Archive of Our Own ^beta

Nero sat safely on the sidelines, watching his uncle go through several move sets with the various Devil Arms in an empty warehouse that had been empty for a very long time. From Rebellion to Cerberus, Agni and Rudra to Nevan, it was a show of sparks, flying concrete, fire, wind, electricity, and ice. It was always cool to watch, and Nero wondered if one day he would ever get his own weapon.

"Practicing again, huh?"

Turning his head to the side showed Lady sitting next to him. "Yep!"

She hummed, ruffling his hair. "Couldn't find someone to watch you?"

"Uh-huh. Uncle Dante said something how the Arms needed some 'exercising' and that 'it's not too early' for me to get started or something."

He didn't understand why Lady pinched her nose, or her muttering how Uncle Dante being a big silly again. "Rebellion, how old was he when he first started on swords?"

/"Pretty darn early."/ He got the sense of a woman scratching wild and messy hair that was white like what he and his uncle had (but also with three red streaks) from the large sword leaning next to him. She was fun, like a big sister with some of the funniest stories. /"Pops wanted to make sure they knew how to defend themselves, even if Eva didn't like it."/

"Hm. So who taught him after?"

/"Mostly me."/ A feeling of a shrug, then a snicker when Dante knocked Agni and Rudra's pommel heads together again on telling them no talking. /"Pops laid out the basics, and I still remember what moves Pops used when he had me. Really, most of it is Dante figuring shi- stuff out to suit his style."/

Nero tilted his head, taking a sip from his box of juice. "Grandpa was a really good at swords?"

/"The best of his generation, bitlet. Other than knowing seals, he was a master with blades and other close-range weapons."/

"Thus Swordmaster style, huh," Lady mused, now watching Dante perform Ice Age with Cerberus and enjoying the brief cool breeze that was generated.

/"Dante didn't believed to just be limited by the name,"/ Rebellion wryly confirmed. /"'Wouldn't be as cool,' his words."/

A soft chuckle from the lone human. "Of course."

Nero really hoped one day he could get his own sword that was just as cool.