Chapter 3: World Turned Upside Down

Vergil and Nero were locked in battle but stopped when they heard familiar gunshots. They looked at each other and after killing the demons, they ran toward the noise. They saw some demons along the way but that wasn't what made them drop their jaws and widen their eyes. They saw Kyrie with three children but there was a woman wearing Dante's clothes, using his weapons and kicking ass in Dante's style. Nero snapped out of the shock first and ran in to help as his father was a bit stunned. That woman….I remember her…that night….He felt himself flush at the thought. She….oh hell…He snapped to and griped Yamato and dashed forward, following his son.

"Kyrie, kids!" Nero called. The songstress looked and smiled as she hugged Nero while his father ran ahead to assist the female Hunter. The woman saw him coming and smiled, allowing him to fight back to back with her. They took out the last bit of the group then nodded at each other with a smile.

"So," Vergil said as he moved a stray bang out of the woman's face. "It was you that night…"

"So long ago." The woman said, in a voice that made the elder's blood to heat up a bit. "But yea, it was me." She looked at Nero. "I remember everything, Vergil. I lived it. For almost 45 years watching through my alter ego's eyes. His life was mine."

"How come I didn't…." Vergil began but stopped as a memory flashed.

Two babies, one boy and one girl were sleeping peacefully. Their father looked at them with sad eyes , a heavy decision….a blood sigil drawn on the baby girl's forehead, shimmer of purple light and the baby girl was gone, a baby boy in her place…

"He concealed you." Vergil said softly. "Only allowing its hold to be released temporarily when we became of age…. When we were 19, we met in Fortuna…I made you mine that night. We conceived our son, I left you asleep….had I known…."

"Vergil, we were both dealt a bad hand." The woman said as she gently made the elder look at her. "The order took Nero away from me as soon as he was born. They knocked me out. We both didn't get to be with our son. We can't change history but we can learn from it."

Vergil nodded, sheathed Yamato and held out a hand to her. The woman holstered her gun, dismissed her sword and placed her hand in his. He led her back to the small group and Nero looked at the woman, blinking. Kyrie smiled.

"Thank you for saving us." She said softly. The woman looked at her and smiled.

"No problem, Missy." She said with a small wink. "Lets get you and these kiddies home yea?" The smallest child ran to the woman and gave her a hug and a lily. The woman smiled and ruffled the child's hair. "Thank you." She said softly. The child giggled while father and son and Kyrie smiled as they watched. The younger pair looked at the elder as the woman walked with the children gently reminding them to stay close.

"That's Dante isn't it Mr. Vergil?" Kyrie asked. Nero gaped like a fish. Kyrie giggled and Vergil chuckled but nodded.

"Not only is she that," The elder said. "She is Nero's birth mother." Kyrie's smile got bigger. Nero was shocked then gulped as he remembered their first fight. I've kicked my mother in the face…and fought….oh I am so dead!

"Nero, you didn't know." Kyrie said gently as she read his face. Nero turned to her with wide eyes and mouthed no, as he deadpanned. Vergil heard.

"What happened?"

"When Nero and Dante met in Fortuna, they fought. Nero kicked Dante in the face to protect me. They fought after that." Nero winced and said a silent prayer but his father only chuckled darky.

"Nero, I'm going to punish you."

"Father, no please!" Nero yelped as he begged. This made his father burst out laughing and clap him on the shoulder.

"Just kidding." The elder laughed. Nero scratched the side of his nose while Kyrie giggled. Then Nero smirked wickedly. "I'm telling Mother." At this Nero ran toward the direction the kids and the female Hunter went. And this Vergil's laugh turned into a sharp gasp and wide eyes. No father was immune to those words from their child. It spelt wrath of mother and you sleep on the couch. "Nero! Get back here boy I was just kidding!" He jogged to catch up to Nero and Kyrie laughed softly as she walked faster.

When the group finally got back together at the orphanage, Vergil was a bit nervous at Nero's smirk. At dinner, the female Hunter leaned in and whispered to Vergil, who was sipping a glass of wine. "Once dinner is over, we're going to have a little chat." He froze and looked into her eyes. Her eyes were a bit hard and Vergil knew what that meant. I'm a dead man. He looked at Nero who grinned and ate, tasting victory. The elder groaned but ate, taking small bites. Revenge will be mine….

True to her word, the female Hunter cornered Vergil and both of them walked to somewhere private, which happened to be the gardens out back. Luckily it was a warm night. The woman sat down in a gazebo and patted a spot next to her. Vergil sat down and looked at her.

"Vergil, that was wicked of you to scare Nero like that. I always said you were a Wicked Fuck." Vergil nodded grimly and waited. "You know what this means for you. But not right now. I would like to know what the fuck happened to me first."

"Fair enough." Vergil agreed. " From what I was able to remember, it seemed Father put a seal on you to keep your true form concealed. But when we became of age, fate happened. When you had Nero the seal took hold again. Your alter wouldn't have remembered much, but was able to feel such a bond. Just like you felt my presence when Urizen was around."

"Yea that's right." The Hunter said. "Because there was no way Trish and Lady would have gone down so fast, unless it was you. That's why I said Jackpot. It was our word as kids."

"True." Vergil said. "But I wasn't able to feel you nor Nero. Nero is explainable. You, I can only believe Father put a concealment seal so powerful that it was almost as if you never existed. Not as a female anyway. When we met in Fortuna I sensed that I had to be with you. To claim you. And it felt right. However, I should've…."

"Things fall for a reason Verge." The Hunter said. "No, hear me out and think. If you had stayed, and we had been together, all of us, with all the sickos who were around at the time, what do you think would've happened?" Vergil did think on it and nodded. She was right . History would have repeated and other aspects would have changed. They would've been a family for a while, demons would've found them, they would've killed his son, imprisoned him and brought his wife to Mundus so he could have her for himself…Vergil shuddered at the thought and shook his head. The Hunter nodded.

"Exactly" The Hunter said with a nodded. "Verge, we wouldn't be standing here. Nero wouldn't have been here. Or he'd be different. Mallet Island, Mundus would've come and the world as we know it now, wouldn't be. Devil May Cry wouldn't exist. I wouldn't have been a Hunter, I would've been either in Mundus' bed or dead." The thought of her in that monster's bed, as he repeated took her despite her screams and cries made Vergil's eyes glow red. The Hunter held his hand and this calmed the Dark Slayer. "In a twisted way, things falling as they did, was a blessing. We are here, now. Ok, you ate that nasty ass fruit, which sounds like it was a crown of some kind, so that makes you…"

"King of the Underworld." Vergil said. The Hunter nodded.

"Do you think we can find out what happened to Father?" Vergil blinked then chuckled. He forgot that since he was the reigning King of the Underworld that he had access to everything!

"I can! And we will find out." He smiled and kissed her quickly. "Thank you." The Hunter smiled and together they walked back to the house.

"Uh, Verge, what's my name?"

"Delmira." Vergil said. "Delmira Eva Sparda." The Hunter blinked.

"Sounds so formal, call me Mira." Vergil nodded.

"I like it." He said. "But what will happen to 'Dante'?"

"We can save it for another." Mira said with a smile and soft blush. Vergil stopped but had a small smile on his face. Hm, I wouldn't mind extending our little family… Oh, what a delicious thought. He looked Mira over and nodded. Oh yes, I don't mind at all…

"You done checking me out you Devil?" She teased. Vergil chuckled and ducked his head to hide a blush. Dammit, I got caught! Mira laughed and walked in the door Vergil held open for her. She knew he was busted and she planned to tease the hell out of him.

The two older devils returned to Devil May Cry after bidding Nero and Kyrie goodbye. Vergil noticed Delmira's hesitation. For almost 45 years she had lived as a male, her entire life, although she lived it, it wasn't hers. It became hers.

"Verge, I…"

"Mira, it's alright. I've been meaning to ask you, how did you know to come to Fortuna?"

Delmira looked at him and held out her hand. "Let me show you, it's better that way." Vergil took her hand and saw….

Shortly after Vergil and Nero had left, Dante's body was so hot that he started burning the bed sheets. With an explosion of red, Dante was gone and a woman was in his place, fast asleep. The temperature in the room began to cool down and soon, all was quiet. Until screams of frightened people reached her ears. Her eyes flew open and she quickly got dressed. Luckily the clothes bent to her will and resized to fit her. So did the boots and gloves and holster. Ebony and Ivory were locked and loaded and the sword Dante was ready at a call of his mistress' will. She triggered and flew to Fortuna. She detriggered when she saw Kyrie and the children.

"Oh no, go home." The now female Hunter prayed. She swore when they went to the market where demons were coming fast. She followed them, using the roofs and shadows. She admired Kyrie's bravery when she protected the children. Our son picked a good one. The now female Hunter thought with a proud smile. Now, its my turn to protect our son's heart! She jumped down, pulled out Ivory and summoned her Devils Arm alternated between guns and swordplay. She landed on the demon that tried to pounce on Kyrie and shot the others. She heard Kyrie's gasp and the kids tones of admiration and awe. Heh, I'm awesome! She winked and smiled before continuing on and heard Kyrie's gasp of recognition.

"So that's how you managed. The seal broke. You heard their screams, knew there was trouble." Mira nodded and Vergil lightly squeezed her hand. "You're still yourself Mira. Just your outer shell had been changed. This before me, was the form you were born with. The spirit, is yours, the spirit is your own. And I love you no less." Mira smiled and both touched foreheads as they did when they were children, (although Mira had been Dante at the time). They pulled away and with a deep breath Mira opened the office and stepped in, feeling as if it were the first time.

I shortened her name, leaving it for whenever Vergil gets upset or for formalities. I'll be using the words Huntress or female Hunter from here on out.