Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing! No wait, I do own the pizza though haha.
Author's Note: Reminiscences: Seeing Through Your Eyes is my pathetic attempt at bringing back my first DMC fanfiction; Seeing Through Your Eyes. My previous version was somehow erased and since I never really saved my old posts on nowhere, just my phone...(which got trashed btw)... well you can all guess exactly how far my search to salvage as much of this story truly went by reading it as I go... For those of you that do remember my old version though, I must be truthful with you guys and just say that I'm truly sorry that this storyline will not follow the last one with exact accuracy. There's a reason why I named it what I did. So if you guys happen to be reading and find something new that wasn't there before please don't freak out. Anyway, enough of my ridiculous ranting and let's move on to the story then... Enjoy!..
Chapter 1: Taken
Somewhere deep in the Underworld...
A purple crimson sky with loud rumbling thunders and quick lightnings flashed about as the land quaked at the awakening of the Underworld's demonic lord.
A loud inhuman roar soared throughout the vast darking wine skies as a still-stone figure sluggishly materialized into a mercury coated humanoid.
The demon's former stony facial features could be seen as his body easily underwent a variety of contortions as the creature's strive to will himself not to succumb to his growing ire came to an abrupt end when his eyes finally gave him reason.
"Get him out of my sight! He no longer serves me !" the creature growled, his colour filled eyes flickering back and forth between a steel gray and tar black.
"Just like that insolent son of Sparda!" he seethed, "That pathetic half-breed!"
His eyes and skin all seem to twitch in unity as he mulled over his previous encounter with the surprisingly stubborn Son of Sparda.
"As you wish my lord, as you wish." answered a shadow-like form as it cowered in fear before the demon lord.
He always attained this usual reaction from every demon stationed beneath his order and the vile creatures always seemed to somehow disgust him.
Once the shadow servant was out of sight, the silver demon's skin slowly plodded into long dark robes as he descended a flight of stairs.
Tilting his head, he frowned in disgust when he noticed another shadowed creature slowly emerging from the depths before him once he reached the bottom.
His clouded eyes instantly zeroed in on the wavering human form being currently dragged in before his presence by the intruding shadow demon.
"What good does he do me?, he prompted, cocking his head to the side as he trained his colubrine eyes on the barely visible silhouette. "He couldn't even destroy his own family.. How loathsome." He finally concluded and taking a large mass of his victim's hair, the malefactor pulled up close to his weakened and bloodied face.
"Another pathetic soul," he whispered, pausing and letting out a long breath.
The dying man's eyes fluttered opened upon hearing the bitter words the wicked Underworld ruler had just spoken.
The words seemed to somehow have trigger something in the man's mind. As his eyes flickered and he struggled to speak as well as withhold the blood threatening to spurt out of his mouth at any second.
"I'm sorry to...disappoint-
His words were immediately cut short as blood gushed out of his mouth and splurged onto the ground like a raging river flowing to meet its ends.
Mundus observed the entire ongoing intently, his shoulders trembling as he finally began to crackle completely engulfed in insane pleasure.
His minions watched their lord as he leaned his head back and continued to discharge his satisfaction before he released his hold and shoved the human harshly to the ground.
Not at all interested to hear the dying soul's last words, he turned to leave.
"Those humans have another thing coming their way," he murmured, all signs of his gleeful moment gone as he shooed away his minions with the human in their claws.
He then strolled in the direction of his throne and upon reaching it he turned to the demon following his every step, "I don't need you to find another way into the human world anymore... We don't need to go to them.." he stated, a manic chortle escaping his lips as he finished, "Because they will come to me."
And the entire throne room echoed with the sounds of wicked laughter thereafter...
Perhaps the Underworld king did indeed have a new plan for the future... A future where surely humans would no long coexist...
Human World...Devil May Cry
"What do you have for me now?" Dante asked, chewing lavishly on a half eaten slice of pepperoni pizza.
The demon was sitting at his desk with his legs resting on a stack of books, only a few feet away from his unexpected visitor.
"Same as always." Detective Stephan Ashford answered, sitting on a wooden chair Lady had just pulled up for him from the kitchen.
The man had an unexplainable smile that always seemed to grace his lips whenever he explained a promising job.
"And it'll pay a reasonable amount, right?" Lady asked, reclaiming her seat on top of Dante's desk.
"As always." the young man assured, his eyes finding her's with a glint of amusement.
"Really? And what exactly are you leaving out this time?" Dante interjected, frowning in annoyance.
The half-demon wasn't exactly dense when it came to wooing women. So he knew exactly what the male before him was playing at and cutting in was always something he worked on to ensure Lady didn't catch him red-handed.
The stubborn human had been on and off about how he could help the demon huntress with tracking down the best gun shops in town and finding the best arsenal equipment to store up heavy military weapons.
Blah blah blah-thought Dante. He hated the guy already and he'd only been working with him for a few weeks.
"Not much. I mean aren't you people suppose to be all about money?" The daring man asked bluntly, purposely directing his question at Dante.
"Hmpf, who told you that?" The half-demon asked, ringing a sarcastic tone as he slouched deeper into his chair.
"Well, doesn't your reputation prove enough?"
Lady on the other hand, couldn't help but notice the young detective actually played his cards well. Although, he wasn't any older than they were, he truly got what he wanted when he wanted it.
The dark haired girl usually just listened in as the two males always barked at each other endlessly, but when money was in between she always happened to find a thing or two to get them to handle their conversations like normal gentleman.
"Ha, you got guts. I'll give you that, boy scout." Dante answered bitterly. The white-haired demon frowned undoubtedly angrily at the lofty grinning detective.
A scowl crept up Dante's mouth as he studied the smug human.
"For a detective I figured you would've at least been more nice about the facts." Lady intruded. Earning herself a charming grin from the mousy-haired detective.
"Well, I guess I should have tried to sugar coat a thing or two, huh?" he replied, turing his attention back to Lady.
An awkward silence followed after.
"Alright then. No doubt you have some fun planned out for us. On with it then." Dante innovated, taking note of the look the Ashford guy was sharing with Lady.
Although, the demon huntress and him weren't officially together, Dante still kept an eye open for that chance. Ever since they'd met at the Temin-Ni-Gru, Lady had become more than just the simple girl with a desire to put a bullet through his head. And he definitely wasn't going to let some bum cop beat him to getting the girl either.
Whereas the dark-haired beauty on the other hand was always one step ahead of the half-demon though. So, if you asked whether she'd noticed every reaction Dante threw at a newcomer when they were males was something she ignored? She'd only grinned back and roll her heterchromic eyes.
"A few days ago, I was given a case that dealt with what many people would believe were demons." Stephan explained, emphasizing the last word in a rather irritating manner. "A librarian from a museum called in late at night stating that three books had been taken and that he believed for some reason that his life was in danger-
"And you guys took the bait?" asked Dante, his tone bland with boredom.
Mentally smacking himself to keep himself from yelling at the white-haired devil for interrupting him, Stephan glared at him in disgust.
"As protectors of the city, it is our job to see something is done." the young detective sighed, pinching his nose bridge as he continued. "But of course, that doesn't actually mean we have to believe everything that comes in-
"What? You don't believe in demons?" Lady asking, swinging her bottom leg in amusement.
This can be interesting. she thought, her eyes scanning the guy intently.
Ashford gave off a small sarcastic laugh as he went on, "Demons? Ha, I barely believe cats have nine lives!" he let out chuckling as if it were all just a big joke.
Lady arched a sly brow and turned to Dante intrigued. Dante in turn only grinned back.
Somewhere in the city...
"How am I suppose to stay away from those things if they hunt me down no matter where I hide." Gabriel murmured, studying her ashen skin in the mirror and scowling at how pale her apparent complexion appeared.
"What should I do?" Gabriel scowled, clenching her fists until her knuckles clicked under the pressure.
She stared at her reflection in frustration as if expecting it to somehow answer her back anytime soon. As if deep down her inward-self somehow knew the answers to her questions, but was choosing to elude her every question on purpose.
Silence. Utter. Complete. Silence.
The stormy eyed girl groaned in the retort.
She felt a surge of disappointment as nothing seemed to be clicking into place at the time.
"Nothing." she whispered, dropping her face into her hands and massaging her suddenly throbbing temple. "This is all just… nothing."
Exhaustion was exceeding taking its toll on her in the last fortnight days.
Not so strangely, a permanent headache had already settled in between her eyes and forehead. Her muscles ached and throbbed.
Forcing her hands to comply, she worked to pull together her thick ebony hair into a high ponytail at the back of her head.
Pausing once more to stare at her reflection in the looking glass, she found her sad eyes begging her desperately to give in.
She felt emotionally empty and physically alone.
She had been running for weeks now. Night and day, not stopping longer than a few hours in one place.
Why am I'm I doing this? she thought, sniffing and brushing her nose with the back of her hand.
She cleared her throat, and then found herself oddly transfixed on a thick vein quivering at her neck.
Instantly, the walk down memory lane began before she could even consider piniching herself awake out of her unexplainable trance.
"You mustn't let them reach you. They will stop at nothing." Max Langston, Gabriel's father, hastily explained,"They want your key, Gabriel. You wield the second key to the gate of the Demon world. All your life I've taught you of the stories of the legendary Dark Knight Sparda and how he sealed the doors to his realm long ago... although I forgot to explain to you the fact that the humans too had a way of closing and opening the gates before him as well. You can open and close paths to the demon world, you're what they called; the Hell Gatekeeper.
Not in your blood, but in your mind. You've never opened a gate, but you're the only one who has the perfect instructions on how to... The Underworld Emperor now searches for you because he has yet to find a way to re-opening the gate and making one world out of two."
"He's already considered his alternative door to the human world?"
"Yes, I never thought this day would come...I didn't prepare you for this. I am the one to blame...this isn't your fault. I never thought we would live to see this day."
"No,...no, it's not... may I ask you something?"
He nodded, turning his attention toward her from the bag he was shoving things into.
"How could I be certain I know something, when I've never actually been taught it?" she inquired, scratching the back of her head confused.
"When you're shown that you hold that knowledge and can exercise it. That's when you know that you know." he answered, frowning confused himself at his own answer.
"Okay, let's have a look at this instead." he started, walking over to her side of the room and kneeling before her. He then motioned for her to kneel next to him.
"You can simply summon a portal, like opening a door to Wonderland like in the story of Alice and Wonderland. It's more like teleporting actually. Not exactly though, because your location of arrival will always be at question. Do you understand?" he paused, studying Gabriel's perplexed expressions.
"At first, you don't always have a clear view of where you're going. You don't know what's ahead of you. And this is only because you have never been to the Underworld." he continued. And using a few blocks on the ground as props to demonstrate, he took his time to explain to her.
"This is you." he explained, pointing at a green block.
"And this is the Gate which separates the Human world and the Underworld." he continued, drawing a line a few inches in front of the block.
"And this is the Emperor or Ruler of the Underworld." he pulled a red block to a spot a few inches away from the line.
"Why exactly did humans ever what to find a way to enter the world of the dead anyway?" Gabriel asked, arching a brow in curious behavior.
"Long ago many feared the coming of someone who would rule the earth with great power. A portion of the people decided that if they were to find the source of the power they could destroy it before it even erupted and possessed a certain host." he explained still looking down at the red block in his fingers.
"So they found ways to travel to hell to attain the great power?" she rephrased, chewing her lip worrisome."I…I'm not sure how to-
"How to put it all together?" he prompted. "How to explain why exactly they were not successful…?"
"Yes, exactly..." Gabriel's retort drifted off.
"They believed attaining the power was the key. But they were wrong in many ways... There was another handful of others that believed that the power was too much for humans alone to attain and contain.
So that is where Sparda's story comes in... As humans traveled out to hell, demons traveled into our realm."
"Demons? Is that what they were?" Gabriel muttered, recalling the vague memory.
Demons or no demons, I have to find another place to spend the night before sundown, she thought, raking her slender fingers though her unkempt ends. She truly loathed the fact that she hadn't found anytime before to deal with her recent grooming dilemmas. So she took five minutes to quickly brush out all the knots in her hair before getting back to reviewing all the Underworld notes she'd taken recently.
She jumped, startled when the knob in the bathroom door rattled, turning side to side.
"One minute!" Gabriel called out, right before hastily shoving all her notebooks and pens into her backpack. She grabbed the remaining books from the sink and quickly headed for the door without another word.
"Excuse me." she said, passing by the woman; whom she presumed shook the door knob just a second ago.
What came next was completely unforeseen because Gabriel reflexively strifled down a cry of pain when the woman reached out and forcibly grabbed her left wrist, twising it to the side as she went.
Painfully startled, Gabriel immediately took on desperate measures and hoicked her hand right back. Turning the woman's hand completely over her head, she kicked her below her rib cage without a single waver.
And not waiting to find out why exactly her attacker had indeed attacked. Gabriel immediately made a run for it and made straightaway toward her car.
With her body instantly clashing onto the windshield, she haste-clumsy searched her pockets for the car keys. But seeing she was unsuccessful, she was then forced to dodge away from the door when a magic-imbued blade zinged by her in a brief flash.
The sharp weapon barely missing her left bicep by a few centimeters.
She quickly turned her attention to the attacker who was now slowly moving toward her with a scythe in it's hands.
This was no human.
It had no human behavior.
"At least not anymore!" Gabriel muttered to herself, fear coursing though her like a virus.
Not wasting anymore time than she already had, Gabriel soon found herself moving. She took off at breakneck speed, not even turning to get a second glance at the demon right at her heels hastily moving toward her.
"Why me!? Why me!?" Gabriel gibbered, nearly tripping as she ran and tried to distinguish what type of demon was at her trail.
Her father, had provided her with everything she would've needed before she'd left the house the last day he'd called her. The unexpected call had been made from his job at the museum late at night.
He'd explained to her that the demons had found him and that he was running out of time.
"Hurry Gabe, grab the bag in the closet in my room. Quickly take it with you and take the Mercedes. The keys are in the car. Now go quickly!" was all he'd said right before hanging up. Or at least that was all she'd heard, before the call was cut and the house phone went dead. After a quick search throughout the house, Gabriel had managed to find a large amount of money and credit cards in a bag with directions to follow. There were about four thick and very heavy, tomes and a piece of parchment that read 'If you know your way in, than you must definitely know your way out.'
Desolated. Dark. Terrorizing.
Every sidewalk, every alley. Not a single place offered Gabriel the safety she was so desperately searching for at the moment.
Guided only by the moon and it's shimmering midnight light, ever so often the panicking girl would occasionally stumble upon a few normal town citizens going about there own nightly hour business.
But the truth of the matter was; finding another human wasn't really going to help her in anyway.
The very thought of letting another human get hurt offering her protection was truly something she couldn't fathom.
But surprisingly enough was the fact that what was pumping fear into her the most was that she was beginning to notice something rather strange... something extremely different and extremely terrifying...
The people in the streets, at some point, had actually stopped acknowledge her existence.
"Please, someone please help me." she frantically begged, as the man across the street from her just stared at her absently. Was he considering her actions a mere prank? A joke?
Before she could even manage to accept her current situation, Gabriel found herself dodging yet another one of those scythe like blades.
She knew for certain that she was really running out of options.
But rather abruptly, those thoughts all ended when she collided, head-first, into a young man; whom quite frankly seemed to have appeared out of nowhere to be exact.
Gabriel immediately staggered backwards as her quaking hands hastily found her forehead.
"I'm sorry, did that hurt?" he asked, his tone so casually it caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand.
She risked a quick glance behind her.
No demons.
She faint-heartedly let her guard down.
Which turned out to be her worst mistake. Because evidently the young man who stood in front of her now only grinned wildly.
"Well," he said, skimming his tongue across his teeth. "It seems your body is well aware of the danger you're in." he smirked, making no moves towards her.
"What?... no.." murmured Gabriel, her face turning white as she stumbled backwards some more.
The stranger watched the girl's frightened eyes as they flew to her surroundings and then back to him, imploring him to make sense of all this and explain himself.
Clearing his throat was his only response.
Flinching slightly, she found herself transfixed on an eerie thick vein that seemingly twitched in his neck as he continued to observe her in a maniac-like state.
The vein was doing strange things to her thoughts.
And almost instantly, she found herself remembering a vein twitching at her own neck not too long ago.
"Oh, come on. It really can't be that hard to track down this little lady?" he started up again, addressing someone behind her this time.
Out of the shadows, a woman arrayed in red, stepped out rather slowly. Her crimson dress as red as blood. A velvet, silky second skin as it flowed behind her; giving an illusion that she was draped in a sheet of pure blood-like fluid.
The troubled girl instantly took note of both of her attackers as they both calmly took their time to approach her.
"Don't worry darling. We'll take good care of you." were the last words she heard. Then everything went dark and she couldn't hold herself up anymore.
Her eyelids began to feel so heavy... Her eyelashes felt like they were made out of lead...
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
Psalm 23
Devil May Cry...The Day After...
"Got anything on the museum case?" asked Lady, sitting on top of Dante's desk again, one leg over the other.
"Nah, I haven't really been looking into that one today. I mean come on, you kidding? A few books go missing and just because their related to demons doesn't make it a job for me babe. That dude's got another thing coming if he thinks he can just come in here and throw his job on me! I'm all about the action, not the paperwork!" he mused, answering her from the couch.
"Yeah? But what if it really has something to do with some of our other missions, huh?" she countered, cocking her head to the side, staring at her sliver-white headed partner intently. "What then?"
She'd worked with him almost three years now and he really hadn't changed one bit.
"Well then, you look into it then." he resolved, sprawling down on his back and crossing his feet on top of a small black table.
She'd recently brought that table in herself because there really wasn't anything to write on besides Dante's desk.
Apparently, the office desk was way too far for her when she was lounging about on her free days. So? She'd gone about and found herself the little wooden thing at an extremely satisfying low price. The same little thing that demon Dante always took advantage of!
"Really?" Lady opposed, feeling a bet coming up. Not like he ever actually paid them off though, anyway.
"Well, yeah. I mean if it actually has something to do with the other cases. Then I'll personally take care of it." said Dante, grinning mischievously at the thought of it all.
He truly can be the laziest half-demon in the world sometimes. And dropping all on her shoulders was always his plan.
"Alright, I'll deal with it for now. Ha, but know this demon boy, the larger part of the payment goes to me. Since I'm the one sticking my neck out." a smug smirk crawled up the corner of her mouth.
"And you have to buy lunch today too." Lady continued, pushing her luck a little.
"Lunch, huh?" the half-demon thought aloud. Instantly sitting up right, he arched his left brow at her daringly.
"Pizza, right?" he petitioned. The half-demon suddenly looked like a puppy that hasn't been getting feed what he loved most with such a passion.
"Grrr.." groaned Lady, annoyed. They always ate pizza. He always wanted pizza. She jumped off the desk and casually strolled over to the couch. Planting a foot on it and reaching for a holstered pistol at her left thigh.
One-handedly, the demon huntress causally aimed the gun at Dante's head.
"And you won't try anything funny this time, right?" she threatened.
Dante completely ignoring the red and bluish-green eyed girl as he inhaled deeply.
"I really don't know. Maybe I will, maybe I won't." he taunted, causing Lady to quickly cock the gun to show she was business.
"I will shoot every last bullet I have in the chamber. One-by-one for three hours straight if I have to." she threatened furthermore, gritting her teeth aggressively as she spoke. Her voice slowly elevating as she delivered every new word.
"Oh, come on! All the guy wanted was a kiss?" Dante teased, struggling to hold his composure. His voice cracked a bit as he barely managed to stifle down blooming fits of laughter.
"I told you if you ever brought that up again I'd never order pizza again!" she roared.
Uh oh, now I've done it, Dante thought and continued to laugh loudly.
He really had to start thinking of something to easily weasel out of this one.
"Oh come on, Lady." the half-demon tried, shrugging innocently. "I'll get pineapple this time! Really!"
The huntress was completely flared up with anger, but was currently arching a slender brow, staring at him as she invoked her inner patience.
"Keep going." she pushed, yet making no move to lower the pistol still aiming at his head.
"And you can get the payment for the museum case. All of it." he quickly added.
"Hmph, that sounds better." she agreed, nodding her head and smiling satisfied. Tipping the sofa over with her foot, she dumped Dante on the ground and holstered her gun.
"Alright devil boy your call." she said flippantly, preparing to give him his options.
Just then, Dante pranced up on his feet and turned to her.
"Lady's got a boyfriend! Lady's got a boyfriend!" he teased and spurted out laughing at her again.
"I do not, you- "
Completely abandoning the idea of yanking her gun back out, she instantly launched herself at him.
She'd lost it and holding back on him was nowhere near her mind at the moment.
"You're dead!"
The female slayer knew her physical punches weren't really going to do much on the white-haired demon. Nonetheless, she'd gotten used to venting her spleen on him in similar occasions before. Not too surprisingly, she'd always found she felt much better after having done so.
"No, wa-wait up will ya!"
Quickly pinning him on the ground and tightly fisting her gloved hands, Lady prepared to land the first blow directly on the devil's face.
But right before her fist could collided, the phone on Dante's desk began to ring.
Letting go of his shirt, Lady relaxed on top of the panting demon's abdominal and held him down with her weight.
"You expecting a call?" she asked eyeing the phone from afar.
"Not really." said Dante, propping himself up on his elbows.
They'd agreed that Saturdays were their 'catch-up' days. So keeping that in mind, there really shouldn't have been any calls coming in at the moment.
The hunting partners remain in place for a full on minute, hoping against all hope that the caller behind the receiver would just give up, but unfortunately...
"So, you going to get that or? I mean-to be honest, I would really go for this but I'd like to be the one on top." Dante teased from below her, his words firing her right back up again.
"Argh!"
Rather irritated, Lady hastily shoved him away and then got to her feet before turning away from him to make sure he wouldn't see the pink hues lingering warmly on her ivory flushed cheeks. And as soon as she was up, Dante then ildy made his way to the frenzy ringing phone.
"Yup, Devil May Cry?" he answered, tapping his foot as he listened.
"Oh really?" he frowned, "Whatta pleasant surprise!"
"How nice. Oh, yeah? Really? Alright. Fine by me. Nah, don't worry about it. I'll look into it personally. " he said flippantly, turning back to look at Lady and grinning mischievously when he spoke the last words.
Lady stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at the half-demon. If looks could kill he wouldn't be breathing right there and then.
"Well looks like Lady Luck has finally decided to smile on me." announced Dante, breaking the silence as he strolled to a hanger and grabbed his long red, twin-tailed coat. He examined the jacket with one arched eyebrow. "Looks like I will be getting pizza with pineapples for ya, babe." he continued with a sigh.
"What? What do you mean?" Lady asked, skeptically tilting her head to the side.
"Well business calls, even if I wanted to skip this one, I really wouldn't." he frowned again and smirked at the thought of ditching his new task. "Sounds like they found the books that were missing from the museum. Well atleast some sheets that belonged to them that is." he rolled his eyes annoyed. "Stephan thinks I should go by and see if there is any demon related contents I can pick up at the crime scene." Grabbing Ebony and Ivory, he skillfully secured them safely on his back and then made for Rebellion; located at the far end on the wall. "And I said I would, so?" he shrugged and headed for the door. "Let's get moving! Pronto!"
Lady frowned at the devil.
Wasn't today a Saturday? Lady thought irritated. And pushing her thoughts aside, she quickly made to grab Kalina Ann from the weaponry on the wall and then headed out after Dante. This is going to be a long day, she muttered, lazily shutting the door behind her.
Author's Note: This is chapter one, I'll have Chapter two: Appertion, out in a bit as well. Sorry for the long wait though, this took longer than I had anticipated. Really, it did. But pushing all that aside I hope you guys enjoyed this... can't wait to show you guys how I'm working on recovering this story... please review/comment to let me know what you're thoughts on this..that way you guys will help me decide if this truly was a good idea or not.. hopefully I didn't do that bad!