Passing through the new door, they found themselves in a temple like chamber. All doors sealed themselves with white mist. Applejack was the first to speak. "So Alastor," she asked, "what's this place about?"
Alastor was silent in response. Dante nudged the blade. "Hey, talk to AJ!" he ordered.
Nevan sighed. "It's because Applejack's my Master," she groaned. "We haven't...spoken to each other since we broke up. It...wasn't pleasant for either of us."
"How come ya broke up?" Applejack asked in concern.
"We...got into a heated argument," Nevan admitted. "We...both said some things that...I don't think either of us meant, but...well, we're both rather prideful."
"A lover's quarrel?" Agni asked.
"What about?" Rudra inquired.
"...kids," Nevan finally admitted.
"You wanted 'em, he didn't?" Applejack asked.
"...other way around," Nevan replied.
"What?" Dante asked in surprise. "But the moment you laid eyes on baby Applejack you were all over her! Bathing her and drying her and grooming her mane! And you were upset that you wouldn't get to participate in her playful bath times!"
"So it's just my kids you didn't want?" Alastor demanded angrily, his voice words without sound.
"I never said I didn't want children someday!" Nevan countered angrily. "I just said I wasn't ready for any of my own! I was only 900! I'd only just moved out of my parent's home! I needed to be my own demon for a while before I even thought about settling down!"
"But when I asked you-"
"I reacted badly because it felt like you were pushing for them!" Nevan interrupted. "You are a good deal older than me, after all. It was reasonable to assume you were eagerly seeking-"
"Do you know how many demonesses before you dumped me the moment they learned I wanted kids?" Alastor demanded. "How many just don't care about the future? I'd all but given up having children of my own before meeting you! But then you..."
Everyone was silent for a time.
"I'm sorry for making you feel pressured," Alastor said at last.
"Sorry for overreacting," Nevan replied.
"I'm sorry for the things I said."
"I'm sorry for what I called you."
"...is it too late?" Alastor asked at last.
"No," Nevan replied. "It's not. ...besides, you're bound to my Master's father. We're kind of stuck with each other."
Electricity sparked happily between them in a lovely dance.
"So...about this room?" Dante asked.
"Oh, right," Alastor replied. "This is the Trial of the Lion. You must take the Path of Trials to-"
"Rooms of puzzles and obstacles in order to get an item we'll use once to open a single path forward?" Dante interrupted.
"...how did you know?" Alastor asked in surprise.
"It ain't our first rodeo," Applejack replied.
"You were still in diapers at your first rodeo," Dante teased.
"Ah was not!" Applejack countered.
"Only because I didn't have any," Dante countered.
"You should have asked!" Agni proclaimed.
"We could have provided some!" Rudra added.
Applejack groaned, pulling her hat down over her face. Laughing, Dante led the way to the Path of Trials.
Crossing a bridge outside, they came to a lion plaque at the end. They read the description.
Go back the path and thou shalt return from the abyss with thy lionheart, and thou shalt receive the Pride of Lion.
"Wait...the trial is literal backtracking?" Dante demanded in frustration. "That's a bit much."
Halfway back across the bridge, a bolt of lightning shattered it, causing them to fall downward.
Landing in the water, Dante and Applejack held their breaths as they progressed forward. After shredding through an underwater cage of floating skulls, they used a teleporter to return to the bridge, back near the door. Stepping through, they found the lion etched carving no longer shielded by white light. Dante retrieved it. "I take it this is the Pride of Lion?" Dante asked.
"And we're supposed ta stick it in that lion carving we saw a while back?" Applejack added.
"...why do you need me to answer questions again?" Alastor asked.
"Because walkin' in silence is boring," Applejack pointed out. "Talking's much more fun!"
"Not as much as singing, though," Nevan pointed out.
"Oh! Does young master also seek to mate with the new female?" Agni spoke up.
"Should we serenade her as well?" Rudra added.
"...Master Dante, my blade would be far more effective at breaking through that wall than your skull," Alastor pointed out.
At that point, a giant spider made of magma and stone dropped through the ceiling.
"Bah!" it proclaimed as it saw them. "More small ones-"
Applejack let out a scream in surprise from having the creature drop in right behind her, nearly landing on her tail. Swinging her tail, Cerberus leapt free. "Ballballballballballballballballballballballballballball!" Cerberus proclaimed as he spun, striking the beast repeatedly in the face.
"Hey!" it complained. "I was talking!"
"Shut up, Phantom," Alastor said dryly as Dante leapt into the air and brought the blade point down into the beast's back. As Phantom reared, Dante yanked out Agni and Rudra to tear into his unarmored back for a time before leaping away with Alastor as the scorpion tail struck.
Phantom quickly fled, melting through the floor, the hole sealing itself up behind him.
"...did he just run away?" Dante asked in shock.
"The only one who ever did that was Beowulf," Applejack replied. "Think Uncle will take care of this guy, too?"
"Hope not," Dante replied. "I want to handle him myself."
Returning to the chamber Applejack had mentioned regarding the lion carving, Dante used the Pride of Lion to lower a barrier. At Alastor's instructions, he then struck the lion carving a few times. The carving dissolved, revealing a shadowy lion with sharp fangs. It lunged forward to attack them.
Dante and Applejack each leapt to either side, flanking the beast as they attacked with blades and gauntlets. The shadow beast struggled against their two pronged attack, but proved unable to fight back and eventually dissolved.
A new path opened up for them, through a door marked with the face of the lion.
That argument, though Not to mention Applejack's reaction made me think of Spongebob
5861484 Are you ready for kiddies?
"Don't feel bad, beating up demons as a baby is quite badass." Rainbow Dash said and hugged Applejack
"Uh.. Rainbow... I think you drank too much Cinder already..." Applejack said blushing.
"I totally did not! Wait a minute.... you think I... Ah no, not at all!" Rainbow Dash backed away. "I mean, there is nothing wrong with it but, I mean uh... well... is not like you are not nice and beautiful and... yeah maybe I drank too much."
"As a Spartan and goddess of fun parties and cupcakes, I am totally okay with you two being together and wish you luck!" Pinkie Pie said giving thumbs up with a foam glove she pulled out from her mane.
Both Applejack's and Rainbow Dash's faces got red as a tomato
5862621 What I was referring to was the part with Patrick thinking Spongebob was a spider
Well using Alastor's Devil Trigger on Phantom would have been the cooler way to do it but the "prequel weapons are canon" approach is easier... Loses style points imo.
Hypefully the battle with Scootaloo will be more exciting.
So if a Sword and a Guitar Scythe have babies... what does the resulting weapon form look like???? I really want to see Nevan and Alastor have kids after this adventure, it would be a good reason why they never show up in future games, they're to busy raising their kids. And I can totally see Dante ripping that hell portal in his office I suggested open to make it happen.
OOOOHHHH!!! THE COVER ART CHANGED!
Ooh! Nice cover art!
5862925
uh...what?
5862925 uuuhhh what battle with scootaloo? i think your confused theres only one pony per universes that arent equestria and scootaloo is with the other cmc in "megas cmc" (though idk if that story is in the same... well lets just say universe... as these stories)
nice new cover art
5867902
5868077
You know, Sciotaloo? Gilda's daughter with Trixie? Giant demonic chicken?
5871321
...what?
5871340
I guess I'm being too referential.
I always thought Griffon looked like a big chicken. Old ScootaMeme reference.
Ant the Gilda/Trixie was a double reference to the name Griffon and a story about endless theories regarding Scoot's parentage.
5871321
I have but one response to that.
5872302
I say:
5872412
what do you mean? That was hilarious! Even if it was meant to be serious!
The Flim Flam Brothers as Agni and Rudra should sing one of these.
...that moment when you realize the story is complete. Nobody will see this as your commenting in a graveyard of people's past. Nothing you add will matter.
7361407 Hey don't feel bad there are still a number of great stories you can help add to, in all honesty the author does check the comments on the stories he is working on and will swipe scenes suggested if they fit so you can still help some stories be even better
You all were embarassing him you dolts.
Eh..., I think the linked image either vanished or is corrupted. Might need to edit that....
10390685
Should be fixed.
10391073
yup