Author's Note: More Sadness incoming :( It'll lighten up a little (kind of) soon.

Chapter Four

Broken Hearts

Dante sensed his brother's power from miles away. And, while he didn't know how or why, he knew he had to find him. Maybe it was the way that Vergil's eyes flickered to his demon's more than once - an unusual loss of control given Vergil's history. Maybe it was because Dance sensed something else entirely. A second demon, likely weaker than Vergil (most things that weren't him here). But surely not one that required that much of his brother's energy.

He's losing it.

That scared Dante just a bit. Vergil was clearly struggling with something, and Dante didn't have a clue what it was. And sure, his own demon seemed a bit grouchier than usual - likely because Vergil's wouldn't shut up - but he was in complete control of it. Vergil was not.

All the more reason to track his brother down now before he did something stupid. And it was a good thing he did too, For when he did find Vergil, Dante was both thrilled and horrified to see the white, angel-like the demon that he was fighting.

"Vergil!"

His brother didn't look at him as he shot at the demon. It shrieked, throwing a variety of feathers back at him. Vergil dodged around them all and pulled Yamato back, summoning Ashira's very dangerous blue flames as he did. Dante triggered and barrelled into his brother without thinking, knocking him across the clearing. That clearly surprised both of them, as Dante very rarely caught Vergil off guard. But his brother's devil eyes - a light shade of blue with thin slits - were glowing. Shit. Dante thought. That was a murderous gaze he hadn't seen in his brother's eyes in years.

"Get out of the way," Vergil growled, his voice caught somewhere between forms. How he kept himself from triggering was anyone's guess. With the amount of energy radiating off of him, though, he might as well have.

"Like hell," Dante said. The second demon floated behind him, and while Dante couldn't see any discernible emotion, he could sense her surprise. He resisted the urge to throw his head back and grin at her, as his demon wasn't quite capable of expressing such a thing. "She's on our side."

Vergil's snarl was the only warning Dante got before his brother transformed and dove at him, claws aiming straight for Dante's neck. He jerked out of the way and reached for Vergil's arm. His brother vanished. Dante spun around summoning the Devil Sword just in time to block Yamato. He could feel the air crackling with energy, fueling them. Both roared as they knocked each other back and charged again. The fight quickly turned into a frenzy. Sword struck sword, sometimes sneaking through and hitting scales. Vergil's summoned weapons were flying in all directions, some predictable, but others went wild as if Vergil wasn't even certain where they would go. Flames sparked in all directions, igniting nearby trees, the grass at their feet, and even clinging to Dante himself. "Stop this, Verge." Dante roared. Vergil said nothing. Dante wasn't even sure he could hear him.

"Vergil!"

His brother faltered at the sound of Ashira's voice and Dante yanked his sword aside. Unfortunately, The blade still caught Vergil's shoulder; the minuscule piece that wasn't covered by his scales. Vergil jerked away and slipped back into his human form. The wound healed instantly, but not before blood stained his coat and splattered to the ground The sheer amount of guilt in Dante's head was enough to rip him from his demon form. It hadn't been a serious wound, but he hated to imagine how bad it could have been he hadn't caught himself in time.

"Dante."

He whirled around, throwing up the best grin he could possibly manage. It wasn't until Lucia crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow that he realized he was merely clenching his teeth in some kind of weird grimace. "Lucia!" He said as he threw his arms out. "It's good to see you again." She hadn't changed much since he'd last seen her. Same fiery red hair, braided over her shoulder and a bit longer than it used to be. She wore similar leather clothes, but with a long, gray shirt under he white cape instead of the short, midriff revealing piece she had favored back then. While it was likely due to the cold, Dante thought she looked uncomfortable. Is she paler than usual? It bothered Dante that he couldn't remember.

Dante's already aching heart plummeted when she didn't smile back. "It's been a long time."

"Just a few years," Dante said as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Nothing big."

Her frown only deepened. "It's been nearly a decade."

Dante couldn't decide if she was upset, tired, or if he was overthinking everything. "What can I say?" He said. "It's been… busy." He glanced back at his brother. Vergil was staring at Ashira now, his eyes back to their human forms. But they were glazed over, as if he was trapped in his own thoughts, or - considering the way she was holding his hand - hers.

"That's him, huh."

Dante turned back to Lucia. "That's my brother." He said. "Vergil, the…"

"The demon king."

Dante's words caught in his throat as he forced his mouth closed. "That's… debatable." Vergil had only been to the Underworld once since their escape, and he had made it very clear that he had no interest in ruling it. And Dante believed him, as Vergil had fully committed to his family and had never strayed far from home.

"You're the demon king?" The boy shouted, his fists clenched much too tightly at his sides. His look was positively murderous, and Dante wished he could have laughed at the situation. Vergil blinked a few times as his eyes cleared, before glaring at the kid. But the boy either didn't know whose ire he was drawing or didn't care. "This is all your fault!"

Vergil scoffed. "I don't even know you."

"Lir…" The girl said.

He didn't listen. "He killed my family… burned down our home…" Tears pricked his eyes, but it only seemed to make him angrier. "All while looking for you."

"Hold on," Dante said as he moved between them. Lir was a scrawny kid, clenching a sword that would have been much too big for a human of his size. His hair was a mess, and Dante didn't know how he could see anything through those unkempt bangs. Clearly, he wasn't lacking in confidence, staring them both down with the fury of a man who had lived much longer than he had. Dante could respect that, albeit wearily. "You've gotta fill us in on the details, because the only demons we've met so far are you guys."

"Not here," Lucia said. "There's too many of us in one place, and your brother's calling enough demons to him already."

Vergil scowled at her. "I'm doing no such thing."

Lir snorted. "Great." He said. "Finally found our king and he's an idiot."

Vergil's eyes flashed again. He jerked forward, but Ashira pushed back with a burst of flame. Vergil slid less than a foot away as she hissed something in their language. He glared at her, but it was only for a moment. Instead, Dante heard a quiet, but frustrated growl as he stood up straighter. "Who is it?"

"I said not…"

"Who," Vergil growled. "Is the prince?"

Lucia sighed. "He calls himself the Shade, real name unknown. He's one of many princes that have been fighting for the title of "Demon King" since Mundus died."

"They can have it."

"It's not that simple," Lucia said. "You of all people should know that."

The silence that followed told Dante that Vergil didn't know, but wasn't willing to admit it. Lucia continued, "when Mundus died, every demon in the Underworld felt it. But no one has the power to take the title of the demon king. It's pure chaos, and many innocent people are dying because of it."

"Reavers," Ashira said quietly.

"Bingo," Lir said with venomous sarcasm. "Serve or die. Some have escaped, but most have been killed. Their power is too valuable to let go."

Ashira looked away. "Other demons are suffering too," Lucia said. "Half-demons especially. But the fighting has been deadlocked for almost five years now. Then the Shade learned who ate the Qliphoth fruit."

"Kill the King and take his heart," Lir said.

Vergil flinched, but by the way his eyes flickered to their demon forms, Dante didn't think it was at what the kid said. "We have to go." Dante said.

"I think it's best for all of us if he leaves," Lucia said quietly, her eyes shifting to Vergil.

"What?" Dante said. "There's some asshole Prince out there after my brother and you want him to leave?"

"He's close to a frenzy, Dante," Lucia said. "And it won't get any better."

"I have to kill the Shade," Vergil growled.

"Not alone," Ashira said.

"I can't exactly stay here." He snapped before taking a shaky breath. Dante swore he heard a mumbled apology, but Ashira's answer was in their own language, so he didn't bother trying to figure that mess out.

"If we could all just get to Turtle Cove," Dante said. "That's where all our information is."

Vergil's laugh was dark and hollow. "Yes, Dante. Because I clearly should throw myself into a city full of humans like this."

Dante grimaced. "Man your demon's much bitchier than I remember."

Vergil glared at him, but he didn't disagree. "I will survey the area." He said as he pulled away from Ashira. "From a safe distance."

"Vergil…" She said. He glanced back at her, and the two just stared at each other for a moment. Finally, she sighed and nodded.

"Care to let us in on it?" Dante said.

"No."

Vergil was gone before Dante could think of a suitable response.

Ashira had volunteered to go to the van, both because she couldn't handle the random pulses of Dante's demon-half, and because Alice asked her to. Lir had been firmly against it, but Dante had talked him down, assuring him that Alice would be safe. Nico eventually joined them, claiming that the other three were talking too loud for her to nap. "We'll be leaving in the morning," Nico said as she kicked back in the passenger seat with a loud yawn. "Dante and I will track down our informant, and you'll do whatever you need to help Vergil."

Ashira glanced out the window. Vergil's rather dramatic exit had accomplished what they wanted. Dante and Lir had shrugged it off, and they, along with Lucia, seemed to be having a productive conversation without him. Ashira had left V for that, though he had chosen to keep himself hidden, just in case. V, like Vergil, didn't trust Lir, and Ashira was the last person to question them on it. Vergil himself was only a short distance away, close enough that she could feel him, but far enough that he would catch any demons that strayed toward them.

So far, none had done so.

"Ms. Shira?"

Ashira glanced down at Alice and struggled to smile. Every time she looked at the girl, her heart threatened to break. She hadn't cried yet as far as Ashira was aware, but there was a large scar on her soul. Not physical like Ashira's was, but emotional. The kind of scar that only appeared on those who suffered a terrible loss. Vergil and Dante both had one, but their souls had grown around it over the years. Alice's hadn't yet, and Ashira wasn't sure how long it would take. "Yes?"

Alice fidgeted a bit in her seat. "Thank you for bringing me here. I…" She trailed off as her breath caught. Ashira was certain she swallowed a sob before speaking again. "Everyone's soul is so loud."

Ashira understood that better than anyone. "How are you doing?" Ashira whispered, leaning in to keep from waking Nico.

Alice looked away. "I'm… fine."

"You don't have to lie to me."

The girl said nothing and Ashira suddenly wished she hadn't said anything. The only children she had talked with recently were Kaiden and Angelica, the latter of which always went to Vergil over her anyway. Kaiden had dealt with a few reaver things by now but was much too young to truly understand things. And neither of them had dealt with what Alice was. She tried to imagine what her younger self would want to hear, even though she had no clue if Alice would respond like her.

"How about this," Ashira said as she slid to the floor. She rolled up her sleeves, revealing her bracelet and V mark. Alice stared at it in surprise, and Ashira made a point of tracing over it. Alice gasped when Shadow appeared on the floor beside them. The panther looked up at her and flicked her tail in interest. "You can cuddle with her, and ask me any questions you like."

"Is she your companion?"

She heard Griffon grumble in her head. What am I chopped liver? But she ignored him. "In a way." She said. "Remember that dragon that Dante has?" Alice nodded. "He traveled with me a long time ago, but he's with Dante now." And the two were finally friends, despite Calcifer's insistence that they weren't.

Finally, Alice slipped to the floor beside Shadow. The cat moved without hesitation, resting her head in Alice's lap. Alice hesitated at first, but she eventually rolled her hands along the panther's spine. Shadow purred in pure content. Alice's shoulders relaxed, and Ashira saw a small smile. "Prometheus was my mother's." She said. "I used to call him Sharky." She giggled at that, but then her face fell again. "He got hurt protecting me…"

Ashira was silent for a moment. "He asked me to find you." She said quietly. Alice teared up again, and Shadow nuzzled her leg in support. "I was able to move his soul on, if that helps."

Alice nodded slowly. "Thank you."

SIlence fell over the van again aside from Shadow's purring. Ashira didn't keep track of the time. Finally, Alice met her gaze and said, "How old are you?"

Ashira chuckled. "I turn 52 this year."

Alice's eyes snapped open in shock. "What? You look like Lir!"

Ashira grimaced at that, but hid it quickly. "I don't age as most people do."

Alice looked amazed. "Mom is…" She trailed off and looked away. "She was your age, but she looked a lot older."

"How old are you?"

"Ten."

Ashira blinked. Ten? She knew that demons grew up faster than most. Her own grandchildren proved that. But ten? And she was handling this with more courage than any other child she had ever met. But she stayed quiet, as Alice seemed to be contemplating her next question, and Ashira had no intention of interrupting.

After a few minutes, Alice looked up at her again. "What do souls look like to you?"

Ashira paused. Did they look different to other people? She had never bothered to ask Leo or Celeste. Kyrie had called them "wisps", but Ashira assumed that was similar to what she saw. "Flames." She said. "Any scars or scratches are on the bottom, but the energy radiates upward."

"I see flowers," Alice said. "The more petals they have, the stronger they are."

"How many do I have?"

"Lots," Alice said. "But not as much as the other two." Her gaze dropped again. "When they were fighting, some of the Demon King's petals fell off."

Ashira fought to keep calm. "What does that mean?"

Alice shook her head. "It happened to my mother and father, but they never seemed any different… and I never saw more than a few. None of them saw souls like me, so I was never able to figure it out."

Ashira pondered it for a moment, as Alice was staring at the floor again. Petals. She tried to compare it to her own knowledge of souls. The closest equivalent was how flames would lose some energy when the owner was tired. But both Dante and Vergil's souls had been overstimulated, their flames much brighter than usual. Maybe after the battle..

"Is… the Demon King your soulmate?"

It took Ashira a moment to realize that Alice was speaking again. "Why do you think that?"

"I saw the tether." She said. "It's… really strong."

Impressive . Ashira thought. While reavers could often sense Soulmates, it was rare for them to actually see the tether, especially at Alice's age. Ashira hadn't seen the one between Leo and Helen until she was eighteen, and that had only been for a moment. "Yes," Ashira said. "He is."

Alice sniffled, wiping away a tear. "Do you trust him?"

"Always."

Alice hesitated, before wiping the tears bubbling in her eyes. "Mom told me I would meet mine soon, but I never believed it."

"You're still young."

"I don't think I'll make it that long."

That time, Ashira took her hand without hesitation. And while Alice jumped in surprise, she only squeezed it tighter. "I know you're scared." Ashira said. "And I know you're sad. No one in their right mind would tell you not to feel that way."

"Lir did…" She whispered.

Jerk. She thought. "Lir cares about you, and that's his way of helping you overcome the situation. But being sad is natural. Just remember that we will protect you." She said. I'll protect you. "We'll all get through this, Alice. I promise."

This time, Alice let the tears go. "I… I still feel them… still hear them."

"Feel them?"

"Their souls." She said. "He took them away before I could save them. I don't know how… he's not a reaver."

"You're certain."

Alice nodded. "I… I can show you what happened."

Ashira blinked, surprised. "Show me…?"

"How they..." She trailed off before taking a deep breath. Her courage was inspiring. Ashira couldn't help but think of her own life after Gaius'. Their situations didn't compare (and they never would), But Alice was determined to fix it, just as Ashira had wanted to be. "I saw the Shade."

Ashira stared at her. While she had been hoping to get information eventually, she didn't think it would be so soon. But the girl was clearly terrified. Maybe even desperate. "It's okay if you're not…"

"You don't understand!" Alice shouted as tears filled her eyes. "I have to be strong. I can't let them… They can't have died for… for..."

She burst into tears and buried her face into Ashira's chest. Her heart shattered as she wrapped her arms around the girl and let her cry. It's okay. She thought, but knew she couldn't say it. You're going to be alright. That was probably more accurate, but Ashira wasn't certain if either of them would believe it. "I'm…"

The door to the van ripped open, nearly falling right off. Nico jerked awake, smacking her head against the window. Lir ripped Alice from Ashira's arms so fast she barely had time to let go. "What are you doing?" He snapped. "I knew I shouldn't have let her go with you."

Fury flared within her, but she held her feathers back. She had yet to be called the Phoenix, and if they didn't know who she was, it was probably best to keep it that way. "Stop acting like a child." She snapped. "Or I will have no choice but to treat you like one."

She felt a tug on her soul. Vergil. Ashira took a deep breath as Dante and Lucia approached, the latter much more worried than the former. "I'm going for a walk."

"A walk." Dante said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes." She said. "I have much to contemplate."

His eyes narrowed for a moment, before he relaxed and shrugged. "You do you, Shy. Though don't take too long. We decided to head out tonight."

"What?" Nico said, her glasses offset. "I ain't ready to leave."

"That's why I'll be driving," Dante said with a grin as he thumbed towards himself.

"No!" Nico said. "You'll ruin her!"

"I can't be much worse than you!"

"But she's my baby!"

"That I helped you buy!"

While the two argued, it was Lir's mocking snort that caught her attention. "He ain't coming back, huh? Figures. He left us all to die too."

Ashira clenched her fists as she felt her fire surge just beneath her skin. No. She thought. I will not cave to you. "I am not your enemy." She said.

And I suggest you keep it that way.

She shook her head, exhaled and smiled at Alice. "They'll take good care of you, okay? I won't be long." The girl nodded, but her arms had yet to unwrap from her brother's waist. She felt a second tug, more urgent than the first. She was half surprised he hadn't just pulled her to him. "I'll be back soon."

Lir's eyes bored into her, and she felt his hatred even as she walked away.

He knows something. V's voice echoed in her mind.

If only we knew what.

She found Vergil near a cave only a few miles away. It hadn't taken long - clearly, he had no intention of hiding from her - but the hesitance on his face implied that he might have wanted to. "We need that information." He said.

"I need Lir to go away." She muttered. "Alice wants to share it, but she's too scared when he's around."

Vergil shook his head. "Later then." His eyes were fully demonic now, and Ashira swore she could see small bits of scales along his neck, nearly hidden by his collar. The mumblings of his demon were frantic and confusing, but quieter than before. Her heart broke when she realized he was hiding it from her. They never hid anything from each other. "Vergil..."

"It's for your own good." He said, his voice clipped. Ashira flinched away and, while she felt the apology in his soul, his demeanor didn't change. "I need you to go to Turtle Cove and find Pythagoras. Take the girl if you have to."

Ashira fought to hold herself together. He needed her to be strong, especially if his demon was affecting him like this. "Even if her brother lets me, what good will that do?"

"She sees souls differently than you." Vergil said. "That may interest him."

"I can't take her to the Underworld like this." She heard his demon growl in her head, but she pushed back. "And I can't just leave you."

"And I can't be near anyone like this."

"Vergil…"

"He wanted me to kill Dante." Vergil said. "And the kid, for that matter. Your intervention is all that stopped him, and I doubt it will work a second time."

"You didn't hurt them." Ashira said. "You wouldn't…"

Suddenly, Vergil snapped at her, shoving them both towards the rocks. His eyes flickered for half a second, and he grabbed her before actually slamming into the cave wall. But his second hand shot by her, shattering the rocks with nothing but his palm. A spike of fear struck her, quickly followed by shame. Vergil would never hurt her. Not even like this. She shouldn't be afraid of him.

"He wants to hurt you, Shira." Vergil said, his breathing suddenly pained and ragged. How desperately she wanted to soothe him. The inner turmoil in his own head, no matter how muted he tried to make it, made hers spin. She tried to focus on his soul, but it was flickering as erratically as his own thoughts. There was nothing she could do to stop it. "He's demanding that I claim you. That I make you mine again . And not in the human way. But…" His eyes closed. "If you had any inkling of what he's thinking… of what he wants me to do, you wouldn't be here."

Ashira reached out, brushing his cheek with the tips of her fingers. He didn't flinch away. "If that's what you need…"

Vergil scoffed. "Don't be foolish."

This time, it was her own frustration that pulsed between them. "Demon things, remember? We promised each other that we would do whatever we needed to do. It's part of who we are, is it not?"

"This is different."

"I trust you, Saina . I've always trusted you."

"You shouldn't. Not right now."

"Why? Because you don't trust yourself?"

Vergil went silent. His fingers clenched, further cracking the rocks. His eyes had turned completely silver now, and showed no signs of changing back. "Go to Turtle Cove. Find Pythagoras. I will look for the Prince myself."

Ashira reached for his hand. "Vergil please…"

Vergil tore himself away. "Just do as I say!"

They both froze at that. This wasn't him. This wasn't even his demon. It had never acted like this around her. As far as Ashira knew, he and the Phoenix thought of each other as equals. Surely a single Demon Prince wouldn't ruin everything between them?

She took another slow, but shaky breath. "And if the Prince comes for me?"

"He won't."

"You don't know that." She said. "Do you truly believe I'm safe without you?"

Vergil growled at her, but caught himself and took a long step back. "You've been borrowing my power for years, and have my familiars to help you. Why do you doubt yourself now?"

"He believes he can kill you , Vergil." Ashira said. "He knows who you are, which means he probably knows what I am. And how better to get to you than through me?"

"Enough."

"What happened to trusting me?" She snapped. "To fighting everything together? This is the first major issue in eight years and you're running away?"

"I'm not running." He said. "And life doesn't always work the way you want it to."

Her blood was practically boiling by now. "The way I want it to?"

"I can't always be there for you." He said.

"I never said…"

"And I can handle this demon on my own."

"Drop the act, Vergil." She snapped. "You're leaving because you're scared. " His eyes narrowed at that, but something else tugged at her. Her own anger, however, was overwhelming, bleeding between herself and the temper of the Phoenix. "Or am I simply not a good enough partner for you anymore?"

"Shira."

"And if that's the case, then I apologize for getting in your way, your highness ."

The second the words actually left her mouth she regretted it. When she tried to apologize, nothing came out. And in the silence, Vergil watched her. Unblinking. Unmoving. Inhuman. Unnatural. And it hurt. Not just because he wasn't himself - they would find a way to fix that. But because he was retreating further into himself before her eyes, and nothing she said could change his mind.

Her anger diminished, replaced by insurmountable grief. If he felt it, he didn't show it. "I want to help. Please let me…" Her voice trailed off... For the first time in a very long time, Ashira felt alone. They always shared their pain with each other. At least, that's what they were supposed to do. Until death do us part , whenever that might be. Yet, his thoughts were silent. His emotions were gone. His demon was pulling him away, and he was letting it.

I'm sorry, Saina.

After what felt like an eternity, Vergil turned away. "Your anger is justified." He said, his human voice slipping back for the briefest of moments. "I'm not abandoning you, Shira."

She couldn't hide the bitterness in her voice any more than the sadness in her heart. "It sure feels that way."