"For a bit." Michael responded.

"Though it's mostly been idle thoughts and 'what ifs' for most of the time. Only somewhat recently did I decide to act upon them." he admitted.

"And if he made off with her, then I'm afraid out deal-" he started to say further... just as Ash returned with an unconscious Kelly slung over his shoulder. "... is still on." the archangel finished.

"I admit, I am surprised." he said further.

"Well, you said I had ONE order to give, and I used it." he went on.

"So unless he'll still listen, tell him to dump her right here, and then return to you." he told Anya, gesturing to right beside him.

Ash made his way over to where Michael was, and put Kelly down beside him, though inside, he was doing his absolute best to contain himself.

'Wait for the right moment, wait for the right moment...' he told himself mentally. 'Contain it, catch him off guard...' he thought further, before making his way back to Anya.

"Most impressive." Michael said.

"I admit, I half-expected this to be a ruse of sorts." he admitted, looking over towards Casey briefly.

"Hm." he mumbled.

"Regardless, your capabilities to bend people to your will are most impressive." he complimented Anya.

"Maybe later." Michael said.

"And I would probably have you go for one that's closer to just becoming mindlessly chaotic. When their hatred cannot be focused or controlled, then they become FAR less useful." he reasoned.

"Regardless..." he then said further, trailing off a little, and almost sauntering over towards Casey.

'...the hell is he going to do...?' Ash wondered.

"Hmph." Michael muttered.

"She is NOT in good shape. Perhaps I went a tad overboard." he lamented with a small sigh.

Ash just shivered internally as Anya said that she did, and Michael chuckled.

"Ahhh, fair, fair." he said.

"...speaking of mana..." he then mumbled, taking a cracked halo off of one of his wrists, spinning it with his finger.

"Did you know she managed to destroy two of the Fallen?" he asked Anya.

"4 attacked her. But she drove them back, killing 2 of them." he told her further.

"She's really quite something."

"She was." Michael responded.

"However, one such as her can only hide for SO long." he told her.

"She was eventually found, and after she escaped that attack, she became... sloppy." he continued.

"She had to go to the Unit for treatment, and it was a cinch to infiltrate is and get her." he chuckled.

"Mortal plans crumble SO easily when one part of it goes wrong."

"Hm. A few days, at least." Michael responded.

"And I've been... well... asserting dominance every time she tries to argue with me, or try something funny." he chuckled darkly, inspecting Casey some.

"...hm." he mumbled, sighing, and undoing the bindings around her wrists and ankles.

"No need for those." he said. "Now that she's so weak, she will bend to the will of the Fallen a LOT easier." he reasoned.

Anya could then piece together that Michael was planning, as the spinning of the halo stopped.

"There IS a very real chance of that." Michael confirmed.

"However... while the power IS contained with that collar, the power of Anubis DOES flow through her." he said.

"I'm decently sure she'll survive it." he chuckled.

Meanwhile, inside Ash's head, the news was JUST starting to reach him, due to a weird delay caused by Anya's webbing.

And he was NOT liking what he was hearing.

"You may want to stand back, however." Michael warned her.

Michael paused for a moment.

"Hmmm." he mumbled.

"An interesting prospect." he said. "And you've proven that he IS under your control." he said further.

"Why not." he added with a laugh.

"Go ahead and give the order." he told her, stepping back from Casey and holding the halo out on one of his fingers.

Ash wouldn't lie, he hated this. He hated that Anya seemed to be sincerely enjoying this, and giving the orders in earnest. However, he also realised that this was a golden opportunity that they'd been given. Once he had the halo, he could crush it and attack Michael afterwards. Perhaps this was what Anya was driving to all along? It was hard to say, she was unreadable for him at the moment.

While his mind raced, his body stepped forward and accepted the halo, before shuffling towards Casey. As he did, Michael raised an eyebrow slightly.

"...tell me." he then said.

"Ananiel..." he addressed her.

"Would you be willing to come with me?" he asked. "Join me on my journey until its inevitable conclusion?" he offered her.

"Hmmm." Michael mumbled, pondering the idea.

But just as Ash was close enough to place the halo on Casey's head, he managed it. He found the weak spot that Anya had left, and used ALL his mental energy and will to 'bust out' of his 'prison'.

He then started to crush the halo, some cracking sounds being heard... but unfortunately, Michael was quicker than he expected. A couple of cracks were heard, and Michael was suddenly standing OVER Ash, practically. He had a halo in his hand, and literally slammed it down onto Ash's head, also slamming Ash's face down into the floor.

The halo he'd been holding went flying upwards, and Michael caught it, putting his foot down on Ash's back.

"Good thing I don't ever completely let my guard down." he smirked.