popcornxgif | DMC5 AU (For @whollyconsumed)

[It's not often that Alastor lingers outside of Movieland after paying a visit to his friends on this side of the silver screen, but this time...this time something's wrong. A deeply unnerving type of wrong that's far too familiar. The demon bugs, Empousae, only enter this world to feed a Qlipoth sprout. Checking the news confirms his fears, and gives him a location at that.

Joe, Silvia, and Jet are doing their best to protect people from the wandering demons, but Alastor knows enough to head for the source. He doesn't bring them with him, not for this. Anything else, maybe...but he knows what he's going to see when he gets there, and it's not a sight he wants to inflict on them. Not one he's sure they could handle, spared the horrors of truly gruesome deaths as they have been.

What he sees is what he'd expected. It's a scene from a nightmare. Last time, he'd held back and tried to stay out of things. That had resulted in Mundus, to say nothing of countless innocent lives lost that he might have saved. This time will be different. This time, he'll tear this infernal plant up by the roots if he has a chance, even if it risks all of Hell knowing he's escaped his prison.

The first step to that is loosening those roots. Flying above the carnage of the city, it's easy to spot their weak spots. He's surprised to also see something human shaped moving down there, but the root is the first priority. Calling a replica sword to his hand, he takes a plunging dive down, blade point first, to tear open the straining membrane of the root. It's messy, the boil-like protrusion bursting open in a shower of blood, but it's efficient...and he rather thinks the image it results in, of him kneeling with his sword buried in Qlipoth flesh and surrounded in blood splatters is a striking one. Even if he is going to have to wipe the bloodstains off his armor and clothes.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

wholelyconsumed

...that's. Uh.

Don't worry about it.

[ This is embarrassing. ]

From:

superstylishsquid

Right, because it's perfectly normal and not at all concerning when a human's skin starts looking ready to fall apart.

Look. I know my kind...aren't usually the sort you want to know when you're vulnerable. But if you're counting on my help, I should at least know if I should worry about your hand falling off or something.

From:

wholelyconsumed

...

[ V sighs. It's a good point, one he shouldn't ignore. But exactly how much can he tell Alastor? ]

I'm almost drained of power. Of life.

From:

superstylishsquid

...So too much exertion could be lethal.

[Ouch. He crouches down so that he's not towering quite so high over V and produces an almost comically normal sized green lollipop from magical storage.]

I'm no good at healing magic, but this might help a bit. I picked it up on my way back just in case, apparently an old colleague of mine has taken to making healing potions as candy now.

From:

wholelyconsumed

Oh?

[ V accepts it, not allowing himself to think before popping it in his mouth. He's consciously choosing to trust Alastor. ]

From:

superstylishsquid

An ancient blacksmith, name's Rodin if you're studied up on fallen angels.

[He disappeared from the underworld not long after he fell, but his weapons are legendary...and apparently his alchemy is pretty good too, since the lollipop has effects similar to the larger variety of Vital Stars.]

He's always done a good business supplying witches and warlocks with weapons and alchemical goods, so I decided to buy one on the assumption that you likely can't heal from serious injuries in a matter of seconds.

From:

wholelyconsumed

Rodin? I should be honored to have this.

[ It's said in a musing sort of way. The lollipop is helping, and to boot, it tastes pretty good. He examines his skin and sees that it's a little more put together. ]

Thank you.

[ Something that was always difficult for Vergil to say. He finds it a little easier. ]

From:

superstylishsquid

Considering he puts a limit on how many he'll sell to a single customer at once, probably.

[They do take significantly more materials to make than the smaller versions, so it is understandable that he wouldn't want to burn through his stock of prepared reagents too quickly.]

Think that'll keep you covered until you can take it easy?

From:

wholelyconsumed

Yeah. It'll get me to the end.

But one thing you have to remember - I put the finishing blow in. This is critical. Nothing works otherwise.

From:

superstylishsquid

If you insist, but that does complicate things. You'll need to be close by, demons like this tend not to stay incapacitated for long unless their body is completely destroyed.

I hope you have some way of shielding yourself.

From:

wholelyconsumed

I could use my familiars.

Or we could track down Nero.

From:

superstylishsquid

I can't guarantee he won't have a chance to target you. And if he realizes the kind of person I am, the kinds of people who'll wipe out a city to get their way love to take hostages. You'll need something tough, if you want to be there without getting hurt.

...But who's Nero?

From:

wholelyconsumed

Another of Sparda blood, but I don't think he knows that. We find him, he'll protect me.

If you listen carefully, you can hear him in the distance, slaying demons in frustration.

From:

superstylishsquid

I didn't know there were more of that bloodline.

[Not that he'd have known about any estranged relatives that weren't puppeted by Mundus into trying to kill Dante.

He tilts his head, and the tip of a furred ear is just visible as it flicks behind his helmet. He can hear sounds of fighting in the distance.]

A way's away, but the loudest thing for miles.

From:

wholelyconsumed

Loud. That's him. He's quite the livewire.

[ V is about to say something else, but it's forgotten when he spots an altogether familiar looking demon in the distance. ]

Damn.

From:

superstylishsquid

[Alastor's own expression turns grim as he spots what caught V's attention, and he reaches for the Sparda.]

...You might want to call your familiars out for this one.

From:

wholelyconsumed

[ V nods grimly and calls out Shadow to start with. The cat runs for and tackles against the demon, but is thrown aside.

Still, it doesn't give up, getting right back up. ]

From:

superstylishsquid

Huh, a Shadow? Didn't know those things could be bartered with.

[But it's obviously not heavy enough to break this thing's defenses...so he'll have to see if this wannabe demon knight can handle a different weight class. He lunges forward in a flying charge, the Sparda reshaping itself into a spear as he uses both hands to drive it forward. He does manage to put a web of cracks in the shield, before the demon lets its stance break in order to step aside and let Alastor's own force carry him too far to swiftly follow up.]

From:

wholelyconsumed

[ No. Okay. It's time for the one he doesn't usually call.

Nightmare oozes out and towards the demon, slamming its fists down upon it. This is far more effective than Shadow was. ]

From:

superstylishsquid

[Well, that's one way to break its defenses. And with it thrown off balance, it gives Alastor time to shift his momentum and swing the Sparda around. It reconfigures into a scythe the moment before it leaves his hand, whirling around like a boomerang to dig its blade deep into the demon's armored body...if there is a body under the armor.]

From:

wholelyconsumed

[ Nightmare roars out approval and follows up the scythe with more swings of its heavy fists. It's trying to crush the head of the demon, and so far, seems to be succeeding. ]

From:

superstylishsquid

[Well, that's promising. With a twist of one wrist, he bids the Sparda to change shape again, blade ripping through armor as it shifts back into its normal form on its way to Alastor's hand. With his other arm, he conjures a whip of lightning that he lashes at the demon's ankles. All that metal ought to make this hurt, a lot.]

From:

wholelyconsumed

[ The demon starts to crystalize as Nightmare succeeds in crushing the head. This is not normal for demon fighting, but it is normal for Vvand his familiars. As the body falls to the ground, V steps forward and drives his cane through its heart. ]

From:

superstylishsquid

[As the demon crumbles, Alastor snaps his wrist and dispels the lightning whip. He returns Sparda to his back, and steps forward.]

So. Care to explain why this Urizen has minions who look like they shop for armor at the same place as one of Mundus' most recent enslaved minions?