Wow. Nearly ten reviews in less than 24 hours. I'm touched really. So touched that I had to post early, and reply.
Well, thank you all for your esteem-boosting reviews. But as to questions about Vergil...I was actually going to have a side-story type thing about him to be introduced this chapter, but I decided against it. I might make it a full-story though. If you're interested I'll tell you the name when I've decided.
And sorry, but I do have to single one person out. Amara-chan. I can tell we are going to have a great fun-filled exciting relationship. It's already started off so fresh and intriguing! I'm a male, love. 15 year old guy going to be a junior in High school this year. (next week in fact) Sorry for any confusion.
Now then! On with the show.
Dante sat in his usual position. Leaning back in his chair, legs crossed and feet kicked up on his desk. He had his arms crossed and was staring intently at the phone, willing it to ring.
"How long has it been?" Trish asked filing her nails at a chair near-by.
"Five minutes." Dante muttered without taking his eyes from the phone.
Trish shook her head. "Without blinking?"
"Yep."
"Dante, that's not normal." Trish told him. Dante snorted. "Neither is that" he said, gesturing to the wall behind him where twin swords (one red and one blue) were snoring peacefully.
"True" Trish said. She went back to filing her nails. "What was the last call about again?" She asked, referring to five minutes ago, before Dante had started his abnormally long stare.
"Lost cat." Dante muttered darkly. "And no password." Trish laughed. "What's so funny?" Dante asked her, without moving his head or eyes. He still hadn't blinked yet.
"Maybe you should consider actually stating what you DO. In the phone book it just says "Odd-Jobs". Not "Demon-Slaying." Its not very clear to people what kind of odd jobs you are looking for."
"Trish," Dante started, chuckling despite himself. "If I had said anything clearer they would think I'm insane. Then the only calls I would be getting would be ones from the police, stating that they had a warrant."
"You could say exterminator." Trish said thoughtfully. There was another loud BANG outside. "Speaking of exterminators…I think I'm going to go call one. Those are probably rats outside." Trish said, getting up and moving toward the phone.
"Aww Trish! Don't tell me you're afraid of rats!" Dante said tsk-ing and shaking his head. His eyes didn't move though, still glued to the phone Trish was hovering over.
"NO Dante. But humans are. Maybe that's another reason they are staying away." Trish explained to him. Dante acted hurt. "That's a low blow Trish. And I thought we were getting along so well."
Trish ignored him. "Oh and Dante. I took the liberty of calling your psychologist." Dante blinked, his trance was broken.
"What the hell did you go and do that for!" Dante exclaimed. "Trish! Damn! I don't need any shrink." Dante took his feet off the desk and deepened the crossing of his arms. Trish could almost imagine the storm-cloud over his head as the Devil-hunter sulked.
"Dante…" she said softly. "Most people see doctors to check if they are crazy or unbalanced. We both know that isn't the case here. Its great that we finally found someone who believes that too."
"If we all know that I'm not crazy, then why did you call in?" Dante asked, his tone still sulky.
"For the past two weeks you've been moaning and groaning about boredom and whatever else. You almost look depressed." Trish said pointedly.
Dante didn't say anything for a moment. "Trish. We both know that I don't get depressed." Dante said, trying his best to keep up a feeble defense.
"Whatever." Trish said throwing up her arms. She knew that there was no point in arguing anymore. "Your meeting is at two. And she said that if you are late, she'll just come up here."
"Two!" Dante said aloud, looking at the clock on the wall. "That's only an hour! And it takes 45 minutes to drive there already!"
"Then fly." Trish said simply.
"Aah. It wastes too much energy." Dante got up. "Dammit. What a hassle. The bike's still in the shop right?" He didn't bother for the answer he already knew. "I'll be back then." Dante muttered unhappily.
"You'll bring your sword with you? And E&I?" Trish asked.
"Of course. Don't go anywhere without them." Dante answered.
"You're paranoid you know that?" Trish told him. Dante blew through his lips.
"I guess that's why I'm going to see the shrink." He walked outside. Immediately a BANG. "Okay. That's it. What the hell is that!" He drew his sword (Alastor) and entered the alleyway.
Dante saw nothing at first, but he gave Alastor a squeeze and lightning jumped from the end. This time a frightened squeal came out of something that was definitely not a pig. Dante reached down grabbed some type of cloth and hurled it into the side-walk. Dante suspected that it was a demonic spy from some new enemy he had yet to encounter. (Or at least, he hoped so.)
That's why he was surprised when a human teenager ended up sprawled over the concrete. Dante sighed and replaced his sword. "So you're this rat huh? Alright kid. Who are you and how long have you been back there? You smell like my dumpster."
The teenager was a scrawny kind of kid. After he had gotten over the shock of being flipped and thrown he stood up and nursed his skinned elbows. But he soon looked up at Dante and began to stammer; "M-my name is V-v-Vance. And…you're HIM! You're Dante!"
Dante raised an eyebrow. Scrawny might have been an understatement. This kid looked about 16-17 years old. He obviously didn't get out enough or get enough sun, his skin was a pasty bleach looking color. He wore thick glasses, which amazingly weren't broken. His dark hair was untidy and he seemed to hunch over a bit.
"Yeah…Dante's the name….Look what do you want? I'm in a bit of a hurry."
"Oh…uhm..right. I came here to be a demon-slayer." Vance said after a moment's hesitation.
"No." Dante said simply, then walked to his garage and opened it. Vance followed. "No? But why nooott!" Vance asked. Dante came close to laughing. This kid had a bit of a Woody-Allen voiceover going for him.
"For one. I don't like whiners. Which is what you are doing now. Secondly, I don't like wanna-bees. Which is what you are now. And lastly, I don't take on apprentices. Never have, never will." Dante told him.
"Now then, go inside and tell the blonde lady to cancel the exterminator. Here," Dante said, searching his pocket. "I'll even give you five bucks for your troubles." He handed him a crisp five-dollar bill. "Ooh, and that's a good one. I'd hold onto that."
Dante got into his car, a silver corvette with a black roof. Normally he'd be riding his bike but it got trashed a few weeks back….
"See you kid." Dante said, then pulled off without another word as Vance looked on incredulously.
"Kid's these days. All think they can just be a Slayer like that." Dante said a few minutes later, with a snap of the fingers. "Actually, he's the first one….And how the hell did he find out I was a Demon-Hunter anyway?" Dante pondered it for a moment before shoving it out of his mind.
"I'll let the psychologist figure it out. She's supposed to solve my problems right?"
Dante arrived right on time. He walked up to the house, but paused before reluctantly knocking. 'Well, I'm here now…. She'll be happy at least.' Dante thought. The door opened and immediately his cheerful doctor greeted him.
"Dante! Eet has been too long!" She said, reaching up and giving him a peck on both cheeks.
Dante smiled despite himself. "Hello Lucia. Miss me much?" He walked through the open door and Lucia shut it behind them. "Say, did you do something to your hair? You look different." Dante commented.
Lucia's eyes flashed. "Ah! Yes, yes I have. Do you like it? I know it isn't much, but still…."
"I do like it." Dante said genuinely. All she had done really was put her braid behind her, instead of letting it drape over the side. Dante found that he preferred this way, it confirmed that she did in fact have two eyes.
She was also wearing a pin-striped suit. "You're uniform I take it?" Dante stated. Lucia looked at her sleeve.
"My costume for working at any rate." She said. "But I do still enjoy a good hunt every now and then. Where 'ave you been Dante? I 'aven't had a call from you en weeks!" She said, her accent growing more noticeable.
"Sorry. You know I'm a little edgy when it comes to doctors…." Dante said, collapsing onto a couch.
"You don't trust me?" Lucia pouted. Dante laughed. "Don't act like that. You know for you I make an exception."
"Well then, I should say eet's time to get started!" Lucia said, sitting in a chair opposite Dante. "Tell me, what has changed in your life. Or, what is new?"
"Well, I'm not entirely sure why I'm here. All that's changed is that I'm really bored these days." Dante said, resting his head back and closing his eyes. "Trish says she's worried about me."
"Ah, she is a good woman Dante." Lucia commented, sipping on tea that Dante had not noticed before. "You should seriously consider settling down. Perhaps a woman in your life is exactly what you need."
Dante shrugged that off. "I have women in my life. You, Trish, Lady…you've met her right? And Jasmine of course."
"Jasmine?"
"The waitress at the local bar."
"Oh, right. The college freshman." Lucia said pointedly.
"Hey, its nothing serious. I just see her a lot because I like that bar. Great booze. And she gives me drinks on the house because I saved her life and all." Dante added as a side-note.
"That's just it Dante. None of your relationships are serious. You keep us all at arm's length. Even when you are flirting, we know it isn't for real." Dante looked up. Was that a trace of bitterness in her voice?
"Besides," Dante continued, trying not to worry about Lucia at the moment. "I'm still too young to have anything so serious."
"That raises an interesting question Dante. Exactly how old are you?"
"Old enough to know I'm still young." Dante said with a smile.
"Fine then. Eet is obvious you do not wish to talk on that subject any more. How's the business?"
"Booming. I've even got a stalker now." Dante said in a slightly sarcastic voice. Lucia asked him to continue. "His name's Vance apparently. He's been living in the alleyway next to the Agency for about a week. I just met him today. Said he wanted to be a Hunter." Dante snorted. "Yeah right."
"Where is he now?" Lucia asked, interested. Dante shrugged. "I told him to go home. And he better be there by the time I get back."
"If you see him again, you should accept. Since you won't decide on a companion…perhaps this will provide the challenge you seem to require."
When Dante got back to the Devil May Cry agency, it was already dark. After his talk with Lucia, he had gone to a movie to mull things over. Even right now he couldn't remember the name of the flick.
'I'm the only guy I know who choose a movie to sit and brood.' Dante parked the car in his garage and locked it up. Then he entered Devil May Cry to find Trish eating popcorn and watching t.v. "How was it?" She asked.
"Not too bad. Lucia says that—" Dante was cut off as a growing light shone in his face through the office window. "No." Dante said, suddenly striding toward the glass. "No. NO. NOOO!" But it was too late. Dante was smashed to the floor as half a ton of steel usually referred to as a motorcycle came crashing through his office.
As the dust began to set and Dante and Trish pulled themselves from the rubble, Dante took a quick survey of the place. Strangely, the sofa was undamaged, but his desk was now in splinters and the old-fashioned phone he used was buried under brick and wood.
"Why! WHY! WHY THE HELL DOES THIS ST ALWAYS HAPPEN TO MY OFFICE! &$#$($#!" Dante howled in rage and let out an endless stream of curses so violent he had to dip into the demonic language since English did not have swears enough.
"WHO DID THIS! WHAT IGNORANT FOOL WOULD DARE DO THIS TO MY OFFICE….AGAIN!" Dante frantically looked around for the culprit, and found Vance staring meekly from outside. "You!" Dante breathed death into the air. "YOU!" Dante snatched up Alastor and advanced on the boy.
"Why would you do this!" Dante screamed, seizing the boy by the collar and carrying him with one hand closer to the scene. "GOD DAMMIT! What! Does everyone just think its cool to go and total my shop again and again and again! Oh, we need Mister Dante on a case! I know! Let's go ram a Hummer through his FREAKING WALL!" Dante exclaimed jerking his arms (and Vance) around for emphasis.
Dante brought Vance to his face. "Tell me why. Tell me why you did this." Vance stuttered for a moment, his voice was lost. "Speak!" Dante commanded. Vance's throat instantly became unstuck.
"I thought, this would get your attention, and let me into your group!" Vance cried. (Literally, tears were flowing faster then the river Nile could ever hope to flow. Dante didn't care.)
"No! No, no, no, no, no, no, NO! This, this right here, this is NOT the way to get on somebody's good side! You wanna know what happened to the first guy who tried this! His name was Arkham. I killed him. Him and his demon posse. I killed them all. Every last one. In fact, the only reason Trish is still here is because she's hot in black leather! And…and…." Dante trailed off. "Is that my bike? It is! That's my fking bike!" Dante dropped Vance and stood silent for a moment.
"That's it. I've decided." Dante said slowly. "He's got to die." Dante whipped out Ivory and aimed it dead-center at Vance's forehead.
"Dante!" Trish shouted. Dante flinched at the noise for just a moment and pulled the trigger. The white hot bolt shot a centimeter over Vance's scalp. Vance's crying doubled.
"Damn it Trish! You made me miss!" Dante shouted angrily. He quickly relined his aim.
"Dante lower that gun right now! You won't shoot that boy!" Trish yelled.
"I won't?" Dante asked her, pulling back the hammer on his gun.
"No Dante! In fact, you are going to accept him as your apprentice!"
"I am?" Dante asked, unbelievingly.
"Yes! You are!"
"I am." Dante stated, even more unbelieving than before. He lowered Ivory. "Damn you Trish."
"You're welcome." Trish said, huffing. Dante kneeled in close and shook Ivory in Vance's face. "Well, well, well. Lookey here. How lucky can one boy be? You're still alive, and somehow, I've agreed to make your wishes come true. But listen here kid." Dante whispered. "If you ever. EVER pull a stunt like this again, then not only will I kill ya, but before that you'll be missing something very, very dear to you."
Quick as a flash Dante stood, aimed and fired off a round. Trish looked up to see a steaming hole between Vance's outstretched legs. "Dante!"
Dante ignored her and kept his eyes on Vance. "Comprende?"
Vance nodded.
And here is where the side-story would have gone. Probably named Father & Son. But any way.
Hope you liked this chapter. I couldn't exactly find the right way to tie up the end there, but I think it came out alright. Don't forget to review!