Chapter 8: Jackpot

Back to the scene...

"AAAAAAAA...", a different voice screams. A startled Cody lets go of the broadsword stuck in the boy's back. It then transforms into a katana, shooting out and nearly hitting Cody in the face but luckily he rolled to the side, dodging it. "But how?!", he asks, surprised. "You're supposed to be dead!". The boy, after getting his breathing aright, responds, "Nah, Mal's spirit is trapped in the sword now.". Holding out his hand for a handshake, he greets, "Oh yeah, I'm Mike...hehe...", sporting a sheepish facial expression. Cody hesitatingly shakes his hand. "Hey, I'm Cody Anderson. "Wait, hold on one second...", he greets back. He looks up, and seeing the left Ifrit gauntlet and the swords Agni and Rudra falling, lets go of Mike's hand, then raises both arms in the air, catching Agni and Rudra, sticking them in the ground. He lifts his left arm, and the Ifrit gauntlet in the air lands on his hand like a glove. He picks up the swords and tells them, "You two did good out there. "You most of all, Ifrit. "Thanks for teaching me the martial arts.", he finishes regarding the gauntlets. Mike, still holding out his hand, moves his arm to the general direction of his sword. It flies back to him then he catches and sheathes it. Cody asks him, "What just happened?". "Long story short, Mal was a personality of mine, took control of my body, tried to ruin my life, but we stopped that.", Mike explains, He asks back, "Say, there's no one else here except demons, right?". "Yeah, besides those two guys still fighting over there.", Cody answers. Then, a massive amount of demons approach them. Pulling Agni and Rudra back up, he continues, "Should we?". Mike, drawing Mal(his sword), replies, "Uh...yeah! "For sure!". They pose first, dash to the demon multitude, then yell, "FIRST ONE TO KILL ONE HUNDRED WINS!"

Back to the Dante and Vergil fight...

The battle rages on, swords clashing, neither warrior relenting on their offense. Each clash generates a supersonic boom, enough to rouse dormant volcanoes. Vergil teleports backwards a few feet, then does the Super Judgment Cut, dashing out of visibility. "You're getting boring, Vergil!", Dante chides, jumping, double-jumping, dashing, air-dashing, rolling and teleporting all over the place. A volcano erupts so greatly, that it created a ring of lava surrounding both of them. Dante mutters, "Honestly? "Cliche much? "I mean, I just got out of such a situation...". Vergil then appears a couple of yards in front of him, recharging his sword, which takes about five seconds of time. Dante takes advantage, doing Round Trip again, but the Sparda turns into a scythe. Vergil backflips, teleports to Dante then does a high head kick, sending him flying. "Is that the best you got, Dante?", he asks in a disappointed tone, nonchalantly blocking the Sparda on its way back. Dante teleports to it, grabs it then does Helmbreaker. Vergil blocks it with his sword, but Dante doesn't jump off. Instead, he presses down, managing to chip Vergil's sword. Your sword's wearing out, dude!", Dante tells him. Vergil tries to push Dante away, but to no avail. Both brothers push harder to each other, only for Vergil's sword to be cut through, split in half. Vergil yells in rage, "YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR THAT!". He the tries to punch Dante, but Dante kicks his fist away. "Ifrit!", he calls out. "We're gonna put this exactly where it belongs...the end of another chapter in my autobiography!". He then does a Kick 13 combo, but Vergil blocks each strike.

With Cody and Mike...

An awful stench fills the air after Cody and Mike's demon killing contest. All the demons they've killed are lying all over the place, mangled, burnt and dismembered. "We're ninety-nine a piece.", Mike says. A big eagle-like creature(with a mix of different faces on its head)then appears. Cody then asks Mike, Looks like we'll never know who wins this, huh?". "Yeah...we'll need to work together on this one.", Mike answers. Cody sighs, then sadly states, "Ifrit told me he needed to go. "Said something about penning a book...I mean, we were doing so well together!" "Are you...", Mike asks, puzzled. Cody responds, "Are you kidding me?!" "Of course not! "You know what? "Never mind! "Let's just kick some demon butt!". "Yeah! "Let's go!", Mike adds, jumping to the demon while Cody runs to under it.

Back to the Dante and Vergil fight...

Dante jumps up, dodging Vergil's projectile punch, then does an axe kick. "Just like against Nightmare's version of your brother, Dante?", Ifrit asks. Dante agrees, "Yup, definitely like that!". Vergil counters by doind a rising uppercut, punching Dante hard enough to backflip then land on his back. Seeing the result, Vergil charges all his remaining power to his right fist, then does a dash punch. Just before reaching Dante, Dante does a kip-up, but instead of standing, he kicks Vergil in his chest with both feet so hard, he went THROUGH Vergil. "Thank you, Dante.", Vergil says softly, dropping to a knee. "Now, Yamato can finally regain some of its purity.". "About your sword...it's lost to sea. Sorry, bro.", Dante apologizes. "You. "Are. "An. "IMBECILE!", Vergil shouts at him, then his body disintegrates by fire. After that, Dante says tiredly, "Just because you're such a stuck-up, doesn't mean you get to take it out on me. "Phew! "What an ordeal...gotta get outta here. "See ya never, island!". He then uses Air Raid to fly off and away from the island. "Dante. "There are two children still on the island.", Ifrit tells him. Dante sighs, then says exasperatedly, "Just my luck. "What am I...a cab service now?!". A helicopter appears over his head. "A cab service, you say?", Trish asks from the cockpit. Dante flies to inside the helicopter, sits down then transforms back to normal. "Yeah, a cab service.", he replies dryly. "What took you so long?!". Trish tells him, "You know, a couple boys trying to hit on me, a couple girls trying to hit on me, some old guy mistaking me for a hooker...yeah, same old same old.". "Yeah, that guy really needs to lay off the aging cream!", Dante says, mirthfully, the laughs. He asks, "Anyway, what did you do next?". Trish, sporting a naughty smirk on her face, responds, "The expected...". Dante stops laughing, then facepalms. "Oi vey...", he mutters. Trish just shakes her head at Dante's attitude. She then says, "I found them. "They better be grateful...". She flies to the eagle-like demon.

With Cody and Mike...

Mike is standing on top of the demon, hacking and slashing it, but to no effect. "This thing's tough as nails, Cody!", he yells. Cody yells back from the ground, "You're telling me! "Hey Mike...is that a...helicopter?!". Mike looks back and replies, "Why, yeah it is!". Because he lost his concentration looking back, the demon flicked him off its head. Dante, seeing this from the helicopter, draws both Alastor and Sparda then does Round Trip with both swords to them. "Grab the swords, guys!", he yells out. "They'll bring you back! "And if you're scared of getting cut...which you shouldn't be, but you're kids so I'll let it slide...you know what? "Just take the chance!". Cody sees Sparda thrown to him so he grabs it by the handle. Same with Mike grabbing Alastor. Both of them get into the helicopter after the swords return to Dante. Mike looks at Trish, who's the pilot. Cody greets her, "Hey there. "I'm Cody and he's Mike.". Trish looks at them and and smiles, replying flirtatiously. "Trish. "Nice to meet you two strong boys...". They blush. Dante acting dramatically hurt, whines, "What about me? "Ain't I strong?". "You're a man, Dante. "Grow up.", Trish scolds Dante then mutters, "You look like my mom...but that doesn't mean you are.". Cody and Mike do a double take. Both ask, "How is that...possible?". Dante speaks louder, "I'll tell you at the shop. "Anyway, we're not done yet.". He draws Ebony and gives it to Cody. "Ever use a gun before? "We'll, if you haven't, you'll get a real kick outta this...emphasis on kick!", Dante adds. "Did you just...", Cody starts asking. Dante interjects, "Yeah, I borrowed that from the old guy."

Confessional - Cody:

"Old guy? "Wait...did he mean Chris?! "Ha ha..."

Confessional end

He continues, "You two need to come to the shop often for firearms training, okay?". Mike responds, "Thanks for the invite, Dante.". Dante then says, "Just pitch up. "Anyway, Trish, give Mike Ombra. "I've got a hell of a finale for this!". Trish draws Luce and Ombra then throws Ombra to Mike, who catches it, but nearly lets it fall out of the helicopter. "You almost joined Dante in the debt collector's line, kid. "Remember that,", she tells him sweetly. He replies sarcastically, "Today must be my lucky day.". Dante interrupts, "We all gotta aim at the head, got it? "Fire on my signal...which I haven't even told you two yet!". "Hey! "That...sorta rhymes!". After a moment of sweatdrops(Trish, Cody and Mike), the four aim their guns at the demon's head(Mike and Cody holding the guns with both hands, Dante and Trish only holds them with one), waiting till Trish flies them to a vantage position. Upon getting that position, they all yell, "JACKPOT!". Each of them pulls the trigger of the gun they're using at the same time. The bullets from Ivory and Luce knock into the ones from Ebony and Ombra, fusing the four bullets into one. After a second, the demon explodes, the shockwave being so much for the island that it blows up. Trish turns the helicopter away, holsters Luce, then asks, "How did you two know the keyword? "No one told you...". "Well...we won, didn't we?", Cody asks back nervously, tossing Ebony to Dante. Dante catches it, then answers, smirking, "Kid's right, Trish. "We won.". Mike was about to throw Ombra to Trish, only for Trish to tell him, "Wait till we get back on land.". Cody asks Dante, "You said something about a shop. "What kinda shop is it?". "You'll see. "In fact, I think it needs a name change...", Dante answers. The island has now completely vanished while Trish flew them away.

[Song end]