Mission 1

[strawberryredgrave]

Sender: Dante Sparda
To: Everyone
Subject: Introductions

Can't say I mind this new locale very much. Would mind it a lot less if I didn't get separated from my brother, but if this place really is some extra elaborate dream thing, then he'll be fine.

So while I wonder if my nephew smacked me hard enough to send me here, I should make myself known. The name's Dante, the founder of Devil May Cry. We're guns (and swords) for hire who specialize in the supernatural and lemme tell you, we've seen a lot of weird stuff. Ancient portals to Hell reopening, cults using demonic power to pose as gods, blood sucking demon trees, we've handled them all. I ain't suggesting this is all demonic powers at play here, but it wouldn't surprise me.

"But Dante, you handsome devil" you're probably saying, "there's probably a few demons here already that are pretty cool. You're gonna offend them with this." And maybe I would, if I left it there. I've taken enough cases to know that not only are there good demons just getting by, but also bad people - human, demon or otherwise - manipulating who and whatever they can to get their way. Those are the people we kill. Like a Lady friend of mine once said: even a devil may cry when they lose a loved one.

I was just about ready to go into sort of retirement, but given the circumstances, I got at least one more job to do. Wanna collaborate? Chances are it won't be my weirdest.

Comments

Sender: Moxxie

[imp_resario]

[The demon thing isn't the eyebrow-raising part, here.]

Hold on a moment. You're a contract killer but you actually vet your targets?

[strawberryredgrave]

I make it a point to do so. You can have plenty of reasons to want someone dead, but I won't agree with all of them.

Not all of our contracts start out as hits, either, so we do some investigating either way.

[imp_resario]

You know what, I couldn't agree more.

Are you looking to expand? Hire on some more help? Both my wife and myself have over ten years of experience with demonic and non-demonic targets, including numerous high-profile figures, and are proficient in numerous armaments of military, traditional, and improvised nature, as well as maintaining a high level of operational security.

[Beat.]

We've recently branched out into non-lethal capture-oriented tasks, too.

[strawberryredgrave]

Those turkeys, man. Relentless enough to count for a good field demonstration.

Alright! If you and your wife are down for it, we can get that started! Always liked having people to work with. Gonna be honest, though: just starting out in this world, I don't have much to pay you with yet. Might not be able to until our first job.

But maybe I can teach you both a few things in the meantime. Maybe a few techniques from my world you might be able to use.

1/2

[imp_resario]

Can we not talk about the turkeys, please?

2/2

[imp_resario]

I'll have to ask her to make sure, but I think she'll be fond of the idea. And pay-by-contract is the industry standard for this sort of work, isn't it?

I'm curious as to what sort of techniques we're talking about, though, given we're both from the same place.

[strawberryredgrave]

Pay-by-contract is the norm. It's more like a sorta welcome package, I guess. Since the work can be rough. Help get you started on that.

And that's where those techniques come in. Different Hells have different systems, from what I've seen. Might be some tricks unique to ours, might be some neither of us are familiar with. Keeps it from getting too same-y.

[imp_resario]

I can already sing, if that's what you mean.

[strawberryredgrave]

Hah! It does come in handy.

Almost wonder if I should tell you about it now or keep it a surprise. Might need to sit on that for a bit.

[imp_resario]

Save it for our first day. You probably don't want to spill trade secrets where everyone can read them, right?

[strawberryredgrave]

Good call. Won't help out if that info goes too public.

And remembering this is all public might help me not write something I'll regret later. Hopefully.

[imp_resario]

While we're on the subject, will we need to provide our own weapons?

I might need to make some arrangements if that's the case. Our old arsenal didn't come through behind us.

[strawberryredgrave]

I got some stuff I can loan out. Guns, melee weapons, shifting weapons, stuff I'd put under "other" since they gotta be seen to be believed.

Written word wouldn't do 'em justice.

Ought to get you by if you still wanna get your own gear.

[imp_resario]

Excuse me for saying so, but you can't even say what the "other" weapons are?

Don't you think you're hyping this up just a little bit?

[strawberryredgrave]

(It takes a moment for Dante to respond since he needs to laugh his ass off. It's not because of the question; it's a fair question.

It's because of the answer.)

On one hand, I might be.

On the other hand, clarifying the "other" weapons as "motorcycle" and "hat" might raise more questions than answer them. Only you'd know the answer to that.

[imp_resario]

[Beat.]

Okay I think I saw the hat thing in a movie once but how do you use the motorcycle? Does it have a hidden flamethrower or something?

[strawberryredgrave]

Even better.

Chainsaws.