So this chapter pretty much came out of nowhere. I'm not actually sure how this happened. I had a basic plan for where each chapter had to go and while this chapter certainly wasn't in keeping with that plan, I kinda like it, so I'm allowing it to survive. Hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry, or Vergil, but I have started making a Nevan cosplay in the hopes of enticing at least one of the Sparda twins to join me.

Vergil's Adventures In Underland - Our Own Little Failures

"Vergil? Dante? Happy Birthday!"

"Wow, thanks!"

"I want chocolate!"

"No, I want chocolate!" The twins' childish laughter resound off the walls, joined by their mother's soft chuckles.

"You'll protect Dante forever, won't you, Vergil? He's not as big and strong as you are."

"Of course, Mother, always."

"Son, this is Yamato. It was mine once, but now it is yours. Your birth right." Images flash by, happy memories, his mother, his father. Even Dante and that big, stupid grin of his.

"Might controls everything. I need more power." Suddenly, the images become tainted. A black web spreads over his loved ones like a plague, filth and disease tarnishing their portraits. Demons appear behind them, fangs glistening, dripping, eyes glowing red. Blood gushes from each of his loved ones. Three red lights appear in the black sky, and he knows it is Him, and then he's falling, falling again, having failed to protect everyone he loved...

Vergil awoke with a start, gripping the branches with white knuckles. He surveyed the area, wary of any lurking threat. Realising that Malice was still asleep, having stolen his coat completely during the night, and satisfied that there was no immediate threat to their wellbeing, he relaxed (as much as he ever did, at least) back into the branchy crevice.

He briefly considered waking the girl, but soon thought better of it. She was decidedly less irritating when she was unconcious. Vergil thought that if she ever met Dante, he would be forced to cut off his own ears. Or sew their mouths shut. Whichever came easier.

Malice shifted in her sleep, a deep frown in place, hair hanging loosely out of the tree like black vines. Vergil wondered if she was having nightmares like his, if she'd even had another life to have memories of in the first place. She turned again, and Vergil noticed the fresh swirls of madness, spiralling just over the neck line of her shirt.

"She doesn't have much time left really." Vergil barely glanced at the cat. "It hasn't reached her arms and neck yet, at least, but she doesn't have long."

"What happens when it reaches her head?"

"She'll cease to be human, like the rest of us. She'll be an abomination. Or a monster. Like the rest of us."

"What a morbid wake up call, boys, honestly. A simple 'good morning, Mal' would have sufficed."

"Good morning, Mal," the cat replied automatically.

"See, was that so hard? Now you, Verge."

"Don't call me that," Vergil snapped. 'Yes,' he decided, 'I definitely like her better unconcious.'

"So, Ches, what are you doing here? Over your little sulk already? That was fast."

"Hardly, Malice. I just came to tell you that the Hatter is waiting for you. The tea is ready and you know he hates it when people are late."

"... You told him we were coming?"

"No, Absolem did. I merely comfirmed that you would, in fact, be there. You can't avoid him forever, Malice. Not if you want your precious new arrival to live. Go see the Hatter." And with that little ultimatum, the cat vanished. Vergil studied the girl as she took on the expression of a dear in the headlights, snuggling deeper into his coat as though trying to hide.

"What are you doing? If we're not supposed to be late, we should leave now," Vergil asked.

"I don't want to." Vergil raised an eyebrow at the childish remark.

"How utterly petulant, Malice. Should I be handing you a lollipop right about now, fetching you a teddy bear? It seems you've already got your security blanket." Malice only sighed. "What is it? Why don't you want to see this 'Hatter'?"

"Because I... I failed him." Vergil's harsh, ice-cold gaze softened just slightly. "They needed me, and I failed them. It's my fault we're all stuck like this."

"Explain. Now."

"I... I was supposed to save everyone, Vergil. When I got here, the Hatter found me in the Tweedles cave. He saved me, trained me, gave me the Vorpal Sword." Malice let out another shaky sigh. "He told me that I was the only one that could defeat the Red Queen, because the madness hadn't taken over. He said that if I defeated the Red Queen, and saved Alice, the Blue Queen, that everything would be okay. That everyone would be safe, that the madness would stop. But I failed. When I got there, the Red Queen had already killed Alice, she was draining her blood into a little vial. I tried to stop her. I ran at her with my sword, like Hatter had trained me, but the madness was everywhere and she was everywhere, using it against me. She stuck a dagger through me and my blood spilled on the floor, and evrything was red, and I thought it would be okay, that I could keep fighting, but..."

"What, Malice? What happened?" Vergil's voice was softer now, and the girl took a deep breath.

"If the blood of a new arrival mixes with the blood of a queen, the Executioner will awaken." Malice let out a sob, her eyes welling up. "It was my fault. I unleashed the Executioner. It broke my sword and it broke me and I... I ran." And the floodgates were open, black tears streaming down her face. Vergil cringed imwardly as she buried her face into his coat, entirely unused to these emotional situations,

"I'm sure... It probably wasn't... You're overreacting. " he stated, trying so hard to sound sure of himself.

"You suck, Vergil," Malice said, giving a small smile that more resembled a grimace.

"Understand that this isn't really my fort, and please stop violating my coat with your tears." Vergil gave an exasperated sigh. "Now listen to me. You've failed the Hatter, get over it. You need to be stronger now. Gain more power. Might controls everything, and without power you cannot protect anything, let alone yourself."

"It's unusual for a madman to have a philosophy, Vergil."

"Shut up. Now, come on, let's find the Hatter and get out of this tree, you snivelling brat."

To Be Continued...