In the World of Devil May Cry
Trish stepped into Enzo's shop, the faint clink of magical gear greeting her.
"Well, well, Trish!" Enzo grinned. "Here to sell some magic weapons or guns? I'm buying high today!"
"Sorry, not this time," Trish said. "I'm here about Dante."
"Dante?" Enzo's brow furrowed.
Trish explained the rumors of Dante's strange disappearance, but Enzo had no leads. She'd already checked with Dante's other contacts, but no one knew where he'd gone. Dante often vanished from the office for stretches—nothing new there. But this felt different, unnatural, worth investigating. Enzo mulled over her words, lost in thought, but no answers surfaced.
A sudden clatter echoed from the back room where Enzo stored his magical wares.
"Got a customer back there?" Trish asked, tensing.
"Nah, shop's empty today," Enzo replied, eyes narrowing.
Suspecting a thief, they hurried to the back, only to find it deserted. Then, without warning, a rift tore open in the air, its fierce pull sucking in weapons and guns.
"My stock!" Enzo wailed.
"What the—?!" Trish gasped as the rift yanked her in too. The hole sealed shut, leaving the shop silent.
Enzo stood dumbfounded. "What the hell just happened…?"
In the World of Kantai Collection
A rift split open, spitting out two women onto the ground.
"Ow, damn it…" Lady groaned, rubbing her side.
"Lady?" Trish blinked, steadying herself.
"Trish? What's going on here?" Lady demanded.
They'd both been pulled through rifts—Lady from another location, Trish from Enzo's shop. Scattered around them were the magical weapons and guns. They quickly gathered the gear, scanning their unfamiliar surroundings, at a loss.
"Um… excuse me, are you Lady?" a voice called.
Lady turned. "Yeah, that's me. Who're you?"
"I'm Akagi," the woman said, bowing slightly. "I serve under Admiral Dante."
Trish's eyes sharpened. "You know Dante?"
"Wait—Admiral? Serve?" Lady echoed, incredulous.
They'd landed at the Devil May Cry Naval Base. Akagi recognized Lady from a dream, prompting her to approach. Lady and Trish were stunned that Akagi knew Dante, but the words "Admiral" and "serve" threw them. The Dante they knew was a pizza-gobbling, perpetually broke handyman. An admiral? Their brains screamed nonsense.
"Let's talk inside," Akagi said, gesturing toward the base.
Lady and Trish followed, bewildered. They'd arrived the day after Dante's mission to the Stevia Sea's Anzu Islands.
Command Office
Inside, Akagi, Houshou, and Ooyodo explained the world—its naval battles, fleet girls, and Abyssals—and Dante's role.
"So, what, you're saying this is some alternate world?" Lady scoffed.
"I've been around, but I've never heard of fleet girls or Abyssals," Trish said, eyes closed in thought.
"You're buying this?" Lady shot at Trish. "Dante as a navy admiral? That's a hell of a joke."
Houshou slid a photo across the desk. "Here."
It was one of Aoba's snapshots of the base. There, unmistakable, was Dante—their Dante. Lady and Trish exchanged a look, silently asking, What now?
Days later, Dante returned with the fleet.
"Yo!" a cheery voice rang out.
Dante froze in the command office doorway. Lady and Trish, who had no business being in this world, lounged on the sofa, sipping tea brewed by Kongou. The room buzzed with Akagi, Kaga, Kongou, Hiei, Kirishima, Houshou, Ryuujou, and Ooyodo.
"What the hell are you two doing here?" Dante demanded.
"That's our line," Lady snapped. "You vanished, and Patty and Morrison are worried sick."
"I'm asking why you're here," Dante pressed.
"How should I know?!" Lady shot back.
Before they could bicker further, Trish cut in, explaining how they'd been pulled through rifts. Dante sighed. It sounded like they'd been summoned, just like him. But back home, three demon fighters disappearing could spell trouble—more demon attacks, more chaos. They needed to send Lady and Trish back or wrap things up here fast to return together.
"Your turn to explain," Lady said, folding her arms.
Dante glanced at Houshou and the others, brow raised. You didn't tell them?
"We tried," Akagi said sheepishly.
"Spill it properly," Trish said coolly.
"Admiral? For real?" Lady added.
Grumbling, Dante recounted everything from his arrival to now.
"Got it?" he finished.
Lady and Trish were speechless. The fleet girls' story checked out, but being flung into another world was still a headache.
"Fine, then find a place to crash here," Dante said.
"Uh, we've been staying at the base," Lady replied.
Dante was essentially telling them to get out.
"That's harsh!" Ryuujou piped up.
"…Who're you again?" Dante asked.
"Ryuujou! Don't forget me, you jerk!" she snapped, clinging to Houshou.
Dante smirked—he hadn't forgotten, just teasing.
"We've got nowhere to go in this world," Trish said dryly.
"Give me a break," Dante groaned. "I'm already surrounded by naggers. You two will kill my peace."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Lady snapped.
"You're not living on pizza again, are you?" Trish asked, smirking.
"Don't mom me," Dante muttered.
"Are we the naggers?" Ooyodo asked, eyes narrowing.
"Commander, explain!" Hiei demanded.
The women in the room piled on, giving Dante a headache. He gave up thinking, eyes closed, mouth half-open, shaking his head. The office erupted in scolding voices until they tired out, and silence fell.
Trish began laying out magical weapons and guns on the desk. "These got sucked here with me. Figured you'd want them."
"Enzo's probably bawling by now," Dante chuckled.
"Cerberus!" Akagi gasped, recognizing a weapon fondly.
"Any spare rooms?" Dante asked.
"There are," Ooyodo said.
"Show Lady and Trish around. I'm heading to High Command," Dante said.
"To report them?" Houshou asked.
"Nah, keep them under wraps," Dante said. "You all do the same."
He decided to let Lady and Trish stay but keep their presence secret. The enemy had intel on the navy, army, and even Dante himself, suggesting a leak. Lady and Trish, unknown to the enemy, could be a trump card. If High Command knew, their info might leak too. So, he ordered the fleet girls to stay quiet.
"While you're here, you're working," Dante told them.
"Fine," Trish sighed.
"Nothing else to do," Lady added, shrugging.
With that, Dante headed to High Command.
High Command, Marshal's Office
The Marshal pored over reports.
"Dante was really at the enemy anchorage?" he asked.
"Yes," Yamato confirmed.
"What's that man up to?" the Marshal muttered.
"No idea," Yamato said. "He was fighting demons there."
The Marshal and Yamato puzzled over Dante's rogue actions when, speak of the devil, he strolled in.
"Good work out there," the Marshal said.
"Gramps, come with me," Dante said.
"W-what?!" the Marshal sputtered.
"Wait!" Yamato called.
Dante hauled the Marshal from his chair, dragging him out. Yamato chased after them. Outside, Dante shoved the Marshal into a car's back seat.
"What's this about?!" the Marshal barked.
"Explain!" Yamato demanded.
"Just borrowing him for a bit," Dante said, hopping in and driving off.
The car stopped in a deserted area.
"What's your game?" the Marshal asked.
"What do you want from this war?" Dante countered.
"To end it, fast as possible," the Marshal said.
"Even if it means using demons?" Dante pressed.
"No way! Who'd touch that stuff?" the Marshal scoffed.
Dante studied him through the rearview mirror. No lies in his eyes.
"…Good to know," Dante said.
"Care to explain now?" the Marshal asked.
Dante recounted the enemy anchorage: Abyssal-filled capsules, files on navy, army, politicians, admirals, and fleet girls—including himself. The likely link between Abyssals and demons. The fact their intel was leaking. The Marshal listened, stunned.
"Can't trust anyone," Dante said. "Got any suspects?"
"No clue," the Marshal said. "You?"
"Dunno… Houshou suspects your son, the General."
The Marshal fell silent, not shocked but thoughtful.
"Got a hunch?" Dante asked.
The Marshal shared a family story. His wife—the General's mother—died in a fleet girl-Abyssal battle, caught by stray fleet girl shells. Civilian casualties weren't rare, but it hit the General hard.
"So he hates fleet girls and turned traitor?" Dante asked.
"Maybe a motive," the Marshal said. "But I can't believe he'd betray us. He's dedicated, cares for the fleet girls. Maybe once, but not now."
The traitor talk was tabled. The Abyssal capsules and demon-Abyssal links were murky, left unresolved. At Rilanka Island, a demon had killed a Harbor Princess to silence her. At the anchorage, demons roamed freely—too connected to be coincidence.
"Could be a cover-up," the Marshal said.
"Gotta be," Dante agreed. "No way they're unrelated."
"Too much is uncertain," the Marshal said. "Act normal for now."
"And you?" Dante asked.
"Same. Without proof, we can't move. But I'll tighten info control."
With that, Dante drove back to High Command.
Devil May Cry Naval Base, Mess Hall
Back at the base, Dante gathered the fleet girls to introduce Lady and Trish. A welcome party kicked off in the mess hall.
"I'm a proper lady, so treat me like one!" Akatsuki declared, zeroing in on Lady, drawn to her name.
"Oh? A proper lady, huh?" Lady smirked, running her fingers through Akatsuki's hair, inspecting it. "Your hair's damaged."
Akatsuki clutched her hat, flustered.
"A real lady takes care of her hair," Lady teased. "Want me to make you a proper lady?"
"Really?!" Akatsuki's eyes sparkled, eager.
"Of course," Lady said, grinning like she'd found a new toy.
Akatsuki apprenticed herself to Lady, thrilled to become a "proper lady." But Ikazuchi and Inazuma felt uneasy—Lady's smile looked downright sinister.
Meanwhile, Trish faced her own crowd.
"So, Trish, you're the Admiral's ex-partner, right?" Kongou asked, leaning in.
"Oh, I'm still his partner," Trish said smoothly.
"That's not what he said!" Kongou protested. "He called you his ex!"
"Temporary arrangement," Trish countered.
"Admiral! What's the deal?!" Kongou demanded.
"Easy, big sister!" Hiei and Kirishima said, trying to calm her.
Lady and Trish, in their own ways, were welcomed by the fleet girls.
"It's gotten lively," Akagi noted.
"Unplanned, but yeah," Dante said.
"Are Lady and Trish devil hunters too?" Houshou asked.
"How strong are they?" Kaga added.
"Don't worry," Dante said. "They're a handful, even for me."
The fleet girls froze. The noisy mess hall went silent. Aoba, mid-interview pose, stiffened. Dante was a force of nature—anyone who could trouble him was terrifying. Akatsuki, set on becoming Lady's "proper lady," second-guessed herself, sweating nervously. Kongou edged away from Trish. Without speaking, the fleet girls reached the same conclusion:
(Don't ever piss these two off!)
"No clue what you're imagining," Dante said, "but they're harmless unless demons or tempers are involved."
"What's that mean?" Trish asked, eyes narrowing.
"Care to elaborate?" Lady added, glaring.
Dante clammed up. The fleet girls jumped in, defusing the brewing fight. The welcome party grew chaotic in a new way but ended safely.
To be continued!