Author's Notes: Judging from the reviews, no one seems to trust Amelia HMMMMM. Thank you for the comments! Hope you enjoy this one ;)
28th January 10:13am
Cyra made her way to Devil May Cry to find Vergil. She had to draw some of his blood to see how this mysterious liquid would react to his. She had standalone nidhogg cells that she could mix it with as well, but there needed to be several tests. If anything, she was eager to have new things to do. She opened the door seeing Dante getting ready to walk out, "Hey, where's Vergil?" She asked immediately.
"Uhhhh," Dante started. He knew Vergil was either killing demons off on his own, as he learned he was doing, which would only upset Cyra, or he was following her to protect her, "No idea, what's up?"
"I need to take another blood sample. I'm going to go run some tests, but can you please tell him to come to my lab as soon as you find him?" Cyra asked quickly.
Dante was taken aback by her frantic behavior, "Well, I got some things to run and I don't know when-"
"I don't have time! Just tell Vergil!" Cyra said.
"Okay, okay, you got it," Dante said unable to say anything else before she left and marched off to her own lab. Dante sighed. Speaking of, where was Vergil?
Cyra quickly traveled to the bookstore, eager to get things started. Crya pushed open the door to see Vergil sitting in the chair, looking up from his book he was reading. She smiled, both relieved that she didn't have to look for him, and just happy to see him. It's only been a day, even shorter for her since she slept through most of it, but she missed him, "Oh good, you're here. I need your blood."
"Not even a hello first?" Vergil asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I've taken so much of your blood, I thought we were past 'hello's," Cyra said and walked over to her workstation.
Vergil closed his book and followed her to the back, noticing how focused she was. For once, he didn't follow her around and had no explanation for why she was behaving this way, but went along for the ride, "You look well rested for once," Vergil said.
Cyra put down the antidote that Lady Amelia gave her onto the desk and grabbed a syringe with some blood vials, keeping her back turned. Was that a compliment? "Thanks for carrying me back…" She smiled nervously, "And for letting me use your bed."
"Don't make it a habit," Vergil said, keeping it short. He could have gotten angry and told her not to put so much stress on herself because of the ungrateful humans, but she already knew how he felt, and he didn't want to get into it again.
"Where did you end up sleeping?" Cyra asked.
"Well, you were using my bed, so it's only fair I used yours," Vergil answered, causing Cyra to blush and drop a syringe.
"Wh-wha, m-my bed?" She asked.
Vergil smirked. He missed getting that reaction from her, "I slept in that awful lump you call a chair."
Cyra relaxed a bit, "It came with the bookstore," She muttered. Stupid thing to say, he didn't ask!
Vergil sat down in the extra seat next to Cyra's and watched her get everything together, but noticed that she put down a new translucent off-white vial, "What's that?" Vergil asked.
Cyra checked to see where he was looking. Shit, she thought. Well there wasn't any use lying, "Um… Lady Amelia gave it to me."
"You got in," Vergil stated more than asked. He wasn't expecting her to be so casual about it.
"Y-Yeah…" She muttered thinking back to interaction with Amelia.
"Well, what is it?" Vergil asked apprehensively, gathering from Cyra's demeanor that she wasn't excited about it.
Cyra exhaled, getting her syringe ready, "It's what's either going to cure you or kill you," Cyra said bluntly.
"I don't know what I was expecting," Vergil said.
Cyra turned to Vergil to notice he was looking nervous. Cyra smiled, "Don't worry, I'm going to test it before I let it anywhere near you," She said. Vergil, still apprehensive, felt his chest tighten. Worried that it was the parasite's doing, he brought up a hand to put pressure on it, "Are you okay?" Cyra asked.
Vergil realized that the feeling wasn't due to the parasite when no other symptoms were accompanying it. Cyra's words were the cause. It was just a tiny vial of glass, he thought, but her reassurance that she wouldn't let it harm him made him feel protected. Vergil looked back up to her, eyebrows still lowered at the sensation, "Fine."
Cyra wished she knew what he was thinking, "Arm, please," She requested as he raised his arm to rest on the desk. Cyra pulled back his sleeve and used a cotton swab to disinfect the area. Vergil looked away before being pricked with the needle, something that Cyra still found incredibly endearing. The thought of buying candy suckers to give him for being such a good patient crossed her mind, making her lip twitch into a smile. His reaction to being treated like a child would be worth it. Cyra had the syringe ready in one hand, using the other hand to rest on his arm.
When she touched his skin, she felt yet another jolt of static shock. What accompanied the jolt was far worse.
Dread. Hatred. Abandonment. Despair.
Feelings that were so intense and miserable that she couldn't even comprehend.
Cyra suddenly found herself in some void, not knowing how she got there. There was nothing around her except for a man in a tattered brown robe staring at a family portrait on a wall. In this portrait was a man, a woman, and two twin boys. Nothing else was around. It was dark and unsettling, but she wasn't focusing on the nothingness, just the cloaked figure next to her. The man pulled out his sword from the sheath, discarding the scabbard off to the side like it would no longer serve a purpose. He stared at the portrait for a moment longer before he turned around so that his back was facing it. He raised the sword up, blade pointing at his body. Without another second to waste, he stabbed himself, forcing a labored cough from his lips, digging the blade in deeper, not stopping until it would go all the way through him. Cyra would have gasped if she could, but she was entirely out of control of her body.
The man mouthed some words, and she realized there wasn't any sound in this void she was in. She couldn't hear what he was saying. The long blade plunged in as far into his body as it could. A humanoid figure manifested behind him and fell backwards, soon staring up in fear, panicking at what he was looking at. Cyra focused once again to the man next to her dropped to his knees, transforming into a terror that she never even imagined she'd have to see.
Cyra finally got control of her body in the present time, and involuntarily stood up from her chair and distanced herself as much as she could, falling back into the shelves that lined the wall. Vergil got up quickly to crouch down to her, "Cyra!" He called out, but she wasn't looking at him or anything in particular. Her eyes wide; pupils were dilated; fear spread across her face. Her mind was elsewhere and he couldn't knock her out of her trance.
It felt like it happened in real time for Cyra, but to Vergil only a few short moments. Cyra snapped out of it, gasping for air and she held a hand on her stomach, faintly feeling the sword as if it was stabbed in her own stomach for a reason she didn't understand. Vergil was crouched down in front of her, on one knee, face filled with concern as he was trying to call her name.
"Oh my god…" She shuddered looking into his eyes. That was Vergil! That was his memory. Those were his feelings. She wanted to be afraid of him. She saw his monstrous demon half, Urizen, as well who she assumed to be his human side, terrified of the remnant in front of him. Cyra never knew what Urizen looked like, but she wasn't expecting him to look like that. She was afraid, but the man in front of her wasn't him - it wasn't Urizen, she had to convince herself. The man in front of her was a victim to those miserable feelings that led him to become that monster. It was Vergil; not Urizen. Not Urizen… Not Urizen.
"What happened?" Vergil asked, his voice concerned, giving her further proof that he wasn't Urizen.
Cyra shook her head, unable to comprehend what happened, "I felt it…" She muttered, still staring into his eyes. The memory still unsettling her, she desperately grabbed onto the lapels of Vergil's coat, needing something to hold onto. Vergil was still confused, "When you…" Cyra was struggling to breathe properly.
"Calm down…" Vergil said running a hand on the side of her arm, trying to remember how she calmed him down when he couldn't breathe. He put another hand on one of her's gripping the lapel of his coat, feeling how badly she was shaking.
Cyra shook her head, still frantic. She just wanted to say what happened, nevermind not being able to keep her composure, "When you st-stabbed yourself," Cyra breathed out, causing Vergil to freeze, "I d-don't know how… but I was just there. I-I saw it. I felt it, and… oh my god," Cyra continued, looking down, unable to maintain eye contact any longer, "You felt so alone...So angry at Dante... That torment… That resentment for your humanity… So desperately wanting to... purge it from yourself..." It was hard enough to make sense of her own thoughts, let alone trying to convey them into words. When she finally looked back up into his eyes, she noticed his complete and utter confusion for how she knew all this. She couldn't explain it herself, but she kept going, "That's really how you felt?" She asked in disbelief, tears escaping from her eyes.
Vergil was in complete bewilderment. How did she know? He didn't know what to say. What could he say? He was starting to mouth words, struggling to figure out what he wanted to say first. Cyra kneeled up and threw herself into him, wrapping her arms over his shoulders, embracing him. He would have been pushed back if he wasn't already bracing himself. Cyra was lightly crying into his shoulder, wrapping her arms around him tighter.
He couldn't tell if this was to retroactively comfort him or for herself. She was shaking, and he couldn't stop himself from bringing his arms in to wrap around her back, hoping to make her stop. He still didn't understand what happened. How was she able to describe his feelings that he never shared with anyone? He didn't need to be comforted anymore as the scenario happened many months ago; His humanity split but it returned, creating who he was now. He was already past that, but to her, these feelings were brand new... somehow. They both kneeled there, embracing each other, Vergil lightly rubbing her back.
Cyra eventually calmed her breathing and loosened her hold on him, Vergil doing the same as she pulled away, but not too far back. They were still on the floor together, Cyra kneeling in front of him, Vergil's hands were still on her sides, "I'm sorry…" She whispered, wiping some tears away.
"How… did you...?" Vergil asked, still confused.
"I don't know," Cyra whispered, still wiping away tears that couldn't stop spilling down her face.
Vergil brought up a hand to rest against the side of her face, using a thumb to help her wipe away tears. His memory caused these tears. It made him feel indirectly responsible for making her cry, "Your tears…" He muttered.
"I know, I know," She said, feeling dumb about crying, "One of us has to, right?" She retorted, trying to force a smile, but it soon faltered. She wiped her other eye that Vergil didn't wipe.
That's when he realized she was comforting him. Those tears were for him, because he wouldn't shed them himself. Somehow, this woman just felt the most intense feelings that she'd probably never have to normally experience, and she was retroactively comforting him. Vergil moved his face closer to her other cheek, lips brushing under her eye, kissing a tear that was going to roll down her face. Cyra lightly gasped at his closeness, but she didn't move. Her eyes were focused on Vergil's who was looking down at her lips. Vergil lowered his face even more, moving his hand that was on her cheek to wrap behind her neck, positioning the both of them so that their faces were lined up with each other. He glanced back up into her troubled eyes, and leaned in the remaining distance so that he could finally capture her lips with his. Cyra was apprehensive to respond. Not because she didn't want to, but because she couldn't believe it was happening. She closed her eyes and started moving her lips with his, enjoying the series of slow, comforting kisses, neither wondering or caring how it happened, just glad that it did. Why weren't they doing this sooner? Cyra couldn't help but think as she brought a hand up to gently rest against his chest. Vergil slowly broke the kiss, Cyra's eyes taking a bit longer to get the memo. They were still a hair's breadth away, neither of them making any effort to distance themselves.
Cyra glanced from Vergil's eyes to his lips, back to his eyes. She wasn't done. Cyra pushed herself back into his lips, wrapping her arms over his shoulders once again, Vergil immediately responding to her kiss as his hands wrapped around her back. With the first kiss acting like a test, gauging boundaries, the second session was the result of what the both of them wanted. It was feverish and almost desperate. He tried not to shiver at the feeling of her hands running through his hair. If this was Cyra's way of comforting him, she could do it whenever she wanted and he wouldn't complain.
Cyra wanted to be closer. Her body was already pressed against his as much as it could, with his hands firm on her back. It made her feel so safe and special, she never wanted him to let go of her. Those feelings that she experienced were lost in her mind as long as Vergil was there with her. No one deserved to feel as tormented as he did and the fact that he went through it all alone broke her heart. She wanted him to know that she was there for him; that she cared about him.
Still not breaking the kiss, Cyra moved her hands back to Vergil's chest. Her hands went under the front of his coat, sliding up to push it off his shoulders, Vergil eagerly helping her. They broke the kiss briefly so he could remove his arms from the sleeves and she took off her own jacket, not being able to finish tossing it off to the side before Vergil claimed her lips again. Cyra's hands were finding the buttons on his vest to unfasten while his hands snaked under her shirt, his gloved hands pressing against her soft skin. The sensation caused her to lightly moan, the sound echoing through their mouths.
"Lay down," she broke the kiss so she could demand in a whisper. She tried to push him back, but he was far too balanced for someone who was crouched on one knee.
"I don't think so," Vergil growled against her lips. He tightened his grasp on her with one arm and used the other to brace himself as he lowered her onto his coat that was splayed on the floor next to them. Cyra whimpered through his lips, the idea of being trapped between his coat and his body exciting her. Vergil was hovering over her, returning his hand to slide up under her shirt, moving up to reach her bra. They didn't notice some buttons snapping off her shirt in the process. Vergil's vest hasn't even been unzipped yet, but Cyra couldn't stop herself from reaching down for his belt.
Having her hand on his belt triggered his blood to pump irregularly, causing a familiar burning sensation to resonate in Vergil's chest. It started feeling tight, knowing and hating what was coming. Vergil had no choice but to break the kiss when his chest started to burn more intensely. That pain never hit him so quickly before. He groaned begrudgingly, removing his hand from under her shirt to put pressure on his chest. It took Cyra a few moments to take the hint, but she quickly stood up to grab a demon blood vial and a new syringe. Filling the syringe with blood from the vial, she kneeled back down to Vergil, who was still bracing himself with one hand, head facing the floor as he was gripping his chest, groaning in pain. Cyra tried to nudge him so she could get an arm, but he was too crippled with pain. Vergil forced himself to remove his hand from his chest to outstretch it to Cyra. She held his shaking arm in her lap and she quickly injected the blood into his veins. Once the syringe was emptied, she tossed it into the trash, and turned back to Vergil. He retracted his arm back to relieve the pressure in his chest. Cyra stayed kneeling next to him, caressing his back, trying to calm him. She lightly kissed his bare shoulder, desperately wanting his pain to go away.
The burning started to mellow out. Vergil sat up and leaned back against a bookshelf, Curse the parasite, Vergil thought, "Well, this will be a problem," He said through ragged breathing. Cyra blushed lightly at the implication of his comment, but couldn't help but smile. Did he think the parasite would interrupt them again in the future? They both looked at each other, both out of breath and looking slightly disheveled from their make out session. Vergil used his spare hand to push back some loose strands of his hair that were threatening to fall over, missing the sensation of her hand going through his hair.
"Hopefully not for long," Cyra said softly, sad that he had to experience that pain again.
Vergil hated that look of pity in her eyes. He wished she didn't have to see him weak, "Don't you have blood to look at?" He asked, wishing she'd do something else.
"Um, I can't take yours since it's diluted with demon blood now, but yeah, I can inspect other things…" She trailed off looking at him. Cyra felt like she did something wrong. There were so many things that could've went wrong. He couldn't have been mad that she saw a memory, because that wasn't her fault - well, she didn't think it was. Sure, she threw herself at him with the intention of having sex with him, but what kind of guy would complain about that? "Are you okay?" She still managed to ask.
"Fine," Vergil answered.
Maybe he's just angry at the parasite, Cyra thought. She stood up and walked off.
Vergil watched her walk to her desk. She picked up his coat off the floor and folded it over a chair. How sweet, he thought. He was supposed to be the one to protect her. How could he do that when she was always the one taking care of him? She was even willing to have sympathy sex with him, though he wasn't complaining. It was extremely bold of her, but he had a feeling it was due to the emotional trauma she was forced to experience. That was still a mystery he had no idea where to begin to figure out. He found his breathing getting worse, feeling more exhausted. It wasn't the parasite doing this, not entirely. He remembered this breathing from before, when he got too close to the cathedral. It stole his energy making him feel weaker by the second. Something was stealing his energy again.
Cyra was distracted, but she got her vials and microscope slides together to test the new liquid. Her and Vergil kissed! She couldn't believe it. It would've went further if it weren't for the parasite. Would that have been okay? It was already pretty awkward for them at the moment, but she hoped it was because of the parasite interrupting. They were adults, they could deal with casual encounters, right? Although she didn't want it to be a casual thing. Her eyes glanced at the picture frame that was turned down on her desk. Oh god, she thought. They would've done it right in front of Gabriel's photo! What came over her? She hasn't even been that intimate with a man since Gabriel, yet she was so ready to throw herself at Vergil. Her face turned red. It was the overwhelming emotions, she convinced herself. Sure, the memory wasn't her's, but those feelings felt so real, she wanted to find any distraction to get rid of them. It was no worse than what Vergil did. He was alone and the only way to get rid of those feelings was to literally sever his humanity. No one should have gone through those emotions, she wished she could have been there for him when he needed it. God, she just wanted to kiss him again. She quickly shut her eyes, trying to force all other thoughts away so she could continue her work.
"Cyra," She heard his voice strain. She turned to Vergil, who was trying to stand up. Cyra stood up and went to help him, but he waved her off, "Something's wrong…" He muttered looking at the exit of the bookstore. Her eyes followed his gaze, but didn't see anything.
"What is it?" She asked looking back at him.
Vergil walked over to pick up his coat off the chair and grab the Yamato that was leaning against Cyra's desk, "Stay here," He demanded, mustering all the strength he could to head for the door.
Cyra grabbed his arm to stop him, which was easy to do due to his current condition, "Tell me what's going on." Screams were heard from the outside. People were running for their lives across the streets, although they were not being attacked.
"Demons," He gasped out, pulling his arm back from her, "I have to get Dante," He hated to admit that he needed his help, but he wasn't going to let pride turn him into a fool. There was no way Vergil could take on a hoard of demons in his condition.
"I'll go get him!" Cyra said.
"No!" Vergil said, making him cough, "Stay. Here," He repeated with force.
Cyra could see the pain on his face. She was afraid for him, thinking that he was just going to end up getting hurt if he went out, "Did you forget I have unholy waters? I can protect myself against demons!"
"They will have no effect. These demons feel different," Vergil said reaching the door, turning to Cyra once more, "Promise me you'll stay here," He said but left before she could respond. Cyra ran to her phone to call Dante, only to remember that he was leaving when she saw him. He wasn't going to be home.
Vergil walked out but he didn't have any time to head to Devil May Cry before a hoard of Hell Prides reached him. Strange, he thought. He hasn't seen them since Temen-ni-gru. Although they looked real, he could feel they were just projections manifested from demonic energy. A sorcerer created them, and he had a feeling he knew who did it. The woman in the cathedral. Her barrier held the same familiar energy. Vergil flicked the Yamato out of its sheath, readying it next to him, "Guess I have to cut you down," He muttered, trying his best to keep his composure. He was weak, but there wasn't much else he could do.
He dashed forward, slashing through the middle of the hoard. He exerted more energy than he realized, but he turned back to see half the hoard was already cleared out. They weren't meant to fight, he realized. Vergil coughed and fell down on one knee. Whatever these creations were, they were another factor in taking the remainder of his energy. He sensed a presence behind him; another demon manifesting. When it got close enough, Vergil turned and swung the Yamato, perfectly parrying the attack of the scythe that came at him. A Hell Vanguard. He tried to use a summoned sword to finish off the staggered demon, but his energy was far too drained. The Hell Vanguard in front of him absorbed the remainder of the Hell Prides to power itself up. It launched itself toward Vergil, who held up his Yamato to block the attack, pushing him backwards into the ground. At this point, Vergil could only stall it and wait for Dante, which he could certainly do.
The Hell Vanguard projection had other plans. It split itself into two separate forms, one teleporting out of sight. The visible one dashed once again to Vergil. He jumped up in time to miss it's attack, landing behind it, instantly falling back down to his knee, trying to catch his breath. He tried to scan the area for the second Hell Vanguard that disappeared, but it was too late. The scythe from the Hell Vanguard impaled through him. Vergil didn't feel the pain, but the projection of the Hell Vanguard disintegrated and the energy was being absorbed into him instead. His breathing was getting better, and his body started to feel cold. This happened once before when he and Cyra were sparring.
"Heads up!" Dante's voice was heard as he shot down the remaining Hell Vanguard that was about to attack a still Vergil. It disintegrated, making Dante serious, "Hell Vanguards, huh. If I knew we were gonna have a Temen-ni-gru reunion, I woulda brought Lady and-" Dante stopped when he saw Vergil. He was turned, facing Dante with a murderous expression in his eyes, "You okay?"
Vergil silently walked towards Dante, his stride not quite as smooth as it normally is. He was swaying a bit too much, footsteps heavy. Dante pointed the gun in his face, but it wasn't stopping him, "You're not going to like what comes next, so you better knock out of it soon," He said.
Cyra was worried Dante was going to do something rash. Sure, Vergil would be able to take a gunshot to the head and live, but they weren't sure how his healing factor worked while the parasite was in the picture. She pushed the doors open, unable to hold back, "Dante, don't hurt him!"
"I got this!" Dante said, still pointing a gun at Vergil.
"Dante…" Vergil's voice growled and leaped to attack Dante.
Dante braced himself, but whatever was controlling Vergil made him much stronger than he expected, and pushed him back to slide onto the ground. Dante jumped back up, readying his Devil Sword, "Alright, guess we're doing this," He said and leaped to hit Vergil with his sword.
Vergil blocked the swing and pushed Dante back. Vergil raised the sword over his head, a form never used with the Yamato. It was clear that the parasite's control wasn't making use of Vergil's consciousness at all, for better or for worse. Vergil dashed to Dante and brought the Yamato downwards hoping to attack Dante. Turns out, the parasite was a dumbass. Dante smirked and sidestepped the attack, having Vergil miss and slam the Yamato into the ground. Dante kicked Vergil, knocking him back onto the ground. Dante stepped firmly onto Vergil's stomach and lifted his sword up, ready to impale Vergil in the chest, giving him yet another memory of Temen-ni-gru, but this time it was reversed.
Only he couldn't do it. Being unsure of Vergil's healing factor, he couldn't risk it. Dante slammed the sword down into the ground, missing Vergil's chest by an inch. Instead, Dante brought his gun back out to shoot Vergil in the shoulder. Whatever the gunshot did made the energy that just absorbed into Vergil's body, expel from it, reforming into Hell Prides. However some of the energy must have still been in Vergil. He grabbed Dante's shoe that was pinning him down and threw him off. Dante was able to land on his feet, aiming his guns at the new Hell Prides and the currently standing Vergil. The evil look in his eye hasn't left, and blood was pooling down his arm from the fresh gunshot wound.
Dante turned to deal with the new Hell Pride projections. Dante hasn't seen one of them in a while. He smirked and shot them all until they disintegrated after one hit each. No, the projections weren't definitely not meant to be soldiers. What could they want, Dante wondered. He quickly turned back to Vergil, seeing him leap towards Dante, catching him off guard with a punch to the face.
Cyra couldn't just stay back and watch anymore, "Dante watch out!" She walked far enough to be in throwing range and threw an unholy water at Vergil. Vergil made it seem like there'd be no effect with whatever these demons were, but she had to try.
The unholy water hit Vergil's shoulder, halting his advance towards Dante. His head turned in Cyra's direction and glared daggers at her. Sure enough, the unholy water was useless, but she didn't know if it was due to the nidhogg parasite or whatever projections these demons were. Cyra froze, feeling stupidly hopeful that he'd snap out of it soon. She didn't have to wait long when Dante came up to attack Vergil once more with his sword, drawing more blood, "Vergil, you have to snap out of it!" Dante shouted at him. He was worried. He wasn't supposed to shed that much blood.
Vergil growled and took one more angry, ragged, step towards Cyra. Dante was thankful for the distraction, "Sorry about this," He said as he brought out his gun parallel to Vergil's ear, pulling the trigger. The loud bang caused Vergil to wince and fall down to his knee. Dante kicked him over once again, keeping the gun pointed as a precaution, "You in there, idiot?" Dante taunted.
"Yes," Vergil strained through the pain, covering one of his ears, annoyed at the painful ringing.
Cyra ran up to them at this time, judging that it was safe. Vergil struggled to get up, but once he did, he shuffled his way directly to Devil may Cry without saying another word to either of them. He picked up his Yamato, that was discarded during the altercation, on the way
Cyra and Dante watched him walk away. She looked up to Dante, "Glad you came when you did."
"I sensed something was off. You okay?" Dante asked.
"Fine…" She turned her attention to the spots of blood on the ground, "Is he supposed to be bleeding that much?" She asked, never recalling Dante ever coming home drenched in his own blood.
"His energy feels really low so his healing factor might be affected. I'll go keep an eye on him. Get what you need and meet you at the office," Dante said, Cyra nodding, "Oh, and your shirts unbuttoned," He added.
Cyra looked down and squeaked, the top and bottom buttons must have broken off at some point because the top of her bra was visible. She scurried her way back to her shop, pretending nothing happened. Dante chuckled. He didn't fail to notice the unfastened buttons on Vergil's vest either. Dante basically gave his blessing last night and they were already at it. Damn, they work fast, he thought, making his way over to Devil May Cry, following his stumbling brother.