Thanks go to brentonbaldwin1, fergusans18, Wingah, Zack Frost, Tbone8454, Andyfire123, MoltenLavaMan, Skele, Redskye22, 10burgers, AkumaESPer, Jack54311, Dohnaseek9, Genowar, bananahead1, Gray Kanzakai, whitefri2z, Doctah Sawbones, NBoss01, VioletLord115, Allagenda-domsitzers-chan, Linki, JakeGetsFrisky, Remnant7, Apostria, bjarkekode, and istic.

Wow that's a whole buncha reviews! Thank you guys so much, it really means a lot and I really appreciate it!

To answer your question Linki, yes I am very proud of my work. It makes me happy to see how much I've progressed as an author over the years, and I'm very excited for what's to come. I love everything that has come of all the incarnations of this story, from what I've made to the fan stories to the fan art to the reviews to the people that sang Cter's Stronger Than You. That's why I'm here now, to give you all the best possible DoubleTale I can make.

Please enjoy the chapter. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale or Deltarune.

"If you're reading this...

I guess you're dead!"

- Lexi

Angel furrowed his brows at the sign before him, one self involved Rudinn staring into its own dagger with glimmering eyes behind him and the other two.

"Does she... Not understand how death works..?" Anthony slowly tilted his head to the side with confusion.

"I think she's just quirky." Angel concluded with a casual shrug.

"... Quirky?" Anthony repeated skeptically, narrowing his eyes over at his friend, who returned the favor, equally confused by Anthony's skepticism.

"That's, what I said, yes?" Angel nodded slowly.

"Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm." Anthony exaggerated his distrust as he leaned in towards Angel while holding his chin.

"... Why do you keep doing that?" Angel asked, leaning back away from Anthony.

"I know how you are about goth girls, Angel." Anthony spoke with narrowed eyes, making Angel recoil.

"Wha-! What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Angel's face went red, a knowing smirk appearing on Anthony's.

"You know exactly what it's supposed to mean."

"She's not even goth!"

"Her face is painted like a skeleton."

"That doesn't necessarily mean-!"

"Angel."

"I am not-!"

"Angel you have a thing for the crazy scythe lady."

"I DO NOT-" Angel paused, having thrown his arms into the air with his frustration. Slowly, he lowered them, inhaling through nose and slowly exhaling out from his mouth while he shut his eyes. "... I am not having this conversation Anny."

"What's your take on this, Xander?" Anthony looked over to Xander, who shrugged casually.

"If Angel's obvious crush could help bring Lexi to our side, then it will be very beneficial." Xander spoke as the three continued walking.

"I'VE KNOWN HER FOR LIKE AN HOUR!" Angel exploded furiously, his two companions not even flinching.

"I'm honestly surprised it took this long." Anthony closed his eyes and shrugged, before his eyes snapped open wide as he felt Angel's hands wrap around his throat and begin to throttle him.

"Ack-!"

Chapter 22: Team Building Exercise

"I can be one of two guys."

"These trees DON'T grow magical fruit that can heal you. Whatever you do DON'T pick and eat those star shaped candies!"

- Lexi

"Yeah, you guys are good!" Angel called over after reading the sign, looking to where Xander was attempting to balance on Anthony's shoulders, reaching up towards the Dark Candies that were on the miscolored tree.

"Good is-" Xander paused mid sentence, eyes widening as he stumbled on Anthony's shoulders before grabbing a tree branch to steady himself. "Not the word I would use!"

"I would happily be the one on the shoulders if I thought either of you guys could lift me." Anthony smiled sheepishly up at Xander, who sighed, plucking one of the two dark candies down and tossing it to Angel, who caught it and placed it in the satchel on his right hip.

"You know for the one who started us on this quest, ya don't seem too adventurous." Angel lifted his head to look up at Xander, who was visibly sweating as he struggled to get a grip on the second candy.

"I spent my entire life alone in a castle! Cut me some slack!" Xander demanded with some embarrassment, wrapping his fingers around the dark candy.

"Yeah yeah, whatever you say Fionna." Angel clapped and held his hands in front of himself to signal that Xander should toss him the fruit.

Xander growled with aggravation, and Angel closed his eyes, expression scrunching as the fruit was thrown into his face, slapping against it before slowly sliding off and into his hands.

"... So if he's Fionna, which one of us is Shrek and which one is Donkey?" Anthony opted to change the subject as he helped Xander slide down from his shoulders and back onto the earth.

"I think we both know the answer to that." Angel looked up from the bag he was putting the candy into to frown at Anthony.

"... Does that make Lexi the Dragon?"

"..." Angel stiffened, his eye twitching with aggravation. "Anny I'm gonna be dragon the back'a my hand upside your head if you don't quit your shit."

Anthony laughed at that, and the three Delta Warriors continued back to the main path.

Once back on the main path, they found Lexi leaning over a sign, using a black marker to write a message on it. It didn't seem that she'd noticed the three yet, and Xander took the opportunity to lean and look over her shoulder to see what she was writing.

"Hey, this sign isn't finished yet! Don't look!"

- Lexi

"..?" A confused and irritated expression appeared on his face as he shrugged.

"Hey Angel look it's your girlfriend." Anthony looked over to Angel, who said nothing, instead opting to charlie horse Anthony in the shoulder. The albino boy gripped the stinging portion of his arm, immediately doubling over and wincing his eyes shut while a satisfied smile appeared on Angel's face. "Owww!"

"Huh wha?" Lexi looked over her shoulder, before grinning wide upon spotting the three. "Aha! There you chumps are!"

"Are you gonna try to fight us again?" Anthony asked,wincing up at Lexi.

"What? Pff, no." Lexi rolled her eyes, placing her hands on her hips. "I don't have my own super cool team yet."

"Well then we're just, gonna..." Angel pointed with his thumb towards the path to their right.

"Yeah yeah, go right ahead." Lexi waved a hand dismissively. "I've gotta finish this sign, anyway."

"But, the sign..?" Xander mumbled with confusion, pointing randomly like he was trying to connect dots that didn't exist.

"Just roll with it." Anthony whispered to Xander, before smiling that warm, friendly smile over to Lexi. "Okay, good luck with that!"

"Thanks!" Lexi waved at the three as they continued ahead, before kneeling down in front of the sign and looking at it with a thoughtful smile.

"Our talks are nice."

"Hey, wait! Where am I? Oh no! I'm lost! Somebody help!"

- Lexi

"Well I can't say I didn't see that coming." Xander frowned with exasperation.

"This is hardly even a maze! How did she get lost?" Anthony looked up from the chest he was opening to his companions, Xander shrugging and shaking his head in response.

"Well she isn't here anymore, so I'm sure she figured it out." Angel crossed his arms, glancing around their surroundings.

Anthony didn't respond, instead pulling the white ribbon from the chest he'd opened. "Oh. Cute."

Angel just cocked a brow, smiling with some amusement as he watched Anthony place the ribbon in his mane of white hair, before he grinned happily over at Angel. "How do I look?"

"..." Angel considered making some kind of remark as vengeance for Anthony's mocking him over his hypothetical crush, but was unable to think of a single mean thing to say when met with the hopeful gleam in Anthony's ruby eyes. "... Ya look precious, Anny."

"Yay!" Anthony grinned even wider, closing his eyes and resting his chin on a platform he made by intertwining his fingers.

The three continued down the obvious path, blue grass crunching under their feet.

"Haha! Just kidding! I knew it was this way all along!"

- Lexi

"Now this one I find hard to believe..." Xander muttered thoughtfully as he looked down at the sign, gripping his chin.

"Baffled by my INGENIOUS mind games, I see!" Lexi's voice suddenly cut in, making the three jump and look to where she suddenly stood, posing dramatically with her scythe held back and one open hand extended out towards them.

"Sure." Angel shrugged casually.

"W-wait, really?" Lexi looked to him with surprise, before shaking her head. "I mean YES! Obviously!"

"Now, face my vicious team of ruthless hero destroyers!" Predator pointed her scythe at the three, before suddenly back flipping over the three Hathys that approached from behind her, each smiling and beating softly.

*Smells like a soft kiss.

"How is that a smell..?" Anthony muttered with confusion down at his text box.

"What was that, Anny?" Angel glanced over his shoulder at Anthony, who jumped, grinning nervously.

"N-nothing!" Anthony quickly refuted, just making Angel cock a brow, before he nodded towards the Hathys.

"It's three of the lovey ones." he explained casually. "Do something cute before they kill us."

"On it!" Anthony smiled, pushing his way to the front of the group while he straightened the ribbon atop his head.

"You all look really nice today!" Anthony called happily, smiling wide and giving the three a friendly wave. "Are those new crowns? They look great on you!"

All three of the Hathys blushed, placing one tentacle over their mouths and waving their other tentacle dismissively, effectively pacified by Anthony's flattery.

"Curses!" Lexi slammed her fist down on her open palm. "I didn't account for your greatest strength: Cutie pie sweetness!"

"But next time?! Ohohoho next time!" Lexi pointed her scythe at the three as she backed away. "I'll... I'll!"

"..." She paused, eyes darting to the side, before darting back to them. "Think of something! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Angel snerked as he watched her run off, crossing his arms and shaking his head with an amused smile on his face. "Why is she so extra?"

Anthony didn't say a word, but he did grin knowingly and lean in towards Angel, who just responded with another swift charlie horse.

"Oww! I didn't even say anything!"

"But you were thinking something."

"... What. The hell. Is that?"

C. Round bounced excitedly, kicking out its legs, one after the other, in a little dance.

"Awww!" Anthony's face lit up, and in an instant he'd picked up the little checker piece, petting the top of its head.

"Anny please put that thing down you don't know where it's been." Angel spoke urgently, but Anthony just continued to rub his cheek against the C. Round.

"It doesn't matter where it was in the past, now it has a permanent home in my heart!" Anthony exclaimed, C. Round wiggling happily in his arms.

"Eugh..." Angel pinched the bridge of his nose, Xander just smiling and stepping forward.

"Great job Anthony!" Xander praised. "You're very good at defeating enemies without violence."

"The trick is just thinking of them as future friends instead of as enemies." Anthony explained calmly, smiling as he set C. Round down and patted its head before it happily bounded off.

Angel smiled at that. Though he wouldn't say it, it made him... Exceedingly happy that Anthony's friendly nature was paying off, and here of all places!

It was strange, that here these creatures who's jobs were to destroy him would enjoy his company so much and be so easily swayed by his kindness, while at home...

... Anthony and Angel were the only humans around that city. And even when it came to humans, Anthony's albinism made him not much like his own kind, either. Of course, Angel had never seen his best friend as anything different from himself, but most humans and even some of the monsters on the other hand...

So Angel smiled, glad to see just how happy Anthony was here, all of his MERCY paying off and getting him all the friends he ever deserved. He'd often wished more for Anthony, so to see his hero finally being treated as such...

Ring!

The bell atop the shop door rang and the three were greeted by one grinning stuffed cat man behind the counter. He was missing one button eye, looking to be in tatters. And yet he still smiled, but in a way unlike Anthony. In a way that was eerie, sinister.

"Hehehe... Welcome, travelers."

Seam leaned forward on the counter that separated him and his three costumers, that single eye examining them. First Xander, then Angel, and then...

Seam's eyes widened curiously, that nearly deranged smile lifting his expression further as he eyed Anthony.

Anthony didn't seem to notice this predatory stare, but Angel did, and he stepped forward, shooting Seam a warning glare as he quickly positioned himself between his best friend and the shop clerk.

Seam laughed at that, eyes glossing over to Angel as he clicked his finger nails against the counter on which he leaned.

"Excuse my staring, I just never thought I'd see the day, is all." Seam's words were followed by a little chuckle, and they made Anthony arch a brow with confusion.

"Never see what day?" Xander asked with an equal lack of understanding, and Seam raised his eyebrows, lips curving up with some surprise.

"Wait, you don't know?" He laughed at Xander's ignorance, lifting one finger to point at Anthony. "Does he know?"

"Do I know what?" Anthony asked, completely befuddled.

Seam went silent then, narrowing his eyes and looking Anthony over once more with his single button.

"Tell me, what are you three doing in this dark little world of ours?" Seam tilted his head to the side, and Angel fumed nearly immediately at his evasion of their questions.

"Or you could answer our questions first you cryptic raggedy mother fu-"

"Angel!" Anthony cut in, putting a hand on Angel's shoulder and smiling nervously at Seam.

Seam was cackling at that, throwing his cotton filled head back and reaching up to rub his eyes. Or, eye and ripped stitching.

"I'm sorry about that sir. My friend is just tired from the walk, is all." Anthony grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"To answer your question, we're here to seal the Dark Fountain!" Anthony explained excitedly, that grin becoming less sheepish and more friendly. "We're three of the four heroes!"

"Heroes from the Legend, eh?" Seam tilted his head to the side, lips curving up bitterly. "That's funny. In a boo hoo funny kinda way."

"Hm?" Anthony furrowed his brows, that smile disappearing. "But we are..?"

"Oh no, I believe you." Seam's eye narrowed then, and he leaned forward on the counter. His nihilistic button eye stared directly into Anthony's soul, in such a way that he almost felt a layer of his personality being pulled. Peeled away to reveal something underneath...

"I just also know who you are, An#####."

Anthony blinked a few times, shaking his head as he suddenly felt disoriented. "I'm, sorry, what was that..?"

"I know who you are An#####."

Anthony took a step back, head light and legs weak with sudden fatigue. "What did... You call me..?"

Seam leaned forward further, and Anthony's vision grew hazy. Everything around the shopkeeper grew blurry, and out of the corners of his eye, he could almost see... Green ones and zeros? They rushed in waves over the darkness that crept across the corners of his vision, but whenever he looked to them they disappeared, replaced by nothing but the darkening shop.

"An#####."

Angel and Xander were at Anthony's sides. They spoke, but their voices were distorted. Entirely unintelligible.

Anthony felt his stomach twist and turn, a sickness washing over him as his legs threatened to give out under a terrible weight that rested in his heart. But where did the weight come from? Why did it feel so... So disgusting, so grotesque, so...

Dark.

Anthony fell forward, catching himself on the glass counter and panting rapidly as ice could sweat poured down his face. Angel yelled something, put hands that Anthony did not feel on his shoulder.

Weakly Anthony lifted his head, right eye winced shut and jaw hanging open to gasp for breath. He stared up at Seam, who stared right back, even as Angel shouted static words furiously at him.

Seam spoke in a voice that was not his own. A voice Anthony had never heard, but was sure he recognized.

"You can't dream forever."

Anthony's head bounced off the counter when his body fell limp.

Anthony's eyes slowly creaked open, focusing in on planks of wood that made up the ceiling over him. He felt a concrete floor beneath him, and his body ached. His lips felt dry and cracked. His stomach ached and moaned with hunger.

Slowly he looked to his right. Darkness, squirming and writhing. He could almost see its teeth, worms snapping sharp maws hungrily. They were waiting for him to die. For his beaten, starved, and broken body to give out. The shadows would feast upon his flesh soon, but for now those jaws cackled. Laughed at their pathetic victim, the mother's sacrifice to sooth their hunger.

Anthony was terrified of the worms. Of the dark they lurked in. He wished he could escape them. Climb the stairs and open the door and forever leave this basement behind.

But the worms infested his heart. Chewed on it's blackened corners. Devoured his empathy, his kindness, his hopes and his dreams.

And that was... Funny.

It made gross laughter escape Anthony's throat. It made innocent tears stream fearfully down his cheeks. He didn't want to laugh, but his utter destruction was absolutely hilarious. He writhed, kicked his feet, arched his back, clenched his fists, shook his head.

But his cackling and his crying did not stop. They sent hysterical shock waves through his mind body and soul. He was dying, in every sense of the word. There was no god, no Angels who would rescue him from the worms.

That split his sides. It was an utter riot.

He continued to laugh as he looked to the left, towards the staircase to the sliver of light that scorched his flesh. Rejected him no matter how desperately he wanted to live in its glow. That, too, was funny.

And there, laying on the concrete leading towards the light, glimmering red like his once hopeful eyes, laid the crucible.

A simple metal tool, that's what mother had damned him to the worms with. Forced him into the dark with. Protected him from the hypocritical light with. He owed her for that. Without the kindness of his dear mother, he would never feel this joy. Be subjected to this hysterical laughter, caused by the tickle of the chewing worms.

The stairs creaked. Destiny walked with heavy feet into the beast's lair. It wore Anthony's face, twisted into a sharp toothed grin. He'd run out of time to die. That was good. That was funny.

Fate shambled as it approached with it's wicked smile. It let one grotesque, elongated arm scoop his inheritance from the concrete on which mother had left it for him.

Anthony's laughter got louder, his twitches getting faster. As tears streamed down his face, he kicked his legs. He clawed at the concrete and shattered his finger nails and finger tips, painting the grey with his beautiful crimson colors. Not that there was much color in the black.

Anthony screamed with joyous laughter and cried woeful tears as the face stealer took him by the chin, and their blood red eyes met, locked as one. Yes, one in the same. The coin was flipping. A new face.

It opened it's jaws wide enough to chomp over Anthony's entire head, and revealed enough rows of teeth to chew his skull if it chose to do so.

He felt its long white digits set that crowbar in his open palm, surrounded by Anthony's twitching and convulsing fingers. But those fingers straightened with purpose with the touch of his inheritance. A tool from the dark, of the dark, for the dark.

Yes, he was the dark. That's why the sun burnt his flesh. Why his human brethren feared him. He wasn't really like them. Just a shadow that took their shape.

Hysterical.

Madness snapped its jaws shut, and with one bite it ripped Anthony's face off. Tore it's head to the side and pulled his identity away from him. It slurped, sucked Anthony's face down its throat, and stole what remained of him.

And he clenched his crowbar tight in his hand.

Anthony's eyes snapped open wide, and though he'd wanted to scream, he was cut off by the bile that shot up his throat, and he launched up. He leaned over, spilling his guts all over the grass at his side.

"Whoa!" Angel cried out with surprise, glad to be on the opposite side of Anthony to the one he was vomiting on.

Anthony puked for a few seconds longer, before his stomach was empty. Then he clenched his eyes shut, letting a few horrified tears run with the icy sweat down his face while he gasped for breath.

"Are you alright, Anny?" Angel said, putting a hand on Anthony's shoulder. He glanced to the side, second guessing his question immediately. "Well, I mean, obviously you aren't alright, you just-"

Anthony cut Angel off by spinning around and clinging to him desperately, wrapping his arms around his best friend and burying his face in his shoulder while he sobbed.

Angel's eyes widened with surprise, before his expression softened with care, and he returned Anthony's hug.

"Hey, Anny, it's alright..." He spoke softly, smoothing Anthony's mess of ivory hair with his hand. "I'm here, you're safe..."

"I-... I had a nightmare, a-and... It was really messed up..." Anthony explained, trembling in Angel's arms.

"Like how messed up?" Angel tilted his head to the side curiously.

"Like I ate my own face messed up..." Anthony lowered his head, eyes narrowing painfully.

"Eeee..." Angel made a stage ten 'Yikes!' face, eyes darting to the side. "Yup, that uh, that checks out as pretty messed up..."

"It, just, felt so real..." Anthony's hands slowly clenched fistfuls of Angel's shirt. "Like I'd... Been there befo-"

"Well it's not real, Anny." Angel cut Anthony off, making him look up to him with surprise.

"What's real is that you're right here, and you're savin' the world." Angel smiled kindly down at his best friend. "This is real, right here. So don't let the freaky shop keep mess with your head. You know who you are, don't you?"

"... Heh..." Anthony's lips slowly curved up into a smile, and he reached up, wiping the tear streaming down his cheek away. "Thanks, Angel..."

"Anytime bud." Angel grinned, standing and offering a hand to Anthony, who took it gladly.

"Aww..!" Lexi exclaimed, sitting with her legs crossed and leaning forward, resting her chin in both hands.

"... How long has she been here?" Anthony snerked some, pointing to Lexi and looking to Xander.

"She actually helped us walk you here." Xander explained with a small smile. It was then that Anthony realized they were in an area foreign to him, an area of grass path that was blocked off by a metal fence, one that came to sharp points to keep people from climbing it.

"Wait, what?" Anthony asked with heavy confusion, looking back to Lexi, who furrowed her brows.

"Well yeah!" She exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "What kind of monster do you think I am, to let MC Sweetness just be passed out in front of that creepy shop?"

"..." Lexi awkwardly scratched the back of her head, eyes darting to the side. "Also I can't figure out the puzzle to open this door."

Anthony's eyes glossed over to the two platforms at the center of the room, two boxes next to them.

"Someone vandalized the instructions!" Xander exclaimed, clearly offended. "Now how are we supposed to figure it out?

Angel and Anthony both looked to the incredibly simple puzzle, before looking to each other.

"Man, these Dark World homies can't do puzzles for beans." Angel muttered to Anthony, who nodded in agreement.

"Alright," Angel stretched his arms up over his head, cracking his neck. "Let a professional handle this."

Anthony just crossed his arms, smirking knowingly as he watched Angel lift the boxes in an obvious attempt at displaying strength.

Angel set the boxes on their respective platforms, and Lexi jumped as the gate suddenly swung open behind her, eyes going wide.

"Whoa! Way to go Spear Guy!" Lexi grinned back from the open pathway to Angel.

"All in a days work." Angel shrugged casually, and Anthony just shook his head.

"Well, I'll see you flock of silly geese up ahead!" Lexi back flipped, springing away and ahead.

"... I think we're growin' on her." Angel concluded with a smirk, placing his hands on his hips.

The four continued on through the Great Board. And though he should have been enveloped in his amazing adventure and the insane sights he was seeing, Anthony found focusing difficult.

He was haunted, really. The visions from his nightmare flickered in every dark corner. The rows of teeth that had chewed his face appeared when he closed his eyes.

Anthony tried desperately to focus on the task at hand, and though he would succeed for moments at a time...

"Well this has been a nice walk." Angel shrugged optimistically. As if on cue, the Ponman stood from the pillars ahead of them and hopped down onto the board, starting a dead sprint towards the three.

"oH JESUS CHRIST WHAT IN GOD'S NAME-"

... Ultimately, his thoughts always drifted back to that hauntingly familiar basement. To the worms, to the beast that both wore and ate his face, and ultimately...

His crowbar.

It was such an insignificant detail in the sea of horrors that culminated into that nightmare, or at least it should have been. But it called to Anthony. Pulled his thoughts back to it the moment they wandered away.

The dream's more minor details were hard to grasp. How he'd felt, what he'd been doing. He remember he was moving, and making... Some kind of noise. What had he been thinking?

It all eluded Anthony. he was terrified of what he'd seen, but that terror made him all the more curious of what it all meant. Not to mention the words of the shop keeper, Seam. And the name that Anthony's ears had refused.

The only thing that remained vivid and concrete about the entire situation was the end. Those last few seconds, as his face was ripped away.

His fingers had closed around that crowbar, enclosed all of its filth in his stained white hand. And it felt... Natural. Right, in every way. The weight, the texture, it was as though it was a part of him.

And... Somehow, he longed for that. To feel that disgusting tool in his grasp once more. And that was... Discomforting. To say the least.

But Anthony closed his eyes, and he held on to the words Angel had comforted him with. That wasn't real. The dream, the worms, the basement, the crowbar, it was fake. But not the shield on his back. Not the friends he was surrounded with, and not the world he would save.

So Anthony steadied himself, stiffened his upper lip. He lifted his head and clenched his fists, and with one heavy push he shoved those wicked thoughts from his mind.

"aaaaAAHHHH!"

THUD.

Anthony, Angel, and Xander all jumped as Lexi crashed to the ground before them, eyes clamped shut in pain. In her hand she clenched her scythe tight.

"Eugh... Stupid legs..." She rubbed her chin, slowly sitting up.

"You alright?" Angel knelt next to her, and she peeked open one eye to look at him, before relief washed over her.

"Oh thank god, you guys are here!" She winced as she climbed to her feet, and Angel looked confused as he helped her up.

"Well, yeah, but don't you want us dead?" Anthony arched a brow with heavy confusion as he walked up to Lexi, who's shoulder Angel was under to keep her standing.

"Bygones!" Lexi exclaimed, pointing a finger at Anthony. "Right now we gotta do a super cool once in a life time good guy bad guy team up to defeat a common enemy!"

"Wait, a common enemy?" Xander tilted his head to the side.

As if on cue, something crashed down onto the ground a few feet behind Lexi and Angel, who both looked over their shoulders, eyes widening.

K. Round slowly unbent the knees of its giant muscular legs, smiling joyfully despite it's menacing stomps.

"whAT ON GOD'S GOOD GREEN EARTH IS THAT?!" Angel screamed, him and Lexi turning to face the beast and taking skeptical steps back away from it.

"K. Round." Lexi narrowed her eyes up at the excited creature that loomed over them. "Destroyer of Worlds."

"Destroyer of Worlds?!" Angel exclaimed frantically, looking to Lexi, who grinned wide.

"Yeah, I just added that part. Makes it sound way cooler, right?" She asked, and Angel sighed with exhaustion, shoulders sinking.

"I think Crusher of Pelvises might be a bit more appropriate." Angel spoke dryly as his tired eyes lifted to K. Round. His eyes widened some when he heard Lexi laugh however, feeling her smack her hand onto his back.

"That's funny. You're funny." Lexi grinned over at Angel, who's face went red as he awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

"O-oh, really? I mean, I uh-"

Anthony suddenly jumped out in front of the two, lifting his shield and gritting his teeth with exertion as K. Round kicked out its leg, sending a star of white energy flinging from it's muscular calf and into Anthony's shield, which it bounced from, flinging into the distance.

"Flirt later!" Anthony ordered over his shoulder at the two.

"W-wait, we weren't-" Angel began to nervously defend as he pulled a Dark Candy from his satchel to give to Lexi, who shook her head and cut him off.

"Oh no," She took a bite out of the star shaped candy, feeling her strength return to her. "We were."

This made Angel's face darken in that red shade, before Lexi jumped into the air, spinning and raising her scythe over her head. "NOW LETS KICK SOME K. ROUND K. ASS!"

K. Round spun in a pirouette, swinging at Lexi with one muscular leg. Lexi growled with frustration, holding the long handle of her scythe to the side and letting the kick crash into that, her jaw clenching as she struggled to keep the force at bay before it sent her flying back away from K. Round. She landed on her feet, sliding back some and glaring at the kinged checker piece, who giddily stomped its feet.

"Alright X, how're we gonna give it to 'em?" Angel glanced over his shoulder at Xander as he drew his spear from his back.

"Well..." Xander's eyes scanned K. Round carefully, locking on to the crown on its head. "I believe that its metamorphosis comes from the crown atop its head. If we can knock that loose, it should turn back into C. Round."

"Everybody hear that?" Angel called back to Lexi and Anthony, who both nodded once.

"Alright, good." Angel and Xander stepped forward, Angel pointing his spear out to K. Round while Xander held both hands out to his sides, flames flickering over his palms.

K. Round continued to shake the earth with it's powerful and speedy stomps, before it launched forward at Anthony and cocked back one leg, Anthony quick to bring up his shield and let K. Round's knee slam into it, throwing him back through the air.

"Anny!" Angel exclaimed, throwing his spear to the side and holding out his arms, letting Anthony slam into him. The two both tumbled to the ground, sliding back across the board while K. Round sprinted after them.

"No you don't!" Xander exclaimed, throwing out one hand and snapping his fingers, sending a burst of flames from his finger tips out towards K. Round. The bolt of fire slapped into K. Round's face and made it stop in its tracks, leaning its one big head/body back and scrunching its features, a black soot mark now detailing its front.

Suddenly Lexi dove towards K. Round, pulling back her scythe and swiping at that crown with it. But K. Round was too quick, falling flat on it's back and pulling both knees up to its chest as Lexi launched over, her eyes widening down at it as she was in clear range of its kick.

"... Uh oh."

K. Round's feet smashed into her chest, making her eyes snap open and her jaw unhinge as she was launched high into the air, plummeting down and landing right on the stack of bodies that was Angel and Anthony with an "Oof!" resounding from all three of them.

"Uhh... Guys?" Xander looked to the three teammates lying flat on their asses, before his eyes slowly lifted to K. Round, who was back on its feet, once more stomping excitedly.

Xander gulped.

"... We're bad at this."

Please Favorite, Follow, and Review.

XWolf26, out