A/N: Yes, yes, I know it's been a long time for you guys to read the story I promised I would make but I just got side-tracked, now I'm on full steam ahead and I will make this story for you readers to love and enjoy. Basically, this is a rewrite from the original story in my old locked user of Impaculate called "Le Manoir du diable" and I found another french old movie so here I am and I will be telling the story but not exactly the same. Sure, there will be things here that are same but also note that things are gonna be different here but I promise not to push away the funny banter that goes between Nero and Belle (it's too hilarious). Now, I hope you guys will like this better than the original and I get a lot of reviews. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: DMC and it's characters belongs to CAPCOM, I only own my original character, Belle Matre.
Chapter 1: Opéra Cramoisi
Brief images
That's all they were at the beginning before they turned into a grey scale film, the very old ones you usually see with specks and people that moved a little too fast than normal and couldn't hear them say anything like a silent film. There was moving figures, scurrying about to their own things. But among them was one black blob that stood still, the camera moving closer to reveal a little girl in a white sundress and hat. She just stood there, her short brown hair barely moving from the small breezes that these blobs—people—kept brushing past her.
Big honey eyes stared endlessly, just straight ahead as if staring at something that no one could normally see and the truth was... She was actually looking at something.
A demon
It was small but still dangerous. It was invisible because people didn't believe in such creatures, thinking of it as fairy-tales or a religious metaphor between good and evil. The small demon knew she was watching, knowing the way her big eyes followed it's movement. She was alone and no one seemed to be accompanying her. Perfect prey, it thought. With it's multiple legs, it slithered carefully through the crowds towards her and the girl foolishly stood there, watching with big eyes as it came closer and closer to her.
Just as the demon was coming to to a close reach for the little frail human, a person had passed by in front of the demon and suddenly, beside the girl was a man. The demon's gruesome yellow eyes widen, catching only a glimpse of red and leather before a guitar case smashed it's head harshly to the pavement and immediately killing it.
The little girl blinked, seeing the puddle of blood flooding from beneath the giant guitar case before her honey eyes moved up towards the tall figure that ridded the little demon that had been coming onto her. His eyes hidden beneath the immaculate locks before steel blue eyes moved to her, a blank expression on his face as he stared at her calm face.
"Why didn't ya run, kid?"
"Because," her small voice whispered softly. "I wanted to be brave."
"Don't."
"...?"
"Because if you stay in place for too long, I'm gonna be pissed that something killed ya."
She only replied with a smile, opening her mouth to call him by his name—
"Belle!"
Mature honey brown eyes snapped open, the images gone and only replaced to a quiet bedroom. The young woman sat up, staring at the wall as she replayed the images in her mind from her vague dream. Sighing when she found no connection, she flip the bed covers and ruffle her long slightly curly brunette hair, looking up to see the small antenna-hair stick out like always. People joked about calling her an alien because the antenna just stood out and refused to be straightened, it was just embarrassing. Hopping off the bed, she head towards the bathroom to shower, wash up, brush, and dress to be ready for the ceremony that was coming around early noon.
The Order of the Sword celebrated a festival that's been a tradition on the island for years, to honor the Legendary Dark Knight Sparda for the good deed he did for the world. Pulling on the usual white attire (look on the homepage), she stood in front of the mirror, giving it a long look and soon a smile began to blossom on her youthful face. Today was going to be extra awesome!
"Belle!" a voice downstairs called, slightly impatient.
"Coming!" you shouted back.
You rushed down the stairs with much speed it was more like you was gliding rather walking, blowing away a piece of strand from your wide eyes and jumping the last step, you startled the other resident of the house that had waited for you. The strawberry-haired girl dressed in a beautiful white gown looked over your new uniform and a proud look came over the girl's features.
"Belle, calm down!" Kyrie playfully scolded while holding back a giggle.
"No way!" you grin up at the taller girl. "This is my first partake in the ceremony as a Knight of the Order! Kyrie, I'm a friggin' member!"
"Yes, you are! Oh," she sighs a little sadly. "If only they could see you, but no doubt they're proud as well."
You nod your head in agreement, a little said at the implying of your parents but it was quick to wipe away when Kyrie grabbed you by the hand and led you both out the door and into the streets where many people dressed in white with their hoods on went to the same direction everyone in Fortuna was heading towards; The Opera House. Wanting to get in early and in time, Kyrie and you ran through the crowded streets, hand-in-hand, and joking on the way since it was pretty much a long way from here.
The closer you was towards the building, the more erratic your heart became from the excitement and nervousness it was feeling. At the entrance, your heart nearly burst at the sight of the others knights... and the Supreme General, Credo. Credo is a noble man amongst our fellow knights, serving dutifully and loyally to the Order of the Sword and protecting the residents from demons. Especially looking after his family.
Not to mention the man was a looker.
Yes, yes. You secretly harbored a crush on the Supreme General, and from the market area, so did many other women who had little hearts in their eyes when the man walked on by the streets with his troops. He had his fierce leading skills that had others admire him, but what had you more was the gentle side few only saw when he was around Kyrie, you, and on very rare occasions, a misfit in this little family. Approaching the gates, Kyrie greeted her older brother with a kiss on the cheek, which he returned, before his eyes landed on you and you did the same greeting, trying not to blush when his lips touched your cheek.
"Hello, Belle," Credo greeted as he pulled away.
"Hello, General." you greeted with an infectious grin which made a twitch come from the corner of the General's mouth.
"Your first time in the ceremony as a knightress. Job well done, Ms. Matre." Credo smirked, patting your back before moving ahead.
His warm gloved hand moved away from your back and you couldn't help feel the brief dizziness and warmth that washed over your body, your face turning multiple colors of red. You snapped out of your daydreaming when Kyrie said her goodbyes and went on ahead to prepare the beginning of the ceremony. She was such a lovely singer, and she wasn't shy about it. Yes, you could sing well but the thought of hundreds and hundreds of eyes on you made the idea unappealing, as much as it saddened Kyrie.
Two hours later for preparation and all people of Fortuna seated and the knights from the Order lined up in the sidelines, you watched as the dim darkness began to lighten up the stage and Kyrie standing in the middle of it. She scanned the crowd, looking for a certain someone and the last member in the family, a someone who was going to get a beating should he show his ass late for the important day for your success in becoming a knightress and Kyrie's wonderful performance.
Then it began...
You stood there quietly, eyes on the girl you grew up for the past many years since as long as you could remember, the sound of her soothing melodious voice felt so calming, your racing heart calming as you listened more and more. A flash caught the corner of your eye at the end of Kyrie's song and you look where there sitting like he owned the place was a lonely white-haired man with a mean attitude;
"Nero," you smirk.
The audience clapped like thunder for Kyrie's performance, she looked happy now that Nero was here. The blue-eyed man offered his special smiles to her. Kyrie later joined Nero at the benches, you catch her frown for a moment when Nero had rudely ignored her and you had half a mind to forget about the crowd and just walk over so you could bash his head in but a smile came over Kyrie and a blue box was in her hands. A gift, you thought with a raised brow.
His Holiness began the ancient story of how the great Sparda came to be and save the world and humankind from the hands of demons, you always wondered about the mysterious demon lord. Why would he do such a thing? Why would a demon, who stood over humans, suddenly turn on his own brethren to protect humans? Everyone had their theories, but they didn't sound like it justified what you felt. Demons only had instinct and destruction in their mind, no mercy and kindness to save a race not of their own. Yet the demon Sparda was a contradiction from that belief.
A small scuffle drew your attention from the story-telling and you looked back to see Nero in the process of leaving, Kyrie following after him when she failed to stop him. From beside you, Credo shook his head in irritation to see the young white-haired knight making such a fuss in this important day that only came once a year (which Nero would say was not long enough to avoid). You couldn't help but mimic Credo, Nero was just a can of trouble.
"What does he want?" you say softly, but Credo heard you. "Some guy to come in with guns blazing?"
"No doubt."
At that moment, three things happened. Nero froze, looking at his arm that was strapped in a sling from an accident not so long ago that nearly killed him whilst protecting Kyrie. You felt your instincts flare up, something that only happened when demons were coming, and that something was coming and it was coming fast from above, making your eyes shift to the glass-stained windows on the ceiling above His Holiness. A shadow appeared beyond the windows before it shattered, raining down from above and letting in a man in a flashy red coat with leather cowboy chaps land directly in front of Sanctus, the poor old man startled.
You flinch as the stranger had made a quick draw of his gun hidden in the coat and fired at His Holiness' face.
Bang!
The bowed heads of the audience looked up, it had all happened so fast, but the fear and panic was well known as everyone stood and made a run for it. Screams of chaos echoed in your ears, your honey eyes wide with shock as you looked down at the limp body of Sanctus, the beloved leader of the Island and the Order of the Sword. Amongst the panicking crowd, Nero and Kyrie stood there, eyes fixed on the murderer who stood over the rail with his huge sword swung over his shoulders. The man in red stood and his face turned to the crowds of people running for their lives, blood splattered over his features that it made the man in red even more sinister, however there was something faintly familiar about this man that gave you a pause of thought...
Like a far away memory, an old picture hidden in the back of an album book.
"Your Holiness!" Credo bellowed from beside you, shocked and angry for what had come to the leader.
At the same time, the knights unsheathed their swords and charged, but you were still too much in shock to do anything, just afraid and lost. You jump when Nero grabbed your hand as he ushered Kyrie and you towards the exit, she seemed to have dropped her box when you noticed that her hands were empty but this was no time to look for it. You look over your shoulders, gawking at the many knights falling to the floor and staining the marble floor with their own blood, their cries of agony as they all were killed in such a gorey fashion. Nero kept pulling you, getting closer to the exit with Kyrie in front of him and rushing through the panicked people with difficulty but your eyes never left the man in red. The way he moved, the way he struck his blade forward, and the way he took his stance, it was all too familiar, but from where?
When most of the guards had been wiped out, the man in red turned his attention to the dead Sanctus who was being cradled by a distracted Credo, too busy trying to aid the corpse of His Holiness to notice the approaching murderer that gripped his giant sword. Your eyes widen in frightened alert, you had to help Credo! You couldn't allow this person to hurt Credo, you wouldn't let it happen, you're a knightress now!
"Credo!" you cry out and escape Nero's grip from your wrist, ignoring his and Kyrie's urgent cries.
You took to action and jumped from the help of a bench to the stadium, pulling out one of your twin weapons; custom made Gunblades (look in my homepage for picture). Credo's gift when you first entered into Knighthood. A small party was thrown by Kyrie in your favorite pie shop that you would go in your own time, Nero often said you were such a sweet-tooth.
You pulled one Gunblade to strike from behind but the man seemed to have eyes at the back of his white head because he turned quickly and his large blade pushed against your katana. You stumbled forward at first at the clumsy landing but you went back for another strike, swinging your katana to aim for the head but again he blocked it, like it wasn't any effort in his part.
And then you found yourself flipped from your feet and onto your back, your hands no longer holding the handle of your Gunblades. You turned to your stomach and reached for the closest but a black boot stopped you from picking up the blade and you freeze at the cool and sharp touch from under your jaw, forcing your chin up to face the enemy who stood over you with a smile.
You always had told yourself to keep cool and never beg mercy in front of your foes because they would never show sympathy but you were in practical danger, still young and not old enough to be more experienced in Knighthood. Your honey brown eyes wide with fear of the life that this monster was about to take away with ease from the flick of his sword, like he had with the rest of your fellow knights.
"Well, well, well," the man in red says with that smile. "There's a beautiful face I haven't seen in so long."
"Huh?" you blink up at him with furrowed brows.
Before the white-haired assailant could reply to your surprised question, he was kicked by two booted feet in the face and flew back and Nero landed in front you in a manner of protection, quickly pulling out his double-barreled gun Blue Rose and shot two bullets that the man in red deflected easily and landed on top of the statue. Nero jumped kicked the man's sword deeper into the Savior's statue's head and both pulled their weapons, Nero bearing Blue Rose and the other bearing two guns, one black and the other white. Those weapons, they all looked familiar to you in a distant memory.
"Nero!" Kyrie called with worry as she rushed forward and helped you up.
"Kyrie! Go with your brother and get outta here!" Nero ordered, never taking his eyes off the enemy.
"I will return with help, you stall him until then!" Credo ordered back as other knights carried away the body of His Holiness.
"Just take Kyrie and Belle already!"
Nero's POV
Just as Credo, Kyrie, and Belle left the Opera House, Nero returned his gaze towards the man before him, ready to shoot his head and paint the walls with his brain.
"I won't hold my breathe." Nero flicked the blazing headphones off.
Bang!
And the fight began, Nero shot again when the man dodged the first bullet and he dodge again when jumping in the air but the white-haired youth was persistent and jumped in the air after him, spreading his legs to catch him by wrapping them around the man's waist (which looked so wrong by others but yaoi fangirls squeal from).
Nero and the man maneuvered in the air, mostly of the boy avoided being shot in the face before the pulled apart and Nero flung the man towards the statue and the man in red landed again, trying to get his sword but blocked another attack from Nero by kicking the sword, only for it to flip in the air before the man in red caught it.
Nero dodged the man's blow with Blue Rose, since he had been between falling from the statue and sword, and given the force the attack, Nero was sent rolling harshly before stopping between the middle of the statue and sword.
Looking up, Nero gave another shot that made the man land on the Savior's hands and Nero struggled to push the sword before the handle gave through and it was timbering down. As it was falling and the man still stood on top, Nero ran forward, shooting a few multiple times.
Dodging another attack, they both kicked the other away and landed on opposite sides of the Opera House and watched as the dust rose and disappeared as the sword had collided heavily on the floor. Nero aimed Blue rose again, watching as the man in red who flew in from above, murdered His Holiness, and attempted to hurt his dear childhood friend, and a foster-brother.
"You got a jacked up notion of fair play pal, and it's beginning to piss me off."
And their fight continued...
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Une fois, j'ai tu savais,
mais je ne peux pas regarder en arrière.
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Credo seemed to have taken his time before reaching the Opera House with full reinforcement. Upon reaching the Opera House, it was empty but severely damaged from left to right, up and down. The benches were shattered, the stadium lied in crumbles, the statue was partially destroyed, and the Opera House layed in ruins. You let out a sigh as you looked around at the damage before turning back to Kyrie who dragged the weapon and decided to help her, walking over and picking the large luggage at one side before you and her walked easily through before reaching Nero.
"You brought this here for me?"
"Credo called it in actually." you corrected while glancing at the General, he gave a small glance over his shoulders before looking away, trying to act tough as always.
"She yearns for your touch." Kyrie added with her adoring smile.
"Thanks. This blade's the best battle companion a swordsman could wish for."
As Nero easily hauled the luggage with one hand and got to work in assembling it, like an excited child in Christmas, you looked back to the semi-destroyed statue of the Savior. You weren't much bothered about the destruction of this sacred place like most were and you probably should have been, but you weren't thinking much about that. What bothered you more, as you looked at the ground covered in the blood of your fallen knights, is why that man in the red coat didn't kill you.
'He sound as if he knew me... But how is that possible?'
"Belle?" you snap to attention from Credo's call. "Are you alright?"
"... Y-yeah." you nod slowly, looking down at my booted feet. "Sorry, I didn't do my job right."
You nearly flinch at the gloved hand resting on your shoulder but come to ease when Credo offered a small smile. "No, I don't blame you. I think it was best you didn't come in. You just barely made it to being a full fledged knight."
"I'm sorry but I don't believe that." you brush off his hand, kicking a stray piece of rubble and standing a few feet away from him. "I was just plain scared and it got my ass handed by that creep. Next time... Next time I'll get him!"
"Belle..." you hear Kyrie say from behind you, probably having heard everything. She had been terrified the whole time for you when you blindly ran to fight against the man in red, having praised good fortune for your safety on the way out of the Opera House.
"Sir," you whip around to face him, face set and determined. "Let me go after this guy! I'll bring him down for sure!"
"Are you kidding me?"
You, Credo, and Kyrie look to the side to see Nero, his sword the Red Queen resting on his shoulder, and his eyes narrowed sharply at you. You returned the look, a scowl on your face before darting back to Credo, eyes turning pleading to redeem yourself. This was your time, your chance to really become a member of the Order of the Sword. Of all the frightening demons Credo could face head on, he was helpless when it came to the girls in his family.
"Credo, please," you step forward, closer to the General. "Give this to me. I feel like a failure, let me go after this guy."
"That guy isn't human! You can't just let her go off after that bastard, she could easily be killed!" Nero argued, looking to Credo.
"Nero! Back off! I'm a knight now, you can't treat me like a little kid forever!" you snap, angry at the lack of confidence.
"But that's exactly what you are! You're just a kid Belle, barely into knighthood and already you wanna get yourself killed! That's suicide, not doing your job!"
"Funny you should give me a lecture when you go out of your own way to do things yourself!"
"That's different!"
"Like hell it is!"
"ENOUGH!" Credo's voice thundered between you and Nero, silencing you both before the fight escalated.
Credo's gloved hand palmed his face, his fingers wide apart to allow him to open one of his dark eyes and look between you and Nero; one determined to hunt and the other determined to protect. Like two forced clashing yet not budging. You had that pleading look on your face, and it ate Credo that you truly wanted to prove yourself from feeling weak the first time, but he couldn't just let you go alone since there was far more danger on this island. Nero was glaring daggers, angry that he was even thinking about letting out go into the danger against a man even Nero couldn't handle.
But the last option... it was much more appealing. He just hoped you both wouldn't kill each other because of his final decision. At least with this, he could trust Nero not to go solo in this and hopefully the Order wouldn't notice...
"Alright Matre," Credo nodded his head, removing his glove from his face. "Your first assignment; hunt that man down."
"Yes, sir!" you grin, eyes blazing with happiness. Although Nero's response was completely opposite.
"WHAT THE HELL? ARE YOU CRAZY?" Nero demanded, his body trembling in anger that Kyrie cautiously backed away and stood next to you.
"No, I'm not crazy. Because you're going to be working with her to make sure she succeeds on that mission." Credo walked up to Nero until they were almost chest to chest and Credo stood a little over the younger man, eyes locked. "Is that clear, Nero?"
You and Kyrie shared a glance and then back at the two men that were in a glaring contest. Nero let out a huff, backing away and folding his arms, glaring at another part of the building like willing it to crumble under his death glare.
"Yeah, yeah. Babysit Belle and catch that asshole."
"Glad to have your cooperation, then." Credo let out a small sigh, folding his hands behind him.
"Babysit? I think you need to go back to you're retiring home, old man." you jabbed back at him, crossing your arms.
"Say that again and YOU'LL be the one who's gonna get it!" Nero growled.
Kyrie giggled from the sidelines, wearing her new gift that was a necklace she dropped a while ago. Credo merely rolled his eyes from the childish behavior displayed before him until his and everyone's attention snapped when the building tremor slightly, making a few dust fall before it stilled. You head for the doors of the Opera House, running down the halls until finally coming out in the courtyard, looking for the cause of trouble you sensed.
"Someone help me!" someone shouted.
You spot a man limping tiredly from around the fountain, before you could help the man, a hand stopped your shoulder and you were surprised when a Scarecrow attacked the innocent citizen. You looked away from the gore and noticed Credo was the one that held you back from getting injured by the ambush and Nero with Kyrie behind him, also frightened of the demon. Then people began to run, trying to escape from the demons that was slaughtering those who were less fortunate.
"Is this him?" Nero asked.
"I... I'm not sure." Credo replied with a bit of hesitance.
"I don't know, he doesn't seem the type." you mutter.
Nero looked away from the scene and over his shoulder where Kyrie stood from behind him, she was frightened of the massacre and you couldn't blame her, you were still a girl that had the emotions of fear as well and it was making your stomach twist from the inside until it felt like you were going to puke at any given moment if the scene became too horrific. Nero looked forward, determined to wipe the floor with these demons of daring to scare dear Kyrie.
"Credo. Take care of Kyrie. I got this!" Nero turned the throttle of Red Queen and the engines roared and you could feel the heat from the weapon.
"Okay, this party is getting too crazy for me anyway!" you agree as you pulled back the trigger of one of the Gunblades.
"We must evacuate the residents back to Headquarters! Report back as soon as you can and be careful!" Credo shouted after you and Nero ran into battle.
"I got it already!" Nero yelled back, sounding irritated as he slashed through the hords of demons.
As Kyrie helped the people go through the gates she spotted a young boy crying over the corpses of his dead parents until a Scarecrow spotted the boy, and like the good soul she is, Kyrie ran to the child as the demons jumped at them for the attack. She held the child in her arms, prepared to die a painful death and before the edge of the Scarecrow's sword could come inches at her flesh, Nero appeared! He slashed them away with a powerful push and barely looking over his shoulders to Kyrie.
"Go! Get outta here!"
"Nero!"
Kyrie stood and led the boy away from the danger surrounding them, glancing over his shoulders to see you and Nero bravely staying behind to deal with the demons and giving one last prayer of safety to you both. When Nero made sure Kyrie was safe and far away, he turned his attention towards the demons with a wicked gleam in his cold blue eyes.
"Not so fast." Nero coolly whispered with dangerous promise as he pulled up the sleeve to reveal a demonic glowing arm with thick red scales framing it.
He was quick to stretch his arm to the nearest demon, grabbing it by it's leg to swing it around like the rag doll it was, used like a weapon to violently bash against its fellow brethren to end up sailing in the air for a short time before crashing onto the gate's entrance and exit to the Opera House. The pillar frame could not take so much damage, it crumbled on some of the Scarecrows that tried to go after the citizens and Kyrie.
In another quick move, Nero delivered a kick to the demons sky high and grabbed Red Queen from over his shoulder to begin a whirl as the Scarecrows began to quickly descend. They were all caught by the edge of the Red Queen and when he was sure he had enough, he turned the engine throttle and without a moment too soon they all burned to crisps, the force from the Red Queen caused the blade to slash through the demons from the powerful engine. Slashing more through the demons, he stabbed one Scarecrow and proceeded to hop and use the engine of Red Queen to surf on the demon, knocking others out of the way.
Reaching at the end of his demon surfing, he used the Scarecrow to throw it with a bunch of incoming groups and they all flew back to where they came from, hitting a nearby gate from whence they came and the sharp hits made the iron gates from above fall and bifurcating the demons below. The area was successfully cleared, no more demons seemed to be popping out anytime soon. Any left overs already dealt with.
"This baby can sure pack a punch." Nero stretched his arm until he looked up and spotted you watching him but your eyes were focused solely on his demonically formed arm. "Belle...!"
"Wha-what is that?" is you exclaim, pointing at his arm with wide eyes. "It's glowing!"
"U-uh... Belle I...!"
"What the hell happened to your arm? Is it infected? Are you even okay?"
Nero could only watch with wide eyes at your surprise and slight fear in your tone. How stupid of him!
Nero watched you with wide eyes, how stupid of him! How the hell was he gonna explain this to you when he himself really didn't know much about? It was bad enough people thought poorly of him, but it would kill him the most when his own family would join the crowd. He caught movement and in surprise stepped back but you slowly approached the taller man, hesitating at first but none the less reaching for his arm and giving it a cautious tap on the glowing limb to see if it would burn your skin. It didn't, it was actually cool to the touch. You stood at his side by now, gently taking hole of his arm and feel the thickness of his scaly arm, running your fingers against his illuminated clawed digits.
"This," you begin to say as you traced the scales. "Did this happened when... that time in the forest when Kyrie and I...?"
"Belle—"
"I trust you Nero." you shake your head, looking up at him with sadness. "Don't you trust me?"
Nero was taken aback at that question, but he couldn't himself ask this. "... Do you hate me?"
"I know you man, I've been raised by you, Kyrie, and Credo. Of course I don't hate you, I never could." you smiled at the white-haired knight.
"Heh." Nero smiled to himself. "You... You're just too much, ya know that?"
"C'mon, we got someone to track down, remember?"
"Right."
Going through the nearest open door available, you and Nero took a moment to take in the damage that the demons have caused. A normal climb up the stairway had to be now just now become a sort of mountain climbing because portions of the stairway was damaged. You and Nero share a glance before moving to start the climb, you climbed first with the white-haired knight behind you.
Once reaching at the top floor, you both walked through the dim hall but were pulled to a halt when bright red demonic cobwebs appeared known as demon barriers, they always trap is whatever in their vicinity to allow no escape and let in a horde of demons to have their way with the prisoner. It is then when you noticed the empty stitched rags were littered on the floor, you senses flaring at the foul incoming approach of demons.
A large swarm of demonic insects filled up the empty rags and gave it life and movement to reveal the common demons you, Nero, and the rest of the Order have dealt with since the beginning. Pulling out your Gunblades, you faced them with fierce determination, never again will you fail anyone like you had when back in the Opera House. Nero pressed his own back against yours, facing his enemies with Red Queen revved up.
"You ready?" Nero asks.
"Always!"
"Then show me what you got!" he shouts and charges in.
Nero dodge rolled from a slicing attack that aimed to slice his head clean off his shoulder and easily obliterated the sucker with two slams from his demonic arm. Another Scarecrow attacked from beside him but was met with bullets, the demon was so surprised by the bullets, it never stood a chance when a bright burning blade thrusted through its chest, protruding from the back and then was slammed back and forth like a hammer before being tossed away to collide to the walls and die miserably.
Meanwhile, you flipped back, using one hand to the floor to hold your body in the air and slam your boots against a nearby Scarecrow's head, making the creature crash head-first against the floor. You flip back to your feet to avoid a slice-n-dice and bring up the Gunblades to repeatedly shoot away the second Scarecrow. The other Scarecrow who was slammed to the floor stood up, trembling violently as if it was getting angry. You flipped one single Gunblade and sliced through the body with ease, having sharpened the swords some time ago.
Once done with dealing with your enemies, you look back to Nero and see he just finished his own slaying, holstering Blue Rose back into his coat and briefly glancing your way and then back ahead of him.
"Shall we go?" you nod towards the now suitable hallway.
"Go we shall." he replied and continued to lead on.
Reaching the other side of the door Nero halted so abruptly you couldn't stop yourself from bumping into his back but he seemed not to notice because he was looking over his shoulder at you or even making some witty remark. He just stood there. And then you notice his arm glowing brightly, you looked around him and finally see what's bothering him. Down bellow from the high open corridors of where you and Nero are standing were numerous Scarecrows wreaking havoc in the streets of Fortuna. Many cars, buses, properties were destroyed or up in flames, it was a horrible sight.
It even looked as if they were having a party with all that evil cackling and awkward dancing they were making.
"How terrible..." was the only thing you could say.
"Damn bastards!" Nero growled under his breath while his teeth were grinding harshly, he was obviously angry.
"Nero, c'mon." you grabbed his left arm, pulling him away. "We cannot afford to be side-tracked. Besides, I'm pretty sure Kyrie, Credo, and everyone else are safe."
He reluctantly followed you through a nearby door.
You both come upon a building that's been restricted by everyone except maybe a few of the high ranking knight of the Order. It was always closed off and remain unknown to those curious of it but never questioned it or just simply didn't have the time to bother. Seeing as this was a crisis at the moment and the most available guards of the Order were off trying to evacuate and keep the demons at bay from attacking innocent citizens of the island, you and Nero proceed inside.
Once inside, you see the damage in this building as well, hopefully this place was closed off to any sort of demons thinking of trying to attack you or Nero. You notice something glowing at the other side of the huge room, it was floating in the middle of a pedestal and keeping it in function. Brash as he always has been, Nero walks down the stairs and heads over to the glowing item, taking note of the benches facing the foreign object. He narrowed his steel blue eyes at it, and observed that it was shaped like a crystal ball with the skeletal jaws and hollow nose. The damn thing looked so suspicious!
Why was such a thing in possession of the Order? All things related to the demons and devils were evil (excluding Nero of course).
As Nero watched it float with curiosity, he reached out with his demonic arm to touch it but was quickly pulled away from a sharp tug by his hood and he whipped around to face you.
"What are you doing?" he demands.
"Correct question here is; what are YOU doing? Do you even know what that is?"
"Of course I do!" he retorts without really thinking
"Oh yeah?" you crossed your arms and tap your foot on the floor, waiting for his answer.
Nero looked back at the object and back to you. "... It's something important."
You give him the most blank stare you've ever given him. "That is so lame."
"Ah whatever, I don't need a reason!" Nero turned back around and proceeded to grab the mysterious object.
"Nero, no!"
He easily snatched the floating skeleton glob and you both still when hearing something come from above, you and Nero slowly look up to see the pedestal holding the demonic item slowly come to a stop and no more light and no more function of the gizmos. You look back down at Nero and jabbed an accusing finger at him, causing the taller man to narrow his eyes at your insulting single little digit.
"You done it now! Something's gonna happen and I know it!" you shriek.
"Good lord, Belle. You're just being paranoi—"
The skeleton globe he held suddenly materialized into his demonic arm, radiating brightly. You let out a choked noise and your eyes widen in horror of something horrible about to happen. He stared down at his demon arm in worry and is shocked when his arm shot up and a blast of light appeared, making you squeal and fall back on your bum from the surprise. And all went back to calm, no possessed Nero going dark side or destruction to the whole world in the making, just Nero inspecting his arm with a quirk brow before giving a little shrug and grunt. Seeing your shaken form, he was quick to be by your side.
"Belle, you alright?"
"You big-headed IDIOT!"
THWACK!
"Ow! What the hell?" he shoots to his feet, holding the side of his head.
"I told you something was gonna happen!" you shout up at him, still sitting on the floor.
"Oh, shut up."
Nero helped you up on your feet, you looked at his arm with wariness but he only rolled his eyes at you and stretched it out, making a point that his arm was still in his control and not gonna burst into some evil entity.
"It just absorbed it then?"
"Pretty much, yeah." Nero nods.
"Hmmm... Do you ever hold your weapons in that hand?"
"When I can't use my left, sometimes I do. Why?"
"And you really don't know much about your arm?"
"No I don't. What's with these 20 questions?" he demands, narrowing his eyes at you.
Fwap!
Nero blinked stupidly as he was staring at a sketch book in one hands, various markers in another hand. You immediately got to work in doodling your findings and it took a moment later for Nero to snap out of stupor and set a large scowl on his face.
"Belle...?"
"Mm?" you grunt.
"What are you doing?" he calmly asks.
"I'm jotting down my findings of this arm of yours!"
"... You have a sketch book."
"Yeah."
"... You're drawing."
"I know."
He couldn't take it anymore.
"You suck at drawing!"
SWACK!
You let Nero bleed on the floor as you finished your sketching, turning back to trying to find a way out but soon came to see that the other exit door in the room was completely blocked off and had no way of getting up due to the damage the demons had caused. Nero finally got back to his feet once he was sure he healed himself, he rolled his eyes at you and your sensitive value over your suckish drawings that you always made when trying to prove some simple point when there were times that he couldn't understand things. They helped, they really did... it was just the shape of character that really got to him.
He moved himself to lean on some nearby rail that overlooked the chairs that had faced the skeleton globe and from his movement, something caught the corner of his eyes, he looked up and noticed there was light just near the second floor where he and you couldn't get onto.
'Huh?'
As he stood straight, he narrowed his eyes at the light and it glowed and similar hue that the skeleton globe made when his arm sucked it in. The light was beckoning him to be caught but his demonic arm. Nero looked down at his arm, back to the light, and down to his arm before his mind clicked at his new findings, he shot his head up to you.
"Belle! Get over here, I found a way!"
"Really?" you ask but stop yourself. "It doesn't involve dynamite, does it?"
"What? No!"
"..." you still did not move from your spot.
"Let it go, Belle! It was a long time ago!"
"You ruined the party festival that day! Kyrie cried for two weeks for her favorite dress being ruined! And Credo had gotten the lecture of a life-time from His Holiness because you were, how you say 'curious'."
"You just love to bitch about anything."
"Hmph."
Nero, without any warning, grabbed you by the waist and pulled you to his chest and you were surprised by the closeness. The knight used his demon arm and reached for the light and like he thought, the arm stretched out and latched onto the light and the light hauled both you and Nero to the second floor. You looked at where you both were standing.
"How...?"
"I think it's that thing I absorbed. I never noticed that light under I had that thing in my arm. Pretty handy stuff, I'll admit." Nero smirked.
Scribble, scribble, scribble!
"Ah c'mon! No more stupid doodles!"
SMACK!
"OW!"
You nodded in satisfaction of your findings and went ahead with Nero following and sporting a red hand print on his face. Nero used the same technique when coming across another gap and you both walked on the hall of which the other door was located. The door led through another hallway that showed the chaos to viewed in the streets of Fortuna. You prayed safety for Kyrie and the others.
Like before, Nero swung an arm around your waist and he stretched his demonic arm to grab for the light and you both flew over the streets littered with numerous Scarecrows down below. You both ended up on someone's patio and unfortunately they were going to find it damaged when a cobweb stopped you from going any further. Scarecrows appeared, luckily it was just two and no more were coming up anytime soon. You and Nero split up to deal with your own demons. You slashed a Scarecrow to send it flying up and pulled out the second Gunblade to repeatedly shoot it in the air, not letting it drop until the whole thing was just a doll full of hundreds of holes.
"Nicely done." Nero says, clapping his hands to dust off the dirt and you looked back to see what he did and smiled when it was flagging around on some pole like a national flag.
Nero, once again, grabbed your waist and you both flew across the street and then landing at a small courtyard with a tiny pond in the middle of the court and more Scarecrows attacked.
"C'mon then!" you shout at the incoming Scarecrows.
"Lets do this!" Nero charged ahead.
You jumped in the air when a Scarecrow from behind made a slice from behind, you used the demon to make you jump higher in the air and flipping the Gunblade to shoot at their leg, disabling them a bit before landing. You ran to another and slashed through them without any mercy, turning swiftly around to shoot through their sack-heads, hitting them both with a single bullet since they were in the same alignment. Nero of course finished dispatching his share of Scarecrows and he nodded to the nearby gate that led out somewhere.
"I can already tell this is gonna be one hell of a party." Nero commented which made you stop.
"Huh?" you stopped, looking at him with wide eyes.
Nero turned back to you. "Hey, what is it?"
"... I dunno. I... I just thought I heard somebody say that once." you shake your head, smiling slightly. "Must be my imagination, sorry. It's nothing at all."
You walked pass Nero who kept quiet. His eyes narrowed at your back and he couldn't help it that his mind went back to that fight with that stranger dressed in red who broke into the Opera House. At their end of their fight, it went from strange to bizarre and he couldn't shake off the echo of words the man said to him.
Nero glared up at the ceiling where the man in red was sitting and looking mighty cozy, his legs crossed and if the situation was totally unfazing to the older man. Cocky bastard is what he thought, but he really shouldn't be one to say that himself or otherwise he's be a total hypocrite. He was angry though, a little ticked off that the guy just said that they were alike, along with those demons that had been disguised at knight from the Order, if the red eyes and rotting skin was any indication.
"Though I suspect you carry something different from the others." said the older white-haired man.
"What are you talking about?" Nero demanded, he had enough of these riddles.
"You'll come to learn the meaning soon enough. But... business beckons." the man stood up and wicked smile came across his face. "Besides, it seems like I got catching up to do with a certain someone."
"Huh?"
"Belle," Nero's expression immediately darkened at the thought of you in total danger. "She doesn't remember me."
"Who the hell are you and how do you even know her?" Nero shouts, wondering if this was some trap or if there was truth.
Without any words, the man in red turned away.
"Hey!" Nero shouted, pulling out Blue Rose and shooting the spot where the man once stood.
The man appeared at another open part of the shattered glass-stained window, giving a mock salute. "Adios kid! Take care of her for me until then!"
And this time, he was gone.
'Who the hell is he... And how does he know her?' Nero watched you try to kick the closed doors open to continue on the mission.
It had been a complete and total mystery for everyone that knew you, the girl who came from nowhere. You were but of five years of age and the only things you had in your possession was the clothes on your back. A dirty white sundress with small splashes of blood. Credo had found you when he had went for training, saying he saw a little child wandering alone in the beaches just after dark. Lost and alone, almost to tears because of how scared your were.
The doctor diagnosed amnesia, having found a bump on your head. You would have been placed in the orphanage but Credo and Kyrie's parents had taken pity and mercy and took you into their family, giving you warmth and love like they had with him when he was once alone himself.
And now this guys comes along, having killed His Holiness and words full of distant memory when he spoke of you like you and him had been acquainted in the past. Nero didn't know what to think at this point, wondering if he should tell you something of what he learned about the man but thought against it, not wanting to wait for you to do anything stupid like to try and find him yourself and confront him and demand answers. The bastard had his eyes on his childhood friend, like hell he was gonna let that happen by opening his mouth!
Whatever memories this guy had for you, they probably couldn't be good.