When the final note rang out, Nero sure as hell clapped. Never would he thought he'd get lost in some violin playing. He would have thought it would have put him to sleep, but the girl had, much to his astonishment, earnestly captured his attention. Vergil gave a small bow and turned to Eva. "Thoughts?" She inquired.

"The composition certainly speaks to your tendencies," Eva said with a grin. "More allegro than your typical fare, however. Trying something new?"

"I cannot improve if I remain shackled by my own preferences. It is important for one to step outside their comfort zone, no?" Vergil replied. "And what of you, Nero?"

"Honestly, I don't know much about music stuff," Nero said, scratching his head. The only thing he could compare it to was the hymns he'd get at Fortuna, but they weren't really similar... or alike in any way. No, this was in a league of its own. Despite the girl's cold comments and demeanor, he felt a strong sense of passion in every note she played, a true passion for her craft. That, in itself, he found to be admirable. But then he remembered who this girl was to represent, and he could feel a phantom pain.

He really needed to settle things with his old man.

"If I had to say, it kinda felt like a punch in the gut. In a good way, I mean."

Vergil eyed him in slight confusion at his choice of words. "He loved it!" Patty said. "He couldn't take his eyes off you!"

"Yeah… it was good," he said.

"...I am thankful for your earnest appreciation," Vergil said.

"Beats getting stabbed through the chest at least!" Nero turned to see Dante smiling broadly at him. When the hell did she get here? That violin playing must have been way more… mesmerizing than he realized. She did have a point, though. "I thought it sounded great," she said to Vergil.

Vergil shook her head. "If only those words actually meant something coming from you."

"Okay, rude."

"Please. It's hardly my fault you're an uncultured philistine."

"Are you trying to start something? If you wanna fight, just say so!"

Nero was about to intervene before Eva interrupted the twins, saying, "Girls, behave." Eva gave them a stern glare, at which the two shared a light laugh between them.

Patty sighed. "You have to get used to their weird sense of humor," she said.

Nero raised an eyebrow. "That was supposed to be a joke?"

"Lighten up, Nero! We joke like that all the time," Dante chuckled.

"You look as if you honestly expect us to attempt kill each other," Vergil said.

Nero grunted.

"My daughters' behavior aside," Eva interjected. "Dante, I believe you can do something to assist Nero."

"Sure. Whatcha need?"

It wasn't long before Nero found himself in front of a large garage. ".45 Caliber… Art Warks?" He read the sign in front aloud. Dante had led him here, leaving Vergil and Patty behind to continue practicing.

"Don't know why I didn't think of old Goldstein first. They're all about tech mumbo jumbo."

"Uh huh?"

"Wouldn't be surprised if they invented time travel as a pet project already," she chuckled, going to enter the building.

"Here's hoping."

"Hey, Grandma!" Nero heard her call as she entered, seeing an elderly woman tinkering away at a gun at the front desk.

"Quit calling me that," she said, not bothering to look up from her work. "I ain't finished with your custom order. The hell do you want?"

"Is Doc in? This guy needs her help."

The woman looked from her tinkering at Nero, then gave a derisive snort. "Didn't figure you the type to pal around with mercs."

"Nah, Nero's cool. Apparently he's from the future and we wanna know if you guys invented time travel or something."

The woman raised an eyebrow at Dante. "No bull?"

"That's the idea we got so far," Nero said with a shrug.

The frown on the woman's face deepened. "Alright, kid. I'll give ya a chance since the brat's vouching for ya. Name's Nell."

"Nero."

"I heard," Nell said, scowling. "If I hear you're wasting all our time, time travel's gonna be the least of your worries."

"The hell's that supposed to mean?" Nero said, meeting her glare with one of his own.

Nell snorted. "Hey, Nico!" She yelled. "Dante needs you for something!"

A moment later, a familiar figure emerged from deeper in the building. Looking just like he left her, aside from wearing a lab coat and much less revealing dress shirt and pants, was his partner in crime, Nico. "This better be important," she said, adjusting her glasses.

"It is!" Dante said. "It's a whole thing and we need your genius to figure it out."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, but it does inflate my ego," Nico said. "So, what's the issue?"

"Nico," Nero said, hope welling up in him. If anyone could get him back to where he was supposed to be, it was her.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "My friends call me Nico. You may call me Dr. Goldstein."

"'Doctor'?" Nero repeated. Well, things weren't gonna line up perfectly, but he's gonna take what he can get."Whatever. I do know you," he said.

She looked him up and down. "Are you a stalker or something? What's with this guy, Dante?"

She gave an amused shrug.

"Look, Nico- uh, Doctor. We work together… or we will work together, I guess."

She narrowed her eyes. "Are you coming onto me? Because I'll say straight up, you aren't my type."

"The fuck? No, ugh." Dante let out a loud laugh. "Here, look at this," Nero said, pulling out Overture. "You made this for me."

A curious gleam entered her eye as she took the Devil Breaker. She turned it over a few times, humming to herself as she did so before ultimately sighing. "Come with me. Dante, you stay here and make sure no government agents show up."

"Roger that. And since I got time Grandma, let me talk you through this new gun idea I got."

"Nico, hurry up so this kid can get out of here."

Nero followed Nico into the back where a large number of electronic devices, partially complete, were strewn about the walls. Nico placed the Breaker on a high tech workbench, using clamps to hold it up. Taking what Nero thought was a screwdriver, she began taking it apart.

"...You said I made this?"

"Yeah. Made to help me-"

"Kill demons?"

"Exactly."

"Hmm," she started muttering numbers and terms under her breath as she scanned the parts in front of her. "Well, I'm convinced of that at least. It has my signature on it."

"Wait, really?"

"I put my name on everything I make, typically where it would only be found by someone who was taking a deeper look into my designs. And I must say, I really outdid myself with this."

"You did say that when you handed it to me."

"A fascinating design, I can hardly wrap my head around the structure," she said, reassembling the Breaker. "Where does the power draw from?"

"Me."

"Is that so? Peculiar… give me a demonstration." She handed the weapon back to Nero before donning a pair of goggles and stepping a safer distance away.

With a shrug, Nero equipped Overture, his right arm going intangible allowing the Breaker to occupy the space. With practiced ease, he held it forward and released the pulse of electricity. He turned to Nico, who's eyebrows were raised in shock. She began muttering something under her breath again before suddenly moving to a drawer. She pulled out cables and wires and attached them to Overture.

"Again," she commanded, affixing the wires to some kind of energy reader he assumed. He obliged. "Once more," she said, a mad grin overtaking her as she adjusted various dials and knobs.

"We gonna do this all day?" He asked. Despite his complaints, he unleashed Overture one last time. And with this, the device Nico was looking at exploded, blowing her to the other end of the room."Shit," he said, rushing to her.

"Heh heh… brilliant… a-a-absolutely brilliant! T-this is exactly the breakthrough I needed! Nero… yes? You said you came from the future?"

"Sorta? That's just the shorthand. I don't know what the fuck's really going on."

"Temporal anomalies are a tricky thing. Give me a clear explanation of what happened so I can fully understand. Spare no details."

So Nero told her. Everything from what happened when he first got here and the many discrepancies he observes since arriving in this place. He was glad she was upfront about asking so he could get to why he was actually here in her garage. Nico, for her part, listened impassively until he was finished.

"...That's some story," she said, adjusting her glasses.

"Well it's all true."

"Have you spoken with Dante about this?"

"Nah. I'm still not entirely convinced I'm not having some wild hallucination yet. And I don't even know how the fuck to explain it."

"Well it's good that you haven't. I've not brushed up on my multiversal theory in a bit, but the last thing we need is for her to follow you, meet this other universal version of her, and then have both our universes implode." Nico huffed. "She'd absolutely think going to another universe is just a other of her crazy adventures."

"Would really ruin my vacation plans."

"We'd be in deep shit if we had a version of you running around …Well, it's nothing conclusive yet. I'd just err on the side of caution. It's still possible nothing could happen. But if I had the opportunity, I'd study the hell out of this."

"At the risk of destroying the universe?"

"Nothing will impede scientific discovery." Nero glared at her. "Lighten up. Just a little humor."

He clicked his tongue. "Been getting a lot of that, lately."

"But still, your situation is fascinating. I'll get to the bottom of whatever's going on. Interdimensional travel is much more likely than temporal travel, though."

Nero gave a mirthless grin. "Guess I can scrap my plans to find a DeLorean."

"Ah, don't go around saying everything just yet, I have to run a few tests, and I need some time to further theorize before I come to any real conclusion, and I'd rather the world end before anyone says I'm wrong about anything. Heh, this is going to be a great project to-ah. Before you go, I need a DNA sample."

With a roll of his eyes, Nero plucked a few strands of his hair and placed them in a test tube Nico provided.

"Alright. Now get out of here. I have work to do."

"And when are you gonna get back to me?"

"I'll have my people call your people. Now get out of here!"

As Nero left, he heard Nico bellow a maniacal laugh akin to a Saturday morning cartoon villain. Nero just shook his head and made it back to the front.

"...and then you can make it so that when I put the both of them together, they shoot a laser!"

"Fuck, no,'" Nell grumbled.

"At least let me put a gun inside of a sword! That'd be sick!"

"Is this how you spend your free time? Coming up with shitty ideas that'll piss me off?"

"So what, you can't do it?"

"I'm a professional, 'course I can."

"The hell am I walking into?" Nero asked as he intruded on the two women's conversation.

"Just talking shop," Dante said. "So, you good?"

"Not really? She said she'd get back to me."

Nell chuckled. "Guess she's takin' this serious, then. Alright, kid. We'll get back to ya when we're ready."

"Right, thanks."

"Now scram."

"Well she's peachy," Nero said as they were unceremoniously ushered out of the shop.

"They're the best at what they do, so they can get away with it," she shrugged. "...But since we're out here, you down for a little fun?"

Nero didn't like the gleam in her eye. "Depends on what you mean," he said cautiously.

Dante filled him in: while he was talking to Nico, a friend of hers texted, saying they had a huge demonic presence on their hands. A 'tear in space,' not unlike the one Patty said he came out of, manifested in the city graveyard. Why her friend was frequenting graveyards was beyond him, nor was it really any of his business, but more portals is something that actually matters to him.

Before they even got there, he could feel the change in the air.

"Oh yeah," Dante grinned. "This is gonna be great." When they arrived, Dante quickly tracked down her friend, who was sitting atop the entrance's ornate stone fence.

"Took you long enough," she said, jumping down. Nero once again felt that same discomfort as he looked at her as when he looked at Dante. Wearing some sort of private school uniform with a green vest over a dress shirt and plaid skirt, knee socks and dress shoes, she looked oddly at him, the light catching her familiar mismatched eyes. "So… you're… Bero?"

"Nero."

"Sure," She adjusted the large rocket launcher she held with ease, giving the shotgun, handguns, and all the ammunition boxes she had strapped to her person a once over. Satisfied, she held out her hand. "I'm Mary."

Shaking her hand, Nero took note: the tone of voice, appearance, and choice of weapons were dead giveaways. This 'Mary' was a shorter version of Lady; the uncanny likeness making him feel weird, though not in the same way Dante or Vergil did. Looking at her was just strange, as opposed to the existential discomfort the sisters caused. It briefly made him wonder if 'Mary' was Lady's given name. Not that he was dying to ask her, but he did wonder why everyone called her that. But the biggest question for him was why Lady was normal- well, relatively so- in this shitty situation.

Mary turned toward the graveyard. "You can't see it from out here," she said, "it isn't huge or anything, but I'd rather be on the safe side." leading them inside.

Dante gave a playful scoff. "Where's your sense of adventure?"

"I don't know," Mary said, leading them inside. "Maybe it died and is gonna come attack us. Always wanted to try my hand at a zombie."

Not long after, they found it. Pulsing and radiating an otherworldly energy, the portal hung over the mausoleum.

"So…" Mary said. "You sure you're up for this?" She asked Nero.

He quirked an eyebrow. "How about you sit back and watch how ready I am."

"Jeez, no need to be hostile. I was just making sure."

"Lighten up you two," Dante said. "You're not gonna any get any action if you're gonna argue." she chuckled. "So!" She whipped out Ivory with a spin. "I say we get this party started!" She fired a slew of bullets into the portal, which made it react violently. A wave of energy pulsed, and emerging from the tear, demonic entities made their way out. Using their weapons to forcibly widen the tear, a number of hell caina leapt out, followed by a cauldron of pyrobats.

"The hell, Dante?" Mary scoffed. She turned the Kalina Ann to the pyrobats and fired, catching a few in the explosion. "Whatever. Same deal as always?"

"Same deal as always!" Dante tricked in front of a hell caina, and launched it up with the prop shredder. But instead of following up with Rebellion, she swapped it out for some sort of glaive, stabbing it through the demon and slamming it down with enough force to kill it.

Welp, he never saw his uncle use a weapon like that. But there was no time to gawk. Nero revved the Red Queen, launching himself through the demons with an EX Streak, burning through like a hot knife through butter. Two well placed color-up rounds took out the pyrobats that tried to swoop in.

To his right, Mary stabbed an approaching hell caina with her weapon, pulled out her shotgun and blasted it in the face. She hoisted Kalina Ann, aimed, and sent a barrage of missiles at the pyrobats, reducing their number to zero.

Dante finished up the last of the hell caina. She stabbed her glaive through another one, but the bladed edge then curved inward, transforming it into a scythe, the movement slicing through the impaled demon's body. With a flourish, she swung the scythe and decapitated the horde of hell caina around her and they fell.

"Brutal," Nero commented.

Dante smirked. "What's your count?"

"Seventeen," Mary responded.

"Damn," Dante frowned. "I only got fourteen. Nero?"

"...I was supposed to count?"

"Hold on, there's more!" Mary said as the three turned toward the portal. Cutting through was a single sin scissor, which once it got through, the portal disappeared, as if it were never there.

Nero shook his head. "Damn, this was a waste." He used his wire snatch to bring him to the demon, which swung in response. Nero parried with the Red Queen, and the second it was off guard, blasted it in the face with Overture, killing it instantly.

"Huh. So that's what you can do," Dante said.

"I'm glad you weren't all talk," Mary said. "The last guy that tried to hunt with us was faking it."

"Really now?" Nero said.

"Yeah, his name was Joe or something? But whatever. You're the real deal, so it's fine. Anyway, Dante, I believe I've won this time."

"Yeah yeah," She said, rolling her eyes. "The usual spot?"

Mary nodded with a grin.

"Am I missing something?" Nero asked. But with no further response, he followed them out of the graveyard.

With a thought, the summoned swords impaled the retreating fury. Dante chuckled to himself. "I could get used to this." Finally, his leisurely pace had led him to his destination. And with perfect timing. The air cracked as his brother's power surged, and with the sound of spacetime itself being cut, Vergil completed his devastating Judgement Cut: End. Dante approached him as he sheathed his sword, whistling as the demon he fought was literally reduced to dust. "So that's it?" He asked.

"...That's it. Mundus is no more."

"Glad that's wrapped up. So what do you say we- hey, where ya going?"

"While we are still in hell, it ill behooves us to let the other king be."

"Other king?"

"The hierarchy of hell was split in two factions, half pledging allegiance to Mundus, the other to one known as Argosax."

Dante narrowed his eyes. "Argo…what?" A brief pause, then Dante snapped his fingers. "Oh, that guy!"

"I will kill Argosax as well, cementing my might into the foundations of the realm itself. All will know my power."

"You might wanna take a rain check on that one. I already killed him."

"You… killed Argosax?"

"Oh yeah, a little while back. Couple years before I met Nero, actually."

"Impossible. Argosax was comparable to Mundus in strength."

"Hey, I'm the one who sent the guy back here, remember?"

"...I'm trying to forget," Vergil sighed. "Very well. Then-"

"I also killed the guy that took the power of the guy that beat those four other guys. Abigail, I think? And that was before I got that Argus guy."

"..."

"Man, what a blast from the past! I nearly forgot I did all that! Damn, I did a lot of shit before Nero showed up." Vergil pinched the bridge of his nose. "Guess that makes you king of hell, huh?"

"I was already king of hell."

"Huh. Really? Well, guess that means there's nothing keeping us here. So why don't you make us a portal and get us out of hell?" Vergil remained silent. "Come on, don't tell me you can't!"

"Of course I can, fool. However, travel between realms is no simple matter. A cut in the wrong location would send us to a space between."

"Like that's a problem."

"No," the Yamato found itself at Dante's neck. "But I'd rather not have my concentration broken due to an annoying sibling. Being in hell with you is one thing, but even spending a moment in the void with nothing but you for company will drive me mad."

"Is that what they call 'brotherly love?'" Dante slowly pushed the edge of the Yamato away from him. "Hey, I can manage keeping quiet for a sec," he chuckled. "And here I thought you were just scared of seeing Nero again."

Dante quickly found himself stabbed through the chest.

Ugh, this again? Heck yeah it is. So, hope you enjoyed, and if not, idk go play hopscotch or something. For everyone who stayed, I got a question: what do you think of this... "interpretation" let's say, of Dante and Vergil? What do you hope to see in the future? I mean, I know what I'm gonna do, but I wanna see if you can predict it. Please submit your questionnaire in triplicate to the nearest representative's office.