mylittlejamjar | Kickoff [Video/Massive Audio later]

[A green pony with a matted down brown mop-top appears on the scroll. From the furrowed brows, flared nostrils and fierce grimace, she does not appear... pleased.]

WHAT THE TARTARUS IS GOING ON HERE!?

[Taking a step away from the scroll would probably be a good idea...]

I can't even begin to count all the things that is wrong here! I mean, at first I thought this was a dream but then when somepony actually pinched me -- WITH THEIR MOUTH NO LESS -- I knew that this was actually real. Talking ponies? And the ones with wings? EVEN ONES WITH MAGIC HORNS?? I even saw one that brought in a raincloud! IT WAS RIGHT ON TOP OF ME!!

[She takes a moment and her hoof comes up to scrub off her hair and her face.]

Alright... you know what... considering everything else I have seen before a world of talking ponies is actually not that out there. And, hey, at least my fur color is one that I'd like. Just, in this case, I hope my friends aren't here to have this happen to them.

Also, I have to ask just one question...

Why couldn't I have been one of those cool ones with the wings?

EDIT:

[A little bit later there is a shout. A glorious shout. A mighty shout. It rings to the heavens and may even be heard as far as way as The Crystal Kingdom.]

WHAT DO YOU MEAN PONIES DON'T EAT MEAT?!!!!

[Thanks, Teddie.]

EDIT: x2

[And a little bit after that there is another shout, though not quite as powerful, whatever is doing it definitely has a healthy set of lungs.]

WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE'S NO TV?!!

[Thanks, Rise.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Only every day.]

Yeah, sometimes!

In that case, if you ever need someone to train with, I'm your dragon. Got a pretty open schedule, all things considered.

...do you think I'm stupid?

[Oops. She was trying so hard not to insult the dragon, too...]

No. I just think you don't trust me. Can't blame you, really.

Yeah, and you said so yourself. Dragons breathe fire and dragons eat meat.

So you'll excuse me if I'm not that enthusiastic about the idea of being anywhere with you by myself.

And that's cool; I get it. Hell, I'll make it a point not to bump into you unless your friends are around.

But for the record? I prefer the pizzas from the place in Ponyville. And no, they don't do meat.

Hm...

[And he just keeps sounding reasonable... ugh...]

Would it help if I told you about myself? If nothing else, to balance out Yukiko talking about you.

Yeah, sure.

[Still standoffish as hell, but genuinely curious.]

(He deserves that.)

Like I said: the name's Dante. I'm a half demon from my father's side, Sparda. He was a big name, where I'm from; he fought against his own kind to protect humans and sealed himself away when he became too powerful, but not before having me and my brother, Vergil. He's around here, too: blue dragon with a samurai sword who works in a tea shop. Can't miss him.

(Dante props himself against a wall, folding his arms.)

Anyway, the netherworld wasn't too happy with us, so they made it a thing to strike at us whenever they could so they could get back at Sparda. Vergil and I survived, but mom wasn't so lucky. Kinda caused a rift between us.

So I became a demon hunter and I've been fighting them off ever since. Hasn't been much work around here, though, so I fight the bad guys that do show up and help toughen up those who wanna fight, including Nephenee, Minato, Bertie and Yukiko.

[Now a lot of people would probably have thought a story like that was completely crazy.]

[To Chie, though, that's the type of stuff that's been right up her alley lately.]

So, if you're half human and half demon, are you fighting for the humans because of how the demons treated you guys or because you think they're a genuine threat?

Or are they still just trying to bully you?

They try to bully me regardless of what I do. Keeps me from getting too bored, at least.

(Because on top of all this, Dante has a lot of fun with his fights.)

Funny thing is demons aren't always the threat. I've met plenty of demons who act like humans and plenty of humans who act like demons. I make it a point to hunt the real monsters.

And what about the humans that act like humans?

[Because they're important people, too.]

They do what they wanna do. I don't get in their way. Hell, they're usually my clients.

Yeah, but that doesn't tell me anything about what you think of them.

[Which is really what she wants.]

What I think of them?

(He begins slowly walking across the room.)

I like 'em. I really do. For all the bad ones I've met, I've met plenty of good ones, too. Sure, they don't always have the physical capabilities of demons, but they don't need 'em. They have something better than that. It's something demons very rarely have. Something that's stronger than any magic or bloodline. It's something that lets them be whatever they want to be. It's something my parents had and it's something I have, too...and if you ask me? That's where my real power comes from.

[Her eyes narrow and sharpen their focus. For the longest time she doesn't say anything.]

[Then... after the moment seems uncomfortably awkward.]

I challenge you to a duel.

(Dante perks up and can't help but smirk.)

A duel, huh? Alright. Name your terms.

As the challenger you have the run of the time or the place. My only demand is that we use only fists... er... our limbs. And that you won't fly since I can't do that.

[If she's doing this, she's doing it proper.]

(Dante nods.)

A martial arts showdown, huh? I like it. Might as well make it legit.

Dawn. Crystal Empire. There's no beach here, but the Glass Lake shimmers pretty nicely. Should do the trick.

That and you should meet up with your friends first. Maybe they'll wanna watch or referee.

If my friends are coming you are more than welcome to bring a second. I can't guarantee I can convince them not to, though.

Nah, let 'em come. It's like I said earlier: until you trust me, I won't bother you unless your friends are around.

That's not really how you do duels, though.

[Duels are one on one competitions where men fight other men. It's the unwritten rule of dueling, you know?!]

(Men or women! Both are very capable of dueling.)

If they're there to watch, then we have nothing to worry about. If you're talking about them joining in, then I won't say no to changing the duel to a team-against-one fight. That's up to you.

They won't step in. I won't let them.

[And besides, she knows they would only step in if Dante was about to do something devious. Actually, if anything, they'd probably try to fight CHIE to keep her from going through with something "so stupid."]

[And her mind has made up. Sure, she could ask Yukiko what her impressions of Dante were. But his spirit would be best understood through their fists. And if Dante was the type of man she thought he was, then this was the best way to do it.]

(no subject)

strawberryredgrave - 2014-08-05 04:00 (UTC) - Expand