13th January 8:13pm
Around September, Cyra bought out a bookstore that was going out of business. The books were still there, but she made room in the back for her lab. It was down the same street as Devil May Cry in case she missed her friends or wanted to use the still new basement gym. Maybe one day she'd happen to see a man in a red leather coat walk by…
She focused on her work more than ever. The bookstore wasn't a pharmacy. It was just her lab to make Unholy Waters and then make monthly trips handing them out to people. Usually Lady or Trish would accompany her, or she'd hire a messenger to help her. Occasionally, Cyra made personal house calls, delivering specific medications. Her reputation was growing much quicker, and while her identity was still unknown, she was referred to as "Panacea" after the Greek Goddess of universal cure. The public's idea, not hers. She much preferred "That Apothecary" or something more generic.
Her phone rang. The ringing going on for about 15 seconds before it gave up. Cyra usually ignored it. Most of the time it was someone calling about the bookstore, thinking it was still open. The phone call stopped and went off again. Weird, she thought. People usually gave up after the first time. One day she'll finally go and change the number. That loud ringing has startled her one too many times and almost made her drop precious liquids.
Moments later the door was being banged on. Cyra pulled out her gun but peaked around a bookshelf to see Lady frantically knocking on the door. Cyra ran to the door to open the unlocked door, "What's wrong?" She asked the panicked Lady.
"You have to come quick!" She said grabbing Cyra's wrist.
"Is it Dante back? Is he back?" She asked hoping she wasn't getting her hopes up.
"Just come on!" Lady said. She eventually let go of Cyra's wrist and ran after her to Devil May Cry. It only took about 30 seconds to run there, but Lady charged through, busting the door open, unable to slow down.
Cyra followed suit, eye immediately locking on Dante's. For a split second he was smiling and happy to see her, but just as quickly, it turned grim and scared. Cyra looked over to the couch Dante was standing in front of to see a man in a long navy blue coat laying down, writhing in pain, groaning as he was clutching his chest, face scrunched. The silver hair was enough to tell her that this must have been Dante's brother, Vergil, "Cyra, I need your help," Dante said desperately, a tone she never heard from the devil hunter.
Cyra looked back up at Dante as she walked closer, "What happened?" She asked him.
"I don't know, he was talking about feeling a pain in his chest for a while and it's gotten so bad, I had to get us out of the underworld. Cyra, please, can you do anything for him?" Dante asked, voice nearing breaking.
"Give him space!" Cyra said, making everyone backup. Trish and Lady left the room, but Dante didn't back away more than a foot step away. Cyra crouched down to the couch to feel his temperature on his forehead, which was burning. Vergil slapped her hand away, probably not realizing what was going on. Didn't matter. Considering he's half demon, like Dante, she wasn't sure how to gauge his temperature. Cyra tried to fight through her fear. She was worried that she wouldn't be able to save him and that Dante would hate her forever. What could she do? She didn't even know what was wrong. Cyra stood up, planning on going back to her lab to grab any supplies she thought would help, "I'll be right back, please get a cold washcloth to put over his forehead!" She said and ran off. Dante did just that.
Vergil's body was on fire. The burning sensation started from his heart and he couldn't tell when or how fast the fire spread, but it almost made him feel numb. He could only think of one pain worse than this and it was when he was enslaved by Mundus. He didn't want to think about it, but luckily the current unbearable pain made it pretty easy for him.
A few minutes later, Cyra came back with a full backpack of medical supplies. She crouched back down opening her backpack. "Dante, can you hold him still?" Cyra asked and then looked to Vergil, "I'm going to prick your arm, please try to remain still," She said and took a blood sample. The next thing she did was grab another syringe to administer an anesthesia and pain reliever. It worked fast, but it wouldn't be permanent. She had to figure out what was causing his pain. Vergil soon began to relax, albeit slowly. His breathing was still ragged and still sweating from either the pain or the possible fever, she didn't know. Vergil was soon out like a light, the anesthesia finally kicking in, giving him some relief from the pain. Cyra let out a breath of air.
"What's going on?" Dante asked, concerned that Vergil was quiet.
"He's just numb and asleep until I figure out what is in his blood," Cyra answered grabbing the sample she took.
Dante exhaled a breath he didn't know he was holding, "Any idea what it is?" He asked.
Cyra stared at Vergil's sleeping form. He didn't look too much like Dante. He mentioned how they were identical before, perhaps things changed a bit as they got older. Dante had sharper features, but Vergil's were... soft. Were they sure he was the evil twin? Cyra wondered if his eyes shared the same shade of blue. She heard Dante clear his throat which tore her thoughts away from Vergil, "Oh, sorry… Just noticed how he doesn't look much like you," She explained while standing up, "But i'll go right now to check the blood sample. I'll be honest though, not too sure what to expect with half demon blood. Can I take a sample from you so I can compare?" She asked.
Dante didn't waste time rolling up his sleeve. He sat at his desk and Cyra walked around, leaning down to prepare to take a blood sample, "I guess I should explain," Dante started to say.
"I heard everything from Trish and Lady. You went to go be with your brother. It's what you wanted," Cyra smiled genuinely, convincing Dante that there was nothing to explain.
"I want you to hear it from me," Dante said.
"Dante, let me take care of your brother first," Cyra said smiling placing a hand on his wrist, "We'll have time later, right? You don't plan on leaving again tomorrow or anything do you?"
"It can wait. It's good to see you, though," Dante said softly.
"You, too, really. I'm sorry about the circumstances, but I'm glad you're here now. I promise I'll do what I can to help him."
"I know," Dante said. Cyra got the blood sample and quickly let go of his wrist, Dante not prepared for her touch leaving him. He stretched out his wrist, trying to rid that cold feeling.
Cyra excused herself back to her bookstore to check the blood. Trish offered to go escort her just in case. Dante watched her walk out and then turned back to Vergil, lying peacefully on the couch.
"Uhhh what was that?" Lady asked from around the corner.
Dante forgot he wasn't alone, "What?" He asked defensively.
"You're in love with Cyra aren't you?" Lady smirked.
Dante scoffed, "It's really nothing like that, Lady, but I got more important things to worry about than gossip."
Lady planned on pestering him about it later, "You were really planning on staying there forever, huh?" She asked.
"There wasn't a safe way out that wouldn't harm the human world. Risked it trying to get us out today, so we may be busy with jobs for a while."
Lady shrugged, "Can't complain. It's been pretty boring here for a while. Plus Cyra is pretty sure everyone has at least one Unholy Water for emergencies."
"Damn, sounds like she's been busy. Time for us to one up her then. She really doesn't live here anymore?" Dante asked noticing the discrepancy.
"She bought the bookstore down the road. Said living here was too lonely, which is bullshit considering she's alone in her new place. So I think she just couldn't be here without you. You sure you two don't-" Lady started.
"Drop it," Dante interrupted lazily.
"You going to be okay?" Lady asked.
"Oh, yeah, if you want to go, don't worry about me. I'm fine," Dante reassured, waving her off. Lady nodded and went off on her own. Dante sighed. He was fine. His relationship with his brother is the best it's been since they were 8. God, was it really that long ago? The rest has been constantly fighting. Maybe the fighting was done. Oh shit, he thought. He's going to have to deal with Nero. He decided that could wait. Dante's eyes casted to the front door, imagining V standing there 7 months ago, "That was you the whole time…" he said to himself.
14th January 12:16pm
16 hours of studying blood sounded like hell and it was. Cyra was determined. She just wanted to get some sort of answers so it at least seemed like she was progressing. This was important to Dante. Worried that if she let Vergil die, Dante would hate her forever, which means she'd never be able to forgive herself. That determination and adrenaline kept her awake. She was dragging her feet back to Devil May Cry, opening the door, the dim lighting easier on her eyes than the sun. Dante wasn't at his desk and she wasn't sure where he was.
Her eyes scanned the couch to see Vergil was sat up. His coat was finally off and he was leaned back, resting on the back of the couch. He titled his head back down slightly when he heard her walk in. Her heart skipped a beat. She was nervous being around him without Dante. He was evil, wasn't he? No, from Dante's stories, evil didn't seem like the right term. Surely he wouldn't kill her, though. Cyra approached him with her hand tight on her backpack strap, "Hey, how are you feeling?" She asked softly.
"Been better," he said in a bored tone. But still, his calm voice sent shivers down her spine. She was expecting Dante's arrogant voice and instead she got… velvet. They didn't seem alike at all.
"Can you explain to me what you were feeling before so I can better understand? If you need to rest, I can come back, but it's better to make this quick," She had to stop herself from talking too much. The lack of sleep combined with the nerves made it hard for her to be aware.
"Like my insides were fire. My chest felt hollow, and every heartbeat just agitated the fire," Vergil explained. He leaned his head back again, hand still clutching his heart.
"Does it still hurt?" Cyra asked.
"Just a phantom pain," Vergil admitted, massaging the skin over his heart a bit, through his clothes.
Cyra couldn't help but stare. What is wrong with her? Is the lack of sleep making her this unaware or was she really just that entranced with this man's features that she'd allow herself to stare as long as she has been. His eyes were pale blue, lighter than Dante's. If only she could get closer and... She cleared her throat, "Where's Dante?" She asked.
"Here," Dante's voice was heard coming from the shower. He walked up, clothes already on, hair mostly towel dried.
"Oh good, then I can show you what I got," Cyra said in a sleepy draw.
"You look like you haven't slept," Dante said as he sat on his desk, facing her and Vergil on the couch.
Cyra shook her head, "Probably because I haven't. This is more important. I can sleep later. Plus I got so excited after my findings, I was on a roll. I kept telling myself that if i went to sleep, I'd get out of the groove and-" There she went starting to ramble again, "Doesn't matter. Um, mind if I sit down?" She asked.
Vergil lazily moved over on the couch so that she had enough room. Next to Vergil? She thought nervously.
"I'm sorry if this makes anyone uncomfortable, but it's better if I'm blunt," Cyra prefaced and looked at Vergil, "Your blood is poisoned. Being around the Qliphoth for so long, you breathed in a lot of Nidhogg spores, right? That's what started infecting your blood. I compared Dante's blood with yours and it's the same minus a foreign substance. I recognized it from when I studied Qliphoth recently…It's not really a parasite since it's not contagious and won't hatch eggs or anything, but I don't know what else to call it since it behaves a similar way."
"And how is this making me feel like I'm going to spontaneously combust?" Vergil asked almost annoyed.
"When I did my tests, I dropped some of my human blood near the parasite's and it just ignored it. I tested full demon blood which the parasite tried to feed off or try to mutate it. I tested Dante's and it didn't really know how to respond. It wants to attack and feed off of it, so I think that burning feeling is the parasite literally trying to steal your life force and control your body. Kind of a way of self defense for its species? A possession? Don't really know the psyche," Cyra explained.
"Makes sense considering you only reacted when you tried to devil trigger at first," Dante said.
"Would seem so," Vergil muttered, clutching his chest again. What started as constant fatigue turning into a burning pain.
"That's why you said when your heart beated is when the pain would react. It's just making fuel for the parasite," Cyra said.
"Can you just take it out or something?" Dante asked.
"I think it's on his heart. I'm not able to perform surgery, but I am working on a way to kill it without harming him… uh, you," She said redirecting her attention to Vergil, "As long as you suppress your demon abilities, you shouldn't be in any intense pain. You'll just be tired a lot. But if you feel pain again, I have some vials of access demon blood to feed the parasite to leave your own blood alone for a bit. Until I come up with a more permanent solution..." Cyra said digging into her backpack and taking out a box of vials. She handed it to Vergil and he grabbed it with a sideways glance not even looking at her or anyone in particular.
"Well, Vergil, looks like you're going to live among the humans for a bit," Dante said with a grin.
Vergil's eyes shot up to Dante's to glare, "You might not want to provoke him all too much," Cyra added, "I probably wouldn't have enough demon blood," She ended with a smirk.
"Oh, don't worry about that. We're going to be seeing plenty of them soon," Dante said not letting up, but he didn't want to make it harder for Cyra.
Vergil wasn't listening anymore. Dante should have just left him to combust and die. Living with a demonic parasite, trying to take over his body, how humiliating... Now he has to live with his brother in a menial lifestyle instead of beating him in a battle of skill. What is happening? Vergil stood up quickly, feeling the anger build up, but wanting to stay distracted as to not feel that burning pain again. He did a quick glance in Cyra's direction, "I am grateful," Was all he said and he retreated to the restroom, hearing the shower turn on.
"It doesn't sound like it, but he means it," Dante reassured casually.
Cyra chuckled nervously, "Glad to hear, I guess. I'm going to go back home and sleep for like a year. Come get me if there's any problems though?"
"Oh, right, Lady said you moved," Dante said standing up straight.
"To the bookstore down the street," Cyra said, "It was just weird here without you. Couldn't really focus on… anything," She grimaced, feeling odd saying it to him.
Dante smiled, "Go get some sleep. We can catch up later. I have one hell of a story."