Yay, chapter 4 is finally finished and up! God this chapter took me forever...*throws a brick at writer's block* Oh well, it's done. Once again thanks so very much to everyone who read/reviewed/faved this story, you guys rock. *hands out cookies* So without further ado, here's chapter 4! :D
Hmm...is it just me or does Vergil's little segments in this story seem to be more along the lines of 'in the life of Vergil'? xD Don't worry, he shall gain more page space and importance later in the story. As an oversight, it won't happen in the next chapter...but probably the following chapter...^^;
.........
"Wow," Nero mused as he stared up at the massive, pulsating ring of colors. "Look at the size of that thing."
"Eh," Dante dejected as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I've seen bigger. Now the only thing we need to figure out is how to dismantle this thing."
"It's so pretty too," the younger slayer cooed as he began to slowly advance upon the portal, its enticing colors and distorted melodies haunting his fantasy.
The elder demon hunter shook his head as he casually extended his right hand, curling his fingers around Nero's hood thus further halting his progress. He could only guess that the portal that hovered before them was the kid's first demon world wormhole he had ever experienced. Eventually with age and experience, a demon slayer would grow accustomed to the various sounds and colors of the portals, and thus become immune. Nero on the other hand, was still too green, and that is why Dante made sure to keep a proverbial leash on him. His current leash was the length of the elder man's arm, and his weight was the counter balance. However, Nero's determination and youth was a prime reason as to how the two still managed to advance.
"Hey, come on kid," Dante scolded as he smacked the younger man upside his head. "Knock it off."
"Oh, sorry," Nero apologized as he lightly shook his head, the portal's tantalizing charms thwarted for the moment. "So, how do we destroy it?"
"Well, we have to lure the gatekeeper out of hiding," the experienced hunter informed.
"Gatekeeper?" the slighter hunter questioned as he began to glance around at their surroundings.
The room they were currently occupying was a massive cathedral. The marble walls and columns lining the vast room brilliantly reflected the pulsating lights of the swirling portal. Anything that wasn't marble, contained rich and deep colored oil paintings. The images ranged from the traditional angels and holy beings down to various demons and devil characters. The contrasting colors along with the ominously dim lighting caused the cathedral to ooze a haunting aura that made both hunters' skin crawl. Beneath their feet stretched a regal and intricate Persian rug, the otherwise simple designs merging together symmetrically to form an intricate pattern that repeated itself numerous times over. At the very center of the piece was an image of a devil, the telltale horns and the red skin vibrantly contrasting the intricate basket weave that seemed to act as its hammock.
A brief shudder coursed through Nero's body as he continued to visually absorb the cathedral. Aside from the portal's constant humming, the faint noise of small squeaks, creaks and groans vibrated throughout the rather empty room. Ever vigilant, the younger man's crystalline blue eyes quickly darted back and forth over the dimly lit walls, his gaze shifting every so often he imagined a steadfast shadow gain mobility. He soon began to clench and unclench his hands as he searched the room, gracefully weaving his footsteps together and apart in various intricacies as he traversed the floor. His rather sensitive hearing focused to a pinpoint as his ears twitched at every minute sound that occurred, his most prominent disturbance originating from the low clumping noises Dante's hiking boots made. As he drew even closer to the portal, Nero absorbed a moment to gaze up at the massive rip in the space-time continuum. A miniature whirlpool vibrantly distorted and intermixed every color of the rainbow and then some as the enigma continued its existence as a bridge between two very ideal worlds. The portal itself was maintained by a massive ivory colored ring, which spiraled into four distinct points; each edge contained a glistening gemstone. The immaculate curvature of the ring was intricately decorated with various silk ribbons, jewelry items, patterns and inks, creating a network of color and design.
"Beautiful isn't it?" a velvety voice cooed into Nero's right ear as he continued to gaze into the swirling mass of color.
"Yes," he whispered. "It's very beautiful."
"Do you want to touch it?" the voice questioned, each word sharply enunciated.
"Yes," Nero continued as he unconsciously extended his left hand out toward the hovering object.
"Nero!" Dante called as he pulled his comrade away from the portal for a second time. "Jeez you're a fucking handful kid. Perhaps I should paint a Do Not Touch sign on there for you."
"DANTE!" a quartet of voices shouted in unison as the sparkling gemstones began to glow vibrantly.
The aforementioned slayer gazed upon the gems as the vibrant glow each emitted grew in intensity before the whole cathedral was bathed in their ethereal light. Reacting more from reflex, Dante quickly lifted his left hand up to his eyes, shielding them from the harsh light. Nero on the other hand stared wide-eyed as four serpentine heads protruded forth from the four points on the portal's ring. At first, the serpents were mere specters, writhing and wriggling their necks as each head fought for purchase out of its bony coffin. Eventually, the elder hunter's eyes adjusted to the light in time to notice the four serpent heads materialize. Various screeches and roars vibrated the serpents' vocal chords as they finally squirmed their way to freedom. At first, the four newly birthed heads merely floated in mid air, each pair of eyes glaring down upon the cathedral's intruders. However, a ravenous roar soon sounded, vibrating the very building's foundation.
The younger man dug his short fingernails into his comrade's thick overcoat sleeve as a fifth serpentine head emerged from the portal itself. This head was devoid of any color, and thus lacked a gem to emit an ethereal glow. However, once the beast fully emerged from the swirling vortex, a massive body complete with four powerful legs, two massive translucent wings and a long, whip like tail materialized. The body was a deep obsidian hue with crimson tribal markings all along its torso and flank, delving down to curl around its segmented underbelly and its scaled legs. The white serpentine head roared loudly, causing every structure in the room to vibrate violently, thus causing many pieces to crumble to dust. The two demon hunters pulled out their firearms as they quickly retreated a few steps, never turning their back to their new enemy. Narrowing its rectangular shaped eyes, the four colored heads soon phased into the newly emerged body. The massive neck of the beast squirmed and quivered before rupturing four extra times to accommodate each additional head. Blood rained down upon the two as each head emerged, practically drenching the warriors before they even made a move to attack.
"Welcome to the forbidden cathedral devil hunters," the five serpent heads announced in unison. "Unfortunately for you, this place will soon become your grave. Choose your prayers wisely, for they will be your last."
"Heh, you make it sound like we're moving in," Dante retorted as he placed his hands on his hips. "Sorry bud, but I don't know if I'd be very comfortable sharing a bed with you."
"You may jest now son of Sparda," the massive beast began, its five separate heads undulating in various patterns with one another. "But in a few moments, you will be just like your pathetic father and brother."
Dante growled low in his throat as a particular wave of negative energy coursed through his being. Gritting his teeth in a tight vice, he clenched his fists in rapid succession as he watched the serpent roar with laughter at its own snide comment. Nero furrowed his brow as he glanced over at the elder man. He clenched his jaw lightly as a pang of guilt and remorse spiked through his being. It seemed his comrade could never catch a break when it came to his family's tragic end. The demons always seemed to gain nothing but pleasure from that over stimulated wound forever festering on Dante's chest. The salt never ran in short supply in the business of demon slaying, and to have one of the largest, and deepest proverbial stab wounds in both worlds only further gained the elder man respect and humility. Nero briefly redirected his gaze to fall upon the very ground his enemy stood upon, his eyes hidden by his silver bangs. No matter where Dante went, his lineage always dutifully followed, never really allowing him a mere moment to actually experience how it felt to be normal, or to be accepted.
"Dante…" Nero whispered before lifting his shimmering gaze to fall upon the five-headed serpent. "I may never be able to understand how you can live your life day by lonely day, forever looking to a future that will never turn out how you wish it would. However, I will promise you this…no matter the situation, no matter the demon…I will be with you. I will fight alongside you to the very end, as a friend, a partner…and a brother."
"Huh…little one," the dragon cooed as it fixed five pairs of glowing eyes on Nero. "Perhaps you shall be the first to be sacrificed…since you are but a weak-minded fool!"
"Goddamn it kid!" Dante shouted as he quickly latched his right hand around the younger man's hood, yanking him back and out of the way just as the crimson head struck, slamming into the ground. "Pay attention would you?"
"So how do you suppose we fight this thing?" Nero questioned as he quickly glanced from the elder man's perturbed expression to the quintet of colored serpents.
"Well, I have one idea," the hunter in the crimson overcoat commented as he turned his gaze on Nero, a devious smirk playing across his features.
"Oh shit," the younger man cursed as he proceeded to back away from his comrade. "No, no, no! Dante!"
The coy smirk playing across the experienced hunter's features grew slightly as he quickly extended his right arm out toward Nero, succeeding in halting the younger man's progress by tightly clenching his fingers in the stiff denim fabric of his blue overcoat.
"Time to earn your wings kid!" Dante shouted as he quickly switched the positions of his hands, curling the fingers of his left hand around Red Queen's sheath, while his right hand clenched the thin stretch of leather that was his belt.
"What?! Wait, what are you doing?" Nero questioned frantically as his comrade began to charge toward the dragon. "Dante!"
Grinding his teeth together, Dante pulled Nero's body back slightly before hurling him toward the beast. The younger demon slayer screamed and flailed in the air, shouting random obscenities aimed at the elder man before his body slammed full force into the ivory serpent's skull. Nero clenched his eyes shut as he instinctively clawed at the rather slick surface, vying to gain much valued purchase as to brace his slowly slipping form. The ivory dragon head on the other hand, screeched loudly upon impact, violently shaking its head from side to side to alleviate the organic projectile from its bony features. Eventually Nero's right hand managed to locate a distinct divot in the serpent's snout. Curling his fingers into the crevice, he utilized it as a stepping-stone in order to crawl his way back up the creature's skull.
"Dante, you son of a bitch, I'm going to kill you for this!" the younger man shouted as he pulled Blue Rose from its holster.
"I think you'd better worry about killing this thing first kid!" the elder slayer retorted as he leapt up onto a low-hanging scaffolding rack, pulling Ebony and Ivory from their respective holsters.
"Where the fuck are you going old man?" Nero questioned as he fired off two charged rounds at the emerald colored head, which chose to snap at the sprawled slayer.
"You'll see kid!" Dante answered before he fired a few rounds at an amethyst colored head, succeeding in gouging its eyes out. "Just keep the fuckers busy!"
"Easy for you to say!" the young slayer commented before bouncing a few bullets off of the golden colored head. "You're jumping fucking statues while I'm a piece of hickory smoked sausage!"
"Kid, you need some serious help in the ways of sarcasm," a snide comment echoed as Dante gracefully leapt up onto a massive candelabra suspended from the rotting ceiling, the counterfeit crystals clinking together from the drastic change in weight balance. "Because that was kind of bad."
"Oh will you shut the fuck up and help me already?" Nero screamed as he quickly rolled away from another strike, only to be caught by another. "Ack, fucking snake!"
"Heh, didn't figure you for the damsel in distress," the elder man chided as he swung back and forth from the candelabra's uneven weight distribution. "Alright madam, I shall be your valiant knight in shining armor!"
Dante smirked before firing off multiple rounds toward the four remaining serpent heads still retaining their eyesight. One by one, the elder demon slayer skillfully gouged out the dragons' eyes, eventually blinding the creature. The beast roared in a pitiful wail as it began to thrash its multi-colored heads about frantically, the scarred remains of their eye sockets torrentially weeping blood. Figuring that this was his cue, Nero carefully leapt off of the ivory serpent's head. However during his decent, the ruby colored head recoiled toward his body, its hazardous jaws agape.
"Oh fuck!" he cursed before the wild jaws clamped down upon his body, the beast sinking its teeth into his abdomen. "Aaaaagghhh!"
The younger demon slayer growled low in his throat as he endured the pain, his arms otherwise pinned to the sides of his body, thus disabling him from drawing his weapons. Casually twirling his twin handguns around his trigger fingers, the elder hunter quickly holstered the weapons before unsheathing Rebellion. Clutching the sword tightly in his gloved hands, Dante perched on the extreme edge of the candelabra before drastically shifting his weight back and forth. This dramatic switch in movement caused the elegant piece to swing back and forth violently. Nero gasped as he began to feel his body weaken from the crushing pressure. His vision swam from the loss of vital blood and he began to succumb once more to the comforting darkness of unconsciousness. With one finally thrust forward, the experienced slayer crouched before launching his body off of the candelabra, utilizing its momentum to propel him through the stale air.
The blinded serpents roared as they continued to thrash their heads about, using their sense of hearing to detect where certain sounds were coming from and what created the sounds. The ruby colored dragonhead had little time to register the crescendo of a fierce battle cry before the owner of the straining voice sliced through its clenched jaw. Dante elegantly twisted his body in midair in order to finish through dismembering the serpent's jaw and catch Nero as his body fell free from the beast's clutches. Clutching tightly to Rebellion with one hand, and cradling Nero in his other, Dante crash landed onto the floor, but quickly regained his footing in time to side step the ruby dragon's severed jawbone. Absorbing a moment to catch his breath, the elder man glanced down upon his comrade, who tightly wrapped his arms around his midsection, his facial features contorted into an expression of intense pain.
"How dare you!" the ivory dragon screeched as the ruby head fell limp from loss of blood. "You shall pay for your crime demon slayer!"
"Heh, you gotta catch me first!" Dante retorted as he back-flipped out of the way of a well-aimed strike from the amethyst head. "And by the looks of things, you're kind of at a disadvantage."
"Silence!" the beast roared before a massive five-clawed talon careened toward the two.
The elder hunter's trademark smirk reclaimed his lips as he easily deflected the attack with Rebellion's barbed edge, slicing a chunk of flesh out of the scaled object before recoiling the pent-up potential energy.
"Dante," Nero called as he opened his pain-stricken eyes. "Put me down…we can fight him…together."
"Nero, are you even aware of how deep that thing's teeth sunk into your flesh?" Dante questioned as he fended off another strike from the golden head. "Or do you need a reminder?"
"I said," the younger slayer began before he pulled Blue Rose out of its holster, aiming the dual over-under barrels at his comrade's jaw. "Put. Me. Down."
"Fine, but don't come crying to me when you get caught again," the elder man retorted as he carefully released his grip on Nero.
"Heh, don't worry, I won't need it," Nero confirmed as he quickly holstered Blue Rose before unsheathing Red Queen. "Let's finish this up quick and get some lunch."
"Sounds like a plan to me!" Dante cheered as he charged the beast, Rebellion raised high.
The remaining heads screeched and roared loudly as the two slayers assaulted them. Dante casually leapt onto the emerald head's skull, plunging Rebellion's blade deep into the bony material. Hooking his left leg around the protrusion, he quickly pulled Ebony and Ivory out of their holsters and proceeded to open fire on the amethyst head. Nero meanwhile attracted the attention of the gold and ivory colored heads. A loud battle cry vibrated his vocal chords as he revved his sword's exceed system, the blade blazing a vibrant red glow from the stored potential energy. Leaping onto the golden head's snout, the younger slayer flexed the glowing claws of his demonic arm before thrusting his hand down toward the beast's head. His activated devil bringer materialized into existence before the enlarged image of his hand latched onto the dragon's exposed cranium. He growled with an animalistic inflection as he began to constrict his clawed fingers, the combined pressure the digits inflicted causing small fissures to appear before the bone itself shattered. The beast unleashed a pained wail before falling limp shortly after.
Shrieking loudly, the ivory head struck out at Nero, its glistening teeth hell bent on ensnaring the youth within. However he predicted the event to occur and thus elegantly spun out of the striking range of the beast before launching his own attack. Swinging his curved blade through the air, roiling flames erupted from its propulsion system, setting the dragon ablaze upon the initial contact. Wailing and thrashing about wildly, the ivory head made a valiant attempt at extinguishing the flames, but to no avail. The beast eventually fell limp as the flames continued to lick charred scales until the very patterned objects proceeded to melt away. Nero sighed heavily as he wrapped his right arm around his midsection again, his clothes completely drenched from his own blood. A confident chuckle echoed in Dante's throat as he finished off the emerald head, leaving the smoldering ivory dragonhead.
"No! How is this possible?" the beast roared as it slowly raised its head, pointing its snout down upon the two slayers. "Mere humans defeating me? It just can not be!"
"Shut up you ugly fucker!" the two slayers shouted in unison before scissoring their blades against the beast's neck, effectively severing its head afterward. "And go to hell!"
Following the beast's initial decapitation, the dragon's body began to dissolve, its remnants flowing back into the swirling portal. Both Dante and Nero gazed up at the object as the mass of distorted colors warped and swirled in the opposite direction before shrinking into oblivion. A moment of silence reigned over the battle-scarred cathedral before deep fissures began to appear in the carved bone portal. The elder demon slayer casually clapped the dust and dirt from his hands before turning on his left heel and proceeding out of the room, Nero not too far behind. Eventually, the portal crumbled into dust, as did the rest of the prodigious artifacts and paintings.
"Well, another job well done," Dante noted as he slung his left arm around Nero's shoulders.
"Heh, yeah," Nero sighed as he leaned against his comrade, his left arm wrapped securely around his midsection. "I guess you can say that."
"You alright kid?" the elder man questioned, glancing down at Nero. "You took quite a heavy hit back there."
"I'm fine," the younger slayer lied, obvious pain etched onto his otherwise placid face. "Really."
"Nero," Dante addressed, his voice lowering a few octaves to display his concern. "Even I can tell that you're lying."
"No, I'm serious," Nero enforced, his quick temper flaring up along with delayed pain in his weeping puncture wounds. "I've survived worse than this…hell I even survived that ordeal with Agnus when he stuck a sword in my stomach."
"You never told me that," the experienced hunter commented as he halted their progress forward.
"That's because at the time I didn't even know who you were," the slighter man argued before glancing up at his comrade, furrowing his brow in frustration. "And I was hell bent on killing you."
"Hmm, good point," Dante agreed before progressing forward again. "Well, in any case, I'm taking you to a hospital after we get out of here."
"No!" Nero quickly retorted, slightly startling his companion. "No, please, I think I'll be fine just resting for a bit."
"Nero you nearly got sliced in two by that thing and you want me to just let you bleed to death on my couch?" the elder slayer shouted, his patience wearing thin.
"Dante…just," the younger man began, only to sigh heavily afterward, his voice dropping to a low whisper. "Just please trust me. I'll be all right, I promise. Just please…please don't take me to the hospital."
Dante sighed heavily as he slowed his pace, possible questions filtering through his subconscious as he lightly chewed on the inner lining of his left cheek. A soft smile soon spread onto his features before he effortlessly lifted the younger slayer off of the ground and slung him over his broad left shoulder.
"Hey, what the fuck are you doing?" Nero shouted as he fisted his hands in the stiff leather of the elder's overcoat.
"Carrying you," Dante answered, his smile growing into a smirk.
"Damn you!" the young hunter cursed as he continued to flail his appendages before finally giving in with a heavy sigh.
…
As the sun began to ascend higher into the otherwise cloudless day, screams of panic and terror rang through the crowded and bloody streets of Fortuna. Joining the chorus of screams were the distinctive shrieks and cries of the obsidian creatures as they ravaged through the crippled city, chasing down herds of fleeing pedestrians before picking them off one by one. Sonar shrieked as it flew overhead, its supersonic cries crumbling buildings and disabling stragglers. Razor and Edge tore swiftly through the cracked streets, slicing through various citizens with ease and grace before surfacing to ambush others. Fuse howled loudly as it chased down its prey, tearing its victims apart limb by bloody limb. Every so often it would unleash an echoing cry that would summon lightning storms, commanding the deadly bolts into the amassing crowds.
Mortar on the other hand leapt from building top to building top in order to leave the destruction of the streets below to its brethren. Its target was the gleaming ivory building, which sat proudly on the very outskirts of the small city. Landing on a smaller building, the creature paused briefly before glancing skyward, coming face to face with a whole battalion of Bianco Angelos. Mortar narrowed its eyes before shrieking up at them. The leader of the Angelos waved its golden sword at the inky black creature, wordlessly commanding six Biancos to surge toward it. Mortar cocked its head before crouching low and leaping high into the air. Having initially missed their target, the Angelos gazed skyward, the experiment twisting in mid-air in order to prepare an attack.
Unleashing a distressing call, Mortar curled its body before launching itself down toward the group of Biancos, skewering one with its bony tail. As the other Angelos closed in on the creature, Sonar flew by and surged into three airborne Angelos, disorienting them and crushing the breastplate on the first one it attacked. Screeching loudly, Sonar circled around before crossing its wings in front of it. The obsidian wings began to glow a vibrant orange before Sonar quickly thrust the appendages out, shooting multitudes of jagged spears at the Angelo army. The glowing feathers punctured everything they came into contact with, instantly melting through the various substances. In that simple movement, many of the Bianco Angelos fell dead. The Angelo leader and about three Biancos were left standing after the assault. Mortar smirked deviously before surging toward the leader, extending its deadly claws. Before the Angelo leader had any minute chance of defending itself, Mortar's claws pierced straight through the armor. Tearing its claws out of the Angelo leader's body, the creature quickly dispensed of the remaining Angelos before continuing its pilgrimage toward the Order's headquarters.
Meanwhile, Salidar smirked in reverence as his predicted chaos continued to rage throughout the city, large columns of smoke billowing out in random sections. A strong wind blew through the atmosphere as Fuse's lightning storms continued to rage overhead, summoning forth multiple strikes of charged negative energy. The false devil hunter sighed in content before raking his right hand through his hair. Headquarters had been an eruption of panic and chaos as the Holy Knights frantically struggled to plan out their next move against the powerful demons. Their first strategy was to release the Biancos, but it was evident to Salidar from the beginning that there was not a single thing or weapon in their arsenal that would kill his experiments. The creatures were flawless, combining various elements of demonic and natural strengths to create a literally impossible force to defeat.
"Salidar!" Angelo's panicked voice called as the Order captain sprinted onto the roof. "Please you must come with us! We need your demon hunting expertise to kill these monstrosities!"
The false demon hunter smirked as he partially ignored the captain's plea, choosing rather to continue to enjoy the scene of destruction from his vantage point.
"Salidar!" the Order captain shouted again as he began to advance. "That is an order!"
"Careful captain," Salidar growled as his eyes flashed neon red, prominent veins pressing against his taut skin. "I do not take orders from the likes of you!"
"What the-ugh!" Angelo screamed as the hunter's clawed left hand pierced his abdomen, puncturing through to his back.
"Sweet dreams captain," the false slayer chided as he quickly withdrew his blood stained hand, smirking as his prey fell limply onto the roof's ground.
Salidar laughed deviously before shaking his arm, tossing the rather thin blood from its scaled surface. Turning to face the now re-ruined city, the false hunter was able to pick out each of his creatures' forms before Mortar gracefully leapt up onto the roof, landing to its master's right.
"Ah, wonderful timing Mortar," Salidar commented as he glanced down upon his first creation. "Do as you wish with the people in this building, but bring the girl Kyrie to me alive! Do you understand?"
"Completely my liege," Mortar answered before sprinting over to the still open door leading down into the building.
The streamline creature sprinted down hallway after hallway on its four lean legs, its bony tail acting as a balance to keep it from leaning too far to one side. Panicked screams and cries permeated the hallways as Mortar rushed through, pausing to decimate anyone who impeded its path forward.
…
Kyrie sobbed softly as she stared out of one of her massive bedroom windows, watching as her beloved hometown was once again at the mercy of demons. Her body quivered profusely as she clutched to her wing pendant for dear life. Her deep brown eyes continued to dart back and forth over the vast destruction of Fortuna before a loud knock sounded on her door. The sudden disturbance startled the ambassador as she turned quickly to see who was at her door. However before the person had a chance to even open the large wooden barrier, screams of pain and the faint sound of a well sharpened blade slicing through flesh echoed outside of her door. Soft whimpers cascaded past her quivering lips as she slowly advanced upon the door, stopping once crimson blood began to seep through the cracks. Kyrie screamed as five small blades pierced through the wooden object. The blades wriggled slightly in place before the crafted objects were quickly withdrawn. An anguished screech sounded on the other side before the five blades sliced through the door, the severed pieces falling onto the floor. Her voice momentarily paralyzed, along with her body, Kyrie remained glued to her spot as the lithe form of an obsidian demon decorated with neon blue tribal markings leapt into her room.
The beast narrowed its opaque eyes before slowly advancing upon her, adopting a predatory gait along the way. Finally remembering how to move her body, the Order ambassador began to retreat back toward the window she was previously gazing out of. Mortar halted its progress forward before tilting its head and sitting back on its haunches. The creature cooed softly as it continued to stare at her; its jade green, slanted eyes fixated on her every move. Briefly raking its claws along the polished granite floor, Mortar began to curl its tail multiple times before slowly wagging it from side to side.
"What is your name female?" the creature questioned telepathically, causing Kyrie to visibly relax.
"How..how can you talk?" she questioned, her voice a mere whisper.
"I did not ask you to answer with a question!" Mortar barked, a volatile hiss vibrating its vocal chords as it peeled its scaly lips away from its teeth. "Now tell me your name!"
"I-It's Kyrie," the ambassador answered, pressing her back against the wall behind her.
"Then you are to come with me," the obsidian beast informed as it stood onto its hind legs, straightening its back. "If you resist, I shall kill you."
Reluctantly, Kyrie slowly paced over to the creature, never averting her gaze for even a moment. Mortar's white pupils followed her movements as she began to journey closer to the door. Turning around, the experiment followed her, directing her toward the roof and its master. Salidar remained atop the building, his arms crossed defiantly over his broad chest. Since he no longer had to hide his identity, the demon discarded the royal garments in favor of black denim jeans, a crimson tank top and a black overcoat. The coat's long tails flapped violently in the brutal winds of the continuous storm summoned by Fuse, creating a varied cadence of cracking noises. His long obsidian lochs were tied back into a low ponytail, loose bangs draping across his brow. Salidar's face was devoid of any particular expression as he continued to gaze out over Fortuna's final moments. His ears then twitched as a crescendo of hesitant clacks followed by short clinks advanced upon him.
"Well done Mortar," he praised as he turned to face his guest. "My lady, it's an honor to finally meet you."
"Wh-who are you?" Kyrie questioned, her voice soft and quivering.
"My apologies miss," Salidar replied before bowing deeply. "I am Salidar."
Kyrie whimpered softly before retreating a step, only to gasp sharply once her back collided with the segmented underbelly of Mortar, which was currently standing on its hind legs. Salidar chuckled menacingly before advancing closer to the ambassador.
"Don't worry my dear," he cooed as he latched his right hand forcefully around her chin. "I have no plans of killing you…yet. You are to remain alive so long as your little boyfriend comes to rescue you. And I have a feeling that he will be arriving to the party very soon."
"Nero…" she whispered softly as a saltine tear cascaded down her face.
Reverting his eyes to focus on Mortar, Salidar released Kyrie's face before sharply inclining his head, wordlessly summoning his creation to join him in watching the small town burn to the ground. A low growl vibrated the obsidian creature's vocal chords as it lowered its body back onto four legs. The growl quickly escalated into a sharp hiss as Mortar snapped at Kyrie, causing her to squeal and recoil. The creature's hiss slowly dissolved as it walked forward to join its master.
"Don't worry honey," Salidar's deep voice reassured as he placed his right hand down upon Mortar's head, lightly petting it. "Mortar won't harm you, so long as I tell him not to. However, if you decide to try and make a run for it…I will tell him to kill you. And believe me princess, he is a lot faster than you."
Kyrie's face paled three shades as she glanced from Salidar to Mortar and back again. She sighed softly as she sat down on the ground of the roof, wrapping her trembling hands around her golden pendant.
"Please Nero…" she whispered closing her eyes. "Please come and find me."
…
Vergil sighed heavily as he momentarily paused in his training exercises. Panting softly, he wiped the film of sweat from his forehead with his left forearm, shaking his head afterward. He then twirled the katana he held clutched in his right hand before quickly sliding it across the sword's sheath. The long blade glistened in the light of the roiling sun, a resilient sheen curving along its razor edge before disappearing into the hollow sheath. He then glanced over to a small pagoda where Danielle was busy setting a small table for his lunch break. Vergil set his lips in a thin line before carefully replacing the valued katana back into a small chest of identical swords. His rather stony expression softened slightly as he gazed upon the battle and training worn swords. The katanas he came to possess over the years since his arrival into the underworld, compliments of his brother, assisted him greatly during various demon encounters and daily training exercises. However no sword in his collection could compare to his long gone blade Yamato. He vowed that one day he would get the sword back, however he never really imagined the process of retrieving his blade would be so tedious. Vergil sighed heavily as he paced over to the small pagoda, a warm smile gracing Danielle's lips.
"Good afternoon sir," she greeted bowing deeply.
"Heh, if good is what you would call it," Vergil answered curtly as he plopped down in one of the chairs.
"Is something troubling you master?" Danielle questioned as she sat down in a chair opposite of his. "Ever since your dream, you have been rather…"
"On edge?" he finished, wrapping his long fingers around a small teacup and saucer, sipping at the herbal beverage afterward.
She nodded solemnly as he placed the polished saucer in his lap.
"Danielle, I absolutely have no inkling of why I'm so apprehensive anymore," Vergil confessed as he retrieved one of the many hors d'oeuvres placed before him on a silver platter, nibbling on it afterward. "Perhaps I am merely questioning what I would do if I actually manage to find a way to cross into the human world again."
"So you are going then?" the young maid questioned, tilting her head to the right.
"Going?" he reiterated, furrowing his brow as he sipped at his tea once more.
"To the human world," Danielle continued.
"Heh, perhaps," Vergil answered, replacing his teacup and saucer onto the table. "I have to find a way there first."
Danielle nodded in understanding as her master stood from his chair and stretched, his defined muscles flexing and rippling under his taut skin with every movement he made. Sighing heavily, he allowed for his arms to haphazardly drop by his sides, the semi-limp appendages swinging back and forth briefly before coming to a halt by his hips. Stepping back out into the sunlight, Vergil searched for a rather pleasing patch of grass in his backyard. Upon the spot's discovery, the condemned son of Sparda spread his feet to about shoulder-width apart and inhaled deeply. Closing his eyes as he inhaled, he lifted his hands, pressing his palms together before his chest. Upon completing his initial inhale of breath; Vergil held his breath before slowly exhaling through his mouth. Reopening his eyes, he continued his rather deep breathing cadences while slowly maneuvering into different positions, stretching his muscles and improving his flexibility at the same time.
Danielle meanwhile began to clean up the setting, before placing a glass lid over the hors d'oeuvres in case Vergil would become hungry during the rest of his training. However, a quick shout of pain quickly caught her attention. Reverting her eyes to gaze out over the expansive backyard, she soon noticed her master writhing on the ground, clenching the neatly trimmed blades of grass desperately between his fingers. Momentarily forgetting about clean up, she rushed over to Vergil who was softly growling from the pain he was apparently suffering from.
"Vergil, what's wrong?" she questioned, concern saturating her voice.
"Ugh..my goddamn back…again!" he growled, electricity crackling across his prone form.
"Now, now sire," Danielle cooed as she gently ran the pads of her fingers across his sweat slicked back. "No need to get upset. Just take deep breaths, and calm yourself."
Vergil grumbled before laying his head down in the long blades of grass, inhaling deeply before slowly exhaling. He began to grit his teeth as he felt his personal maid's timid hands smooth over his skin, causing the burning muscles underneath to ripple in reaction. A soft smile curled Danielle's lips as she kinetically scanned the muscles of his back, carefully studying their connections and interactions with other groups of muscles, tendons and bones. As she traced the curved indent of muscle that stretched protectively over his spine, a course shiver rippled through Vergil's being, in turn causing another sharp spike of pain.
"Fuck!" he cursed gritting his teeth.
"My apologies master," she replied, stilling her hands.
"Dani, please," Vergil grunted, tightly curling his fingers in the grass once more. "It's getting worse…and I don't know how long I can keep him at bay."
"Shall I call for the healers?" Danielle questioned.
"No…just push down on..my right shoulder blade," he choked out, an demonic growl vibrating his vocal chords. "Hurry!"
"But sir..I'll hurt you!" she commented, her brow furrowed in concern.
"Just do it!" Vergil roared, clamping his eyes shut tightly.
Danielle exhaled quickly before running her fingertips over the specified area, locating it after a few protesting grunts from her master. Centering the heel of her right palm over the tightly coiled muscle, she placed her left hand on top for added support. She then began a vocal countdown, preparing both her and Vergil for impact.
"Okay, ready?" she questioned, earning a decisive nod. "One…two…three!"
Upon the number's vocalization, she forcefully thrust down upon the affected spot, utilizing her body weight to make the move effective. The sharp application of pressure on the coiled muscles shot intense pain signals racing through Vergil's body, in-turn ripping an anguished roar from his throat. Holding her position for a ten-second count, Danielle slowly released the pressure before gently massaging the area. The son of Sparda panted softly from the experience before closing his eyes, enjoying the gentle massage.
"You should probably take it easy for a while now master," Danielle warned as she gently applied more pressure, flexing her lithe fingers across the medium-sized red mark she had inflicted upon his skin.
"Heh, and what if I choose not to abide by your wishes?" Vergil questioned, a sly smirk tainting his features.
"Then you'll only end up hurting yourself more," she answered, lightly slapping his left shoulder. "You won't be hurting me…only yourself."
The half-naked man grumbled to himself as he continued to lie facedown in the warm blades of grass. He reveled in the vegetation's soft caress of his milky-white skin as a humid breeze filtered over the landscape, threading effortlessly through his short, spiked lochs. Vergil sighed heavily before he slowly advanced onto his feet, grunting as a fresh spike of pain rippled through his muscles.
"Danielle," he called, instantly gaining her attention. "See to it that a hot bath is run for me. I can't afford to be crippled for very long mind you."
"As you wish my liege," Danielle commented before bowing deeply and scurrying into the house.
…
Dante sighed heavily as he revved his motorcycle's engine a few times, coasting the vehicle into its designated spot adjacent to his shop's platform stairs. Slowing his bike, he stretched out his legs, walking the vehicle into its respective spot before pushing the kickstand down. Leaning his rather heavy bike onto its kickstand, the fatigued demon hunter leaned over the purring vehicle before turning the keys in the ignition a quarter turn counter-clockwise, shutting off the bike. Dante then straightened his back, grunting as various vertebrae popped back into alignment. The elder man's movements caused Nero to stir, the younger slayer yawning before rubbing at his eyes.
"How are you holding up kid?" Dante questioned as he swung his right leg over the silent motorcycle, aiding the aforementioned in his alight from the vehicle.
"Well, better than when we started out," Nero informed, his pulsating demonic arm wrapped loosely around his abdomen. "I think the bleeding's stopped at least."
"Well that's good," the experienced hunter sighed before finally noticing the new streaks of crimson trailing along his motorcycle's chasse, a slight frown creasing his features. "Anyway, let's get inside so we can patch up your wounds."
"What about yours?" the younger man questioned before he was practically pushed up the stairs and into the Devil May Cry establishment. "Didn't you attain some fresh ones with that battle against the hydra?"
"Nah, you were the one doing all the physical contact, remember?" Dante reminded as he quickly shrugged out of the remains of his crimson overcoat, sighing heavily afterward. "Man, and this was one of my favorites too."
"Well, I guess I'm with you there," Nero commented as he carefully shrugged out of his own blood soaked overcoat, the once vibrant denim stained dark obsidian. "Heh, I guess this means I'll have to go and get another one."
"Nonsense," the elder slayer retorted as he briskly opened a nearby closet. "I tend to change my fashion sense with every new year that passes."
"Hah, I didn't think you were a stickler for fashion," the youth chided as he began to peel away what was left of his tank top and hoodie.
"I'm not, but similar to how a princess can never show up to a ball wearing the same outfit, I can't take on another monumentous job wearing the same overcoat," Dante informed as he quickly selected one of his older and more care worn overcoats from the closet. "And I can tell from the look on your face and the condition of your jacket, you won't be wearing that again right?"
"Well, I don't want you to sacrifice one of your coats just for me," Nero interjected, his intentions rather humbling. "It would seem unbefitting."
"Nonsense," the elder man replied before his eyes fell upon a particular overcoat that slowly drained the smile from his face.
There before his very eyes, a long, baby blue overcoat with golden embroidering and ivory decorations trailing down the jacket's lapels appeared. The overcoat's highly contrasting color soon made Dante ponder why he hadn't noticed it before amongst the gaggle of crimson and black. Sighing lightly, he allowed for his gaze to fall upon the floor, various painful memories beginning to creep back into his subconscious. He briefly uttered the word no a few times over before quickly slamming the closet door closed, startling Nero in the process.
"Vergil," he whispered before resting his forehead against the wooden barrier.
"Hey, Dante?" Nero called, slowly advancing upon his comrade. "Are you okay?"
"Huh?" Dante questioned as he turned to face the younger slayer whose brow was furrowed in concern.
"Are you okay?" the younger man reiterated before tilting his head to the right in curiosity. "It's not everyday someone slams a door for the hell of it."
"No, I'm fine," he lied before quickly side-stepping around Nero's half nude form. "I just saw a bug is all."
Nero raised his eyebrows in disbelief before turning his gaze back to fall upon the idle door.
"Damn, that must have been some bug," he joked before following his comrade into the kitchen. "So…got a shower in this joint?"
"Yeah, the hose out back," Dante answered as he opened the refrigerator, plucking one of the many cans of beer from the bottom shelf, kicking the door closed afterward.
"Dante," Nero began as he gazed down at the unopened can of alcohol in his friend's clenched hand. "Beer…in the middle of the day?"
"Uh-huh," the elder man responded before popping the tab using his teeth. "Yeah, so. What's wrong with that?"
The younger slayer merely shook his head before exiting the kitchen and traversing over to the staircase. Since the small bathroom adjacent to the kitchen didn't have a shower in it, he deduced that Dante must have had a private bathroom joining his upstairs bedroom. Upon reaching the summit of the stairs, he paced over to the door before opening it, practically losing his toes as one of his comrade's many swords clattered onto the floor. Nero quickly jumped back from the door as the sword with a dragon head and wings adorning the hilt briefly teetered back and forth on its side before coming to rest spanning the door's entry way. He sighed heavily before carefully stepping into the room and lifting the sword off of the floor. Nero tilted his head as he examined the sword, a thunderbolt emblazoned onto the sword's shaft.
He merely shrugged his shoulders before carefully leaning the sword against the wall from which it fell from. The younger man couldn't really understand why Dante treated some of his weapons so poorly. Sure he had quite a collection of them, but surely they weren't merely toys that would just later be placed on a shelf and forgotten. Placing his hands on his hips, Nero then began to scan the room with his gaze. Dante's bedroom was the epitome of a bachelor pad. Various clothes and other fabrics were scattered and strewn about on the floor and on what he could only imagine was furniture. His bed was dutifully unmade, the crimson and obsidian sheets haphazardly tossed about the piece of furniture. A small ceiling fan rotated slowly in a fixed circle, valiantly attempting to circulate the rather thick atmosphere. In the far corner from the door sat a massive stereo system complete with two-three speaker stacks and two sub woofers on either side. The actual stereo was placed at the center, the current time displayed in small green numbers. Eventually, his gaze shifted over to a rather cluttered desk. All along the once magnificent polished oak surface, papers, books, CDs, tapes, DVDs and various other forms of media were strewn. At the very heart of the desk rested a lone leather bound book with an obsidian ribbon marker sandwiched between the covers and aging pages. A small ballpoint pen was stationed on top of the book.
"Huh…must be his journal or something," Nero commented as he continued to stare at the book.
Temptation prompted him to quickly snatch up the book and begin reading. However, he merely grunted before turning away from the desk, leaving the journal and the private thoughts it contained to his comrade. Carefully stepping over the small mountains of clothes and other hazardous objects, the young slayer finally managed to locate a slightly ajar door. The wooden barrier led into a quaint private bathroom with a rather spacious shower stall complete with a bathtub. Relief washed over the Order official as he quickly stepped into the bathroom, closing the door afterward. Quickly locating the light switch, Nero flicked the overhead light on before turning on the cold and hot water knobs, causing a rather steady stream to shoot out of the stainless steel faucet. Lifting up a small lever underneath the faucet, he slid a small plug into place, sighing softly as the cascading water splashed noisily in the porcelain tub.
…
Dante meanwhile sighed softly as he dragged his feet exiting the kitchen. Trudging over to his desk, he quickly slipped his arms into the red overcoat he wore when he faced off against Mundus on Mallet Island. The rather tight leather flexed elegantly over his larger muscles, the long tail fluttering down around his ankles. Granted he had bulked up since he had last worn the jacket, therefore he predicted the object would be a little tight. However, Dante merely compared the snug fit to the feel of how his leather gloves hugged every minute detail and curve of his fingers and hands. Lightly clearing his throat, his ears twitched slightly as he registered the muffled sound of water splashing noisily in the porcelain tub in his private bathroom. A sly smirk curled the right corner of his lips as he paced over to the jukebox.
"Eh, I knew he'd find it sooner or later," he commented as he browsed through his song lists a few times over.
Eventually, he settled on a song before turning his gaze to focus on the closet door. After all of these years, Dante had no idea that the memory of his departed brother would come back to haunt him. Sure he had his doubts about whether or not Vergil would visit him in his dreams to harass him, but he was utterly blindsided in the few minutes prior. Dante swallowed past the forming lump in his throat before slowly walking back over to the door. He clenched his hands tightly as the extremities began to quiver from the pent up anxiety. Pursing his lips together in an impossibly thin line, the elder hunter wrapped the fingers of his right hand around the slightly tarnishing doorknob before twisting it. The door slid open easily, once more emitting light to play across the shimmering features the blue overcoat had to offer.
"I guess my collection is complete now," he whispered softly as he pulled the blue coat from the closet, the fabric folding easily in his hands. "I have an amulet from my mother, a sword from my father…and now, my brother's overcoat."
His vision began to swim as saltine tears burned the back of his eyes. Blinking in quick intervals, Dante held his emotions at bay as he raked his gaze over the fine, embroidered leather. Vergil had always been a stickler for perfection, and that is why his room was always a polar opposite to his own. Up until the bitter end, they always seemed to do nothing but fight. They fought over who got to hold the frog they found at the pond, or who got to fly the kite. They even fought over who could hold their breath the longest. Dante sighed a choked breath as he crossed his arms over his chest, holding the overcoat tightly in his embrace.
"I never really did get to say good-bye," he whispered before leaning against the wall adjacent to the closet, the baby blue overcoat still clutched tightly against his chest. "Or more importantly…thank you."
…
Nero sighed in content as he slowly lowered his wounded body into the warm, soapy water. He slowly closed his eyes as he stretched his limbs under the water, his feet propped against the opposite side of the tub. Small beads of sweat began to surface on his forehead and face as the steam emanating from the water caressed his exposed features before dissipating into the atmosphere. The satisfied smile remained upon his lips as he reopened his eyes, raising his hands to the water's surface. Nero briefly cleared his throat before going about the practice of washing his body of dried blood, sweat and dirt. However, he often paused to build small mounds of bubbles floating atop the water's surface.
"Aaah, look out, here comes the shark!" he shouted before enclosing his right hand over the small mound of bubbles, making roaring, screaming and explosion noises in the process of its destruction.
He laughed in spite of himself and his inner child before setting to the task of building another sculpture of bubbles. Gathering what was left of the frothing spheres of soap on top of the water, the young slayer compacted the various groups before lifting his new creation into his hands. Inhaling deeply, he lifted his cupped hands toward the ajar window on the far wall of the bathroom before sharply exhaling through his puckered lips, granting a few of the bubbles a periodic flight.
"Fly away!" he commanded before inhaling deeply through his mouth, clamping his nostrils shut with his left index finger and thumb.
Trapping his inhaled breath in his lungs, Nero quickly submerged his whole body under the surface of the water. He briefly reveled in the comforting embrace the warm water offered his abused body before he quickly lifted his head, resurfacing. Dispelling the remaining air in his lungs, the young hunter raked his hands over his face and through his hair before opening his eyes. Glancing around at the expansive shower stall, he searched for any kind of brightly colored bottles. He smiled once he located one, reaching up toward a small shelf just below the idle showerhead. Wrapping his fingers around the slim bottle, he plucked the object from its resting place before lowering it down to his eye level. He frowned though at the lack of a label for the bottle of soap. Shrugging his shoulders he unscrewed the cap, curiously sniffing at the scent the soap perforated. The liquid soap smelled strongly of a mixture of sugar and lavender, easing a drunken smile onto his lips.
"I'm sure Dante won't mind," he reassured himself as he inverted the bottle, squirting a small pool of a clear viscous solution into his cupped palm.
Carefully placing the bottle on the edge of the tub, Nero dabbed the index and middle fingers of his left hand into the substance before smoothing it through his damp silver lochs. Once the small pool of shampoo was exhausted from his right palm, Nero raked his fingers through his hair, working the shampoo into a fine lather. Upon completion of lathering his hair, he quickly submerged underneath the water, trailing his hands through his slowly fluttering lochs afterward. Surfacing a few moments later, he ran his fingers through his dripping hair a few times over, checking to make sure he rinsed the rest of the lather out. The young slayer sighed softly before lifting the small lever situated just under the faucet, disengaging the plug. Shivering slightly from the temperature change upon his exit from the water, Nero quickly searched through the cabinets before finally locating a warm, fluffy towel.
He first dried off his shoulders, trailing the towel down his chest and arms, his demonic arm pulsating at the fabric's contact. Next was his abdomen, the tender flesh sending small jolts of pain every time the towel brushed over a healing tooth indent. Moving further south, he quickly dried off his legs and genitals before switching to drying off his back. The final part of his body he dried off was his hair. Draping the now damp fabric over his head, he roughly ruffled it, drying and tangling his hair in the process. A coy smile curled his lips as he pulled the towel off of his head, his hair now defying gravity in all directions. Wrapping his towel around his slim waist, he gazed at his reflection in the mirror before raking his fingers through his messy and tangled hair, somewhat giving it order. He sighed heavily after a few minutes of fixing his hair and quickly exited the bathroom, stopping on a dime once he remembered that he didn't have a change of clothes.
"Damn it," he cursed before carefully making his way through Dante's haphazard of a room, leaning over the small loft's railing afterward. "Hey Dante!"
The elder man glanced up from his momentary daydream once Nero's voice registered in his subconscious. Pushing off of the wall, he quickly paced over to his desk and carefully laid Vergil's overcoat along the top of his desk.
"Yeah Nero?" he answered, turning his gaze to settle on the semi-clothed slayer.
"Would you mind if I borrowed some of your clothes?" Nero questioned, heavily leaning against the thin railing. "I forgot to bring an extra set of clothes with me."
"Uh, yeah sure," Dante commented lightly rubbing the back of his neck. "Just look through my dresser, I'm sure you'll find something in there."
"Okay, thanks!" the younger man replied before quickly turning back into the messy room.
A soft smile curled at Dante's lips as he watched the kid bound back into his room. He seemed rather full of energy despite nearly meeting his demise a few hours prior. Nero never really ceased to amaze the elder slayer whether it came to fighting prowess, charm, or whit; the kid seemed to be right in step. Dante sighed heavily before trudging over to his ornate desk chair and plopping down on it. Lifting his feet onto his desk, he lazily tilted the abused piece of furniture back onto two legs before draping his head over the carved back. He closed his eyes as he laced his fingers together in his lap, finding the momentary peace and quiet to be rather relaxing. However as a demon hunter, he never really could truly relax for every demon lurking in the demonic realm was out for his blood, and he knew full well that they would stop at nothing to kill him. The elder man reopened his eyes as his mind began to conger up more and more queries about what Nero had told him earlier about his past.
He personally had never really heard about an ancient race of beings that had managed to survive to modern times untouched by modern technologies. If what the kid said was true, then he had no doubts as to why the Galucians were an anomaly upon their discovery. He had no idea what they practiced, how they obtained their nourishment or even what languages they spoke. He guessed that asking Nero wouldn't really help either since he didn't even know what his mother looked like. To his knowledge, all the young slayer really knew was a brief biography that was contained within the Order's archives. Averting his eyes to fall upon a small drawer to his right, he mentally assessed its contents. Pulling his feet off of his desk, he placed his chair back onto four legs before pulling open the small drawer. The first object to catch his eye was the amulet his mother had given him the day of her murder and the Sparda family's demise. The silver chain sparkled radiantly in the dim lighting of the room, as the amulet's jeweled centerpiece seemed to glow with its own radiance. Up until Vergil's final battle on Mallet Island, Dante had only possessed one amulet. However, after he had succeeded in releasing his damned brother from Mundus's clutches, Vergil had willingly bestowed upon him the second amulet, thus activating the true power of the Force Edge.
Dante glanced back at the ominous sword perched upon a support pillar to the small loft. The pendulum-like blade sparkled innocently in the overhead lights despite its intimidating appearance. Thanks to the sword, he was successful in destroying Mundus and Mallet Island along with him. However, he really owed Trish gratitude for her sacrifice in his ultimate time of need deep in the bowels of the sinister castle. He pursed his lips into a thin line before wrapping the fingers of his right hand around the cold metal of the chain necklace, lifting it out of the drawer afterward. Raising the amulet to his eye level, he furrowed his brow upon noticing that Vergil's amulet was missing. Carefully placing his amulet down on top of his brother's overcoat, he rooted through the papers contained within the drawer, searching rather frantically.
"What the fuck happened to it?" he questioned aloud before opening the drawer underneath the first one. "Fuck!"
…
Meanwhile Nero busied himself rooting through Dante's drawers, giggling every so often he found condoms, personal lubricant, or other various sex toys.
"Ugh, I sound like such a fucking preteen right about now," he grumbled as he placed the fifth box of condoms he located on Dante's desk. "Sheesh, does he even realize how well stocked for sex he is?"
Groaning from the lack of well-fitting clothes in the top drawer, he moved down to the second one, rolling his eyes as he found yet another bottle of personal lubricant. Plucking the bottle out of the jumbled mess of clothes, he placed it on top of the current collection of condom boxes with five other similar ones. Turning his attention back to the drawer, he smiled in success upon at least locating a decent pair of satin boxer shorts. Pulling the towel from around his waist, he quickly slipped into the obsidian shorts before returning to his clothing scavenger hunt. Moving down to the next drawer, he quickly shouted an obscenity before jumping back. Nero slowly began to question his comrade's sanity as he pulled a demon's skull from the drawer, the curved and sharp features of the object still retaining bits and pieces of rotting flesh. Fortunately for him though, the drawer was otherwise devoid of any type of clothing.
"What the fuck is wrong with him?" he questioned rhetorically as he chucked the skull over his shoulder before moving to the closet.
As he pulled apart the sliding doors, he smiled in relief, as neatly arranged and complete outfits adorned the small space. Pulling one complete outfit from its hangar, Nero placed the articles of clothing onto Dante's bed before quickly slipping into it. First was a pair of ripped jeans, which hung rather loosely around his hips, followed by a black t-shirt with two crossed guns on the front. Taking a chance, he rooted through the top drawer again before eventually locating a pair of ankle socks. He quickly slipped his feet into the socks before exiting the disaster area.
…
"Where is he?!" Salidar screamed as he ground his teeth together, clenching his hands tightly.
Mortar cooed in an indifferent answer before turning its gaze to fall upon Kyrie's seated figure. Glancing back at its master, the demonic man nodded briefly before the creature gracefully descended from its perch atop a radio spire. Narrowing its jade green eyes, Mortar hissed sharply as it advanced upon the ambassador, startling her from her thoughts. Kyrie's gaze carefully followed the experiment's movements before glancing over at Salidar, the man glaring menacingly at her.
"Well?!" he barked, causing her to flinch slightly.
"I-I don't know," she answered, her hands encircling her pendant once more.
"Don't play games with me girl!" Salidar screamed storming over to her before clutching onto her dress's collar, lifting her up to his eye level. "I know you are privy to his location…tell me!"
Kyrie's body began to tremble as she turned her face away from his, choosing to focus on a faraway building instead.
"You had better answer me girl!" the demonic man snarled, as he forced her to look at him.
"He-he went to C-Capulet City," Kyrie answered. "He went to find Dante."
"Now you see darling, was that so hard?" he questioned before releasing his grip allowing for her body to collide sharply with the concrete rooftop. "Mortar, fetch me a phone, I have a little message to deliver."
