summary: Two of the world's fiercest hybrids have their powers stolen from them by an unknown devil. Now these two must work together to regain them, but more than their demonic capabilities are at stake…implied V/D, D/OC

Thanks to Jade Tokier and Shehanitan for their help hugs

Disclaimer: i own nothing of this, Capcom does. if i did you really think i would write such crap?

thanks for all the reviews guys, you're great

on with the fic…

The door creaked open, offering the only noise in the completely trashed room, there was a wounded figure on the floor, blood pooling around him; boots softly scuffed the creaking floorboards and stopped just before the toes could reach the blood.

Dante stared down at the figure, no, it was impossible…he couldn't be here…he had been left behind… "Vergil?"

The figure on the floor showed no sign of acknowledging his presence, fear gripped Dante as he looked on the deathly pale face, a trail of dried blood led from the nose and mouth to join the crimson pool below. Dante stared at the fatal gash. It shouldn't have been a problem. He had been impaled several times himself and knew it was not fatal but Vergil was showing no signs of healing, or life, fear raced through his mind, Vergil had always been strong, fast, all but unbeatable. What in all the hells could have done this to him?

"Dante…" he barely heard his name and he knelt at his twin's side, blue eyes fluttered open, holding nothing of the iciness he had seen on Temen-ni-gru, which had only been months ago. The older twin coughed weakly forcing more blood down his chin.

"My Master wants you dead," a voice called, Dante looked around but saw no one.

He was about to reply but he was hit and skidded across the floor colliding with a broken wall. Dante frowned, as he started to stand, he hadn't heard his attacker come near. He hit the floor again, pain spasmed through his lower back as it went through a splintered table. He flipped up but still did not see the attacker. He crashed through a wall into the next room…this thing was fast…no wonder Vergil had lost. He tried to draw Rebellion but was thrown back through to the other room. He calmed himself; almost certain he had been in worse situations than this. Feeling a sharp pain in his chest made him cancel that thought, he looked down to see a point of a dagger sticking through his chest, a cry of pain ripped from his lips as the small blade twisted. Dante tried to change to his devil form but the blade seemed to be sapping his energy. The blade wrenched again, another cry erupted from his lips…the room started to spin and it began to blur as his legs started to give out, he barely felt himself hit the floor draped partly over his twin.

Consciousness flooded back into Dante's mind, as well as one hell of a headache, he tried to sit up slowly only to see the room spin some more as he tried to piece his hazy memory together. He looked around the scene of devastation, where was he? The call. Someone had given him this address. Vergil. His twin had been badly injured. Dead? He was not sure. He looked down to find he was lying partly over Vergil, he moved back quickly. The fatal wound had gone. His healing hadn't been affected then. They had been attacked. He hadn't seen that thing. It was too fast. His own wounds had gone. Dried blood was the only remnants. He felt strange. Somehow like something was missing, he shrugged it off and turned his attention back to Vergil.

The older twin was still looking ashen…his chest was steadily moving up and down, letting the younger know he was alive, a pained expression masked his face. His pale lips were moving softly but Dante could only make out few words, "No…Dante…I will…" the blue eyes slowly opened to lock with Dante's, "Dante?" his voice was still soft, he heard a weakness he had never before associated with his strong twin.

"I'm here," he replied softly, cursing his natural instincts to go to his twin, somewhere in the back of his mind hoping the evil that held Vergil had let go…

Dante didn't see the blow coming as hit the floor berating himself mentally for letting his guard down around the older, even if he was still weak; he froze feeling the cold steel of Yamato against his neck.

"Ease off with that thing will ya?" he gave the elder an uneasy grin looking between the menacing blade and the even more menacing twin.

Vergil sighed rolling his eyes, "Now why would I do that?" a cruel smirk played at his lips as the blade nicked the neck slightly.

"Because you value your little bro's life?" Dante replied with a helpless grin.

"You beat me once Dante…I'm not going to let you live for that," he was about to flick the blade harder but Dante rolled away adding a little more of a blood trail down his neck. As he stood Ebony and Ivory were in his hands. "You would hide behind such cowardly weapons," Vergil shook his head in disgust.

"If it keeps you away," the younger shrugged and fired.

As expected Yamato met with the bullets but not all of them were stopped, Vergil hissed as one lodged in his shoulder, he glared dangerously at his younger twin and took a few menacing steps forward. Dante backed off until he hit a wall, his guns aimed steady at his twin's head although he no longer fired.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Dante demanded.

"I could ask you the same," Vergil replied coldly Yamato held steady ready to impale the younger.

"I had a call…it was you," Dante exclaimed, "You set me up to kill me."

Vergil stared at him, "I'm sorry to disappoint you Dante but this had nothing to do with me."

"You never missed a chance though, did you?"

Vergil glared and lunged for Dante.

Dante dodged the blade before it could go through him, he frowned, "Why aren't I healing?" he muttered not realizing he said it out loud, his hand pressing hard on his wounds, "You're not either," he motioned to the bullet wound in Vergil's shoulder.

"And?" Vergil snapped noticing the wound for the first time.

Dante took the slight distraction and kicked the older's legs from under him; Vergil glared up at the mirror of his own face Rebellion was looming over him dangerously.

Dante watched his twin closely, he didn't want to kill him…he had said he would, but he knew he didn't have it in him and as Rebellion lowered he knew he was at Vergil's mercy as the older stood.

Neither moved, neither wanted to, Dante fought the urge to run to his brother's arms and see if he could wake from this nightmare. No, the man opposite him was not the Vergil he had known and loved so he stayed back holding his still bleeding wound, why the hell wasn't he healing? The room started spinning again. He barely felt himself being caught and lowered gently to the floor, the last image in his mind was Vergil's concerned expression.

Lilka stalked from the building hurriedly and ducked into a back alley, waiting for her master; she sighed, he was nowhere to be seen, or sensed, she ran her fingers through her dark green hair having nothing better to do than wait.

"Do you have it?" a deep voice demanded from behind.

She jumped hearing the voice, she had not been expecting him this soon.

"Yes master," she nodded shaking off her shock and presented him wit the dagger and crystal.

"The power of the sons of Sparda," he mused watching the glowing crystal with interest, "Keep them for now, you must make Dante believe you are the real threat. I want to know how well he fights as a human before I kill him." Lilka nodded and watched her Master leave.