A/N: So, this is a semi spinoff from A Different Road. I say semi since I had the idea for both stories at the same time.
Published: 9/12/2017
Warnings: SPOILERS for all Devil May Cry games, the reboot not counting as I haven't played it yet. I originally hated it but, upon learning that the original DMC story actually is continuing, I can wave off its existence. Still, it won't play a part here as that's basically an AU of the original timeline.
Chapter 1
Three Half-Demons Walk Into an Alley
Dante was exhausted.
Really, truly, he was.
Fighting Vergil had been… It had been wonderful. The blood pumping in his veins, the challenge, the struggle. No one but his brother was so evenly matched against him, no one but his brother could give him such a run for his money, no one but Vergil could make Dante work for his victory like that.
Dante would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy the thrill of a fight.
He was sure it was his demon blood calling out for carnage and his demonic half practically purred the few times he allowed himself to give into his bloodlust.
That wasn't something Dante did often. It was so easy to lose himself in the wild flow of battle that Dante tended to avoid complete surrender to his demonic instincts except when he truly needed it. He'd avoided becoming a monster for so long. He wouldn't become one just out of pure curiosity.
As such, fighting Vergil was exhilarating. It was such a release. It felt so good.
It felt…
Dante choked back tears.
Vergil…
Vergil was gone.
His brother was gone.
Sure, they'd had their up and downs. All siblings did. Admittedly, most siblings didn't end up tearing each other to pieces and dueling for the fate of the entire planet, but that was different. His brother… His brother…
God, where had very thing gone so horribly wrong?
They'd been separated as children. Dante had assumed Vergil had died. Then, finally, years later, he discovered Vergil was alive.
The happiness he had felt!
The joy!
The wonder!
Except… Except…
Vergil had changed.
There was a look in his eye, a fire, a twisted strength.
Vergil had done what Dante had so long fought against.
His older brother, who had always been so calm, so strong, so cool in the face of danger… He'd given into his inner darkness. He'd surrendered to it. He didn't even bother fighting it.
Even then, Vergil being Vergil didn't turn into a wild animal. Of course, he became something worse, a calm, intelligent beast that was capable of complicated thought and machinations.
And now, Dante was covered in his brother's blood. Kinslayer. He'd killed his brother. This made him a Kinslayer.
Among demon kind, there was no worse insult.
Demons were expected to be violent.
Demons were expected to be destructive.
Demons were expected to be selfish, self serving, uncaring of the needs of others.
Demons were expected to be pleasure seekers, regardless of the consequences.
Cutting down one's flesh and blood, however…
That was the one big no no among demonkind.
Dante wasn't exactly a monster in that respect. He was half human. Because of that, most of these rules did not apply to him. However… Dante had still cut down his brother. He might as well have finished Vergil off himself. Yes, Dante hadn't really had a choice. Yes, the portal had been closing and if he hadn't moved, he would have been just as condemned as Vergil now was.
However, that didn't change the fact that Dante had lived while Vergil would die.
Dante had every confidence that his brother could take care of himself. Vergil, after all, was the only one who could give Dante a run for his money. Their father's blood made them powerful.
However, Vergil was wounded. Dante had defeated him. Vergil was wounded and weak and alone and trapped in hell. Maybe if he had gone in at full strength, it would be different. Instead, however…
No!
Dante realized he only had one choice. He would have to have faith Vergil survived. That faith, though, was a double edged sword. He could have all the faith in the world. Either his brother was dead, or he was alive and would become a much greater threat to the world than even Mundus could hope to be.
Only time would tell.
Dante was knocked out his thoughts by a screech. He blinked repeatedly. That sounded like a scarecrow. A dying scarecrow. He considering for only a second.
What better way to lose himself than in more blood?
Rin didn't get his freaky super strength. And, at this point, he had long since realized he was the one with extra strength and it wasn't that the other kids were all weaklings.
Rin was strong and powerful. If he wanted to, he could tear down most adults with little trouble. He'd once underestimated his strength and hurt daddy.
Rin remembered that day.
He'd been so furious. So angry. He couldn't even remember what he had been mad about anymore, not really. It was probably something to do with Yukio. It usually was.
Yukio was Rin's opposite.
Yukio was the yang to Rin's yin. Rin was strong. He was powerful. He wasn't the smartest kid, he realized. Yukio was weak. He was frail. He was a goddamn genius.
It seemed like Rin got all the physical traits and Yukio had gotten all the mental ones. At least, that's what it seemed like.
Right now, Rin realized something.
This made them the perfect team! He could be the brawns, Yukio could be the brains! They could be superheroes! It would be like staring in his own anime!
However, at that moment he had to get back to a tiny thing called reality for one little inconvenient reason.
"Duck, Yuki!"
Yukio shrieked as he dodged a scythe. Rin ran up, jumped up, and kicked. The scarecrow thingy exploded in dust. Rin spun in midair, landing before his brother and lifting his fists.
What were these things?
"You can see them?" Yukio spoke.
Rin blinked.
"Of course I can see 'em- shit!"
Rin dodged but he didn't dodge fast enough. One of those blades ripped a line across his arm.
Rin twisted, grabbed one of the bladed arms, and shoved it into the creature's own stomach. It screeched as it disintegrated.
With a pant, Rin backed away a little. He was strong but these things were wearing him out, whatever the hell they were.
"Besides, Yuki, this is onivously a dream," Rin revealed.
Behind him, Yukio almost fell over. Dream. Rin thought this was a dream. On the bright side, if he could get Rin to actually take a nap when they got home he might forget this whole thing. Rin wasn't suppose to be able to see demons! That was suppose to be Yukio's burden to bear!
Then, a blade arm came down and Yukio screamed as it cut into him.
"YUKI!"
Blue. Blinding blue. So pure, so bright. So warm. Yukio gasped as the flames exploded around them, burning away at everything around them, burning away at his pain as he fell over. Panting, Yukio felt at his chest. The blade hadn't had a chance to cut far but he was still bleeding profoundly. Glancing up, he saw Rin sway slightly before falling back into the arms of a white haired man wearing a red coat.
A white haired man who was wearing a red coat and carrying what Yukio could only suspect to be a demon killing sword. Yukio leapt up.
"Wow, kid! Take it easy!" the man spoke. Rin looked up, eyes glazing over with exhaustion before he fell unconscious. The man lifted Rin into his arms gently before looking over at Yukio.
Yukio growled.
"Give me back my brother!"
The man blinked slowly, looking back and forth between Rin and Yukio. Then, at last, his eyes locked back on Yukio.
"You're," the man paused, looking around at the dying embers of Rin's flames,
"You're both like me."
Then, the man tossed his head back and laughed.
Yukio glared. What was so funny about this situation.
Suddenly, the laughter stopped and a gun was drawn. Yukio screamed again as a gunshot rang out. Dust exploded behind him. Slowly, he looked back. Scarecrows. More Scarecrows. Where were they all-
"Wha- lemme go!" Yukio yelped as an arm wrapped around his waist and hoisted him up.
"Normally," the man began, "I'd wipe the floor with these fuckers. But, first things first, so let's get you kids to safety."
So it was that Yukio and Rin Okumura were promptly kidnapped by the Son of Sparda.
A/N: This one has been in my head for months. How is it so far?