[005]
Title: Let it all burn- This hurricane is chasing us all underground
Type: Fic
Fandom: Devil May Cry
Subject: Dante, Nithal, Emily "Lii" Madsen, and Nero/Vergil
Rating: PG-13
Notes: Continuing AU series between myself and
derptacular [first part is here, second is here, this will be the third part out of god knows how many]. I do not own DMC or its characters, and Lii and Nithal are OCs belonging to derptacular . :>
Also, as a note, this collaboration fic was 12 pages combined for the first two parts. THIS MAKES IT 20. :| PROOF THAT LII AND I CANNOT WRITE ANYTHING SHORT ANYMORE, WE HAVE TO TL;DR OUR EPIC.
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If there was anything to go by when it came to devil hunter standards, following your gut was one of the biggest rules to adhere to. He knew this- he'd followed it for so many years, it was almost like breathing to him now. Secondary, buried in his consciousness and fed by impulse rather than logic.
So when this feeling of uneasiness and dread came over him that evening, he didn't question the reasoning behind it. Call it intuition, call it the trait in his Sparda blood, or even just plain old luck- whatever it was, Dante knew that it wasn't right. Something was bothering him, moreso than the usual ping of demons nearby.
He'd spent the night like he always did in the shop; pizza box open and waiting for him to take another slice, him lounging on his chair, feet propped up on the desk, magazine over his head, and leaning back without a goddamn care in the world. If someone wanted to come in and give him a job, then that's how things would go. Until then, he'd be lazy, ignore everything and everyone, and choose to stay here and not do anything.
But the heaviness that settled into the pit of his gut stuck there like glowing embers, growling and snapping at his conscious. It nagged at his fleeting thoughts, eating away at whatever was keeping him in the real world. This was different from the usual ping he felt whenever demons came and visited the town. That much he could tell for certain. This was like a feeling of foreboding, something warning him of incoming trouble, above the normal ruckus he was used to.
Eyes rolled underneath the magazine, showing he was obviously annoyed and tired, and not really willing to take a look into it. "Damn, can't a guy ever get a break?" Dante muttered, sighing. His conscious knew better, though. If his gut was nagging him this badly, something was up. That important, huh? Closing his eyes again, he pushed away any and all thoughts he had for the moment, and delved into the feeling, trying to figure out what exactly was off.
What awaited him was something he didn't expect. Rather than just a vague image, he was greeted by several memories at once. Temen-ni-gru, the castle on Mallet Island, Fortuna. They flew by him, playing different memories, each one reliving certain moments in his past. There was him fighting Vergil in the sacrificial room, then him mocking Mundus, then working behind the scenes while the kid figured the truth behind the Order. They'd settle, then rearrange and move again.
Finally, it chose on one scene in particular. His leaving of Fortuna, talking to Nero and Kyrie before going back home. He heard Nero try to return Yamato, thanking him for his help, and Dante telling him to keep it. When Nero gave a confused reply, a part of him grinned at the incoming response.
"That's the only kind of gift worth giving. I want to entrust it to you, and so I am. What you do from here is your call."
He knew what would happen next. Nero would call out to him, and ask if they'd see each other again soon. That would only suffice a wave of the hand as the devil hunter walked away from the lovebirds and let them be. He had his own business to take care of, and since it was no longer in Fortuna, he had no point in staying.
The kid's voice then broke through his reasoning. "Hey, Dante-"
But to the man in red's surprise, he actually turned to face Nero. What came to greet his eyes was anything but the smiling kid he had seen seconds ago. Instead, Yamato was out of its sheathe, covered in blood, Kyrie dead on the ground beside him. The boy didn't even flinch, hood over his face, a crooked grin the only thing visible from underneath it. Dante paused, eyes narrowing at the view and lips pulling into a thin line of disapproval.
There was a few seconds of silence, save for the breeze blowing by. Then, Nero turned slightly, walking away from the devil hunter. His human hand pulled his hood away with a flick of the wrist, revealing himself again, but not as the same Nero from before. His eyes were red, the pattern of the Devil Bringer present on his face, and his voice was dual-toned. He gave a sly smirk, a mock salute, and chuckled, sadistic look plastered on his face.
"Not to worry, I'll take good care of it, little brother."
Dante awoke in the real world with a slight start. There was no doubt now that something had gone on, and he was the only one who could get to the bottom of it. Rising from his chair, he grabbed his jacket, eyes coming to rest on Rebellion and his two guns. Dammit, this was going to be more than his normal job. His eyes wandered around the shop, looking for what other devil arms to bring, when they settled upon Gilgamesh and Lucifer, both resting neatly on the wall, a rose still clamped in the skull's fangs of Lucifer.
A grin spread across the jackass' face, a part of him insistent on bringing some fun with him to play. Especially if it was who he thought it was. Grabbing Lucifer from the wall, it hummed to life and eyes lit in approval. Gilgamesh was eager as well, the weapon easily forming over his arms, legs, and face, before settling back within him. Ready to depart, he made his way past his usual spot, tossing the rose onto the desk before closing the door behind him. Trish would know what that meant, and he'd get a bitching from her later. He'd face her when the time came. For now, he made his way towards the quickest route to Fortuna, the darkness of the night masking his movements like an endless void.
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He arrived by mid-dawn, the sun already up to greet him and the city that morning. As he stepped onto the grounds of the town, the smell of smoke and blood overwhelmed his senses, and he had to pause before walking any further. His gut was wrenching at the sight before him- the scorched architecture, the corpses in the street, the massacre laid out before him.
"Shit." He swore, hand running up to his nose to lessen the smell for a second or so. Masking his aura, he switched into Trickster, wall-running up a building and landing on the roof without much difficulty at all. The sound of swords clashing and yelling caused his head to turn in the direction and follow it, quietly approaching the battle and watching it unfold. There, in two blazing auras, were two people he'd run into and had hoped he'd see in better circumstances. Lii and Nero were consistently exchanging blow for blow, parrying and matching each other in speed and skill, one trying to outlast the other.
Only this wasn't Nero in control, he could feel it. The energy and force behind the boy could only belong to one other, and until recently, Dante was pretty damn sure that other had been dead for years. Still, this didn't surprise him. Vergil had a knack for coming back when you least expected it. Kind of like a cockroach, only the ironic twist was that he was related by blood, and tended to appear at the worst of times.
Looking over to where Lii stood, he watched her fight against him, flames dancing and soaring around her. Last time he checked, she didn't have this kind of power- so she must've gotten it after she left the city, about the same time he left. He was amused, to say the least- the girl was pretty strong when he first met her, but the little power boost was nothing to sneeze at either.
Still, he watched the two fight, moving a bit closer when Lii was injured, blue eyes focused and mind alert for anything that could change. Her shouting at the kid inside made him smirk. Underneath the raging aura, he could still feel the faint pulse of Nero, trying desperately to regain control, fighting back with all he had. The minute or so he was able to withdraw Yamato from Lii's shoulder and tell her to run, gave the devil hunter more hope then before. So the kid's still in there. Good. Keep at it, Nero. We'll get you back soon enough.
It wasn't until Lii had disappeared from his sight, and Vergil was confronting the phoenix that had come from her, that Dante decided to make his move. Gilgamesh awakened, the metal gauntlets forming over his face, arms, and legs, as he seemed to appear out of nowhere, intercepting an incoming swing from Yamato with the side of a gauntlet, the metal ringing out in an otherwise dead city.
"Using the kid to do your dirty work? That's a new all-time low, bro." Despite his cool demeanor and cocky attitude, the fire lit in his eyes told of the fury hidden beneath his facade.
Only glowing red eyes peered from behind Yamato, other arm swinging the Red Queen towards the devil hunter's chest. "Killing your own kin isn't far behind." Dante leaped upwards, twisting his torso and pulling out Ebony and Ivory, letting bullets fly, before landing again. A flick of the wrist, and Yamato spun in a circle, deflecting each one. "Foolish. Did you forget how useless that was when we last fought?"
Dante sighed, but moved a bit in a circle, Vergil doing the same. His mind noticed the irony almost immediately- they were mimicking their first meeting on Temen-ni-gru. "If you've got a bone to pick with me, fine. Leave the kid out of this."
That only received a chuckle. "Hard to do when you don't have your own body, brother."
"Speaking of, let the kid go." Dante's voice was firm, unwavering. Eyes narrowed slightly, and he pointed one metal claw towards the possessed boy. "Not your body, Vergil- not yours to take, at least."
"Oh, but it'll be mine soon enough. After all, this-" He held out Yamato for Dante to see, "is rightfully mine once again."
"Wrong, it's the kid's. I gave it to him to keep."
"A privilege that was not yours to begin with. The blade belongs to me, and me alone. You should know this, Dante." There was no clash of swords or weapons, just stern looks meeting sly smiles, bodies tensing for any wrong movement. A standstill, much like their third fight in Hell, over ten years ago. Ironic how things never seemed to change between them, no matter the age.
"Hey, kid- I know you're in there. Better not have given up yet, otherwise once we get you out of there, I'm gonna have to kick your ass." A snarl and a glare, and Vergil let his thoughts on the matter of trying to reach Nero be known. Within the mental cell, the boy was still restlessly beating against his prison walls, strength seeming to be renewed upon seeing Dante arrive. Like hell I'll let you win, asshole! For a few seconds, those red eyes, burning bright as a red flame, extinguished into a vivid blue, showing Nero's determination to break through. Then, they were gone, hidden beneath a smug grin and possessed embers of an old ghost from before. He chuckled, but didn't say anything else, the both of them both paused, waiting for the other to make a move, to speak, to do anything.
Then, the tension between the two was broken, Vergil seeming to disappear for a few seconds, and then reappear further away. Dante watched him go, eyes following the figure as it receded behind the heaps of rubble and debris. While a part of him wanted to follow after his brother, now wasn't the best time. Turning, the devil hunter began walking away, only to pause once again, eyes moving around, looking for the bird that was there earlier-
"Are you looking for Aibou?" The sound of a voice nearby caused him to whirl, nearly coming face to face with the phoenix he had seen before, who had rested on the nearby wreckage. It blinked, looking at him curiously, awaiting his answer. When the man in red nodded, Nithal beat his wings a little before speaking, tilting his head at the newcomer. "You must be the one Aibou called Dante. She's been looking for you."
"That'd be me. Funny, I don't remember her having a talking bird as a pet. She teach you any other tricks?" A grin spread across his face, and the bird seemed to give him the equivalent of an unamused look, some of its feathers rising a little in annoyance.
"I'm not her pet, I'm her partner."
He chuckled, nodding. "At least you don't talk as much as a few other demons I know. Two of them just wont ever shut the hell up when I tell them to. Took a deal of no talking on their end in order for me to take them with me."
There was a pause in the bird's words, as it opened its mouth in agitation, and then closed it again. "Now is not the time for casual conversation, son of Sparda. Since Aibou wants to see you, I'll take you to her. We'll plan on how to save her friend once we get there." The bird took off, flying into the sky, and Dante pursued, mind alert and already in motion on planning for whatever lay ahead in the future.
Hang in there, Nero.
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The sun overhead beat down on her shoulders, reminding Lii of the time of day, and how it was quickly dwindling before Vergil would find her again. Holding the gold necklace that once belonged to Kyrie in one hand, her other lit with a small flame, she ran it across the brush she had managed to scrape together. The bundle ignited, spreading quickly, the fire developing and soon consuming the body that lay on top of it. Higher and higher, it rose, the smoke billowing and blowing like a black omen. Except for the roar of the pyre, the silence beyond everything else was deafening.
While she watched, her mind turned and twisted and thought over everything she had just seen. A part of her refused to believe it. Kyrie couldn't be dead. Nero wasn't possessed. This was all some bad dream, a nightmare. It had to be. She'd wake up any second now to Takeshi shouting something at her in Japanese, her friends at the Academy joking about her being asleep, someone shoving her out of bed and-
She felt something form at the edge of her eyes, and instinctively brought her hand to her face. Tears. Dammit, was she crying? Now wasn't the time for it, she still had to help Nero. He wouldn't want her to cry right now.
But it wasn't right. Kyrie wasn't supposed to be dead, she and Nero were supposed to have rebuilt Fortuna and made things better while Lii was gone. No one was supposed to be massacred, the demons were supposed to be disposed of. It was all wrong, all out of place. Why? Why had it all taken a dive into hell, after recovering and doing so well? There were no looming threats, nothing that seemed to provoke this. So why... why was Nero now responsible for the deaths of countless lives, including the one he loved? No, not Nero, she corrected herself. There's no way in hell that was him.
"So you started a bonfire and no one invited me? I'm hurt, babe, thought you knew I loved crashing a party if I was nearby." The sound of a familiar voice snapped her out of her thoughts, and she rubbed her eyes, trying to hide the fact that she was buried in her emotions at this moment in particular. Looking up, she came to meet the same man who had caused a ruckus within Fortuna, only to prove to be on their side the entire time.
"Hey." Her smile was weak, but she was still glad to see him. He approached her, a grin on his face, Nithal not far behind. There was a moment or so of silence, the both of them staring into the funeral pyre, either at a loss for words, or just taking in the facts for how everything was at this point.
"She would've wanted it this way. They both would." At this, Lii nodded, sighing and trying to find anything to say back.
"... Yeah. Just wish it didn't have to come to this."
"You and me both." Despite him acting like his normal self, she could feel that underneath the outer appearance, he was battling his own demons, and none too happy at what was going on at this point. She knew she'd hate to see what he would be like if someone outright pissed him off. Never a good thing to aggravate a son of Sparda, that much was for certain.
"Aibou, now that you've found Dante and have taken care of your friend's wishes, we need to form a plan to get Nero back." She turned her head slightly, glancing at the phoenix with a determination settling in her eyes.
"Right, I know."
"Which reminds me, since when did you and fire chicken join forces? He can talk, so I'm wondering what other tricks you taught him, babe. " There was obvious sarcasm in his voice, Dante using the moment to try and be humorous.
Nithal was about two seconds from blasting the devil hunter with a wave of fire, feathers clearly miffed and aggravated, when Lii intervened, facepalming all the while. "As witty as ever, Dante. I actually formed the contract with Nithal shortly after leaving Fortuna." She paused, eyes on the both of them and trying to keep anything else from happening. "And please don't call him a fire chicken, we've got enough to worry about."
"Now I understand why you named him as such in your head, Aibou." The bird settled, but shot the man in red another glare before going back to her. Placing a wing on her shoulder, he began to heal her wounds, letting them close up over time. "Currently, Nero is possessed by the one who originally owned the sword Yamato."
Lii interrupted Nithal before he could continue. "If that's true, though- that means we're up against a lot more than the two of us can handle." She motioned to herself and the phoenix, indicating that this just took a turn for the worse. "So, is it really him, Dante? Your brother?"
Dante sighed, moving a bit, before answering. "Much as I hate to admit it, babe- it's him, all right. Confronted him right after you left with the little lady, looks like Vergil's still up to the same tricks he was pulling ten years ago."
"But how? You said he was dead."
"He was. At least, I thought so. That was until the kid got his arm and reforged Yamato."
"Wait, so the Devil Bringer somehow possessed Nero, and Vergil was in it?" Lii gave him a confused look, just wondering how exactly that worked.
"Something like that, I wouldn't know the full details, though. Possession can get pretty complicated when it comes to demon terms."
"Well this is just fucking fantastic. What does he want?" An aggravated sigh followed, the girl obviously frustrated and pissed off at the whole situation.
There was a pause at this, as Dante let a moment of silence go by. It was obvious he was thinking and trying to see what exactly was going on. Oh, but it'll be mine soon enough... The words ran through his head again, as he went over the conversation they had recently. Finally, he spoke again, the sarcasm and humor in his tone missing, for once. "Most likely, he's after getting his own body back again. He said something about Nero's body becoming his soon enough. Which means he's probably going to try a ritual to get it."
Silence was the only answer at first, Lii taking everything in, eyes darkening at the plan Vergil had laid out. Nithal's voice perked in between the two, questioning and also layout the consequences of each action. "If we fail to stop this ritual, son of Sparda, you and I know there would be no good outcome for anyone once it is completed."
"Considering the kid's life hangs in the balance, I wouldn't think so." Dante nodded.
Her head snapped up after Dante's response. "Wait, if it finishes, Nero would-"
"If it is to resurrect a body, Aibou, you need one before the ritual, to have the spirit occupy once they come back. Usually it is the same body that belonged to the original person, or someone the spirit knows. If that body is already possessed by the spirit when the ritual is performed, however, it only works in their favor." The phoenix titled his head slightly, explaining the process behind the ritual, trying to make her understand.
Dante was blunt and to the point, however. "It'll kill the kid, Lii, and let Vergil take over permanently. Obviously, we're not gonna let that happen."
Her whole face darkened at this outcome, mind already thinking of ways to try and bring Nero back, before this could happen. Time was running out, they all knew this. What was important was to figure out a way for them all to work together, defeat Vergil, and bring Nero back, before it was too late.
"So what do you guys suggest? Even if we fight and defeat him, he's still possessing Nero."
"Aibou, might I suggest something?" When she nodded, Nithal spoke up again. "Dante is more experienced in fighting his own sibling, I believe. So it is better for him to take on Nero's possessed self, as we don't know what he is fully capable of."
"So where does that leave us, Nithal?" She was hoping someone would have a decent answer, she hated feeling useless and sitting things out when it came to her friends.
"You'll have to try to exorcise him. Either of you know how to do something like that?" Dante's words cut into the conversation again, causing the bird and Lii to pause and think. Did they really know how to do something that complicated? And if so, how exactly would they go about doing it?
After a moment or so of silence, Nithal spoke again. "Perhaps if Aibou and I pool our energy together, and follow a possible ritual that I know, we would be able to bring the boy back. We would need time, however."
The devil hunter grinned at this response, pointing a finger upwards and twisting his wrist a little. "Time is something I can give you. If there's one thing I'm good at in a fight, it's how to keep bro busy."
Much as she wanted to join him, she knew it wasn't a good idea to get in his way. The force of one Sparda relative was enough, she couldn't begin to imagine the weight of two. "Guess it's settled, then. All right, we'll do our best." She was about to leave when another question came to mind. "Dante, where are we going to do this, and how exactly are we going to get him into this ritual?"
"Let me worry about that. You just concentrate on getting everything else done for your end. I'll bring him to wherever you two decide to set up." A wink, and the man in red was off, moving quickly towards the last place he saw Vergil heading. He was out of sight a few minutes later.
Lii watched him go, Nithal ruffling his feathers a little once he was out of sight. Dante... be careful. Turning, she watched the last of the flames go out from the pyre, finally looking down at her closed palm once again. She'd forgotten she was holding onto the necklace, and upon opening her hand, she realized she'd been holding onto it so hard, it now left an imprint there. That necklace had meant so much to the both of them, and now...
Closing her eyes, she brought herself back into the present moment, placing the remaining ashes into a delicate box she had found among the ruins. It was surprisingly untouched, despite the damage all around her, and she was grateful that there was something to at least keep Kyrie alive in. Once Nero was back, she'd give it to him, along with the pendant, and stay here, in Fortuna, for a while.
Whether it was for comfort or solace, nostalgia or redemption, she didn't know. What she did know was that after everything was over, he was going to need someone to be there for him. Stepping forward, she and Nithal moved together, rejoining, all her major wounds healed, and headed towards a decent place to prepare the exorcism.
Only one thought crossed her mind as she left, never looking back. Failure is not an option. Not now, not ever.
Type: Fic
Fandom: Devil May Cry
Subject: Dante, Nithal, Emily "Lii" Madsen, and Nero/Vergil
Rating: PG-13
Notes: Continuing AU series between myself and
derptacular [first part is here, second is here, this will be the third part out of god knows how many]. I do not own DMC or its characters, and Lii and Nithal are OCs belonging to derptacular . :>Also, as a note, this collaboration fic was 12 pages combined for the first two parts. THIS MAKES IT 20. :| PROOF THAT LII AND I CANNOT WRITE ANYTHING SHORT ANYMORE, WE HAVE TO TL;DR OUR EPIC.
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If there was anything to go by when it came to devil hunter standards, following your gut was one of the biggest rules to adhere to. He knew this- he'd followed it for so many years, it was almost like breathing to him now. Secondary, buried in his consciousness and fed by impulse rather than logic.
So when this feeling of uneasiness and dread came over him that evening, he didn't question the reasoning behind it. Call it intuition, call it the trait in his Sparda blood, or even just plain old luck- whatever it was, Dante knew that it wasn't right. Something was bothering him, moreso than the usual ping of demons nearby.
He'd spent the night like he always did in the shop; pizza box open and waiting for him to take another slice, him lounging on his chair, feet propped up on the desk, magazine over his head, and leaning back without a goddamn care in the world. If someone wanted to come in and give him a job, then that's how things would go. Until then, he'd be lazy, ignore everything and everyone, and choose to stay here and not do anything.
But the heaviness that settled into the pit of his gut stuck there like glowing embers, growling and snapping at his conscious. It nagged at his fleeting thoughts, eating away at whatever was keeping him in the real world. This was different from the usual ping he felt whenever demons came and visited the town. That much he could tell for certain. This was like a feeling of foreboding, something warning him of incoming trouble, above the normal ruckus he was used to.
Eyes rolled underneath the magazine, showing he was obviously annoyed and tired, and not really willing to take a look into it. "Damn, can't a guy ever get a break?" Dante muttered, sighing. His conscious knew better, though. If his gut was nagging him this badly, something was up. That important, huh? Closing his eyes again, he pushed away any and all thoughts he had for the moment, and delved into the feeling, trying to figure out what exactly was off.
What awaited him was something he didn't expect. Rather than just a vague image, he was greeted by several memories at once. Temen-ni-gru, the castle on Mallet Island, Fortuna. They flew by him, playing different memories, each one reliving certain moments in his past. There was him fighting Vergil in the sacrificial room, then him mocking Mundus, then working behind the scenes while the kid figured the truth behind the Order. They'd settle, then rearrange and move again.
Finally, it chose on one scene in particular. His leaving of Fortuna, talking to Nero and Kyrie before going back home. He heard Nero try to return Yamato, thanking him for his help, and Dante telling him to keep it. When Nero gave a confused reply, a part of him grinned at the incoming response.
"That's the only kind of gift worth giving. I want to entrust it to you, and so I am. What you do from here is your call."
He knew what would happen next. Nero would call out to him, and ask if they'd see each other again soon. That would only suffice a wave of the hand as the devil hunter walked away from the lovebirds and let them be. He had his own business to take care of, and since it was no longer in Fortuna, he had no point in staying.
The kid's voice then broke through his reasoning. "Hey, Dante-"
But to the man in red's surprise, he actually turned to face Nero. What came to greet his eyes was anything but the smiling kid he had seen seconds ago. Instead, Yamato was out of its sheathe, covered in blood, Kyrie dead on the ground beside him. The boy didn't even flinch, hood over his face, a crooked grin the only thing visible from underneath it. Dante paused, eyes narrowing at the view and lips pulling into a thin line of disapproval.
There was a few seconds of silence, save for the breeze blowing by. Then, Nero turned slightly, walking away from the devil hunter. His human hand pulled his hood away with a flick of the wrist, revealing himself again, but not as the same Nero from before. His eyes were red, the pattern of the Devil Bringer present on his face, and his voice was dual-toned. He gave a sly smirk, a mock salute, and chuckled, sadistic look plastered on his face.
"Not to worry, I'll take good care of it, little brother."
Dante awoke in the real world with a slight start. There was no doubt now that something had gone on, and he was the only one who could get to the bottom of it. Rising from his chair, he grabbed his jacket, eyes coming to rest on Rebellion and his two guns. Dammit, this was going to be more than his normal job. His eyes wandered around the shop, looking for what other devil arms to bring, when they settled upon Gilgamesh and Lucifer, both resting neatly on the wall, a rose still clamped in the skull's fangs of Lucifer.
A grin spread across the jackass' face, a part of him insistent on bringing some fun with him to play. Especially if it was who he thought it was. Grabbing Lucifer from the wall, it hummed to life and eyes lit in approval. Gilgamesh was eager as well, the weapon easily forming over his arms, legs, and face, before settling back within him. Ready to depart, he made his way past his usual spot, tossing the rose onto the desk before closing the door behind him. Trish would know what that meant, and he'd get a bitching from her later. He'd face her when the time came. For now, he made his way towards the quickest route to Fortuna, the darkness of the night masking his movements like an endless void.
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He arrived by mid-dawn, the sun already up to greet him and the city that morning. As he stepped onto the grounds of the town, the smell of smoke and blood overwhelmed his senses, and he had to pause before walking any further. His gut was wrenching at the sight before him- the scorched architecture, the corpses in the street, the massacre laid out before him.
"Shit." He swore, hand running up to his nose to lessen the smell for a second or so. Masking his aura, he switched into Trickster, wall-running up a building and landing on the roof without much difficulty at all. The sound of swords clashing and yelling caused his head to turn in the direction and follow it, quietly approaching the battle and watching it unfold. There, in two blazing auras, were two people he'd run into and had hoped he'd see in better circumstances. Lii and Nero were consistently exchanging blow for blow, parrying and matching each other in speed and skill, one trying to outlast the other.
Only this wasn't Nero in control, he could feel it. The energy and force behind the boy could only belong to one other, and until recently, Dante was pretty damn sure that other had been dead for years. Still, this didn't surprise him. Vergil had a knack for coming back when you least expected it. Kind of like a cockroach, only the ironic twist was that he was related by blood, and tended to appear at the worst of times.
Looking over to where Lii stood, he watched her fight against him, flames dancing and soaring around her. Last time he checked, she didn't have this kind of power- so she must've gotten it after she left the city, about the same time he left. He was amused, to say the least- the girl was pretty strong when he first met her, but the little power boost was nothing to sneeze at either.
Still, he watched the two fight, moving a bit closer when Lii was injured, blue eyes focused and mind alert for anything that could change. Her shouting at the kid inside made him smirk. Underneath the raging aura, he could still feel the faint pulse of Nero, trying desperately to regain control, fighting back with all he had. The minute or so he was able to withdraw Yamato from Lii's shoulder and tell her to run, gave the devil hunter more hope then before. So the kid's still in there. Good. Keep at it, Nero. We'll get you back soon enough.
It wasn't until Lii had disappeared from his sight, and Vergil was confronting the phoenix that had come from her, that Dante decided to make his move. Gilgamesh awakened, the metal gauntlets forming over his face, arms, and legs, as he seemed to appear out of nowhere, intercepting an incoming swing from Yamato with the side of a gauntlet, the metal ringing out in an otherwise dead city.
"Using the kid to do your dirty work? That's a new all-time low, bro." Despite his cool demeanor and cocky attitude, the fire lit in his eyes told of the fury hidden beneath his facade.
Only glowing red eyes peered from behind Yamato, other arm swinging the Red Queen towards the devil hunter's chest. "Killing your own kin isn't far behind." Dante leaped upwards, twisting his torso and pulling out Ebony and Ivory, letting bullets fly, before landing again. A flick of the wrist, and Yamato spun in a circle, deflecting each one. "Foolish. Did you forget how useless that was when we last fought?"
Dante sighed, but moved a bit in a circle, Vergil doing the same. His mind noticed the irony almost immediately- they were mimicking their first meeting on Temen-ni-gru. "If you've got a bone to pick with me, fine. Leave the kid out of this."
That only received a chuckle. "Hard to do when you don't have your own body, brother."
"Speaking of, let the kid go." Dante's voice was firm, unwavering. Eyes narrowed slightly, and he pointed one metal claw towards the possessed boy. "Not your body, Vergil- not yours to take, at least."
"Oh, but it'll be mine soon enough. After all, this-" He held out Yamato for Dante to see, "is rightfully mine once again."
"Wrong, it's the kid's. I gave it to him to keep."
"A privilege that was not yours to begin with. The blade belongs to me, and me alone. You should know this, Dante." There was no clash of swords or weapons, just stern looks meeting sly smiles, bodies tensing for any wrong movement. A standstill, much like their third fight in Hell, over ten years ago. Ironic how things never seemed to change between them, no matter the age.
"Hey, kid- I know you're in there. Better not have given up yet, otherwise once we get you out of there, I'm gonna have to kick your ass." A snarl and a glare, and Vergil let his thoughts on the matter of trying to reach Nero be known. Within the mental cell, the boy was still restlessly beating against his prison walls, strength seeming to be renewed upon seeing Dante arrive. Like hell I'll let you win, asshole! For a few seconds, those red eyes, burning bright as a red flame, extinguished into a vivid blue, showing Nero's determination to break through. Then, they were gone, hidden beneath a smug grin and possessed embers of an old ghost from before. He chuckled, but didn't say anything else, the both of them both paused, waiting for the other to make a move, to speak, to do anything.
Then, the tension between the two was broken, Vergil seeming to disappear for a few seconds, and then reappear further away. Dante watched him go, eyes following the figure as it receded behind the heaps of rubble and debris. While a part of him wanted to follow after his brother, now wasn't the best time. Turning, the devil hunter began walking away, only to pause once again, eyes moving around, looking for the bird that was there earlier-
"Are you looking for Aibou?" The sound of a voice nearby caused him to whirl, nearly coming face to face with the phoenix he had seen before, who had rested on the nearby wreckage. It blinked, looking at him curiously, awaiting his answer. When the man in red nodded, Nithal beat his wings a little before speaking, tilting his head at the newcomer. "You must be the one Aibou called Dante. She's been looking for you."
"That'd be me. Funny, I don't remember her having a talking bird as a pet. She teach you any other tricks?" A grin spread across his face, and the bird seemed to give him the equivalent of an unamused look, some of its feathers rising a little in annoyance.
"I'm not her pet, I'm her partner."
He chuckled, nodding. "At least you don't talk as much as a few other demons I know. Two of them just wont ever shut the hell up when I tell them to. Took a deal of no talking on their end in order for me to take them with me."
There was a pause in the bird's words, as it opened its mouth in agitation, and then closed it again. "Now is not the time for casual conversation, son of Sparda. Since Aibou wants to see you, I'll take you to her. We'll plan on how to save her friend once we get there." The bird took off, flying into the sky, and Dante pursued, mind alert and already in motion on planning for whatever lay ahead in the future.
Hang in there, Nero.
----------------------------------------
The sun overhead beat down on her shoulders, reminding Lii of the time of day, and how it was quickly dwindling before Vergil would find her again. Holding the gold necklace that once belonged to Kyrie in one hand, her other lit with a small flame, she ran it across the brush she had managed to scrape together. The bundle ignited, spreading quickly, the fire developing and soon consuming the body that lay on top of it. Higher and higher, it rose, the smoke billowing and blowing like a black omen. Except for the roar of the pyre, the silence beyond everything else was deafening.
While she watched, her mind turned and twisted and thought over everything she had just seen. A part of her refused to believe it. Kyrie couldn't be dead. Nero wasn't possessed. This was all some bad dream, a nightmare. It had to be. She'd wake up any second now to Takeshi shouting something at her in Japanese, her friends at the Academy joking about her being asleep, someone shoving her out of bed and-
She felt something form at the edge of her eyes, and instinctively brought her hand to her face. Tears. Dammit, was she crying? Now wasn't the time for it, she still had to help Nero. He wouldn't want her to cry right now.
But it wasn't right. Kyrie wasn't supposed to be dead, she and Nero were supposed to have rebuilt Fortuna and made things better while Lii was gone. No one was supposed to be massacred, the demons were supposed to be disposed of. It was all wrong, all out of place. Why? Why had it all taken a dive into hell, after recovering and doing so well? There were no looming threats, nothing that seemed to provoke this. So why... why was Nero now responsible for the deaths of countless lives, including the one he loved? No, not Nero, she corrected herself. There's no way in hell that was him.
"So you started a bonfire and no one invited me? I'm hurt, babe, thought you knew I loved crashing a party if I was nearby." The sound of a familiar voice snapped her out of her thoughts, and she rubbed her eyes, trying to hide the fact that she was buried in her emotions at this moment in particular. Looking up, she came to meet the same man who had caused a ruckus within Fortuna, only to prove to be on their side the entire time.
"Hey." Her smile was weak, but she was still glad to see him. He approached her, a grin on his face, Nithal not far behind. There was a moment or so of silence, the both of them staring into the funeral pyre, either at a loss for words, or just taking in the facts for how everything was at this point.
"She would've wanted it this way. They both would." At this, Lii nodded, sighing and trying to find anything to say back.
"... Yeah. Just wish it didn't have to come to this."
"You and me both." Despite him acting like his normal self, she could feel that underneath the outer appearance, he was battling his own demons, and none too happy at what was going on at this point. She knew she'd hate to see what he would be like if someone outright pissed him off. Never a good thing to aggravate a son of Sparda, that much was for certain.
"Aibou, now that you've found Dante and have taken care of your friend's wishes, we need to form a plan to get Nero back." She turned her head slightly, glancing at the phoenix with a determination settling in her eyes.
"Right, I know."
"Which reminds me, since when did you and fire chicken join forces? He can talk, so I'm wondering what other tricks you taught him, babe. " There was obvious sarcasm in his voice, Dante using the moment to try and be humorous.
Nithal was about two seconds from blasting the devil hunter with a wave of fire, feathers clearly miffed and aggravated, when Lii intervened, facepalming all the while. "As witty as ever, Dante. I actually formed the contract with Nithal shortly after leaving Fortuna." She paused, eyes on the both of them and trying to keep anything else from happening. "And please don't call him a fire chicken, we've got enough to worry about."
"Now I understand why you named him as such in your head, Aibou." The bird settled, but shot the man in red another glare before going back to her. Placing a wing on her shoulder, he began to heal her wounds, letting them close up over time. "Currently, Nero is possessed by the one who originally owned the sword Yamato."
Lii interrupted Nithal before he could continue. "If that's true, though- that means we're up against a lot more than the two of us can handle." She motioned to herself and the phoenix, indicating that this just took a turn for the worse. "So, is it really him, Dante? Your brother?"
Dante sighed, moving a bit, before answering. "Much as I hate to admit it, babe- it's him, all right. Confronted him right after you left with the little lady, looks like Vergil's still up to the same tricks he was pulling ten years ago."
"But how? You said he was dead."
"He was. At least, I thought so. That was until the kid got his arm and reforged Yamato."
"Wait, so the Devil Bringer somehow possessed Nero, and Vergil was in it?" Lii gave him a confused look, just wondering how exactly that worked.
"Something like that, I wouldn't know the full details, though. Possession can get pretty complicated when it comes to demon terms."
"Well this is just fucking fantastic. What does he want?" An aggravated sigh followed, the girl obviously frustrated and pissed off at the whole situation.
There was a pause at this, as Dante let a moment of silence go by. It was obvious he was thinking and trying to see what exactly was going on. Oh, but it'll be mine soon enough... The words ran through his head again, as he went over the conversation they had recently. Finally, he spoke again, the sarcasm and humor in his tone missing, for once. "Most likely, he's after getting his own body back again. He said something about Nero's body becoming his soon enough. Which means he's probably going to try a ritual to get it."
Silence was the only answer at first, Lii taking everything in, eyes darkening at the plan Vergil had laid out. Nithal's voice perked in between the two, questioning and also layout the consequences of each action. "If we fail to stop this ritual, son of Sparda, you and I know there would be no good outcome for anyone once it is completed."
"Considering the kid's life hangs in the balance, I wouldn't think so." Dante nodded.
Her head snapped up after Dante's response. "Wait, if it finishes, Nero would-"
"If it is to resurrect a body, Aibou, you need one before the ritual, to have the spirit occupy once they come back. Usually it is the same body that belonged to the original person, or someone the spirit knows. If that body is already possessed by the spirit when the ritual is performed, however, it only works in their favor." The phoenix titled his head slightly, explaining the process behind the ritual, trying to make her understand.
Dante was blunt and to the point, however. "It'll kill the kid, Lii, and let Vergil take over permanently. Obviously, we're not gonna let that happen."
Her whole face darkened at this outcome, mind already thinking of ways to try and bring Nero back, before this could happen. Time was running out, they all knew this. What was important was to figure out a way for them all to work together, defeat Vergil, and bring Nero back, before it was too late.
"So what do you guys suggest? Even if we fight and defeat him, he's still possessing Nero."
"Aibou, might I suggest something?" When she nodded, Nithal spoke up again. "Dante is more experienced in fighting his own sibling, I believe. So it is better for him to take on Nero's possessed self, as we don't know what he is fully capable of."
"So where does that leave us, Nithal?" She was hoping someone would have a decent answer, she hated feeling useless and sitting things out when it came to her friends.
"You'll have to try to exorcise him. Either of you know how to do something like that?" Dante's words cut into the conversation again, causing the bird and Lii to pause and think. Did they really know how to do something that complicated? And if so, how exactly would they go about doing it?
After a moment or so of silence, Nithal spoke again. "Perhaps if Aibou and I pool our energy together, and follow a possible ritual that I know, we would be able to bring the boy back. We would need time, however."
The devil hunter grinned at this response, pointing a finger upwards and twisting his wrist a little. "Time is something I can give you. If there's one thing I'm good at in a fight, it's how to keep bro busy."
Much as she wanted to join him, she knew it wasn't a good idea to get in his way. The force of one Sparda relative was enough, she couldn't begin to imagine the weight of two. "Guess it's settled, then. All right, we'll do our best." She was about to leave when another question came to mind. "Dante, where are we going to do this, and how exactly are we going to get him into this ritual?"
"Let me worry about that. You just concentrate on getting everything else done for your end. I'll bring him to wherever you two decide to set up." A wink, and the man in red was off, moving quickly towards the last place he saw Vergil heading. He was out of sight a few minutes later.
Lii watched him go, Nithal ruffling his feathers a little once he was out of sight. Dante... be careful. Turning, she watched the last of the flames go out from the pyre, finally looking down at her closed palm once again. She'd forgotten she was holding onto the necklace, and upon opening her hand, she realized she'd been holding onto it so hard, it now left an imprint there. That necklace had meant so much to the both of them, and now...
Closing her eyes, she brought herself back into the present moment, placing the remaining ashes into a delicate box she had found among the ruins. It was surprisingly untouched, despite the damage all around her, and she was grateful that there was something to at least keep Kyrie alive in. Once Nero was back, she'd give it to him, along with the pendant, and stay here, in Fortuna, for a while.
Whether it was for comfort or solace, nostalgia or redemption, she didn't know. What she did know was that after everything was over, he was going to need someone to be there for him. Stepping forward, she and Nithal moved together, rejoining, all her major wounds healed, and headed towards a decent place to prepare the exorcism.
Only one thought crossed her mind as she left, never looking back. Failure is not an option. Not now, not ever.