"Alright, a sword. Let's see..." Dante, Vance and Trish were back at the DMC. Dante was busy rummaging through old boxes and storage for a sword while Vance and Trish looked on in interest.
"Uhm, Mister Dante? Why can't I just use one of those?" Vance asked, pointing at the numerous weapons posted on the walls.
"Because they would all overpower you and lead to your soul's damnation." Dante said without looking up. "Most of those weapons were demons of some form or another...and they don't really like to be touched without their permission...OW!" Dante stop rummaging and started sucking on a finger.
"How did you ever survive all these years Dante? You've just pricked yourself on a nail!" Trish said shaking her head.
"Oh shut up woman!" Dante shouted, annoyed. "What the hell are you even here for? Do you do anything around here? Go clean something!" he said waving her off.
"Tsk, whatever." Trish said before heading back to the front room. Dante turned back to his searching.
"Er, permission?" Vance asked Dante's back. Dante shrugged. "Usually some sort of demonic explosion or a fight before-hand. Or worse. In Alastor's case, it enjoys to impale people through the chest first." Dante shot a scowl at the currently tame sword on the wall. "It is a very fortunate since it shoots lightning bolts or else I would have just thrown it to the sea by now."
Vance shuddered. "Yep, what you need is a regular old-fashioned non magical sword. And I don't seem to have any. Oh well, its off to the store for us. You need some fire–arms too."
"You do know I'm only 16?" Vance asked him timidly. Dante swore. "Look kid, do you want to be a hunter or not! Grow some freaking balls man! And you wonder why you have self-esteem issues..."
Dante brushed past him. He was in a bad mood now, once again beginning to regret taking Vance on. But that wasn't even the main reason. His finger hurt, after all! But does anyone care? Nobody.
"Trish! Going for a supply run! Where's the local broker?" Dante called also heading to the front room and grabbing Rebellion along the way. Vance followed closely, wondering what was going on.
"You have the worst memory I've ever seen Dante. Its not like the place moves every few hours. It's still a few miles down the road in the Lane. It should be Ralph's shift too." Trish said, filing her nails.
"Do we have any vehicles left that haven't been sent through a wall?" Dante shrugged on his trenchcoat as Vance shook his head. "You're never going to let me live that down are you?"
"Not in your life kid."
Dante pulled into the darkened space known as "The Lane". Here, it was perpetually dark, with just barely enough light to make out indistinct shapes. However in the shadows, shone one, statue?
"Dante? Why is that statue glowing?" Vance asked, uneasy in the silent dark. Dante laughed. "You don't even know the God of Time when you see it? You have a lot to learn." Dante walked up to the golden statue and activated it.
The lion's head said some gravely words that Vance didn't understand and suddenly they were standing in a market place.
"Where are we?" Vance asked, automatically stepping up next to Dante and reaching for his arm. He stepped away after receiving Dante's glare.
Dante started walking. The marketplace was filled with busy customers. Though, there were no humans to be seen. Demons of all kinds, (though generally mid-to-higher ranking demons as they were the only ones with enough intelligence to communicate and bargain) were visting small shops that resembled lemonade stands only slightly bigger and made out of wood, as opposed to card-board and whatnot.
"The God of Time transports you here." Dante said, speaking to Vance who was fighting off a panic attack. "Generally, the statues hold rare goods for purchase through the Red Orbs. However, the statue we just used was one of the originals, instead of the copies you see so often elsewhere.
"The demons use this place as...well...you see what they use it for." Dante said gestering to the shops. "This place is sort of neutral. For instance, I'm a demon hunter but they don't attack me, and I don't attack them. Nor do they attack each other. But they are still demons, and if one wants to pick a fight then be ready. Ah! Here we are."
They had reached another building. This one actually had doors and windows, like a miniature version of a larger store, like a Borders at the mall. Dante walked inside, where a small, nervous-looking person was sitting behind a counter.
Not a person Vance reminded himself. A demon in human form. Vance kept himself on his guard, for once not intending on relying on Dante's strength if anything were to go down. Props to the trenchcoat wearing half-demon, but not everybody was so lucky. And frankly, Vance was beginning to doubt his hero. The man was obviously an idiot.
"Ralphie! Long time no see man! How's the business?" Dante asked cheerfully. 'Ralphie', the small figure at the counter, was a weasel kind of man, literally. If one could get a ferret to stand on it hind legs and grow to about 5 feet tall and evolve thumbs, that would be Ralphie, or at least one of his early ancestors.
"Dante! Dante Sparda! My favorite customer." Ralphie said, nervously his little eyes darting across the room. "Perfect timing too. We just got a brand new shipment of old-fashioned gear. Some of our stuff even goes back to the War!"
"Wow bud. It looks like business is booming huh? So tell me, what do you got in the way of swords? Nothing to fancy today, just something small and relatively sharp." Dante asked. The ferret-man shrugged.
"I don't know Dante. Since when do you go for the little-league stuff anyway? Why don't you check out this sword over here?" Ralph asked, indicating a shining long-sword. The light it was giving off was warm, Vance was sure that blade was made just for him. "This sword, was of the type used by the old human knights. It will surely let your...profession...easier. It came with armor too, it was part of a set, but all we have left is the chain-mail. I'll throw it in for free if you take the sword and scabbard!" Ralph seemed to be begging.
Vance suddenly knew why. The sword had been used by the old knights, probably for demon-slaying. Ralph naturally wouldn't want an item like that in his front window. Vaguely, Vance wondered why the demon would even have it now.
"Sorry dude. Just need a plain sword for this kid here. Gotta learn to crawl before you can walk with the big boys." Dante said, shrugging. Ralph looked very disappointed, but tended to Dante's request.
After a moment of shuffling around, Ralph tossed a short sword to Dante. "Here. That's all we have." Ralph said with a scowl. "100 Orbs" Dante followed Ralph to the counter and discussed business. Soon the voices between them started to rise but Vance was too busy staring at the gleaming armaments. One particular piece entranced him. A blood-stained axe, it seemed to weave its own aura of darkness, but Vance couldn't pull away. Slowly, he reached out to touch it. A simple touch couldn't hurt...
"Time to go!" Dante said, grabbing Vance by his outstretched arm and also breaking his trance. Dante didn't even seem to notice the bloody weapon that had enthralled his protégée. Dante steered Vance outside.
"What was that back there?" Vance asked. Dante rolled his eyes. "I dunno, he's crazy. Never try to deal with a rodent." He answered, misunderstanding the boy. Vance looked back through the shop's window. It was Ralph who was now staring at the axe. He reached out to touch it, but Vance lost sight of him as they rounded a corner.
"Trish! Put this in back room someplace will ya?" Dante asked, raising an immense black bag that Vance strangely had not noticed before. Trish came down from her room upstairs. "What am I your maid now too?"
"You live here don't you?"
"I pay rent!"
"I don't think that was the question babe." Dante shook the bag. Trish sighed and took it from him.
"I'm only taking it because I was going to the room anyway. Where's the key? Never-mind, I've got it." Trish left.
"What's in the bag?" Vance asked as Dante switched on the t.v.
"Stuff"
Vance looked at his watch. 6:50. He hadn't realized it was so late. He looked outside. Summer was waning, the days were starting to get darker. "I've got to get back home, its my turn to cook dinner." Vance told the channel-surfing demon-slayer.
Dante looked at him. "You take turns cooking dinner too?" He snorted. "What a dweeb. Go on then. I want to sleep anyway."
Vance left, and Dante slowly got up. "Hey, Trish! What'd you do with that bag!"
Review.