And here we go with the first chapter! It's more like an opening, or a foreword, idk. Because it's not chapter one. I have a special "order" that I'm following, so technically this isn't actually chapter one. It's the thing that comes after the prologue, but before the first chapter...if that makes any sense at all. xD

Disclaimer: I do not own Bayonetta or any characters related to it. The wonderful Sega does.


Opening

Euntes In Inferno

(Into Inferno)

When Bayonetta opened her eyes next it was dark out; the moon hung low in the sky, casting silver light and dancing shadows on the land. At first, everything seemed serene; then the events of what happened flashed in Bayonetta's mind and she leapt up quickly, stumbling a bit. Turing wildly about, she found that neither her demon summon, nor the angel were in sight; she couldn't even see Jeanne or Luka.

She froze abruptly. "Jeanne…" she breathed, remembering how Jeanne had been injured. "Jeanne!" she called out, a bit frantically, still turning in circles, trying to find sign of any life. "Jeanne! Cheshire!" She gritted her teeth.

"Luka! Jeanne! Where are you?" she shouted. "Someone answer me!"

Opening her mouth to call out once again, she paused when she heard a groaning noise to her left, from beyond the tree grove. Spinning on her heels, she dashed towards the noise, wondering which of the two (if either) it was.

When she burst through the brush, she had to stop from the thick darkness that surrounded her. After her eyes focused, she noticed a beam of light shining down between the treetops, and in the middle of the light, a figure was lying, sprawled on the ground. Bayonetta instantly recognized it as Jeanne.

"Jeanne!" she shouted and ran over to her. Dropping to her knees, Bayonetta turned the other witch to face her; her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach. "Oh god, Jeanne…"

When Bayonetta flipped Jeanne around, she saw the damage done to her friend. Her clothes were torn at her abdomen and chest, and there was a massive hole in the middle of Jeanne's chest. So massive, Bayonetta could see her muscles, ribs, and organs inside. She nearly vomited, but kept her composure and grabbed the other witch's hand in hers.

"Jeanne, don't move, I'm going to get you help…" she said, trying not to panic Jeanne. Bayonetta turned her head, looking into the darkness. "Luka! Luka where are you?" she called out.

Slowly, Jeanne reached up and put her hand on Bayonetta's face. "Cereza…" Bayonetta stopped and slowly looked back down to Jeanne, the other witch's blood smearing on her face, and all over her front side. "Can I call you that, just this…once?" Jeanne choked.

Bayonetta shook her head. "Yes, of course, whatever you want! But you shouldn't talk, save your strength."

"I've no…strength left…Cereza…" Jeanne muttered, her eyes going hazy. "I remember…when I first saw you, lying on the floor crying. I made myself a promise…that I'd never let any pain…come to you…"

"Jeanne…" Bayonetta said, her eyes becoming soft. She knew that Jeanne was beyond help at this point, but she didn't want to believe it. "Just hang in, a little more."

This time, Jeanne shook her head. Her eyes were looking straight at Bayonetta, but they weren't seeing her. Her vision was fading and the world was going black. "Cereza…live a good life…" she murmured. "You have…many people here…that care about you…"

Underneath the two witches, a portal opened up, red and black, glowing. Arms began reaching up through it, grabbing at Jeanne. Bayonetta closed her eyes, gripping Jeanne close to her; a memory of herself, waking up from her coma after Jeanne had pulled her from Jubileus's eye plagued her mind. She remembered how she thought Jeanne was going to die, again, and it was all her fault. Bayonetta's grip tightened around Jeanne. And she would have stayed there with Jeanne and let the demon arms drag her down with her, had Jeanne not suddenly lurched, knocking Bayonetta away. She tumbled and stopped a few feet off and quickly sprung back onto her feet, leaping for Jeanne.

"Jeanne, no! I won't let them take you!" she cried, but was restrained by a strong, warm, grip. The smell of dirt filled her nose.

Luka grabbed Bayonetta by the upper arm and pulled her back, hugging her close to him. He pulled her head to his chest, cradling her close to him. "Don't get too close, Bayonetta, or you'll get sucked in, too," was what he said.

As Jeanne began disappearing into the portal, Bayonetta lowered her head, clinging closer to Luka. Luka relaxed his grip, and in that moment, Bayonetta thrusts her arms back, sending out a wave of energy, shoving him away from her. She lunged once more for Jeanne, her eyes glowing red.

"Bayonetta, no!" Luka cried.

"Jeanne!" she called out, but once more, a hand lashed out and restrained her. This time, the restrainer was none other than Rodin. He was gripping her hair and ribbons, holding her as she struggled, as if she were no stronger than a toddler fighting against their parents' grip. "Let go! Let go you wretched man!" But it was no use.

In the next moments, Jeanne disappeared all together into the portal and the hole itself closed up; Luka stood back up, staggering back over to Rodin and Bayonetta, and Bayonetta continued her useless struggle against Rodin's grip. After a few minutes, she tired of fighting and her body fell limp. Rodin let go of her hair, and she slumped over, burying her face in her hands. Luka couldn't tell if she was crying or not, but the sight of this powerful woman weeping because of him caused a tight knot to knit in his stomach and show no signs of letting go.

()()()()()()()()()()()

Luka looked mournfully at Bayonetta in Rodin's arms. After awhile she had collapsed, unconscious, having expended all her energy; Rodin picked her up. He turned to Luka and glowered down at him.

"This one's on your shoulders, kid," he said, then strode off, back towards his bar in the city. Luka watched him walking off for a second, then turned his head to look at the spot where Jeanne had previously been. Blood stained the grass.

Remorsefully, Luka drooped his head and trudged off after Rodin.

()()()()()()()()()()()

Rodin had an extra cot in the bar; it was this very cot that he laid Bayonetta down in. Luka appeared next to him, looking at the unconscious witch's body.

"She looks so peaceful," he noted, "when she's sleeping."

"It won't last long," Rodin said. "When she wakes up, she's gonna bring hell with her. I ain't never seen her like that before."

Luka looked at Rodin, then back to Bayonetta. Her skin was so soft and milky. She looked more like an angel than a witch, lying so peacefully on the bed, her arms limp by her sides, her head tilted slightly, mouth partially ajar. Luka simply wanted to reach out and stroke her cheek. But he refrained, for fear of waking the sleeping beauty.

As Rodin exited the cot, Luka slumped to the ground, grabbing his head and groaning. "This is all my fault," he mumbled, looking woefully at Bayonetta's face. "I'm so sorry…"

()()()()()()()()()()()

Worried, exhausted, and feeling guilty, Luka had simply fallen asleep on the floor next to Bayonetta's bed in the small cot above Rodin's bar. Light filtered slowly through the one circular window, dancing across Luka's face and shining on his shut eyelids. He ruffled his nose, then slowly lifted his head, rubbing the back of his hand across his eyes to wipe away the fatigue.

When the room around him came in to focus, he found an empty bed, with strewn sheets thrown aside. "Bayonetta?" he croaked.

After waiting a few moments and hearing no reply, Luka stood up and stretched, yawning widely. His jaw cracked and he mumbled, then rubbed it with one hand as he made his way out of the small cot, having to duck down slightly to fit through the door.

How come I didn't notice that last night? He wondered, then slowed to a stop. "Last night…"

An overwhelming feeling of guilt came over Luka, and it tugged at his chest, making him feel as if some invisible hands were grabbing his insides and twisting them in all the wrong directions. He keeled over, a look of horror on his face. "Bayonetta…"

Wondering where she could be, he found himself rushing down the stairs of the cot, past the outside world, and down into the dingy bar below. It was nearly empty, save for a small group of suspicious looking fellows sitting in the far corner, as far away from Rodin as possible. Luka paid no attention to them as he whirled past the tables and went straight to the bar.

"Where's Bayonetta?" he asked, slightly disgruntled. Deja vu, he thought to himself.

Rodin didn't waste anytime. "You got bad luck kid. She left awhile ago."

"Where'd she go?" he demanded.

Rodin turned his body to completely face Luka and leaned down, his eyes peering over the top of his sunglasses. "Last I heard she was heading up to the roof. If you're lucky, she might still be there."

Luka nodded eagerly and turned from the bar, muttering, "Thanks," as he did.

Rodin tilted his head. "Hey, kid!" he called out. Luka stopped and looked wearily over his shoulder. "Hell hath no fury, like a pissed off witch."

()()()()()()()()()()()

Bayonetta was sitting atop the building, her legs dangling off the side, arms folded over her chest. She had a curious look on her face, focusing on something in the distance. Her eyes were narrow, cold, and unseeing. She heard the door open, but didn't move an inch; hair and ribbons waved restlessly in the air.

"How long you been up here?" came Luka's voice from her behind her. She could hear his leather shoes clicking softly on the cement roof as he walked.

All she did was blink, her thoughts far off.

"You'll catch a cold, it's awfully windy up here," he continued. His voice was silky, almost comforting. This stirred something in Bayonetta and she turned her head slowly to gaze at him over her left shoulder.

"No need to worry your little head about me, Cheshire," Bayonetta said with an icy undertone. "I'll be fine."

He finally reached her and stood by her side for a second, then threw his legs over the edge and took a seat next to her. He looked at her face as she gazed at him, her eyes glistening pools of silver.

"Bayonetta," he started. "I-."

"I'm going in after her," Bayonetta interrupted, looking away from Luka. Luka froze.

"Wait, what?"

"I'm going to Inferno to get Jeanne. I'm bringing her back." She spoke with confidence and clarity, no flare or purr in her voice.

"Y-you can't be serious," Luka sputtered, at a loss of what to say.

Bayonetta stood up quickly, her hair billowing around her from the sudden movement. Chains clinked; she snapped her head quickly to look at Luka. "Completely." In a swift movement, she jumped from the ledge, back-flipped, and dropped five stories to the ground, landing gracefully in front of the doors that led to The Gates of Hell.

"Not fair!" Luka called and swiveled, dashing for the doors on the roof.

()()()()()()()()()()()

Throwing the doors open, Bayonetta strutted into the bar. The men in the corner cowered for a moment, then adjusted their shirts when they saw who it was. She paid them no heed and moved swiftly to the front of the store, sashaying her hips, a placid look on her face.

By the time she reached the bar, Rodin had a drink ready for her, and set it gently on the tabletop. Bayonetta lifted the small rose glass and swallowed the drink in one gulp.

"I'm going to go drag Jeanne's arse back up here," she said after a long silence. She swirled a small drop of liquid in her drink around.

Rodin picked up the bottle of liquor closest to him and refilled her glass. "Alright, baby," he said coolly. "Just make sure you don't get stuck down there. It'll get real borin' up here on Earth without a lady like you around, Bayonetta."

Bayonetta finished off the second drink and looked up at Rodin. A smirk tugged at her lips, and her normal, playful ferocity returned. "How kind of you, Rodin, to worry about a girl like me."

In the next second, Luka came bursting through the side door, stumbling, and falling flat onto his face. Everyone in the bar gazed lazily at him, and Bayonetta exhaled softly, pushing her glasses up.

"What's the rush, Cheshire?" she cooed.

From the ground, he looked up at her and sighed deeply. "Oh good, I caught you." He stood up, dusting himself off and limped over to her. "I don't know why you have this crazy idea of going into Inferno to fetch Jeanne, but," he paused, feeling all eyes in the bar focusing on him, "I'm going with you."

Bayonetta rolled her eyes mockingly at Luka. "Oh, really?" she turned around and placed a few halos on the bar for Rodin. "That ought to cover my drinks," she said, then turned and began walking towards the exit, her gate taking on the persona of a prowling panther. Luka stumbled after her.

"See ya later, Bayonetta," Rodin called.

"I'll be back," Bayonetta drawled, waving dismissively over her shoulder at him. "Probably."

"And I'll be here," Rodin replied. "Maybe."

()()()()()()()()()()()

As Bayonetta strutted along, one hand on her hip, the other swinging by her side, Luka stumbled behind her, trying to keep up with her unusually fast pace.

"How exactly do you plan on getting down there?" he asked, waving his arms. "I mean, it's Inferno. We can't just stroll in, can we?"

Bayonetta once again rolled her eyes, then stopped abruptly, almost causing Luka to trip over her. Moving in a way that a predator does when stalking a prey, Bayonetta stepped back slightly, swinging her arm begrudgingly. "Go home, Luka," she said sternly.

He huffed, like an upset child. "You can't tell me what to do! I'm not letting you go alone!" he defended.

"And why not?" she mused, drawing out the word 'why'. Luka swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Because," he said, grabbing the collar of his shirt and flaring it slightly, "I promised I'd never stop following you. I'm not about to break that promise."

Bayonetta looked sternly at him from behind her butterfly glasses, her eyes glinting in the dim sunlight. She realized he wasn't going to give in. "Fine; you can come with," she finally said. "But as I said before-"

"I know, I know," Luka interrupted, raising his hands in defense. "I can take care of myself." He flashed a signature Luka smile at her then.

Bayonetta couldn't help but smile back at him.

()()()()()()()()()()()

It was getting dark, and the two could be found sitting in the park, in almost the exact spot Jeanne had been dragged down to Inferno at. Luka had kept quiet for most of the day, following Bayonetta around, occasionally asking her questions. She hadn't answered any of them.

At this point, Luka was getting slightly irritated. His eyebrow twitched and he crossed his arms over his chest. "Sooooo," he grunted, looking around, "How exactly are we getting to Inferno?"

Bayonetta stood up, as if done examining the spot on the ground. Honestly, she had been reminiscing about Jeanne, and figuring out how to do exactly what Luka had questioned. When she came to a decision she turned to Luka, pulling out a lollipop and sticking it sensually into her mouth.

"You're going to kill me."

"Wha-!" Luka sputtered, almost choking on his own spit. "I'm going to…what!"

Bayonetta put both her hands on her hips, jutting them gracefully to the side. "You heard me. You're going to kill me," she repeated.

Luka stood there, puzzled, blinking at the tall, ebony clothed witch.

As he stared, Bayonetta lifted her left hand from her hip, and held her hand out, pointing her index finger, then making a slow circle with it in the air. Following it was a trail of purple light, which then formed into a pentacle. Bayonetta reached into the portal and withdrew from it a sword- a katana, to be exact. To be even more exact, Shuraba, the demon sword, which Rodin had made her. It's magnificent silver and carefully wrapped hilt glistened in the crystalline moonlight.

Luka stared befuddled at it, as if he had never seen anything like it before. "Wait…you want me to….stab you?" he said, her words finally clicking in his head.

"Precisely," she smirked. "You up for the challenge?"

Luka began backing away, shaking his head furiously, his hands up in a defensive manner. "Oh no, oh no no no! There's NO way I'm doing that!"

Bayonetta began walking slowly towards him, carefully placing one foot in front of the other, advancing on him. "Oh? And may I ask why not?" she purred, twirling the lollipop seductively with her tongue.

Luka felt a burning in his lower abdomen and tugged on his collar, feeling his whole body swelling with warmth. "B-because…I have no reason…to…" he bartered.

Bayonetta cooed at Luka, "That's not what this is about, now is it, Cheshire?" she said. "I figure, the only way into Inferno, is if we get dragged down there." She swung Shuraba around with one hand as if it were a baton. "So, since you're so eager to help me, this is how you're going to do it."

"B-but if you die…doesn't your soul go to the devil….er whatever?" Luka asked. He wasn't actually sure how all this witch powers and demon stuff worked. He only knew what Rodin had said, and brief explanations from Bayonetta and Jeanne.

"Hmmmm," Bayonetta moaned. "Not exactly. But trust me, we're already expected in Hell. If we just come strolling in, they'll send armies after us. However," she stopped twirling the sword and pointed it hilt first towards Luka, "if we're dragged down, we'll be invited guests."

"So, I'll ask you one more time," Bayonetta said, with a hint of mockery in her voice. "Are you up for the challenge?"

()()()()()()()()()()()

After Bayonetta was finished making preparations for the little venture into Inferno, she stood up and dusted herself off, turning to Luka, who was examining the sword Shuraba with mutual interest. He rubbed his chin.

"A demon sword," he mumbled to himself. "Odd…"

"Are you done, Cheshire? We must be going. Hell isn't going to wait forever for us," Bayonetta drawled, pulling her lollipop from her mouth. All that was left was the stick, so she tossed it carelessly over her shoulder.

Luka looked up at her half startled, then nodded slowly. "Yeah…I guess…" he looked from the blade to Bayonetta. "I'm still not sure if this is such a good idea…"

"Oh, quit your worrying, Cheshire. Remember what I told you?" she said, pulling her glasses down slightly to gaze at him somberly over the rims of her spectacles. "I've got this all under control. As long as you do what I told you, nothing should go wrong. At least," she trailed off for a second, "as far as getting down there goes."

"Okay…" Luka held the sword up with both hands; he could feel his legs shaking from the anticipation. He wasn't exactly comfortable with stabbing the woman in front of him, especially because he-

"Cheshire!" Bayonetta called, interrupting his thoughts. "Stay focused. If you loose focus down there, you'll be killed for sure."

"Ah, right, sorry…" he mumbled and focused his eyes on her. A tightness gripped at his chest and he closed his eyes, trying to calm himself. In his mind, Luka pictured a serene moment, and felt a warm wave wash over him.

Without opening his eyes, he said, "Well then…ready?"

"Cheshire, I was ready five minutes ag-" Bayonetta started, but was cut off when a harsh burning sensation exploded in her chest. She looked down to see blood pouring from an entry wound made by her sword, Shuraba; her gaze then traveled up to look at Luka.

His eyes were cold and staring, unemotional pools not seeing the pain he was causing to the woman right in front of him; he was fearful of what he was doing, so he had blocked all vision from his mind.

Bayonetta choked on her words and blood poured from her mouth as Luka removed the sword from her chest. He dropped it with a clank and stumbled back as a large portal opened up underneath Bayonetta, who was now crouched over, clutching her chest. Luka stepped a little closer, as if examining his handy work.

Bayonetta swung her head up and glared at Luka, then gave a smirk. "Don't get too close, Cheshire, you might get pulled down, too!" She said, the blood on her face staining the beautiful grin she had. In a flurry, she had reached out and snagged Luka's wrist, just as the arms from the demons of Inferno snatched her and began dragging her into the portal. "I'm not going alone!" she cried at him. He could only stare, a look of surprise on his face.

Bayonetta and Luka both disappeared into the portal to Inferno. The day was still around them.


Yay! So there it is! I'm glad I'm getting this one out rather quickly. Hope you guys like it thus far!

Some qualifiers:

-The reason Bayonetta is so emotional about Jeanne is because we actually see a soft side of her. A lot, really. Especially when she thinks Cereza is in trouble on the plane, but also when she remembers Jeanne is her friend and is kneeling by her side as Jeanne explains things to her. This also is where I get Jeanne's soft side from. When Jeanne thought she was dying, she was very soft and caring to Bayonetta/Cereza. So yeah. Sorry if it seems kinda OOC, but I hope it's okay!

Also! Special kudos for the person that can guess the movie quote I slipped in there. C;

Please review, I love getting comments, even if it's just to let me know you read it! Thanks!