Reno of course GROANED when Rude tried to wake him up, picking up his boot and throwing it at his partner simply because it was how he normally responded to someone trying to wake him up at the buttcrack of dawn. "Don't wanna go ta school. . .tired, let me sleep." The words were muttered as Rude made a second attempt to wake him up, that one somewhat succeeding as he asked in a raspy tone. "Wha' time is it?" When he looked over at the clock and saw it said seven o'clock he groaned and rolled over onto his back. "I swear to Shiva, Rude, if this not an emergency you woke me up at seven on my day off for I am going to cut your fucking balls off and feed 'em to Rufus' cat."

Reno it was well known was FAR from a morning person, as the shoe that usually hit the alarm in the morning would attest to, and he was even LESS so on his day off. So threats of bodily harm upon being awakened were pretty much par for the course for the most part. "Don't tell me, Vergil pulled some dumb ass shit again and Dante called over here to have us come over and help straighten it out." He had no IDEA how close to right he was, even though he figured it was about time for another of the couple's stupid blowouts that somehow or another they always ended up refereeing. "Oh well, get my shit together, the sooner we get this the fuck over with, the sooner I can come home and go back ta BED. Fucking bitch next door banging her boyfriend kept me up 'til two am, lucky you on the other side of the fucking apartment."

Another snort and he climbed out of bed completely naked, somehow not at all disturbed by the fact as he staggered in a still half asleep state toward the bathroom for a shower, scratching his ass as he walked. He was either comfortable enough in his own skin not to be shy in front of his partner or he was simply too sleepy to really give a shit, and no one could really be sure which one. There of course multiple scars of the job that littered the slender frame, and several more that were from before he'd been recruited, the one just to the right of his spine being the newest one, the one dealt by Vergil's excuse for penis compensation sword.

The shower itself was short, and soon enough he was in his jeans and a loose white t-shirt, getting some coffee so he could get himself at least SOMEWHAT awake. "So what's this all about anyway?"

By now Rude had dressed as well, and he was distracted, not even really noticing any of Reno's normally rather amusing early morning antics at all.

Trouble was coming, hell, trouble was here, really. Had been from the time Vergil started getting nastier and nastier, and boy, had it all gone to hell NOW.

"Look, they--Cloud and Zack--they are going over to the twins to arrest Vergil--and have him committed, too, and I'm pretty sure this will be bad. There ain't no WAY that boy will give up without a fight, as we already frigging know better than most--and Dante might just take his side, at least protect him, from being taken away. We got an invite to go BE there, in case, from Cloud, and I don't think he wanted anyone else to even know, maybe not even Zack. So mum's the word, okay? But I think we need to go there--he said noon, so we got time to THINK how to handle this."

Rude hesitated, and then added quietly, "I don't wanna KILL the guy. I really don't. But it might come to that, Ren. You ready to do that, if we have to? This was our friend, at one time. This ain't gonna be easy."

"I know ya don't, and I'm really hopin' it won't come ta that, but Vergil even before alla this mess was a stubborn bastard, and we both know it. Shy and quiet yeah, but really stubborn, and needing ta have his own way. So yeah, all we c'n do is hope Dante can get his ass in hand before shit goes too far for us to be able to do anything but kill him. " Reno picked up his emr, dropping his master spell into the rear slot, and the shiny blue orb of his all into the linked slot in the front. He was bouncing on the balls of his feet in obvious nervousness as he began to head for the door. He assumed they would meet up with Cloud and Zack to plan before going and meeting Dante to get on the hunt.

The thought of Cloud brought a bit of a blush to the fair skinned face, but he of course would never ACT on the tiny crush he harbored. Cloud belonged to Sephiroth and to Zack, and they were his friends, too. He had more respect for those he cared for than to touch any of them that way when they had that deep bond with one another. "Ok, m'ready, Rude, let's go."

Vergil paced, back and forth, lashing at the air with Yamato, his eyes blazing with the totality of madness now-- there was nothing in there that his brother would be able to find of sanity or reason, only the aftereffects of the black magick, the dark and infernal blood rituals that Vergil had been completing almost constantly for the past two weeks, as he was hunted for in a vain attempt to save him.

Dante was coming, already he could hear the powerful motor of the massive bike his brother rode. His own was parked some distance away, on the other side of the cemetary--it wasn't like he was going to need it in a hurry.

Vergil had his plan framed in his mind, in a crystal clarity: Dante would come, wearing the other half of the amulet -- Vergil would best him, leave him on the EDGE of death itself.

No, he would not kill him.

But Dante would be throughly beaten and defeated, and by the time he recovered, Vergil would be long gone, to raise the Temen-Ni-Gru. Dante he would return for in glory and full splendor at the appointed time, claiming his lover and his prize, making Dante co-regent of the worlds. He would see the truth, in time, and he would see things the right way--and they would reign together, none would stand against the family of Sparda ever again.

Mundus he would keep as a captive to torment at his leisure, as a fell warning to all.

But for now--he had to feep his mind utterly focused, and get this thing DONE.

The bike rolled up behind him, and he did not turn around, even when the motor was cut, and there was the sound of the dismount, of guns being cocked. He did smile, however. Of course, those filthy firearms, so very like Dante. Back still turned, he greeted Dante coldly.

"Hello, brother."

Dante kicked harshly at the kickstand, making sure to embed it DEEP in the ground, that way there was no way that the bike would fall over, in case one of them knocked into it.

They'd been searching for two solid weeks, and all they had turned up was empty clues and hollow trails, leaving Dante feeling worse and worse with each passing day. "No calls, no messages, no anything Vergil... I thought you were dead." Had almost wished you were, but you're my brother, I could never really want you dead. He turned dull, almost lifeless eyes to stare at Vergil, his Voice nearly null and void of all emotions right then.

"What do you WANT from me, Verg?" He had Ebony and Ivory out, cocked, but still at his sides, his eyes practically BORING into Vergil's back. "I can't be what you want me to be, I can't do what you want me to do, and I can't let you do what you want to do. I can't, I really can't. You're pushin' shit, Verg, pushin' it hard, pushin' it too far." Lips pursed, he trembled slightly. "Don't make me do what I said I'd do, Vergil...don't. 'cause you know I will..."

Big bluff Dante, don't let him figure it out, or else you might have to go through with it anyway...

Still with his back turned, still with the madman's smirk upon his lips, Vergil laughed very softly, almost inaudibly.

"Yes, I remember. You warned me. I remember very clearly, Dante. The night before I left, you told me that if I went any farther with the killing spree, you would have to stop me yourself, because you wouldn't want anyone else to do it. How charming, wanting the kill for yourself. Insisting on it, like a jealous lover. But of course, we always did find that sexual thrill in the blood and harming of one another--why would this be any different now? But I have no time for the false joy of your bed now, brother. I have found something far more important, something more lasting and more satisfying than even your bodily delights. One day, you will understand, and you will see. We are Spardas, and we have a higher calling than the nightly rut of sweat and semen. You shall hold me back NO LONGER!!"

He finally turned around, so that Dante would see the frozen amethyst fire of his eyes, insane, without any germ or spark of reason now.

"I am going to raise the Temen-Ni-Gru, Dante. I will unlock father's seal upon the demon world, and both realms will mingle as one, the weak perishing, as they ought to. That will, of course, include most ALL of your beloved humans. What a pity, such a loss."

The sarcasm in his voice was cold and evil.

Yamato lashed out, and Vergil held it out towards Dante in readiness to fight--"I just need one more thing--and you wear that around your neck, Dante. We can do this the easy way, or the fatal way. It does not matter to me, now."

"It WASN'T false joy, you bastard!" Dante was clearly taken aback by this sudden insight into his brother's thinking, and he really didn't like it one bit, not at ALL. "How many nights did you writhe under me? Over me? Even beside me? The cries, the words... the love... it's all REAL, no matter what YOU seemed to have deluded yourself into thinking now."

His precious weapons were brought to bear, one pointed at Vergil's head, the other at the heart that he was fairly sure didn't exist anymore. "Don't DO this shit, Verg, just DON'T. It's not RIGHT, this isn't OUR world, this is THEIR world, it's not RIGHT for us to just...TAKE it, to USE it for our own purposes.."

"You are not worthy to bear the name of Sparda."

Vergil was unflinching, and he moved, faster really then the eye could follow, Yamato slashing out with the masterful hand wielding it--and though he might have beheaded his brother then and there, this wasn't ABOUT Dante dying, or even being harmed--it was about Vergil doing what he had to do, to restore the rightful order to the worlds--both worlds--and the blood of Sparda must rule, as it ought to be.

Dante did not fire, as Vergil knew he would not, and now the younger brother's ignorance of how much Vergil could really TAKE was quite convenient, as he had known it would be.

When Vergil finished his sword-stroke, he held Dante's amulet in his hand, and his smile was the same, frigid and merciless.

"I believe we have no more to discuss, this day, brother. I must be going, I have so little time, and so much to accomplish. You will see, one day, I promise you." He turned to walk away, almost causally. As if this had been just a little family reunion.

Goddamnit, Vergil, why do you HAVE to do this!? Dante glared at Vergil as he strode away, cold and uncaring, something he was getting USED to seeing--even if he still wasn't liking it. "You're the one throwing Dad's sacrifice away... Not sure how that makes you worthy of being called a Sparda. He sealed it away for a reason, and now you're just gonna throw it all away for furthering something that's ridiculous."

Ebony was pointed at Vergil's head, and the finger on the trigger was twitching, tensing--his violet eyes sliding shut as the gun clicked, then fired, narrowly missing Vergil's head, just grazing his ear. The only reason he missed was because of the trembling in the normally steady frame. "Fuck..." His eyes slid open, knowing that it'd been his own fault that he'd missed, but he'd never admit it out loud. "Vergil--Fine, just walk off. This ain't gonna end the way you want it to, and you'll see that, you'll see it eventually." He could FEEL his heart tearing with each step away Vergil took, but he wasn't about to go with him, not when he KNEW better.

"Goodbye, Dante. I see your aim is far from true, even at such a close range, I can hardly believe you missed, in fact, I don't believe it. But I must be going, I have much to do. It is you who will understand, in time, when I have changed the future for all of us."

He walked on, feeling the heat of Dante behind him, that last fragment of weakness and desire SCREAMING at him to just LET. THIS. GO.

To turn and drop the amulet, to go to Dante and let this ALL GO.

He could not. This was FOR Dante, as much as it was for him, and he was not about to fail either of them. Even though--the hand that clutched Dante's amulet was sweating, cold. Trembling.

He kept walking, ignoring the blood trickling from the light wound, already sealing up.

DARING Dante to fire. Almost wishing he would, somehow, because then he COULD surrender, and it would be alright.

"...Just let it go, would you?" Dante WAS pleading now, almost ready to fall to his hands and knees if need be, even if he knew it wouldn't do any good. Once Vergil had made up his mind, it was made up, and even if he STOPPED, and let it GO--he would never truly let it go.

"I don't want the power, I don't want anything or anyone else but YOU, why can't you GET that through your fuckin' thick skull, Verg? Why's everythin' have to be about POWER and minions, why'd it gotta be about wiping the humans off of THEIR world? Huh? Why can't it just be about you and me? The way it SHOULD be."

When he saw Vergil turn around, presumably for the last time--he fired one last shot, the bullet nicking the chain on Vergil's amulet just right, the soft chink of it hitting the ground making his heart stop for a moment. He...he'd ALMOST hit his brother in the jugular--that... that would have been FATAL if he'd hit him there. He still didn't know of the healing powers they had, or else he would have been kicking Vergil's ass.

When the gun fired, and there was a sharp impact on his chest--but not IN it-- Vergil held his breath in sudden alarm, unclear what was happening, and his cool lost for the moment, as would show on his face, startled and rather horrified. His amulet clattered to the ground, and he quickly picked it up, holding both in one hand.

Unsure.

VERY unsure.

Dante was shouting at him to not do this, to give it up, to come HOME for god's sake, just come HOME again.

"I can never go home again, Dante. You know that. I know that. It's all gone too far now."

Oh, he wanted to. Would Dante see that in the sadness that came into his gaze for a second, or would he miss it? Did it even matter now, any of it? It really was too late, at least in his mind. He'd killed too many, delved too deeply, gone too... damned far. Dante, damn it, if he would only shut up.

Please shut up, you're killing me, and you don't even know it.

"Vergil, come ON...! It's not too LATE for you! Vergil...??"

He stood there for what seemed like ten lifetimes, and then his arm lashed out, flinging Dante's amulet back at him hard, Vergil walking away fast as he did so. Never looking back again, and he vanished behind the masoleum, his bike roaring to life as he fled Dante's presence.