Curious Artifact
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Author's Ramblings: Taking the initiative of procrastinating in the weirdest of ways from NaNoWriMo, I've decided to print a particular list of prompts from one of the many pages in LiveJournal. Since I've always wanted to write a Fanfic about Devil May Cry I've decided to write this fic.
Prompt List: Wedding Vows.
Yeah, well, this is a very interesting turn of events for me too. Thank God it's only ten prompts… and this one's a crossover. Crazy, I know.
Prompt 01: Lawfully Wedded.
During the next couple of days Dante was so cranky no one in the car dared to say a word. Not that they wanted to speak anyway and not that there were a lot of people just that one wanted to make things worse by saying a sarcastic comment that might make the other explode. And just for the record only Dante and Trish were on the car. The trip to their destination wasn't a long one, but things had escalated to such a degree those guns and swords were ready to be drawn and half the city block would pay for their own damn curiosity.
Trish was scratching the back of her head, silently watching the view New York city could offer in the middle of fall. It was a gorgeous thing to watch and after living for the last couple of years during the night and sleeping during the day she'd quite forgotten about it. They should travel up this side of New York more often. She would mention it, in due time, but right now she wasn't even considering turning to look at Dante.
And the stores in the area… her wardrobe would benefit from it. If could only find the will to con Dante into buying her some of the expensive articles!
"We are here." He said suddenly, making her turn and look forward… They had reached a small residential area, with several shops around, mostly cafes and little boutiques, and for a moment Trish considered scolding, and she did turn to do it; but Dante had left the car and was walking around the car. Trish opened the door and got out, while Dante walked upt he stairs that lead to a large door. The dark mahogany doors looked seal shut, as if the place had been in foreclosure for a year.
Scratch that, a hundred years. The place seemed closed, as mentioned earlier; there was no light inside, any sign of living beings inside or even cleaning… Trish was sure that the Phantom parked a few meters was the owner's, call it women's intuition.
"Dante?"
Dante grabbed the handle and pulled, breaking it open. Dante stood still for a second and then turned his head upwards, making Trish smile and quietly walk towards him. She stood beside him, and looked at the small gold sign to the side of the door: Arcana Cabana – Antiquities, Obscurities, Unusual Gifts – Balthazar Blake, Proprietor.
Interesting.
"I don't' think it's open."
"It is, I just broke in." And Dante pushed the door open, making the little bell giggle as they entered the quiet space.
"What I meant was that there's no one here."
And a blue ball of lightning made Dante pull out Alastor and cover, while Trish readied to attack as well. The lights went on, the front door closed tight and store's temperature dropped considerably. "Come out Blake, I know you are there."
A moment of silence and then footsteps were heard. "Who are you and why are you searching for my hus…?" The woman who appeared from behind the cash register was tall, hair long and dark and so beautiful Dante was tempted to try and pick her up, but she had started to talk about a husband so…
"I'm looking for Balthazar Blake." Said Dante, eating his comments and staring at her for a second before… "Veronica?" The woman stared at him, blinking rapidly while recognition sank in.
"Mr. Sparda?"
"Is it really you? I thought you were stuck with Morgana in the doll!" and Dante opened his arms, walking towards the woman, who laughed and hugged him. Trish stared in amazement, eyebrow arched as Dante laughed against the woman's dark locks. For some reason the idea of seeing him so snuggly with another female made her feel uncomfortable, Trish by nature was not a jealous woman and she had no reason to be jealous over Dante. He wasn't anything more than friends. "What is that?" Said the woman suddenly pulling away and looking at Dante's arm. "Why are you wearing this?"
"Long story. We came over to have Balthazar check them out."
"Balthazar is out of the country, but if you would allow me to check it out I can help you with it." She looked at Trish and smiled. "I am sure you have a similar item, right?"
"Oh, yes, sorry. Trish this is Veronica Gorlo…"
"Blake, I'm married."
"Is that so? Veronica Blake, she's the wife of the proprietor. Veronica this is my partner Trish."
"A pleasure to meet you." Said Veronica offering her hand to shake, which Trish took delicately, she wasn't too sure of how strong this woman was… and was utterly surprised at how much power radiated from her.
"Likewise."
"Well it appears it's a device that had been missing for three hundred years, according to the Encantus. I am not surprised you found it, Dante, you're that lucky."
"Why am I afraid to ask why you say that?"
"These particular bracelets, had you been at all able to even move them?"
"I tried turning them in my writs, but it feels like it's embroidered to my skin." Commented Trish, making Dante nod in agreement.
"And it pains you at any particular times?"
"Yes." A moment of silence in which Veronica watched Trish, waiting for an answer. Trish remained quiet, making Dante turn to her and wait for the answer also. But the woman was reluctant to talk without been questioned.
"When?" Veronica was forced to ask, ruffling Trish a bit.
"When I'm away."
"From Dante?"
"Yes."
"How far?"
"Right now I can't be out of the neighborhood without it biting into my skin." Veronica nodded, as if confronting the facts before her. Trish walked away from them, looking out the dusty window of the store, and falling quiet. Dante himself was very quiet, and wasn't' looking at his partner.
"It seems my suspicious were well founded. These, Dante, are the Wrist Bands of Persephone."
"The what?" Asked Dante, looking up at Veronica in surprise.
"You heard right, these writs bands were created by Hades and placed around the goddess wrists to remind her when it was time for her to return. According to legend when the prickling became unbearable Persephone would gather her things and walk from her mother's house in the direction the wrists bands would tell her to walk, the less the pain the closer she was to Hades."
"But Hades and Persephone were a myth."
"It must have inspired some blacksmith with magical abilities. I can try and search the Encantus for a way to get them off, but for now you must remain together so the prickling won't bother either of you."
"That's simple for you to say." Murmured Dante, head falling against the desk they were currently sitting at. "Trish had decided to go off wondering and was leaving tomorrow for Costa Rica."
"Then she either stays or you tag along, but I do not recommend putting so much distance from each other… Where's Costa Rica?" Dante frowned at the woman and smiled.
"You haven't been out long, have you?"
"No."
"Ask your husband. Where is he anyway?"
"I haven't got a clue." And she smiled at Dante, who was frowning. The door opened and a blonde girl entered, not really looking where she was going.
"Veronica we've got a clue about… Oh, I'm sorry I didn't know you had… visitors?" She smiled at both half demons and flushed. "Hi." She added, nervously.
"Hello." Said Dante, turning away from her. Trish did the same as Veronica stood, looking quite anxious.
"If you don't mind, Mr. Sparda, I must listen to this."
"It's alright, go on." And he sat back down, Trish watching the two women go in a hurry.
"That was interesting."
"Veronica is quite the exceptional girl."
"Oh, is she?"
"Yeah." Dante didn't add, but leaned over the large book the woman had produced, reading whatever she'd found. According to the book there were two ways of releasing the lock of the bands; the joining of souls or the death of one of the wearers what would lead to the dead of the other. Either way they would be one so- what the…? "I don't believe this."
"Did you find a way of taking these off?"
"I wish." Dante pulled the book closer and read some more, while Trish leaned over his shoulder to read as well.
"Forget it, I am not doing that with you!"
"Its jut a simple spell besides we'll have my body as host, don't you wanna be a hunk of masculinity?"
"No, and who sais its your body we have to use, why not mine?"
"Because, babe, as much as I want to get into you, it's in the physical way not the metaphorical."
"I am not joining my soul with yours inside your body."
"Then would you like to die?"
"I rather die than be inside of you."
"Then we can try getting me inside of you and see how it feels." A moment of silence, in which they stared at each other; Dante sported a huge grin while Trish watched him annoyed.
"As tempting as it sound…"
"Then you admit to it!"
"I will have to pass." Dante leaned back on his seat, smiling. Trish sat on the seat by the window (after having dusted it) and took a deep breath. "I also admit to having been a fool in putting it on."
"If that's an apology then I'll take it." He said softly. After all Trish had been the one to take them into this treasure hunting job, only find these particular items, she was the one to clasp one of the bracelets to her writs, and then also his fault the crankiness had issued.
Alright maybe the cranky part was his fault, not hers, but it was due to her actions. Veronica returned, laughing, and then walked to pull the Encantus towards her, "I'm sorry about that, Balthazar is on his way home."
"I see," Said Dante, still not looking at Trish. "I read the rest of the article and there's nothing else."
"Maybe Balthazar could help."
"Alright, we'll wait for him."
"Would you like some tea or biscuits?"
"How about a pizza?" And Trish shook her head, rolling her eyes and turning away from the table, wrapping her arms around herself. Outside a light rain was starting promising to turn into a heavy downpour, and while they waited, Veronica prepared some tea and pulled out some cookies. Dante grimaced at the flowery cup he was given, full of the warm sweet liquid, and he sipped it (he wasn't too fond of tea).
"Trish, would you like a cup?" Sighing, she nodded, and took the cup Veronica was offering. The brew was good, sweet and spicy all at the same time, and it was perfectly seasoned. It warmed her for a bit, and eased the knot of fear in her stomach. Dante ate half the tray of cookies, while Veronica and he spoke; Trish watched the weather shift drastically outside. From a light rain, to heavy rain, to raining cats and dogs, thunder and lightning made her skin crawl and suddenly she was shivering with cold. She heard Dante laugh and annoyance made its way into her heart, maybe because of the bracelet, maybe not; but this gorgeous woman so close and familiar with Dante was getting on her nerves.
Maybe it was just the need to get a good fight.
Leaning on the window, looking out at the rain, Trish started to think in something else (attempted was a more accurate description) and caressed her naked arms with her hands… To have Dante suddenly standing behind her, dropping his coat over her naked shoulders; Veronica was still sitting on the sofa, holding her own cup and smiling at their interaction. "You look cold."
"Because I am."
"I have a long sleeve shirt underneath, you need to cover up for New York." And she looked down, surprised at his words. He'd been caring before, but his tone to whisper the words was low, intimate. They turned to look at the window and Dante smiled. "Well look whose home." And Veronica hurried to the door, looking out. Never minding the rain she opened the door and ran towards the man walking down the street, looking wet and miserable. Her clothes and hair quickly got wet, her arms opened, and when the man saw her running his also opened his arms and received her with delight. Dante smiled. "Those two have always been like two little love birds."
Trish envied them.
Veronica slapped the back of Balthazar's head, again.
Because of a run in with several Morganians, he'd been injured on his leg, and while Dante had helped carry the man upstairs so the sorceress could work on his injury, the man was now under Veronica's care. "This kind of injury happens when you don't listen to me."
"I wasn't looking for a fight, it just… happened."
"Yeah, like I got this around my wrist; it just happened."
"Really?" Balthazar Blake wasn't much to look at, or so Trish thought. "Let me see." Dante offered his wrist to inspect and the man laughed. "Of all the rotten luck."
"What?"
"I can safely assume this young lady also has one."
"Yes."
"Congratulations, then, you two are lawfully wedded."
"WHAT?"
"The Encantus says…"
"I know what the Encantus says. And I can tell you that it's to some point, right." Said Balthazar in a rather enigmatic tone. "The bracelets or bands were created by two sorcerers during the dark ages, a way of keeping each other in order if you will."
"Maybe I should create one for you." Said Veronica, staring down at her husband.
"Now, Beloved, I told you I would explain later." He said, trying to sooth his angry-looking wife. Balthazar turned to Dante and smiled. "Once the bracelets are placed the couple will live with them for the rest of their natural lives, unless one of them dies."
"Because the other dies too, right?"
"It depends, if the bond were strong enough, it could happen. I have heard of cases in which the wristbands fall of the wrists before one of them died. I am sure this will be your case, because it usually is."
"I intend to live a very long time, if you will."
"This sucks."
Balthazar yelped, as Veronica pulled a particular bandage tight enough, and they looked at each other; him grimacing while she arched an eyebrow. Trish nodded at the treatment while Dante shuddered, he could relate with Blake. "Can… can they be disguised? Turn into something else that wouldn't be as conspicuous?" The wrist bands were large, they covered half Dante's forearm and his coat was already to burst because of the bulge it created. Trish's case was very similar, though she had very little to cover it with, and she wasn't about to change her fashion statements for the sake of covering a gigantic golden wristband that tied her soul with Dante's.
"You could decide, as a couple, what's the best disguise for it and I'm sure the bands will obey."
"Right, problem is we rarely agree in jewelry." Commented Dante, making Veronica's eyes widen. "Yes I've given her jewelry before, she always returns it saying it's horrible."
"Because you always give me fake gold, or fake diamonds, idiot." Said Trish, slapping the back of Dante's head.
"Ungrateful wench…"
"What did you…?"
"Now, please calm down, all of this events have proven quite difficult for you, even stressing you out. I recommend you calm down, we have a spare room you can use and leave in the morning. Like this you'll only fight and make things worse." Dante was staring away from Balthazar and Trish, hand caressing the wristband, and looking angry.
"I agree, Trish you can use one of my pajamas, I know they aren't your kind of clothes but they will be comfortable."
"That's too kind, really." And the two women walked away. Dante finally turned, watching Trish walk away, and suddenly cringed his fist closing as pain flooded his system in quiet succession. Balthazar noticed and took a deep breath.
"You better get used to it."
"What? Why?"
"When the bracelet considers the link will be damaged and its owners separated it will inflict pain to change your mind."
"Sadistic magical items. What curious artifacts, huh?"
"Have you learned your lesson?"
"Which is?"
"Curiosity killed the cat, but your luck has never been the best." Dante arched an eyebrow, he didn't like people who knew about his bad luck, and even less those who shove it to his face without mercy.
"You look like you were curious enough, what happened to you?"
"Ha! You should see my apprentice." And laughing Balthazar leaned back on the seat, too tired to keep talking.
That night, Dante walked from the small living room towards the door Trish had hidden behind. He'd been given the sofa because the woman had been angry, and wasn't about to share a twin sized bed with him; Trish had gone as far as declaring she would never share a bed with him.
The wrist band stuck it's nasty little teeth into Dante's flesh, making it hurt. Amazingly enough Dante had noticed that there was no blood, no matter how hard the aching was there was no bleeding. Taking a deep breath, he stood before the door for a few minutes, his hand rose and finally he knocked on it. The rain outside was louder than his knocks. The wrist ached less, so he tried knocking again and this time got a response.
"Come in."
Dante opened the door and walked into the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. Trish was sitting before the large window, watching the rare sight before her; instead of the walls of the nearby building a large field of flowers, and a faraway forest could be seen; there were night birds and animals moving about, while the hoot of an owl could be heard even through the thick rain falling outside the illusion seemed clear of weather nuisances. Dante couldn't help but to scoff. "Show off, dumb ass sorcerer."
"Dante; it was very nice of Veronica to create this illusion for me, don't murmur."
"I thought it was Balthazar's doing."
"What can I do for you?"
"I was…" As a matter of fact he had no idea why he'd come here, maybe to check up on her, or something. "I was wondering how you… feel about these things." Trish lowered her eyes and turned back to the illusion before her, she was pretending to be calm, but Dante knew her better than that and could see the tension in her shoulders. He walked towards her, and they both sighed, but Trish jumped when both his hands landed over her naked shoulders, and gave a squeeze to try and relieve stress. She let out a whimper of delight and pain, and Dante leaned over her. "I know it's uncomfortable, right?"
"To say the least."
"I am a big jerk and no husband material…"
"I thought you meant the massage…" He gave another squeeze, knowing how well she could handle him, and smiled. "Dante, you are not forced to stay by me."
"Only by dead that's all."
"We won't die, soon enough the magic holding these to our skin will fade and they will fall."
"But for now we are stuck."
"Hmm."
"You need to relax, Trish, it would only hurt more."
"Damn," She said, letting out a pained breath and leaning back, allowing herself to relax in his grasp (although she knew it was a bad idea). Dante continued his ministrations and wondered if the thoughts of having her were normal or the creation of the wrist bands… She let out a moan and he was absolutely almost certain it was the wrist bands. "What should we do?"
"Wait it out, I guess."
"And if it doesn't fade?"
"Then we are stuck together."
"So much for comfort."
"I don't do comfort. At least not outside…"
"The bedroom." They finished together, laughing like a pair of idiots for some reason.
"We could give it a try, see how it works out for the first few days and decided then what to do." Dante saw the thick long lashes open, her blue eyes setting on some far point in the illusion before them as ozone was evident in the air. Why was she charging up?
Or was it really ozone? Was it simply that this was Trish's Eau de Toilette.
"I never thought I would hear you say that."
"Hey, I can be spontaneous."
"and you don't want to die either."
"What's that supposed to mean?" And lifting her hands Trish took off his hands off her shoulders. Dante stared at her fro a moment and noticed how she seemed somehow crestfallen, but didn't mention it. "Trish?"
"Whatever you decided, I'll abide by. I don't have much of a choice, right?"
Anger made it's way into Dante's mind, and some thoughts of fury flared, but he bit his tongue and decided it was time to return to the living room. "Fine."
And having accomplished nothing Dante left the room. They spent all night complaining to themselves about the constant aching the bands created.
"Alright Balthazar I got the cold compress and a balm for the pain…" Dave looked up and locked in place. The tall white haired man talking with Balthazar seemed bad ass enough to kill someone and the bombshell for a blonde by his side had her eyebrow arched at him. They both shared a similar stare, looking down at him as if he were a worthless worm, while Balthazar just smiled. But what locked Dave in place were the weapons they sported; a bad ass sword, two guns, and matching monster wristbands.
Cute, so even bass ass guys matched jewelry huh?
"Dante, Trish; this is Dave my apprentice."
"Hi." Was all he could utter, as the white haired one neared Dave inspecting him. There was something odd about him, a mixture of simple-ness and je ne se qua. The blue eyes met his, a second of staring.
"I think he's alright."
"The plaid shows rather simple taste."
"He's a pea in a pond here then."
"Hey!"
"Oh, David you are here!" Greeted Veronica, making her way down the stairs with a large flower arrangement. Everyone turned to Veronica, who was watching the white haired man. "Behaving Sparda?"
"Trying to, but so close to Trish I can't." Then Sparda turned to Dave. "Listen boy, you turn to the dark side I kick your ass, you hear. Don't. disappoint, Blake." The last bit he said poking David on the chest, hard. The blonde just shook her head, but smiled at the boy. "And get a subscription to a gym, you are lanky as hell."
"I think it's time to go, Dante."
"Fine." And they walked around Dave, towards the door. "Blakes, always a pleasure. Veronica try and find an Atlas would you darling?"
"I will, drop by whenever you feel like it."
"And let us know if the wristbands fall off."
"Thank you so much for everything." Said Trish as Dante opened the door and walked out, holding the item open for the blonde. "Dave, a pleasure meeting you. And by the way," This she said to the apprentice "Dante meant what he said." And the two demon hunters left.
"You were saying about cold compresses and balms, Dave?"
"Things around here just get freakier by the day don't they?"
"I haven't got a clue of what you mean, Dave."