Demon Archives: Demise. The True Demon King who existed before Malladus. Because he was too evil and dangerous, the gods were forced to imprison him and create Malladus to rule the Underworld. Demise was destroyed around 8,000 years ago by Link the Hero of Time, but he would be reborn in the form of Ganondorf. Ganondorf continues to resurrect and battle Link's incarnations to this day.
Part 10: The Lesser of Seven Evils
"On Planet Mira," Clawthorne began as he carried Isabelle, Trella, Shimmy, and Rango through the palace, "the Titans are continental-sized creatures that can develop plant and other organic life. Most of Mira's citizens live on Titans. But Thousands of years ago, some of the Titans were antagonistic and fought each other for space. The fights didn't go well, so those Titans wound up 'jumping' off the planet and drifting through space, later to land on other worlds. My father landed on Planet Etheria and became the Boiling Isles."
"Whoa…" Isabelle responded in awe.
"Like you mortals, we Titans are granted elements upon our birth, too, and that has an effect on our environments. My father was special: he was granted the chi of the Underworld and became a hospitable place for demons. So, essentially, we're part-demon. So, after learning to harness my true power, ahem, and money, I was able to become a Demon Lord. Of course, none of the other Lords know what I can really do."
"So, you're like super powerful then?!" Shimmy exclaimed.
"Well, not in this form. But using my true form now would be too dangerous. For now, we should wait and see if I really need to…"
…
Sector V found the fading body of a Gold Lynel lain before the sanctum doors. Lyserg brought up the footsoldiers' color system from before: "Demons' skin tones will change color if they get stronger, from blue, black, to silver… but the strongest color after that is gold. Fewer footsoldiers reach that color, but the ones that do are especially strong. And Gold Lynels are the worst of them all. Must've costed Diablo a pretty Mon to hire one."
"Blimey, would've liked to fight it meself." Jason said. "But that means whoever took this bloke out is-"
An explosive blast of energy blew the doors off their hinges, Lyserg projecting a Soul Shield to defend them as the door and Lynel's body blew past. Christina gasped, immediately catching sight of another barrier, placed over a body laying past the entrance. "DAD!" She ran out of Lyserg's protection and knelt over the barrier. Her father was much older and paler, and yet, he was more genuine than Belial's fake. More importantly, he was still breathing. "Dad… you're-"
"WATCH OUT!" Lyserg screamed.
The claws of Diablo lunged at her like a speeding car, but Balder's two-sided sword lodged into his wrist and pushed the claw aside. "LYSERG!" the Head Angel bellowed. "WHY have you brought them here?!"
"I'm sorry, Lord Balder! But, even if I tried to stop them… they were determined to save Christina's father with their own power."
"Besides, we got here on our own." Jason said. "He ain't even catch up with us 'til we were right here."
"Dolololololo!" Diablo laughed, spitting lightning to blast Balder away. "All I see are foolish mortals who willingly walked into my midst. We finally meet again, Uno princess. At last, I'll have both halves of Malladus, once I'm rid of these nuisances!" Diablo swung his other claw at Christina, but she jumped with a Rocket Boost. She Ground Pounded the back of Diablo's hand with a burst of fire, afterwards throwing a quick fireball at his right eye, while his left was briefly blinded by Jason's Light Sphere. "UWAAAHHH!" The demon's bellow froze them to their very souls, the kids trembling in fear. Diablo swiped the spike end of his tail, but Balder protected them.
"It's Diablo's fearbending!" Lyserg grunted. "It's his secondary element along with firebending!"
"Having two elements isn't fair, man!" Christina argued.
"DOLOLO!" Diablo spewed Fear Spheres at the kids, but Jason quickly countered them with lightbending; however, his fists merely shrunk the spheres, while they still struck the kids and instilled them with lighter fear. "To think you pathetic mortals destroyed my brethren. I was right to be wary of you KND… but you're out of your league this time. Now that I have half of Malladus, you are FAR beneath me!" Diablo threw a punch at Christina, but she imbued her hands with Haki and pushed back, her sandals scraping against the floor. Silica enlarged Inky to gnash into Diablo's arm, while Chris undid her Haki to pump a burst of fire against the fist.
"I don't care if I am! You hurt my dad and pissed me off. I ain't leaving this place 'til I burn every PIECE of you!"
"And we're going to help her." Laruta declared boldly, the size of a grape to the demon's eyes. "Big bullies like you need to be taught a lesson."
"Even if we have to keep a safe distance to do it." Ralph said awkwardly. "Right, Joaquin?"
The revitalized G.En.I.E. awakened from his watch. "Joaquin…" He glared at the demon in spite.
"Perfect timing, Eel Boy." Silica remarked.
"I suppose telling you to leave would be fruitless." Balder said. "Still, even you said you were wary of them, Diablo. I suppose your fearbending makes you aware of potential threats." The angel rose from the ground, his peacock wings flapping to full width. "So, let us see… the threat these mortals pose to you."
"Then I shall make you suffer for your boldness. You worms will carry this fear for the rest of your existence…" (Play "Arrival Existence" from Trails from Zero.)
Final boss: Diablo
The demon clapped his claws over the kids, Christina and Jason throwing punches at their own claw to hold them back. Lyserg shot Morphine to pierce Diablo's right eye, while Balder pierced the head, and the kids fled as Diablo attempted to smash them in a rampage. Lyserg shot his chain into Diablo's stomach while Christina leapt and grinded along it. She shaped her fire into Tiger Claws, slashing the demon and blasting away before Diablo could snatch her. She flew up in front of his face before using Flying Eagle to headbutt him in the jaw. Lyserg yanked Christina back as Silica Veiled under Diablo's legs, using a Shadow Shockwave to gnash his ankles.
"How about a demonstration of my new power?!" A light shone on Diablo's forehead as a third eye opened.
"COMBUSTION?!" Balder exclaimed, flying to intercept the explosive laser. Though he withstood the blast, Diablo swiped his flaming claw through the smoke and swat Balder out of the air. A huge fireball flew at him afterward, but in Diablo's attempt to absorb it, the fire exploded against him with a nauseating smell. Christina and Laruta combined elements to hurt Diablo with their own combustion. The demon charged the girls against their Gasflame Barrage, bellowing a Fear Scream to stun the group. He then looked them directly in the eyes, his Scare Stare drawing the fears out of them. Bodies of black and red mist conjured beside them, assuming different shapes: Laruta was attacked by a cow, Christina K. Rool, Jason a house, and Ralph Joto from Sector JP. Inky had shut Silica and Lyserg's eyes from the gaze, the two rushing to attack Diablo once the scare had worn off.
"You're afraid of K. Rool?" Jason questioned.
"And you're afraid of a stupid house, what's your point?!"
"I hate the idea of bein' stuck at home all the time! Mates, let me knock out these creeps!" Jason punched swift Light Spheres at the Fearlings, their misty bodies breaking and deforming.
"Thanks, Jay! Christina, over here!" Ralph ushered.
"What's up, Ralph?"
"Joaquin can help your firebending, too! Wind makes flames stronger!"
"I thought wind blew flames out?"
"Not if you blow the right way. Show her, Joaquin!"
"Joaquin!" Christina jumped onto the remote plane, flying to Diablo's level. The G.En.I.E. blew a forward whirlwind, Christina positioning hands around and turning it into a flaming whirlwind! The fire burned against Diablo's face, the demon howling and spewing a breath of lightning, Ralph quickly tilting his plane to dodge. Joaquin changed the flow of wind as Christina made her Flying Eagle pose, the flaming wings extending. Diablo diverted attention to swatting or burning down the other nuisances; Balder's energybending attacks were especially distracting, so Diablo vehemently slashed electrified claws at the angel until he was taken out of the air. Lyserg lashed Morphine at his right eye, but Diablo grabbed the chain and used it to swing Lyserg into the ground. As the apprentice angel tried to recover, Diablo shot his Scare Stare at him, trapping Lyserg in a trance.
Joaquin built momentum for Christina's enhanced Flying Eagle until she was ready to ram him headfirst, the force along with the fire reeling Diablo backward. Jason and Silica each attacked one of Diablo's feet to make him slip, and as he fell, Balder flew under the demon's spiked back, pierced his sword into him, and slammed him into the wall. Diablo pushed off and landed on his back, but Christina squat like a horse and used fire to shape the illusion. Joaquin blew a gust to enhance her fire as she dashed at Diablo and rammed the side of his chest. Diablo scrambled to get up, blasting a beam of lightning along the ground toward Ralph. The pilot hastened to run, but needed Jason's better speed and strength to carry him out of harm's way. Balder pierced Diablo's back with an array of energy swords. The demon grew a large, spiked fireball from his tail and spun repeatedly, sending such fireballs around the chamber.
Christina calmed her mind and swallowed whichever fireballs she could with Dragon Style. Once she felt stuffed with heat, she rode Joaquin skyward and grew a massive fireball. When Diablo caught on to this, he tried to bellow a Fear Scream, until Jason threw Laruta high up so she could shoot a dense wad of snot down his throat. Diablo gagged in disgust long enough for Chris to haul the sunlike mass down and burn into his skull. Diablo fell to all fours; not from the impact, but rather he was charging lightning through his spikes. Small jolts of electric shot into the air and rained around, the operatives frantically dodging. Naturally, Jason carried Ralph to help him with this, holding the pudgy pilot above. "Are you helping me or using me as an umbrella?!"
"Ralph, that fat body of yours is full of liquid, you'd be a horrible lightning umbrella!" Silica shouted, pulling the still-trembling Lyserg into a Veil.
"GOOD TIME to hurt my feelings, Sill!"
"Fine, I would also be a bad umbrella, ya happy?! And what the hell is YOUR problem?!" Silica yelled at Lyserg, slapping the boy while her shady body maneuvered around the lightning. "Snap out of it, pretty boy!"
Lyserg lived through it over and over… He lived in peace with his father in London, attending the Church of Arceus every week. No matter how much they prayed for goodness and fortune, it was all pointless: criminals broke into their home and killed his father before kidnapping Lyserg. He was placed in captivity under a noble named Oknox, a child trafficker. In that place, Lyserg befriended a boy named Wat. The two teamed up to escape and managed to send an SOS out to the KND, but both boys were killed for their insolence before the KND could make it.
"So, you're an Angel now?" the humongous, disgusting visage of Oknox loomed above him. "Fok hok hok hok! To punish evil spirits in the afterlife? To ensure that men like me receive justice? It's a fool's errand! Evil dominates this world! All men carry their own sense of justice and so act upon it. You Angels are but one of many sides, acting as though you are the one true path. And the gods know this, too. They know that Good and Evil must both exist, and that's why they allowed you to die! If you obey the gods, then you must let my evils exist!"
"Lyserg…" Lady Jeanne held the poor boy like a doll. "To let these thoughts trouble you… to let evil corrupt you… You are a failure of an Angel."
"I…I'm sorry… I'll never be worthy of my wings… No matter how much I try, I…I just don't know what I should do…"
While dodging the bolts, Christina remembered another classic technique her father told her about: Lightning Redirection. "Maybe if I try, I can—ZZZZT!" Electrified, she collapsed on the floor.
"Dolololo!" Diablo crawled toward the fallen Uno. "What was that?! You've practically given yourself to me!"
…
King crawled down the stairs to Diablo's sanctum, going around the hole that seemed to have another staircase. Before going down that one, King checked the chamber at the bottom of this one. "…What the heck am I looking at?"
"PLEASE, Ash Ketchum!" Belial, dressed as Timmy Turner's Dad, begged Max, who dressed as Ash from Pokémon. "Give me back my son!"
"Oh dear, it's a Max gag…" Isabelle cringed.
"No can do, Mr. Turner!" Max declared, holding a Timmy doll and using two hoses as jetpacks. "I need this boy's life force to keep my show running! You, on the other hand, have been cancelled!" He whipped out a remote and pressed the Power button, shooting a jolt of electricity to induce great pain into the demon.
"Max, where are Chris and the others?"
"Oh, look, guests! I needed two extra people to play Star Wig with me!" Max cast a fishing line at Shimmy and Rango, catching and tossing them into Arwings.
"What's Star Wig?!" Shimmy exclaimed.
"It's my personal remake of Star Fox 64!" Max hopped into his own Arwing. "Where Fox McCloud gets a brand new wig and tries to show it off to the galaxy!" He donned himself with a blonde, long-haired wig. "Shimmy, you'll be playing Slippy's infant nephew. He's learning to pilot." Shimmy poofed and turned into a baby froggy. She glared and suckled her pacifier. "Belial, you'll be playing Peppy Hare."
"My Arwing has a cracked windshield!"
"It's time to leave the airspace!" Max declared. "Let's WIG AND ROLL!"
The four Arwings took off into outer space! The leader, Max "Star Wig," Belial Hare, Baby Shimmy, and… a pot of roses. "WHERE'S RANGO?!" Isabelle screamed.
"GUYS, HELP!" Rango's muffled voice screamed. "I was attacked by evil flowers! I'm in the closet!"
"Full glory be to the Flowers." The Flowers said in a monotone voice.
As soon as they were in space, Belial's eyes inflated like balloons. "HEY! I really think we should fix this windshield!"
"Pipe down, Peppy! The Venomians are coming!"
"I don't see them! I can't even tell what dimension I'm looking at!"
"Ummmm…" Clawthorne turned the other way. "Let's look down this other staircase."
He could feel intense energy down the other flight. Before long, to Isabelle and Trella's worry, they found Diablo crawling toward the injured Christina. "AAAAAHHH!" King bellowed a soundwave, blowing Diablo sideways. "TRELLA! BELLA!" Laruta exclaimed. "Oh dear, you look terrible!"
"Laruta, go and patch her up!" Jason ordered.
"I'm glad you escaped, traitor." Diablo hissed. "Now I can kill you myself! AAAAAH-"
"AAAAAHHH!" King's soundwave wrestled with Diablo's Fear Scream, and once Balder trapped the demon in a White Coffin, stabbed by skewers, King's soundwave was able to fully penetrate his eardrums. However, this combo wasn't enough to keep Diablo grounded, shooting a Combustion Beam at the canine. King tanked the shot for the sake of protecting the girls on the stairs, painfully surviving as he was set on fire. Silica struggled to hold Diablo with Shadow Possession while Balder assaulted him with slashes and energy attacks, so Christina could run to King and bend the fire off him, eating it afterwards. Diablo grabbed Balder and slammed him into the wall, breathing fire over the angel. His consciousness waning, the barrier protecting Chris dispelled.
"Dad…" Christina gasped lowly.
"Let's put an end… to your nightmare." Lightning began to surge within Diablo's throat.
As Christina looked to him in fear, she noticed her withered father making motions. At first, she wondered if he just needed to stretch from being cooped in that barrier… but he was eying her as if telepathically instructing her. His middle and index finger were pointed, he would wave his arms, and point the other fingers away. "…I get it." Christina narrowed her eyes in determination. King was set to take the blow again, but was surprised as King walked around her. Diablo shot the lightning, striking the tips of Christina's fingers. To everyone's awe, their friend didn't keel over in pain. Rather, Chris calmly waved her arms, guiding the lightning through her veins. As she felt it travel to the opposite fingers, she fired the lightning straight back at Diablo's face. "OOOOOG!" Diablo hadn't even considered dodging, merely confused by her actions. Once he was stunned, King pounced and gnashed him, but Diablo would shove King back toward the staircase.
"Blimey, ain't this guy even a little tired…?" Jason panted.
"He lives up to his Saintly title." Balder gasped, weakly rising. "With a Power Level of 20,000… and likely more since absorbing Malladus."
"Even I can tell he's stronger than all his brethren combined." King said.
"Dolololo! It's funny you should say that!" Diablo laughed, stepping backward. "Balder… do you know the legend of Tathamet?"
"Tathamet… of the Seven Evils?"
"The great Anu himself… the man who was so devoted to Arceus, he wanted to banish all evils and darkness from his being using his very Zanpakutō. And what was born was a terrible demon. A demon that King Demise made his own, in his quest to conquer all worlds. Anu sacrificed his very essence to destroy Tathamet, and both were never seen again…"
"That legend dates back six million years… What are you saying?!"
A barrier sealed Diablo in the back half of the chamber. "My brethren and I were born 12,000 years ago. For that time, I never knew… until 25 years ago. When that 'event' happened, a vision came washing into my mind. A vision of the seven-headed dragon itself. And right then, I knew…"
Balder choked on his breath. "You can't mean… you're the reincarnations of Tathamet?!"
"Yes… Before initiating this plan, I bit pieces out of my brethren's chi, so the rest of their essences would return to me should they perish. Now… the last one should be returning now."
Laruta gasped. "MAX!!" She immediately dashed up the stairs and into Belial's chamber. Belial, his Arwing crashed and eyes still inflated, knelt as Max crossed Celery Swords above him.
"Belial Hare… Though you fought honorably in battle, and your barrel rolls were the best I've ever seen, you refused to compliment my wig after multiple cues. Goodbye… old friend."
"NO, MAX!!" He looked to Laruta. "Don't kill him! If you do, Diablo will get powered up! He'll be unstoppable!"
"HE'LL WHAT?!" Shimmy screamed.
"Oh. Okay." Max casually sheathed his swords.
"Phew." Laruta sighed in relief.
But the pot of roses flew overhead in their Arwing. The ship turned over, dropping them out of the cockpit as their thorns pricked Belial's inflated eyes. They POPPED, destroying the demon's body. Laruta and Shimmy fell agape in horror, while Max just fell blank. "The Flowers will hear your praise."
The darkness that emanated flowed down the stairs to Diablo's sanctum. The kids would realize they were too late as the essence flowed through the barrier, coursing down Diablo's throat. "Dolololololo…" The entire palace began to rumble, Diablo glowing like a bomb that threatened to blow. "I will punish all who stood against me… Angels… demons… mortals… all will suffer…" (Play "Ophion" from Xenoblade 2!)
The kids and Balder had no time to think before King swiped them up and threw them on his back, along with Mr. Uno. "Okay, YOU ALL better hold on tight 'cause we REALLY GOTTA GET MOVING!" He dashed upstairs like a cheetah, grabbed the other four from Belial's room, and made a beeline out of the castle. He spared only a brief glance to Alastor's laying form along the way.
Recovering strength in his wings, Balder flew to the sky and cast his divine voice to be heard for miles. "ALL SPIRITS AND MORTALS ALIKE! This is Balder of the Divine Angels! Everyone is ordered to flee the palace immediately! Get as far away from the center as you can! Angels, grab the mortals and carry them if need be!"
"What's going on, you guys?!" Serena asked, dispersing her musical skeletons as Ernesto lay defeated.
"Diablo's transforming, hop aboard!" Isabelle ushered.
"AAAAAHH!" The friends cried as they could hear and feel the palace crumbling behind them. "GIDDYUP, PUPPY, HURRY!!" Jason kicked King's side.
"You're not helping, kid!"
"Go north, go north, with the wind at your feet!!" Serena sung a melody to make King's speed more swift.
Rudy and Snap lay injured beside the defeated Acat, but Mika used psychic to carry them. Aria found Lucas beside the defeated Vidian, praising the boy as she dashed away. Shunsui allowed Sector W onto his wings and carried them safely to the sky. Xibalba had Torrelasell glued to the ground by his own tar, giving Elizabeth time to muster a Light Arrow trained on the Daemonis' head. However, as rubble came flying out of the palace, they knew best to flee to the heavens.
"You pushed me to this, you filthy sea rat!" Mictlan hissed, his entire body converted to gold. "It's time to show you my true form!" Marine was horrified as all his goldified victims melted and slurped into his throats. Mictlan began to grow and morph, becoming a massive, golden, two-headed serpent-dragon with saws inside its dense, blocky mouths.
"C…Crikey…" Marine had never seen a monster so tremendous and hideous… except for Queen Sherry…
"HA HA HA! Cower before me, rat… Bow before the might of Mictlan…"
Marine was too awestruck to say anything… Too awestruck to even make eye contact with Mictlan. The serpent's smirks died into frowns… as they turned to what Marine was really looking at. "!"
"ROOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRR…" A dragon with seven heads, each assuming the face of Diablo's brethren, utterly dwarfed and crushed the Chaos Sanctuary beneath its scales. Diablo's terrified visage took the center, Mephisto and Baal at his direct sides… and most notably, Belial's eyes were still swollen.
". . ." Mictlan peed a little gold, jaws dropping before the great beast.
"That thing's… enormous!" Pit Icarus exclaimed. The Hydra he'd just been fighting bolted from the superior beast.
King barely managed to carry his riders out of the palace in time, Jason punching falling rubble away. "GUYS!!" They looked up, seeing Mali being carried by Jeanne's Zanpakutō, Shamash. "I was tryin' ta find you after I beat up the mouth monster! I got lost, but Miss Genie helped me!"
"Is that thing Diablo?!" Jeanne asked. "And what's wrong with Lyserg?!"
"He got like this because of Diablo's fearbending!" Ralph answered. "More importantly, HOW THE HELL DO WE STOP THAT THING?!"
"Donorodaphibalie." The dragon's laugh was bone-rattling. "I am reborn… Tathamet of the Seven Evils. I am… the new Demon King… and I will destroy this world… as Lord Demise wanted…"
"Looks like I don't have a choice now." King said, pulling open his left horn. Inside appeared to be a vial of dark blood. "Kids… I want you all to stay above me."
"K-King…" Isabelle stuttered, anxious as King grabbed the vial and drank the liquid. "!!!" The canine began to swell and tremble similar to Diablo. "AAAAAAAHHHH!" Sector V and Jeanne were swallowed in a blinding explosion of light.
…
…
…
"Augh…what the… Where the hell am I?!" Christina found herself amidst some kind of rugged stone valley.
"OOOOII! CHRISTINA!"
"Shimmy?!" The engineer came dashing with Trella on her shoulders.
"Chris-chan! Shimmy-chan!" Jeanne and Mali came flying up from below a cliff several yards away.
"Everyone else seems to have wound up in that black forest." Jeanne pointed. "They're all scattered." The girls ran to the cliff, overlooking the vast forest of huge, black trees. "I never would have suspected… Clawthorne was holding this much power."
"C…Clawthorne?!" Christina gawked, turning around. Only then did they realize Tathamet was looming ahead of them, rising after being knocked backwards.
Everyone else around the field or in the sky were utterly speechless. Out of absolute nowhere, another monumental colossus arose. It bore the relative shape of King, but his fur had become a forest with dark, cursed plants, and his skull a desolate valley of earth. The gaps within the side cliffs of that valley bore ominous, glowing eyes. "HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWLLLLL…"
"Th-th-th-this thing… is King?!" Shimmy asked. "Did we just get super-duper tiny?!"
No, Shimmy. Trella signed. It's like he told us. King is…
"A Miran TITAN?!" Balder gasped.
Clawthorne reeled back his left arm and threw a slow, but powerful scratch into the Baal head's eyes. Jason, who was riding the arm and holding onto Laruta, could only cry out, "THIS IS SO COOOOOOL!" Azmodan's head bore into King's left eye, but the only sin he could draw out was King's pride. "Yeah! I am an AWESOME Titan! Taste my laser, buster!" King spat a soundwave condensed into a laser, directly striking Diablo's face. Andariel's head barfed a stream of poison, but it was blocked by a rather small source: Xibalba, who molded the poison with his Logia tar body, returned it to the dragon in the form of giant arrows. Elizabeth saved her Light Arrow to shoot through Andariel's forehead, but Diablo spat lightning to zap the two out of the air.
"Whatever that thing is, looks like it's on our side!" Mika said hopefully.
"Talk about a world-ending brawl…" Perry gaped. He was immediately reminded of when he was shrunk at the playground; Jason and Spike were practically this size as they engaged in a heavy brawl.
The rogue Reaper, Mumkhar observed the clash from miles away. "Well… looks like I was right not to get involved in this battle." He twirled the scythe with a wry smirk. "Well, even if Diablo don't win, I got other clients waiting in the wings."
Tathamet stretched its other six heads to bite parts of King's body. Sector V, who were practically the size of fleas to the titans, felt powerless before the tremendous visages of the demons they had already slain. Diablo's eyes bore into King's using Scare Stare, but the Titan turned and allowed only one eye to take the effect. He mustered the strength to raise his arms, clutch Diablo's head, and force it down. "…What?" Viewing over Tathamet's back, King saw what seemed like half of a demon's head sticking out. "Is that Malladus?"
Christina looked over the horizon with a gasp. She, too, recognized the half of Malladus protruding from the demon. "Now, that doesn't belong there." A different voice echoed. Christina was immediately surrounded by fire, the Demon King's silhouette looming above her. "You won't be defeating that thing at your current power. It's time to let me take the reins."
"I'm not desperate enough to throw away my sanity, buddy."
"You don't have a choice! You're exhausted and powerless… so, just give it all to me!" Malladus fired a Combustion Beam, exploding Christina directly. "…?!" But the descendant stood still, seemingly unscathed.
"I think I get it now. I couldn't beat you before 'cause I was pissed. REALLY pissed. And I'm still pretty pissed off. But I got my dad back, and I still got my friends… so, I feel pretty good about this. I'm takin' your fire and kicking this guy's seven butts. …Actually, I guess they all share a butt. He's a gross monster." And so, Christina exhaled and inhaled through her puckered mouth, slurping in all the fire like a smoothie.
"Bah! You're only lucky my soul isn't complete! If you had that other half, this wouldn't be so easy!"
'I can make do with this for now.' Christina would say if she wasn't slurping. As the last of the fire traveled through her gullet, they began to burn with emerald.
"Christina!" Shimmy gasped as the Uno brimmed with emerald flames, inhaling and exhaling with serenity.
"Heeeeey!" Ralph and Isabelle came flying on the former's biplane. "Christina! How'd you get all green?!"
"RALPHY BOY! Just in time! Give me a lift! We're burning this beast to cinders!" She boosted up onto the plane's wings.
"Whatever you say, 'Sonic'!" Ralph joked. "If you want a little more flare, you know who to call!"
"Joaquuuiiin!" (Play "Perfect Dark Gaia" from Sonic Unleashed!)
Phase 2: Tathamet of the Seven-and-a-Half Evils
Christina shot flames at the Destruct Balls Baal's head fired, Ralph flying close as Joaquin blew a wide whirlwind from the propeller. Christina channeled her fire through the wind, creating an emerald cyclone that burned into Baal's scowling visage. Duriel looked from over Baal and flashed his eyes at Christina, trapping her in an illusion where she turned into Mack, being pinned under herself as Chris repeatedly knee-bounced on the nerd. Christina simply accepted her own beating, waiting for the illusion to end before stretching her Flying Eagle wings. She "flapped" while emitting rockets to give herself a boost, and she easily burned down the swarm of maggots Duriel spewed at her. But it was then Duriel ducked down for Azmodan to get a view of her, attempting to draw out Christina's Sloth side—Shunsui flew in front to suffer the effect himself. "Oh, man…I need a drink." While the Elite Angel drank his sake, Christina dove down and rammed Duriel's head, shaping her flames like an eagle's beak and drilling into it.
Duriel swat her away after suffering enough, giving Diablo the chance to bellow a Fear Scream, but the strum of Isabelle's notes nullified it. Diablo's third eye opened, preparing a Combustion Beam. Christina huffed through her nose as an eye of light opened on her forehead. "Whoa, Christina!" Ralph gasped. "Are you…?" Christina was already set to dodge Diablo's Combustion before shooting her own right back into his eye, the demon hollering out from the erupting explosion. Lady Jeanne's Shamash zapped Azmodan's head and trapped it in a guillotine before it could attack Shunsui. Christina landed back on Ralph's plane, steering away as King slashed titanic claws down Diablo's face, while his right claws stabbed beneath Mephisto's neck. To their confusion, a cluster of balloons inflated from the Spiteful's mouth, launching around King's body via jets of helium and bursting against the Titan.
"It's my turn to help out!" Mikaela rode atop the back of Grambi, using psychic to grab whichever balloons she could and return them to Mephisto, dizzying the demon.
"Hey, Mika, make a Tele-path for me!" Christina requested. "I need something to run on!"
"A Tele…OH, A TELE-PATH! That's a good one, Christina!" Mika conjured a straight road of psychic leading to Mephisto's head. Christina posed like a horse and dashed up the path, her flames shaping like said animal. King was clasping Diablo's head to hold it in place, enduring the attacks of the other heads. Andariel spewed poison at the Uno, but Shamash carried Mali nearby so she could bend the sludge away. Belial's bloated eyes were about to slam into the path from underneath, but Ralph covered that side, shooting the eyes to force Belial into retreating. Mephisto recovered and opened his mouth, hoping to bite Christina, but the Uno instead blasted up and landed atop the head. She kept dashing until she was along Mephisto's neck.
"I get it! She's going for the Malladus head!" Shimmy exclaimed. Knowing this, Tathamet set his back on fire, but Christina either bent the fire away from her or ate some for herself. Baal spewed a storm of Destruct Balls, but Light Spheres rained down from two sources and negated them: the angel Elizabeth and Jason, riding her. "The Spirit World sure 'as lots of cool beasties, eh, Chrissie?"
"Do I really look that beast-like to you?" Lizzy asked. While both lightbenders focused fire on Baal's head, Christina resumed the dash to Malladus' head. She violently thrashed and burned the Demon King's essence, Tathamet roaring out in pain.
"Looks like this transformation was never meant to include Malladus's power." King observed, throwing an uppercut to bend the dragon up slightly, allowing him to scratch Tathamet's stomach. "Not to mention, you've only had half an hour to adapt with it. It's become a sensitive organ!" King crouched and slowly spun in attempt to whack Tathamet off its feet with his tail, but the dragon spontaneously vanished in a blink, dropping Christina into midair, while the beast reappeared a few miles away (roughly 10 feet from King's perspective).
The seven heads aligned in a circle, each beginning to build breath. "Breath of Seven Evils." During this charging period, King took a breath, ready to intercept the septuple beam with his own. It was no surprise the soundwave couldn't hold the beam back. Isabelle and Serena both channeled music into King's soundwave, but their chi was too small in comparison and barely helped. Christina, with Joaquin's help, fired an Emerald Cyclone at the beam, holding it back just a bit more. Balder and Shunsui flew in the wake of the beam, expelling whatever energy they had left. The beam burned into King regardless, but the force had lightened enough for the Titan to stay standing.
"THAT shoulda tired him!" Christina smirked. "Hurry, Ralph!" The pilot stomped the gas and sped straight for the demon, but Diablo's head recovered enough strength to spit lightning into the air. Bolts rained randomly around the area, Jason and Lizzy taking a shock, and Jeanne took a bolt in Mali's place. Christina caught a bolt on her fingertips, calmly guided it, and redirected back into Diablo's face. Jeanne's Shamash struck Mephisto's head and trapped it in a spike chair before it could attempt to thwart Ralph's flight. Azmodan threw himself at the plane, but Jaydes flew in the wake, riding a black Lakitu cloud. She was able to trap the head in a Warp Pipe, forcing Azmodan to worm his way through a Mario level.
King struggled to stomp toward Tathamet as Diablo cast a Scare Stare, stunning the Titan in his nightmares. Ralph managed to fly away from his line of sight while Christina rocketed onto Azmodan's neck. She boosted across until she was in view of Malladus' head. She took a breath as her third eye opened, blasting a Combustion Beam into the half head as Tathamet cried out. She then shot down and shaped her fire into a large tail, using "Dragon Sweeps His Tail" to whip and burn Malladus. This was followed by stabbing it with Tiger Claws, but her combo ended when Belial's puffed eyes loomed over her. It forced Christina's legs to turn into Road Runner's, unable to control herself as she dashed high speed, straight between Andariel and Belial's heads and off into the open air.
…
Lyserg, hanging onto a tree on King's shoulder, gazed despairingly at Diablo's ominous eyes in the distance. His fearbending bore into Lyserg's soul once more. "You were always weak," Jeanne's illusion told him, "ever since we began training you. Ever since you faced the Niles…"
He saw a memory of himself, fighting a trio of rogue Egyptian spirits called the Niles. Though he fought well with his newly-awakened Morphine, he was overwhelmed by the Egyptians. Lady Jeanne took the liberty of finishing them without effort. "It wasn't because your strength was weak… It was because your sense of justice was weak. You weren't truly devoted to our goal. Just as how you failed to protect Christina or her friends. You were ordered to keep them away from harm, yet you had no resolve to enforce your duty. A failure in both life and death."
"There he is! There's Lyserg!" Trella's voice called.
"Lyserg, what's the matter with you?!" The boy craned his head to meet the eyes of his teacher, Marco, Trella riding his shoulders. "You still have strength to spare, we need all hands on this!"
"I'll never be good enough…" Lyserg said gloomily. "I can never do my job right… I can never succeed. You've wasted your time with me, Master… I'm sorry."
"Get ahold of yourself, Lyserg! If you're a failure, then you're no different from the rest of us now! The other X Division Angels were already defeated, and Lady Jeanne and I will lose our strength before long. But thanks to you assisting Sector V, Diablo's Pillars were destroyed. They've all survived under your watch."
"It's true, Lyserg! You've been a big help and a great friend!" Trella cheered. "And we wanna invite you to our pizza party after this! But there's not gonna be a party if we don't beat Diablo! Please help us, Lyserg!"
"I…" Trella's voice seemed to nullify the fear in the spirit's heart. It had to be her power at work, or how else could Lyserg describe the ease in his heart…
"Hurry, Lyserg! We must help the princess or this battle will be for nothing!"
"Y…yes." Lyserg glared up at the illusion of Jeanne. "Lady Jeanne would punish me… but she would never call me a failure. And I won't be!" The spirit rose from the tree and took flight. "On my honor as a Divine Angel…" his back glowed, a pair of wings growing from it, "I will punish this sinful demon!" The spirit of his Zanpakutō, a pink-haired poppy spirit with green, webbed feet. Morphine shot the chain herself, allowing Lyserg to grind it with great speed. He saw Christina running across the air against her will, while Ralph was forced to dodge Andariel's homing poison bubbles. Fortunately, Max Murphy came flying on a ship of his own: a ship designed like a karaoke bar. Ramming Belial with the craft would force him to sing a song about grocery bags.
Belial's power wore off on Christina as she began to rocket back toward the demon. Diablo's head faced her and bellowed a Scare Scream, Christina breaking her flight as she fell. Lyserg, withstanding the scream, called Morphine back to him and shot a new chain down Diablo's throat to end the scream. Christina regained herself and resumed flight, Lyserg flying to her side and shooting another chain for her to grind across. Tathamet saw King charging toward them, so they willed a storm of meteors to rain around on their enemies while the heads spewed their powers at the incoming Titan. Mikaela and Grambi threw Psy-Spheres and Cupid Arrows at Azmodan's head, Marco's Zanpakutō-bot teamed up with Pit Icarus to attack Mephisto, Jason and Elizabeth struck Baal's head, Jeanne's Shamash strangled Duriel with a noose, and Ralph unloaded lasers over Andariel. However, as King opened his maw to chomp Diablo's head, ready to blast him with a point-blank soundwave, Diablo charged his Combustion Beam. A tremendous explosion enveloped them from inside, King's skull shattering as he collapsed in a thundering quake.
The amount of distractions allowed Christina to reach Tathamet's back. She dashed headfirst, projecting flaming horns that would pierce Malladus' head. She whipped it with the Tail Sweep, except it shaped like a devil's tail as opposed to a dragon's. Knowing the Malladus-shaped wart couldn't take any more, Christina shot into the air, grew fiery claws, and dug them deep into the wart as she tore it clean open. Tathamet hollered in greater pain as they could feel Christina diving into their very core, like a fire ant inside a fresh wound. The very notion disgusted Christina all the same, but she knew it was the only way to end this. This was the softest point on Tathamet's body, even softer than where King left wounds… and it was in this very spot she found what she wanted.
An orb of fire baring Malladus' half-visage shone in the dragon's innards. Christina lunged at the orb, but as soon as the first blow was dealt, a force blew her back. "ENOUGH! The era of Uno is over!" A flaming illusion of Diablo appeared. "Your essence belongs to ME!" Diablo grabbed Christina, mouth agape as he began to "slurp" her fire into himself. Christina released a sigh and took a breath, slurping the fire back. Her third eye opened, blowing Diablo against the "core" with combustion.
"You're the one who's finished, you wannabe bastard!" Christina scratched with fire claws, but Diablo opened his own third eye to shoot smaller, but rapid combustions. Christina mimicked Jack's Water Beetle maneuver to evade each blast, and once he stopped them, Christina lunged and swung a kick up at his jaw, and her down-swing motion would shoot a fire down onto the core. Diablo grabbed, squeezed, and glared with Scare Stare, but Chris merely shot a glare back and said, "Don't try to pull that with me! You're the one who's scared. You hid nice and safe in the farthest part of your castle, set up a giant barrier and a bunch of henchmen, all 'cause you always knew you were gonna lose! Well, guess what, all your buddies are finished now." No matter how hard Diablo squeezed, her fire burned hotter, prompting him to loosen his grip, and her resolve terrified him. "And I'm taking back what's MINE!" Her burst of fire forced him off, and Christina tore directly through the essence of Malladus. It shattered into particles that flowed into her.
Outside, Marine grabbed Mictlan by the very center and whirled the exhausted dragon in circles. After slamming both heads into the ground, the pirate proceeded to wrap him into a nice gold bow. The Robot Devil, who had climbed onto King's body in attempt to drill through the Titan's flesh, wound up wrapped and crushed by the dark plants growing from his being, courtesy of Sector W's Lily. It helped that the robot was already weakened by the X Division Angels. Sadly, the titanic landmass King had become was beginning to decay and fade.
Lyserg, using his strengthened Morphine, punctured the part of Diablo's forehead that would open his Combustion Eye, channeling a surge of Spirit Fire through it. "Tathamet… your Power Level is 67,000. But with all that power comes weaknesses. Your spontaneous gigantification has made you very slow; I noticed King had that weakness. Naturally, you're not even used to this form and using your brethren's powers, and you hadn't had enough time to fully adapt with Malladus' soul."
"In other words, you have nothing LEFT!" Christina thrusted a flaming sword through Diablo's chest. The demon set the entire chamber on fire, but it became more nourishment for Chris to inhale, her third eye opening once more.
"NO! WAIT!" Diablo dropped on all fours and bowed. "I'll spare the Unos! I'll run to the farthest corners of the Underworld! I'll never harm anyone again!"
"What a wuss." Christina fired the beam, Diablo mustering the last of his will to resist it.
"AAAAAAAHHH!" In a final act of desperation, he tried to force a Combustion through Tathamet's head, only to realize Lyserg's chain clogged the flow. The combination of both energies ruptured him from the inside. Tathamet was gone in a mountainous firework of emerald fire. (End song.)
Pieces of the demon flew for miles, only to decay in the ash. Mali held Mr. Uno gently in her hands as she and Laruta searched the valley where King last lay. "Nnn…uuh…" A tiny puppy was found amongst the ruin, his head a skull. He sat up, stunned as Laruta, and especially Mali, dwarfed him in size.
"M…Mr. King?" Laruta spoke.
"He's so tiny…" Mali said, awed.
"Heh heh… Did I forget to mention I'm also a Larval Titan? I'm a kind that's capable of human speech and reverting into a furry, larval form when I'm on the verge of death. But, uh…it might take a century or two before I can gigantify again. …So, what happened?"
They turned to the fiery mountain for the answer. "Christina…" Laruta frowned.
"Ugh…" Somewhere else amongst the palace's rubble, Torry pushed herself free to view the aftermath. The result was immediately obvious.
"WHEEEEW!" Someone else pushed out next: a jovial, burned, and battered Radio Demon. "I aaaam aliiiiive! I aaaaaaaam ALIIIIIIIIVE!"
Torry rolled her eyes and hurried to the center of the crumbled palace. As if by fate, Christina, blown away by the explosion, landed in a soft pile of ash, her flames fading. She was tired from head to toe, and knew she might not be bending for a while. She could see nothing beyond the clouds of smoke… except for a thin light. With no other path to follow, Christina used what was left in her limbs to crawl to the light. As it drew closer, the blur began to take the form of a golden needle, its hilt shaped like a dragon. "The heck…" Christina pushed herself up, curious as she grabbed and pulled the needle from the ground. There was a bright flash as the needle burst into light, the particles flowing into her.
The Dragon Knight has awakened. Six more have yet to awaken.
She was taken aback by the ominous announcement. Christina didn't feel any less fatigued, but only more confused. "So, we were right…" Torry said to herself.
"HEY! I've found her!" Torry quickly retreated. Lyserg flew above Christina, excitedly sending Morphine through the smoke to draw in the others. "Come on, guys, she's okay!"
The hordes of operatives, Angels, and friendly Demon Lords made their way across the rubble. "CHRISTINAAAAA!" Her teammates and little cousin forgot their fatigue and dashed in to envelop her in hugs. "Christina, that was amazing!" Perry exclaimed.
"You blew that bloke up like a volcano!" Jason cheered.
"You don't care if someone's bigger than you!" Mali lifted the whole group and squeezed them. "You'll beat them up!"
"Can we go home and take a bath now?" Silica asked.
"She's got a point, guys, you're starting to stink me up." Christina snickered. "…But, um… what about Dad?"
"Oh!" Mali set everyone down and reached into her backpack. "I put him in here. Sorry."
For a second, Christina half-expected her father to come limping through the smoke in a calm, but touching reveal. Being pulled out of the 6-year-old's backpack only sprinkled the moment with silliness. Regardless, he was here all the same. Older, weaker, tired, but he was still able to bring himself to stand on Mali's joined hands. "Huff…great job, kiddo."
"…" Christina climbed onto Mali's other hand and hugged her father. Their reunion warmed the hearts of everyone around them.
"Lyserg…" The boy turned to his commander. Lady Jeanne smiled softly. "Congratulations… on your wings."
"Hah…" Lyserg blushed. "…Diablo will return someday… won't he?"
"So long as he didn't produce descendants, he can. A spirit's power is halved upon resurrection, but even so…"
"Well, let's not forget," Balder began, "Tathamet took approximately 6 million years to be reborn. Granted, he was an incomplete Tathamet… Worst case scenario, we only have 1,000 years until they return."
"Oh. That's not a big deal." Lyserg figured.
"It is to us, kid." Shunsui said.
"It is a concern for another day." Jeanne smiled, facing the reunited family once more. "For now, let's only focus on today…"
Demon Archives: Majora. Once a Demon Saint and one of the Great Evils of Termina, he is infamous for trying to crash the Moon onto Termina's Earth several times in history. Rumor says that "Majora" is a pair of demons instead of one.
Azure Hall; space between dimensions (Play "Aria of the Soul" from Persona.)
Torrelasell tore open a rift in space, escorting Mumkhar inside. The rogue Reaper surveyed the chamber with intrigue. The realm was mostly black and void, except for the glimmering blue path on which they walked, leading to a blue circle with seven pedestals surrounding it. Above those pedestals was a symbol designed like a lizard encircling a pig nose. Waiting in the circle, sitting politely at an office desk, was a smiling young woman with green hair and a black office dress. The nameplate on her desk labeled her as Lady Despair.
"I've brought your new applicant." The Daemonis said.
"Thank you, Torry. We'll take it from here. Your services are appreciated as always."
"Until we're needed again…" Torry gave a courteous bow before leaving them to their private meeting.
"Hello, Mister. May I have your name?"
"It's Mumkhar. And what in bloody hell is this place?" Mumkhar asked, his cockney accent resonating rudeness.
"For you to come here… must mean that you've been recommended by one of our cohorts. Correct?"
"Yeh, Aku told me about this place, back when I was workin' with Diablo's alliance. 'e said I had a 'certain flare' about me. Said he wanted me to meet some people once that business with over. Unfortunately, Aku kicked the bucket and the whole operation burned in flames. But that chick found me and brought me here, anyway."
"Puhuhu. Then let's begin the interview. Executives… you are on the line."
The seven pillars all projected holograms in silhouette. It was then Mumkhar noticed they each had Roman numbers and labels.
The "I" was labeled The Anti Heroine, its hologram a thin, but beefy feminine figure with a ponytail and purple aura around them.
"II" was The Bad Fairy, a wide-robed figure holding a scepter, with a comparatively smaller head with horns.
"III" was The Cosplayer, and clearly looked like Monkey D. Luffy from One Piece.
"IV" was The Oathbreaker, a man with messy hair with thick pants and a coat, smoking a cigar.
"V" was The Overlord, a skinny, round-headed figure with a long, pointed tail.
"VI" was The Genius, a man with spiked hair and a lab coat.
"VII" was The Stargazer, a thin man with long hair in bangs, horns, and star-glittered arms.
"So, Executives… does Mr. Mumkhar seem qualified to join the Axolites?"
"Hmmm…he does have a certain darkness about him." The Fairy said, her voice low and refined. "But I suppose our superior can attest that."
"He doesn't look like he'd be too cooperative." The Heroine said in a slightly less mature voice. "But not one to really betray us either…"
"All I can say is this job better be something that benefits me." Mumkhar replied. "And whatever you have me doing better be fun. I wanna bust some 'eads open with me new toy!"
"We want to conquer the multiverse." The Overlord replied, his voice somewhat nasally like that you'd hear from a typical alien. "It's as simple as that."
"Well, it don't get more fun than that." Mumkhar smiled and shrugged. "But how exactly?"
"A certain creature that dwells in the Sea of Worlds." Oathbreaker answered. "A creature that only wakes during multiversal crises… and the Throne War that happened 25 years ago is what finally attracted-"
"Oathbreaker." Stargazer interrupted, his voice soothing and deep. "You're not supposed to divulge too much during the interview."
"Heh, sorry. I wouldn't be living up to my title if I didn't."
"Ah, who cares!" 'Luffy' perked up. "We wanna use this creature to travel the multiverse!" He spun around as clothes flew in and out, becoming Naruto. "And we have a way to do it! Believe it!" He spun again and became Sora. "I wonder how many worlds there are out there? I wanna see 'em all!"
"Sound like a bunch of lunatics if you ask me." Mumkhar sneered.
"The most brilliant men in the world are madmen." The Genius reasoned. "Wouldn't you agree?"
"Especially if you're this guy." The Heroine remarked.
"Yeah, well we only learned from your predecessor!"
"Alright, alright." Mumkhar chuckled. "I'm in. Couldn't pass up a crazy opportunity like this."
"Not, yet." The Despair said. "First, you need majority approval. Executives, cast your votes."
The Executives each pressed one of two buttons that rose up. The score was 5 for Yea, 2 for Nay. "Well, that 'urts my feelings."
"Ah, that's just Stargazer being picky." Genius assured.
"Well, he isn't quite my 'type.'" Stargazer affirmed.
"I don't exactly trust him either." The Heroine said. "If he winds up confronted by his former boss, he may easily turn against us out of cowardice."
"Well, we won't 'ave that problem if you can make sure I can sock it to old Death." Mumkhar stated. "But 'long as I have this here scythe, I should be golden."
"Having the Reaper's Scythe is quite the asset." Overlord smirked. "But I doubt you know how to properly wield it."
"The original Grim Reaper was overpowered multiple times in the past!" The Despair giggled. "But still… the votes weigh in your favor. Now we need the final approval of His Majesty."
The symbol on top became static, replaced by another silhouetted entity: one with a portly appearance and a pursed mouth. "Cough…hork, huack." He coughed, speaking in a deep, ominous, withered, and yet childish voice. "Yeah, he can totally join! He sounds like a fun guy! And we need a new Enforcer to replace Aku, anyway, so why not? Cough…cuff…"
"So, Aku was an Enforcer then? What's the ranking system here exactly?"
"Below our King," Despair explained, "there are the Executives, followed by the Managers of our Thirteen Workshops which provide our resources, after which comes us Enforcers, while we have authority over the Soldiers."
"You mean to say Aku, a Demon Lord, was ranked below this lot?"
"His Power Level did not quite meet the standard." The Fairy clarified. "But he was an invaluable Enforcer all the same."
"Now pegs the question, which Executive to put you under?" Despair wondered. "You did work with The Cosplayer's Enforcer, Roger to attain that scythe, right?"
"That bloke was one, too? Oh, no thanks." Mumkhar scoffed.
"Your Highness, perhaps you can review his history?" Oathbreaker requested.
"I already have. He was a soldier from Planet Mira who betrayed his own people for power."
"Those were the good old days." Mumkhar sighed in reminisce.
"Then perhaps my division." The Oathkeeper's form became clearer: a man with a blue fur coat and white pants with gold diamond patterns. "I am a deathbender, after all."
"Thinking of letting him join your assassins?" Genius asked.
"Without Rokushiki, he won't really make the cut. I'll keep him separate from them. We'll also need to manufacture a Gigai so he can get around safely."
"Sounds like I'm set then." Mumkhar folded his arms knowingly.
"Indeed you are." Despair smiled. "Welcome to the Axolites, Rogue Reaper. For your first assignment… perhaps you can free Enforcer P from prison?"
On a Sky Island (Play "Moments of Happiness" from Zatch Bell!)
The Divine Angels reserved an entire, enormous Island Cloud above Mexico and invited the Kids Next Door to a party in honor of their victory. The blood moon was slowly fading back into its original color, but with the threat of demons subsided, it looked lovelier tonight. "This is seriously, like, the craziest thing ever." Katie Mitchell said, freaked out by the array of Angels, friendly demons, spiritual decorations, and exotic foods on the tables. "Why the fudge isn't my phone working?! Come on, this is the chance of a lifetime, give me my million followers!"
"Heh, I see you brought Katie, Mika." Perry laughed.
"I mean, she kinda deserves it after what happened two days ago! Didn't you read my report?"
"I was way too busy."
"Mom, why are you still wearing that thing?" Star asked sheepishly.
"'Cause I dig it! Kind of wanna go dancing in it. Wanna join me, Kid?"
"Well, I-"
"Please, not here. Not now." Star shrunk.
"The atmosphere isn't quite right, anyway." Lord Death agreed. "It's much too disorganized up here. Besides, I still haven't found my scythe. I'm starting to worry…"
"Oh, it'll turn up somewhere, I'm sure." Nebula flapped the cape of her outfit over his head. "More importantly, you have a promise to fulfill."
"I'm not quite sure it's more important than-" Nebula shot him a glare. "Er, I mean… Star."
"Yeah?" his son looked up.
"I would like to spend time with you later… if you're available."
"Well, okay. I mean, I guess my schedule's open now…"
"Whoa, get out, dude!" Lucina exclaimed across the table. "You knew my dad?!" she asked Lady Jeanne.
"Back when I was alive." Jeanne smiled. "I used to see Ciel in Sunday school. …Then I met him a few times in the Underworld… after his tragedy. I'm glad he was able to find happiness in the end."
"It's a small universe after all, eh loves?" Loki put his arms around Lucina and Astere, sitting between both. "So much that we forget who's related to who. Did you know I'm the only one in my sector who isn't cousins with them? That means I'm the only close boy friend they can get with! Well, I'm pretty sure Hiyuki has the hots for Perry, but someone else can-"
Astere zapped and turned him into a fluffy cat. "I'm sure someone can." Lucina laughed and used him as a footrest.
"We'll meet agaaaiiin!" Alastor sang, chained to a chair as his fingers strummed the piano. "Don't know wheeeere, don't know wheeeen! I know we'll meet again some sunnyyyyy daaaaaay!"
"Why is he here?" Rango asked.
"We didn't want to hire another musician, so Alastor's working off his sentence." La Muerte answered.
"Give us more of that C minor!" Xibalba ordered.
"Here, kids!" Lord Dabura happily placed a flower crown on Robi. "Flower crowns for everyone! And a little tiny one for Lily~" He tapped a teeny crown on the inch-tall girl.
"Didn't you destroy him?" Ichigo asked Shunsui.
"Babidi had a spell prepared to quickly regenerate him. But he's still missing a lot of his power, so he's working off a sentence now, too. More importantly… Karin sure knows how to raise 'em, huh?" Shunsui craned his head up at the 20-foot giant. "Always knew the kid had spunk, but she sure didn't pass on the child care."
"Haha." Ichigo blushed awkwardly. "S-So, you knew her, huh?"
"Met her a few times with Yachiru. We sparred once… I won, but girl sure can kick."
"She kicks harder than Ichi, that's for sure!" Joto snickered. "He's still got the bruises to prove it!"
"Don't joke about that!"
"Heh heh. She actually reminds me a bit of your ancestor, Koda." He turned to the pyrotechnic.
"Huh?" Koda looked up in interest.
"Kūkaku Shiba. She was the biggest firecracker back in life, and she's still a nutcracker in the afterlife. Ain't you ever wonder where your family gets its skill?"
"Whoa… Can I meet her someday?!"
"Enough generations have passed, so I'm sure the gods will allow it."
"It's great to finally meet you, Robi!" Pit Icarus raised the frizzy-haired Nimbi on his shoulders. "Want me to teach you to wield a bow?"
"My mom did. I'm not really good at it…"
"I'm sure we can find a way that works for you. Like using Earth Arrows! I heard Link used Earth Arrows once."
"He's the spitting image of his grandfather, isn't he?" Grambi asked Jaydes, watching Robi's playtime with adoration.
"From his hair down to his toes." Jaydes agreed. "It's still odd to think that Fybi's father reincarnated as her son."
"That's what the cycle of life is. No different from extra lives in a videogame."
"Indeed it is, Grams."
"I am soooooo glad there's a footbath up here." MaKayla sighed, resting in said pool. "That was harder than I thought it'd be."
"Not everyone's first hosting is easy." Temvum said. "Especially when facing our natural enemy."
"That wasn't the problem. The problem was your clothes."
"Excuse me?"
"Your clothes weren't right for me at all. You see this body?" She flexed her slim right leg. "I need an outfit to really give me room. Something thin and flexible, and gives me air in the right places. It was hard to fight when my gear was so bulky."
"We do have different body types."
"I know, but try to wear something tighter next time. Something that catches my figure!"
"And what if anyone else should catch me in that attire…"
"Use Future Sight to determine the best time to avoid them!"
"Sigh…"
"Sooooo, Mom… who is this?" Ruford asked.
"I'll tell you later. Hurry, Juki's eating your favorite cupcake!"
"What?!"
Christina had no need to socialize with anyone, wanting only to relax with her family. She was glad to see everyone having fun; Sheila had a drinking contest with the Sun Angel, Maya, and the Moon Angel, Zatz, seemed to be comforting a depressed Tiffi at the edge of the cloud. Isabelle and Trella were playing fetch with King, Uncle Raymond and Eda watching happily. Balder was yelling at Astere to change his grandson back—wait, Loki was the Head Angel's grandson? That's a crazy thing to just passively learn; they already knew he was Dracula's grandson. But that didn't matter to Christina now. "Dad… I'm sorry about this."
"It's alright…" Christopher said hoarsely. "You did great… You all did. I was afraid a crisis like this would happen… and I worried you wouldn't be able to handle it. But you really are strong…"
"Yeah… You know, I destroyed the part of Malladus that was inside Diablo, and I think it went inside me. I don't feel too different."
"I guess it needs to regenerate. That means you'll be even stronger eventually."
"But… why didn't it go back to you? You need it more than I do."
"Maybe because… I was already done fighting a long time ago. I didn't have the will to hold onto Malladus… or the will to take him back."
"You had the will to live." Maddy smiled. "That's all that matters. Even if you're much older… I'm glad you can still be with us."
"I suppose not everyone has the luxury of aging well." A calm voice spoke. With a gasp, Christina looked up, seeing an… almost familiar samurai.
"Jack?!" He was wearing a black shirt advertising the band, KISS, and blue hippy jeans. "You… What the heck are you wearing?!"
"Is this… not appropriate?" Jack frowned. "Um…to begin with, that time-traveling woman offered to return me to my own time, provided I do not undo what has already been written. I thought it over, and… I think I have what might be known as 'past shock.' I've grown too accustomed to the future that I'm… not sure I can handle returning to the past. And to live in a world where Aku lives, where I am not allowed to fight him… I don't think I can accept it. So, maybe I'll stay around for a little while. I tried to learn about this era's trends and dress accordingly."
"You are SEVERAL decades behind, friend!" Maddy laughed.
"I am… sorry. …But it is an honor to meet the parents of Christina. You have raised a very fine daughter. I look forward to seeing how strong she becomes."
"You might have to wait on that." Christina said. "I'm taking a break from training. A long one."
"It is good to know one's limits." Jack agreed.
"I bet I know where we're going after this." Chris smiled.
"Not until we've had our free fill first."
The year may yet have more troubles, and so would the year beyond it. But those didn't matter now. Not when they could eat, play, and forget their recent troubles. Once more, the KND learned the value of friendship, family, and teamwork, and these things helped them survive and win. Their wounds would heal in time, and they knew they would be getting more wounds in time… but why worry about that when now, they could smile.
…
The morning after the blood moon was crisp and fresh. The demons returned to their den, and Earth could enjoy a beautiful autumn. They could enjoy red leaves and not dread a red moon.
The pink morning sky cast a shadow over the serene mountain, the calm lake a clean, beautiful mirror of its image. The lake was only disturbed by the ripples of fishers on rowboats… one of which held a bandaged, relaxed blonde girl with a red ribbon, and her pale, elderly father, glad to spend his days by his daughter's side.
And that's the end of Third Gen's third multi-chapter arc. I had a hard time trying to figure out the 2nd chapter's direction, but the rest flowed out pretty well! I definitely did a great job on this one. Got to incorporate a lot of spiritey ideas I've been wanting to, even if in cameos. Look forward to more Third Gen fun in the future!
This is a Father's Day one-shot centered around Star Winkiebottom and his father, Death the Kid. This takes place after the DESCENDANT arc, but this chapter won't be required reading.
Under Tour
Lord Death would've liked to attend to the more pressing issue of looking for his missing scythe, but the Reaper had a promise to keep. "Well, Star… welcome aboard the Styx!"
The ship was black with white bone rails and side supports. Giant candles lined the rails and the mainsail skull was crossed with two scythes. The eerie green sea stretched endlessly in the dark Underworld. "If you wanted to go on a voyage, you should've invited Jason." Star said.
"Nonsense, this cruise is for us and us alone! And the crew, but they're irrelevant. It may not be a part of your life, but the Underworld will be a part of your death. One day, all of this will be yours."
"I don't wanna be the Demon King."
"W-Well, someday, you might want to… and besides, I think it should fit in well with your studies. The Underworld is basically its own planet."
"I thought you wanted to spend time with me, not give me more homework."
"Well, what good is quality bonding without imparting knowledge? It'll be fun, Star, I promise!"
"If you say so…" Star kicked back on the deck, waiting for the cruise to be over. The idea of exploring the Underworld sounded pretty cool… he just wished he could've brought his friends along. A field trip was way more fun with classmates than just parents. "How long is this going to last?"
"I've organized a good route that'll take us through 8 territories."
"And… how long will that take?"
"If we spend one hour in each area and half an hour of travel between each, that equates to about… 13 hours, give or take?"
"Uuuuhhhh…"
"I saved one of the best for first! It's Egypt's Underworld!"
Duat was a great desert that stretched beneath a sky of purplish clouds, an orange sky seeping between them. As the Styx sailed the dunes, Star gazed mortified at the countless zombies of sand trying to reach for them. There were great wooden arks sailing the desert. "Each Underworld has its own judgment process. Departed souls ride those vessels, which take different forms inside based on the person and can replay parts from their memories. The Spirit World this connects to is Aaru, the Field of Reeds. But if they are deemed unworthy, they will be thrown into the sand and become what you see. It's like falling into the Sanzu, except a lot more dusty. But some people become mummies."
"And their punishment is to be bathroom attendants, I bet."
"Eh…how do you mean?"
"You know, because…ah, forget it."
"Ahem…you know, the Osirins are connected to Egypt as well as the ancient Zathurians. They learned how to craft Magic Cards."
"Yeah, she told me that."
"So, in a way, Egypt is kind of connected to your culture."
"That's a good point."
"Ehm…" He hoped his son would've stretched on the conversation somehow. "…Oh, look! Someone's coming to visit us!" A ship with the keel of a black dog and a stern resembling a pharaoh's crown sailed close. "Star, this is the vessel of Duat's Demon Lord!"
"You mean Anubis?"
"No, that's what history mis-transcribed him as. His real name is-"
A black dog in a white tunic and headdress pounced from the ship and pinned Death. "Reath! Reath! You ring Ascoobis Snack?"
"Y-Yes, I have them down in the hold! Star, could you go down and get the bags from the box with the dog symbol?"
"Uh…sure." Star halfheartedly walked down and came back up with an armful of bags. "AH!" Ascoobis tackled him and snacked on the treats.
"Chomp, chomp! Rehehehehe! Scooby-Dooby-Doo! Rank you, rid! Rut's roar name?"
"What?!"
"Ascoobis, this is my son, Star. I'm showing him around the Underworld today."
"Ri, Rar! Rant to rome ree my ralace? Rere's rots of squeaky roys and rute roodles."
"I-I don't know!"
"We'll pass, Ascoobis, thank you. We can't deviate too far from schedule."
"Rokay! Rut rere's a rouvenir." Ascoobis hacked up and spat a wet license plate at Star's chest. "Ri role that rom a garbage rump 700 years ago. Enroy! Rehehehehe!" The dog pounced back to his boat.
"Oh, dear…his saliva is very hard to wash off." Death sighed, much to his son's disgust. "Good thing you packed reserves! …Right?"
Greek Underworld; after a quick stop in Duat Town to buy Egyptian clothes
The Styx sailed a narrow river into a great cavern. Star was startled by the massive Cerberus that gnashed from an enclosing, before his father threw a large hunk of meat that the heads would fight over. "I needed to have a talk with Hades, since I heard he lent some monsters to Diablo… but since we're here, I might as well show you his arena. The Underdrome is the biggest combat center down here. He searches for all kinds of powerful monster souls and warriors to battle down here."
They rowed a boat to a great tower with a pair of dreary, eye-like holes near the top. They walked a flight of stairs that would fork, one route leading to the top and another behind the tower. "Hades' chamber is at the top. Oh, and over there are the Fate Sisters." Death indicated a trio of ghoulish witches about to cut a string with some scissors. "They can sense when a soul is about to die by feeling its threads… then they cut them. But no, the lives aren't literally connected to the threads."
"I would hope not."
They traveled the back stairs to reach the upper area of the Underdrome. A thin, but thick-muscled warrioress with tan skin and purple armor dueled three Platinum Krusha Kremlings and two skeletal Demon Koopas made of dark bones. "OOOOOHHH!" Hades cheered. "Fenyx stabs Platinum A RIGHT through the gullet! Even losing an eye doesn't thwart this girl's aim!"
"I'll just be right back." Death said as he marched up to Hades' seat. "Ahem, Hades. Could I have a word with you?"
"And here comes the joy killer…"
"I'm given to believe you aided Diablo's rebellion. He seemed to have a handy number of Cerberuses and Hydras in his court."
"Sheesh, Death, relax, I didn't mean anything by it." The flame-haired demon waved his arms in a lackadaisical manner. "He came cryin' to us for help 'cause someone was tearing down all his pillars, so I threw him a bone or two. I mean, they couldn't have caused THAT much damage, right?"
"It was enough to charge you for crimes against spiritkind. You'll be owing compensation and doing service for every spirit you-"
"Yeah yeah, I got my credit card right here," Hades fished for the card in his robe, fidgeting as it nearly slipped from his hold and gave it to Death, "take whatever you need. Hey, who's this little guy!" The ghostly lord flew down to Star's level. "What're you, Cruella De Vil's son or something?" He picked a few of Star's hairs. "Had a feeling she'd hook it up in Egypt."
"Ahem, this is my son, Hades. Could I ask you not to-"
"Ah, so you're little princely boy, eh? Well, c'mere, don't be shy, we got the best seat in the house!" Hades dragged Star up to his seat. "HEY, UNDERDROME! We got ourselves a couple of hot VIPs up in these stands! Whaddya say we REALLY light this arena? BRING IN THE TYRANNOTITANS!"
A trio of 30-foot Miran Titans fit with Underworld weaponry marched onto the arena. The stadium became ablaze with fearsome lasers and storms of bullets, sending the demonic or undead patrons into a frenzy as unwilling fodder in the epic brawl. "YEEEAAAAH! BOOM-SHAKKA-BOOM!"
"Let's get out of here, Star!" Death quickly ushered his son down the stairs.
"Hey, boss!" yelled Pain, Hades' pudgy red henchman, from an opening above the throne. "We found the Nuclear Bob-omb!"
"About time! Hurry and drop it in!"
Pain and Panic struggled to push in a hefty green Bob-omb with adorable beady eyes. It took them long enough for Star and Death to sail away from the violent arena. As the Bob-omb plummeted to the field, it echoed its trademark N64 voice before lighting the Underdrome like a nuclear pie. "WHEW! They don't make Bob-ombs like they used to!"
Requiem Forest
The father and son rode a horse-drawn carriage through a deep forest. Instruments were scattered all over, strumming sad tunes. "Behold, Symphonia's Underworld! It used to be ruled by Saint Chernabog before his imprisonment. Personally, I find it one of the more pleasant places of the Underworld, if melancholic. All of these instruments represent a soul on Symphonia. Their notes grow ever drier the closer they are to death… until they finally break down."
"You just know when everyone's gonna die, huh?"
"Eh…kind of. We even have hourglasses that keep track of everyone's natural lives… but the amount of sand inside them can change depending what dangerous situations they're in."
"So what, you can tell when I'm gonna die or something?"
"I, uh, wouldn't feel right looking at my own family's hourglasses… and even if I did, it's not like I could interfere with your natural lives."
"Well, you're kind of dropping the ball a little bit now."
"Of course! Being the Grim Reaper's comes with its own privileges. Not every kid can say they've been on a tour through the Under-"
"Yeah, yeah, I know. I still would've liked to bring my friends along. Jennu would've loved a place like this. Heh, and you can bet Jason would've jumped headfirst in that arena."
"You spend time with them every day. This trip is supposed to be between us."
"You only took me out here because Mom asked you."
"But I thought you would've liked to spend time with me."
"I mean… not exactly. For one, I don't wanna be king of the Underworld, and the whole point of the KND is being independent from our parents."
"Those parents still make time for their children and impart valuable lessons. I understand I've been neglecting that duty, but that's why I'm here today."
"At least those parents know how to have fun with their kids."
"Y-Yes, but… as I said, I thought a tour of the Underworld would be lots of fun. I understand you'd rather be with your friends, but I'm only trying to make up for the time I've missed with you."
"All it is is education. I gotta learn 10 million languages, gotta learn the geography of 10,000 planets, what kind of animals live there…"
"I thought you enjoyed learning about that stuff?"
"Not when Mom makes it a priority. That's all she does most of the time is study, teach, tutor, study, making sure I'm all shaped up to be Supreme Leader. I love the Kids Next Door, but I don't like learning all this stuff just for the sake of it. It's more fun to do with friends."
"Alright, alright." Death sighed in defeat. "Do you want to see if your friends are available for the rest of the tour?"
"It's too late. I just wanna go home and take a nap or something…" Star sat himself on a self-pounding drum.
"I just…" Death sat with his back to his son on the opposite side of the drum. "Besides my duties, the entire reason I don't live with you and Nebula is because we didn't want you to grow up feeling too privileged or too extraordinary, being the Demon King's son. I understand there are already plenty of special operatives, but I still thought it was the best choice for your growth. And to be honest, I thought the same thing you just did. That you didn't need your parents because of your KND duties. Even today, I was thinking I'd rather look for my missing scythe. It's been worrying me for days, where in the world could it be?!"
A certain hideout
"Aaaaahhh, that's right. There's the spot." Mumkhar purred as Stefano thoroughly shaved his back hair with the scythe. "I'll be as clean and shiny as the Mechonis' arse, I tell ya."
"And what strong hairs!" Stefano sighed in awe. "These will be perfect for my next trap…"
Underworld
"So, the fact is, I don't value you enough." Death admitted, clasping his hair. "I thought just checking on you every day through the Reflecting Pool was all I needed to do to show I love you. I thought we wouldn't really need to bond or teach you about the Underworld until you dead, but that's not what real parents do at all. I…I don't know how to be a father or a husband! Because of what I am, I wound up getting the easy end of the deal. But now you don't care about me… and I don't know how to prove that I care about you."
"Okay, please stop doing that." Star pled, prompting his father to look up. "Now you really are embarrassing me. Look, I…I appreciate you for trying, okay? Maybe I'm the one who's not trying hard enough, I don't know. I just… It was just a fact that my dad was a Demon King who couldn't live at our house, and that my mom is a Principal Former Supreme Leader who knew everything. The same kind of facts that I learn every day and accept. I never… wanted to spend this kind of time with either of you. All that mattered was I kept up in my studies and did what you expected of me."
"It's…it's much more than that." Death rested a hand on his son's shoulder. "But I don't know enough to explain it. I just want you to know that I'm here for you. And so is your mom. I'd like to help you with things that are in my reasonable authority, I'd like to listen if you need someone to yell at. So… just consider that from now on and give me a chance. I'm trying my best."
"Okay…" Star gave a light smile and held Death's hand. "I will."
"Thanks…" Death brought Star's head to his chest for a light hug. "For now, why don't we go home? I wasted enough of your day already. I'll have your clothes washed and returned, too. The Underwhere has great laundry service."
"It's fine. But… there is something else you can do, actually."
"What's that?"
"Get Mom to stop dancing in that outfit."
Gerudo Town
Nebula was the star of the show in the town's central stage, lighting the night in her glittering purple outfit. "She's still wearing the clothes Cydaea knitted?" Death questioned, he and Star watching from behind the crowd of dancing Gerudo.
"Yeah. I'm starting to think she's still brainwashed."
"That's unacceptable! NEBULA, STOP!" The king zoomed through the crowd on a skateboard. "I'LL SAVE YOU!"
"AAAAH! IT'S A VOE!" a Gerudo screamed.
"Kid, stop!!" Nebula screamed. "You're supposed to take me to the hotel before you-"
"I will rid you of the dancing curse!"
"Is this an RP or something?!"
"This was a mistake…" Star turned and began a long journey across the desert he planned never to return from.