#hothead dante

[bluastro-yellow]

I keep collecting historical people I want to know more about without ever looking up anything about them...

[solidsnakecake]

While I see Sparda and Eva relationship as something of opposite attract (cool head/hothead, demon/human), they had a few things in common. Namely, that they were alone in the world.

Eva had no one else. Notice she tells Dante to disappear and change his name? She had no family or relatives or anyone else for Dante to run to. Either she had cut them out of her life or they were all deceased. Either way, dead to her.

Like Sparda. A demon who couldn't sit in one place and no one could truly understand him, not even his human friends like Matier. His own kin were in another world (literally) and hated him. He really did have no one either. For 2000 years.

So two lonely souls of different worlds bonded like this.

[maluarty-blog]

You had it all.

Your mother's love.

Your "perfect" and safe world.

But it was all fake.

It all went down the day a stranger knocked on your door and opened your eyes.

Now, you'll try to discover yourself with the people who rescued you.

Build a new life, or die trying to.

Discover your powers and weaknesses​.

Choose Mc's animal companion.

Uncover your past.

Befriend your new companions or at least some of them.

Romance 1 of the 6 Ro's.

Leon (M)

Leon is a kind heart, receiving you with open arms from the very first second. He has a calm temper and a strong brain. His amicable and strategic qualities make him the leader of the mercenary group. But it's visible that something dark lurks in his gentle eyes.

He's very tall (1,93 cm (6′ 4″)) and athletic, with tan skin and a scar on his lip. His black hair is cut short, and his violet eyes reflect perfectly his calm and serene character.

He wears a light brown shirt, black pants, and dark brown boots.

He fights with a simple silver shield.

Iara (F) 

Iara is the second in charge. Her strategic and cold demeanor is enough to compensate for Leon's calm procedure, giving the group an excellent balance. She's quiet and observant but has a soft spot and cares for her companions.

She's tall (1,80 cm (5′ 11″)) and has a lean but athletic build. She keeps her curly red hair in a high ponytail. Her golden accessories shine in contrast with her pale skin. She has several scars, but one is more perceptible, crossing her eye, a wound that caused one of her turquoise eyes to be completely pale white.

She wears lightweight golden armor with soft beige fur on her shoulders.

Her golden and bluish-green accessories adorn her neck, ears, and wrist.

She fights with a black and gold whip.

Matheus (M)

Matheus is a charismatic individual. He's clever and very fond of puns and jokes. The young man has quite the ability to read people and has been trying to help you understand your past. As friendly as he is, he seems to have trouble letting people get closer to him.

He's average (1,78 m (5′ 10″)) and lean, with umber skin. His soft brown curls are cut short, and his olive eyes are full of compassion and comprehension.

He wears glasses and a simple sleeveless white shirt combined with baggy pants.

He fights with a silver crossbow with a crow symbol engraved on it.

Dante (M)

Dante is in charge of the magic rituals and enchants. He's a grumpy and hotheaded kind of person. Being a fire Elementalist, he can summon fire, but he's not immune to it, having an arm covered in a burn scar. 

He tends to be reserved and doesn't like being touched by strangers.

He's average (1,75 m (5′ 9″)) and chubby, with fair skin. His chin-length hair is golden blonde, and his eyes are as red as the flames he summons.

He wears a sleeveless shirt with a turtleneck and black pants. He wears in his right ear two black earrings.

He fights with a saw-toothed silver sword.

Siena (F)

Siena is a cunning woman, always having the right words to escape the most challenging situations. She's very fond of Matheus, and just like her friend, she loves making jokes and a good fight.

She's short (1,57 m (5′ 2″)) and robust, with olive skin. She has raven long hair that matches her dark eyes. 

She wears a long black shirt and greenish baggy pants.

She fights with greenish and silver gauntlets.

Levi (NB)

Levi is cold and seems to hate you for what you are. They are sarcastic and straightforward. They tend to avoid you, but even with their cold distance they seem interested at you. Maybe something in you draws them.

They're average (1,70m (5′ 7″)) and athletic, with light brown skin. Their shoulder-length black hair is partially tied in a short ponytail. Their gray eyes seem cold when they look at you. Will they grow warmer with time?

They wear a sleeveless gray shirt and leather pants. And a brown leather arm bracelet.

They fight with silver daggers.

                    ⚠️Trigger Warning: This game is rated 17+⚠️

Currently it has : Self-harm (not intentional), emotional dependence, emotion manipulation and violence.

LINK: https://maluarty.itch.io/into-your-eyes

[darkfictionjude]

Would Luce's family assign a Female MC as head of the family? if they are too good at Mafia Matters/The Buisness.

Nope. They could’ve, they had the chance but that’s one of the reasons if Luce is female that they were not considered at all. It doesn’t matter their talents. Carmen would actually be a better leader because she is less hotheaded than Dante and more strategic and yet it didn’t matter.

That’s actually one of the most fascinating differences between the Italian mafia and the cartels. There wasn’t many cartels with female heads but they were allowed such as Griselda Blanco, still as equally misogynistic but cartels were more open to accepting a female boss

[the-six-that-thrive-if]

in the harem route I will try and wake early so I can make breakfast for everyone, like eggs, sausage, fresh bread, portage some fruits, juice coffee and tea and if warden is in the kitchen I will shooo him away. Whilst I’m baking I will be singing once upon a December by liz callaway or maybe something from the hunchback of notre dame. My mc will be internally screaming from the amount of food money needs to be spent every morning to spoil all of them. Side note what is the ROs preferred way of being comforted?

That's so much damn food and baking.

Dante and Angel are definitely arguing over food and who gets what, while F!Dragon is wordlessly and subtly taking Dante's food and eating it, while Armadillo who's too annoyed, and partially arguing with Dante and Angel for taking so much food, and Warden is sipping his drink while reading a book, unbothered by it all.

THE DEMON —

Dante it depends. Sometimes he simply wants verbal words, complete honesty and straightforwardness. Or hugs. To just collapse into you and possibly crush you with his weight.

THE ANGEL —

Being held and lied too. Angel can easily spiral when faced with issues regarding her behavior getting defensive and depressed. The best way is coaxing her first out of her nest and showing her that youre own her side whilst slowly and carefully being honest.

THE F!DRAGON —

Dragon prefers to be alone, but it brings her comfort that when she comes back, youll be waiting. That’s all she needs and can get slightly hotheaded when she's upset.

THE ARMADILLO —

He resorts to exercise. Doing laps, pushups, weightlifting, anything to busy himself. He's also quiet, and doesn't speak and just zones out. The best way to comfort him is to just be there with him silently and when he wants to talk, then he will. It's better to let him go through his emotions alone.

THE WARDEN —

Rejects the idea of being comforted and he doesn't want it, because he doesn't need it in a sense. There are not many things that he can't handle nor regulate by himself. So comforting him seems like something more for MC to do to feel better about themselves, then it is for him. He'll let you believe that you are comforting him.

THE KING —

Communication. He wants to be completely and utterly honest. Knowing that you're listening to him and his stresses comforts him. That's all he needs.

[acceleracers-baby]

Acceleracers HCs! What Element Would They Bend?

I just finished the Avatar Live Action and now I have brain rot about these movies AND the original ATLA show.

———

Teku

(Nolo Pasaro, Vert Wheeler, Shirako Takamoto, Kurt Wylde, Karma Eiss)

Metal Maniacs

(Taro Kitano, Tork Maddox, Monkey McClurg, Porkchop RIggs, Markie Wylde)

+Bonus Round

(Brian Kadeem & Banjee Castillo)

———

Teku

Nolo Pasaro - Okay, when I rewatched the Acelleracers recently, I literally had to look up the voice actor for Nolo because I genuinely thought it was Dante Basco (Zuko) for a second. They sound so similar. Plus Nolo’s firey personality and his pride really make me think he’d be a Firebender. “Tork! I challenge you to an Agni Kai!”

Vert Wheeler - I feel like I don't need to say it, but I’m gonna… Vert’s a Waterbender! Water is the element of change and Vert is all about adapting to the different tracks. He’s also a surfer- so… yeah I feel like this one is pretty self-explanatory. I swear this dude would become one with the ocean if it was possible. I can’t get the image of him making a surf board out of ice and just using the full moon to make the biggest waves possible for himself.

Shirako Takamoto - Shirako is so chill all the time I can’t help but see him as an Airbender. I also feel like he’d use his bending in the most creative and chaotic ways possible like manipulating the air around his speakers to make them sound louder or clearer. Not to mention that he’d use his bending to mildly annoy the Metal Maniacs. Think blowing their tools just slightly out of reach or speeding by them on an air scooter.

Kurt Wylde - Kurt has such strong Firebending vibes that it literally inspired this post lol. He just seems like such a hothead. He’s got the sass and air of superiority that comes with most Firebenders. It doesn't help that he and Mark have a sibling rivalry that reminds me of Zuko & Azula. Kurt also seems like he’d be able to manipulate lightning, and I’m not just saying that cause he looks like Mako.

Karma Eiss - Karma also gives off Firebending vibes. Her drive for perfection fits the precision a Firebender needs in order to safely manipulate their element. One wrong move and it could mean trouble. Karma would have her element fully mastered. She would have the wisdom to take skills from other bending disciplines and apply them to her own style. She can bend both fire and lightning, and I feel like she’d be skilled enough to turn up the heat for those blue flames!

———

Metal Maniacs

Taro Kitano - Oh, look at that. Another Firebender. I mean come on! He’s the leader of the Scorchers in World Race. His car has a classic flame paint job!! The Fire Nation was literally modeled after Imperial Japan!! There are so many connections I could make here, but what really convinces me is his overall attitude. He follows a strict honor code, and just like Karma, he’s got the control a Firebender needs to be successful. I feel like he’d make a great Lavabender too.

Tork Maddox - I’m getting strong Earthbender vibes from Tork. He’s built as sturdy as a rock, and his personality is just as solid. He stands his ground a lot in the Acceleracer movies, and although he’s got some fire behind his eyes, it’s usually only in response to being antagonized by one of the other racers. He’s the very foundation of the Metal Maniacs and like any good Earthbender, he seems to listen before he reacts. I also love the idea of Tork being a Metalbender.

Monkey McClurg - Monkey strikes me as a Nonbender, but if I had to give him an element, he would be an Earthbender. Mainly because I feel like he could make a great Metalbender. That being said, at my core, I really think he would end up not being able to bend, but he would make up for it by being an extremely creative inventor. He just reminds me of Sokka so much with how resourceful he is.

Porkchop Riggs - Porkchop is a full on Earthbender, baby! In fact, If Monkey ended up not being able to bend, he’d be who Monkey goes to for all of his Metalbending needs. He is one with the dirt. Especially since he's terrified of water.

Markie Wylde - Markie is 100% a Firebender as well. Like his older brother, he’s hot-headed and cocky. He gives off those Book One Zuko vibes in most of the Acceleracer movies. I don’t think he’d have the precision to be able to produce blue flames, but I do feel like he could pick up combustion. Could you imagine Markie with combustion tattoos up his arm instead of the stuff he's got now?

———

Bonus Round

Brian Kadeem - Okay, I wanted to put Kadeem in the Earthbender category due to Sandbending, but Kadeem’s personality SCREAMS Airbender. He’s got too many pacifistic tendencies and is just so damn loveable I can’t not associate him with Aang. Not only that but due to the scenes in World Race where his mentor comes to him in visions, I feel like he would be able to connect to the Spirit World quite easily.

Banjee Castillo - Surprisingly, I feel like Banjee would be an Airbender too. If not an Airbender, then probably an Earthbender. He’s just so quick-witted and has such a lighthearted view on life that I can't help but stick him with the Airbenders. Also, the way he teases people (like when he waves at Kurt as he passes him in World Race) reminds me of when Aang is being mischievous.

——— Thanks for Reading ———

[devilmayfamily]

Imagine Meeting DMC 2 Dante

So, I finally got around to playing DMC 2 and Dante is so much more stoic in that game than he is in any of the others. He doesn't talk much and is just a very serious lad compared to the other games where he is the wacky woohoo pizza man.

Capcom trying to make him this way didn't hit too much and I'm sure the rest of the fandom can agree from what I've seen from other reviews.

This isn't where this post is getting at tho.

Seeing Dante more like Vergil in this game had me thinking.

What if this is the Dante you met?

Imagine having baby Nero, walking around Redgrave, and seeing the white-haired man. He's in red so you know it's not the man you met a few years back but maybe he's at least related. It couldn't hurt to check, right?

So you walk up to him and he doesn't say anything but he does notice Nero. And Dante immediately thinks that the boy is his. And he's confused and a little scared. He wasn't made to be a father, especially not with the life he lives.

So he tries to let you down easily and leave the situation as soon as possible. He tries until you say, "I watched you go the first time, I can't let you go again. Please, even if you aren't him, I need someone related to him. Nero needs his family and I'm the only one."

And Dante realizes you are Vergil's mate and this was Vergil's offspring, Dante's kin. And a protectiveness washes over him and he instantly feels the need to protect you, the boy, and kick Vergil's ass the next time he sees him, no matter the man's condition.

So with a few words, Dante takes you back to the DMC building and gives you one of the upstairs spare rooms, and helps you take care of Nero. He tells you about Vergil and their family and in turn, you tell Dante about how you and Vergil met and about his new nephew.

He helps you raise the boy as he becomes the moody, sarcastic hotheaded teen we see in DMC 4. And at some point Nero does ask about his father and you both tell him and he still hates Vergil just as much as he does in DMC 5.

And seeing Dante become this light-hearted, wacky man over the years kind of helps soothe you and you could see yourself living the rest of your life helping Dante with his business, even if it's just as his financial advisor.

And when Dante and Nero go on their mission in DMC 5 and Dante finds out it's his brother behind all this, that battle at the top of the Qliphoth is much more heated and Vergil can tell this is something more than just getting back at his brother for opening a portal to hell and trying to become the ruler.

So when they're walking through hell, Vergil has to ask. "I know there is more to this than our old rivalry."

Dante hums. "Yeah, it is."

"Enlighten me then brother." "Nero, he's yours." "I thought we established that already?"

Dante chuckles. "Yeah but not about his mother."

Vergil looks at his brother curiously. "Is she alive?" "Very much so. She's been staying with me since we were 30. She came to me on the streets, begging me to stay thinking I was you. She's quite the woman, Vergil, I can't believe you let her go."

Vergil hums, nodding.

You will always be grateful for Dante letting you in and helping you out. And Dante will always feel like he's in debt to you even if it should be the other way around. Because you are his family, and he will do anything and everything to make sure you never end up like the lost woman who came begging for his love and approval all those years ago.

[papaziggy-devblog]

So momma sloth, if you made your characters in the sims, what traits would you give them? Asking for a friend (it's me, I am the friend)

Harper: Romantic, Jealous, Goofball (Or Foodie)

Gavin: Goodball, Creative, Ambitious, (Or Childish)

Sophie: Cheerful, Cat lover, Music Lover (Secretly Jealous)

Dante: Dog lover, Family Oriented, Loves Outdoors, (Secretly Gloomy)

Cammi: Bookworm, Ambitious, Self Assured (Or outgoing)

Jazz: Active, Hotheaded, Outgoing (Or Loyal)

[agecfwonder]

*:·ﾟ✧ is that that jonah zale , who is originally from cardonia , and living in valachia ? it’s nice to see the member of transvania's kings guard / dragon rider out and about on such a fine day as this. i’ve heard from the court spies that they notoriously stubborn , whilst also managing to be quite charming . the twenty-seven year old was born human, and hails from the kingdom of transvania. 

———   GENERAL

NAME  : jonah kieran zale TITLE : king's guard ( assigned to the prince ) & dragon rider AGE :  twenty-seven   SPECIES : human GENDER : cis man  PRONOUNS : he/him SEXUAL ORIENTATION : bisexual BIRTHPLACE : cardoniaRESIDENCE  : valachia

———   RELATIONSHIPS

FATHER : unknownMOTHER : tonya zale   SIBLINGS : none ALLIES : prince gabriel dragola ; dante valdinia  ENEMIES : tba

———   PERSONALITY

LABEL : the white knight TAROT : the fool ALIGNMENT : neutral good POSITIVE (+) : curious — charming — compassionate — noble — loyal — perseverant NEGATIVE (-) : stubborn — impatient — follower — exploitable — hotheaded

———   HISTORY

jonah never knew his father. his mother had been a maid for lady dahlia, one of the noble families in cardonia, when she found out she was expecting. there had been rumors, of course, among the rest of the castle's staff as to who the father could be when she could no longer hide her condition but tonya remained tight lipped. some whispers said it had to be any number of the guard-- she was young and beautiful and turned plenty of heads and of course, any friendly interaction even in passing was twisted into some flirtation. others murmured that perhaps it was some bastard child of their lord or maybe another noble passing through that had stopped to intrude upon the dahlia's generosity. lots of speculations and quiet accusations had his mother moved to kitchen staff, where she would be out of the eye of the nobility and that was where she stayed even after his entrance to the world.

it took nearly a year before anyone realized the problems with his ears. he had spent his whole life strapped to his mother's chest while she worked in the kitchens of the castle and tonya and those around her- kinder now that this mystery baby had been brought into the world, his mysterious parentage the last thing on their minds when he smiled at them- assumed that he had just grown used to the constant bustle and noise of the kitchens, it never struck them as odd that he didn't react to the loud clangs and bangs that could happen. when he wouldn't respond to his name, some of the older men would tut and laugh, saying he was just a 'selective listener, like all men' but it was the community of women in the kitchen that took the matter seriously, hands snapping fingers next to his ears for no reaction to pass over his small face. the castle's healer confirmed it- the deafness, in both ears- was first met with sympathy but tonya wouldn't entertain it.

a stable hand for the castle had a sister who worked in the village who was deaf and it was from him that tonya learned how to speak with her hands, exchanging meals or treats from the noble's kitchen for lessons in the stable for herself and the toddler jonah was becoming. she taught everyone she could- showing those who worked in the kitchen with her how to shape and move their hands in order to talk with the little boy who had begun exploring the kitchen on fast legs, the guards who would stop and ruffle his curls on their way for the next watch, the butlers and maids that sneak him sweets as they came to serve each course that was sent from the kitchen. she taught him the shape of words as they left people's mouths, showing him how to hear with his ears those who couldn't speak with their hands.

as he got older and more busy under the feet of those that never stopped working in the dahlia's kitchen, she sent him out ( in hopes it would keep him out of trouble ) to the stables where the hand that had taught both of them to communicate without words could keep an eye on him. mucking stalls, picking hooves, mending ( and cleaning-- so. much. cleaning ) the saddles and bridles of the dahlia family kept him busy for a time but curiosity would inevitably have him venturing to other parts of the keep; like the smithy where he was allowed to watch ( a thick and heavy leather apron spread across his lap and covering skinned knees ) and the gardens where he was allowed to play in the dirt, pulling weeds and tending to the produce that would be gathered and turned alchemy like into the most delicious food.

eventually, he made it to where the keeps guards would train. sitting on the wooden railings of the circular pen where they would spar, he would watch with wide eyes as the sun glinted off swords they swung at each other, feet sliding and kicking up clouds of dust as they moved. his hand wrapped around a stick, he would challenge other children to mock battles, imitating the way those guards had moved their feet, how they had held the swords and swung in wide arcs. plenty of his challengers had run off with throbbing hands from where his stick-sword had whapped them good or bleeding from where that stick-sword had gotten too frenzied and he had made plenty of his own tear-filled walks to the comfort of the kitchen where his mother's face would be scrunched up in gentle frustration and her hands would snap in quiet admonishment as she cleaned his battle wounds.

when he was thirteen, he started apprenticing with the blacksmith and while he was mostly set to keeping the smithy clean or tools sharp or, the most tedious of chores, filing the patches on scullery pots, he watched with those bright eyes when the blacksmith would work on those red hot blades or buffing out the bright iron of a shield. he wasn't supposed to touch them, he knew he wasn't supposed to but find one fourteen year old boy who could resist the siren's call of fresh steel and it felt heavy in his hand but balanced and he had been behind the smithy, feet kicking up those same puffs of dust as he moved like those guards he loved watching so much, his arm ( stronger now that he had been working in the smithy for over a year ) moving in imitation of those thrusts and parries. the captain of the guard had been the one whose blade jonah had decided to play with and he hadn't heard the man when he entered the smithy, much less when he had come around the back to watch from the doorframe as jonah fought imaginary vampires and invaders. when jonah realized he'd been caught, he was certain he was in bigger trouble than he'd ever been in his life, watching as the captain's mouth moved to tell the blacksmith he would 'need to speak with the boy's mother'.

jonah left the smithy only to begin training with the new crop of young men and women who would one day replace those that protected the keep. he was younger than most of them and he was given no concession for the ears that could not hear a commander's call. at first, it seemed like he would be left behind but as time passed, the group learned to work together as a company- learning signs that they could pass down the line to one another to communicate commands, maneuvers, orders. for years he trained with them and when it was time for them to join the guard, jonah was presented with a surprising opportunity. the captain that had caught him all those years ago playing with his sword behind the smithy recommended him for the bran academy in branu, acting as his patron. his mother tried to talk him out of it, deathly afraid of her only son going off to the academy, knowing that there were many children who left to find glory only to be sent home in pinewood boxes or clay urns to their waiting families, for the first time in his life trying to use his deafness as a reason why he would not succeed. it only fueled him more to prove her wrong even though it broke his heart to leave her.

the academy brought on a new level of challenges but jonah- ever bull-headed, ever determined to prove everyone around him wrong- only let those challenges push him instead of drag him down. he left the academy bonded to his dragon- moiraine- and joined the dracovlăst, patrolling transvania's borders for three years before he was offered a place in the king's guard, assigned to the prince-- a position he took up gladly. not too bad for the deaf child of a kitchen maid from cardonia. he's been a part of prince gabriel's personal guard for about two years now.

———   QUICK FACTS ( TLDR; )

jonah is from cardonia, a bastard child to a kitchen maid for the dahlia family.

he's profoundly deaf in both ears and was taught sign language by his mother and a stable hand who worked for the same family that had a deaf sister.

was a blacksmith apprentice for a time before training as a guard for the dahlia family only to be sent to the bran academy under the patronage of the captain of the guard for the dahlia family ( potential wanted connection )

kicked ass and took names at the academy and bonded with his dragon, moiraine and left to patrol the border for a hot second before landing a spot in the king's guard. [ all i do is win by dj khaled blasts in the background ]

bc jonah is deaf he uses sign language to communicate and is able to read lips. his mother tried to teach him to verbalize but it wasn't something he had much interest in.

he's incredibly expressive with his body language-- imagine like the most cartoonish man you've ever met in real life

has the Loudest Laugh- zero volume control. like is generally pretty fucking loud just bc he's not aware of how much noise he makes

just a big himbo

he's not Dumb but he is very impressionable.

can and will teach anyone who is willing to learn sign.

[thedeal-if]

Can you bless us mortals with some romantic facts about Dante, please?

ヽ(°〇°)ﾉ you anon mortals like hot demons I see I see (period same).

Once, Dante used to be rather well off (he was rich rich) and though he definitely isn't anymore, he still tends to spoil his partners rotten.

He loves to see his s/o's face whenever he gets them something he'd think they'd like.

Few would think so upon meeting him but he's extremely generous (with those he cares about). Dante wouldn't hesitate to give, he much prefers it to taking.

This discourse leads to some very deep-rooted issues so let's just say he's cute.

Dante also draws a lot of inspiration from his emotions. And his partners. He considers them le sue muse (his muses).

He's far from being smooth though. Quite the opposite.

Dante likes to use Italian terms of endearment. His English is pretty good but it's a language that doesn't speak to him on a personal level.

When he says I love you he doesn't mean it as strongly as when he says ti amo.

"La vita senza te non può essere perfetta" (life without you can't be perfect, an actual quote from his special route).

Dante is only sappy when he gets too lost in the moment. He says things like that when he doesn't mean to open up.

Dante is an Aeshma (a demon of wrath), so he's pretty hotheaded.

But most of the time this anger originates from the desire of protecting his loved ones.

He's extremely protective of his partners (if his s/o got disrespected he'd be more than ready to throw hands).

(if his partner is comfortable with touching and being touched) Dante is pretty clingy. He doesn't even realize half of the time. He loves hugs.

The second most comfortable with poly relationships. He's kind of(? 'traditional' with some things but when it comes to affection and love Dante is more than open-minded.

Fun fact: if you show interest in him as soon as he appears (not going to say which route tho) Dante kisses you on the hand. It's a cute scene imo ^^

Disclaimer: I'm not Italian my skill in Italian is laughable and I didn't feel like using Google translate. I love Italy I love Italians I love Italian. Please don't be offended 🥺

[giordirossi]

     FLASHBACK // LAUNCESTON // 11 YEARS PRIOR

Wintertime traps cold air in the warehouse like a metal freezer, the only salvation of warmth appearing in the shape of other bodies huddled in a makeshift circle around one another. Downtime in the Sovrani often leads to questionable creativity and this game falls beneath that scope. Someone refers to it as an unserious initiation between the newer recruits and those with at least a few seasons under their belts. A chance to prove caliber and strength. 

To Giordana Rossi, it’s a pissing contest and not a worthwhile one at that. 

Despite occasional mockery and distaste from others as a result of her dubious bloodline, she never actually feels inadequate enough to prove her value. Being different from the rest eats her alive in other ways that she’d sooner choke than verbalize, but inferiority isn’t one. Barely nineteen years old, she continues silently packing weapons into a crate for tomorrow (what they’re all supposed to be doing) and faintly observes their nonsense from the sidelines. 

If any of the boys ––she is averse to calling them men when they behave like children–– were half as cunning as they boasted, it might be in their better interest to shout less and watch more. Without speaking a single word, she ascertains quite a bit about each of them as they step into the poor excuse of a fight club ring. 

Matteo is hotheaded (she can relate), but he clutches rash decision making between his teeth and swings too quickly. It costs him an open torso; two cheap hits later and he crumples like a used napkin. Luca wears arrogance as a crown and cape, presiding over the games as if he himself rules the Sovrani with the gleeful chaos of a child emperor. The reigning champion by sheer size and aggressive dominance alone. 

And finally Dante, who sticks out more than the rest due to his smaller stature and quiet demeanor. Always subject to peer pressure in a longing bid for acceptance somewhere, anywhere. Luca tosses him from the circle after a particularly brutal round and though her expression reveals nothing as it’s wont to do, the sight churns her stomach. Jeers and whoops emanate as the gathering of twenty return to their contest and the man-king loudly questions who dares challenge him next.

“I will.”

Sharp and clear, her words settle over the others as they pivot with confusion at her approach. Not one to be knocked off-kilter easily, Luca’s curious disbelief slowly warps into a mocking smirk. “You’re joking.” Whatever emptiness he reads on her soft features only spurns the machismo hubris further. “No offense,” as if he cares, “but you’re not cut out for this game.” 

Too piccola, she’s heard that before in her youth and it isn’t any more true now as it was back then. His head shakes and he dismissively waves her off. “I don’t think so. Stick to what you’re best at, yeah?” On his second turn around the group, he makes a lewd gesture combining his fist and mouth. A few of the others laugh. Giordana remains exceptionally still.

What girls are best at...

“Okay.”

~~~

An hour later and the formerly enigmatic crew are still hosing blood from the concrete while a higher up barks orders. Even if no one died, that isn’t much consolation for the mess left behind after their antics.

Somewhere a few blocks away in the city, Frankie sits at a kitchen table with Giordana and wraps her knuckles in white gauze. Her clothes are mottled with blood, completely soaked through in a few places while she studies her brother’s careful ministrations.

“I remember my first game.” His voice permeates the silence, brimming with long forgotten amusement and nostalgia. “Next time we’ll work on how to get you out of there without bleeding.” Taunting, of course, as older brothers do, but she doesn’t return the smile.

“It’s not mine.”

Frankie doesn’t hear at first, still digging through the unofficial damage kit until her words finally settle. It’s unfathomable. His face lifts with mild bewilderment, heavy brows scrunching when he blinks. “––Come again?” 

“The blood. It isn’t mine.” Pulling back, Giordana twists her wrapped fist back and forth under the incandescent kitchen light, as if turning over some awe-inspiring toy. While that behavior was better exhibited ten years prior in girlhood, the emotion behind it hasn’t changed.

The air is thick with her morbid fascination and a myriad of unspoken words caught in the eldest’s throat before he clears it. “Are you hungry?”

Yes, but not for food. Not anymore.

~~~

Tower Hamlets is never quiet as she’s learned over the past couple of months. Even in the middle of the night, with only street lamps and the promise of the witching hour as a guide, someone inevitably trolls the streets. Usually multiple; she counts passerby like sheep from her grand window overlooking the wharf. With knees drawn to her chest like a child, she sips at a red wine and dissociates into the twinkling cityscape. 

Winter has come again and she once more recalls the icy, unforgiving concrete of that floor back in Launceston, with her shoulder pressed against it threatening to snap like a twig. She remembers how the world went quiet and still, how her breathing became the only tangible sound when everything else just... shut off. At some point she was standing with cracked hands drenched in Luca’s blood and then, in seemingly the next moment, sitting across from Frankie.

Even now, over a decade removed, his expression from that night haunts the far reaches of her mind. He was afraid of her. His own sister.

Maybe he had a right to be. 

[prototypelq]

If you're interested in roleswap AUs I have a recommendation for you. If you go to youtube and search up Champion Analysis he has some videos on the roleswap. The first one is called "What if Dante and Vergil switched? Part 1 | Devil May Cry 5 Analysis" and the second is called the same but part 2 instead of part 1. Then he has a more detailed rewrite of DMC 3 with the idea called "Vergil May Cry | Vergil's Awakening (Ft. Emirichu)"

He has some other good character analysis videos as well to check out.

Thank you for the reccomendation! I have seen and listened to those videos with great interest.

What I like about roleswap au is that, I think it is a darker DMC timeline. I truly believe Dante cannot be a 'redeemable' antagonist in this franchise. Both twins are hotheaded idiots, but Vergil has a tendency to tunnel vision his goals, while Dante doesn`t. And for Dante to be the antagonist of the series he would have to do atrocities his bleeding heart would not be able to come back from.

Personally, my favourite version of this can be read in Devil May Cry D fic by Strawberry_Hope (albeit the fic is written in russian, sadly there is no english translation available).

The fic takes place during the events of the 5 plot. Dante has come back from Hell, crazed as he was he fought Vergil and Nero on first sight, and by accident (and by being extremely traumatised and mentally unstable) he gets split just as in base game. The main differences being that human!Dante is hiding a lot from his relatives, acts extremely clowny, and is actually ashamed to be near them. The Dante in this story is very different to the canon one, because when this Dante saw Eva get mauled to death by demons, this Dante triggered in anger and fear and lashed out with his claws and wings at anything in his reach, then ran away and passed from exhaustion. He got this anger-filled bloodlust from early childhood, and has been his closest ally ever since. This Dante willingly cast anything humane away in order to fill that void inside with carnage around him, and the human!Dante during the events of the fic is deeply ashamed of himself for this, especially when he feels the need to compare himself to the 'perfect elder family heir' Vergil, who is this fic is a Legendary Demon Hunter. Just as in canon, Vergil in this fic is very much troubled by his inability to save his family members, is afraid of letting them down, and vows to do everything he can to restore Dante back to health (which human!Dante himself is unsure if he wants, because even while he is dying, he at least is certain he won`t fall into madness in his current condition, and he is unsure how to contain his hysteria when he gets restored). Oh, also the demon!Dante goes on a rampage between realms, killing every demon with his bare hands, claws and fangs, he is literally feral. His chapters are chilling to the bone.

[os3npaio]

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⚠️CW: Manga spoilers, blood, violence, Age age (40 & 21), Sugar Daddy / Baby⚠️

WORD COUNT:3441

Artwork by oS3NPAIo | DO NOT REPOST

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Part One: Blood Riot

Time and money were nothing to Eijirou. He has been alive enough to know that money was materialistic, and power was everything. When he was younger and more foolish, Eijirou wanted to be a hero. He strived to be great along with his "friends."

Which was a complete and utter joke.

Eijirou Kirishima.

Red fucking Riot.

To class 1-A he was the cheerful friend but, in the background, he was the traitor of UA. He gave the league the needed information in exchange for being promised a spot in their organization. When he went through the League of Villains it was bizarre how some of them were down to earth. There was a healer named Dante, his quirk specialized in healing wounds from one body to his. He was the right-hand man along with the hothead Dabi. Both Eijirou and Dabi never saw eye to eye with things he did for the league. Eijirou believed in keeping a lot of profile when Dabi was eccentric. He didn't want to reveal himself until it was the right time. Dabi wanted Eijirou to reveal himself before kidnapping Katsuki from camp, but Eijirou thought it was too soon.

As the years carried on it was becoming increasingly obvious how his tendencies changed. No longer did he care for others' well-being. Eijirou was growing tired of the constant back and forth.

That was until the war.

Once that happened, it was his grand entrance and he revealed himself as the traitor. It felt like an enormous weight lifted from his shoulders. The one person that took it the hardest was Bakugo Katsuki. Deep down, Eijirou saw Katsuki as a friend. He even gave him the offer to join the League.

To stand by his side.

However, Katsuki had the heart of a Hero. He refused Eijirou's offer and vowed to turn him back to behind a hero. That he refused to accept that Eijirou was a villain. It took a long time for the League to settle into a new place after the war. It wasn't easy for them to find a new goal, but they didn't stop their plans to take down hero society. It wasn't until years later that Eijirou had another run-in with the heroes and Katsuki happened to be a part of the patrol. It was supposed to be a simple heist, in and out but of course, it didn't happen the way it was supposed to.

The fight was long and brutal.

Eijirou kept up Unbreakable longer than he wanted to, but Katsuki was persistent. Blast after blast only pissed Eijirou off as the fight continued to drag on. The banter was continuous, the blows were getting harder to block and his body was tired. Katsuki had slipped up before charging an AP shot, he wasn't watching his positioning and Eijirou stepped forward. He reached forward with his large hand to grab Katsuki's arm and the AP shot went past his head. It only missed him by a few inches before Eijirou used the force of his body to slam Katsuki into the wall. The impact alone cracked the brick underneath Katsuki's body.

All Eijirou could see was red.

This battle happened time and time again.

It never failed.

They were both in their mid-20s now. So much time has passed since the war and Katsuki was still trying to change Eijirou. He was still using that stupid hero persona. Everything inside of his body boiled in anger because he wanted to be left alone.

He was tired of fighting.

He was tired of Katsuki's annoying heroics.

He was tired of Katsuki.

Eijirou repeatedly slammed Katsuki's body from wall to wall like a rag doll. Everything around Eijirou fell silent as he repeated his brutal actions until he heard a snap. A blood-curdling scream followed, and he looked down to see Katsuki's body on the ground. He was clenching his arm or what was left of it. Eijirou realized he was holding what remained of it in his arm from its elbow. Katsuki pushed himself until his back was up against the brick. His breathing hitched as he clenched onto his wound.

"Fucking hell.." he hissed under his breath.

"Take this as a lesson, Dynamite. I am tired of playing this game with you." Eijirou's words were cold and direct.

Katsuki snapped back. "Fuck that! I'm not going to give up on you, Ei!"

"You are a fucking moron." He threw the remainder of Katsuki's arm at him, "If you are fast enough the old broad can reattach it."

The arm landed in Katsuki's lap as he glared up at him. "Am I supposed to thank you? Fuck off."

"The next time we meet I will not hesitate to kill you. I'll finish you off like Tomura should have a long time ago."

"You don't mean that.." Katsuki whispered as he looked down.

"I don't? I just ripped off your arm." Eijirou knelt to look at Katsuki with a smirk on his face. "Take the fucking hint. I'm done with you Bakugo Katsuki. The next time we meet I will rip your fucking head off and mantle it on my wall."

Katsuki's eyes went wide as Eijirou pointed teeth turned into a wide smile. Eijirou scoffed at the broken her before him before wiping the blood on his costume. He left Katsuki in the alleyway to find himself. By the time he got back to the hideout his final villain's name was solidified as Blood Riot because of the blood dripping from his body. That began his reign as one of the most fearsome members of the new league. Eijirou was ruthless towards heroes and villains alike. He didn't care if they lived or died at that point. If he benefited from deals, he was fine. All he cared about was that his name was feared on both sides, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

As the years trickled on, Villain's work went further underground. Some heroes were even turning a blind eye to what was going on. Eijirou's blood lust calmed down when he reached his 30s. A lot of people he worked with in the League had either died or gone into hiding. Only a few members were left Dabi, Toga, Dante, Libbi, and himself. The others had died either in the war or along the way.

Twice was killed by Hawks, Compress sacrificed himself and Shigaraki was killed in battle by the heroes. No one knew what to do when Shigaraki fell. Dabi took the mantle to lead but as time went on it was harder to maintain a falling empire. Eijirou watched what was once his safe place crumble down in front of him. That childish persona and villains that he held close just faded.

Dabi ended up leaving without a trace soon after. After his revealing to the world who his parents were, it was hard for him to find that drive. When he went against Todoroki and Enji it didn't end well for him. It wounded Dabi's pride before he retired into underground work. He did what he needed to do but he wasn't successful in taking down Endeavor the way he wanted to.

Toga was different.

She clung to the past and stuck around. After losing Twice, Toga was never the same. Her mental state was in shambles for a long time because she was the last person to see him before he died. It fucked her up a lot more than she let on.

Dante had slowly started to distance himself along with his soon-to-be wife Libbi at the time. The war had taken a toll on his health and needed recovery. He was their main healer with a transfer quirk but he overused it near the end of the war. His wife Libbi was the one who pushed for them to leave and Eijirou didn't blame her. She did not want them to be caught up in the fall. Dante said that he did not want another member of their group to be a target of the heroes. His concern was his wife and wanted to find a place to live safely. Eijirou didn't fight for him to stay but offered his help if anything were to happen to his family. They kept in contact with Eijirou as much as he possibly could.

For a while, everything was quiet, but it wasn't peaceful.

Eventually, it was time for Eijirou to slow down with his dirty work. The older Eijirou had gotten, the harder it was to get his hands dirty and walk away unscathed. When his missions started to dwindle he started to itch for any type of company he could find. In his youth, he probably would have found ways to fuck back then. He was a rascal back in the day and he would fuck anyone he could get his hands on.

Man or woman, he didn't care.

It was the thrill that hooked him.

It was harmless at first because it was a fling here and there. That was until it had become an addiction and a huge problem. Eijirou depended on all those sexual encounters to get through the day because he was bored. He would be angry until he was able to release that tension with someone else. His mind was constantly thinking about it until he was driving himself mad. That's when he started to feel guilty after sex. He felt dirty and alone once he was alone.

Eijirou never understand why until he met a woman that had a quirk that saw into his mind and his future. It was a low-crime villain that had a quirk that relaxed his feral behavior. He could see he was destroying himself from the inside out.

Like he was missing something.

She told him that if he continued like that, he would end up dead. Eijirou never feared death, so he shrugged it off. That was until she mentioned someone would make an appearance in his life in the future.

When he asked her who that may be the only response with: "Look out for a pair of blue doe eyes."

From that day on, any person he saw with blue eyes made his skin crawl. Eijirou had to watch his back more than ever because of it.

Was it an enemy?

A hero?

Eijirou on the other hand was in a state of limbo.

He didn't know what he wanted to do and had a lot of money to blow on useless shit. He already owned a penthouse with a nice car but that didn't bring him much joy. Whenever he needed company, he would use a Sugar daddy baby app when he got older. There were plenty of women and men that wanted company. He wanted a night with someone, and they wanted money.

It was a perfect match.

Eijirou matured over the last decade from being angry and destroying himself to relaxing. He valued human company over simple pleasures. His hair was no longer full of a bright red as he grew out of his roots with the ends in a red tone. His face and full body had battle scars that he fondly liked to show off. It was a reminder to those who knew his name.

Not a lot of Sugar Babies took him up on his offers because of how rough he looked. They got scared off easily when they saw him in person. Eijirou never truly let it get to him and would still pay them the allowance before excusing himself. He didn't want the girls to go home empty-handed.

He was still a man with honor after all.

Eijirou looked down at his phone, looked at the calendar with a grunt, and rolled his eyes. It was his 40th birthday and here he was at home by himself smoking a cigarette on his balcony. He slipped it between his lips as he opened an app for a sugar date. Eijirou figured that since it was his birthday he should go out with some company. He posted a request for a Sugar Baby with no requirements besides dinner. Once he posted it, he took another drag of his cigarette before flicking some of the ends off in an ashtray. A lot of requests were in his inbox after a few minutes, but no one stood out to him.

He took a drag of his cigarette and scrolled through his messages.

It was the same old same old shit.

Women asking for more money and expensive brands to meet up. He clicked his tongue as he exhaled smoke through his nose before scrolling further down. There was a message that stood out from the rest of them. They weren't asking for expensive brands or money right away. He hummed as he tapped his cigarette again and he read the message again.

oSweetCupcakeo sent a message:

Hello sir! I would love to meet up for dinner if you will have me!

I am free for the whole night. I hope to hear back from you!

He leaned back in his seat, scrolling back to look at her profile picture with a smile. She was a woman with a bright smile, thick plump curves, and pastel-pink hair. He took another drag of the cigarette before smashing it into the ashtray. From the photo, the woman looked like she was laughing, and her eyes were closed.

Worth a shot.

Eijirou hummed to himself as he sent her a message to ask to meet up for dinner. To his surprise, she immediately responded and agreed to meet up at a local restaurant in a few hours. Eijirou quickly messaged her his number and went to his closet to pick out clothes. He pulled out a black love-sleeve dress shirt, black pants, and shoes to compliment. He placed a leather jacket down next to the clothes on the bed.

He quickly set his phone down on the dresser and walked into bed to the bathroom. He turned on the shower with a hum before undressing. He washed his hair and his body with a smile. Once he was done, he stepped out with a towel wrapped around his waist. Eijirou turned his head toward the phone and dried off his hair with another towel.

(555) 555-0986

Hello, sir!

Texting you so

you'll have my number.

Looking forward to tonight!

Do you like chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry?

('｡• ᵕ •｡') ♡

Eijirou blinked at the message. It's been a long time since he's gotten a message that wasn't formal.

How do I respond?

Eijirou:

Hello, kitten.

Looking forward to tonight as well.

Weird question but I like strawberries.

Eijirou slipped on a pair of boxers before his pants. He let out a sigh before unbuttoning his shirt to slip his arms into. He buttoned up the shirt but not all the way to the top. He rolled up the sleeves before slipping a watch on his right wrist. He walked over to the bathroom to look at himself in the mirror. He spiked up the usual parts in his hair and combed out the back of his head. His large hand pulled it back into a high ponytail. He grabbed his cologne to spray on his body with a hum.

Tonight was going to be interesting.

It had been a while since he had been out on a Sugar date. His hand slipped up to click off the light after he brushed his sharp teeth. He let out a sigh before scooping his phone, wallet, cigarettes, and keys off the dresser.

Hopefully, this one doesn't walk out.

It didn't take Eijirou long to find the restaurant that the woman suggested. He parked his car in the parking lot. He turned off the engine before pulling his keys out of the ignition. The place looked decently packed, but he didn't mind. He stepped out of the driver's side and shut the door before locking it. He adjusted his leather jacket before heading toward the front of the building.

Eijirou grabbed onto the door and opened it up. He walked over to the hostess and told her he was waiting on someone.

"Is that person a woman?" the hostess asked.

Eijirou paused. "Yes, ma'am."

"She came and reserved a table. I'll take you to her." The older hostess giggled. "Cute girl too."

Eijirou followed the hostess as he shoved his hands into his pockets. This was the first time someone arrived before him, and it made him feel weird. The hostess took him to the furthest table in the back and he saw the woman sitting in the booth with her back to him.

"I found him for ya, sweetie." The hostess tapped her hand on the table with a smile.

"Oh! Thank you." his heart skipped a beat.

The woman stood up from the booth and readjusted her dress. It was a cute white cocktail dress that was littered with a Rose pattern. She was wearing a pair of small vintage gloves and white heels. Her long pink hair was in curls and her makeup was Smokey with soft pink lips. When she looked up at him, Eijirou's heart skipped a beat as a sparkling pair of light blue eyes looked back at him.

"Hello! I'm sorry I got here early. I guess I was way too excited." she apologized with a giggle.

She moved forward to wrap her arms around him for a hug. His body tensed for a moment, and she pulled away with a smile.

"Shoot! Do you not like hugs? I'm sorry." she bowed her head with an apology and perked back up. "Oh, before I forget."

She turned back to the table and reached for something. She handed him a small bag with a bright smile.

"I made this for you. Since you said it was your birthday."

Eijirou opened the bag to see a small cake inside of it protected by plastic. It was a white frosting cake with strawberries on top of it. He looked back at her, dumbfounded at her generosity.

"It's a strawberry cake with filling inside and a buttercream frosting. I topped it with a few strawberries on top."

So that's why she asked what I liked.

"Woah, thank you," he whispered under his breath. "You didn't have to do that."

"Oh, I wanted to! It's your birthday and it should be celebrated with a cake." she clapped her hands with a big smile.

His heart fluttered.

Eijirou moved his hand so she could sit back down in the booth. She smiled at him before taking her seat inside the booth. He took the seat across from her and set down the bag at the other end of the table.

"I'm Evangeline by the way. I never got to introduce myself."

"Eijirou Kirishima," he answered as looked back at her gloved hands. "You are very friendly. You took me off guard then you hugged me."

"I'm sorry about that. I got ahead of myself, and I forget that not everyone is used to that." she tilted her head.

"It's okay. Not a lot of people do that to me." he crossed his arms with a chuckle.

"Should I ask next time? I'm sorry if I offended you, sir."

His mouth twitched.

"No, it's all right." he held up a hand and used his other hand to pull out an envelope. He handed it to Evangeline.

"Your allowance for the date." Eijirou nodded his head.

"Thank you, sir." she slipped it into her purse.

Eijirou raised an eyebrow at her. "Aren't you going to count it to make sure it's enough?"

Evangeline looked back at him. "No sir."

"Why not?"

She smiled at him. "Because it's rude. I'm not going to do that in front of you, in the restaurant, and on your birthday. Today is about you."

Eijirou's heart fluttered again.

"I see. So, what do you do for a living?" he asked.

"I bake! I have a small business that I do cupcakes and cakes for." Evangeline giggled softly. "It's a little slow right now. So, I took up being a Sugar Baby. It pays the bills for the most part."

"How many sugar daddies or mommies have you had?" he raised an eyebrow.

Evangeline put a finger on her chin with a hum. "I've had a few here and there. Some were temporary but I did have a long-term Daddy but not any longer."

"What happened to him?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "No clue because I got ghosted."

"Well, that's a shame. Evangeline, you look young. How old are you?" he hummed.

"I turned 21 a few months ago, sir."

She seems so calm around him and it was making him feel anxious. There was no uncomfortable behavior or excuses to leave.

Eijirou was out of his element.

Wait.

He watched her talk.

It was like the room lit up with that bright smile. He found himself smiling at her.

She doesn't know who I am?

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Beauty & the Beast Index | { Next Part } Loading |

[andrewmoocow]

Little Homeworld Life chapter 22: Seeing Black (originally posted on May 22, 2023)

AN: After almost a year of waiting, the Black Pearl Brigade have finally returned from their final battle with Cinnabar! It's been a while since I last wrote them, so bear with me as I try to get back into the swing of writing five or six characters who are almost the exact same. And in addition, we got another batch of new characters joining Black Rutile, one of whom we've already seen in De-Clustering during Tanzanite's flashback. The plot begins to thicken as we reach the epic climax of Little Homeworld Life.

Synopsis: The Black Pearl Brigade, now retired after defeating Cinnabar, decide to move to Earth. Meanwhile, Cinnabar is broken out of prison by another of Black Rutile's minions.

Cast:

Deedee Magno-Hall as The Black Pearl Brigade, Nacre, Pearl, Pearl Guards

Avi Roque as Cinnabar

Gina Torres as Andesine

Awkwafina as Kyanite

Allison Janney as Pyrite

Kimberly Brooks as Dalmatian Jasper

Zehra Fazal as Zoisite

Lena Hall as Bloodstone

Jodie Whittaker as Xenotime

Matthew Moy as Lars, Dante

Enuka Okuma as Rhodonite

Ashly Burch as Rutile Twins

Kathleen Fisher as Fluorite

Erica Luttrell as Padparadscha Sapphire

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst

Nancy Linari as Martha

Kate Miccuci as Sadie

Christine Baranski as Hessonite

Olivia Olson as Citrine

Kathleen Barr as Púrén

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Della Saba as Aquamarine

Charlyne Yi as Eyeball

Larissa Gallagher as Bluebird Azurite

Shanelle Grey as Sally Grove

Zach Steele as Ronaldo

Uzo Aduba as Demantoid's Bismuths

Miriam Hyman as Demantoid's Bismuths

Shelby Rabara as Demantoid's Peridots

Featuring Barbara Dunkelman as Amber

And Kristen Schaal as Howlite

--

"Don't get too cocky, Andesine!" the red-clad captain of the Black Pearl Brigade yelled from her captain's chair at the other ship they were dogfighting with. "All systems, fire!"

"Will do, Cap!" Pony, the blue-dressed second in command of the Brigade, saluted before pointing the Servant's weapons at the ship. In the months since the fall of Black Rutile and Cinnabar, though the Black Pearls had planned on going wherever the winds took them, there were still members of the Rutile Rebels hiding across the universe that needed to be brought to justice. Andesine happened to be one of them. A former sergeant of Yellow Diamond feared far and wide for her sadism and patience, best demonstrated as Andesine heartlessly used her fleet as shields, the orange Gem dressed in samurai-like armor led an entire army of fellow Rutile Rebels in trying to conquer what territory had been lost by her master and comrades.

Along with Andesine were a long-haired orange Amber dressed in a tan jacket, brown zip-up overalls, and an orange scarf around her neck, and a Howlite with black veins spreading across her face wearing a turtle-necked sweater and a visor over her eyes.

"Lady Andesine, we seem to be evenly matched with these Pearls." Howlite cautioned her superior as Andesine's ship was at war with the Servant and the Sun Incinerator. "What do you suggest we do now?"

"I say we should keep firing, nerd!" Amber yelled at Howlite's face. "There's gotta be a weak point we can exploit or something!"

"Not everything can be solved with violence, you hotheaded clod!" Howlite argued with Amber. "Sometimes, we have to make a plan and wait for an opportunity!"

"Sometimes, plans don't always work out, and opportunities will fail too." Amber retorted. "Game, set, and match! Nailed it!"

"Can it, you fools!" Andesine commanded her two minions to cease their bickering. "While I agree with Amber that sometimes brute force can get good results, my current plan might be more Howlite's speed." This caused Howlite to stick her tongue out at Amber while Amber pulled down an eyelid. "What the Pearls don't realize is that I'm planning to break Cinnabar out of prison and bring her to Black Rutile, wherever she may be. My idea is to feign surrender so we can be taken to Revanche 666 and stage a breakout."

"That's a brilliant idea." Howlite agreed while side-eyeing Amber, who just rolled her eyes while folding her arms. "But how can we convince the Pearls that we surrender? Surely they'll get suspicious about what you have planned."

"Just follow my lead," Andesine answered before ordering her ships to stop firing and opening communications with the Black Pearl Brigade and the Off-Colors. "I'd like to arrange a formal meeting with the enemy fleet to reach a truce."

"What kind of truce?" Cap asked suspiciously.

"This better not be a trap, Andesine!" Lars shouted.

"No, there is no trap," Andesine promised while crossing her fingers behind her back, letting Amber and Howlite know she was telling a big, fat lie. "As of today, my associates and I peacefully surrender."

"Wait, already?!" Lars exclaimed. "We kinda thought that you'd resist just a little longer! What's with the sudden change in attitude?"

Andesine glanced at Amber, causing her to start speaking too. "Oh, well, uh," Amber stumbled over her words. "we just felt so tired by all the chasing and fighting and thought that it was time we tried changing ourselves for the better."

"That's right!" Howlite added just as shakily. "All this time, we were so lost and directionless; all this warfare just seemed so senseless!"

"I still do not trust them!" Braids, the Brigade's yellow-wearing strongman, said bluntly. "Bring them aboard our ship to see if they truly mean what they say!"

"Hey, you want a fight, Pearl?!" Amber yelled at Braids. "That's right, you and me! Right now! We're having it out! Come on, come on!"

"Everybody, calm down." Fluorite soothed the tensions between all three parties. "Now then, Andesine, are you really certain you surrender?"

"I am as certain as the universe is vast." Andesine replied before quickly flashing her two cohorts a smile. "Please bring us to Revanche 666 so we may consider what we've done."

"IQ, what can you make of this?" Braids asked IQ, the green-garbed intelligence officer of the team.

"Hm, I can indeed conclude they are suspicious." IQ nodded in response. "But if they want to surrender, that makes our jobs easier."

"Andesine is going to surrender, but she has something sinister planned!" Padparadscha Sapphire exclaimed.

"Ignore her," Andesine stated. "Please, take us away, for we are now the last of the Rutile Rebels yet to be arrested!"

"She's right, it's only this fleet left to go, and then we've caught them all!" Pony added. "In any case, you're all under arrest! Lay down your arms, and we'll take you in quietly!"

"At long last, we have them all." Tails, the pink-wearing sharpshooter, smiled in relief. "What a relief."

"Okay, you three, just stay right there while we take you to prison," Lars ordered the three Rutile Rebels as he ended communications with Andesine, who began grinning evilly as soon as their eyes were off her.

"Flawless victory." Andesine declared to Amber and Howlite. "Once we receive our sentence, we shall form a plan from there."

"I like the way you're thinking, boss!" Amber said, rubbing her nose with her thumb and smirking.

"You always were a very patient Gem who loved taking advantage of whatever situation you got in," Howlite added as Andesine's ship was seized by the Black Pearls and the Off-Colors, causing the three Gems to raise their hands in surrender. "I hope you know what you're doing here, Andesine."

"Trust me; I know exactly what I'm doing," Andesine assured with a smirk.

--

Soon, Andesine and her fleet were transported to Revanche 666 to be admitted into the prison and brought to their cells. By this point in time, the number of prisoners had slowly decreased as more and more of the Rutile Rebels were rehabilitated in confinement and allowed to rejoin society. However, Cinnabar and her cohorts were among the prisoners that refused to accept defeat no matter how much the Black Pearls, Peridots, and Bismuths tried to convince them to abandon their warmongering ways. Now, they were soon to be joined by Andesine, Amber, Howlite, and all the other Gems who pledged allegiance to the trio, just as Andesine had planned.

"Okay, all of you single file!" Lars commanded the Gems being shown to their cells. "Nobody makes a ruckus; this is a prison we're running here, not a fight club."

"Did they seriously turn our headquarters into a prison?!" Amber yelled in outrage.

"I recognize the irony as well, Amber," Howlite replied dourly.

"Well, I think that should be everyone," Rhodonite said happily. "At long last, the universe is free of the Rutile Rebels. That reminds me, how has Black Rutile been doing since she was exiled to Earth?"

"Probably off plotting her revenge or something; I don't care anymore," Lars replied. "I'm just glad we finally put these bigots down once and for all."

"LOOK WHO'S TALKING!" a fusion loyal to Andesine yelled from the line.

"Hey, what did I say about making a ruckus?!" Lars yelled back. "Anyways, what else should we do now that we finally have some free time?"

"Yes, I've been wondering that too." Nacre, the Brigade's latest recruit, and medic dressed in white and formerly known as Shell, stated. "In the time since I've gained a physical body, I don't think I've had enough time to think about how it feels. There is just so much about the universe that I want to learn more about!"

"Well, if that's the case, why don't we find somewhere to retire to?" Cap asked. "Any suggestions?"

"We could go back to Kyukanza." Braids suggested. "The atmosphere and scenery are positively glorious."

"Or we could go to East Walleef again." IQ added. "Surely, the townsfolk will welcome us after how we saved them from Mr. Manco."

"Hm, good choices, all of you." Cap nodded in recognition of her teammates' options. "However, my decision differs ever so slightly. From this day on, we shall become residents of Earth!"

"Oh, Earth!" Nacre exclaimed cheerfully. "I've only been there as an artificial intelligence, but to be there as a full Gem would be so exciting!"

"Huh, what a weird coincidence." Lars realized as his eyes widened. "I've actually been planning on visiting Earth sometime to catch up with everybody down there. Why don't we both go there?"

"That would be a good idea." Tails nodded in agreement. "We can make a day out of it, have a little fun, reconnect with old friends, and make a new home."

"Well, what are we waiting for?!" Pony exclaimed. "Let's get a move on already!"

--

As the Black Pearls and the Off-Colors boarded their ships and left Revanche 666 for Earth, Andesine was getting acquainted with her new living situation while being led to her cell. Around her, she could see Gems sitting in their small cells guarded by a destabilizing field. Dalmatian Jasper was bouncing a ball against the wall of her cell, Xenotime was facing the corner and didn't turn once, Pyrite had been tallying up how many days she spent in confinement, Kyanite shapeshifted her hand into a harmonica, Bloodstone paced around her cell no doubt coming up with new crackpot theories, and Zoisite laid on her bench to stare at the ceiling. And then there was Cinnabar. What Andesine thought was once a proud and confident leader worthy of being Black Rutile's apprentice now sat defeated in her cell, contemplating how her actions led to her downfall.

"We're sorry that we failed, my lord." Andesine said to the caged Cinnabar.

"Don't fret, Andesine." Cinnabar sighed in defeat. "I failed just as hard."

"Okay, this will be your home until you finally realize what you're missing here." A Black Pearl guard said as she guided Andesine to her cell and closed the destabilizing field behind her. "Don't think about trying to get out. These cells were made to poof anyone who tries to escape."

As soon as the guard left, Andesine heard a knock on the wall. Surprisingly, she had been placed right next to Cinnabar's cell. "So, how did you get here?" Cinnabar asked. "How badly did you lose?"

"We didn't lose; we surrendered," Andesine said, to the shock and horror of Cinnabar and her cohorts. "But that's what we want them to think. We feigned loss because we plan to break you out and return to Black Rutile on Earth." She revealed. "Hopefully, she'll welcome us back in spite of our past failures to conquer the universe in her name."

"Wait, you want to break out of here?!" Dalmatian Jasper yelled. "No Gem ever escapes from Revanche!" The ball she was throwing then hit her in the face.

"They got round-the-clock security, and the Pearls show no mercy to anyone trying to escape!" Zoisite added.

"This is basically a suicide mission!" Kyanite stated, taking a break from her harmonica playing to show her concern. "And I'm unsure if Black Rutile would ever want us back."

"Hold on, everyone, let's just hear her out." Pyrite calmed everybody down. "Now, why do you think you'll be able to break out?"

"Because I have a little thing called hope," Andesine assured. "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies."

"Good to see you're so optimistic," Bloodstone said.

"Hope can be a far stronger tool than fear, you know," Howlite stated. "After all, fear is the mind-killer and the little-death that will bring total obliteration."

"Aw, but we just got here!" Amber complained. "I've been planning on stabbing someone with a shiv!"

"Just as long as that someone isn't me." Xenotime declared as she slowly turned her head from the corner of her cell.

"So what do you say, Cinnabar?" Andesine asked Cinnabar, who was now reinspired by her fellow rebel's words of wisdom as she knocked on the wall again.

"I'm in." Cinnabar declared eagerly.

--

Meanwhile, on Earth, the Pearls had touched down in Little Homeworld, ready to start new lives away from the menace of the Rutile Rebels. Upon landing outside its gates, the Pearls disembarked from their ship to tour the Gem town and were greeted by its inhabitants along the way. The sights around her utterly enamored Nacre, as she was only here as an AI before, but now she could live her life as a full Pearl.

"Oh, hello there, welcome to Little Homeworld." The Brigade could hear Pearl greet them before she realized who she was talking to. "Oh my, the Black Pearl Brigade, is that you? How have you been lately? And who's this new Pearl?"

"Oh, we have much to tell you about what we've done since we were last here." Cap laughed awkwardly. "First of all, this is Nacre." Nacre gave a polite shake of Pearl's hand. "You may know her better as Shell, but now she gained a physical body after saving us by restoring our memories after we were temporarily amnesiac thanks to Cinnabar."

"Wait, Shell? As in the Shell from the Reef?" Pearl asked just as Garnet and Amethyst joined her. "How did that happen?"

"Well, that is actually a long story." Nacre stated. "You see, it all started when the Pearls' ship crashed into the Reef during an adventure and-"

"Well, well, well." Black Rutile declared as she reunited with the Pearls. "Hello there, Brigade. Fancy seeing you back here. I see you've got a wardrobe change and a new recruit." She glanced at Nacre. "A little taller than the rest of you, I see."

"You must be Black Rutile." Nacre said. "I've heard about how cruel and selfish you were, but I never thought I'd see you in person someday."

"Those are all just facetious lies!" Black Rutile barked at Nacre. "Now then, Pearls, what brings you here?"

"We're actually planning on moving into Little Homeworld now that we've taken down all your followers." Cap announced to Black Rutile. "Andesine surrendered pretty easily, surprisingly enough, but we got a feeling she has something planned."

"That's Andesine for you, always planning ahead of everyone else." Black Rutile replied before looking to the Crystal Gems. "Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, why don't you go and make the Pearls at home while I talk with them?"

"Fine, but don't do anything funny!" Amethyst agreed before walking away. "Hey, where do you think we should put it?"

"Guess we'll just have to pick a random spot." Garnet declared as the three Crystal Gems got further and further away, allowing Black Rutile to talk with her former foot soldiers in private.

"You remember what we agreed upon last time you visited Earth, correct?" Black Rutile asked menacingly, pulling out her bowie knife to prove her point. "Tell anyone about our little scuffle, and I'll make sure they pay the price."

"Yes, we still remember." Pony proclaimed. "But if you think you can control us again, we will have no choice but to expose you."

"Wait, what deal?" Nacre asked curiously. "I was on the Servant then, so I'm a little lost here." At the same time, the Servant began hovering above Little Homeworld as Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl piloted it to a good spot where they could make it into a new home for the Pearls.

"Basically, Black Rutile forced us never to tell anybody she was hiding in the woods." IQ recounted. "But I guess that doesn't work anymore since everybody knows you're here now."

"Oh, you think you're cute?!" Black Rutile snarled angrily.

"Please, we're adorable!" Braids confidently answered. "Jokes aside, this place is now under our protection! I do no doubt that you are plotting glorious revenge, and we shall not stand for it!"

"Well, go ahead, make my day." Black Rutile grinned. "If you feel like you are this town's protectors, then I dare one of you to hit me as hard as you can. Which one of you dares?" The Pearls all looked at each other awkwardly, taken aback by Black Rutile's sudden challenge. However, Nacre was quick to accept the offer.

"I'll do it!" Nacre eagerly cheered.

"Wow, you're quite enthusiastic for a piece of fresh meat." Black Rutile laughed. "Hit me with your best shot; fire away if you have to!" Unfortunately for Black Rutile, she only got a gentle tap on the chest. "You're joking, right?"

--

Back at Revanche 666, a great escape was soon to take place. Headed by Andesine and Cinnabar, the Rutile Rebels that were still imprisoned were plotting to break out of their confinement and escape to Earth, where Cinnabar had stated Black Rutile was currently located. After ripping off a part of the wall in her cell, Howlite tinkered with the wires to hack into the security systems and deactivate the destabilizing fields so they could exit their cells safely and find somewhere to hide from the guards.

"Okay, everybody, here is the plan." Andesine declared. "Once Cinnabar and I return to our cells, we'll act perfectly natural while the rest of you follow our orders." She then began putting the Gems into groups based on their assignments. "Howlite, you, Xenotime, and Bloodstone will take over the security systems and free everyone else from their cells. Amber, Dalmatian Jasper, and Zoisite will hold all personnel hostage. Finally, Kyanite and Pyrite will find us a ship to steal so we can be home free. Are we clear on this?"

"One question," Howlite said. "If our plan is found out, how shall we compensate for such an event?"

"It's quite simple," Andesine answered. "In case that happens, we shall take no survivors."

--

With that, the escape plan sprang into action. Almost immediately, DJ and Amber pretended to start a prison riot to get the guards' attention, their acting skills working flawlessly as Zoisite also pretended to try and break up the fight.

"I'm telling you, the Viltrumites stand no chance against the Chimera Sui Generis!" DJ argued with Amber. "Their superior strength and superhuman abilities make them unstoppable!"

"But a Chimera Sui Generis is far more durable than you realize!" Amber yelled back. "They can take a beating without breaking a sweat! And that's not even taking into account their squid forms!"

"Please, you two, stop fighting over such trivial things!" Zoisite begged the two fighting Gems as a group of Black Pearl and Bismuth guards arrived on the scene.

"Are we going to need to intervene here?" one of the Pearls asked threateningly while pointing her spear at DJ.

"Well, you just happened to show up at the right time." Dalmatian Jasper smirked as her gem conjured a hook to snag the Pearl by the neck. "Let's make one thing clear here, Pearl! I'm in charge of this joint now, and anyone who says otherwise will have to answer to my friends!" Zoisite followed up on her partner's threat by pulling out her naginata and taking out a Bismuth in one fell swoop. Meanwhile, Amber pulled out her weapon, a kusarigama, and used the chain to strange another Pearl to the point of poofing. "Do I make myself clear?"

"How did you even escape?!" the Pearl exclaimed in horror.

"Let's just say some friends of ours are smarter than you think." Dalmatian Jasper grinned.

--

"I think we're on the verge of a breakout here!" a Bismuth operating the security cameras exclaimed as she watched DJ and Amber fight the Pearls before she gave orders to the rest of the prison staff. "All units, mobilize to subdue the prisoners! I repeat, subdue the prisoners!"

"I don't believe that'll be necessary." Howlite said as she stood behind the Bismuth and struck her down with her baseball bat. "Bloodstone, Xenotime, you take out the rest of the guards! I'll shut down the rest of the cells!"

"Sounds like a plan," Xenotime answered robotically as she made time freeze around her, stopping the oncoming Bismuths in their tracks and poofing them all with ruthless precision and mechanical grace. As soon as time resumed, it was like Xenotime defeated them all in less than a second.

"Cheater." Bloodstone grimaced. "Didn't even let me get a hit in."

"Wibbly wobbly timey wimey powers, deal with it." Xenotime retorted smugly before turning to Howlite. "How is everything going?"

"I'm in!" Howlite declared as she shut down the entire defense grid and allowed every remaining prisoner to escape, causing mass chaos in Revanche 666 as far as the eye can see. "I love it when a plan comes together." However, while all the security cameras have been shut off by Howlite's hacking, at least one was left unnoticed by the three Gems. And it was still running.

--

Cinnabar and Andesine emerged from their cells to see the rioting Gems wreaking havoc and overwhelming the guards with their anger at being kept away for so long. The two grinned at each other, as it seemed their plan had gone off without a hitch.

"It's official; this prison is ours." Cinnabar proclaimed before a Peridot was dropped at their feet.

"Why are you doing this?" the Peridot yelled in terror. "How did you plan all this?!"

"It's a secret to everyone." Andesine winked at the Peridot before pulling a communicator from the gem on her chest. "Kyanite, how is finding a ship going?"

"Well, funny you should mention that because me and Pyrite just ran into a problem." Kyanite nervously said.

"Oh no." Cinnabar moaned. "What is it?"

--

"Hessonite just came and destroyed all the other ships," Kyanite said on the other end as she and Pyrite came face to face with Hessonite and Citrine. Every other ship in the prison had been destroyed, leaving Hessonite's warship the only one left, and Kyanite & Pyrite were currently at the end of the line.

"We've been watching this prison for quite some time in the event something like this happens." Hessonite declared while presenting her sword.

"But how did you know?!" Kyanite yelled.

"That Howlite forgot to shut off a camera that was running on backup power," Citrine answered as she grabbed a defenseless Kyanite and Pyrite.

"What?! How was I supposed to know?!" Cinnabar screamed as the communicator was snatched from Kyanite's hand and crushed to bits.

--

"HOWLITE!" Andesine screamed for her chief scientist to meet her. "Why didn't you tell us that there was backup power here?"

"Well, because I wanted us to fail, and I was a mole for the Crystal Gems this whole time." Howlite smiled before she screamed, "OBVIOUSLY, I DIDN'T KNOW!"

"No matter, it's just Hessonite coming for us." Dalmatian Jasper stated as the other Rutile Rebels gathered around their two red-colored bosses. "We got a little thing called strength in numbers."

"Well, we're going to need a lot of that strength to complete the mission." Cinnabar stated as Hessonite and Citrine marched into the central area of the prison before they tossed Kyanite and Pyrite to her feet. "Pitiful."

"So this is what Andesine meant when she said she surrendered." Citrine observed the prison riot. "I should've known she was planning to break all of you out."

"And we won't let you tell anyone about it." Andesine said while drawing her flaming sword from her gem and motioning for her followers to attack. "CHARGE!"

--

"And that's how we narrowly escaped the Trandoshans." Lars recounted a tale of his adventures to his parents, the Crystal Gems, and his friends at a welcome-back barbecue held at his old home. "Moral of the story is don't get in the way of their hunts. They'll make sure you pay the price."

"Sounds like you've had quite the adventures since you were last here," Garnet said. "though I'm sure ours might be some good competition."

"Yeah, we had a shipping war, a beach party, a spy adventure, a krav maga tournament, a talent show, became celebrities! We even met ourselves from another dimension!" Amethyst eagerly added. "You would not believe all the crazy stuff we've been through!"

"Those do sound pretty exciting," Fluorite answered slowly. "I wish we had been there to experience all of that."

"Yeah, sounds like Earth just got a little more exciting." Lars's mother agreed. "Are you still sure you want to keep doing your space adventures, Lars?"

"I'm sure, Mom." Lars answered. "Besides, now that I'm pretty much immortal, I'm probably going to outlive pretty much everyone here, and I don't think I ever want to experience that."

"Well, you do you, Lars." Sadie accepted. "But if you ever feel like stopping by again, my mom and I always have a room to spare."

"Thanks, Sadie." Lars smiled at his old co-worker. "Sure, I've had fun traveling the stars with the Off-Colors, but it wasn't without some problems. Like these snake people I've had a few close calls with."

"Wait a second, did you say snake people?!" Ronaldo yelled as he slammed his hands on the picnic table. "I knew it; I knew they were real!"

"Never a dull moment with you, Ronaldo." Dante shook his head in amusement while everyone else just gave him weird looks.

--

Back at Little Homeworld, Nacre was taking in the sights and sounds of Earth. Such a wonderful planet to be on, she thought while exploring Little Homeworld and greeting all the Gems she passed by. She hadn't felt this amazing since she used her powers to restore her creations to normal and gain her physical body to join them in saving Homeworld. But now, after spending so much time in the cold darkness of space, she yearned for a change of scenery. Sure, the Pearls visited many planets in their travels, but they only stayed for a short time due to their missions.

As Nacre sat down on a bench and serenely felt the air comb her body, she suddenly heard a faint voice talking. "-was able to get through to that Reginald Johnson fellow you've informed me about." The voice said. "He was a prejudiced psycho who uses his media influence to spread his garbage takes, but he's also pretty agreeable."

"Who said that?" Nacre muttered as she turned around to discover a nearby house resembling Black Rutile's old headquarters. Tiptoeing closer to the home, Nacre spied on Black Rutile through the window and saw her conversing on a computer with a blonde human in glasses.

"Excellent work Sally!" Black Rutile thanked her human associate. "Talking to him should be very entertaining."

"I could feel my brain shrinking with every word he said." Sally Grove groaned in annoyance. "This is why I never trusted men; they're all the same dumbasses who not only do not realize how much is handed to them but still think they're the victims when they mess everything up because of their lazy entitlement and fragile egos."

"Yeah yeah, I've heard it a thousand times from your videos." Black Rutile declared before she realized she was being watched. "Hang on a second; I need to take this. See you soon." She shut off the video and marched towards the window to find Nacre trying to hide from her. "I know you're out there, Pearl."

"How did you find me?!" Nacre shouted as she tried desperately to hide, even though it was hopeless.

"Word of advice, little one, I am far smarter than you realize." Black Rutile smirked back. "TOPAZ!" On cue, Topaz appeared to snatch Nacre by the waist with her massive hands. "Return this Pearl to her friends at once."

"Yes, my Rutile." Topaz nodded obediently before looking down at Nacre. "No hard feelings, okay?"

"Let me go!" Nacre yelled as she tried to wriggle free from Topaz's grip while being carried away, leaving Black Rutile alone with her thoughts.

"Should've known someone was onto me." Black Rutile shook her head disdainfully before going back inside.

--

The Pearls were now getting themselves situated at their ship-turned-Earth home. Cap was modifying all the rooms to be homier, Pony had laid out a carpet in the bridge, IQ was helping Braids move a couch into the ship, and Tails was moving some decorations around. "Nice choice of carpet there." Tails commented on the ornate Persian carpet with gold tassels, a blue outer section, and a purple inner section with red and gold patterns throughout. "Really ties the room together."

Just then, there was a knock at the door. "Ooh, I wasn't expecting company so soon!" Pony exclaimed cheerfully as she walked up to answer it. "Sorry, we'll throw a housewarming party lat-" She then realized that Nacre was being delivered to the Pearls by Topaz, who had a message for the five.

"Black Rutile wants you to know that she doesn't want anyone interfering with her plans," Topaz said glumly. "Otherwise, and I hate to say this, but there will be consequences." She then tossed Nacre into the ship before walking away.

"Nacre, what happened?!" Braids exclaimed while dropping the couch on IQ's foot and racing to check on the team's healer.

"I was simply enjoying being on Earth when I overheard Black Rutile talking with this wicked human on the computer," Nacre explained what she went through. "Or at least, I think that's what she felt like. She said such awful things about other humans, and it made me suspicious. I think Black Rutile might be plotting her revenge or something."

"Well, if that's the case, someone has to know," IQ said as she shapeshifted her foot away from the couch. "Púrén?"

"Yes, IQ?" the Servant's primary AI, Púrén, asked.

"Signal the Crystal Gems; we must tell them what's up." IQ declared. "And I think it's time we tell them about where we found her."

--

As the Black Pearls left the Servant, Black Rutile had been watching them through one of her spy drones, and she was not happy at how they finally went back on her deal. "Alas, I can't seem to trust anyone on this planet." She shook her head in dismay before turning to Aquamarine and Eyeball. "You two, I have some disloyal Pearls that just moved here."

"What do you want us to do, my Rutile?" Eyeball asked.

"Fuse and terminate them." Black Rutile answered while making a slashing motion across her neck. "Are we clear?"

"Very clear." Aquamarine snickered before she and her Ruby sidekick joined hands and fused into Bluebird Azurite, who laughed maniacally before flying away.

--

Later that day, as the barbecue was winding down and everyone said their goodbyes, Lars heard something coming from the Sun Incinerator. Getting onboard the ship, he pushed a button on the console that showed him a staticky image of a fearful Hessonite. Lars had never seen Hessonite so timorous before. "Uh, is something wrong, Hessonite?"

"Lars, help!" Hessonite cried, but her message was too garbled for the pink human to get the whole message. "-evan-666-Cinna-Andesi-break-Citrine-ship, save us! Plea-" The message abruptly ended, leaving Lars wondering what she meant.

--

"This is where scum like you belong!" Dalmatian Jasper growled as she tossed a freshly poofed Hessonite and Citrine into the same cell and shut it behind them. "And lucky us, you gave us a ship to use, too, since you destroyed all of them."

The rioting began quieting as the Rutile Rebels began boarding Hessonite's warship to escape Revanche 666 and search for Earth. "Well, this plan has surely been more successful than I thought." Andesine commented while leading the Gems in hijacking the ship. "I was expecting at least one of our minions to give their lives for the good of our cause."

"That's not very comforting." Howlite said calmly.

"I was hoping to see you be used as a meat shield," Amber smirked.

"Don't you start, Amber!" Howlite yelled at Amber before Andesine broke them up.

"Enough bickering; we have work to do." Andesine proclaimed. "Cinnabar, I hope you have a good excuse for when Black Rutile sees you."

"I understand, Andesine." Cinnabar muttered in acceptance of her possible terrible fate. "Whatever Black Rutile must do, I shall accept."

"Yeesh, real bring-down prison has turned her into." Zoisite snarked while walking alongside Dalmatian Jasper.

"At least she's less nihilistic than Xenotime," DJ added, much to Xenotime's anger.

"You make a few overdramatic declarations, and suddenly you're the emo of the group!" Xenotime complained just as Hessonite and Citrine reformed in their cell to see everyone leaving. "Hey, look, they're back!"

"You see what happens when you put too much faith in Steven?" Cinnabar smirked cruelly at the two vigilantes. "This is where it'll get you."

"You won't get away with this!" Hessonite cursed Cinnabar as she and Andesine left with the other Rutile Rebels. "Don't think you can just take my ship and leave!"

"Uh, Hessonite, you kinda forgot one thing," Citrine stated. "Yours is the only ship left here since you destroyed all the others to try and keep them from escaping. Not a great plan."

"Well, looks like we're stuck here," Hessonite replied, realizing her own recklessness at the worst moment. With her ship now in Andesine and Cinnabar's hands, Hessonite was stranded on Revanche 666 with no known way of getting help.

--

Back on Earth, the Pearls were informing the Crystal Gems at the temple of Black Rutile's plans and how she threatened them. Outside, however, Bluebird Azurite was hiding from sight with her ice saber at the ready. "At long last, a chance to finally kill two birds with one stone." She laughed deviously as the cutlass lit on fire. "Or, in this case, one sword."

"I don't think so!" Lars cried as he grabbed Bluebird from behind and suplexed her onto the deck. "The Pearls told me everything, and I have something to tell you." He added while picking up Bluebird by her wing. "Run. Run away, Bluebird, back to your master. And tell her that no matter what she has planned, the Crystal Gems will be coming for her soon."

--

"And you just ran away?!" Black Rutile began yelling in Bluebird's face when the fusion returned to give her the bad news. "Whatever, they know what I'm doing! But they still don't realize what I'll do to get there."

"I deeply apologize, my Rutile." Bluebird apologized to Black Rutile just as they heard a loud rumbling sound from outside. "Is it just me, or are there tons of things just coming from the sky lately?"

"One second." Black Rutile said while pulling up her visor to check her surroundings, in which she discovered Hessonite's warship hovering over the forest where Jasper once made her home. "Hessonite? What's she doing here?"

"I don't think that's Hessonite, my Rutile." Bluebird observed. "Otherwise, she'd be landing somewhere to meet the Crystal Gems, not out in the woods. Someone must've taken the ship from her."

"Well, let's not dawdle for so long! Let's get moving!" Black Rutile said as she grabbed onto Bluebird, and the two flew towards the forest, where they found Hessonite's ship waiting for them. When the pair landed, a large reverse pyramid detached from the ship and descended on top of Jasper's old cave, destroying it and allowing Andesine, Howlite, Amber, and Cinnabar's cabal to disembark.

"Black Rutile, we have brought you Cinnabar." Andesine declared and shoved Cinnabar forward to meet her old master for the first time in months. "Do with her as you may."

"Hello again, Cinnabar." Black Rutile ominously greeted her former apprentice. "I've been told what happened when you went against those Pearls. And now, thanks to you, they are living here on Earth. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I'm sorry for everything Black Rutile, those Pearls had me outfoxed at every turn!" Cinnabar begged for forgiveness while dropping to her knees. "I accept any punishment you shall give me!"

Instead of punishing her, however, Black Rutile picked Cinnabar up by the collar of her jacket and gave her a tender pat on the head. "No need to cry, my friend." She said sympathetically. "It's not entirely your fault because your failures can all be traced to one source."

"Do I even need to ask?" Andesine asked.

"Yes, Steven." Black Rutile proclaimed. "Everything the Pearls did was in service of that little tyrant's corrupted paradise! But slowly but surely, I have been taking control of the creatures he loves most: humans. Now then, let me ask you one thing. People talk loud when they want to sound smart, right?"

"CORRECT!" Bloodstone yelled loudly as a demonstration of Black Rutile's point.

"Well, that is what I've discovered recently." Black Rutile continued. "My ventures through the Internet have allowed me to discover that there are tons of people out there who, no matter how poor their moral character is, everyone will believe whatever they say. And naturally, I have taken advantage of this."

"So what are you saying?" Cinnabar asked nervously.

"I'm saying my new plan is more personal than ever before." Black Rutile responded. "Now then, are you all with me?" The rebellious Gems said nothing, only getting on one knee and bowing in reverence of their genius leader. "That's just what I needed to hear." She declared evilly as the Rutile Rebels began coming back together under her banner.

--

Only four chapters left until the finale, and we seem to be getting into the real good stuff. Andesine, Amber and Howlite, my resident Captain Kirk, Dr. McCoy and Mr. Spock for this chapter, were based off an idea for a story by a reviewer that I'm sad to say doesn't fit into my current plans, but I was more than happy to insert these characters into this world and fitting them into the Rutile Rebels. In the meantime, we'll have two more slice of life episodes to get down before we move onto the big two-part finale I estimate will be sometime in late June. Keep watching the skies everyone, and see you real soon.

[coeursetcolores]

What I Would Add To/Change About: Devil May Cry 4

Good day! It’s January 31st, and I actually remembered this year! What did I remember?

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE BESTEST WHITE-HAIRED DEMON KILLING BOY EVER (OF WHICH THERE ARE MANY, BUT HE IS THE BEST!)!!!!!!!!!!

In non-squeeing terms, it’s the fifteenth anniversary of Devil May Cry 4, quite possibly the most divisive of the franchise (non-rebooted)! 

My thoughts?

...Did the squeeing not make it obvious?

I LOVE this game!

My first Devil May Cry game, and it was a great investment! Not only did I find a new franchise to fall in love with, but it’s what got me interested in hack and slash games in the first place! Thanks to this one, I expanded my tastes to a whole new genre!

Sure, it has it’s flaws. I know, they are pretty obvious *cough* rushed development *cough*. Even so, this is my comfort game and I want to talk about it and criticize it with all the respect it deserves. Now let’s get into it!

This is all just my own personal opinion and if you disagree with me, that’s perfectly okay! If you’d like to talk about a point I made, please let me know, but please try to respect my opinion as I respect yours.

Alright! Let’s do this!

Come on!

SPOILERS AHEAD!

As per usual, let’s start with all the things that this game did wonderfully!

NERO!!!

NERO, NERO, NERO!!!!

NERONERONEROOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

...I like Nero. (๑꧆◡꧆๑)

Just gonna say it, DMC4 Dante is best Dante, I will hear nothing else. The man was born to be a funcle, it is the obvious path of his character development.

Also he looks cool as a cowboy, I don’t care what anyone says; that look is iconic.

Trish and Lady are back! Re-occuring characters are a thing now!

And DANG! They look hot. Love the outfits! They always look good!

Opera! That whole opening sequence, my boy is a remorseless demon killer who is also such a sweetie pie who gets his girlfriend presents! D’aww!

Fortuna is gorgeous. The bright colors and changing environments really helped this game differentiate itself from the others, but the gothic elements still tie it in. And the enemies blend in while still clearly being obvious they don’t belong in the Human World.

DEVIL BRINGER! The most cathartic gaming mechanic ever! There is nothing more satisfying than getting your enemies health low and pressing that blessed button. All those beautiful combos, savagely ripping enemies apart...perfect for my bloodthirsty son.

Ah, the classic “Church is Evil” trope Japan so loves. Never gets old.

MUSIC! Vocal character themes! That play as you slay!

And man, I love it when a character theme transitions into an opening/ending theme! The Time Has Come/We Shall Never Surrender, perfect way to get energized then cool down.

Did I say anything about Nero yet? Like how he brings a different and interesting perspective to the story? Or how his more emotional and naive personality can be explored as well as Dante’s wiser and cooler one? Or the fact that his willingness to attack humans could lead him to be a darker protagonist than Dante? Or the fact he’s a video game hero that already HAS the girl? Unambiguously? OR THAT HE’S THE CUTEST THING EVER, THE SWEET LITTLE BLUSHY, FACE-HIDING DORK?!!!

And he has a Persona!

AND HE’S JOHNNY YONG BOSCH!

Dante and Nero’s developing relationship. Dante’s clearly just having a good time trolling this little hothead and knocking him down a peg, but still knows when to tone it down and help out. And OHMIGOSH HE WAS CONCERNED! Get those strong male parental figure points! You were born for this!

Ah, Dante mode. Switching the novice’s simplicity for the master’s variety.

And yay! They finally settled on a voice actor!

Kyrie! Cutie!

The FUNNIEST boss fight interactions!

CREDOOOOOOOOOOO! NOOOOOOOOOOOO! （Ω Д Ω)

And, oooh, I love the continuing narrative from DMC3 that humans can be just as evil as demons. The loose but present repeating elements between the games are so much fun to analyze.

That secret ending. Words cannot describe it’s beauty.

Alright, that’s enough gushing, time to go over what should have been expanded on/brought in but was probably left out because of reasons *cough* rushed development *cough*.

ADD:

They. REALLY should have had more cutscenes between Nero and Kyrie. Y’know, make the relationship believable and well-developed. Establish their dynamic. Maybe have them talk on the phone? It’s 2008, they would at least have cellphones, demon cult or not.

For that matter, give us some more time with Credo: Make us really feel the conflicting emotions when we finally have to face him. Come on, we play Japanese videogames, we’re clearly emotional masochists!

Give. Dante. His. Own. Bosses.

And if you’re going to give us two characters, expand the level count from twenty to forty.

With someone as cocky as Nero is when the game starts, why not show him clearly messed up after losing to Dante? The guy who clowned on him, one of the best in the country? Especially since his inferiority complex was such a big deal in 5.

Give some more time fleshing out Nero’s relationship with Fortuna/the Order, like in the novel? Everyone loves an All the Other Reindeer character and it really could have helped endear him to the fanbase with explaining his abrasive side.

Explore that Nero’s willing to kill humans? The thing Dante refuses to do? He didn’t know that armor didn’t have a person and went straight for the kill, and he had no qualms about ending a seemingly human Agnus. Would have been an interesting point of confliction. Might’ve been interesting to explore in later games...

Show how the events of the game affected the people of Fortuna? We saw the city in ruins, but what about the folks living there? Would they turn on the Order? How would they treat Nero? Do they consider the city worth restoring? How did Nero and Kyrie react to losing Credo?

And now, what needed to be completely overhauled.

CHANGE:

Get rid of the dice game. Leave the puzzles to Dante, Nero.

Maybe make Dante mode a bonus for beating the game the first time? The bonus ending could just be his ending.

Honestly, the game was more unfinished to me than flawed. 

Overall, the game isn’t perfect, but I love it. Whenever I need to just chill out and play something that makes me feel good, DMC4 is my first option.

I’m so happy I picked it up the day I did. I got to discover a whole new way to enjoy gaming and found one of my most favorite videogame characters of all time, along with others that I love. 

Others may see it as the weak link in the franchise, but Devil May Cry 4 will always be my favorite.

One question, though.

Shall we dance?

[rec-a-fanfic]

Title: Forsaken by the Storm

Author: DeviantXen

Fandoms: Devil May Cry

Rating: Teen

Warnings: "None Apply"

Pairings: none romantic

Status: Complete

Length/Chapters: 62,263 / 12

Summary:

Dante wasn’t expecting his brother to turn up unannounced. Especially not with a sixteen-year-old in tow. Because, yeah, apparently he has a son now – a hothead whose mother has just gone missing. Which is, of course, Vergil’s fault. So now his brother’s stuck raising a kid he ‘claims’ he doesn’t want while simultaneously giving Dante hassle about a case he’s being forced to solve. And the angry teenager? Well he just continues to eat all his pizza and make a mess of his poor goddamn shop. But hey, family is never easy, right? And whoever said that Vergil wouldn’t make a great dad?

Eventually.

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34628191

— 🐈 This is one of the first DMC fics I had read and it still sticks with me till this day

https://archiveofourown.org/works/34628191