Summary: Vergilcentric fic. Basically what's running through his head while he and Dante fight on top of Temen-ni-gru. And yes, I did intend to spell 'dance' like this. Old World-style just seems better for Vergil. Plus, this was not meant to be a yaoi! I know some people like that pairing, but it isn't one of my favorites and all I was thinking of here was family-love, not twincest-love.

Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own squat. Me so sad.

Danse Macabre

How did it ever come to this?

I have to wonder at the circumstances that have brought me to this point, on the opposite side of my twin's sword. So many years of separation and obscurity... Dante has thought me dead for that entire time, until we crossed swords in the chamber of the Third Seal about a year ago, when I was still trying to undo all seven of the demon-bound seals and raise the Temen-ni-gru. So many lost years when we could have been together, growing stronger and retaining the connection of sibling rivalry and friendship, the love/hate relationship of all siblings...

A lost dream, remembered only with the merest twinge of regret.

Once, I would have welcomed the old emotions of love and appreciation in my brother's eyes, even the remains of the admiration he had held for me when we were younger. But I see nothing of that now. I behold only hatred in Dante's eyes right now. He swings Rebellion at me with speed and skill, a mastery no human could have hoped to parry. But I allow it to knock Yamato out of my hand, catching it as it flips and ramming its hilt as hard as I can against his exposed abdominal muscles, sending him flying back against one of the statues. He tries to hit me as he is sent backwards, but I catch it in time. He grunts as he makes contact with the statue; I can hear the agony in his gutteral noise.

My heart twinges as he struggles to his knees, pulling one of his guns from behind his back to point it at me. I truly regret that I must do this, but I need his amulet. To gain Father's power and defeat Mundus, to punish him for killing Mother and separating me from my brother, for taking so much away from both of us, I have to deal great harm to Dante. My little brother.

He'd never allow me to borrow his amulet. It's all he - and I, for that matter - have left of our mother.

I want to tell him what I am planning. My heart aches to fight alongside my twin, as we always did against schoolyard bullies. We were unstoppable when we were together. From Big Ricky to Lila, we always won when we were together.

How did this barrier grow up between us? What will it take to tear it down?

He has fired at me. I catch four of the seven bullets intact, and send them right back at him. Rebellion deflects them, sending them off to his sides to discharge their power harmlessly.

I want so badly for us to fight as partners, as brothers, once more. I want it so much, almost more than I want to avenge Mother's murder. I just want my twin back...

But Dante's eyes still display unbending hate. He does not acknowledge me as anything other than an enemy at this moment in time.

And so my heart turns away from him. If he does not want to help me, then he leaves me no choice.

I have to do this.

Even though it's killing me inside.

"Why do you refuse to gain power?" I demand of him. "The power of our father, Sparda."

"Father?" He laughs soundlessly, mirthlessly. "I don't have a father. I just don't like you, that's all."

With that, he charges and I counter. Yamato and Rebellion clash together ina storm of sparks, and our faces mirror each other above their cross. Dante's face is strained, as is mine; we are both putting everything we have into the clench, trying to force the other to break first.

The friction of our blades sliding against each other cause the point of connection to grow red-hot, the rain that strikes it turning to hissing steam. The moment will soon arrive...

Now.

Dante weakens slightly, but I sense it as keenly as a shark senses blood in the water. In that moment I disarm him, Rebellion flipping away to impale the tower, leaving him defenseless.

Brother...

Forgive me.

Yamato finds little resistance as I send it slicing through my brother's abdomen, probably damaging several of his vital organs. It does not matter. He will heal.

But the look in his eyes...

So full of pain and innocence, almost as it he's asking me how I could do this to him, even while the defiance remains.

How did it ever come to this?

The act must continue. I cannot tell Dante of my ultimate goal now. He would never believe me, not when my sword is causing him unbearable agony.

"Foolishness, Dante." I shove Yamato in further, to make sure he got my point. I know my face is utterly cold, unfeeling, even as my soul is screaming in agony where my twin cannot, railing against what I have just done. "Foolishness. Might controls everything." I hope he understands what I'm trying to tell him, the message hidden beneath the callous words. My entire life in the past few years, summed up in a few harsh sentances. "And without strength, you cannot protect anything." He bites back a scream as I yank him forward, further damaging his innards. "Let alone yourself!"

A swift yank and he's falling backwards, his reflexes shocked into a non-responsive state by the pain. I reach out and take his amulet, his own weight serving to break the chain and relinquish it into my grasp. As he crashes to the ground I swipe Yamato across the hand he has extended in a silent plea for his treasure, a teacher reprimanding the student for unruly behavior. I raise the amulet to look at it, and see my brother lying as if dead, his face turned away from me as he battles the pain and his body slowly begins the rapid healing process.

Dante...

I'm so sorry.

I didn't realize I had pressed his amulet to my forehead, comforting myself. I take it away and run my fingers through my hair, spiking it so I appear different from Dante once more. I adopted this hairstyle after he and I were separated, so I wouldn't see my twin every time I looked into a reflective surface. He left me behind in that house, believing me to be dead. He never came back to make sure I wasn't.

I didn't want to see him when I looked at myself. It hurt too much.

Turning away, I begin to leave, pulling Rebellion out of the stone on my way. I hear Dante getting up behind me, and am struck by a sudden flash of anger.

He abandoned me, when I needed him the most. He hadn't even tried to find me; he just assumed I was dead.

Before I even knew what was happening, Rebellion was quivering in his chest, stapling him to the tower below. I stumble back from him, momentarily shocked at my actions.

Have I just murdered my own twin?

What did I just do? Have I... Will he be able to heal this? The sword is straight through his heart! I just wanted the amulet; I didn't want to kill him!

"Do you finally have it?"

Arkham's voice snaps me out of my stupor. Dante will recover. He's my brother, and I've recovered from worse wounds. I turn to face my 'guide.' "Yes. Now the spell Sparda cast will be broken." I have to get off this tower. I have to get away from Dante. I don't want to harm him any further.

I have his amulet. He does not have to suffer anymore.

But he will come after me.

Even as the thought crosses my mind, I hear a sound from behind me, almost like a splash of water. I turn, Yamato in a vertical reverse-guard position, just in time to catch Dante's fist, flying fast for my head.

His eyes are crazed, enraged. I see red fire flickering in their depths. I have not witnessed this for myself, but I feel the gathering power, recognize it from when I first gained this ability.

"I see a devil inside you has awoken as well," I comment. Does Dante even know what's going on?

He doesn't say a word. Instead, he squirms his bisected hand forward and twists it, grabbing Yamato's blade and flinging it, with me still attached, away from him.

I start to charge him, welcoming the challenge of facing his emerging devil, but I am halted by Arkham. "Wait! We should leave. For the moment we have all that we need."

I cannot take my eyes off my brother. He is approaching us slowly, as if a thousand-pound weight has been tied to his waist. His eyes are vacant, zombie-like, and there's an unholy nimbus pulsing around his body. His harsh breathing is the only sound I hear.

I turn away from him, feeling a need to allow him some time to emerge and recover. I certainly needed it, when my devil awakened. I jump off the side of the tower, unconcerned about the distance or gravity. I do not even worry about enemies like Bloodgoyles or Leviathon. My thoughts remain with my brother as his cry fills the night, and purest white power explodes atop the tower.

I keenly feel the weight of his amulet in my pocket, can't help but remember how I gained that item.

Dante, my brother...

Try to understand.

I never wanted to hurt you.

But you gave me no choice.

I want to cry, but I cannot do as my heart demands. I lost the ability to shed tears the night I gained this second form of mine, the devil within.

I hope he retains that ability.

Dante always was far more human that I.