Meanwhile, back at the shack, Mabel and Bill were trying to prepare Stan to ask out Lazy Susan.

"I really don't know about this, kids," Stan insisted. "For the millennia of my life, I only managed to have one soulmate."

"And, what happened to her?" Bill asked.

Stan shrugged awkwardly. "Long story short, she turned into a vicious owl beast and tried to eat my face, so we decided to be friends."

"Somehow, I believe that."

Mabel placed an encouraging hand on her uncle's shoulder. "Don't sweat it, Grunkle Stan, because Bill and I are going to make you irresistible."

"How, exactly?" Bill remarked, gesturing to Stan. "He looks like a grandpa in cosplay, and smells like a deep fried shoe locker."

"I can confirm that is my most accurate description," Stan replied.

Mabel straightened boldly. "Trust me, when I have my heart set on a potential match, ain't nothing gonna stop me," She declared. "Now, let's start with some basic roleplaying. Bill, you be Lazy Susan."

"Thus, the beginning of my nightmare," Bill sighed.

"Now, Stan, show me how you approach a woman," She told him. "And remember, this is a nonjudgmental environment, so I'll just be right on the side judging you on a scale of 1 to 10."

Stan looked towards Bill. He took a deep breath, and said. "Hey there! Wanna see me randomly combust into flames!?"

There was a loud shrill from a whistle that Mabel blew into.

"Where did you get that whistle?" Bill asked.

Mabel didn't answer him, and sighed heavily. "This'll take a lot of work..."

❇❇❇

Back in the Man Cave, the Manotaurs had finally stopped fighting, and faced Will.

"After a lot of punching, we decided to deny your request," Chutzpar told him.

"Denied!" A Manotaur repeated, before punching himself in the face.

Will frowned in disappointment, and tried to think of something. Then, an idea dawned on him. "OK, that's fine, I guess you think it would be too hard to teach me. Maybe, you're not man enough to try."

"Not MAN enough!?" A Manotaur shouted, stomping forward.

"Warrior..." Chutzpar warned.

The Manotaur towered over Will. "NOT MAN ENOUGH!?"

"He didn't mean it," Chutzpar insisted, trying to calm his friend down.

The creature didn't listen, and glared at the boy. "I have three Y chromosomes, six Adam apples, pecs on my abs, and FISTS FOR NIPPLES!"

"It seems to me you're too scared to teach me how to be a man," Will taunted. "Do you hear that? It sounds like...Bock-bock! Bock. Oh, that's really weird--Bocock! BOCAW! Is that--BACAW! It sounds like--BACAW! Yeah, a bunch of chickens!"

The Manotaurs gasp, and huddled together once more. Will caught a snippet of their murmuring, before they broke apart.

"After a second round of deliberation, we have decided to help you become a man!" Chutzpar said.

"Man! Man! Man!" The others chanted.

"Thanks guys! Whatever it is, I won't let you down," Will promised.

A while later, they moved outside the mountain, where they encountered a small hole, which had a sign beside it called Pain Hole.

"The first part of being a man is conquering your fears," A Manotaur told Will.

"For your first test, you must plunge your fist into the Pain Hole!" Chutzpar announced, gesturing to the said hole.

Will regarded the first Manotaur in puzzlement, as he punched his fist into the hole.

The creature chuckled. "Pain Hole, more like-- AHHHHH!"

Will winced, as the Manotaur drew his fist from the hole, and ran off while clutching it. Chutzpar started nudging him forward.

"Your turn, Warrior," He said.

The boy trembled slightly. "Is this really necessary?"

The Manotaur arched one of his bushy brows. "You wanna be a man, don't you?"

Will sighed, and walked forward. He knelt down in front of the hole, and hesitantly reached his hand inside.

❇❇❇

Bill perked his head up curiously.

"What's up, Bill?" Mabel asked him.

He shrugged. "Nothing, I thought I heard a lady screaming in the distance or something."

"Well, pay attention," She told him. "I'm about to give Stan his next lesson: Smiling!"

"Does menacing grins count?" Stan asked.

"No, we need to make your inner beauty shine on the outside!" Mabel insisted. "Now, try it."

Stan struggled to make an unconvincing smile.

"Harder," His niece urged.

The old man strained his face.

"Harder!" Mabel urged.

"Shooting Star, I think he'll tear his face in half if he keeps going," Bill pointed out.

She sighed. "Fair enough. Grunkle Stan, you can stop now."

"Oh, thank goodness!" Stan said, pulling his face back to normal.

Mabel paced around the room, rubbing her temples with her index fingers. "There's gotta be something else we can do..."

The Day Guardian put a hand on her shoulder. "Kid, how about we take a break?" He suggested. "Take a sit by the table, have tea, have a poker game with Blondie over here."

"Grunkle Stan, is teaching kids gambling even legal?" Mabel noted.

"Everything's legal when the cops ain't around!" Stan declared.

Bill regarded him. "Your logic is brilliant, but it's overshadowed by your hideous face."

"Ha! You sure know me, Blondie," The old man chuckled, patting Bill's head. "Just like old times."

The boy looked at him in confusion, before eventually turning to Mabel. "Shooting Star, I need a word with you. Alone."

The Guardian seemed puzzled, but followed him to the kitchen, where they were out of Stan's earshot.

"What did that geezer mean by old times?" Bill demanded.

Mabel played with her hair anxiously, looking hesitant to answer Bill's question. "You see...when you were a Demon, and before the war happened, you and Stan were good friends."

Bill stared. "Wait, you mean I wasn't just a monster back then? I actually had friends?"

She nodded. "Yeah, you got along with my family quite well actually...before, that happened, of course."

The blond processed this. All this time, Bill had suspected that the only thing he needed to know about his past life, was how horrible he had been. But, now there was more to it? Could it be that Bill hadn't been all that bad in the past? He doubted it, since his past life technically had betrayed his friends. Gosh, Bill's past life was a serious jerk.

"Thanks for telling me this, Shooting Star," Bill smiled, despite himself. "Now, let's go to the diner, we're gonna get your hopeless uncle a date, and I know exactly how to do it."

Mabel smiled ear to ear, then she called out to the kitchen. "Grunkle Stan, put your pants on, we're going to the diner!"

"Argh, fine!" Stan called back.

❇❇❇

Meanwhile, Will had just completed 14 different tasks.

It hadn't been easy at all, he thought he might've sprained a few bones, but in the end he had succeeded. And after lifting weights, catching fishes with his bare hands, and jumping a gorge for some goddamn reason, he had finally reached his final task, that would soon be revealed to him.

Will walked into the giant cave, wearing only a loincloth suggested by Chutzpar. He stepped into the center, surrounded by a dozen Manotaurs.

"It's time, Will The Warrior, to face your final task!" Chutzpar announced. He gestured to the end of the cave. "Behold, our great leader!"

Then, out of the shadows, came out a tiny elderly hunched Manotaur.

Will tilted his head. OK, so he must be the oldest or wisest--

Then, another form surged out of the entrance and ate the other one in a single gulp. Will watched in horror, as the enormous Manotaur swallowed the creature, before completely climbing out of the entrance.

Will backed up in shock. "HOLY--"

"I would like you to meet Leaderaur!" Chutzpar exclaimed, gesturing to the giant.

"Then, who was that poor goat man?" The boy asked.

"Oh, he was just an offering. Leaderaur gets hungry often."

Leaderaur glared at Will suspiciously, and the boy felt his heart race in his chest. "So, you wish to become a man?"

"Yes," Will said, with as much courage he could muster.

The bull-like monster huffed through his nostrils. "Very well, to do that..." He reached into his chest, his fist sinking into his flesh.

Will inwardly squirmed, as Leaderaur pulled a spear out from his heart. The weapon was caked in greenish ooze, and it clattered to the ground at Will's feet.

"You must travel to the highest mountain, and slay the Multi-Bear!" Leaderaur announced. "Our sworn enemy!"

The Manotaurs cheered in response, but Will only frowned. "Slay? You mean I have to kill it?"

"That is expected of a man, yes," Leaderaur told him.

Will's eyes darted to his feet. "But, it doesn't seem--"

"Either you accomplish this, or you'll forever be a weak link!" Leaderaur roared. "Now, what's it going to be, Warrior?"

The blue haired boy hesitated, a part of him thinking about backing down, but in the end, his desperation to become something other than his weak self, decided to pick up the spear.

He rose it above his head. "I'll do this task for you!"

The Manotaurs cheered once more, and a smirk formed on Leaderaur's mouth.