Hey everyone before you read this, I would like to give a quick trigger warning this chapter contains elements of trauma, suicide and substance abuse so be careful as you read.
A man and a woman stood in front of a set of computer monitors, each one bearing an image of several red skinned horned creatures in a variety of different activities. The man pointed at one of the monitors.
"Right there! This was the first sighting," he said tapping on the monitor.
"They are definitely from Hell, they must use this dark magic to cross over into our world," the woman said, also pointing at the monitor.
"And they seem to be killing specifically targeted people, but why?" the woman asked, adjusting her sunglasses.
"They always attack at random all over the country, there's no way to predict where they'll show up next," the man explained when suddenly they heard what sounded like trash cans being knocked over.
Looking outside the two saw three red skinned demons, plus a human with dark hair and sunglasses standing in an alleyway.
"Ahh well, that's convenient," the woman said with a smile on her face as well as on her partners.
In the alleyway
Blitzo stood atop a dumpster looking down on the rest of the IMP crew.
"Shh remember we can't be seen," he said before suddenly tripping and falling into a pile of garbage, Millie and Dante laughed as Moxxie rolled his eyes.
"Pardon my words sir but you're currently being the loudest," Moxxie said when suddenly Blitzo climbed out of the trash and began pointing a garbage covered finger at Moxxie.
"I said shut your dick sucking lips Moxxie," Blitzo said annoyed jabbing a finger in Moxxies face. Dante rolled his eyes in annoyance.
Suddenly the pair stopped arguing when they saw the portal open but before they could walk through Blitzo suddenly pushed Moxxie to the ground and yelled for them to get down. Dante turned around and saw two individuals, a man and a woman each in a black and red suit, one with a net gun the other with a rifle.
Dante raised his pistol, but before he could fire, he was hit in the neck with a dart, Dante just smirked.
"Hah you're gonna need to do a lot more than that to take me down," he said proudly before five more darts entered his neck.
"That'll do it," he said blearily before passing out.
With Dante and later Moxxie tranked, Blitzo realized he couldn't fight them on his own, picked up Moxxie and attempted to carry Dante as well but he was too heavy in that moment Blitzo was hit with a taser which electrocuted him into unconsciousness.
The two agents stood over the unconscious demons.
"Ha ha I'd like to see the suits at corporate call us losers now, that was pretty badass," the man said proudly.
"Super badass!" His partner agreed, cocking her gun.
IMP office
Millie pounded on the wall where the portal used to be, hitting it over and over again as if the mere physical act would open the portal again and allow her to save her husband. Tears began to stream down her face as she continued to punch the wall eventually, she realized it was hopeless as collapsed, falling to her knees.
"Shit! Shit, shit, shit," she yelled in despair as she cried on the floor. She quickly turned around to face Loona.
"What are you doing just sitting there the boys are-" she stopped her tirade when she noticed that Loona was gone. Confused, she got up and went into the waiting room of IMP as saw Loona holding a dirty backpack.
"What the hell are you doing? We got to rescue the boys!" Millie yelled at Loona, Loona just turned and glared at the Imp woman.
"Yeah, no shit we got to rescue them." Loona replied as she began filling the bag with supplies.
"You don't understand we have to- wait what did you say?" Millie asked, confused, not expecting Loona to be on board with the idea of a rescue.
"You heard me, we have to save them," Loona said as she put on the bag and dawned her human disguise.
"Huh I thought you'd say no honestly," Millie said, still flabbergasted by Loona's urgency to save the guys.
"Are you kidding me, my dad and the love of my life have been taken? You really expect me to just sit around and do nothing, now come on!" Loona said as she picked up the book and opened the portal. Millie smiled and grabbed her ax.
"Alright let's do- wait father," Millie gasped her eyes filling with hearts, "wait love of your life!" Millie shouted in excitement at hearing Loona's words. Loona finally realized what she just said and her face turned bright red.
"Oh no I mean ah... Um... err," Loona stuttered, unable to come up with a good response, Millie just ran up and gave her a tight hug.
"Ohh, I knew it, I knew there was something more between you two, ohh I can't wait for the wedding," Millie cooed, sounding like an aunt who just found out her favorite niece got engaged.
"Look can we just focus on the fucking rescue, ok?" Loona asked, embarrassed by the situation. Regaining her composure Millie nodded and headed out the portal with Loona to rescue the boys.
DHORKS HQ
Dante slowly regained consciousness, the tranquilizers finally beginning to wear off. Dante blinked, his eyes adjusting to the light as he suddenly realized he was tied to a chair.
"Ahh finally awake are ya? Good cause we got some questions for ya," a feminine voice said as the two figures in suits walked up to him.
Dante looked to his left and his right and saw that Moxxie and Blitzo tied up next to him both still unconscious.
"First who the hell are you?" The woman asked, pointing the overhead lamp at him.
"Why are you working with these demons?" The man asked snatching the lamp from his partner.
"Do they work for you, are you, their master?" The woman asked, taking the lamp back.
"Ok one, get that light out of my face, two, my name's Dante, and three, no I'm not in charge I wish I was but sadly he's the one in control of the group," Dante replied to their questions motioning towards the still unconscious Blitzo.
The two humans looked at each other confused, before turning back towards Dante.
"So did you sell your soul to him or something?" the guy asked, raising an eyebrow, Dante just stared dumbfounded.
"Sold my soul, what? Are you talking about I don't even have a-'' Dante stopped when he caught sight of his reflection in a mirror? He noticed a distinct lack of horns, his skin was a swarthy Mediterranean hue instead of the typical blood red, also his tail was nowhere to be seen. Dante chuckled as he realized the mistake.
"Ohh sorry I think you're confused here let me help you with that," he said as suddenly his body was awash in bluish purple fire, the fire quickly dissipated revealing an imp where before a human had sat. the two agents looked on in stunned silence.
It wasn't long before Blitzo and Moxxie woke up during which the two agents began to question them as well but it didn't go to well as both Blitzo and Moxxie continuously messed with the agents saying stupid and crass shit to make them lose their cool. Eventually the two agents gave up and left the room leaving the three demons all alone, during which Blitzo and Dante began struggling to get out of their binds and Moxxie went on and on about how he was worried about Millie.
"Calm down Moxxie that woman's a tank she can handle anything," Dante said trying to calm Moxxie down.
"We've never dealt with the human government before, she's in danger," Moxxie said worriedly when suddenly Blitzo spoke up.
"Do you ever honestly shut up about Millie, it's always "oh how's Millie" "I can't tonight I'm hanging with Millie" "I'm so worried about Millie" and she's always FIVE FUCKING FEET AWAY FROM YOU! It's pathetic," Dante and Moxxie were taken aback by this sudden outburst.
"That was oddly personal," Moxxie stated.
"You're right, I don't know why I just let my guts spill like that?" Blitzo asked, confused. Moxxie looked down and noticed the room was filling with this thick green mist.
"Sir, they're filling this room with something," Moxxie said.
"Fuck, what the hell is this?" Blitzo asked, sniffing the air.
"I think it's some kind of airborne truth telling serum," Moxxie stated.
"Oh, you just guessed that's what it is," Blitzo stated dryly.
"Well, uh, just ask me something specific I wouldn't normally tell you," Moxxie replied.
"Ok uh, does Millie ever peg you?" Blitzo asked.
"Sometimes, wait EW FUCK! Why that?" Moxxie asked angrily.
"Hah I knew it," Blitzo stated smugly.
"You don't need truth serum to figure that one out Blitz," Dante replied laughing.
"Oh, really how would Blitz like it if he found out you were fucking Loona! Shit I'm sorry," Moxxie shrunk back realizing what he had just said.
"Wait, Wait, WAIT, you're banging my DAUGHTER!?" Blitzo asked, furious at what he had just heard.
"Yeah," Dante replied meekly, realizing that there was no point trying to hide it anymore.
"Uhg… I… how long has this been fucking going on?" Blitzo asked.
"A couple months," Dante stated.
"Where have you been doing it; I haven't seen you guys acting lovey dovey?" Blitzo asked, Moxxie raised an eyebrow clearly not getting how Blitzo was blind to it all.
"Oh, we've done it in a lot of places, mostly at my place but sometimes we do it at yours when you're with Stolas. We've also done it in the van, the waiting room, the breakroom, the conference room, Loona's desk, your desk-" Dante immediately shut up realizing the magnitude of what he just said.
"WAIT YOU FUCKED IN MY OFFICE!?" Blitzo shouted frothing at the mouth in murderous rage.
"Uh Moxxie thinks your suit is tacky," Dante quickly said, diverting Blitzo's attention away from him.
Some time had passed and the three had quickly calmed down, they all just sat there exhausted from the experience of spilling their guts out. Suddenly the room began to dissolve away leaving Dante in a large black room. Looking around Dante noticed that Moxxie and Blitzo had disappeared as well along with his bindings. Getting up out of his chair Dante noticed the room was filling with a bright red fluid, reaching down Dante stuck his hand in the fluid and found it to be warm to the touch, raising his hand Dante sniffed the substance and realized it was blood.
The blood was slowly rising going all the way up to his ankles. Dante continued to move forward, wading through the blood, he suddenly stopped when he saw a ripple in the blood. The blood began to rise and slowly took the shape of a woman, but not just any woman Dante recognized to build the slender physique.
"R-Rose is… is that really you?" Dante said as he slowly approached the apparition.
Reaching out he tried to caress the figure when it suddenly backed away. Dante just stood in place, stunned.
"Rose, why are you-" he asked confused.
"As if I would let you touch me you son of a bitch," Rose said, venom dripping from her words.
"W-what?" Dante took a step back, a confused expression on his face.
"Rose what do you mean," he asked, not sure why she would be acting this way.
"What do I mean, what do I MEAN! I'm dead because of you! That's what I fucking mean!" the vision of Rose shouted. Dante gasped in shock clutching his chest, a pained look on his face. The blood now reached halfway to his knees.
"Rose I-I'm sorry I tried to stop him I'm serious I tried but he got the better of me I-" he couldn't even finish his statement.
""Got the better of you" you're a skilled fighter, you spent your whole childhood fighting, you trained in fencing, you killed four of your teachers when you were fifteen years old, how the hell could some fucking mugger get the better of you!" she yelled Dante couldn't give her an answer, he knew it was inexcusable that he had let some worthless mugger take her life, he knew he could have stopped him, and the guilt tore him apart. Dante clutched his chest tighter, the pain in his heart grew and so did the blood level.
"I'm far from the only person you've let down, let's not forget Amelia," the apparition of Rose pointed to a spot next to her and suddenly another woman was formed from the blood.
"No," Dante muttered to himself, the blood now reaching his knees.
"She was your friend you promised to keep her safe you promised to protect her from her cruel father yet you did nothing and she took her own life," the apparitions of Rose and Amelia both scowled at Dante who stepped back in fear.
"I tried to keep her safe, I would be a shoulder for her to cry on, I would let her stay at our place when her dad went on one of his drunken rampages, I even offered to kill him for her!" Dante yelled trying to explain himself to the apparitions.
"And yet you didn't, why was that, hm?" the apparition of Rose asked, condescendingly.
"She begged me not to, her dad was very influential, his brother was a member of the royal guard, she feared if I killed him, it would just get me, you, Giovanni, and Francesco killed!" Dante explained hoping Rose would see the logic in his argument, unfortunately she did not.
"That didn't stop you from butchering him after Amelia jumped in the river," she stated.
It was true after Amelia's suicide Dante had tracked her father to his favorite bar and bashed his head in as he was leaving. Dante was just so angry, so furious, so guilty that he didn't care if he got caught, he didn't care if he got executed, he just wanted to avenge her. The blood rose to his waist and Dante clutched his chest tighter, his talons beginning to break the skin.
"Oh and let's not forget the piece de resistance," pointing her hand forward an apparition of Loona rose from the blood.
"You take advantage of her, you use her for your own pleasure, stringing her along, making her think you love her when she's nothing more than a tool for you," Rose explained, her words full of venom and bile.
"That's not true," Dante protested weekly.
"Yes, it is," Rose rebuked.
"I'm trying to move on in Loona. I see a chance to do that, yes I know I haven't given her all my heart but I'm trying!" Dante yelled and pointed an accusing finger at Rose.
"Yet you can't even say you love her," Rose said Dante clutched his chest tighter so tight his talons actually punctured his heart causing blood to pour out of the wound, causing the blood to rise faster and faster.
"You use people you don't care who you step on or who you hurt," the blood reached his shoulders.
"When you find someone, you love you cling to them and make promises that you never fulfill," the blood reached his chin.
"You failed everyone you ever loved, you failed Amelia, you failed Francesco, you failed Loona, and most importantly you failed me," Rose stated the disdain in her voice was too much for Dante to bear. The blood finally consumed him as he sank to the bottom, he pondered on all his failures and mistakes.
A couple hours later after Stolas' rescue
The crew of IMP and Stolas looked around and observed the carnage, most of the secret agents were dead except for the man and woman who had interrogated the guys, they were huddled in the corner trembling in fear. Realizing that there was no longer a need to stick around the group decided to head home but as Stolas was about to open a portal back to the office when Loona noticed something very important.
"Hey where's Dante?" she asked frantically looking around for the missing Imp. the other stopped and noticed the lack of his presence.
"Shit we must have got separated during the fight," Millie said worried for Dante's safety, while she knew he was a capable fighter she also knew that on his own he could easily get overwhelmed.
"We have to find him," Loona said, clearly worried for her boyfriend, Millie smiled.
"Your right we do need to find him we need to have a talk about the little secret you and him have been hiding from me," Blitzo stated giving Loona a look.
"What secret?" Loona said nervously not making eye contact with Blitzo.
"That you and Dante have been fucking behind my back, that secret," Blitzo said in a stern fatherly voice, Loona's eyes went wide with shock, Stolas gasped dramatically, Millie covered her mouth with her hands while Moxxie just looked to the ground guilty.
"How, how did you find out?" Loona asked, confused, she and Dante had always been so careful, Moxxie looked even more guilty.
"These fuckers sprayed us with this truth gas that made us spill our guts," Blitzo's explained not wanting Moxxie to deal with the brunt of her anger.
"Ok look I'm sorry ok but can we at least find him first before you start giving me a fucking lecture?" Loona asked, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Fine whatever we'll find the bastard, then I'm shoving my foot up his ass," Blitzo stated, crossing his arms.
"Count me in too, how dare that bastard play around behind my precious daughter's back, I'm going too-" Stolas was interrupted by Loona growling.
"Ok one, Dante isn't playing around we got together way before he met her, two, Dante isn't dating Octavia and guess what he never will, and three, if either of you so much as lay a finger on him I'm ripping your dicks off understood!?" Loona snarled at the two, both of whom took a step back and nodded in understanding.
Loona recomposed herself and began sniffing the air quickly picking up Dante's scent and began running down the hall towards Dante.
In a backroom of the DHORKS HQ
Dante sat on the ground repeatedly punching a DHORKS agent over and over again, the agent was already dead so were the many others scattered around the room. Dante didn't care he just kept punching and punching and punching, as he did the agent's head began to cave in from the force of his blows. Shards of skull and bits of brain matter and tissue flew through the air with each consecutive punch. Eventually Dante realized the guy was dead and stopped his attack. Sitting back Dante looked at the carnage he rough, the broken mutilated corpses who were once men and women but now completely unrecognizable, lifting his hands he saw they were drenched in blood all the way up to his elbows. Memories of his hallucination came flooding back, Rose's words began filling his mind once more. Dante clutched his head, the words feeling like daggers.
"You use people you don't care who you step on or who you hurt,"
"When you find someone, you love you cling to them and make promises that you never fulfill,"
"SHUT UP!" Dante shouted his talons digging into his scalp, obsidian blood began running down his face.
Suddenly the door of the room swung open, Dante turned around startled in the doorframe he saw none other than his coworkers, IMPs benefactor, and his girlfriend.
"Yet you can't even say you love her," Dante clutched his head in agony once more.
"Oh Dante thank god your-," Loona stopped in mid-sentence when she saw how disheveled he was.
His hair which was usually combed and neat was messy and out of place, his clothes which he usually kept neat and clean were torn and covered in blood, his face which usually had a calm carefree expression instead had a wild erratic look on it with his own blood dripping from it. Loona hated to say it but he looked like he escaped from a madhouse.
"Dante sweety are you ok?" Millie asked concerned approaching Dante, obviously Loona wasn't the only one who noticed Dante's predicament.
"Listen here Dante, we need to discuss your little "relationship" you've been having with my daughter," Blitzo said as he marched over to Dante obviously not concerned with the sight in front of him.
"And I need to talk to you about how you've been stringing my daughter along," Stolas said glaring down at Dante.
"SHUT UP! All of you just SHUT UP! Ok," Dante stood up on shaky legs but suddenly found himself falling forward only to be caught by Loona.
"Hey Dante are you alright?" Loona asked, looking concerned. Dante quickly adjusted himself and pushed Loona away.
"I'm fine ok I just... Can someone open a portal? I need a drink," Dante asked as he stood on shaky legs.
Loona pulled out the Grimoire and opened a portal Dante quickly stumbled through it and made his way out of the office, often leaning against the wall to keep himself stable. Loona and the others all looked at him with concerned looks on their faces.
Epilogue
Dante stumbled down the street, half empty bottle of Vodka in his hand, with each step Dante swayed back and forth seeming like he was going to fall, occasionally leaning on a wall to regain his balance. Dante stopped clutching his head, the words and visions were still in his mind, Dante raised the bottle to his lips and began drinking and he kept drinking until it was empty. Angry he tossed the bottle away which shattered against the pavement, that was his third bottle of Vodka and the visions still haven't gone away. Dante jumped when he heard a sudden ringing only to realize it was his phone, reaching into his pocket he saw it was Loona again. Dante groaned this was the seventh time she called; Dante hit ignore he didn't want to talk to her he didn't want to talk anyone right now he just wanted to be left alone. Dante continued to stumble down the street. He would have liked to buy more liquor but he was out of cash, he thought about robbing a guy, when suddenly the visions came back. Clutching his head Dante fell to his knees and screamed, he could still feel the warmth of the blood as he slowly drowned, the harsh words emanating from Rose's mouth, and worst of all he could still see her and his loved ones looking down at him with looks of utter contempt.
Dante couldn't take it anymore; the pain was too much it overwhelmed him. Reaching into his jacket Dante pulled out his gun, cocked in then held the weapon under his chin, he closed his eyes, finger on the trigger and smiled.
Sweet release, he thought to himself but before he could pull the trigger someone yelled out.
"Whoa buddy calm down, you don't need to do that," Dante turned to his left and saw a short greasy Imp standing before him.
"Would you fuck off I'm busy!" Dante yelled at the imp, an annoyed look on his face.
"Yeah, I saw that but hey buddy you don't gotta off yourself I got a better solution to your problems," the Imp said reaching into his pocket and pulling out a syringe full of a dark liquid.
"The fucks that?" Dante asked, staring at the syringe.
"This my friend is pure black tar heroin," he said gesturing to the syringe like a salesman. He noticed the look Dante was giving him and decided to keep going with the pitch.
"This stuff will help you take the edge off, I see you're clearly going through some shit, what someone die, your wife leaves ya, don't worry my friend just take a hit of this and everything will be ok," he smiled handing the syringe to Dante who took it tentatively, examining it in the flickering light of a streetlamp.
"That'll be 50 bucks," the dealer held out his hand, Dante lifted his gun and shot him in the head.
Getting to his feet Dante tossed the syringe aside and began rifling through the Imps pockets. Pulling out a wad of cash Dante stuck it in his pocket and was about to go on his way when he turned back to the syringe lying on the ground.
Moments later
Dante sat in an alley; the right sleeve of his jacket was rolled up. Dante held the syringe up to his arm, he had found a vein and was now preparing to stick the needle in. Dante hesitated; he knew this was not a good idea, he knew there were probably better ways to deal with his issues. Dante was about to put the needle down when the thoughts and visions came rushing back into his mind.
"Screw it!" he yelled as he stuck the needle in and pushed down on the plunger sending the dark liquid into his veins.
Suddenly Dante felt it all melt away, the harsh words were gone he couldn't hear them anymore, the horrific sights were leaving his mind leaving only images of love and happiness. Dante noticed that he felt warm and relaxed; he could feel all of his stress, his anxiety, and his sadness fade away. His phone started ringing but he didn't even notice he was just so happy, so calm he didn't even notice the world around him, he sat back against the wall with a smile on his face, giggling and laughing until he eventually nodded off.
End
Well everyone another chapter down I hope you enjoyed it. I don't usually write my OCs into episodes and I'm not going to be making a habit of it either. This will probably be the only one but we'll see (I thought this would be a good way to add in some angst). Anyway, I hope you all liked it and I'm sorry if this brought up any negative feelings for anyone. Thank you all and don't be afraid to give me feedback.