The small girl ran through the tall grass of the field. The warm summer breeze whipped her now loose hair around as she giggled uncontrollably at what she wasn't quite sure. She had long since abandoned her flip flops and enjoyed feeling the hot solid ground underneath her as her small feet pounded into the ground.
She twirled around a few times with her arms out looking up at the sky still laughing loudly at her own game. The sundress that she wore swirled around her even after she had stopped spinning. She placed a hand to her head her giggles fading a bit but not by much as she began to run again this time taking great leaps to see how far her legs could stretch out.
A sweet sing song voice reached her ears causing her to stop dead in her tracks and glance over her shoulder. She jumped to face the voice and began running again but this time with a purpose. Her lips seemed frozen in a wide smile as she crashed through the grass and onto the sandy part that gave way to the beach.
The woman stood with a hand on the large floppy hat she had worn to shield her face from the sun while the other stayed against her hip more for comfort than anything else. A small line of concern graced her features but smoothed out as the small girl bounded for her quickly closing the gap between them. The woman couldn't help but laugh at the small girl as she ran towards her.
Her feet were caked in mud and her hair was disheveled with a few pieces of grass stuck in at odd places. The yellow sundress she had carefully picked out for her was now stained green in more than one place from her sliding on the grass but the woman only laughed shaking her head slightly from side to side.
'Oh no; here I was searching for my daughter and all I've seemed to find was a ragamuffin.' She stated as the girl neared her. The little girl laughed again loudly wrapping her arms tightly around her mothers waist.
'What would you give me for a basket full of kisses?' She asked sweetly her green eyes trained on her mother awaiting the familiar response. The woman smiled even wider.
'I would give you a basket full of hugs.' She said scooping the girl up into her arms. She wrapped her arms tightly around her mother's neck placing a kiss against her cheek as she was held tightly.
'Well now what do we have here? Two of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen I believe.' The girl turned her head around to see her father standing beside them when he hadn't been a few moments before. She squealed with delight at his sudden appearance and held out her arms to him. He took her from her mother and held onto her tightly before placing her back down.
She didn't pay attention as her parents began to talk since their grown up chatter never seemed to make much sense to her and opted to dig her toes into the sand instead. It didn't seem to amaze her how their voices seemed to change when they talked to each other. They always sounded serious. Not the playful tone they used with her but she supposed that if they did talk to her in their 'adult' voice she probably wouldn't pay attention. Maybe they knew.
'Oh Gabe, no pictures. We've been out here all day long. Her hair is a wreck, I'm sun burnt….' The woman began to object. The girl looked up at her parents seeing her father take out the camera he had recently bought. She thought it was funny that her father only wanted to play with his favorite new toy and she giggled. Her hands covered her mouth bringing both their eyes to her.
'How about you darling. Want me to take a picture of you and mommy?' He asked. The little girl began jumping up and down enthusiastically loudly proclaiming that yes she did. The woman rolled her eyes but smiled good naturedly. 'Come on Rina.' Gabe said placing an arm around her waist dragging her closer towards the water. He stopped her half way looking up at the sky deciding it was where the best light was.
Their daughter had trailed behind them jumping the entire way once again to see how far she could stretch her legs. She stopped in front of her mother who stooped down and kneeled next to her wrapping her arms tightly around her waist. The girl placed her own arms back around her mother's neck and rested her head against hers. 'Very nice girls, now everyone smile.'
The picture was taken and the little girl giggled some more before making her way to splash into the water.
'Nina.' She heard her mother call distantly. Nina turned her head around again expecting to see her mother standing where she had left her but she was gone. Her heart began to pound wildly in her chest as panic seized her instantly. She felt lost and alone. The sky above her seemed to darken as she ran back to the place where she had left her mother.
'Mommy?' She called out tentatively expecting her to materialize in front of her but nothing happened. Her mother didn't answer or appear. Hot tears began to stream down her face in cascades as she began running along the sandy beach and peered into the tall grass but it was as if she had vanished.
Nina turned back around quickly to see her father standing still on the beach. She ran to him but stopped a few feet away. There was something about the way he looked at her that made her uneasy. She didn't know what it was but everything in her mind and heart told her to run away, fast and far. Instead she remained glued to the spot.
Her father let out a heavy sigh before reaching behind him taking his gun out of its holster. Her eyes grew wide as her breath hitched in her chest. In an instant she had turned to run back into the tall grass where she could hide even if for just a little while. Distantly thunder rumbled but she knew it was getting closer, the storm was approaching.
The tears seemed to flow endlessly with no end in sight making her vision blurry as she ran but the grassy refuge only appeared to be getting farther away from her. Behind her she felt her father growing bigger, stronger and meaner. It wouldn't be to long before she would feel the bullet pass through her undoubtedly the same way it had her mother.
She yelled out again for her mother this time hearing her from far away and she doubted she would be able to reach the safety and protection of her arms in time to save her. The sky above the tall grasses was still blue and sunny. It was still warm there. It was still safe there.
Nina reached out a hand and with one last burst of energy leaped forward extending out her hand with her fingers splayed wide in an attempt to grasp at something, anything at this point all the while screaming for her mother.
Ambra's hand jerked somewhat impulsively away from the girl as the word fell from her lips in her dazed state of consciousness. She could feel her brow furrow slightly before cocking it. Lucia sat nearby and smirked to herself.
"Mother…?" Ambra questioned softly her eyes flicking to the other female. Lucia shrugged slightly.
"Maybe she likes you." She replied. Ambra rolled her eyes and resumed to pat down the girls sweaty face with a cool cloth. Vergil had been the one to find Nina once she had come through the portal laden down with weapons and unconscious. The only reason why anyone else had realized that Nina was back was because of the fact that Vergil had strolled back into the house with Yamato in hand.
Ambra's heart had jumped in her chest skipping a few beats before her body had actually moved. She wanted to be the one to grab Yamato and, with every good intention in mind, beat the devil out of it literally. Upon seeing the sword any thought of accosting the male flew out the window. It had come down to brass tacks now that he had been brought back and she simply wanted to see him again.
A quick sideways glance of a warning from Vergil was enough to keep her at bay as he went into the back room with the sword and closed the door. Her heart instantly sunk down into a coldness as the grief she had felt years ago came back to the surface. Her fists clenched as her jaw set all the while barely breathing. It wasn't fair.
Her uncle had been the one to place a hand against her shoulder bringing her back to reality with a blaring jerk of light and awareness. Together they had gone outside to where Nina lay on the ground. The static still hung in the air heavily clinging to their bodies as they approached the young woman.
Ambra's hands trembled long before her knees gave out on her but the end result was her crashing into the rocky ground. Kalina-Anne lay next to her a bit tarnished but still appeared the same as she last remembered it. Strapped to Nina's back was Force Edge it snapped a bit with electricity as if angered over its treatment but it had always been a bit temperament . On top of the lightening sword Mensch and Damon pulsated lightly as if it caused them a great deal of effort to make their presence known even in the slightest way.
Dante was the one who strolled over and stooped down next to the girl stripping her of the weapons. A high pitched sound escaped from Mensch but in it was relief. Dante soothed the swords into submission as he communicated with them in a way only those possessing the knowledge and blood to do so could. He glanced back at his niece only once and it was to toss Devastator her way. Out of instinct her hand wrapped around it as it came close enough. She placed it down in her lap as her fingers held onto it loosely. Her eyes began to water but whether it was from the slight breeze or actual tears she wasn't sure. She felt numb.
The gun felt warm, probably from being held close to Nina, and alive in her hand. Her gun that her uncle had had customized just for her when she had gone to live with him permanently. Her gun that had been taken out of her clenched hand and fired at her. Ambra shut her eyes tightly placing her other hand against her chest.
Her son ran over with his cousin by his side matching his stride step for step. He knelt down next to the girl concern written across his features.
"She's fine. Must have been one hell of a trip though." The elder Dante commented. His nephew looked up at him in question before being silenced. His uncle held out his hand and in his palm lay a bullet recently discharged.
"We should get her inside." Ava said hoisting Kalina-Anne up onto her shoulder before walking back towards the house. Dante watched as his uncle secured Force Edge to his back to rest alongside Rebellion while he gripped the two other swords, the swords he had only ever heard about, Mensch and Damon tightly. His knuckles went white but the trembling in his hands was still apparent. The younger Dante looked away understanding that the elder needed some time to himself.
He placed a careful arm around Nina's shoulders and another under her legs grabbing her to rest close to him as he picked her up and began carrying her. It was uncanny to him how perfectly she seemed to fit against him. Her body seemed to mold flawlessly in his arms to match him. He stared at her as he walked towards the house. Her hair was frizzy with static but a few red strands stuck to her forehead thanks to the sweat that had beaded and was now dripping down.
Her eyes flickered slightly as her lips moved a bit. Dante smiled down at her as she opened her lids just enough for him to catch a glimpse of a paled green.
"It's okay Nina. You're safe." He said softly but still her lips continued to move until her eyes shut again. He was certain though there had only been one word on them. Mother.
Ambra placed the cloth back into the bowl of cool water and sat back in her chair with a sigh.
"Are you alright mon ami." Lucia asked. Her amusement had dissipated and was now replaced by a look of concern. Ambra took a moment to think on the question before answering.
"I honestly am not sure." She replied her tone taking on a flat quality. It was the truth after all. There was so much going on in the house as well as inside her own head but at the moment she wasn't quite sure if she had caught up to the present yet.
She was grateful that the devil arms were in the right hands again and would be able to restore their powers. She was wouldn't call it glad but again grateful, yes grateful, for the Nina woman to bring them back to them, to bring Yamato back to her.
Ambra's eyes suddenly went downcast of their own accord as her heart sank further down. Yamato had been returned but Vergil, her father, had had the foresight to wait for Nina to return in order to claim back his precious katana. She couldn't fault him for that but he knew who it was that resided in that sword or at least he should. Could he be so stone cold and damaged that he didn't care how his daughter felt?
The only person he had shown any emotion for was Avangeline and even that was extremely minimal. She was again grateful, extremely in this case, that her niece had someone to watch over her and, even better, someone who could help her through her rough 'spots' but she wasn't his daughter. Ambra was. She was the one who should be getting his attention, not her uncles grand-daughter.
She clenched her fists tight as an anger swept across her body causing her to shudder. It wasn't fair. In a way it startled her to be thinking so irrationally. Since when had life ever been fair for her. She had never been so selfish before so why now? She brought her gaze up to stare at the wall angrily.
"Because I'm tired of this shit." She replied to her own thought process aloud.
"Excuse moi?" Lucia asked uncertain of what exactly was going on or what had seemingly angered the normally calm female. Ambra brought her eyes back to the red haired female who hadn't changed since she had first met her twenty or so years before. Her mouth moved to work for a moment but she clasped it shut with an audible popping sound.
Without another word, or sound for that matter, uttered she stood stoically and walked out of the room. Her fists were still clenched as she allowed her feet to carry her not wanting to have the burden of logical thought clouding her sudden urge to speak up for herself.
The room where Nina was currently lying down in was only a short hallway distance away from the room where Vergil had holed himself up in with Yamato. Ambra walked towards the door clumsily as a person sleep walking might. She seemed unaware of her surroundings but her eyes told a different story. Both orbs had turned a glacial teal color that sparked as a torrent of different emotions flashed brightly in her mind. She didn't bother reaching out a clenched hand to knock. She was uncouth after all in her father's eyes so why should she disappoint him?
With the flat of her booted foot she kicked open the door to the room sending it flying off its hinges as it shattered into splinters of wood that scattered throughout the room. Vergil stood in a flash blocking the doorway with the tip of Yamato poised at the hollow of her throat.
"Will you run me through with the devil I once made a bed with then Vergil?" She asked the flatness in her voice still prevalent. "I doubt that Yamato would lend whatever small amount of power he has left if you did so."
Vergil narrowed his eyes at her before gracefully sheathing the katana into its scabbard. He stood to the side as if inviting her to enter the room. Ambra's brow furrowed in confusion as her eyes quickly scanned the room and saw a figure laying on the bed. Her breath caught in her throat as her hands unclenched becoming dead weight at her sides.
She swallowed hard resuming her sleepy walk into the room. A few steps was all it took to reach the bed and it's occupant but it seemed like an endless stretch for her to reach an impossible goal. For a few minutes she simply stared at the male that was even skinnier than she remembered him being. His hair appeared thinner as well but it wasn't just his physical state that sent alarm bells ringing in her head. Each breath he took was shaky and shallow. A gasping rattle reverberated in his throat and each breath seemed to strain him considerably.
"He is dying." Vergil said. Ambra fell to her knees next to the bed as she nodded her head a couple of times. "His powers were bound to the sword which is why he was unable to escape it's hold over him. The seal was old but still there none the less."
"From Fortuna probably, the knights of the order or whatever they called themselves." She replied distantly. Her surroundings became hazy and fuzzy as she dimmed out the surrounding room. All the existed at the moment was the small corner of the room where the bed was. Again she felt numb.
"No. It was a voluntary seal. He gave his power to the devil arm fully." He stated.
"Voluntary, as in he became the devil arm." Ambra's voice caught in her throat and strained to stay there.
"Yes, that is correct." Vergil said. Ambra closed her eyes tightly.
"He never meant for me to find out." She mumbled to herself. "He trusted me to….how could you entrust me with him like that Vergil? Why would you?"
Vergil shut his eyes tightly for a moment before reopening them. He could recall somewhere a conversation he had had with his brother about an island. It was on that island that Ambra required the sword as well as his half of the pendant. His hand grasped at it wrapping his fingers around it. At least his brother had been kind enough to return it to him.
He didn't doubt that Dante had spoken the truth about him being Nelo Angelo but still…had he dropped it or in some remote part of his mind did he realize who exactly he was fighting. Did he understand at that moment before he was sent back to the demon world, back to hell, that he could drop those two things and they would be safe. Did he entrust Yamato to the woman, at the time a girl still, with what in all honesty was her inheritance and birth right just as it had been his in his younger days.
"Yamato wasn't given to me by my father because he believed that I would wield it better than Dante." Vergil began. "The sword was given to me because of its significance to Sparda. Yamato was my fathers right hand man, as they say, in the demon world where they served Mundus together. When my father went to war against the demons Yamato stayed by his side and continued to do so throughout the ages. Yes, Dante and I are twins so there isn't really an age difference between us aside from a few minutes I suppose but even still I was the first born, the eldest son of Sparda. That is why he entrusted me with Yamato. That is why I entrusted you with Yamato."
Ambra felt a cold chill settle into her bones that became an aching cold. She felt her eyes widen as once again her surroundings came into blinding clarity. Patiently she waited for Vergil to continue and was afraid he wasn't going to do so when she felt a few strands of her hair being tugged on. She froze in the spot that she knelt holding her breath. Her father was paying attention to her more than he had in her entire life.
His fingers raked through her hair a few more times before she heard him sigh and it stopped. Her chest heaved with a much needed breath before she felt herself settle back down. She was unsure how she should react to what she knew had to have been an incredible leap for Vergil as far as emotions were concerned. Still it had been nice.
"Do not be angry with him Ambra. Everyone has lapses in their judgment from time to time." Vergil said his voice softening. "I will take my leave then." He turned to leave the room when he felt a tug on his jacket sleeve.
His eyes cast down to the woman on the floor who peered up at him tiredly. Her head was cocked to the side against her shoulder as her other hand rested against the floor in a limp fist. Her hair splayed down her back and was visibly knotted in a few places. For a moment Vergil had to take a step back mentally to shake his head and restart his thought process.
He removed her loose grasp in him and exited the room quickly clutching onto Yamato tightly.
He was irritated more than anything. That irritation however was soon turning to rage. He could feel it boiling just under the surface of his skin as if it were a volcano ready to erupt. A few attempts of vocalized speech had failed him as he paced back and forth in the small hotel room letting out a few frustrated sighs and growls through clenched teeth.
'You did this on purpose!' He shouted turning on her with an accusing finger. Starina had been sitting on the floor by one of the beds where she had collapsed in a kneeling position. Her hands laid against her lap in loose fists with her head cocked against her shoulder. She had been staring at him as he had first torn the room apart before finally settling to his pacing. Her eyes had been distant since she had nearly stumbled from the bathroom.
At first he didn't pay much mind to her, he rarely did, but when she collapsed on the floor that had set off an internal alarm that something wasn't quite right with her. He walked into the bathroom coming face to face with the box that sat on the sink as well as the vial sitting next to it. It held a blue liquid in it. His heart seized in his chest as he shook his head roughly from side to side.
'No.' He said aloud as if trying to settle his own trembling nerves. The empty paper box had felt heavy in his hand as he quickly scanned the instructions. Vergil felt his eyes narrow to slits and the next thing he could remember was slamming his fist into the mirror and hearing it shatter.
Even as he approached her she still only stared at him with a distant glimmer in her eyes as if she were far away from the situation. He grasped her by the hair roughly pulling her up to him before tossing her on the bed causing the headboard to thump against the wall.
'Is this how you intend to save me then Star? Do you honestly think that by whoring yourself to me and conceiving that I would forget about everything I have been working for!' He screamed at her any logical though being pushed to the far recess's of his mind.
'It's an accident.' She whispered a small glimmer of reality creeping back into her eyes. Vergil felt his lips twitch for a moment before he let out another angry growl jumping onto the bed. He pinned her down with his weight wrapping his hands around her neck. He felt his grip tighten around her and felt her breathing cease as he choke off her air supply. At first she didn't struggle. He assumed that she figured he would stop after a moment but he only applied more force.
Once the realization of her situation set upon her was when she began to try and move. Her legs tried to kick at him as her hands went to his wrists first then his hands as she tried to pry his fingers off of her. All it took was a few moments for her eyes to start to become hazy and her lips started taking on a bluish hue.
'An accident, an accident!" Vergil repeated under his breath. 'You whore! I trusted you Starina! I've always trusted you and this is how you repay me?' He felt his grip on her begin to lax somewhat. 'I, I trusted you. How could you?'
His hands released her of their own accord and she began gasping for air her hands automatically going to her throat as it bruised angrily. Vergil buried his face into her shoulder and he felt the pesky prick at his eyes that no matter how much of his human side he attempted to bury he simply couldn't seem to rid himself of. Tears.
He more than expected Star to start hitting him or at least push him away from her until he felt her arms wrap around his neck in an embrace. She buried her face in his hair and he felt the warm liquid against his scalp as she cried. He buried himself deeper into her embrace and allowed his own agony to pour out against her shirt.
Yamato let out a soft moan bringing Ambra's attention back to reality. After Vergil had left the room the hand that had grasped him fell to the floor limply. She wasn't certain how long she had been sitting next to the bed but her knees creaked somewhat in protest as she moved closer to the bed. His eye lids forced themselves open before shutting again but opened under the strain. His onyx eyes seemed dull compared to the coal she remembered them to be but given the circumstances it was understandable.
"James." She muttered softly. Slowly he turned his attention towards her but only stared stoically. He took his shaky, rattling gasps of air his eyes dialating each time until something seemed to work its way into them. She saw some recognition come back into them as if a light had been turned on somewhere. A small smirk formed on his lips that only appeared to be a twitch.
Without a second thought she grasped his hand tightly in both of hers. "Oh, James!" She exclaimed as she placed his hand against her lips kissing his knuckles a few times her eyes never leaving his. His mouth formed her name even though no sound came out from his throat. She nodded her head feeling the smile of gratitude creep across her lips.
"Yes, yes it's me my darling." She replied. His fingers limply twitched as if he were trying to hold onto her hand as well.
"My….dearest….most precious." He mumbled through gasps of air. Ambra closed her eyes tightly for a moment in an attempt to ward off tears.
"I'm sorry Ja, Yamato. I am so sorry." She said catching herself with the name slip. She opened her eyes to see him still watching her. "I didn't know. I should have known. Why didn't you let me know?" The questions that had been circulating in her head for years came to the surface even though she knew he wouldn't probably be able to answer them.
A sudden jolt smacked into her mind as if a hand had been reached in. It wasn't unpleasant but still the invasion was there. It was foreign to her but at the same time familiar. It was him. Her eyes widened as she felt the small amount of energy he had left.
"Ambra, there is so much that I wish to explain to you but you have nothing to be sorry about." His voice said clearly in her mind as his lips twitched a bit further into a grin at her astonishment.
"But I…I lost you. More than once. More than once." She said unable to control her emotions. She felt his energy wrap around hers in a soothing manner allowing her to get her bearings back slightly.
"It was for the sake of our son, both times. Both times I gladly was b hg taken in his place and I would do so again." He replied. Ambra shook her head incredulous.
"I should have known." She said tightening her grip on his hand. "Should have…"
"You scared me." He said suddenly. The blaring, 'What?', that screamed across his own mind was somewhat deafening. He flinched slightly but didn't recoil from her. "You were sad after Dante left, so sad. You were my wielder. I could feel your agony in your touch and in the way you fought. After Dante left you stopped caring. I wanted you to be happy again. I didn't mean to fall in love with you. That was an accident. An unexcusable one."
"I see now. You saw that I missed Dante and decided to take on a physical form to what exactly, befriend me?" She asked receiving his energy wrap around her more tightly in confirmation. "Then we fell in love. We found out about our son and you realized what you did. You were scared."
"I hid away from you out of shame. I had no right to ever lay claim to y ou." He replied. Ambra brought one of her hands to run down the side of his face to gently stroke his cheek.
"I know that things are done differently amongst demons and devils but we could have been happy, the three of us." She said climbing onto the bed next to him. She wrapped his arm around her and placed her head against his shoulder. "I also know that devils never die. I'll see you again."
Yamato's breathing began to become shallower than before as she felt his energy slipping away from her leaving her with a sense of cold but it wasn't like before. Yes, he was dying. Whether he had died before or not she wasn't certain but this time was different. This time she knew they would meet again.
Dante sat outside on the same rock he had sat earlier in the day with his niece. His eyes stared down at the swords he held in his hands. From time to time he still shook his head as if in disbelief that they were real. The situation seemed surreal to him. For him the swords were lost the same night that Starina was killed. His thumb traced over the ornate hilt of Mensch and his eyes began to get blurry as his vision tuned out everything else around him.
It seemed like an eternity since he had last seen the two swords. They felt foreign in his grip. It were as if they had no place being there in this time, in this place. He had buried their memory along with his wife years before yet here they were. A reminder of how much he had lost, who he had lost.
His gaze flicked to Damon and watched it for a moment as it crackled with energy emitting a low howl like sound. Normally Mensch would calm it down but the energy from the other sword was weak, more than likely from keeping the stronger arm at bay. That was the nature of Mensch. While most of the weapons he had come across in his life were those with the souls and energy of devils Mensch was a special case. Who exactly it was he had no real idea but figured it must have been a very powerful person to be able to soothe the often rabidly wild devil arm that had become its twin; the sword carried a human soul.
Damon was a blood thirsty devil who called out to prey and in some cases had even sought it out on its own. It feasted upon the souls of devils and humans alike but he knew from past experience it especially enjoyed the humans. In return those unfortunate enough to fall onto its blade became mindless slaves for the wielder of the sword. Dante knew this because he had seen it all first hand years before.
Living as a mercenary for a few years under the name Tony Redgrave he had been taken in by the girl that had showed up out of nowhere with the strange bandaged man as her partner. It wasn't unusual for other mercenaries to come to town but a female merc was nearly unheard of. Sure he may have been a little pushy but she had pushed him right back knowing exactly what buttons to press.
In the end he was standing in the ruins of what used to be a hole in the wall bar known as 'Bobby's Cellar' with Enzo poking him awake. The girl was nowhere in sight but at that point he had already remembered who he was, thanks to Rebellion, the bandaged man and the girl that he had chased mercilessly in an attempt to get her attention.
He felt his hand grip the hilt of Damon more tightly. The old hurt coming back to the surface.
'This food sucks old lady.' He stated taking another mouthful of sandwich in his mouth. The slap on the back of his hand was hard but he barely noticed it as he quickly drank down some water. He knew that she liked it. It was all part of the banter they enjoyed whenever he visited the gun shop with the messed up sign. The woman who ran the place was a tough gal but there was nothing that he didn't enjoy more than a woman he could go toe to toe with.
'Then get the hell out you free loader.' She said walking towards the shop part to work on her latest project. Tony gulped down the rest of his food and drink standing up to stretch but stopped midway. His gaze turned towards the door that was slightly ajar.
He walked over to it peering in hearing another small groan as if someone were in pain. His hand pushed the door a bit further spilling some of the kitchen light into the room. It was Am or at least that was what she called herself. He walked closer to the bed where she was lying on and drank her in. He liked her. He wasn't sure why he just did. Not that it mattered, not that she ever gave him the time of day but he summed it up to being rotten luck.
She groaned again placing a hand against her eyes to shut out the dull kitchen light before opening them to a squint. Her hand moved from her eyes to her head as she rubbed at her temples.
'Shut off the damn light.' She slurred out causing Tony to let out a soft chuckle. Her eyes flicked to him which caused her visible pain. 'What the fuck are you doing here Redgrave?' She tried to get herself into a sitting position to no avail and gave up after her first try.
'You're drunk.' Tony laughed out unable to contain his mirth.
'So? I've seen you get drunk before. It happens!' She snapped back.
'Surprise, surprise you're an angry drunk.' He stated his laughter only getting louder.
'I don't have patience for your bull shit Tony.' She replied quieter this time.
'When do you? I'm lucky to get a sideways glance from you.' He muttered loud enough for her to hear.
'You don't understand. It's complicated.' She said. Tony stood for a moment waiting for a reply receiving none at first. It was still somewhat dark in the room and he wondered if Am had passed back out again.
'Why are you still here?' She slurred out softly as if she were on the brink of consciousness. Tony didn't reply he walked out of the room to the kitchen grabbing a paper towel from the roll that was situated on the counter. He wet it in the sink before making his way back to the small room with a bed. He folded it in half placing it on Am's forehead.
Her eyes snapped back open as the cool contact hit her overheated face and he was met with a glare.
'Why did you do that?' She asked slight confusion evident in her voice.
'Because I'm a nice guy.' He stated smirking. Am didn't reply and the room was filled with silence for a few minutes. A low moan began to resonate in the room gaining volume as each moment passed causing Tony's hair to stand on end. Lately he had been plagued by monsters looking for some guy named Dante. They were fairly adamant. The last thing he needed was one of them to break into the old ladys shop and have to hear her bitch about it.
The melodic sing song voice pierced the room loud and clear as if in answer to the guttural moan. The moaning began to receed as the singing became a soft hum and soon both stopped. Tony felt his heart thumping in his chest wondering if it had only been in his head. A result of over working himself or maybe it was the cheap beer finally catching up to him.
'What's wrong Tony. Scared of something?' Am asked her voice taking on a low tone and a small smirk to boot.
'You heard that too?' He asked his voice catching somewhat in his throat.
'Of course I did.' She stated as if it were matter of course to hear such strange sounds. 'I hear them all the time.' Tony raised a brow at her. Her smirk grew wider and she sat up slowly. She struggled to stand but managed to eventually. With a not so graceful turn she faced the bed and fell straight to the floor. Her hand reached underneath the bed as she brought out her twin swords.
Tony had seen them before a few times. While he chose to hide his in a guitar case the girl kept them out in plain sight uncaring. He sat in beside her on the floor as she sat back with her hands placed firmly against the floor to keep from swaying. With a glance he asked permission to handle them. She nodded at him granting it.
He grasped the hilt of the broader sword taking note of its curved blade. One side of the blade had been sharpened to a fine efficiency while the other side was serrated but just as deadly. It's hilt formed a twisted demon made from the darkest onyx he had ever seen.
The other sword was finer than the first and appeared to be more for defense than anything else. It's blade wasn't very sharp but fully capable of cutting through flesh if need be. The ivory handle had been cut to resemble a young woman. The two were so vastly different from each other that they couldn't be considered twin blades but all the same complimented each other perfectly.
'The woman is Mensch and the devil is Damon.' Am said as Tony inspected the swords his eyes glancing at her as she spoke.
'What does it mean?' He asked curiously. Am smirked at him some more her eyes taking on a distant gaze as if she were thinking of something or somewhere else.
'Mensch means human and Damon is demon.' She stated softly. Tony let out a small laugh since it made perfect sense given the hilts of the sword. What struck him however more than anything else was the feeling he got from holding the swords. Damon resonated an energy that he felt build in the palm of his hand before tingling down his arm. It was hot energy that stung his nerves as it prickled up into his shoulder. Mensch, on the other hand literally, sent a cool wave of energy that seemed to trickle up his arm as if it were attempting to tame the discomfort that Damon had caused his person. 'These are what you heard.'
Tony glanced up at Am cocking a brow at her.
'Say that again?' He asked feeling a lump in his throat.
'You heard me.' She stated in a no nonsense tone.
'These made those noises?' He asked dropping Damon on the floor as the stinging began to become a sharp pain that made his muscles tense.
'There are far stranger things in this world than two swords that can communicate with each other.' She replied picking up Damon and taking Mensch from him. 'Your sword is special to Tony. You just don't realize it yet.'
Dante felt Rebellion respond to Mensch as it began to hum softly. He smirked to himself knowing that its eyes were probably glowing red.