Disclaimer: I in no shape or form own the settings or characters of Devil May Cry or Final Fantasy XIII
To LightningPanda : Thanks alot lady, don't know about it being a masterpiece and all but hey it was fun writing it! :D
To KuroSeiryuu: Haha! agree to that! this party just got crazier! thanks for the review bro! :D
To narada. mair: The next update is now! thanks for the review! :D
Chapter 26: Promise
"Welcome back to the land of the living"
Fang's voice echoed throughout the ship that the group were in. The above words were addresed to Lightning who had slowly regained consciousness she slowly sat upright in her seat and then looked ot Fang in confusion "What happened?...Gah.." a slow grunt of pain emitted from her mouth as she moved to stand up. Fang stopped her and shook her head "Your not a hundread percent yet...rest up, we're heading back to Cocoon..."
Lightning's eyes widened in surprise at the declaration "Cocoon!? but-"
"Can't help it mate, if we don't...then the cavalry will; best we end this by our own hands" stated a solemn Fang, she slowly got up as well and prepared to move. Lightning held her gaze on her and then memories came flooding back of what had happened to her. She let out a small gasp as she recalled her being possessed and forced to fight Dante. She brought up her right hand and rubbed her forehead in frustration, Fang blinked in surprise and slowly looked to her.
"Somethin' on your mind?"
"Did I hurt anyone?" asked a concerned Lightning.
Fang just slowly chuckled at her "Nope, not a soul-"
"Hey...quit your lyin'"
Lightning blinked as a voice tore through Fang's answer. She knew who it was and so she let out an audible sigh, Fang slowly looked back to the voice who had interrupted her, she raised an amused eyebrow and then looked back to Lightning, and pointed back to the figure behind her "Well, besides him of course..."
Dante rolled his eyes and watched as Fang chuckled and then she turned back and looked to him "I'll leave you two lovebirds alone then..." and then she walked past the grumbling devil hunter leaving him alone with Lightning. Dante let out an audible sigh and then looked to her
"How you holdin' up?"
Lightning gazed at him, examining his features; rebellion was surprisingly not holstered on his back, his arms were placed into the pockets of his red pants, and his coat lazily shifted in the small amount of air that occupied the small room. She slowly blinked and looked to answer him; she was weary but she began to converse with him.
"I'm fine..."
Dante just blinked at the short answer and then let out a small chuckle "I see your cold as always..."
Lightning felt a twinge of guilt twirl away at her heart for the answer, she let out an audible sigh and then looked to him once more "I'm sorry...I just-"
"Just what?...tired of seein' my face all the time?" came Dante's sarcastic remark.
"Tch...it's not that-it's... " answered a reluctant Lightning, she folded her arms over her chest and looked away from Dante, he let out an audible sigh and then moved to get up. Lightning's gaze softened as she called out to him "Dante...wait..."
He glanced back at her with his usual stance though a confused expression on his face "Yeah?"
"What if me and the others do end up destroying Orphan...then what? the whole world burns...along with yo-"
Dante's voice slowly cut her off as he began to speak his mind as well "Whatever happens is gonna happen...nothin' you nor I can do about it, I told Serah that I'd get you through this mess..that I can do somethin' about; just do what you gotta do...the rest'll follow..."
Lightning slowly got up and smirked at him "...You really haven't changed, have you?"
Dante just smirked "I don't know anythin' about that; after all what would a demon know about any of that?..."
Her gaze softened as she walked towards him, Dante looked on as she walked up to him. and stopped. She held her gaze on him; his bangs covered the front portion of his face which blocked her from seeing his blue eyes... "There's a chance that...we won't see each other again like last time.."
Dante just closed his eyes and smirked at her "Who knows?...heh, never thought you'd get sentimental about all thi-"
His statement however was cut short as Lightning planted a kiss on his right cheek stopping the devil hunter in his statement, she brought her mouth closer to his ear and whispered into it "Your not a demon...you have a heart that can love, your human, more human than anyone I've ever met, don't forget that..."
Dante just glanced back and watched as she walked away from him into the next corridor. His voice stopped her "Hey...keep that promise will you?"...Lightning stopped and glanced back to him one more time and then nodded her head and left the devil hunter in the room alone. Dante slowly looked on as she dissapeared from the room and then he silently thought back to how things could've been different if he still stayed on Cocoon. He then silently smirked and looked to the blue sky from the window inside the ship.
"Can't help but move on..."
Eden palace, Eden
"Primarch Raines...sir..the people are awaiting your speech"
Raines didn't pay a glance back to the soldier who had callled for him, instead he brought up his hand in a wave like motion, signalling that he didn't want to be interrupted at the moment; he looked on through his window to the new Eden. His gaze softened and his whole demeanor held sadenss as he looked to the people below him; anger resonated from his gut as he gazed to the blue sky above him.
"A memory wipe...of the whole events of the savior and the l'Cie, rebuilding Eden like it was nothing; Barthandelus seeks to destroy all of them at once...so be it; I leave the rest to you, l'Cie..." thought a saddened Raines, he then took in a small breath and turned around.
"So it begins..." muttered Raines.
He walked away from his office and continued to traverse through the Eden palace to the roof of the building where the savior awaited him. He stopped and glanced at the PSICOM forces inhabitating the area. A PSICOM soldier came up to him and bowed to him. "Your Eminence...this way..."
Raines nodded his head and followed the soldier to his destination, he glanced at the gigantic being known as the savior. It had taken some damage from the battle with the dark prince but was ready for any threat that would emerge. But he knew one fatal weakness, the chest piece which consisted of a blue crystal was beyond repair; and anyone with enough strength could break through; that was a fact he was going to use to topple the fal'Cie. He stopped walking and came to an elevator which took him up near the head of the savior. The soldier stopped and saluted him, Raines then walked forward and then all too seemingly he dissapeared into the savior's head.
Slowly now inside the savior, he sat down in the control room and a camera came up infront of him. letting out another audible sigh; he began to speak:
"Citizens of Cocoon, we have survived the twilight and gather now to welcome the dawn on which we decide our own fate...Many are the lessons we have learned through our long night of hardship and sacrifice and now? we face choices, choices that should be made as our heart dictates...and not abandoned to uncaring chance...Let us forge ahead with unrelenting courage, and honor the fallen with action...With these hands...we shape the future"
Eden Grand Prix, Eden.
His voice resonated in the grand prix which was taking place in Eden, people from the whole of Cocoon watched as the primarch sounded ready to begin the race...and with a snap of his fingers..the race began with hover bikes zooming off into the distance aiming to be the best. But that wasn't for long as a greenish aura resonated in the sky and all too seemingly ..a ship appeared before them elicitating gasps from the audience's. The ship dissapeared and from it eminated the group that had returned from Pulse.
"Looks like this is going to be one hell of a party!"
Dante smirked as he fell through the air, he gave a two handed salute Lightning's way "Adios babe..."and then proceeded to drive straight down to the bottom of the race track. "What are you-!?" began a concerned Lightning,Fang's eyes widened and Vanille gasped as Dante picked up speed to reach the track.
"Is he crazy!?" shouted a concerned Sazh. "He's going to get himself killed!" gasped a concerned Vanille.
"Tch.." Lightning grunted in annoyance and then called out to her eidolon as did the others in the group. "Odin!" With a bright flash of light, a pinck circle appeared and Odin jumped next to Lightning. the whole group fell through the air. Dante blinked and looked back to see waht appeared to him as mechanical beings guiding the l'Cie to the track. He let out an audible sigh and looked to the track once more.
"Man...why don't I get something cool like that once in a while?" murmured a dissapointed Dante. "Whatever..."
Snow smirked as he watched Dante flip in the air and in a bright light watched as Lucifer came into play. Fang blinked in surprise as Dante brought red swords and thrust it onto the race track. She looked to a confused Lightning and let out a chuckle. Hope watched in awe as Dante created a heart shaped design on the racetrack. The hoverbikes avoided the shape and continued on with their race. A rose materialsied in Dante's right arm and he placed it in his mouth. The audience watched in awe as the camera took an aerial view and showed the heart shaped design of red glowing swords on the race tracks.
They also watched as Dante landed in the middle and brought up his two hands and clapped, the swords emitted a red energy and then bursted into flames. The crowd roared in applause as the devil hunter took a bow. He casually threw the rose up which resulted in Lightning's eidolon, Odin catching it by it's mouth. And then he bowed his head soliciataing a roaring applause from the audience.
"He just doesn't know when to quit does he?" chuckled Fang, Lightning just smirked back at her "Tell me about it.."
"Oh is that a grin I see on you, Light? seems like someone's happy" grinned Fang as she rode on her own eidolon, Bahamut.
"Now's not the time" scolded a serious Lightning.
"Showoff..." muttered an irritated Snow "Two can play at that.."
"Snow! what are you doing!?" called out a concerned Hope. Snow proceeded to fall onto the track with the shiva sisters, this however resulted in him throwing a number of hoverbikes off course.. "Oops..." muttered Snow. The shiva sisters however caught them and Snow stood on the hoverbikes spinning on them.
"And the hero saves the day!" grinned Snow, he however had the misfortune of showing off his l'Cie brand in the focus which resulted in the crowd going into a state of shock and panic.
"Probably should have covered that.." muttered Snow. He then jumped and watched as his eidolons went into gestalt mode, he rode them on the track as the audience looked on.
"Intruders on the race track! Confirmned Pulse l'Cie lethal force authorised" called out the PSICOM commander.
Snow grinned as he looked back "Catch me if you can!" he then proceeded to boost away from his pursuers. Snow then passed an intersection where Hope stood on; the fourteen year old boy then jumped onto the race track and stopped the PSICOM maruaders from advancing to Snow.
"Hi there!" grinned Hope.
A marauder stopped in front of him and moved to attack him, he didn't account for the fact that Hope's Eidolon appeared before him and smashed the marauder into the race track. Hope then brought his arm up and pushed it from his chest "Cut 'em off!" shouted a determined Hope. Alexander, Hope's eidolon then proceeded to catch two to three of the marauders and smashed them into the ground. Dante jumped on each of the speeding marauders, using them as platforms; he jumped from one to another and then his eyes widened as he watched Hope's back was left wide open, a PSICOM gunship moved to impale him as Dante grunted in irritation Using his trickster style, he dissapeared.
Snow looked on as the marauder moved to impale Hope, he revved up the sisters and then called out to the fourteen year old boy "Hope! look out!"
"What?!" gasped a now surprised Hope. he brought his hands up and closed his eyes from feeling the impact but it never came, he felt heat and heard a voice "Come on man, haven't you heard of playin' fair?..." Hope opened his eyes to see Dante slicing the marauder in half with rebellion and then throwing the still alive soldier to the race track, he then placed rebellion on his shoulder and looked to Hope grinning at him, he ruffled Hope's hair and then began to speak
"Your learnin' kid, just don't leave your back open next time?" chuckled Dante. he then pointed to Alexander with rebellion "Hey big guy? you gotta keep this kid safe or else..."..Alexander looked back to Dante and let out a grunt.
"Thanks Dante.." smiled Hope..
"Ah, don't sweat it...come on; get on his bac-oooff!" Dante's statement was suddenly stopped as a PSICOM Orion impaled him and flew him to the side.
Hope's eyes widened in concern as he called out to his would be uncle "Dante!"...he then looked to Alexander who placed an arm down towards Hope, the young boy got on it's arm and then rested on top of it's shoulder. He pointed forward and then looked to Alexander "Come on! we need to help him!"
Dante slowly moved to get himself of the spear that was currently impaling him. he wasn't prepared however as more groups of marauders moved to spear him "The son of Sparda has been captured! return to base immedeatly!"
"Now!"
Lightning rode on Odin and then as she called out to her Eidolon to transform, Odin transformed and caught her by the arm and threw her towards the PSICOM marauders that surrounded Dante. The devil hunter however had different plans in mind and then, he pushed himself off the spear and then drew out both ebony and ivory. He was too late in his execution however as Lightnign shot two of the marauders down, Dante glanced back and watched her grab onto a PSICOM bike and took out the soldier. He jumped off the marauders and onto Odin who met him in the air.
"Now let's see what you got!" grinned Dante. Immedeatly Odin complied and Lightning and Fang watched as Odin transformed into his gestalt mode, Dante somersaulted in the air and then landed on Odin's back and drew out Rebellion, making sure not to injure any of the soldiers he took out the machines and watched as the soldiers ejected from the vechiles safely. Fang flew next to him on bahamut and chuckled "Look's like he's taken a lilkin' to you..."
"Hah! who wouldn't?" grinned Dante
Fang smirked at him and then back to Dante in shock "Dante! move!"
"What?" Dante looked back to see two missles haeding for both him and Odin, he knelt down on Odin back and then patted it's head..
"Come on, transform and roll out already!"..
Odin grunted and then transformed back into his warrior form, Dante smirked as he caught Odin's by it's right arm and with all of his strength threw him towards Lightning.
"Your dead!" called out a PSICOM soldier, he aimed a gun towards Lightning, but in mid-air she somersaulted and used her own gunblade
"You first!" called out Lightning and then she shot the soldier down while Odin caught her in mid-air and then transformed back into it's gestalt mode, she sliced and diced her way through the PSICOM war ships while Dante looked to her and whistled.
"Ooooo...I love a fast woman"
Lightning's face held annoyance and then immeadeatly turned to shock as she looked to Dante and the missles before him "Dante! watch out!"
"Huh?" Dante jumped onto the missiles and then onto Fang's eidolon, he slowly layed down on it's tail as Fang glanced back to him.
"Now who said that there was room for two?" asked an amused Fang.
"Sorry, was just gettin' off" grinned Dante, Fang eyes widened in surprise as Dante jumped off Bahamut and onto the race track once more. She shook her head in amazement "He's Sparda's son alright..."
Vanille and her eidolon were under heavy fire by PSICOM troops, she called out to them in irritation "Stop that! I said stop that!" her eidolon responded and shook away the PSICOM soldiers who were shooting at her, She blinked in surprise and immedeatly she looked on in concern as a PSICOM solider brought up a bazooka.
"Uh oh..." stated a concerned Vanille.
"Block this!"
Before the bazooka could reach Vanille, Dante jumped onto it and proceeded to ride it awya from her, the whole PSICOM squad watched in awe as Dante rode the bazooka.
"What is he!?"
"Unreal..."
"No way!"
Were some of the comments lodged at him, Dante just smirked as he brought the missle to them and jumped off it. The PSICOM squad retreated and Dante watched as the missile exploded onto the ground where no one was hurt. "Ah...if only Lady could see me now, she'd be even more jealous.."
And at that moment, a whole squadron of soldiers and computerized marauders surrounded Dante who was now floating in the air "Oh...aha, oooo.."...Hope then moved to help him but watched as Dante then pulled out a black briefcase, he watched in awe as it transformed into a circular like figure with cannons attached to it. He grinned as he sat inside it...Hope however saw his lC'ie brand glow and watched as Alexander jumped up along with him.
Dante also watched as pandora reacted strangely and did not fire any of it's missles; and then he saw Alexander jumping towards him with a golden glow, and immdeatly Dante understood, he jumped off pandora and converted into box form once more, bullets rained down on him as he called to Hope.
"Hey Kid!...catch this!" shouted Dante.
"What?" questioned a confused Hope, Alexander moved up and Hope watched as pandora attached itself to Alexander. A bright flash covered the area and the whole stage was set on Hope and Alexander. Hope then looked to Alexander in surprise. He was now black with yellow stripes running down the corner and cannons now formed at it's hilt.
"Woah..." stated a awe struck Hope. Dante saluted them in mid-air and called out to him "Show 'em what you got kid!"
"Dante! watch out!" called out a concerned Hope. Dante looked back to see a PSICOM warmech coming at him with rotating blades. He grunted as he brought up Rebellion, he knew even with rebellion he couldn't stop the blades from tearing into his body. Hope however intervened with a new Alexander.
Alexander flew up and then fired off rockets from it's now newly endowed cannons. Dante braced himself as the explosion blew him away from the warmech, he flew through the air and then he felt someone catch his right hand. He opened his eyes to see Lightning holding onto him "Climb on..."
Dante smirked as he climbed onto Odin once more and sat behind Lightning "You know, I could get used to this..." He then tilted his head to the right and avoided a fatal slash from Odin's blades. "Woah, hey Claire; watch where you point that thing!"
"Sorry" stated an amused Lightning, Dante could tell her voice held amusement in them as she watched her slice and s;ash hr way through the PSICOM weaponry. Dante and Lightning then blinked in surprise as the night sky slowly welcomed dawn and with it, Dante let out a groan as Lightning looked on.
"Great...looks like I got to take care of ugly here" muttered Dante
Lightning and the group came to a stop now free of any and all PSICOM forces blocking their path, Dante slowly got down off of Odin and looked to the statue in front of him. The eidolons then dissapeared as Dante looked back at them, Alexander released pandora from his grasp and then dissapeared in a golden flash of light..pandora slowly returned to Dante in a glowing circle and then dissapeared once more.
"You don't have to go this alone, Dante..." stated a serious Snow.
"Yeah, we're stll here; we can take him on together" added a hopeful Vanille.
Lightning slowly walked up and stood next to him and looked on as Dante gazed upon the savior's form above them "You almost died last time, don't try to fight it alone for our sakes'..." stated Lightning, Her voice held a soft tone as she placed a hand on his shoulder.
Dante looked back and glanced at her and then let out an audible sigh "Huh...no, you guys better get going...I'll deal with him.."
"But Dante!" called out a concerned Hope. Dante turned to Hope in surprise and walked up to him, he smirked at him and then ruffled his hair
"You know kid, your really strong and all but...it ain't gonna help with this guy; take care of yourself, your mom wouldn't forgive me otherwise...I'll make sure to buy you pizza and a strawberry sundae once this is all over" stated a chuckling Dante.
"Let's make it a promise then" stated a now determined Hope
"Wha?" Dante blinked at him in surprise, "A promise?...about what?"
"Promise me you'll take me to a restaurant and get me a strawberry sundae and a pizza once we're done with this l'Cie business?" asked Hope,
"Sure, kid...whatever you say" smiled Dante, he then walked away from the group and towards the savior who looked down at him. He stopped in front of Lightning and smirked at her "See you around, Claire..."
Lightning just smiled at him "Let's hope it isn't another thirteen years this time..." Dante just nodded his head and walked past her. He held ivory in his right hand and yamato in his left and jumped up onto a flag pole and looked back to the group "Go on, I'll cover ya!"
Dante then watched as they all nodded their head and then proceeded to move out from the area. Lightning stopped and spared him one more glance and then Dante threw a salute her way and then looked to the savior. She held her gaze for a few seconds and then proceeded to follow the group once more. Dante's face adopted a serious expression as he looked to the savior as a voice resonated from within it.
"Noble, letting them escape so that you could fight the savior alone"
Dante however just looked to the savior and grinned "Soo...you ready to fight now or what?"
"I'm sorry it had to come to this, Dante" came Raines' saddened voice.
"Yeah, let's just get straight to our lil main event!"
AN: And done! I really had fun writing this chapter! :D thanks alot guys! read and review! :D