--ChapterEight (Emotional Sidekicks and a Never-Ending Tower)---
We were lost.
And hungry.
And biting at eachothers' nerves.
"Dante, we're hopelessly lost in stair-mania!" I growled, eye twitching. "Let's just REST! Or go home.. and eat some cheetos.." My stomach rumbled at that. Dante didn't look back and just kept pulling me up and down the many staircases. "We'll find a door, all right?" His voice had an edge to it.. did I make him mad? I didn't mean to! Well, it was his fault anyway! Little ball of flippin sunshine--
"You said that an hour ago!" I yanked my hand away, my temper and impatience flaring. Yup, I have a miiighty temper.. move over, Medusa!
"Just cope with me, all right?" Stopping in front of a caged door, he turned to look at me. "We're gonna find a way soon, so, kid--" He winced, not liking to be polite at all. "--will you just shut up for a minute?"
Hey, that wasn't polite!
I grumbled, complying anyway. "..Hey, chief?"
"What /now?"
"Check out those orbs!" I pointed to the orbs to our right. They were so shiny.. and red.. like cherries.. I hate cherries.
"They might lead to something!" His eyes lit up. "Finally!" He took off, grabbing the orbs along the way. Wait.. He was gonna leave me here, wasn't he! Man! ..I really, really have to stop being so compulsive.
"Wait! DANTE!" I shouted, running as fast as I could after him without tripping over my own shoelaces. It turns out that Dante had already busted down a door, killed all the demons in the room, abd smashed some statues. He turned to me, grinning like a maniac while he swung his nunchucks around.
"I told you we'd get somewhere," His eyes twinkled as he pointed to the door at the end of the room. Well, maybe he /was/ right.. but he's gotta wipe off that cocky grin on his face!
"Yeah, I know, chief," I panted, then smiled up at him. "CARRY ME!" I grinned, watching his expression change from overconfidence to confusion to laughter.
"You're heavy enough!" He commented as we went through the next door. My eye twitched. Heavy? I am not heavy! HE'S the heavy one! Damn him! Get your ass back here, dammit!
"I'M NOT HEAVY YOU LUMMOX!" I roared, beginning to run toward him. He must've saw me coming (how did he?) because he sidestepped, allowing me to run headlong into a huge clock (which I broke, having a hard head). Oww... that.. hurt.. my head.. hurts like hell. I think I'm gonna cry.
Yeah right, buster!
This activated some sort of platform which went up-and-down. That's.. interesting.
He began laughing again, which fueled my anger, yet at the same time, calmed me down. His laughter was nice to my ears..
"You okay?" He lifted me up and out of the pile of rubble by my arms. I coughed, nodding, glaring right back at him. He looked a little amazed, but a little impressed. 'Cause I'm awesome, I bet. Yeah!
"You're still conscious? How the hell did you manage that, kid? Any ordinary person would've been dead!" He threw me up and down like they do at a sports game after the guy wins for his team.. that made me dizzy.
How /did/ I survive? ..Hard head, I guess. Or luck.
"You mean you could've killed me!" I gasped, then began punching his chest as hard as I could. "Damn you! Damnyoudamnyoudamnyoudamnyou, Dante Sparda!"
He paused, then frowned. "Yeah, 'guess so. Sorry." Looking ashamed of himself, he carefully stepped onto the platform and set me down. We were silent the whole time it went up. Actually, I think we fought our own separate ways for the time being. We took out some Hell Prides, fell through the floor, and ended up back where we started. Soon, we stood before the final door. It's been a long while, I guess..
I looked to Dante for his expression at the moment. He looked.. solemn. Serious. Thinking. Did he have regret, or was I just bad at reading eyes? If eyes were a window to the soul, where was the door? And where in the WORLD was the windshield-wiper?
"Dante?" My voice was hoarse for some reason. I guess that's what happens when you don't speak for a long time.
He remained silent for a moment, then grabbed my shoulders and stared me in the eye. "I'm sorry, kid. I could've killed you. I could've.." He pulled away, running a hand through his hair and laughing quietly. "I've never felt so guilty and anchored for.. anything, I guess." After not receiving a reply from me (I was having a pure sentimental moment here-- he's a big mushy musho!) he turned to look at me. "Kid?"
I latched onto him so tight I knocked him over. "YOU DO CARE!" I bawled. That big softie! He does care for my wellbeing!"
"Hey! Stop gettin' all over me, kid! You're givin' me the creeps!"
"I'm so happy!" Sniff.
The ending result to that was a tangle of limbs and laughter. I guess chief and I /are/ buds after all.
After that, we went through the door, all-laughed out. But, we didn't come home to cookies in the oven..
"Y-yeek!" I shrieked, squeezing Dante's arm. "A BUG! A GIANT ELECTRIC BUG!" I pointed to the centipede weaving in and out of the room and became squeamish. Bugs.. eeew! Call it girly, but I'm not likin' bugs! Bugs are NOT your friendly neighbor with muffins and cake, especially when they're as long as 10 coach buses! Mother, help me..
"It's just a little bug," Dante grinned, pulling out his nunchucks. "And if this bug wants to party, let's give him a party."
I suddenly didn't like parties anymore..
--End Emotional Sidekicks and a Never-Ending Tower--