Chapter 21

Sweet Dreams are Made of These

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

Flashback

"Scroll Communications / Tv"

Location / Date / Time Change

Two Months Later

Vale

With Glynda

Glynda walked down the destroyed streets of Vale, looking around in shame. So much destroyed in so little time. She walked past a destroyed toy store and her mind traveled.

15 Years ago

"Mama, this one!" A young Natsu said as he ran over, holding a packaged action figure of Dustman, a popular children's superhero.

"That's the fifth one." Glynda chuckled. "I can't buy them all. Just pick two."

Natsu peaked into the basket and looked at the other figures. One was Dustman in his super-form, the other were three of his villians; Lord Grimm, Iron Mask, and Dune-Dra. He put the one in his hand down and pulled out the super-form and Dune-Dra. "Theses, mommy."

"Alright." She smiled as the the two walked back over and put the other three back.

Present

Glynda smiled at the memory and continuned her walk down the streets. She restored the exterior of a building and gasped before smiling. It was an old water park she took Natsu to.

12 Years Ago

"Cannonball!" Natsu shouted as he jumped off the diving board, splashing a few nearby children. He popped up and swam over to the steps when two boys blocked the top.

"Get back in the water, tadpole." The red head said before pushing Natsu back before they both jumped in.

"Let's see how long you can hold your breath." The blonde said as he and his friend pushed Natsu's head underwater. Bubbles rose up as Natsu struggled to hold his breath. His eyes were wide in panic as he was forced to open his mouth. He could hear the bullies laughing above the water before they suddenly vanished. He launched up and took a deep breath before looking around.

"You okay, Natsu?" Glynda asked from the side. Her son swam over and climbed out as wrapped his towel around him.

"What happened to those two?" Natsu asked as he shook his head.

"Their mothers saw them and scolded them." Glynda answered. "Come on, let's go home." As lead her son out the swimming room, he was seemingly unaware of the two bullies buried in the wall.

Present

She stared at the holes in the wall and frowned. "First time he ever faced discrimination." She somberly said. "No child should have to go through that." A Creep burst though a window and Glynda sent it flying back into an old school.

11 Years Ago

"Natsu, pay attention." Glynda scolded her son in study room. "You need to learn all about Vale and the world, not to mention math and language."

"Can't we just go to combat practice?" Natsu asked as his tail swished from side to side. "That's my favorite class."

"Okay, if you can answer this question." Glynda chuckled. "What can take down the best huntsman?"

"That's easy, a Goliath!" Natsu jumped out of the desk and raced to the door, only to have his mom bring him back with her Semblance.

"That's wrong, Natsu." Glynda said.

"But that was the answer for yesterday." Nastu complained.

"Because I asked 'what is the biggest Grimm known to man?'." The mother explained.

"So, what's the answer?" Natsu asked.

"Ignorance." She answered. "If you don't have any knowledge other than fighting, than you will lose every time. It's why meatheads like ironwood never learn. Now, let's get back to the lesson. In the battle for Black Marsh..."

Present

Glynda put her hand on the old building and smiled. "He never was much of a book worm." She chuckled. "But then everything changed when he turned ten..."

7 Years Ago

Night

"Ahhh!" Glynda woke up to a scream and ran to her sons room. The door opened and she saw Natsu on the ground in pain.

"Natsu, what's wrong?" She turned the light on, crouched down and reached her son.

"My... Back..." He panted in pain. The fabric on his pajamas began to rip and tear until the whole shirt was blown off by a pair of proportionate red scaled, black leather wings.

'I didn't think it would manifest like this...' Glynda thought as Natsu stared at his reflection in the mirror.

"I'm-I'm a freak..." He mumbled with tears in his eyes.

"No, you're not..." Glynda said back.

"Then what am I?" He asked before turning around and screaming at her. "What am I!?"

She wrapped her arms around her son and held him tight. "You are my son. That will never change..." His eyes teared up more as she rubbed his back between the wings, causing him to break down.

Present

"He was so scared..." She thought out loud. "He was terrified of what he was... After that, we focused on folding his wings down and combat. For seven years, that was the routine. And then, he sighed up for Huntsman school." She looked up at the tower and she thought back to the first day of Beacon.

After Initiation Ceremony

Natsu took his jacket off and left his shirt on. "Natsu wasn't born." Glynda explained from behind. "He was created. A rare lizard Faunus and his human wife arrived at Atlas 17 years ago for a experimental process. They donated their DNA to the project and the scientist, Zeref, created a new life. However, he preformed unlicensed and inhumane experiments, altering the child's aura and allowing him to eat Dust."

"The project was shut down and the child was handed over to Ozpin, who in turn, hand him over to me." She sat down and put her hand on Natsu's shoulder. "Natsu is my son..."

"But that would mean..." Aerith started before a collective gasp over took the room.

"Whoa..." All three stared at Natsu and Glynda after they explained.

"I remind you." Glynda spoke up. "If you discus this with anyone outside of this room, I will make you disappear from this campus, this city, this kingdom. You won't exist anymore."

Present

"I'm sorry..." Glynda squeeze her crop in her hand. "I'm sorry I've lied to you. I'm sorry I've kept what you really are a secret..." She looked up at the moon and wiped tears from her eyes. 'I will find you, Natsu.' She told herself. 'And when I do, I will tell you the truth.'

Atlas

Revoch Clothing Main Branch

Office Level

Ryuko sat at her desk, typing up some orders for a party. Out of the corner of her eye, she looked at a picture of her team posing for the Vytal festival. She picked it up and traced herself with a somber smile. The sunset passed by her window, making her eyes heavy. Unable to keep them up, she fell asleep, thinking back to a certain day.

Three Years Ago

Top Office

"You what!?" Satsuki asked as she slammed her hand on her mother's desk.

"I want to be a Huntress." Ryuko repeated as she stared at her mother.

"Why would you ever want do something as degrading as that!?" Her half sister asked. "We don't need to do the menial work in this world!"

"Menial!?" Ryuko stood up in anger. "That's what you think of people who risk their lives for us!?"

"They are the shepards, who guard the sheep that buy our products!" Satsuki shouted. "You get to reap their rewards of their sacrifice!"

"So, it's fine to have people risk their own lives if they buy our stuff, but we can't risk our own!?" Ryuko asked. "That's the logic of a coward, of a Schnee!"

"Enough!" Ragyo stood up, making her children stop arguing. "Satsuki, please leave us."

The older sister stared in shock. "But-"

"Now." The mother ordered. Her elder daughter bowed before turning and left the room. "So, what is the real reason you want to do this?"

Ryuko sighed as she looked at her hands. "I don't want to be know as the girl who gets everything just because of who her mother is."

"You want to build your own legacy?" Ragyo asked, and her daughter nodded. "I'm going to let you in on a secret, something I've never even told your sister. I... was a Huntress."

"Wait, you were?" Ryuko asked in shock.

"In my mid twenties." Her mother turned around and showed a long scar on her back, along the spine. "Then a Beowolf got a lucky shot on me. A few inches to the side and I would have died."

She turned around and sat back down. "As I recovered from it, I discovered I was pregnant with your sister. So, I retired and started my fashion career. Then I meet your father and, well, you know the rest. I still cry when I think of how he died." With a heavy sigh, she pressed a button on her desk's underside.

A pod rose up to the left of Ryuko. With a hiss it stopped and opened, showing a pair of giant red scissors. "This was a weapon I had him build for me. I want to be prepared in case either of you wanted to face the Grimm. I had Rei retrieve them after the incident."

"So, you're letting me go?" Ryuko asked.

"On three conditions." Her mother stated, walking over to the pod. "One, you will receive no financial support from Revoch. You will have to fund yourself. Two, if you are not ready for a huntsman school when you turn seventeen, you must give up this dream." She reached the chamber and pulled out the weapons.

She flipped them around and pointed the handles at Ryuko. "And three, if things get too tough, don't be afraid to ask for help."

Present

"Wake up!" A slam snapped Ryuko back to reality as her sister put a large pile of papers on her desk. "You aren't off the clock yet! You still have three years to make up for your absence."

"Yeah, yeah..." She shrugged her shoulders and her sister walked away with a scowl. 'I guess I forgot about the third condition... No, I didn't forget. I wanted to prove myself. But, whatever the guy did, it cauterized and severed the nerves at the same time.' She pulled the top paper off the pile. 'I'm just hoping Yang will one day forgive me...'

With Aerith

Aerith slept in the tent she was supposed to share with Vergil alone. She tossed and turned in her bag as her mind traveled backward in time.

13 Years ago

"Alright, take us through the events." An officer leaned in to a five year old Aerith, covered in blood.

"I-i told you..." She whimpered as she sat on the rock. "I lead them here to play... The cave closed... then, those eyes... my friends ran to protect me and... I hid..."

The officer looked at his partner and somberly nodded. "Look, kid. This all sounds very suspicious. I'm afraid we're gonna have to take you in for questioning."

"Seriously?" Both looked up as Qrow took a swing from his flask before walking forward. "You really think this girl made the whole thing up? Listen, I know what I saw and what I fought. They were Grimm. She's already traumatized. Just leave her alone." He gripped his handle to emphasize his point.

"Yes sir." Both nodded and backed away towards the town. Qrow released his grip and turned back to Aerith, now crying.

He walked over and kneeled down, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Listen, this wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known those things were here. Hey, look at me." Aerith wiped her tears away and looked up at the man. "They gave their lives on their own. If I were you, I'd try to find something to honor them."

Aerith stared at Qrow as he stood up and headed back to town as a mob of cameras and reporters approached him.

Present

Aerith had mixed feeling that day. Guilt that she caused her friends death. Anger that she wasn't strong enough to help them. Sorrow from all the hate her friends families gave her. But the strongest she felt was wonder. Wonder at the man's words. Wonder at the power he showed. Wonder how to live her life. Her mind wandered again, this time to a certain dark-skinned greenette with a large sword.

Two Weeks Before the Vytal Festival

Aerith and Sage sat across from each other at a small cafe, tea in front of them. "Thanks again for taking me to the dance."

"No problem, but can I ask why me?" He asked.

"Honestly, I didn't want to be the one person on my team to come alone." Aerith chuckled embarrassed. "I mean, it was obvious that Vergil and Ryuko would be going together, and I knew Natsu would meet someone there."

"Well, glad I could help." Sage said as he clumsily drank from his cup. "You didn't have to take me out on this date, you know."

Aerith almost chocked on her tea. "This- this isn't a date. Just two frie- people having tea."

"What was that? Aren't we friends?" He asked.

"Well, I wanna keep my number of friends small." She confessed. "I don't have the best track record with them."

Sage placed some Lien on the table and stood up. "Come with me." He offered his hand and she nervously accepted. They walked out the cafe and down the street until they stopped at an old dock. "This is my favorite part of the city. Just far enough away from anything."

Aerith took her hand back as they stared out at the sea. "Why did you bring me here?"

Sage turned and walked over to her. "Listen, I don't know what happened in the past, but I can promise it won't happen to me."

She stared at his eyes before she pushed him back softly. "You can't promise that."

"Yes I can." He pulled her back in and hugged her. Aerith stared wide eyed before she wrapped her arms around him. "No matter how bad things were in the past, you have to look at the future." They let go of each other and Sage smiled at her. "Do you believe me now?"

"Well, I'll just have to make sure you don't break that promise." She smiled as they hugged again.

With Vergil

Vergil walked through the snow filled woods alone. He pushed a branch out of the way, letting the snow on fall to the ground. A few steps later, he found himself standing in a clearing. Beowolves and Ursas crawled out of the woods and surrounded him. He reached for his sword only to grip air, the same when he reached for his pistols.

Thinking quickly, he tried to summon his gauntlets and boots with his Semblance but nothing happened. The beasts crawled closer and closer and Vergil felt an emotion he hadn't felt in a long time; fear. In a blind panic, Vergil turned and ran into the forest and the creatures followed him.

The boy jumped over logs and crushed branches as the beasts ran after him. The end of the woods kept getting farther and farther away as Vergil noticed a small figure standing at the end. "Kid, run!"

The forest seemed to grow larger and larger as the pack started to get closer. Vergil looked over his shoulder and found only air before he crashed into the figure, sending both to the ground

"Now I'm it." Recognizing the voice, Vergil turned and stared at his deceased brother as a five year old laughing.

"Come on, you two!" Vergil looked up and found himself starring at his old house with his mom standing in the door way. "I've had dinner ready for a while now!"

"Come on, verg. Get off." Dante wiggled from underneath as Vergil stood up

"Fine, let's go." A now matching aged Vergil helped his brother up and the two ran to the house.

Vergil's eyes snapped open and he looked around in a panic. He was sitting against a tree as the others slept around him in their tents. 'It was just a dream...' He stood up and dusted himself off before glancing to the right. "No way..." He walked over to a cliff and stared at the graves of his family.

Staring at his brother's cloak, he walked forward and moved it to their mothers grave. "Sorry, brother..." He gripped the handle and pulled the claymore out of the ground. "But we need all the help we can get." He put the larger sword on his back and then put large rock in between graves. "I'll return this when I'm done."

Vergil turned and walked away, feeling his brothers snarky grin from beyond watching him.

This was just a little something I thought of to let people know this story is still going. In fact, I'll start working on volume 4 when it's about halfway done. Normally, in the DMC game series, the Devil Arm is absorbed by magic or an unknown style in the game. But in this, only Vergil can create weapons using his aura, and since Rebellion is already forged, its staying on his back.

Recently, I got a PM'd by some guy named ThePolicyOfTruth. I've heard about him from Kript, since I Beta read for him, and this guy is some kinda troll. He said one of my 'violates the terms of the cite', but like the troll he is, he didn't tell me which and now he's saying he's gonna 'report me'. So I have a simple request, it's just a way to mess with him, feel free not to; fav and follow ALL of my stories.

Hope you enjoyed it and let me know if you want me to do that character short that was released, with my own twist of course.

Beta read by Natsu is Awesome.