KanColle X Devil May Cry: Devil Trigger Protocol

Devil May Cry Naval Base - Grounds

Suzuya sat on a bench, staring blankly at the grounds where Dante, Tenryuu, and Tatsuta practiced swordplay.

"(Why's she here?)" Tenryuu wondered.

"Suzuya," Houshou called.

Suzuya turned. "Houshou…"

"May I sit?"

"…Sure."

Houshou sat beside her. They watched Dante in silence until Houshou spoke.

"Why not talk to the Admiral?"

"…"

"He'll help you."

"…"

"Still scared?"

"A little…"

"I wasn't treated well at my old base either," Houshou said.

"What…?"

"Not just me—Akagi, Kaga, Ooyodo, Mamiya, Akashi too. Our old Admiral called us weapons, obsessed with results."

"…"

"One day, he unleashed demons on us. I nearly died."

"Demons? What happened?" Suzuya asked.

"He came," Houshou said, nodding at Dante. Suzuya followed her gaze.

"He saved Akagi and Kaga, stopped that Admiral. That's why I'm alive."

"…Will he really help me?" Suzuya asked.

"Yes."

"And everyone else?"

"Absolutely."

Office

Dante, Suzuya, and Houshou sat across from each other.

"I got the gist from Houshou. I wanna know about the demon," Dante said.

"Demon…?" Suzuya said, confused.

"You've got a faint demon scent," Dante said.

Suzuya sniffed herself, puzzled.

"Where'd you pick up that gloomy thing?" Dante asked.

"…What?"

"Admiral, be gentler," Houshou urged.

"When I found you, another you attacked me. Know anything?" Dante clarified.

"…I don't know. After escaping Maizuru, another me appeared, killing people wherever I went. I was scared… it's not me…" Suzuya cried, recalling her flight.

"Enough," Dante said.

"Got something?" Houshou asked.

"No clue why a gloomy demon's latched onto her. Maizuru's probably unrelated," Dante said.

"What now?" Houshou asked.

"No leads, but I'll check the city again." Dante grabbed his guitar case with Rebellion and left.

Naval Base - Front Gate

An hour after Dante left, military police arrived. Ooyodo met them.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"We know a fugitive from Maizuru is here. Hand her over," a policeman demanded.

"…No such person here," Ooyodo said.

"Lying won't help. We have a warrant to search," he said, showing a forged document Ooyodo couldn't distinguish.

"Wait! You can't—" Ooyodo protested.

"Here's the warrant. She's slated for scrapping. Obstruct us, and you know what happens," he threatened.

If real, defying it could mean scrapping for the shipgirls or the base itself. Ooyodo was helpless.

The police seized Suzuya, forcing her into a car.

"No! Let go! I won't go back!" Suzuya screamed.

"Stop! She fled because Maizuru's Admiral abused her! Arrest him!" Tenryuu shouted.

"We don't care. Our job's catching runaways. Be grateful we won't report you for hiding her," the policeman sneered.

"Screw you!" Tenryuu yelled.

"Tenryuu, stop. Without the Admiral and with that warrant, we're stuck," Ooyodo said.

"Damn it!" Tenryuu cursed.

"No! Help! Someone!" Suzuya cried as the car sped toward Maizuru.

A shadow slipped into the car, merging with Suzuya's, flickering ominously.

Office

Dante returned empty-handed. The shipgirls were gathered, their usual cheer gone.

"What's up? Everyone's here," Dante said.

"Suzuya was taken!" Tenryuu shouted.

"What?" Dante asked.

Ooyodo explained the military police and the warrant.

"Was it real?" Dante asked.

"It looked real. Issued by headquarters. Defying it risks scrapping or worse," Ooyodo said.

Dante headed for the door.

"Where to?" Akagi asked.

"The old man's," Dante replied.

Headquarters - Marshal's Office

The Marshal and his secretary, Yamato, sorted documents when Dante kicked the door in.

"What!?" the Marshal exclaimed.

"Dante!?" Yamato gasped.

"I sheltered a fugitive from Maizuru," Dante said. "She was abused, fled to my town. While I was out, military police took her with a headquarters warrant. You approve it?"

"First I've heard of it. No reports from Maizuru," the Marshal said. "Why didn't you report her?"

"She's got a demon attached. It's still out there. You couldn't handle it," Dante said.

"Fair, but I didn't issue a warrant. It's likely forged," the Marshal said.

"How'd they know where she was?" Dante asked.

"No idea. Many ways to track. If true, this is serious. I'll send police to Maizuru to secure her."

"No, I'll get her. A demon might follow, and I don't trust your police with fake warrants," Dante said.

"But—"

The Marshal recalled Dante wrecking Yokosuka. "You planning to destroy Maizuru?"

"Depends on them," Dante said.

Yokosuka's repairs had just finished, a costly endeavor. Another base's destruction would be a nightmare, but demons left no choice.

"Conditions," the Marshal said.

"What?"

"No killing. Capture Maizuru's Admiral alive for trial."

"Fine. My way, though."

"Agreed, but I'll send trusted police later. Handle it before they arrive."

"Got it. Lend me your phone."

Hours Later - Maizuru Naval Base, Office

"Thought you could escape, you scrapheap?" Maizuru's Admiral sneered, approaching Suzuya.

"No… stay away…" she pleaded.

A roar shook the base.

"What!?" the Admiral yelled.

A shipgirl burst in. "We're under attack…"

"Why didn't you notice, you idiots!?"

"It's… not Abyssals. Shipgirls are attacking."

"Shipgirls!? Deploy everyone! Drive them off!"

"Understood…"

Maizuru Naval Base - Offshore

Devil May Cry's shipgirls fired warning shots, avoiding direct hits.

"Is this okay?" Tatsuta fretted.

"For Suzuya, fire!" Kongou commanded.

"Trust the Admiral. We distract Maizuru's shipgirls. Stay cautious," Houshou ordered.

Maizuru's shipgirls approached.

Hours Earlier - Devil May Cry Naval Base, Office

The phone rang. Ooyodo answered. "Devil May Cry Naval Base. How may—Admiral?"

"Send all shipgirls to attack Maizuru," Dante ordered.

"What!?" Ooyodo gasped.

"Distract them. I'll infiltrate and get Suzuya."

"Attacking could cause injuries—"

"Not for real. Warning shots to draw attention. That's an order."

"…Understood."

Ooyodo briefed the shipgirls, and all able ones deployed.

Present - Maizuru Naval Base, Front Gate

"Stop!" a policeman shouted.

Dante sped toward the gate on his motorcycle, ignoring the command. He jumped, bike and all, clearing the gate. Police fired. Dante front-flipped, throwing the bike mid-air and shooting its fuel tank. It exploded, startling the police. Dante fired Ebony & Ivory, diving for cover. A fierce firefight ensued.

Maizuru Naval Base - Offshore

Tenryuu's group tried persuading Maizuru's shipgirls.

"No need to fight. We're here to help," Tenryuu said.

"What do you mean?" a Maizuru shipgirl asked.

"We know what you've endured. Our Admiral's moving to save you," Akagi said.

"Suzuya caused us more suffering! Disobey, and we're beaten. Stop meddling!" the shipgirl snapped.

"That's not true," Houshou said.

"What?"

"Suzuya fled to save you, to find help," Houshou explained.

Suzuya had escaped for her and her comrades' sake, reaching Dante's base. Fearful of Admirals, she couldn't ask for help, and Dante's presence scared her.

"That's why we're here. Our Admiral's fighting for you," Houshou said.

Gunfire echoed from the base.

"Kitakami…" Ooi said.

"Ooi…" Kitakami replied.

"Trust our Admiral. He'll save you," Kitakami urged.

"I don't want to fight you, Kitakami. Go back!" Ooi pleaded.

"No can do," Kitakami said.

"Why!?"

"Our Admiral decided to save you. That's why."

Maizuru's shipgirls envied their trust in Dante, longing for such an Admiral. But they couldn't defy theirs, conditioned by fear.

"Please… leave!" Ooi begged, readying her rigging.

"No choice," Kaga sighed.

"We must fight," Houshou said, as Akagi and others prepared.

Maizuru Naval Base - Office

The battle's noise persisted, enraging Maizuru's Admiral.

"What's happening!? This is your fault for escaping!" he yelled, raising a fist at Suzuya.

Her shadow stretched, forming a second Suzuya.

"What are you!?" the Admiral shouted.

The shadow Suzuya aimed her main guns at him.

Dante disabled the police non-lethally amid exploding cars, a war-like scene.

"Sweet dreams!" he taunted.

As he headed for the office, an explosion obliterated it. He rushed over.

Office

Miraculously, Maizuru's Admiral survived the shadow Suzuya's blast.

"Stop! I'm the Admiral! You think you'll get away with this, scrapheap!?" he yelled.

The shadow Suzuya aimed again, expressionless. Dante burst in.

"Found you, mimic!" he shouted.

"Help—" the Admiral started.

The shadow Suzuya turned to black darkness, swallowing the real Suzuya. Dante dove in after her.

Maizuru Naval Base - Offshore

The fight continued, with only Maizuru's shipgirls attacking.

"Dodging forever will get us killed!" Murakumo snapped.

"Kisaragi!" Satsuki cried as Kisaragi took a hit, shielding her.

"I'm done holding back," Kitakami growled.

"Attack!" Houshou ordered.

"Here comes Tenryuu-sama!" Tenryuu roared, as they counterattacked.

Dante emerged in a space like Temen-ni-gru's Doppelganger fight. Suzuya stood in the center. Wall panels opened, lights illuminating her, stretching her shadow into a Doppelganger resembling her.

"Think you can win by mimicking her?" Dante taunted.

The Doppelganger aimed its guns silently.

"Suzuya, stay back!" Dante ordered.

"Okay!" she replied.

Dante knew this fight—open panels, light it up. But the Doppelganger's fierce bombardment forced him to dodge. Activating one panel, he was delayed, and it closed.

"No ammo limit?" he asked.

The Doppelganger moved like a shipgirl on water, faster and fiercer than before. Suzuya watched, avoiding involvement.

"Suzuya," a voice called.

"Huh?"

"Suzuya," it repeated.

"…Kumano?" Suzuya whispered.

"Is this okay?" the voice asked.

"Kumano, you sank… I didn't know what to do…"

"Forget me. Someone's fighting for you, and you're just watching?"

"Kumano…"

The voice faded.

"(Watch, Kumano!)" Suzuya thought.

She deployed her rigging, bombarding a panel to open it, lighting the space.

The Doppelganger targeted her.

"Suzuya!" Dante shouted.

"Yikes!" Suzuya dodged.

Another light activated—Dante's doing. The Doppelganger faltered. Targeting one left the other free to light panels. All lights blazed, filling the space with light. The Doppelganger writhed.

"Turnaround time!" Dante equipped Beowulf, closing in and pummeling the Doppelganger, which couldn't resist.

"It's like I'm getting beat…" Suzuya muttered, seeing her likeness.

The Doppelganger retreated to the center, unleashing dark energy, dousing the lights.

"Suzuya, again!" Dante called.

"Right!"

They relit the space. The Doppelganger was pummeled again, retreating to unleash darkness once more.

"Not this time!" Dante fired Zodiac, a light-infused energy bullet, obliterating the Doppelganger. Suzuya's shadow returned, and Dante's body glowed briefly as another Dante appeared, merging with him.

"What was its deal?" Dante muttered.

The Doppelganger's goal was unclear, but Suzuya regained her shadow, and Dante reclaimed its power.

The space dissolved, returning them to the office. Maizuru's Admiral was still there. Dante aimed his gun.

"What!?" the Admiral yelped.

"Had fun?" Dante asked.

"What're you talking about?"

"Slow and deaf? Did you enjoy beating shipgirls?"

"Fuc—" the Admiral started.

Dante fired, missing deliberately. The Admiral fainted from fear.

Outside, both bases' shipgirls were battered.

"Exhausted!" Miyuki collapsed.

"Admiral… give me a ride," Hatsuyuki pleaded.

Dante pointed to his burning bike.

The military police arrived, arresting Maizuru's Admiral and his accomplices.

"I'm getting a car ride. You lot sail back," Dante said.

"That's unfair!" the shipgirls protested.

Dante left with the police. Maizuru's shipgirls were taken into headquarters' custody.

Three Days Later - Office

The phone rang. Dante answered. "Devil May Cry."

"It's me," the Marshal said.

"You," Dante replied.

"I'm sending two shipgirls to your base."

"What? News to me."

"They're arriving soon. Also, I sent the bill for my office door you broke."

"Hey, what—" Dante started, but the call ended.

"That old geezer!" he growled.

A knock came. "Excuse us," two voices said.

"Suzuya, yo! Nice to meet ya!" Suzuya chirped.

"Light cruiser Ooi. Pleased to meet you," Ooi said.

"Do whatever…" Dante sighed.

New allies joined.