Trizel scratched his chin. "But is that not what we want?"

Sid shook his head. "Who brought the fog?"

"Ah, I think I see," sighed Trizel. as he folded his arms in front of his chest. "But even if an enemy creates smoke, they cannot see through it either. That is exactly the kind of cover we need for this operation."

"There are ways to see through smoke." Sid countered. "Especially with this fog. It seems to have been crafted specifically to eliminate several of our more problematic abilities."

"You mean Death's teleportation?"

"More than just that. By their accounts, he and Sentenza did not notice our newest guest until they had almost stepped on him. Yet Death said another version of himself is trapped within that warrior and screamed out to him." Sid placed his hands on the table. "It is clearly a barrier designed specifically to stop Death, if not to stop all of us. We are not all so acutely aware of our abilities when they are limited as Death seems to be."

COWABUNGA!

At that moment Death came grinding down the banister on his skateboard. He didn't seem to have planned for how this would end though, as his board got caught on the edge of the railing and sent him flying. He bounced against the floor and skipped past the giant and the robot in human flesh as they plotted in a dark corner.

While they were staring at his crash, Death suddenly appeared next to Sid. So, bone arm bro, what're we having?

"Why do you not just teleport before hitting the ground?" queried Sid.

Well, my momentum would carry through, wouldn't it? I'd have definitely crashed right through you man!

"Is that so?" mused Sid. "That is...interesting to say the least."

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Death tugged on Sid's knee as he said, Nah. I'm just pulling your leg. Physics don't apply my man! I'm tearing through reality itself.

"Then why not avoid the crash altogether?" queried Sid.

Uh, it kinda takes away from trying stuff like that! Falling is a huge part of boarding my man. Especially when you're starting out. Heck, being able to take a fall is massive in extreme sports!

Trizel nodded. "I can see the value in confronting the pain of failure, even when you could otherwise avoid it. How else can you reinforce the need to excel within yourself?"

Um...nah man. It's just cool just like the rest of it is! Death rattled his head and dug his bony finger in his ear hole. Anyway, what do you guys think of my new shirt? Pretty sweet, right?

Death's shirt was a black, acid wash t-shirt with a faded purple design. It had a skeletal grim reaper with their ribcage exposed. They had their bony hand extended and their scythe behind them, as if they were offering their hand to pick someone up. In text above the image, but behind the scythe it said, "GIVE ME YOUR MOMS" and then in text under it finished with, "CREDIT CARD" and all of the words were in what could have been a creepy font if it weren't for the message.

Sid looked up at Death and declared, "The image is reminiscent of how you were supposed to look back in your world. Although it does look far more serious than I can imagine you looking."

Trizel nodded. "I must admit I do not understand it. What is it supposed to mean exactly?"

Death plucked his head from off of his shoulders and held it in front of his shirt. You know, he said as he inspected his shirt. I don't really know. The style just really spoke to me, you know? And moms credit card just tickled something inside me. Don't you guys feel it too when you look at this masterpiece?

"No, I cannot say that I do." Sid declared.

Trizel slowly nodded his head. "Actually, I think I can see it. There is just something odd about it. Almost like I am looking at an artifact from another civilization. Which, I suppose that I am."

I know, right? Death said excitedly.

"Death?" Sid tapped his skeletal finger on the table as he stared at his mug.

Yeah bro?

"You are sure there is another death within that creature outside?"

One hundo percent broseph.

"Hypothetically speaking, if he were freed, could the two of you co-exist?"

"What are you getting at Sid?" Trizel interjected.

"There should not be two kinds of death, but if there were, what sort of issues could arise from that? Worlds are not made to handle that sort of thing. So, if both were unleashed, would one be purged? Would they be forced to aggregate? What ripples would spread out through this world. There could be potential breaches we could exploit. Maybe even Death could become even more powerful, and slice open an escape with his scythe."

Don't you think that's a bit of a stretch bro?

"Apologies. I was merely processing aloud. You are right. It is far too much speculation. Although I can say that releasing a second death would do something to upset the balance of this world." Sid explained. "Which is something we sorely need. Especially since security has increased since your arrival Death. Which again, is why I doubt the fog is enough to limit our captors' abilities in any measurable capacity."

"Our combined efforts may still make defeating that warrior a challenge." Trizel admitted. "And you may be overestimating them. Sometimes to make a..."

"Wait! No no nooooooooooo!!!"

The three of them turned as Ted cried out from the upper story. They could barely make out his back facing them from the top of the stairs as he faced something further down the upstairs hallway.