The warlock smiled cheerfully at the pair, who stared at him with suspicious gazes.

He looked quite handsome, but strange. His shoulder-length hair was silver, but not with age and complimented his violet eyes perfectly. His skin was smooth and pale, flawless except for the faint trace of a scar running from his brow to his cheek, skipping over his left eye.

"I feel I should start off by apologising, I realise it must have been difficult having to get used to each other's company, I wouldn't have cursed you, but unfortunately it is consequential that this job go correctly."

Dante growled quietly, trying to calm the urge to draw out his twin guns and shoot the bastard in his smiling mouth "How about you explain just what the hell is going on?" He said in an unusually dark tone.

The man raised an elegant silver eyebrow "Now, now. There is no need to take that tone." He said and turned to Lady "Ah, Miss Lady… Still as lovely as ever" he said, then bent on one knee and kissed her hand.

Dante exploded.

"LOOK you son of a bitch!' he began, yanking the warlock to his feet by the lapels of his plum-coloured suit jacket "either you start explaining now and stop wasting my time, or I introduce you to the business ends of my guns!"

The warlock barely reacted, simply sighing "Very well, as you refuse to be calm, I will explain." He gently removed Dante's hands from his clothes.

"My name is Alexander and as you probably have figured out, I am a warlock. Recently I have run into a spot of trouble with some associates of mine. You see, they have stolen a very important item from me, could prove to be very dangerous in the wrong hands."

Dante nodded grudgingly "Okay… And just what is this…. Item?" Alexander smiled again "That I cannot say." Dante's eye twitched angrily "I hope you're not gonna ask us to retrieve it for you, because firstly, we don't have a god damn clue what it is, and secondly, we're not a fucking delivery service!"

Alexander began to look just a little bit frustrated "If you would let me finish explaining, you will find out what I wish for you to do, or would you rather be stuck to Miss Lady like this for the rest of you days?" He said, violet eyes flashing.

Dante glanced at Lady, thinking for just a moment that it wouldn't be too bad being stuck with her forever, but shook it off "Fine, go ahead."

Alexander continued "Well, my associates, other warlocks and witches as it just so happens, are not as… Calm as I. In fact, they have let their powers get to their heads, they seem to think that humans are not worthy of sharing the world with them. They have some twisted idea that my invention will help them eliminate humans. Therefore, it seems you don't really have any choice other than to retrieve it."

Dante suddenly looked very serious "I see… So you think these guys won't be too happy about us trying to take it?"

Alexander smiled rather unpleasantly "I very much expect so."

Lady hadn't said a word and decided it was time to ask the question that had been on her mind "Excuse me, Mr. Alexander? I was wondering just what sticking me and Dante together has to do with this."

The cheerful warlock turned to her with a rather frightening grin "Why, this way it will be easier for you to infiltrate their ball." He replied, making Dante and Lady look positively terrified.

"B-Ball?" They whispered in unison.

Alexander blinked, looking innocent "But of course, they have an annual ball coming up where they plan to unveil my invention. You will have to dance together, and I wasn't sure that you would unless I made you."

…

It should perhaps be noted that in the dictionary under 'Shock' there should be a picture of Dante and Lady at this very moment.

Alexander held out a piece of paper with the time of the ball to Dante, and when the shocked half-demon didn't take it, he put it in Dante's pocket for him.

As he began to walk away, he paused and turned "Oh and this is a masquerade ball, meaning formal wear and masks… Please be there on time, and do bring some big weapons."

Perhaps the only part of that sentence that appealed to Dane and Lady at that moment was the 'big weapons' part.

Soon, I get our pretties to dance together! In pretty costumes! WOOHOO!

*Crickets sound, and some old guy coughs in the audience*

Um… Well, yes.