Anguish, Dark Mena, her gaggle of three witches and now, the newly adopted Janus all stood before Mena and her friends. Everyone shivered, including Leo, who somehow managed to disguise himself behind May's girth.

"Come on, Leo," Mena said, looking behind her. "I thought you wanted revenge…"

Leo popped out from behind May. "I'm past that phase. Now I'm all for peace...peace and meat."

"For someone so carnivorous," Anguish chortled, "You sure are sounding like a vegan…"

"What did you say?" Leo growled and hot air erupted from his snout. "You can insult my sister (Ashlan wrinkled her nose) and the rest of my family, but don't you speak a word about my diet. I am a proud meatarian and don't even eat parsley on my steak. You can proudly call me a Surlion!"

"Oh really?" Anguish said, her forehead ridging in disbelief. "Then why are you hiding behind a large girl covered in rib sauce?"

May gasped and turned directly to Leo. "Are you really going to let her talk about me like that?"

"Not on your life!" Leo said and he stomped towards Anguish. "Don't you dare talk about meat like that."

"My name's May," May said crossing her arms.

"Yes," Leo said and he slammed his fists in his hands. "I don't know who you are, pink lady, but you've insulted the most important thing in my life!"

"I'll settle for that," May sighed.

Ashlan and Mena turned to each other. "Are you sure this is a good idea…?" Mena asked, "Letting your big bro take on Anguish's A-Team...plus the green witches."

"I'm afraid we can't stop him," Ashlan said, looking back at Mena nervously. "His animal brain is kicking in."

"Janus?" Anguish snapped, "Now is the time to prove yourself. I want you to dispose of this loathsome pest."

Janus suddenly shivered, something odd for someone without skin.

Anguish muttered, "You cannot be one of us without fufilling the means to achieve our ultimate goal. Take his life."

Janus nervously crept over to Leo who was ready to shatter her into a pile of bones. He inhaled and exhaled hot air and raised his hands over her menacingly.

Janus reluctantly materialized her staff out of nowhere. She looked him over with sweat glistening on her bone forehead. She slowly drew her scythe back, causing Mena to cry, "Janus please don't kill him!"

But as the tip of the scythe ignited in blue ember, Janus' eyes were alight in blue flames too. Mena ran as fast as she could and threw her body into Leo. Together, they toppled over as Janus swung her harvesting blade.

There was a loud scream and Mena opened her eyes. Leo's hairy arm was blazing blue with fire. Janus' eyes were once again alight and she began to whisper in the tongue of the dead.

"Oh harvest blade, reap his soul,

For the infinie void forever to hold,"

Leo writhed and screamed on the ground as everyone witnessed his soul being sucked from his body. Mena watched helplessly as the life faded from Ashlan's brother. She couldn't do anything but watch in horrified silence.

"Mena, do something!" May cried, but Mena knew that she had already tried with Janus. It was to no avail.

Leo's body started to move slower and twitch less often. Janus had nearly consumed him.

"Janus...please…" Mena mumbling on her knees begging. "Sto…"

"Janus, stop," a sterner and deeper voice commanded Janus.

Janus' eyes returned to normal and she let out a terrified squeak. "Mom…"

Everyone turned around to see Hel Harvester standing boldly behind them. "Janus," Hel said, her remaining eye alight. "The judge of the living and the dead is not a position to take lightly. Behind the kind eyes of your father lies a tormented soul who can never be spared with death himself."

A breath of silence passed, before the pixie reaper cried with a vulnerability she never let show, "I did not choose to become a reaper, it chose me in my afterbirth!"

"No it did not," Hel responded with a stern defiance. "Your birth was split both ways with life and death... much like my face."

"Mom…" Janus said softly.

"Whether you choose to remain among the living or go down the same path as your reaper father is up to you…"

Janus' kind of bony face was flooded with black tears.

"Janus…" Anguish said, a grimace on her permanently tear stained face. "Don't listen to this barely living zombie. Do you wish to be tricked by these mortals again? Do you really want to continue with their petty games and be afraid to fulfill your purpose?"

"Janus," Hel said, "It's tough to remain alive in the face of death, but...I have a feeling you can do it. I know I didn't get to be there for your teenage years, but from the moment you took your first bonysteps, I knew you were going to be a bright, lively, clever girl who had nothing but love for these living worlds."

"Mom…" Janus said, and she started walking towards Hel Harvestar.

"Janus," Anguish said and began to 'tsk tsk' her. "I wouldn't do this if I were you, Janus."

The pixie reaper continued to walk slowly towards her mother and she raised her arms outstretched. "Janus…" Hel said, "I know I've run from you in the past. I did it to save my own skin. But now I don't care if the daughter of Death embraces me because…"--tears emitted from Hel's one remaining eye--"you're my daughter too."

"And you're my mother too," Janus said and her eyes were wet with black tears.

"Things aren't going according to plan, your Darkness," Bubble squawked.

Anguish's face contorted in a hideous scowl. "With me," the Blood Siren said, "There is no plan, only utter chaos."

Anguish swiftly held her hand to her head and chanted,

"Laugh til you cry,

And cry til you die,

Magic summon me a laughing curse,

So she'll cry til she fries!"

A burst of giggle energy surged out of her finger and hit Hel square in the chest. "Mom!" Janus screamed as everyone gathered around Hel.

She was silent for a few second, but then, she couldn't stop laughing.