't that be embarrassing? Not saying they're embarrassing just saying showing them off like that is embarrassing."

"...not if it's you."

"Huh?"

"If it's you it's...it's a lot less...embarrassing."

"R...really?"

"Yeah...I dont...i didnt feel embarrassed earlier and I don't now cause...I'm showing myself to you and...that makes it alot more comfortable...because...its you."

"Because... it's me?" Poch was taken by surprise, wondering what exactly she meant by that.

"Yeah...because it's you...so," She grabbed the bottom of her top and lifted it and her bra up, blushing shyly, "here….now we're even."

Poch felt his face heat up. "Uh y-yep! We are!"

"Great," She pulled her shirt back down, "Let's...go watch that movie." She took her plate and left for the living room.

"R-Right…" As he went to join her he couldn't help but think back on what she said.

They watched the first movie, Poch being somewhat absent minded, still thinking about what she meant by it being him, with a little bit of imagery of her nude self, which led to a question that he was unsure of how to ask. It got late when the movie ended and she left for him while he headed to bed with that question burning in his mind.


Jack was in the void again, the same one with the unknown figure in the center, emanating the chaotic red that currently swirled around him. Like last time, he couldn't move from his spot, talk, nor summon his shadow demons. He looked around, thinking there has to be something he can do. That's when he noticed the red swirling around looked as though it may not be a part of the void and is much closer than he thought. He reached out and grabbed hold of a few strands, feeling a jolt run up his body and to his brain. He saw images, each a different view of a single area. It looked to be an open field but it was near a warehouse with a faded tag on the side that looked like a succubi. The image was practically burned into his mind.


"Gah!" Jack shot up from his bed, panting. He still had the images burned on his mind and for some reason his symbol was glowing, its shine fading. "The hell…I gotta find that place."


Faded visions of an old imp in a shroud, holding a large staff with a jewel in it, and a veil covering his face invaded Pochs mind as he slept. The veil and the shoulders of the shroud had a circle on it with the bottom quarter missing with another one in the middle. He was whispering something but Poch could only hear feminine grunts as he squeezed a soft orb. He grunted and kept squeezing, hoping that maybe it'll help him hear the imp. He faded away as Poch rose from his slumber.

"Mmm, what was that?" He said as he cracked his eyes open. For some reason he felt an odd sensation from the dream, it felt the same as his daggers when he opened a gate. 'I couldn't hear anything...just these grunts...was it a girl?...and what was that orb? It felt so soft.' He squeezed again.

"Mmph," a soft moan came from in front.

"Hm?" His vision started to focus along with his sense of smell. He smelled Loonas scent as he felt the familiar furry pillow again, except this time he felt something soft in his hands, the same soft thing he felt while dreaming. He squeezed again.

"Hnm,"

'What the-?' He looked up and saw Loonas face, smiling while biting her lips. 'Oh. It's Loona. She's in my bed with me,' he looked down and saw why she was groaning. His left hand was squeezing her right breast. 'And my hands on her tits….loonas in my bed, my hands are on her tits.' He paused for a moment, looking at her face. Reality slowly sunk in and his eyes began to widen along with it. 'Loonas in my bed, my hands are on her tits, Loonas in my bed, my hands are on her tits, LOONA IS IN MY BED MY HANDS ARE ON HER TITS! REMOVE THEM DUMBASS!' He quickly pulled his hands back of her chest. He realised how close she was and that her arms were around him and his around her waist. 'What's she doing here!? When did she get in!? How'd she get in!? Wait….was that furry pillow I've been feeling this past week...was that her!?' He asked himself on his mind. 'Ok ok, calm down Poch! First things first, get out of her grip.' He pulled back, sliding his arm off only for her grip to tighten and pull him closer to her, his head getting closer to her chest. 'Ok. Plan B.' "Shivarna!" He whispered.

Shivarna appeared off the bed and behind Loona. He looked down on them. "...cute."

Poch felt a vein pop. "Just get her off me!"

Shivarna reached for her arms and gently attempted to pry them off.

"GRRR!" Loona grit her teeth and growled.

Shivarna and Poch looked at her nervously. Shrivarna pulled her arms.

Loona barked, bit at his arm, and pulled Poch into her, shoving his face in her breast while keeping a tight grip. Shivarna looked at Poch, shrugged and dismissed himself.

"Welp. That failed." He looked up at her the best he could. "What do I do?...Should I wake her?...Should I...go back to sleep?...I mean….i'm kinda comfy and...her smells so...comforting….and I am tired….guess," He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her, "I could just bring it up in the morning…" he took a deep breath of her scent and fell to sleep.


Poch felt Loona get up and rub his face. He cracked his eye open a little so she wouldn't notice and watched as she used the grimoire to open a gate back home and leave. He got up and looked where she left. 'Should I say something?...How long has she been doing this?...Is that why I've been sleeping so well?...Why?...Maybe cause its her,' Poch laid back, 'Because its her?...what does that mean?...What does she mean to me?...What kind of special is she?' Poch closed his eyes, going to sleep.


Poch entered the radio room with his gate. He sighed and spotted Jack at one of the desks with the flying cameras used to monitor them during the Cleansings.

"Jack, what are you doing?" Poch asked, approaching the imp.

"Hey dude," Jack was scrolling through images on google, "I'm just trying to find something for the cameras to search for."

Poch looked on the screen and saw that he was scrolling through images of succubus logos. "You trying to find a porn house?"

"No no not this time."

"This time?"

"Yeah, Millie and Shelly wanted to have some girl fun at a some lesbian strip club, so I searched and found one for them. This was like weeks ago."

"Who's idea was that?"

"Believe it or not, Moxxie's."

"Huh…"

"Anyways. I'm not looking for that right now. I'm trying to find some tag on a building I haven't seen in real life yet. I feel like it's on this ring."

"Seen in real life? What's that supposed to-"

Poch was cut off by womanly screams, plates crashing, and Stolas panic panting. The two exterminators looked back and saw Stolas come through one of his portals in a robe.

"GET BACK HERE Y-" someone yelled from the other side before Stolas closed the portal.

"Phew." Stolas breathed in relief.

"Uh...hey Stolas," Jack greeted.

"Hm?" He turned to see Jack and Poch. "Oh hello!" He straightened up his robe.

"What was that all about?"

"Oh, um, well...Stella is...a bit ticked off when she found out about….certain expenses."

"A bit ticked?" Poch rose a brow.

"She seemed pissed," Jack observed.

"She may have compared how much I spent on this and Blitzy compared to...well...her," Stolas smiled nervously.

"You forget an anniversary gift?"

"No no it's about a certain ceremonial thing. I believe it was with other ro-"

"Dad!" Octavia rushed up into the radio room.

"Otavia? What are you doing here?"

"Mom forced me to use the T-array!"

"She's here!?"

"Stolaaaaaas!" A yell could be heard from below.

"Oh no," Dread hit his face.

"You have to hide!" Octavia told him.

"Where!? If I make a portal She'll sense it!...unless," He looked at Poch.

"What?" The hellhound looked confused.

"I need you to make a gate with your chaos blade!"

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Stella is sensitive to spatial changes and if you make a gate with your chaos blade she'll confuse it for mine when I make my portal to get out of here," Stolas grabbed Poch's shoulders, "Please! You're my only hope!"

"O-ok ok!" Poch grabbed his daggers and formed his sword of chaos. As soon as he did he felt himself go into a trance. The imp he saw from his dream appeared before him, much clearer but still not well heard. "...what?"

"Im….for you," The imp said, with some of its words being unheard.

"For...me?...what for-?"

"Poch!" Stolas shook the exterminator out of it.

"Huh!?"

"Hurry!"

"Oh right!" He cut a gate and Stolas opened his, quickly hoping through it.

"Good bye!" Stolas said as he closed the gate.

"Uh, by-"

Stella slammed open the door and stomped in. "Stolas!" She saw the rift in front of Poch and moved forward.

"Uh, hi the-"

Stella pushed him out the way. "Move it! I know he's through here!" She tried to go in but failed, hitting against it. "What the-!?" She pressed against it, not able to go through. She glared at Poch. "Let me through!"

"I uh, I can't."

"Why not!?" She said, getting angrier.

"Well…because-"

"Because you gotta wield that blade to use it," Jack said.

"In that case, hand it over!" Stella demanded.

Poch was gonna speak but Jack did so for him.

"As if he'd just give it to you. You aren't worthy to even hold it." The imp smirked.

"What was that!?" Stella looked towards Jack.

"You heard me. Don't believe me? Try it, I dare ya."

Stella scowled at him before looking at Poch. "Gimme that!" She reached for the sword.

"W-wait!" Poch tried to stop her but it was too late.

"GRZZZZ!" She was electrocuted by its chaotic energy. She stumbled back, nearly falling down.

Jack busted out in laughter while Poch separated his weapon, sheathing his daggers.

"Told you you weren't worthy!" Jack laughed.

Stella growled and glared at Jack. "You better watch your mouth! I am royalty, you know!"

"Really? You're royalty?"

"Yes!"

"Then why don't you act royal?"

"Excuse me!?"

"Royalty is supposed to act elegant aren't they? But here you are being so…. inelegant."

"You," Stella stomped forward, "better watch your mouth before I burn you into a crisp and tear you up to feed to the dogs!"

"Wow, so uncivilized and borish. You act more punk than royal."

"What was that!?"

"You heard me. Bet you like punk rock but your daddy told you it wasn't royal like so you just shelved it away, in fact those clothes don't even suit you."

"My clothes are fine! They're part of royal fashion!"

"And as we established, royalty is elegant, you aint elegant. You try to act it but c'mon, Tia got her style inspired from someone, even though hers is more Gothic hip hop."

"Gothic what?" Octavia questioned.

"She got that rebellious, disgusting, shameful taste from her father!" Stella shouted.

"Stolas is nothing like that. Why you so mad? Is it cause I'm right and you dont wanna admit that this lowly imps got your number? Ya punk rock pigeon in princess clothes!"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY!?"

"Should we break this up?" Poch asked.

"You wanna try?" Octavia offered.

"Im...im good."

"What happened earlier by the way? When you formed your blade you looked hypnotised."

"I...I saw someone...some imp...he said something about me but i didnt ca-" The cleansing sirens blared.

"Oh shit! An early one!?" Jack exclaimed.

"Meet me outside!" Poch got his comm link, cut a gate, and hopped through.

"Coming!" Jack faced Stella, "By Punk rock pigeon!" He Dust dived and left.

"I am not a pigeon!" Stella yelled out.


Jack met Poch at the front of the base. A few heavenly gates had opened.

"Where the others at?" Jack asked.

"Shells with Millie, Dundy and Echo were in the market, and Shreds at Mils folks place with Blitzø, Solis, and Loona."

"Where's Mox?"

"Over here!" Moxxie ran up to them, panting.

"Great to see ya dude! Get the truck so you can pick up Millie and Shel!"

"Uh guys?" Poch spoke, "What is that?" He pointed at the seven black and white orbs with a ridge going around its middle that came out the gates. There were seven gates and one orb came from each.

"The hell?"

"What are those?" Moxxie asked.

One of the orbs flew to them and aimed its ridge down at them. A white light gathered at its center and a beam was shot. Jack grabbed Moxxie and jumped out the way while Poch jumped the other way.

"Moxxie, get in!" Jack told the imp.

"Going!" Mox ran for it inside the base.

More beams fired on Jack, the exterminator jumping away from and deflecting the shots.

Poch cut a gate that led above the orb, jumping through and downward striking it. The orb swiftly moved out the way, firing a beam at Poch, who blocked with his daggers. A light shined beside him. "Hm?" He looked to see another orb had come to him, firing a blast at him. Shivarna came and used his arms to block, the force of it sending them both down. He dismissed before hitting the ground and Poch landed on his feet. It charged up a beam and Poch got ready to block. Four different strands of light spread around him, landing on the ground. Poch looked at them expecting them to close in on him or something but they remained there. A thin light veil closed between its gaps, making a barrier, trapping him inside. "Hah!" Ppch smirked, "Like this all hold- hm!?" He heard a slice behind him and felt an odd sensation. He looked back and saw one of the Cleansing gates open behind him.

"WOLOOO!" A stone face boss jumped out and slammed his fist on Poch, missing as the Exterminator jumped back.

Poch got on the comms. "Jack! They put me in some barrier and now I'm fighting a Stone Face!"

"You too!?" Jack responded.

"It's not just you guys!" Moxxie called on the comms.

"Mox?"

"Those orb things went to the others and trapped them in some barrier too, and then a Stone Face came! Plus, Millie's trapped with Shelly and she can't seem to get out!"


Millie grunted as she striked the barrier with her knife, not even scratching it. "Shelly I don't think I can break this!"

"I'll try later! Right now I gotta take this bitch down!" Shelly said, writing for Juggernaut. "Stay close! Juggernaut!" She summoned Juggernaut and got him ready to launch.


"Shred!" Blitzø yelled out from the house, watching Shred start his fight with the boss.

"Yeah?" Shred called back.

"Need me to get Poch for back up? I'm sure he can warp to ya!"

"Nah, I got this!"


"Echo! Bet I beat mine first!" Dundy challenged his friend in the separate barrier. He had just summoned Asura.

"How much?" Echo asked, reading his gun.

"Twenty!"

"Make it thirty five!"

"Deal!"

The two charged at their enemy.


"It's ok Mox! Shelly can take care of Millie!" Jack reassured, slamming his scythe into the side of the Stone face he fought.

"That's not what I'm worried about! The seventh orb that came out is coming to the base!" Moxxie reported.

"Oh shit! How long!?"

"Uh...a few minutes I guess!"

"If it's like the other orbs it may surround the base and bring out a boss! Poch, you're gonna have to be quick with your boss and warp over there!"

"I could just go now but then they might let this thing loose. Alright, I'll be quick!" Poch said.

"Should I call Stolas? He could at least hold back what's coming!" Moxxie suggested.

"I-"

"Pah! Who needs that embarrassment when you have a proper royal right here!" Stella boastly claimed.

"Um, no offense you're highness but you'd barely be able to do anything to an angel, let alone a boss."

"Watch your mouth! You assume me to be weak!?"

"N-no of course not! It's just that we demons have tried to fight the angels and-"

"Just sit tight, pigeon, we don't need to be going to save your ass!" Jack said.

"Why you- I am not a pigeon! I am more than capable of handling such beasts!" Stella yelled.

"And you'll be more than capable of getting your ass handed to ya!"

"You dare assume I'd fall to those ruffians!?"

"Yes, how dare I assume facts!"

"That's it! When I'm done with that beast, you're next!" She stormed off.

"Jack, look what you did!" Moxxie and Poch said in unison.

"Me!?" Jack felt teamed on.


"Ugh, guess I'll hurry then and take this thing down! Didn't want to do this but, Shivarna!" Poch formed his chaos blade. Luckily he didn't get a vision this time. He threw his blade up. Shivarna caught it and threw it at the boss. Poch warped to it as soon as got to its face and kicked his brace on it, digging the tip into the skin of its forehead and pushing it back. It roared and swung its fist at him, Shivarna coming and clawing it down as Poch grabbed his sword with his hands and tried to push it in deeper. It opened its mouth and shot its tongue tendrils at him. He pulled out his sword and spin slashed downward, cutting the tongues before swinging at its ankle.

The Stone face triped forward. Poch thrusted his sword at its forehead with Shivarna adding to it with a palm thrust. It went in deeper, large cracks forming. It shrieked and swung at them. Poch loaded a knife while Shivarna grabbed the fist, sliding on the ground before digging his feet in to stop. He growled before lifting it up and spinning around. After a few twists he howled and threw it to the wall. Poch kicked his dagger above it and had Shivarna warp to its head, punching and clawing at it before slamming it down.

Poch raised his bladder foot back, charging up chaos energy, about to strike when suddenly, the barrier gained a shade of black. "What the-!?" He stopped charging and looked around, expecting something to happen. The stone face crashed in front of him and brought his attention back to it. He kicked in a forward arc slashing its head with a chaos slash. Due to lack of energy, the cut wasn't deep enough but left a long gash in it. Poch had to separate to his daggers. The Stone Face swung its arm at him.

Poch wrote for Chomper. "Chomper!" He bit the shadow demon's teeth onto its arm, yanking back and pulling it closer. "Klarna!" Klarna came and drove his sword into the gash, stabbing its brain and killing it. It went limp and fell, both demons dismissing as the barrier returned to its original color. "Alright. Time to-"

"AAAAAH!" Stella yelled in pain.

Poch looked at the origin, seeing Moxxie and Stella in a barrier with a Stone Face near the base, Stella was just launched by the Angel boss who had small bits of flames on it. "Shit!" He cut a portal that led to them but the portal started to warp before disappearing. "What the-!?" He tried again but no luck, he got the same results. He cut a gate to the outside instead and it worked, allowing him to hop out. Once he did the orb turned to him and attempted to trap him again. He quickly threw his dagger at it in an attempt to warp but it shot it off course. He warped to it anyway and cut through a portal to behind it, slicing it but missing and getting blasted, landing sloppily on his feet. "Dammit! Jack, are you done!?"

"Been done! But this barrier is hard to break!" Jack said, an armless dead Stone face behind him. He was digging his scythe into the barrier, trying to cut through but progress was slow.

"Ugh, these things are two swift for me to handle especially since I can't fly like you with Dust," he loaded a few daggers, "I'm gonna try-" Klarna appeared before him, "huh?"

Klarna wrote Shiva's letters and looked to Poch, pushing the letters to him.

"You...want me to call him?"

Klarna nodded.

"Ok? Shiva!" Shiva appeared.

Klarna moved his arms up to the side, Shiva gathering up above Poch.

"Wait what!?"

He crossed his arms and Shiva embedded itself into Poch's back, near his shoulders.

"Ouch!" He felt a sting as Shiva sunk deep into his muscles. It became a pair of large bone wings with lots of holes. "What the-?" He came off the ground a bit and floated back. "Whoah!" He tried to adjust the wings and ended up flying forward, going up higher. "Ah!" He landed, almost tripping.

"Dude! You can fly!?" Jack said, astonished.

"I-I think so with these wings."

"How!?"

Stella screamed again reminding him of their problem.

"Ask later!" Poch said, about to try and fly and get out the new barrier.

"Wait!" Jack stopped.

"What!?"

"Lean forward and spread to go forward, lean back to stop, close to dive, twist to turn, and only flap in a slow rhythm! I'll teach you more later but get me first!"

"Ok!" Poch knelt down. He could feel wind gather around him, spiraling and twisting around his form as he raised his wings. He looked up and jumped, flying up with great speed. He cut a gate and flew through to the front of the orb, attacking it. It moved and tried to blast him. He flapped and went higher, twisting his body to reorient himself, spinning too much and abruptly stopping, quickly diving to dodge another beam. He opened his wings and flew up, twisting his body around to maneuver. It was difficult but he was adjusting. He formed his blade and stabbed at the orb leaning back before stabbing, knowing the orb would dodge, he did a quick spin and slashed it in half with a bladed kick. "Woah!" Poch stopped in the air, balancing himself.

"Nice dude! Now get me!" Jack yelled.

"Coming!" Poch threw his sword at the orb, planning to warp halfway but his warp didn't activate. "Huh!?" He flew forward as quickly as he could to grab his sword. "Why'd my warp not work? Worry later!" He flapped up and sliced at it, it dodged but he expected it, having cut a portal. "Klarna!" Klarna stabbed his sword through the gate, managing to get the orb right in its middle. He sliced to the side, destroying it. Klarna dismissed before he fell. "Sweet!"

"Poch!" Jack flew up with Dust wings. "Follow my lead, we got a pigeon to save!" He flew off, Poch following.


Stella tried to rise from her feet. She scowled at the beast in front of her. When she first approached it with Moxxie trying to stop her, she attacked it with the hottest spells she knew, attacking it with black flaming spears, and a giant black sphere of it. She thought it was dead, but as soon as she turned her back, she was knocked away. She rised again, Moxxie telling her that she can't do this, only serving to irritate her further. She ignored his constant pleas and kept fighting, barely even scratching it, constantly getting knocked back. Right now she has a few broken bones and could barely stand. Something else was deeply wounded as she saw the Stone Face casually approach her and Moxxie.

"Your highness, are you ok?" Moxxie asked.

"Why…" She grit her teeth, "Why is it still standing!? It should be dead with all the fire I burned it with! So how does it stand!?" Stella said with anger.

"I told you! Only an exterminator can kill it! We need to get out of here!" Moxxie looked as the boss came closer. "You gotta open a portal!"

"I can't! Even if I could, I refuse to accept defeat from this thing!"

"Oh crumbs…" Moxxie backed away, hitting the wall. His back was against the barrier and the angel raised its fist. He closed his eyes, bracing for impact before he fell back.

"Ragh!" Jack slammed his gargoyle claws onto the Stone faces head, knocking it on its face, only having one arm changed.

"Hyah!" Poch flew down, spinning forward, cutting it down its middle with a chaos slash, the feedback shocking his legs, hurting it alot. "Fuck!" He separated the blade and stood on one leg.

"Guys!" Moxxie cried out in joy.

"Hey Mox! Two for two on close calls huh?" Jack said.

"Yeah, this brings back memories," Poch said.

"It does, doesn't it," Moxxie chuckled.

Stella looked at them, seeing as they easily defeated the Stone Face, something she couldn't even scratch. It wounded something even further in her. She got up, starting to walk away.

"Hey, you ok?" Moxxie asked, coming to her.

"I'm fine!" She told him.

"Leave the pigeon alone, Mox, it's obvious she doesn't want more help," Jack said.

Stella grit her teeth. "I'm going home…" She hobbled off.

"Cmon Poch, let's get the others out!"

"Oh, right!"

The two flew off to free the others as the cleansing came to an end.


"Eh, pardon me for asking Toket," Agent One said in an office room with Two and Toket, "but I didn't see any chaos there. In Fact your...whatever they're called, got destroyed."

"Yeah, why didn't we send in the modified ones?" Two asked.

"Tsk tsk tsk, my dear One and Two, were you not watching when the Soul barrier turned black?"

"Yeah, we could see some sort of collars on their bodies. Why?"

"What color were the exterminators?"

"White with some red around and stranded in it," One answered.

"And our angels?"

"White with Blue surrounding and intertwining with it."

"And the demons?"

"Red," Two answered.

"Good. Now let me ask you something," Toket leaned forward in his chair. "What color is your soul?"

"Our souls?"

"Yes. What color do you think it is?"

"Uh...green?"

"I hope mine's purple," One stated.

Toket shook his head. "Cute, but no. It's white. All human souls are white. Demon souls are red and angels are blue. Why? because it represents the natures of chaos, hell, and heaven."

"I see...wait so those colors-"

"Were there souls?" Two finished.

"Bravo!" Toket clapped.

"But I don't understand, why show that?"

"Because, as demons watched them fight after scurrying to the safety of their homes, they'll see that color and wonder, what does it mean, and why do the Exterminators have white with a surrounding of red while the demons are pure red? And do you know who will figure it out the quickest?"

"Uh...No." One admitted.

"The ones with knowledge of souls. That is the seed that will grow into social chaos for our exterminator friends."


End.

Next chapter. Ozzies part one. Tears part one.