Special Delivery

Chapter 11: Made up my mind

Dante sat at his desk and looked through the pictures Grace had in the notebook, some dating back when October was still a baby. October just stood at the doorway, staring outside and thinking. She wondered what the hell just happened. What did her father turn into? I mean, yeah, she knew that they were demons but not LITERALLY. Dante closed the notebook after removing a picture and placing it in his desk. He sat the picture next to the picture of his mother and stood up.

"You ready?"

"Yes."

Dante came over to his daughter and placed a hand on her shoulder. He knew that she had a reason to fight. She, too, was going to be another soldier in this war. She turned toward him and looked in his eyes, blue to blue. He bent down to her level and smiled. The smile couldn't mask the hurt and sorrow he felt in his heart. Someone he loved so much, yet again, taken from him and he couldn't do anything to stop it. And someone who he didn't get the chance to love, also stolen from him. October could see it in his eyes that he wanted revenge. And she wanted revenge just as much as he did.

He guided her up to his room. He went under his bed and grabbed a huge case and sat it on his bed along with a much smaller one.

"These are yours. I wanted to wait for your birthday… but… I think it's necessary for you to have them now." He sighed, sitting next to the cases and looking up at his daughter.

October sat next to her father and opened the larger case first. Her eyes widened to see a red, black and silver broad sword laying neatly in the case. The sword itself glistened a metallic black as the blade was tinted red as the light struck it. The sword's handle was perfectly designed to fit comfortably in her small hands and at the base was an engraved rose bud. It was beautiful and designed fit for a female. On the back of the case, words in cursive were carved into it, reading October's Rose.

"This is mine?" October said excitedly and looked up in her father's eyes.

"Happy Birthday." He smiled.

"Thank you daddy." She said, throwing herself on him and squeezing him tight.

"Made these just for you. Aren't ya gonna open the other one?"

October looked at the smaller case and opened it as well. Inside, there were two desert eagles, prettied up for a girl. One was gold and the other was silver, both decorated with rose vines and rose buds. They were similar to Dante's Ebony and Ivory in almost every way in performance. He wanted his daughter to be fully equipped, just as he was. On the back of the case, there were words carved into it, reading Hope and Faith. She smiled and picked one up. It was heavier than she thought.

"If these are heavy, I can only imagine the sword." October chuckled a bit. Dante nodded, "You'll get used to it."

October pulled her sword, October's Rose and clenched it in her left hand. She was heavy, but October knew with training, she'll be able to handle her. "Do I look badass?" She asked, posing with one of the guns in the front of her pants and the other in her right hand resting on her shoulder. She held her sword up and leaned on it making a face.

"You're gettin' there. You look a little awkward though."

"Shut up." She laughed.

"Just bein' honest…Your first lesson is tomorrow after school… after all your homework is done."

"Awww… are you serious? You should keep me home tomorrow."

"Hey. You gotta go to school. Gain some knowledge and whatnot."

"Yes dad. Hey, can I make myself up a nickname?"

"Why?"

"Don't you have one?"

"Not really."

"Well can I have one?"

"Why?"

"Because it'd be cool! Like uhh… The She Devil or… uhh… Spardette…"

"That… was the dumbest nickname I have ever heard."

"Well, what's yours?"

"Dante."

"I heard one of the demons call you the Son of Sparda."

"What's wrong with October? That's your name isn't it?" He sighed.

"But it'll sound stupid on the battle field."

"It will not."

"Will too!"

"Ugh… fine. Make yourself a good one if you really want one. Get ready for bed 'Spardette'." Dante teased.

October giggled and left the room after putting the weapons gently back in their cases. Dante took the cases in her room and placed them under her bed, out of the way. "Goodnight… I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight dad… I love you."

Dante shut off her bedroom light and looked back, "I love you too…"

He laid in his bed and stared at the ceiling. Grace's smile flashed back in his mind and he sighed.

I'm gonna miss you…

October rolled on her side and thought of Grace as well. She had no more tears to shed it seemed. She closed her eyes and whispered, "They'll pay."

The next morning, October shot up and got ready for school. She found a short black skirt and a red, tight top, showing a little cleavage. She wore black thigh-highs with her military style steel-toe boots. She wore her favorite, gothic wrist bands and painted her nails black before she left the room and put on her eye makeup. She combed her hair and shut her door back. Dante was still in his room, sleeping. It was difficult for him to sleep last night. October cracked open Dante's door and peeked in. She made her way in and tip-toed over to his bedside. He didn't stir and October leaned over to kiss him.

"Bye daddy." She whispered.

"…Grace…" he mumbled.

She stood up and went to the kitchen for a breakfast bar and a juice box, popping in her earphones. On the way out, she clicked her iPod on and Riot by Three Days Grace came on. Thanks to her father, she loved hard rock and metal. She ran into Nero on her way to school and took one of her earplugs out.

"Hey, hun. You goin' to school?" He asked.

"Yeah… you goin to the office? Dad's sleeping." October responded, taking a bite out of her breakfast bar.

"I was… but I know not to wake him up. Want me to walk you to school?"

"If you want."

Nero began to walk with her, "I'm sorry what happened to Grace. That shouldn't have happened."

"It's… okay… I'll be fine. I'll avenge her."

"You think you're ready to fight?"

"Of course I am. It's nothing. Just kill one fuckin demon at a time, right?"

Nero laughed, "I guess so. But it's also about strategy."

"I'm a B plus student, I think I know about strategy."

Nero threw up his hands and smiled, "Just sayin."

"Did… your dad say you could wear something like that?"

"He wouldn't care."

Nero shrugged and continued walking with her, "Okay…"

She and Nero continued to walk and one of her favorite songs The Night by Disturbed came on.

"Is that Disturbed?" Nero asked, grinning.

"Yeah, why?"

"Your dad lets you do anything, huh?"

"No, not really."

"My foster mom, when I was a little older than you, was strict about what I listened to. So I didn't get to listen to them. I had to listen to classical music. Fuckin hated it. I got in SO much trouble when she found out I was listening to Disturbed and Slipknot."

She knew Nero loved music too. In fact, they all loved the sound of music. "What happened?"

"… she'd hit me."

"Why?" October gasped with wide eyes.

"You're not seriously believing me are you?" He laughed.

"You said that with the straightest face. Asshole!" October laughed as well.

"You fell for it." He laughed again.

"Well, what DID happen?"

"She'd ground me for months. She wanted me to grow up to be a 'gentleman' or something like that."

"Wow…"

"I am a gentleman… right?"

"You're such a gentleman, Nero. You're so gentle, people would think you're gay."

"Thanks… WHAT?"

"I'm joking!" She laughed.

Nero shook his head and shoved her a bit. "Not funny." They arrived at her school and October gave Nero a hug, "See ya, kid." Nero smiled, messing in her hair.

"Bye Nero."

A couple of October's friends, Julia, Paige, and Edith met up with her, "Who was that? Your brother?"One of them asks.

"You can say that." You shrug.

"He's hot." They all say.

October laughed and put her iPod away, walking into the building with her friends.

"Hey guys, I was thinking of giving myself a nickname. You think you can help me?"

"Toby!" Paige laughed.

"No!" October laughed, "Something badass. You know?"

The girls thought as they entered the school.

"October, your apparel is highly inappropriate." The vice principal said, stopping her and her friends.

"Why?"

"Hold your hands straight down to your side please, ma'am."

October rolled her eyes and held her arms straight down to her sides. Her skirt was really short and she made a face.

"And that shirt is way too low. You need a change of clothes, come with me."

"C'mon Mr. Robinson, it's hot outside!"

"No excuse. Come on."

October's friends sighed with annoyance and watched her go. "We'll see you in third period." Edith called.

She walked with the vice principal and on the way there, boys stared, turning their heads focusing on October's heavenly figure.

"Boys, break it up." Mr. Robinson grunted.

"Call me, sweetheart!" One of the boys called.

October laughed and was pulled into the office. "This is the first time I've ever seen you like this. What has gotten into you, missy?"

"Don't call me that."

"You've gotten quite an attitude now. Is everything okay at home?"

"Everything's… fine."

"Let me call home to get you a change of clothes."

"I wouldn't wake my dad if I were you."

The principal sighed and dialed the number.

"I warned you."

The phone rang for about ten seconds until Dante picked it up.

"WHAT?"

"Good morning sir. This is Principal Robinson and…"

"FUCK OFF!" He blasted and hung up the phone in his ear.

"Oh my…"

"Told you…"

"I don't think a home like that is right for you."

"What are you trying to say? I'm in a dangerous environment?"

"More unstable. Is your mother home?"

"My mother's dead. And my dad's really cranky when he's woken up."

"Did your father ever hit you?"

"Now you're gettin ridiculous. Why would he do that? My father loves me!"

"Okay, okay. Calm down. We need to get you a change of clothes."

October sighed and waited.

This is gonna be a long day…

October was on her way home from school, changing back to her clothes and returning the clothes they made her wear. She only had math homework, and that was always easy. She entered the office and saw Dante fixing the jukebox.

"Hi dad."

"Hey, babe. How was school?" He asked, focused on the jukebox.

"Same ol' school. Nothing more, nothing less." She said, walking over to the couch.

"Yeah… hey, why'd the princ-… What the hell are you wearin?" He asked, turning toward his daughter.

"It's called a skirt dad."

"You went to school dressed like THAT?"

"They made me change."

"I didn't buy you that!"

"Lady did."

"You look like a whore. Go and change."

"Why? It's hot!"

"Go. And. Change."

"Fine!"

October stomped upstairs to her room and Dante shook his head with disbelief. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and sat at his desk. October came back downstairs in some sweat pants and a t-shirt.

"That's better."

She rolled her eyes and began doing her math homework.

"What made you dress like that?"

"Lady and Trish always dress like that and I thought it looked cool."

"They're grown women. Not thirteen-year-old girls." Dante sighed and shook his head again. October sighed as well. He came and sat next to her. "I wrote some nicknames down on paper. Did you wanna see them?" October said, digging in her book bag.

"Babe… I think it's time we had the… talk."

"Talk? Don't you think I'm too old for that?"

"You're never too old to learn new things."

October held the folded paper in her hands and looked at her dad, playing in her pretty, long, silver hair.

"You're getting older now… and you're… developing…"

"I know…"

"I'm just tellin you now… boys will be boys and they'll say anything to have sex with you. Anything… trust me… I know."

October giggled a bit.

"But I'm bein serious right now. There is a word you can use to stop them. Just say no and they should listen. If they try to get a little feisty, go for their weak spot if you have to. Right between the legs. You're stronger than them… they don't know that though."

"Thanks dad."

"Our next talk will be about drugs and alcohol. Now do your homework… I'll see the list later. Then… we'll start training."

"Okay."

A/N: Hey guys. I'm sorry I keep uploading more of this story. But I have way more ideas for this one right now. I haven't forgotten about the others though so you WILL see more of them soon. I wanted to really get something good for the other stories and not give you junk. Anyway, enjoy and review. I love to hear from you. :3