Hiii guys x) so I know I've been away for way to long, my laptop broke last year and it's only recently that I've been able to have it seen to, it's still not really in the best of health buttt just going with it for now haha, so here is chapter 4 and hopefullyyy I can get a few more up soooon, I just need to set a few things up in the next chapter or two and then the fun can begin XD hope you enjoyy and please review if you like, it's great inspiration and motivation XD thanks guys!

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'Well this is it. The ruins of Mundus's office.'

Vergil spreads his arms out as if presenting the office to me, as though I've never been here. I don't bother to correct him, he knows what I had to do in this place, to get Mundus angry. I retrace my steps from that day absent-mindedly while Vergil walks straight over to where the portal stood. The floor is strewn with rubble from the collapsed ceiling and splintered wood from Mundus's desk. He kneels to inspect the floor for anything that might help but stands a moment later clearly empty handed.

'Not sure we're going to find much here to help us,' I note. Vergil seems to ignore me but I don't really care. It was more to myself anyway.

Vergil circles the office before coming to a standstill in the centre. Once again he opens his arms out to indicate the office.

'We did this together, Dante. We took Mundus down.'

I'm silent for a few seconds as I study him. He's not looking at me, he's still looking almost in wonder around the office as if he truly can't believe we defeated Mundus. Yet I'm sure it's all for show, there's an almost smug look to his face and a glint in his eyes that tells me he now clearly believes Mundus was beneath him from the beginning, that while he's taking the new threat seriously, underneath he's also approaching it with a little more bravado than last time even if it's not evident on the surface. He's definitely changing, still level headed, calm and collected but more distant with a colder attitude towards, well everything, most specifically me.

Not that I blame him. I did try to kill him after all. Can't say I'm behaving all that friendly either.

His words however make it sound almost like he's trying to build a new connection between us. He's definitely not going for friendship but he seems to want something. I just don't trust him anymore. And the more his words sink in the more I realise there's something wrong with his statement.

'See I'd like to take that as some sort of compliment,' I say carefully, 'but I know 'we' means you and I. That's not right. It was Kat who pretty much put the whole plan together. How can you just cast her aside?'

It's his turn for silence now, to look me up and down while contemplating the person I've become. He eventually turns away, wandering back to Mundus's desk as he answers.

'Lets start searching properly. I'm not looking for an argument right now and I certainly don't need you lecturing me.'

He turns back to face me, eyes blazing.

'What do you know anyway? You don't understand, brother. You clearly don't listen to the power within you.'

'You mean the demon within me,' I say quietly, 'I'll never let that part of me control me. That's the mistake you're making. You're forgetting who you are.'

' I know who I am,' Vergil snaps. He whips away from me again, his hand resting on the hilt of Yamato. Whoever he thinks he is now, he's not the Vergil I knew as a child. He's not the Vergil that found me again.

He turns suddenly and I nearly reach for Rebellion, fully expecting him to attack but his features are unexpectedly calm now and he speaks as though our conversation never happened.

'We need to find whatever's stalking us.'

Ok, I'll go along with it.

'I really don't think this is place to be looking,' I say, enforcing my earlier point, 'surely this place is too screwed up now for another gate.'

Vergil nods thoughtfully.

'This was the strongest place in the city for a gateway, no wonder Mundus made camp here. But I know several other locations near here that would have done. They're the places we need to try next.'

He walks briskly to the door and I follow him, waiting until we're in the car driving to our next destination to question him.

'What did you mean by, 'the strongest place'?'

'In demon terms, a 'strong place' is a place that's thrumming with demonic energy. It tends to draw demons in so if you open a gate there you'd get more demons and more power than in a place that's weak. Limbo city has the strongest energy around, that's why Mundus chose to set up headquarters here. Probably why our father Sparda chose to settle here.'

We vist several locations throughout the rest of the night but find nothing. No evidence of anymore gateways and nothing to help us figure out the threat that's after us. At the end of our search we find ourselves near the abandoned playground that played host to the rebuilding of our friendship and the destruction of it.

We walk slowly towards it but stop before the gate. I don't know about Vergil but I don't want to go in. Instead we lean against a wall to watch the first rays of the sun come up. I get the feeling Vergil's gearing up to tell me something that I'm probably not going to like and I wait for him rather than push him to talk.

'Dante, I think we're going to need to use Kat's abilities properly for this next fight, we can't do this one alone.'

'You want to use her again?' I growl, anger starting to flare in me again.

'I'm saying we need her...help,' he says after a moment, 'again,' he adds quickly as if to pacify me. I snort, knowing that's not what he means at all.

'Why? Why does she have to be involved in this? Don't you think she's been through enough?'

'She has more power and potential than she realises, than I even realised,' Vergil says. A wondrous smile tugs his lips and my defences rise immidiately. No I don't like the sound of this at all.

'You going to explain that statement?' I snap when he doesn't continue.

'Kat may have the abilities to screw with the demons more so than I thought possible. She learned to wander limbo by herself, I believe her powers could go as far as to enter a demons mind, confuse and warp them enough that they would at least be distracted. She called out in limbo without meaning to, without saying a physical word. Imagine, if she did that to our newest enemy, it might make taking it down a whole lot easier.'

'Sounds like crazy talk to me,' I say dismissively, 'besides, if I can help it she's not going anywhere near our new 'friend'.'

'But she wouldn't have to! At least she wouldn't have to get as close as we would, she can do it from further away. It's at least worth a try Dante.'

'Well you can suggest it to her, just please let me be present so I can watch her kick your ass when you ask her for her help.'

Vergil makes to respond but we both stiffen instantly as we notice a skeletal figure stalking through the playground towards us. I quietly pull my sword from my back while Vergil draws Yamato by my side. But the demon only observes us briefly before taking off suddenly in the opposite direction.

'What the hell?' I mutter.

'There's every chance he's with the new threat,' Vergil says grimly as he slips Yamato away again, 'probably using them to track us. Come on, let's get out of here.'

We don't speak for the journey home and when we reach the motel, Vergil drops me there and leaves, telling me he'll see us again later. I'm tired when I reach our room and the minute I'm in, I cross the room to pull the curtains firmly shut so the brightness doesn't keep me awake.

Best to get sleep when I can.

'Dante?' I hear Kat's tentative voice and I go to join her in the bedroom, flopping down on the bed to enjoy the comfort briefly before I have to return to the couch. The pillows are rubbish but the bed itself is not to bad. Kat's sat up looking at me anxiously. I suspect she's been awake all night waiting to hear what's happened.

'No, we didn't find anything,' I answer in response to her silent question. She sighs and lies down next to me.

'So what next?' She asks.

'I dunno...,' I reply, voice trailing off. I think about what Vergil was saying but decide not to mention it yet.

'Where's Vergil?' She asks after a moment.

'Probably still out looking. I think he got the hint he wasn't really welcome here,' I say giving her a pointed look that she chooses to ignore.

'You sure it's wise for him to be roaming the streets alone?' She questions and I know she's not referring to him being in danger. She's worried about what he himself might do.

'While we're searching for the same threat I don't think he'll try anything. It's after when we need to start worrying.'

Out of the corner of my eye I see her frown at the light sarcastic tone but I know she knows I'm taking this seriously. We lie side by side for awhile, exhaustion creeping up on me and I'm reluctant to move. Before I know it, I'm dozing off next to her, lulled by her warmth and comfort. I'm practically asleep when I feel the softest touch as though she's running a feather light hand through my hair and then movement as she gets off the bed to let me have it while I sleep. I've barely slept a couple hours however when the sound of shouting comes cutting through my senses and I bolt upright, reaching for Ebony and Ivory in my haste...