One of the unfortunate side effects of introducing Nero to the story that I want to take a second to address is that, yes, I am now officially playing fast and loose with the timeline. Realistically, Nero probably shouldn't be appearing for quite some time, and while I've reduced his age a bit to try to mitigate the blow, I realize that will only help so much.

I suppose I could have just said "It's 10 years later" or something to that effect but I didn't want to just skip over that much time, and yet at the same time I had a LOT of people who clearly wanted to see Nero enter the story and what his impact would be sooner or later, so my options were limited. I apologize to anyone who's enjoyment of the story is lowered by that. In a bit of anticipation of things like this, I went out of my way not to mention ages anywhere in this story, so if it's bothering anyone out there that much, I suppose just imagine that the main trio were older than they actually were at the start of DMC 3 and that the whole thing with Vergil happened much earlier than DMC 3?

Again, my apologies for the weirdness. Back to the regularly scheduled chapter.

The clash of swords shattered the silence of the early morning. In the backyard of a house in Fortuna, two people were in the middle of what looked to be a heated fight. One was a man in a crisp, clean white uniform with brown, combed back hair and a groomed goatee.

"Focus, Nero!" He shouted as he swung his sword at a boy that didn't look to be out of his late teenage years yet. He was the complete opposite of the other man, with unkempt white hair and a messy looking blue coat with a hood on. The boy, Nero, held his sword in front of him with one hand, blocking the two handed blow from the stern looking man. His other hand was covered in a large glove that extended down the length of his arm, and he was notably avoiding the use of it.

"What is it you always say, Credo?" Nero asked as he stepped forward and swung his sword diagonally at him. "If you got time to talk, you got time to work?"

Credo twisted his blade, deflecting Nero's sword into the ground with his own sword. As he did that, he stepped forward, and swung with his empty hand, attempting to backhand Nero with his fist. Nero hopped backward, narrowly avoiding the fist.

"Cease playing around!" Credo yelled. "Fight as if your life depended on it!"

Nero shook his head. "I don't want to hurt you, Credo."

Credo snorted. "If you wish to stop being treated like a boy, then stop acting like one! Come!"

Credo charged at Nero, and the two swordsmen clashed swords a few times, sparks flying off as they clashed. Then, Nero delivered an unexpected kick to Credo's chest, driving him back a few feet. He slid to a stop and quickly rose, only to see Nero sliding toward him, sword held horizontally in front of him at about chest level. As he reached Credo, he delivered a wide slash with his blade. Credo, rather than blocking it, choose instead to duck under the blade, allowing it to swing wide and leave an opening.

"You overextended!" Credo yelled as he sprang up, intending to swing until his blade was against Nero's throat and bring the fight to a close. Before he got there, however, Nero delivered another kick, this time right between his legs. The air left Credo as he grunted in pain, staggering backward.

"Still had a weapon." Nero said with a shrug.

"A cheap shot!" Credo yelled, clearly furious.

"Ain't no such thing as cheating in a real fight. That's what you asked for, right?"

Then Nero leaped several feet into the air, and fell, bringing his sword down vertically in a motion that would cleave Credo in two if it hit. Credo ducked out of the way at the last moment, and then swung his sword at Nero's chest. Nero ripped his sword out of the ground and moved it to collide with Credo's.

Both swords locked against each other. Credo moved his other hand and took a two handed stance as he pushed against Nero. Nero, for his part, was actually trying to not push too hard. If he managed to shove Credo 20 feet away with one hand against his two, Credo would start asking questions. Questions he wasn't prepared to answer.

"Credo! Nero!"

A voice interrupted his thoughts, and both of them turned their heads to see a brown haired girl who had white priestess looking robes on, ones that were in the same style as Credo's outfit, sticking her head out the door.

"Breakfast is ready! Come and eat!"

After a moments pause, the two wordlessly broke the lock, and sheathed their swords.

"We will continue this later." Credo said as he walked back inside. Nero took a second to roll his eyes before he followed.

A few minutes later, the three of them were sitting at a round table in a small, cozy dining room. A stack of fresh pancakes and sausage were on the table, and each of them were eating.

"The food's good, Kyrie." Nero said to the girl. "Tastes a little different today. You put something new in?"

"Cinnamon." Kirie said with a smile. "Really brings out the flavor, I think."

"Won't hear any argument from me."

Credo finished chewing what was in his mouth. "You still need work, Nero."

Nero sighed and put down his fork, placing his elbow on the table and resting his head in his hand. "Here we go."

"Your technique is sloppy." Credo continued, heedless of Nero's reaction. "You swing that sword around like it's a club. No finesse, no stance, no plan, you just make it up as you go."

"That's called winging it. " Nero said as he pointed at Credo. "It's a valid "Technique.""

"You place no regard for your safety, leave openings that a wise enemy can exploit." Credo continued, glaring at Nero.

"When's the last time you heard of a wise demon?" Nero said as he pulled out his cell phone and checked something on it.

"And don't get me started on the backtalk." Credo said as he shook his head. "Your style is a disgrace. You fight more like a thug then a swordsman."

"You done?" Nero asked, not looking up from the phone. Credo sighed.

"However, I cannot deny you have made great strides toward improvement since your training began." Credo said, clearly with great reluctance. "And so, as promised, I will see if I can arrange for you to be appointed to the combat regiment of the Order of the Sword."

"Finally!" Nero said as he looked up at the ceiling, causing Credo to instantly wag his finger at him.

"I can guarantee nothing. It is highly unusual for anyone to be appointed at such a young age. I will need to speak with some people, pull some strings. And that means you'll be under even more scrutiny then the usual recruit."

"Great." Nero groaned.

"If you are appointed, you will be under my command. And I will not tolerate the attitude you display in this house when we are in the field. Any disrespect will be punished severely. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir." Nero said as he gave a lazy salute.

"Do not come into this thinking this will all be fun and games."

"No. I came into this thinking "Hey, I already have to deal with Credo every day, now I can do it while I get paid to shoot demons.""

Credo shook his head in annoyance. Kirie spoke up.

"Nero, please, I know you've been working very hard, but still, be carful, ok? And that goes for you too, Credo."

"Don't worry about me." Nero said, waving off her concerns with a wave of his hand.

"I assure you, sister, I will not be the one who needs watching." Nero rolled his eyes at this. Credo paused a second before he continued. "I also noticed you're still not using your left arm much." His voice shifted from annoyance to restrained concern. "The injury you sustained from that demon should have finished healing long ago. Are you still having problems using it?"

Nero's eyes widened a second before he tried to lean back and wave off his concerns. "No, no, it's fine."

"Are you sure?" Credo said, not looking convinced. "I can have a medic look at your arm, if you wish, make sure there haven't been any side effects-"

"No!" Nero yelled quickly. "No need for that. I, erm, I'm experimenting."

Credo gave him a hard stare. "Experimenting." He repeated evenly.

"Right. I, that injury, it made me realize, there might be times when, if I get injured again, I might not have free use of both hands. So, I figured, maybe I should try to learn to fight with one hand."

Credo continued to stare at him a moment, expression unreadable. Then he sighed. "I suppose it's hardly the worst idea you've had." Nero's sholders slumped down in relief. "But an unused hand is a hand wasted. If you're not going to touch your sword with it, you should use it for something. A shield, perhaps, to help actually defend yourself against a repeat incident?"

"I'm good, that's not really my style." Nero said as he held up his hand. Besides which, he was pretty sure the arm itself was harder than any shield he'd find. He'd tried to chop the cursed thing off plenty of times, and hadn't even left a dent, even when his strength level started getting stupidly high. Nero sighed as the conversation trailed off, leaning back.

"So, how long I gotta wait?" He asked, waving his hand over at Credo as Kirie got up and returned to the kitchen.

"Today the Order is having a general meeting at Castle Fortuna. You will accompany me, and there I will speak with those who need to be spoken to."

Nero sighed. "Can't I just wait at home and you tell me what they say when you get back? You know I hate these stuffy, official events."

Credo shook his head sternly, clearly not about to budge. "You had best get used to attending functions. There will be no skipping out of them once you are under my command. You are going."

He got up from the table and adjusted his collar before stomping away, but not before making one last statement. "We leave in 5 minutes. Be ready."

There was a slow trickle of people walking across the bridge into the Castle Fortuna as Nero and Credo arrived. Credo was a few steps ahead of Nero, and started talking.

"As you know, long ago, the legendary Sparda once served as feudal lord of our nation. It is from him that we received our calling, our name. And this place once served as his castle. It has been carefully preserved over the years, and used for our order for our larger gatherings. It is as much a landmark as it is a building. You can even still view Sparda's bedroom, which our historians have worked hard over the years to keep in the same condition it was left in, should the time ever come when Sparda returns to our nation."

He waited a few seconds for the smartass retort, and when none came, he turned around.

"Nero."

Nero wasn't even looking at him, and Credo reached over and ripped the earbuds he had in his ears, hidden by his hair, out of his ears.

"Hey!" Nero complained. "It was just getting to the good part!"

"This trash you continue to insist on listening to is rotting your brain, Nero!" Credo yelled as he shook the fist he was holding the earbuds in. "It is time to grow up!" He turned and threw the earbuds over the edge of the bridge.

"Oh, come on!" Nero yelled, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Be glad I will need to be able to contact you at all, or I'd throw your cell phone off the bridge with them!"

Nero crossed his arms, sulking. Credo shook his head.

"Now, I am afraid I have duties that require me to be elsewhere while the initial parts of this meeting are in progress. So, find a seat inside, sit quietly, and whatever you do, do not embarrass me with your attitude. Remember, I'm going out of my way to recommend they take you on in a higher position. Your actions, good or bad, will reflect back onto me."

"I got it, I got it." Nero said, clearly still angry. "Go on, be the big hot shot of the Order. I'll sit down here with all the peasants."

"You know that's not what I-"

He stopped himself, shook his head, and then turned around, walking away.

A little behind them, Lady was walking onto the bridge, doing her best to mind her own business and not make eye contact with anyone. She had gotten changed into the traditional robed vestments of the Order, which conveniently concealed all of her guns as well. She had the hood up, and while she was confident this meeting was big enough to where no one would look at her and instantly know she wasn't a member, she wasn't looking to take her chances. She was about halfway across when suddenly, she heard yelling.

"Goddamned jackass!"

She looked over to her right, and halted in her tracks as she saw a white haired kid kicking one of the walls of the bridge, knocking a few stones loose. Someone just behind her bumped into her, but she didn't even notice as said man walked around her and gave her an annoyed look. She was too busy staring at the kid who was reminding her far too much of another white haired man she happened to know. He seemed to sense someone was staring at him, as he looked directly at her.

"What the hell are you looking at?" He asked. She just continued to stare, and he scoffed. "Mind your own business." Nero stomped off, and slowly, she shook off her shock and regained her senses. Slowly, she resumed her walk, her mind now confused and filled with questions.

Could it just be a coincidence? That he happens to look so much like Dante, if you changed the color of his coat? Could he be related to him? Maybe even...I could see Dante being the type to have a one night stand and not realize he had a kid, in the past, but would that kid end up here, on some island in the middle of nowhere that's closed to the outside world? This isn't the kind of place Dante would ever willingly go to. Maybe he's a younger brother? Could Sparda have had another kid, unknown to them? Or am I just overthinking all of this?

With her mind having reached no satisfactory answers, she stepped through the open door and into the castle.