This next major arc is a callback to my 2nd Gameverse story, ANCESTOR, starring a collection of demonic crossovers. I won't reveal their crossover origins, yet, it's more fun for people to recognize them first. Either way, this story is sure to be leagues better than ANCESTOR.

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Kids Next Door mission…

Operation:
D.E.S.C.E.N.D.A.N.T.

Demonic
Entity
Seeks
Chris's
Essence
Nether
Days
Are
Never
Terrific

Loading transmission…

"Until 50 years ago, the Underworld was ruled by King Malladus. As we all know, Malladus was betrayed by his own descendants, and the Uno Family has relinquished their royalty. But, Malladus's essence still thrives within those descendants. And if one were to consume that essence… his power would be theirs."

Not all Demon Lords saw eye-to-eye, and it was rare to find a meeting with all in attendance. However, a certain four wouldn't turn down an invite from this influential demon. Hulking and red, the demon at the head seat more many horns around his frame, his eyes and mouth an inferno. "And I think my latest deed has shown that I am a capable vessel."

"Yes, I think we got the gist of that when you started this topic, you naughty cannibal." teased a thin, red demon with crab claws, a goatee, and a puffy pink hair. His voice was echoey and effeminate. "Then I suppose you have big plans for this year's Day of the Demon?"

"This just in, Lord Diablo's plotting an invasion of the Mortal World!" announced a red-clothed, white-skinned demon with a big grin; he spoke in a radio-like voice. "How will his big plans crash and burn? Find out this November!"

"Your remarks are unwanted, Alastor! But your assistance will be demanded. The Sacred Trees and the mortals who inhabit them will hinder our takeover of the Earth… and hinder my efforts to consume Malladus's chi. We cannot underestimate them: even Dracula's vampires lost to those children."

"Only thanks to those puny spirit operatives." shrugged a towering, slim, shadowed demon with flaming eyelashes and beard. "Sure, they're bound to bother us again, but my power can easily be rid of them."

"Yeah, but if you throw too many people to the future, it might as well become the new present." Alastor said. "What kids like is a nice radio show to melt their little minds! A nice broadcast is what they need to simmer them down!"

"Pfft, no kid listens to radio, anymore, smart guy." A skull-headed demon with dark fur rolled his eyes. "We should've swapped you out with the YouTube Demon. That's what kids really want."

"The line between the Mortal and Underworlds will be waned." The effeminate demon followed. "Perhaps the issue is not confronting them on their turf, but luring the children into OUR domains. In which case, nothing draws kids like colorful cakes and candies, mmhmhmhm. And that may be the solution to Diablo's quest as well."

"The Uno Family has multiple current descendants." The shadow demon said. "But only one branch received Malladus's power, right?"

"Very astute, Aku; of course, everyone knows that."

"Fuck you, HIM."

"Hey, tall dark and ugly, cursing is MY thing." Alastor remarked. "They don't even do that in your reboot!"

"I've been stuck in a Mexican volcano for eons, I'll curse if I damn want to!"

"Keep bickering and I'll curse ALL of you!" Diablo thundered.

"Look, I see where we're going with this." The furry demon said. "We're gonna try to lure the current Uno descendants into the Underworld, so D-Man can suck them dry. But it'll take a while to absorb Malladus from just one of them, let alone… How many are there?"

"By my accounts, two of them hold the will of Malladus." HIM answered. "Regardless if others were born with firebending."

"Yeah, but you know they're not gonna make it easy on us. I know Diablo's powered up after mooching off his brothers, but are we really sure we'll be enough? It's not just the KND; the Divine Angels and not to mention the Demon King will be all over our asses. Don't we have more Lords we can recruit?"

"Sure sucks that Black Doom and Trigon aren't available!" Alastor said cheerily. "What happened to them again? Oh yeah, they had kids and lost their immortality! 'Guess that's a good reason to stay a virgin, not that I would know!"

"I have a way to keep the faux king indisposed. As for the descendants… there are only two we need, and one of them is but a child. Consuming her will be easy, and with the amount of power I'll gain, consuming the parent will be less of a hassle. It shouldn't take more convincing than that for the other Demon Lords to acknowledge my power. We will rectify Malladus's failures… We will restore the Underworld to its true glory."

"If I may, Lord Diablo," HIM grinned, "could I speak to you in private? I may have some intel that might interest you."

"Whatchu talking about, HIM?" the furry asked.

"Nothing that concerns you, Mr. Clawthorne. Wouldn't want to spoil the surprise~"

"Like HIM's plans ever worked, anyway." Aku smiled haughtily, hands rested behind his head. "Remember those Superbian girls he used to mess with? They ruined his games every time! Now I, on the other hand, threw a powerful samurai into the 'future,' and he STILL hasn't found a way back! HAKUKUKUKU!"

"Well, if my plan doesn't work, feel free to step in, Aku. But don't be jealous if it DOES." HIM's voice turned darker and sinister for a moment.

Basement of a mansion

Rich folk betted good money to watch "poor" people beat the daylights out of each other. The underground tournament was barbaric and undignified, but it was a good excuse for strong people to exercise and make some money. The nobles kept their distance from the intense semifinal match: Luisa, a muscular tan-skinned woman in a white top and purple dress, exchanged fists with Darkshine, a bald, darker-skinned, and far more muscular man.

"DARKSHINE WINS!" bellowed the announcer amidst the boos and cheers. Darkshine helped a dismayed Luisa off the ground before clearing the stage. "Our next semifinal: Himcules vs. Christina!"

Himcules was a tanned, orange man with a muscular bod completely visible under his black toga, stamped with an "H," and his huge chin highlighted his smirk. Compared to him and every other big-bodied brute in the basement… his opponent was quite small. She was an 11-year-old girl, short blonde hair with a light-red ribbon, a blue T-shirt with black shorts, and bandages around her bare feet. "Ya lasted longer than I woulda thought for a tyke." Himcules said. "But don't think I'll go easy on you."

"It would've sucked if you didn't." Christina smirked, her fiery eyes narrowed.

The bell dinged as Himcules threw the first punch, smashing Chris's nose with no consideration for her age. She landed on her rear, tasting the blood that leaked from her nose. "…Really? That's all you can do?"

Angered, Himcules stomped her in the stomach, Chris forcing out a few coughs. "Well, thanks for clearing my lungs out! You work at a massage parlor, big guy?" He socked her in the jaw several times. "Yo, at least make me lose a tooth! Get me that Tooth Fairy cash! Me, you're weak! Hah, I know nerds who are tougher than you!"

"Stop! Mocking! ME!" Each hit grew weaker than the last: Chris refused to admit pain and only grew cockier with each weakened hit. "No… my muscles! MY STRENGTH!"

The nobles were in awe as the hulking Himcules shrank into a scrawny, pale dork. "Unbelievable! What an astounding turn of events! Himcules was reduced to this… but how?!"

"Heh, can't say I expected that." Christina stood back up, still a few inches shorter than her foe. "You take steroids or something?"

"I'm not giving my secret to some girl!"

"Want me to purple nurple you instead?!" Chris clenched the right nipple.

"GYAH, okay, okay! I have a Quirk that makes me stronger when I make people yell out in pain! But it goes away when my victims don't cry!"

"So, it's a superpower that revolves around bullying? Pfft, even I think that's low."

"Well, it's the only thing I was born with! It ain't my fault hero schools wouldn't accept it! Not that I expect a girl to understand."

With that comment, Christina squashed him like the overgrown worm he was. "Maybe you should build up your own muscle before ripping off others… Wimpcules."

"And with that, Christina moves to the final round!"

"WOO! This is why we need child labor!"

"Can we hire her for security?!"

"Hold your job applications, good sirs and ma'ams! We've still got one last battle to decide the champion! It's Christina… versus… DARKSHINE!"

The small and feisty child growled viciously at the huge, toned adult. He may have looked intimidating to a normal person, but Chris would crush him like the others. When the fight began, Chris went straight for the chest: Darkshine reclined for a moment before smacking her to the side. "Tch…tougher than the last guy, that's for sure." She went for his thick legs, but Darkshine's foot intercepted hers and spun it back, afterwards sending her flying with a kick to the hip. Growling with greater ferocity, Christina charged at the giant—

A blonde man with jeans, a matching jacket, and red headband blocked her fist. "Christina, you'd better have a DAMN good explanation for this!"

"DAD?! The heck are you doing here?!"

"A little piggy told me."

"Damn it, Silica, I can't trust you for jack!" Her best friend heard about this party from her mother, who herself refused to attend.

"Now, come on, we're going home."

"At least let me finish the fight!"

"Sir, I'm sorry about any-" Before Darkshine could finish, Mr. Uno banished him to the back wall with a forceful punch.

"There. Fight over. Let's go." The father dragged Christina through the crowd of protesting nobles.

The child was still struggling by the time they made it to the car, the night dreary and dead. "Dad, what the hell's your problem?! We go on missions and risk our lives all the time, but I can't go to a stupid tournament?"

"Silica said this wasn't a mission, it's a silly rich people game that kids don't belong in. What did you have to gain by proving yourself better than a couple of brutes?"

"Actually, Dad, some of them were Superbians with strength-type powers. Me and that Luisa chick kinda hit it off-"

"Christina, if you wanted some training, you can spar with me, your mom, or your friends, but you will NOT go to some shady underground cockfight! And for Solaris' sake, where are your sandals?!"

"I went without 'em! Puttin' stress on your feet builds up good heat, don't ya think? I mean, I stepped on some glass-"

"Get in the damn car."

The drive home was silent and tense. Christina held no visible regret for her actions, merely kicked back with the air of a careless adolescent. "Christina, there's something I need to warn you about. I couldn't really find a better time between all the crazy missions you've been getting, but… you remember the story of how your grandpa beat Malladus, right?"

"What about it?"

"Well, that story happened during the Day of the Demon; a period of time when the barrier between the Mortal and Underworld weakens, and demons basically get to have a run of the place. It's supposed to happen again this year… in a couple days, in fact."

"O…kay?" The daughter felt a tinge of worry. "Hold on, shouldn't that have been on Halloween? I thought Nightmares and demons power up then."

"Hey, I didn't invent it, it's just how it is. Anyway, it's possible that some bad demons will take advantage of it. In which case, we might have another crisis on our hands. But that's not the only thing… you know who I have inside of me, don't you?"

"Y…yeah? …HU!" She huffed a deep gasp. "Is Malladus going to awaken inside me?! Am I gonna get possessed by him?"

"Er…I dunno." His daughter sounded a little more hyped than she should be. "But we think it could involve us either way. So, your mom and I were thinking we should leave the planet for a while. Go to Hyrule or somethin'. Actually, no, that's a hotspot for demons, too…"

"Okay, you know your parents are paranoid when they talk about leaving the planet."

"You occasionally go to other pla-"

"Yeah, on MISSIONS, not to run away like a coward! If demons are gonna invade Earth or Malladus invades my body, I gotta stay and fight, right? Ain't this the kinda shit we trained for?"

"I know, but…ugh, I figured you'd want a break after the last few incidents. You sounded pretty cranky after you got home from that pirate race."

"Well just 'cause I had a hard time there don't mean I'm gonna run away from every frickin' battle!" Christina responded in a rushed manner. "And if this is the 'Day of Demons,' maybe this might be my chance for some power-ups!"

"Christina, I really think you need a break from missions, period. Too many hard missions in a row isn't good for your mental health, let alone your physical."

"Yah, but it's what we do. And if demons invade us, they're gonna need strong kids, right?"

"Sigh…"

Maddy Uno waited at the doorstep, watching as her husband and daughter pulled in to the driveway. Both stepped out of the car together, but Christina had a different direction in mind. "Chris, where are you going?" the father asked.

"I wanna stay at the treehouse tonight."

"Tina, come back!" Maddy followed at a half-fast pace. "We've barely had time to spend together!"

"I gotta tell my friends about Demon Day, don't I?"

"Yeah, but… Chris, you didn't say anything to upset her, did you?"

"Hey, I went easy on her! And she went to a frickin' cockfight!"

"She went to watch roosters fight each other?"

"No, she fought with half-naked muscular dudes, I don't know what it's fricking called! Christina, wait!" Chris rushed after her, lightly putting a hand to her shoulder. "Look, Chris… how about we go fishing tomorrow? Even if you think you're up for a demon crisis, I think a little stress-reliever is what you need before that."

"I don't feel like fishin'…"

"Please, honey?" Maddy joined in. "We've been worried about you lately. If there's anything bothering you, you should talk to us about it."

"I mean, I'm mad that I got ripped away from my final match before I had a chance to win."

"Christina, I think you only went to that fight for the sake of satisfaction." Chris stated. "You had a bad experience on the pirate race, so you wanted to feel strong-"

"Fine, fine, you wanna train me, let's fuckin' train right now!"

"Watch your mouth!"

"YOU CUSS, TOO, HYPOCRITE!"

"ENOUGH!" Maddy shouted. "Tina, we already made you dinner, and we don't want it to go to waste. You can eat it in your room if you want."

"Fine." Christina stomped into the house. "But if I get drugged to sleep, you're gonna have child services on your ass. Oh, wait, that's me! 'Cause I'm in KND. Riiiiight."

The parents hesitated to reenter the house right away, as if wanting to give her time to head up to her room without getting in her way. "I know it's true, but you didn't have to call her out on it." Maddy said.

"Why not? She needed to hear it out loud if she's gonna reflect on it."

"Well, we could've approached it more calmly first."

"Maddy, some of those nobles could've tried to trap her, did she even consider that?"

"I know, I know, but I think she only did this as an excuse to vent some anger and she didn't feel comfortable talking with anyone. Now that she's home, let's give her some quiet time and try again later. …And make sure she doesn't try to run away."

"Damn right. If she wants to crash at the treehouse, we better make sure she goes there."

Gilligan House

Haylee Gilligan crafted her own three-layer wooden house upon a cliff overlooking the Virginian Forest. It was a relaxing place to raise her son and provided good air for their planes. Ralph would always ride a plane on his way to school or the treehouse and back. Ralph's room had lots of model planes and scrap pieces, as well as a balcony where his biplane was parked. "Nighty-night, Joaquin!" Ralph cheered, donned in light-blue pajamas with a large plane on the belly. "Think we can make it a whole two days without missions?"

"Joaquin!" responded the brown and blue, goggle-eyed eel, ready to sleep in a charging station.

"I don't either! But can't let those villains catch us with eyecrust. Sleep tight."

Ralph liked to leave his window open and sleep to a cool breeze. Joaquin enjoyed this little pleasure, too… especially now. His goggles shining red, Joaquin made sure his owner was sound asleep before soaring out the window. He crossed the sky alongside a pink cloud, from which HIM emerged. "Poor Professor Whale didn't realize I already planted my own little seeds inside you .I.E.s. So, let's go fishing, my little portal plant. The early fish catches the worm, after all… or in this case, the early demon gets the early brat."

…

Christina made a mess of her clothes and floor by the time she finished her dinner, but didn't feel like bringing the plate down to the kitchen. Instead, she changed into her nightgown, chewing and popping some gum as she lazily flipped through her phone. Popup ads occasionally flashed news about the recent deeds of a certain Animal King, prompting Chris to accidentally puff her gum with fire and burst it, making her room even messier. "…Hey, just learned a new technique."

"Quin…quin…quin…"

"Huh?" Chris looked to her window. A familiar eel-spirit was flipping outside it. Chris opened her window. "Joaquin? What's up, little dude?"

"Joaqui-Joaqui…Joaquin." He used his tail to point at the forest.

"Is… Ralph trying to call me to his place?"

"Joaquuuiiii…"

"Why can't he just call? Why send you to do it?"

"Ssssss! Joaqui, Joaqui!" He made a hushing noise.

"He doesn't want my parents to catch on?" Did Ralph somehow know she just had a fight with her folks? "Whatever, fine by me. Let's go." She quietly climbed out and dropped to the ground, discretely following the spirit to the forest.

"Chris, she just climbed out the window." Maddy promptly told her husband. "And I sense her following a smaller presence."

"What?! Where's she goin'?"

Maddy used Haki to trace her aura, "To… the forest?"

"The hell is she going that way for?!" The parents rushed outside as Maddy guided Chris in the right direction. They could faintly see Christina jumping the fences of other homes.

"Hold on, that looks like Ralph's eel thingy." Maddy observed. "Ralph lives in the forest… Maybe she's going to meet with him?"

"Still should make sure she gets there safely." Chris proceeded to follow.

"I'll call Haylee and ask if she knows anything."

…

Christina had only her hand torch to help guide her through the dark woods; Joaquin didn't give off enough light to highlight the surfaces around them. "Isn't there a dirt road that leads to Ralph's house? Shouldn't we be on that? …?" A pinkish glow in the distance caught her gaze. Joaquin seemed to head to it. "You called me for this?" Her curiosity peeking, Chris jogged toward the glow. It appeared to be a hot spring with pink bubbles. "It's… a bubble bath?" The walk through the prickly forest didn't help her aching soles, so she decided to soak them. "Feels nice, at least… Hold on a fricking minute! Luring to a bubble bath is something husbands and wives do! Does that mean… IS RALPH GOING TO CONFESS TO ME?!"

"JOAQUIN?!" Even the spirit was confused to hear this.

"I KNEW IT! Fat dorks like him ALWAYS fall for cute, tough chicks like me! No wonder he always buys me chilidogs! And I could swear I catch him glancing at me…sigh, well he sure made a hell of a spring." She submerged up to her head. "Ah, should've taken these pajamas off. Whatever…"

"Joaquuuiiiin…" The spirit swirled in the spring like a vortex.

"Hey, I thought you couldn't be in water…?" The bubbles began to intensify. "Whoa, take it easy. I feel like I'm gonna dro—OOOWWWN!"

She was slurped into the spring like a toilet, sinking into a bubbly realm. She tried to swim "upward," but couldn't tell if she was changing direction at all. "HUFF!" She gasped above the surface of an actual bathtub. It was set on a tiled floor surrounded by an ocean of bathwater, a red sky above her. Chris was too stunned by the change of scenery to even question it… her only guess is that she had fallen asleep and was in a dream now. But if she was still awake, Joaquin must have led her here for a reason. "…Now that I think about it, Joaquin's eyes aren't usually red. Somethin's up here…" Did this have anything to do with the Day of Demons? A part of her knew she should try to go back home… but another part wanted to see why she was led here. "Alright, demons. You want me, come and get me." (Play "Beat the Heat" from Hat in Time!)

Stage 1: Washroom Rift

Mission: Fall right into his trap~

Christina climbed out of the tub and crossed the tiled floor. Giant bars of soap were available to help Chris jump across the sea… but why would she need those when she could jump swim across? "YIKES!" The answer came in the form of frigid cold water. Christina ignited herself for warmth and decided to accept the bars' help. Naturally, they were slippery, so she was careful in further jumping. Christina reached some stairs at the base of a giant sink. As she climbed up, she felt the air grow increasingly colder, her firebending waning as the cold worsened. She scrambled to reach and enter the sink via an opening, seeing a drizzle of water pouring from the faucet. To Chris's relief, it was warm water, ridding herself of the cold. A large scrubber lay slanted along the side of the sink, with handles available for Chris to climb out.

Beyond the sink was a field of active shower faucets, and Chris could feel the chill from them. While carefully maneuvering around the showers, she was slightly adored by the sentient rubber ducks waddling around. A couple of them were coming to greet her—"OW!" they nipped her with sharp teeth. Chris reactively kicked them away. A series of showers were scrolling left-and-right, Chris judging the best time to run past them, but she wound up stung by some cold droplets. Luckily, she saw steam emanating from a lone shower, soaking in its warmth. She would then have to cross a pathway of drains, from which showers would pop out of random ones and attempt to chill her. She was compelled to rush to the end, but she noticed steam coming from the blockade showers to the side. She realized it was a secret path she could cut through, and beyond it was a cage containing a yellow, flame-shaped soul with cute white eyes.

Chris freed the spirit and returned to the main road, exiting the shower field. What awaited was a worse field with larger rubber ducks, their quacks rasped and monstrous. Their rubbery exteriors withstood Christina's fists, but her actual firebending roasted them to a brownish hue. She had just taken down three of them by the time she remembered the weakness imposed over this realm, her bending faltering. She ran from the other pursuing ducks and was able to take shelter in a secluded warm shower. She roasted the other ducks upon exiting the shower, but as she surveyed the upcoming region, the next warm bath appeared to be far out of reach.

To Chris's curiosity, a small bar of soap was lain on the floor. "…You can't be serious." she said as she deduced what the soap was intended for. She planted her right foot on it and used the left to kick the floor and ski around with surprising, slippery speed. Chris maneuvered around other ducks and skied toward a shore, needing to leap off her soap and use the momentum to jump across larger soaps floating on the sea. She landed on a shore and could ski on a new soap bar, maneuvering along a narrow road with numerous turns. When the road became straight, horizontal showers would suddenly rise from the sides, threatening to chill her faster. Chris would either need to jump and land back on the soap, or duck the higher ones.

Chris landed in a pool of hot water, sighing in relief. She needed to dive and swim through a pipe, exiting into a greater pool… where a flock of big monster ducks floated on top. So long as she stayed underwater, the ducks wouldn't bother her, but limited air was an issue. There were four ducks surrounding a cage on the surface, each rotating in place. Chris waited until all were turned away before resurfacing, quickly breaking the cage and diving back under. Chris swam toward a pipe that would carry her up and pour her onto a high platform. Chris then needed to jump some giant turning faucets and land on a soap dispenser. She jumped and Ground Pounded the soap repeatedly, pumping soap into the pool of ducks. Bubbles swelled dramatically and began to rise, lifting Christina to the sky.

The bubbles were as sturdy as Island Clouds, Chris patient as she observed the upcoming platform. "WHOA!" She realized the ducks were emerging from the bubbles, aiming to gnash her, but they had trouble moving through the bubbles. Chris was able to survive their ambushes long enough for the bubbles to stop at a ladder, which Chris climbed to the platform. There was a single tub where a red, goateed demon was bathing, a rubber duck clutched in his crab-claw. (End song.)

"Mr. Quackers, doesn't this seem a bit familiar? I could swear this isn't the only time a blonde, ribboned, and brutish girl barged into my abode unannounced. …Hm?" The echoey, effeminate-voiced demon put the nonliving duck close to his ear. "Now that you mention it, she IS like a fusion of the Powerpuff Girls! This is a funny twist of fate, wouldn't you say?"

"Who the hell are you?" Christina asked.

"Oh, just a humble old demon enjoying a bath in his sea-size washroom. I assume you were entranced by the fragrant scent of my bubbles and chose to take a dip."

"No, I was just following… HEY! You did something to Joaquin, didn't you?!" It clicked as to why the spirit's eyes were miscolored. "What about Ralph?! You better not've hurt him!"

"Now, now, that boy is sleeping like a bear. You're the one we wanted to see, my dear." HIM turned to her eerily. "The child who carries a piece of Malladus inside her…" He slowly rose from the bubbles, looming closer toward Christina. "I can smell him in you…"

Boss fight: him

"AAAAHH!" HIM was immediately doused with a wave of fire, Chris unleashing a constant force even as he retreated back into the bath. "BAH!" HIM emerged and used a barrier of bubbles to protect himself. "The Royal Flame hasn't lost its touch, it seems. But the fire is still lukewarm. Little girls shouldn't be up past their bedtime. She'll be easy pickings, My Lord…"

The sea behind HIM bubbled, steaming with an intense temperature. Chris restrained her fire, anxious as the chill in the air worsened. No, the air had actually gotten warmer… only her nerves had run cold, for reasons she couldn't determine. Then, he emerged: a red, spiked, titanic demon. His fiery features peered down at the small child, ravenous in his laughter. "Diodiodiodiodio! I didn't think it would be this simple… but we've secured the Uno child all by her lonesome. Hold still for a moment, child…"

No, I didn't mean HIM. The boss is him.

The demon reached for Christina, who unleashed her element with greater ferocity and fear. It wasn't enough to compel Diablo to recall the hand, so Chris evaded his grasp and jumped on the arm, running up in hopes attacking the head would do better. "ZZZZZT!" Electricity coursed along Diablo's muscles, stunning Chris in place. She could do nothing as Diablo seized her in his other hand. Her efforts to squirm, push, or burn free were in vain as Diablo's mouth loomed for the bite. Her helplessness grew with Diablo's incoming, fiery throat. "URAAAAAAHHHH!" Diablo's cry of pain blew Christina like a hurricane, but his grip on her released.

The sapphire-flamed hand of Christina's father dug into Diablo's skull with the force of a dragon. Chris twisted it and kicked Diablo into the sea. "TINA, COME ON!" He immediately took his daughter's hand upon landing and blasted across the bathwater. A giant crab-claw emerged from the water and snared both: HIM had become a giant, his long black boots like thin towers.

"Well, I anticipated such an anomaly, but at least we have both fish in the same pond!"

"This is the Underworld, isn't it?! I thought the gaps weren't supposed to open 'til the Day of the Demon!"

"Winter doesn't reach its coldest in one night. It begins with a little cold and escalates over the season. The Day of Demons works the same way! And it helps that I implanted a little 'portal magic' inside that eel."

Christopher pushed them free, grabbed the claw, and spun it so fast that it twisted all the way up HIM's arm, the demon rasping out. "AAAAAAHHHH!" When the sea suddenly electrified, HIM lit up like a skylight. "DIABLO! I'M STILL HERE, YOU DOLT! You're not even hurting them!"

The father and child stayed afloat above the surface via the former's rockets, resuming their escape. "I wonder if Joaquin was working for this thing all along…"

"You shouldn't have left the house, Christina!"

"I thought Ralph was calling me to his house! And THEN I thought he was trying to woo me!"

"And this is exactly what I was worried about! …Ugh, the portal we came through is down there." He saw the pink glow of the bathtub far beneath the surface. "Here goes nothing!" Chris ripped off his headband, unveiling an eye on his forehead. The eye looked like a tattooed decoration, but was a natural part of his skin. With a huff of breath, Chris fired an invisible beam into the sea, splitting it into a great gap. Chris and Tina dove for the portal, but Diablo's tail tried to say otherwise. It ripped the sea in a horizontal slash, but even as Chris was swallowed up in its rotation, he made sure to throw his daughter downward.

Christina stopped herself with an ignition and faced upward. She could see Diablo clearly through the ripped sea, and her father as he punched the tail off himself and blasted a Combustion Beam at Diablo's head. Diablo suffered the pain and dove headfirst at Chris, who grabbed him at the teeth and pushed back with incredible strength. "HURRY, CHRISTINA! He can probably close the portal any time he wants to! Get out of here!"

"I can help fight-"

"YOU'VE DONE ENOUGH FIGHTING TONIGHT! Now, go the fuck home before this bastard has a chance to make a MEAL out of you!"

"WHY DON'T YOU FUCKING COME, TOO?!"

"'Cause someone has to stick around and kill his ass or he'll just come back for more! NOW, GET… OUT!"

Christina just wanted to avoid her dad for the rest of the night, and his mood hadn't gotten any better. She wanted to leave and avoid him even longer… but she feared this would be the last time she saw him. He wouldn't have a chance to calm down or go fishing with her… "HUH?!" A chain pierced from the tub and wrapped around her. "AAAH!" She was yanked right inside.

"Christina?!"

"Something pulled her back through! But what?!"

"I smell a little divine interference at work." HIM hissed. "I could've closed the gate sooner if SOMEONE hadn't zapped me!"

"CLOSE IT NOW, you fool! At least I'll be eating the bigger fish tonight!"

Mortal World

"AAH-!" Christina plopped back onto solid ground, the bubbles fading and the spring drying.

"CHRISTINA!" Maddy pulled her daughter into a hug.

"What the FRICK is goin' on?!" Ralph gawked.

"Yeah, what the heck was that?!" asked Haylee.

"And… where's your dad?!" Maddy asked.

"He…h-he's still in there!" Christina looked into the dry spring. "There were these demons, and giant ducks, and…and…?" She felt around herself. "Who pulled me out?! This chain came up and yanked me outta there!"

"Chain? I didn't see any…" The Uno mother looked rightward. "Who's there?! Show yourself!"

The others were alert as somebody walked out from behind a tree. They were a kid with green hair and a white uniform-coat with black boots. The group couldn't determine a gender through their androgynous appearance. "We received a tip about this region, so I came to investigate. I saw the gap and tried to fish them out."

"Boy, I'm meeting a LOT of people tonight!" Christina exclaimed. "Who are you?!"

"My name is Lyserg. I'm with the Divine Angels."