Gears of Horror

by KnightMysterio

Heroes from three worlds are having a peaceful time with their loved ones, when said loved ones are captured by an unknown powerful force. Aided by their weaponsmith, Dante, Bayonetta, and Kratos must work together to save the ones they love... Spoilers for the end of the most recent games in each series.

Gears of Horror

by Jonathan "KnightMysterio" Spires

Chapter 1: Triple Crossover

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Gates of Hell…

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Unbe-fuckin'-lievable," Viola said, the teenage adventurer sitting on one of the tables. A thoroughly amused Bayonetta, Luka, and Jeanne sat nearby at one of the tables, while the bar's proprietor, Rodin, idly cleaned glasses, occasionally chuckling, while the chubby Enzo just leaned on the bar table and smoked a cigar, content with his life, admiring pictures of his family on his phone.

"All that work," Viola said. "All that planning to break into Hell and retrieve your souls… So much fighting… and you three fuckers are living it up in Madama Butterfly and Madama Styx's palaces." The punkish blonde shook her head, flopping over on one of the tables.

Bayonetta giggled. "Well, if nothing else, dear, we do appreciate the effort you went to in freeing us!" she said. Viola was a goof, but she couldn't help but feel affection for her. After all, she was her daughter from an unfortunately destroyed alternate reality.

"UUUUUUUUGGGH," Viola groaned.

The trio of recently resurrected adventures all traded amused looks. "...She did go to a lot of effort to bring us back after the mess with Singularity," Jeanne conceded.

"Mess," Luka said, the fae werewolf adjusting his hat and chuckling. "That's a fun way of putting multiversal omnicide."

Bayonetta sighed. "Viola, love… We do appreciate that you brought us back. I'm not sure how to properly reward you for going to all that effort…" She smiled a little. "Maybe we can start with ice cream?"

"...Triple chocolate. With sprinkles," Viola said.

"Anything for you, dear," Luka said, grinning. Rodin checked his freezer, wondering if he actually had ice cream. He couldn't remember off hand.

"Ice cream? Really?" Enzo said.

"Oh what, I'm new to the whole 'having a daughter' thing!" Bayonetta protested.

Enzo snorted. "And that's another thing. Since when are you and Luka an item?"

Jeanne quirked an eyebrow. "I've been wondering about that myself," she said. "This seems rather out of the blue. I know I don't call as much as I used to, but really, Cereza, I'd have liked to have a little bit of a hint."

Bayonetta sighed. "It's been years since we fought Aesir. Not much to do aside from the occasional angel incursion. But Luka constantly was there for me, even if just to make me laugh… I started giving him the time of day."

Luka snorted. "Literally. The first bit of reciprocation I got from her was literally her giving me the time of day." He grinned playfully. "Needless to say, I was encouraged."

"Kinda creepy there," Enzo said. "Keepin' at a girl who's told you no. I got a restraining order for doin' that."

"Well, you're fat and obnoxious and I'm handsome," Luka said.

"And obnoxious," Bayonetta added.

The handsome man took that in stride. "And anyway, I stopped with the more perverted stuff and kept to flirting after Aesir," Luka said. "Mainly because after realizing that the girl I adored has killed two gods, I got the feeling that if I pushed too hard I might regret it." He clutched his crotch. "I don't want her to stomp a gun heel into my balls."

"You never know," Bayonetta teased. "You might like it."

Jeanne snickered, while Enzo just cringed. "So… Yes. I started letting him get closer, and… well, things developed," Bayonetta said. "We started to… appreciate each other more."

"While keeping the same sort of teasing dynamic as before," Jeanne commented.

Luka snickered. "Hey, it may have not been the best for my dignity, but I was having fun with it, so I don't mind."

"And it means I didn't have to change that much about how we interacted," Bayonetta said, smirking, the long-legged woman leaning back in her chair and crossing her legs.

Enzo shrugged, puffing his cigar. "Honestly? I could have sworn you and Jeanne would get together," he said. "The way you two were with each other…"

"Sisterly affection, I assure you," Jeanne said. "I'm not into anyone, actually."

"...I mean, if you at Cereza did get together, I wouldn't MIND," Luka said. "...Especially if I got to watch. Or participate."

Bayonetta and Jeanne shoved him over, Luka laughing.

Enzo snickered. "See, now THAT'S what I expect from you guys," he said.

Viola rolled her eyes. "Sad part? That's mostly how my version of Mom and Dad were," she said.

Jeanne, Luka, and Bayonetta traded sad looks. "Well," Bayonetta said, standing up and going over to hug the girl. "If nothing else… We can try to be parents for you."

"Certainly off to a great start," Rodin said. "Considering how sappy you two got at the final battle with Singularity."

Bayonetta blushed. "Not my best moment, I admit… But come on, I thought I was going to die for good!" she said. "I'd been through a bit of an experience, after all!"

Rodin shook his head. "Nope. No. Too sappy, nobody liked it. You lost your cool license. Gave it to the kid," he said, smirking.

"Me being uncool is one of the many reasons I decided to get Mom back," Viola said, shaking her head. "I appreciate being given a chance to live up to the name Bayonetta, but… honestly, I can't even do a split."

"Yes, your mother is very flexible," Luka said. Madama Butterfly's hand came out of a portal and yanked Luka's chair down again. "Spousal abuse!" he called out, laughing.

Jeanne shook her head. "Honestly, we all fucked up at the end there," she said. "All that work I put in, and in the end the bastard backstabs me and uses me as a battery…"

Bayonetta gently took Jeanne's hand. "I'm glad we were able to get you back," she said gently, Jeanne blushing. "If I'd lost you, I-"

"See? See!?" Enzo said. "Totally into each other!"

Jeanne and Bayonetta's eyes twitched. "You ruined it," Luka said. "You ruined it, and you're a jackass for doing it."

Enzo tried to protest, but Rodin, a little disappointed that he didn't have ice cream, bonked the chubby man in the head, knocking him unconscious. "Bless you, Father Rodin," Jeanne said, grinning. Rodin just smirked, going over to the drinks.

Bayonetta smiled softly. This was nice, having her little family together. With a surprising addition of Viola. She was wet behind the years, and had her father's goofiness, but she had enough common sense to know her limits, which Bayonetta appreciated. She glanced over at Luka, smiling softly as he and Jeanne traded moderately affectionate barbs with one another. She truly did love the silly fool at this point. Granted, Jeanne would be teasing her forever now about 'character development happening offscreen,' but honestly? She could handle it. A part of her was thinking about retiring for the evening and maybe go about making this world's version of Viola…

Rodin suddenly looked up, the almighty being looking suddenly concerned. Everyone noticed, including the just recovering Enzo. When someone that powerful started looking alarmed, it was worth taking note of.

"Rodin? What's wrong?" Bayonetta asked. She and Jeanne pulled out their guns, while Viola grabbed for her sword. Black fur started to grow on Luka's face as he started shifting to his faewolf form.

"I'm not… sure…" Rodin said. "Something is coming… But I'm not sure what…"

Bayonetta shook her head. "Then we face the bastard together and send him back where he came from," she said. "I'm tired of gods who think they can stomp all over people get away with it. Jubileus fell. Aesir fell. Singularity fell. This one will fall too!"

KEEP TELLING YOURSELF THAT AND YOU MAY BELIEVE IT

Jeanne, Enzo, Luka, and Viola were all engulfed in columns of light, screaming in pain as they vanished into the shine. Even Cheshire and Madama Styx, Viola and Jeanne's demon patrons, were engulfed in it, the two of them appearing to save their hosts and getting pulled in. Bayonetta lunged for them, but passed right through them, her four comrades vanishing.

The long-legged woman stood there, shaking for a long moment. She couldn't sense any of them anymore. Even when Jeanne had been taken to Inferno the first time, she could vaguely sense her soul. She could sense the Jeannes and Bayonettas of the other worlds that were killed and absorbed by Singularity. But now? Nothing. Her sister. Her lover. Her daughter. Her favorite plaything. They were finally all together. And they were just stripped from her so easily. "...Give them back," Bayonetta said, her voice building into a growl.

"Bayo-" Rodin said.

"GIVE THEM BAAAAACK!" she snarled, shifting to a more demonic form, firing wildly at the ceiling, butterfly-esque wings flaring on her back.

Rodin roughly grabbed her wrists, startling her enough to make her revert back to human. "Tearing up my ceiling tiles ain't gonna bring them back!"

"I! You… You're right," Bayonetta said, taking a breath and forcing herself to be calm. "We have to FIND them before we start mauling the bastards who did this."

"Atta girl," Rodin said. "And I'll help you track the fuckers down."

Bayonetta grinned. "Well! With you at my side, then nothing can stop us!"

WE'LL SEE. THIS WAY, PLEASE.

A portal opened. Rodin and Bayonetta looked at each other, and nodded. Rodin put up a closed sign on his bar, locking the doors, and the two went in, ready to bring the pain to whatever they found.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Another world…

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"You sure this is the place?" Nero said, the trenchcoated young man looking around, sitting on top of the van.

Nico nodded, the tan-skinned, orange-shirted woman pressing buttons on the sensor device she had created. Around her, Trish, Lady, and Kyrie, the latter trying not to feel inadequate around the buxom demoness and demon hunter, watched carefully for signs.

It had been a month since the Qliphoth, the demonic tree that had infested the human world and nearly destroyed it. Dante and his brother Vergil, who had split himself in half, his evil half unleashing the Qliphoth, had gone into the demon realm to destroy the roots of the evil tree. After that, his comrades began searching for a way to get the two of them out of there.

This, they all felt, was their best chance to do so.

"Are you certain this will work? Your specialty is weapons, not portal devices," Trish said, cracking her knuckles as she stepped out of the van.

"First time for everything," Nico muttered, setting up a complicated-looking series of machines. She didn't like giving her father credit for anything, but she had to admit Agnus' designs were genius. "The scanners I developed sensed their specific demonic energies right here, where the Qliphoth once was. The boundaries between realms should be weak enough that, with enough power, we should be able to open a gate just long enough to let Dante and Vergil through.

"Which is why I'm here," Trish said, her body sparking. "To provide the electricity."

Nico nodded, setting down the rather complicated-looking device and setting it down near the crater. "All right… Trish, you pump as much voltage as you can into this right now!" she said, scrambling back to the van.

Trish's body glowed with yellow lightning, the blonde demoness thrusting her hands out. A rune circle glowed around her as lightning flowed from her arms into Nico's device, which twitched and sputtered before spreading out and forming a glowing portal.

Inside, two white-haired men in long coats with longer swords stared in surprise at the portal. The red-coated one, Dante, smiled when he saw everyone. "Well shit! Didn't think you'd actually find us a way home," he said, grinning. The blue-coated one, Vergil, just fidgeted uncomfortably.

Nero, sitting on top of the van, sighed in relief. "Glad to see you, Uncle Dante," he teased. "But you and Pops should probably get through the portal quickly. Trish looks like she's hurting."

"Please," Trish said, grimacing. She was tiring quickly, maintaining the portal costing her more energy than she anticipated.

"Pops…" Vergil muttered. It had been a month since he had been freed from being Urizen and told he had a son. He was clearly still trying to adjust to the concept.

"Whoa! Right, sorry," Dante said, grabbing Vergil by the coat and flinging him through the portal before he could protest, the blue-coated brother landing in a crouch and growling. Dante stepped through moments later, grinning. "Looks like more's been added to the tab I owe you and Nico here," he said to Trish.

Trish slumped over, the portal device falling apart as she chuckled weakly. "That one was free," she said. "You can't pay Lady and I back if you're trapped in the demon world."

Dante smirked a little. "Kiiiinda hoping you forgot about that," he said playfully.

"Oh no," Lady said, the gunner grinning. "We haven't."

Nico huffed, looking over the ruins of her device. "Welp. It did its job, I guess. Still, shame that such awesome tech broke down…"

"Probably for the best," Kyrie said. "You never know what might get through a portal…"

"Yeah yeah," Nico said, irritated. She shrugged, picking up the remains of her portal device.

Dante smiled at the young woman still in the van. "Kyrie? Wow, nice! You're looking pretty as always. How're you holding up?"

"She's dealing with inadequacy issues despite the fact that her rack is as big as ours," Lady said, Trish laughing, both of them ignoring Nero snapping at them.

Kyrie blushed. "Not… the only reason…"

Dante snickered. "So, what? Do I have any grand-nephews or grand-nieces on the way yet?"

Both Nero and Kyrie blushed. "We're… discussing it…" Nero said.

Dante grinned, turning to his brother. "Hear that? You may be a grandfather soon!" he teased.

Vergil grimaced. "I didn't even know I was a father," he muttered.

Nero just stared at him, dropping off of the top of the van. "...So. Now what? Gonna wander off again? Try to conquer the world some more?"

Vergil stared into his son's eyes. The son he never knew he had. He remembered how bravely he fought, how he struggled to keep him and Dante from killing each other. How he bested him. "...No," Vergil said. "That's… never worked out for me."

Everyone watched Vergil intently, surprised by this statement.

"…" Nero stared at him. "What do you want?"

"...I don't know," Vergil said. "I thought that if I focused on my demon half, I would become stronger. But its Dante's inherent humanity that has come out on top again and again. My son's inherent humanity… The encounter with your mother, Nero, was meant to be just a one night's stand. The one and only time I ever had sex…"

"Didn't really need to know that…" Nero muttered.

Vergil continued. "...And the first thing I did when I finally found you was rip your arm off," he said, guilt tinging his words.

"Yeah," Nero said, holding up his restored Devil Bringer. "Kinda wanted to have a little chat about that."

Vergil sighed. "I am not as gregarious as Dante. Your 'uncle,' I believe, would make a better father for you… But… At the very least, I want to make up for the pain I have caused you." He smiled, a nervous, frightened smile.

Dante was more than a little shocked, and more than a little pleased. Perhaps their time together hunting demons as a family had done Vergil more good than he thought. The girls watched intently as Nero seemed to consider this.

"...You owe me a fuckton of missed birthday presents," Nero said, poking Vergil in the chest. "AND CAKE. I want cake. All of the cake."

Vergil sighed in relief. Maybe he'd get the hang of this 'human' thing after all. "I will do my best to make up for it. You'll forgive me if I don't sing, though… I couldn't carry a tune if it was glued to me…"

Nero snickered. "Works for me," he said.

Everyone sighed in relief, laughing. Dante grinned happily. Son of a bitch. I may actually get a family out of all this, he thought.

So naturally, it was ruined a moment later.

Columns of light came down, engulfing Trish, Lady, Kyrie, Nero, and Vergil. Nico fell on her ass, screaming in terror as they all screamed in agony, starting to disappear. Only Vergil had enough control over himself to throw Dante his katana. The red-coated man tried to pull them out, but the moment the light caught them, it was too late.

Screams heralding their departure, Dante's family vanished, leaving only him and a terrified Nico there, Dante holding his brother's sheathed sword. He looked around. His tone and manner were casual, but Nico could see the underlying fury beneath them.

"...Seriously?" Dante said, chuckling, barely restraining himself from blowing up. "Fuckin' seriously? I just got home. Had a wholesome moment with my brother and nephew." He shrugged. "All right. Fine. 'So you have chosen death,' as the kids say. Nico?"

"Y-Yeah," the gunsmith said, picking herself up and dusting herself off.

"Any chance you could track what the fuck that was?" Dante asked.

NO, said a voice. BUT I CAN TAKE YOU TO WHERE YOU CAN POSSIBLY GET THEM BACK.

"And the big bad shows up! With a scary voice from nowhere, even! Classic, I approve!" Dante said, the expression in his eyes one of murder.

RIGHT THIS WAY, the voice said, a portal opening.

"See you soon," Dante said cheerfully, planning on anally violating the person who stole his friends and family from him with a grenade launcher.

"W-Wait!" Nico said as Dante started to walk through the portal.

"In a bit of a hurry here," Dante said tersely.

"You'll need someone to help maintain your guns," Nico said, her voice firming up as she calmed down. "Or build you new weapons. No charge, 'cause fuck this guy."

Dante smiled a little. "You sure? This may not be a place for a pureblood human."

"They're my friends too, Dante," Nico said firmly.

Dante thought for a minute, and nodded. He always did like Nico's moxie. The portal expanded wide enough to accommodate the van as he got into it, Nico getting in the driver's seat. "Hold on, Dante," Nico said. "I'm goin' in full bore."

"Only way to do it," Dante said, grinning viciously. Nico gunned the van, and drove it into the portal. Dante clutched Vergil's sword, Yamato, to his chest. I'm coming, Dante thought.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Midgard…

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

On top of a hill, a white-skinned man with red markings and a thick, dark-brown beard looked over his find. And smiled. A rare smile.

"You're in a good mood, Kratos," said the horned severed head tied at his waist.

Kratos chuckled, gesturing to the warm, bubbling waters around them, the beautiful woods surrounding the bubbling pool. There were fruit bearing trees, and wild game around. "I found a hot spring, Mimir," he said. "A good place for us to rest."

The woman with Kratos, a statuesque woman with shoulder-length, dark brown hair, some of it tied in beaded braids, sighed. "Rest would be good. This journey has been a long one, and we've helped many people along the way," she said.

"Then rest we shall, Freya," Mimir said.

They made their way down the path to the hot spring, only to encounter a surprising group of people.

The first pair Kratos saw was his son Atreus, as well as his recently gained girlfriend, the Jötunn, Angrboða. They were coming in from the path directly opposite them. On a path near Kratos, came Thrúd, the daughter of the fallen God of Thunder, and her mother Sif. And on the path nearest Atreus stood a figure no one expected to sir again.

The dwarf Sindri.

The dwarf looked better than he had been. He'd cleaned himself, washing the blood staining his body off. But he still looked tired and haggard, a frustrated look on his face.

Atreus and Kratos both looked at Sindri with guilt on their faces, everyone remaining quiet. He sighed softly. "...I take it I'm not the only one who knew about this spring?"

"We found it by chance," Kratos said.

"Angrboða told me of it," Atreus said.

"We've been here before," Thrúd said, "with my father and brothers. He got grapes to show me how to make wine here."

Atreus fidgeted, thinking about Brok. About the dwarf's death because they were unable to see through Odin's disguises. "We can… We can leave…" he stammered

Sindri held up his hand, silencing him and shaking his head. He was too tired both emotionally and physically to yell at anyone right now. "Just… Leave me alone. No one has to leave, but I don't want anyone talking to me," he said, climbing up a rocky outcropping for one of the higher pools.

The others said nothing, letting Sindri go on his way. Once he was settled in, everyone came completely into the spring, looking at each other.

"Well," Freya said. "This is a strange place to be meeting each other."

"Aye!" Mimir said. "But its good te see you all nevertheless."

"How goes your journey, Atreus?" Kratos asked, setting Mimir down on a mossy boulder and starting to set up a campsite.

The younger demigod smiled and sat down to help. "Good so far. Angrboða and I have helped a lot of people. I'm starting to develop a reputation as a trickster god," he said.

"Loki the Trickster," Mimir said. "A fine title."

Thrúd set down her father's hammer, Mjölnir, down as she started setting up camp for her and her mother. Sif smiled. "I'm glad to hear it," the harvest goddess said. "As for us… Thrúd is on a training journey of sorts, taking up where her father left off. The good parts, anyway."

Angrboða smirked at Thrúd. "Glad to hear you're behaving yourself," the dark-skinned woman teased.

Thrúd shook her head. "I will not become what my father did," she said. "This is one Storm God that will be more than a brute for Odin."

Kratos chuckled. "Good," he said. "There are enough brutes in the world as it is."

A campfire was set up, and rations were spread around, fruit collected. No one felt like hunting game at the moment. "This is nice," Freya said. "All of us meeting up like this, in such a fine place." The former queen of Asgard was content. After Kratos' journey through Valhalla, he had become determined to be more than the God of War he used to be. He still carried his axe, swords, and the Draupnir spear, but used them only to protect, or hunt for food.

Atreus smirked at his father. "So… do I have a sibling yet?"

Kratos choked on the fruit he was eating, glaring at his son. "Boy…" he growled. Freya just blushed.

Angrboða snickered, while Atreus' grin became playful. "What? It's been over a year. I'd say that's plenty of time to give me a sibling.

"We're working on it," Freya said. "He's… surprisingly shy." Atreus cackled.

Thrúd looked shocked. "Kratos. The savior of Midgard. The man who bested Thor. Shy."

"He is. He gets flustered so easily. It's hilarious," Mimir taunted.

Kratos fidgeted, glaring briefly at Mimir, who smirked right back. "I am trying to be better than who I was…" he said. "After the death of my first wife, Lysandra, I threw myself at any woman who might make me forget…"

Freya grabbed Kratos by the fur cloak of his armor. "I am not any woman. Throw yourself at me," she said, pulling him into a passionate kiss.

"...Do we need to leave?" Atreus said. "Because we can find somewhere else in the spring to rest."

Sindri snorted, not looking down at everyone. "This spot is mine. No one else allowed," he snarked, garnering some nervous chuckles from the others.

Freya and Kratos kept up the kiss, the former war god's hands started to drift up to Freya's body. But before they could reach, Freya broke the kiss, leaving the pale-skinned Greek flustered and breathing hard. "An incentive to take initiative," she said simply. Sif, Atreus, Angrboða, Thrúd, and Mimir glanced back and forth between the two.

Kratos stared for a long moment… and let out a soft chuckle. Everyone relaxed, laughing and trading jokes with each other, just enjoying the peace of the hot springs. The women stood up eventually, declaring they would take the first baths.

"Aye," Mimir said. "You lot go and give the lasses some privacy. I'll stay here and keep an eye on things." Kratos picked up Mimir by his harness, the severed head glaring at the Greek. "You're a right spoilsport, ye are."

Kratos just smirked.

And then the light came, Kratos dropping Mimir as he suddenly became intangible. Freya, Atreus, Angrboða, Thrúd, and Mimir were all engulfed in the light, screaming in agony as they started to disappear into it. Sindri looked down from his spot, while Sif desperately tried to pull her daughter out of the light.

"No! NO! NOT HER TOO! PLEASE, NOT HER TOO!" Sif screamed.

"ATREUS!" Kratos roared.

"F-Fa…" And he was gone. All of them taken by the light.

"What the fuck…" Sindri said softly, staring around in horror.

Kratos stood there, staring at the spots where his family and comrades had been just moments before. The old rage, the blinding fury that defined his youth was suddenly burning brightly in his breast, Kratos breathing steadily, struggling not to lose control. Sif collapsed, staring at her hands.

"Atreus…" Kratos said, his voice rapidly becoming a growl. "Atreus…" He found he could say no other word.

WELL, THAT WAS DRAMATIC, said a voice from nowhere.

"YOU!" Kratos roared. "Did you do this?!" He whipped out his axe, the Leviathan glowing with icy power.

THAT I DID. AND IF YOU WANT THEM BACK, THEN YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW MY RULES.

"Return our loved ones. Or you will find out what happened to the last gods that got in my way," Kratos growled.

A portal opened. RIGHT THIS WAY, THEN.

Kratos grunted. "Sif. Return to the Asgardian camp. Tell Tyr what happened here," he said. "I am going after them."

Sindri blinked. "Wait. Tyr?" he said. Odin had disguised himself as Tyr.

"We found the real one," Kratos said, in no mood to explain.

"Wait," Sif said, grabbing Kratos' wrist. Before the former war god could protest, the harvest goddess pressed Mjölnir into his hand.

Kratos frowned. "But this is-"

"Take it," Sif insisted. "Find who stole my daughter. And crush them."

Kratos tighted his grip around Mjölnir's handle, the hammer sparking, accepting Kratos as its new wielder. He nodded.

Sindri hopped down, wondering what the hell he was doing. "Wait. I'm coming too," he said.

"...You don't have to, Sindri," Kratos said, looking away.

"I still hate you," Sindri said, sighing and adding, "...but not enough to condemn you to the same loneliness I feel. Knowing how hard you are on your equipment, you'll need someone to keep them in working order."

"Thank you," Kratos said.

Sindri nodded. "Lead the way," he said.

Kratos started walking through the portal, glowering. Whomever it was that had stolen his family, they had best beware. The God of War was on the verge of reawakening. And not even Heaven could help the one in his way.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

A Not Place…

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

MY PUPPETS MOVE INTO PLACE. LET THE DANCE BEGIN.

TO BE CONTINUED...