Hey everybody! I'm not dead! I was just taking a very very very very…
We get the point!
(Whimpers.) Long break.
You were loafing.
No I wasn't! I was gaining experience with other animes and doing some catching up with Devil May Cry. I played through both of them and got S rank on every mission in 4. I also watched the entirety of Code Geass and Fooly Cooly. I also rewatched Claymore several times as well as the DMC anime. I've been getting inspiration.
So you where loafing off.
No!
Anyway where back with the next chapter.
But I'm not done.
What else do you want to say?
I want to say that I love Claymore for many reasons outside of the traditional three B's that attract males to anime.
Battle, Blades n' Babes.
That's it. Those three are all great but there is one thing in it that totally sold me. Something I never would have expected from a Shonen anime and manga.
What.
The women don't dress in impractical fanservice outfits. Granted the leotard thing is a little tight but it serves a purpose. Yagi found a way to make them look great without making them dress scantily for no reason. I mean, look at Witch Blade. That is supposed to be armor, ARMOR. What does it cover? Only enough so that the show isn't classified as a hentai! Seriously, I'm a guy, I like hot girls, but for Pete's sake stop turning every female character into walking fanservice. A little fanservice is fine but don't be all like: Look, boobs. Boobs and ass for everyone! What purpose does that serve?
O.K. we get it, you hate pointless fanservice. On with the fic!
Somewhere…
Rubel strolled casually through the woods. He smiled as he came upon another member of the Organization. Ermita nodded in greeting.
"So my friend, what news from the higher-ups?" Rubel asked.
"You are to continue sending your charge on special missions." Ermita answered. "Our esteemed masters have decided to cull our ranks of undesirables." He paused. "It saddens me immensely to see our little girls turn into monsters."
"Me too Ermita, me too." Rubel answered.
Ermita said not another word. He turned around and left. His cloak shrouded form disappearing into the darkness of the forest around them.
The smile never left Rubel's face as a small piece of metal slid from his sleeve. With a deft twist of his hand the butterfly knife opened and flew into a tree. Soon, very soon you'll see how much of a monster I can be. Rubel turned back the way he had come. Calmly reaching into his pocket he pulled out a small black bag. Reaching inside he pulled out a small pill and popped it into his mouth. Soon.
With Dante and Co…
"Where are we going?" Raki asked as Dante carried him piggyback after the Claymores and Clare at top speed.
"Where ever Miria wants us to go." Dante responded. They had been moving at top speed for about five minutes and had covered a lot of ground in Dante's opinion. He wondered where Miria was leading them.
"Where are we going?" Dante called up to Miria.
"Here" Miria said as she began to slow down. Dante looked around to see that they had arrived at a small copse of trees that sat by the main road.
"Think fast!" Dante yelled as he stopped abruptly and Raki flew over his shoulders. Raki twisted in the air and came down on his feet. He rolled in a break fall and popped up rubbing his shoulder.
"I wish you wouldn't do that." Raki muttered. He rotated his shoulder a few times.
"Well you seem to be getting it down." Dante congratulated. Clare looked at the two and sighed.
"What?" Dante said indignantly. "If he's gonna help us he needs to get stronger."
Helen started laughing. "He's a human, how's he supposed to help."
Dante looked at the girl and said, "I once knew a girl who went through a demonic tower full of demons and killed everything that got in her way. Shot me in the head twice. Don't underestimate the human will."
"O.K. Sheesh." Helen said in placating manner.
Miria stepped forwards. "I'm sorry to say this but Helen had a point. When he's older he may be able to slay normal yoma but he's only a child now." She said.
Dante nodded. "That's why we start now." He replied in a Russian accent. "Get him ready for future as human yoma slayer."
"I just hope you know what you're doing." Miria whispered.
"So you wanted to talk about something?" Dante asked. "If it was important enough to have to come out here I think you better spill quick."
Miria nodded to Dante and turned to face Helen and Deneve. "I already know Clare's answer to this but I need to know yours. This may be hard for you to say but have you ever surpassed your limit and almost awakened?"
Helen took a step back reflexively and Deneve looked like she had been slapped. Helen exhaled and nodded. "Yes, I've done it. I overestimated myself and went over my limit."
"But you managed to snap yourself out of it somehow." Miria returned.
"O.K. I've done it to." Deneve admitted. "I wanted to see how far I could go and I overstepped my limit just like Helen."
Clare took a step foreword. "But you both pushed it back. How were you able to?"
"I don't know. I guess I was just too proud to give in." Deneve said.
"But awakening isn't just painful, it is also extremely pleasurable. Most can't resist." Miria described. "What did you experience Clare?"
"I didn't. I guess rage clouded everything." Clare said. "When I released my yoki power fighting Dante I didn't stop to think how much power I was using. I just pushed further and further until I transformed into an awakened being, or at least something close to one."
"Take it from me. That thing was scary." Dante interrupted. "I don't think she awakened completely but she was pretty damn close."
"Anyway," Clare continued, "I kept pushing without stopping until I 'triggered'."
"So continuously pushing your limits is what causes the 'triggering' to happen?" Miria asked.
Dante shook his head. "I don't think so. I think it's more of an emotional thing. You have to have a reason to fight." He paused. "Or it could be something else."
"Besides the ability to transform into stronger forms does it do anything else?" Miria asked.
Clare nodded. "I noticed an overall increase in my abilities in strength, agility and the like. It also imparts an increased ability for regeneration. I don't know about growing back limbs but slash and stab wounds heal almost instantly. Blunt trauma also becomes a mere inconvenience. At this point I think the only thing that can kill something like Dante and I is decapitation."
Miria closed her eyes in thought. "That sounds similar to what I've been going through but at a larger scale. Do you think that surpassing your limit and returning to normal is somewhat like triggering?" She asked.
Dante rubbed his chin. "Possibly, you probably just lacked the necessary emotional need to trigger. If you keep pushing your limits and if the right circumstances are met then you should trigger."
"So wait a minute. Miria, you almost awakened?" Helen asked. "I can't see someone like you doing that."
Miria closed her eyes and Dante thought he saw the beginnings of tears. "It happened on my third hunt for an awakened being. Sadly that awakened being happened to be someone I knew."
And so Miria told her story. Looks of curiosity changed to ones of sadness and anger.
"So, what now? You three are partially awakened and the organization caused you to kill your best friend. What should we do?" Dante asked.
Miria stood silently, eyes closed in contemplation. "Well, my overall plan is the complete and utter destruction of the Organization." She said. "But that goal is a long way off. I firstly need a way to bring the crimes of the Organization into the light."
Nameless town…
Isley walked through yet another town. Vergil had been sending him on these errands for quite some time.
Vergil had given him clear instructions. "You are to go into your assigned town and search for a man with white hair carrying a large sword. You are to be as discreet as possible unless an opportunity to make yourself appealing to the people presents itself. If such an event is to arise you are to play the part of a heroic figure and to save someone from whatever is ailing them. You are then to be more public with your search. Try to avoid using your demonic abilities unless absolutely necessary. If you discover this man or someone who knows his whereabouts contact me immediately by sending out pulses of demonic energy in an ABAB sequence. Until I arrive do not attempt to engage the target."
Isley had been through about ten towns by this point. It was starting to get on his nerves. He had saved women from drunks, beaten up robbers, helped old people carry heavy things; he'd even gotten a girls cat down from a tree. No one knew anything. Well, at least no one had found out what he was and thrown a fit. Luck seemed to be with him as far as stealth was going.
Looking around he observed the town and its inhabitants, simple people with simple lives. Here there was a potter selling his wares, there a blacksmith working under a shade; Simple people with no idea that the most powerful yoma currently walking the land was in there midst. It was ironic really. The humans treated their saviors with disdain and fear because of their inhuman eyes and abilities while a monster like him was able to walk freely among them because he looked human. Ironic… ironic and sickening.
Isley looked out into the crowd and his eyes came across something he wasn't expecting. "Vergil will be pleased." Isley whispered.
An undisclosed location…
Vergil sat in a cross legged position on a slab of rock in the center of a dark cave. Lights of various colors floated around him. Deep in meditation he manipulated the arcane energy that surrounded him. The sound of footsteps broke through his reverie. He opened his eyes to see Galatea calmly walking towards him.
Galatea knelt before Vergil. "My lord, I have news."
"You do not need to address me as lord Galatea. Such formalities are bothersome and unnecessary." Vergil said, waving his hand dismissively.
"Yes, Vergil." Galatea said. She remained in a kneeling position however. "While on a mission for the Organization I made a discovery. There is another one who has achieved the status of a true half demon."
"Why did you not contact me then? If I was not responsible then it must have been Dante's doing?" Vergil asked. He knew Galatea must have had a good reason otherwise she would have contacted him.
"I was under observation by one of the senior members of the Organization. Him learning of you and your brother would be problematic. Also, if we where to make him disappear there would be a search for the cause of death." Galatea explained.
Vergil nodded in understanding. Attention at this point was something he did not want. Dealing with the Organization would be time consuming and was something he wanted to save until he had dealt with Dante. He only hoped that Dante realized the need to be subtle.
"Smart choice. If you should happen across a way to get rid of that man without attracting attention please utilize it." Vergil instructed. He got up and stepped down from the slab. "How is your training progressing?"
"Well." Galatea answered.
Vergil let a small smile grace his lips. Isley followed him out of fear, Priscilla because of a debt she believed she owed him, but Galatea followed him because she desired the power that Vergil had to offer. She saw an opportunity to get stronger. Galatea had never viewed being an artificial half demon as being a curse. She strove for power and would do what she had to do to get it. She however, did not blindly pursue it. She kept her pride. It was because of that pride that Vergil knew Galatea would never betray him. In the weeks that he had known her he had come to trust her more than anyone else in a while. It was a little strange that he would trust anyone considering the betrayal he had suffered at the hands of Arkham. Maybe it was some human emotion. Vergil dismissed the thought. She was a college in pursuit of a goal that would be benefited by helping Vergil with his own.
Vergil drew Yamato from its sheath. "Show me."
Galatea nodded.
With Isley…
"Well Ms. Luciela, what a pleasure it is to see you again." Isley said politely.
"A pleasure to see you as well." The Abyssal one of the south answered. Dressed quite plainly the Abyssal one didn't look very intimidating. Just a young woman.
"So, did you come here to fight or for some other reason?" Luciela asked coyly.
"I plan to accomplish the latter, through the use of the former if necessary." Isley explained. "Although which methods to use are not up to me. He should be here soon."
"He? I don't seem to recall you ever taking orders from anyone." Luciela pondered.
No sooner had she said this then the air beside Isley shattered like a pane of glass as Vergil stepped out of the ensuing gap. The hole filled up as quickly as it had opened. Vergil coolly regarded the stunned Luciela and asked Isley, "This is the reason you called me?"
"Allow me the present Luciela, Abyssal one of the south." Isley said sweeping his arm at Luciela.
Luciela regained her composure. "That's a nice trick. Who are you?"
"Your better." Vergil responded.
Luciela regarded the man and then got into a fighting stance. "Whatever. I don't know what caused Isley to follow you but I sure as hell won't."
"Understandable." Vergil answered simply.
Luciela leaped at Vergil and launched a roundhouse kick at his head. Vergil leaned back to avoid the kick. Undaunted Luciela used her momentum to transit into a spinning back kick. This time Vergil brought up an arm to block. The kick hit his arm and stopped dead. Vergil raised an eyebrow.
Luciela growled and launched into a barrage of punches and kicks that where either dodged or blocked. By this point people started to notice and also began to gawk at the unnatural speed that the combatants were moving.
Luciela lunged at Vergil who stepped to the side. Luciela's momentum carried her past him and into the house behind him. She went through the wall and into the interior with a mighty crash. People started screaming.
"Isley, try to make sure no humans get caught in the crossfire. Our image needs maintaining." Vergil instructed.
"No problem." Isley responded. He turned to the crowd of people watching. "I would suggest you run." No sooner had he said this then a feline roar erupted from the wreckage of the house.
Another roar was heard as a now awakened Luciela emerged. Humanoid but with cat like hind legs, two tails and two mouths stacked on top of each other. Both mouths where leering in hideous parodies of smiles. "Now I'm pissed off! You're going to die now!"
"An increase in size will not help you against me." Vergil informed her. He pulled Yamato off his back and drew it from its sheath. A second later he lashed out with Yamato causing an arc of energy to fly at Luciela. Luciela immediately sensed danger and dodged out of the way. The arc however caught one of her tails and to her surprise it didn't do anything.
"What was that? Was it supposed to do something?" Luciela asked mockingly.
Vergil said nothing and swept Yamato back into its sheath. Luciela immediately felt pain and turned to see the portion of her tail that had been hit by the arc start to spurt blood before dropping off.
"What?" Luciela gasped.
And then Vergil was upon her.
With Dante…
"So, try to avoid the top five." Miria explained. "Especially you Dante. I have yet to see you fight but from what I saw from Clare beating those in the top ten should be an achievable feet. The problem is if you do the Organization will be alerted to your presence. That could be very problematic."
Dante shrugged. "Whatever. Clare and I will stick to small time stuff, at least for a while."
"Good." Miria said happily. She drew her sword and held it out. "So until we meet again, let's make a promise to stay alive." The others followed suit.
The group nodded to each other and where about to disperse when crushing aura became noticeable to them. It was very far off but the sheer size of the crashing demonic energy made everyone in the group able to notice it.
Dante's eyes narrowed. "It seems like Vergil is having some fun."
"Vergil?" Miria asked.
Dante sighed. "My brother."
"You have a brother!" Helen exclaimed. The perverted sections of her mind, the size of which rivaled Dante's, were going into overdrive.
Dante turned towards her and cautioned her. "Don't. He likes it rough."
Helen laughed. "That doesn't bother me." Her mind filling with even more perverted thoughts, clearly misunderstanding what Dante meant.
Dante shook his head. "I didn't mean it like that."
Deneve got it right then. So did Miria.
"Your not on good terms with him are you?" Miria asked.
Dante nodded. He swept his hair back and sucked in his cheeks a little. Putting on his best scowl he said. "Memorize this face. If you see it, run. If he catches up, don't resist. If he asks you a question don't lie. Failure to comply will cause you to die."
Miria looked at him skeptically. "You seem to not have a problem with helping us, why should he?"
Dante shook his head. "He's not as nice as me. I don't know what the hell he wants but he doesn't give two shits about anyone else. If you get into his way you will die. I enjoy 'playing with my food' so to speak. He'll just kill you."
Miria pressed on anyway. "How strong is he? Is it possible to defeat him? If we all devil trigger like Clare ha-"
Dante cut her off. "Look, I can't put this any simpler. Do. Not. Fuck. With. Him." He flipped his hair back down. "Granted, I kicked his ass once but he did the same to me. Right now I don't know if I can beat him."
"That's awfully humble coming from you." Clare commented.
Dante turned to face her. "When it comes to Vergil I don't mess around. This applies to you to you know."
Clare gave a "hmph" and turned to Miria, Helen and Deneve. "Listen to what he says."
"Whatever." Helen replied, disappointed that a yet another "hottie" had been dangled in front of her only to be pulled away.
"No problem. I owe you anyway." Deneve added.
"I will do as you wish." Miria agreed.
"Good." Dante said happily. "Miria, just so you know, I'm not much of a leader. I'll trust you to decide what's best as far as the organization goes. Just point me in the right direction."
Miria nodded. "I'll do that."
Dante turned around and began to walk away. "Then I'll see you whenever." Clare hurried after him.
About ten feet away…
"Victory!" Raki said triumphantly. Shadow hung his tiny head in shame. The human had beaten him. Him! A shadow demon that had been around since the infancy of humanity.
"This is fun." Raki said happily. "Thanks for teaching me this. What is it called again, chopsticks?"
Shadow nodded and shook his head.
"Alright, let's go." Dante called as he reached down and pulled Raki to his feet by his collar. Shadow rolled his small eyes in exasperation as he scrambled up Raki's pant leg and up onto his back and clung there with his head peaking over Raki's shoulder. Raki looked over at the small demon and shrugged. He didn't weigh that much anyway.
"So, where are we going?" Dante asked Clare.
"To get another mission." Clare answered.
"What about that special training?" Dante asked.
"If we pass by we'll check in." Clare said dismissively as she began to pick her way down the road.
"Still not too happy about it I see." Dante muttered.
Rabona time frame…
Dante and Clare flew at top speed towards the source of the fighting that they had sensed. They both hurried even more when they noticed the number of distinctively yoma energies disappearing quickly. Dante really didn't want to miss out on any fun.
Soon enough they reached the source of the yoki, just as the last yoma's energy was snuffed out. A clearing in the woods was littered with the bodies of dead yoma. In the center of the devastation was a single figure in a ragged cloak.
"Stay up here. I'll scope this out." Dante told Clare. He cut his transformation and dropped from about five hundred feet up. He landed in a crouch in front of the figure, his demonic heritage making the fall as easy as stepping down a stair. "Yo, did you save any for me?" He called to the figure.
The figure turned and pulled down her hood. "What do you want here awakened being?" She asked coldly. Pointed ears and an aquiline nose decorated a serious face with calm calculating eyes.
"Just to have some fun." Dante responded jokingly. He didn't know what an awakened being was but he had a pretty good idea.
"You'll find no fun here. Just your own death." Irene said in the same cold voice. She brought her sword up into a ready position and Dante saw that she lacked a left arm. He doubted that it would impair her much however.
"The thrill of death is my favorite thing. I've been so board with these pathetic demons anyway." He unlimbered Rebellion from his back.
Irene scoffed. "Why do you remain in your human form. Do you think you can defeat me."
Dante rolled his eyes. "Maybe I prefer this form. Plus I don't want this fight to be over too quickly."
"Do as you wish. It will not help you in the end." Irene replied dismissively.
"Don't hold back." Dante crowed as he shot forwards with a Stinger. His surprise was evident when his sword was blocked. He swept around with another slash and it was deflected as well. He jumped back and he felt the wind from a strike brush the bare skin of his torso. Pain followed as several small cuts opened up on his abdomen.
Irene put her sword in ready position again. "You're going to have to be faster than that." She taunted.
Dante replaced Rebellion on his back as the cuts on his stomach healed. "Time to go to work guys!" He shouted. Ebony & Ivory leapt into his hands and he let loose a furious barrage of lead that flew at Irene like a swarm of angry bees.
If it wasn't for Irene's time as an elite warrior she would not have survived the onslaught. She felt a bullet nick her ear as she managed to dive out of the way. Projectile weapons!
Another barrage flew at Irene. The shots where deflected nimbly as Irene used her quicksword to form a barrier. Dante leaped into the air and came down in a helm breaker. This was blocked again. He air tricked into the air and came down in another helm breaker. This too was blocked but he kept hammering down. Air trick and helm breaker repeated themselves several times before Dante back flipped and landed ten feet away. Irene, however she was completely unprepared for what happened next.
"Are you ready?" Dante yelled as he dashed forwards and launched into a brutally fast sequence of swords strikes that were never the less deflected. But then he began to stab outwards at an incredibly fast pace. Irene tried to deflect the attack with her quicksword but was overwhelmed by the power of the technique and had to retreat. Dante chased after her, planted Rebellion into the ground and, with both hands on his sword, spin with incredible speed. Irene dodged the spinning kick but was caught by surprise when Dante used his momentum to translate out of the spin into an upwards slash. He stopped the blade at Irene's throat.
Irene stared at the blade in shock. How had this yoma so quickly overpowered her. She was even more shocked when Dante took his blade away from her throat.
"Well that didn't last long." Dante complained. "Well that little technique of yours caught me by surprise. I only thought you could move a sword that fast if you stabbed."
Irene sighed and closed her eyes. "Well finish it." She whispered.
Dante took the blade away from her throat. Irene's eyes opened again. "Why the hell would I do that?" He asked her incredulously. "You're not a demon, just an artificial hybrid."
Irene looked at him speechlessly. Was this awakened being sparing her because she was half yoma.
"Don't look at me like that." Dante muttered. "I'm a freaking demon slayer who ended up in this place somehow and I still don't know half the stuff that goes on here. I'm guessing an awakened being is one of your kind that went past there limit." He jerked a thumb at his chest. "I'm all natural, that ain't gonna happen to me."
"Demon slayer?" Irene asked almost breathlessly.
"Same job you people have. I guess I'm just better at it." Dante explained. He looked skyward and called. "Clare, get down here."
Up in the sky Clare heard his call and cut the transformation and dropped down. She felt the adrenalin rush of falling and inverted herself, falling head first. She felt the air streams tugging at her body and she pulled out of her dive. She landed with a bit more force than Dante but she was completely unharmed from the fall. Upon seeing each other Irene and Clare flinched noticeably.
Dante looked at the two. "It looks like there is some history here." He commented.
"You don't know the half of it." Clare growled.
Five minutes later…
The group had relocated to another section of the woods, one that was a little less… corpsy, Clare starring daggers at Irene the whole way.
"So, care to tell me why Clare is starring at you like you killed her puppy." Dante asked Irene bluntly.
Irene sighed. "You could say that the circumstances that we met under were not the best. Has Clare told you anything of her past?"
"Not much. She can tell me when she's ready. We only just met." Dante replied casually, as if talking about a date.
Irene turned to Clare. "Your aura is almost identical to Teresa's. It is the same with this one. Your aura's are completely at peace."
Clare's eyes widened. "Wait, are you saying that Teresa was one of us."
"If by 'us' you mean this friend of yours and yourself I have no idea." Irene replied. "I have no idea what you are. You have the eyes of one of us yet your aura matches his. He claims to be a natural human yoma hybrid. How did you become one."
Clare indicated Dante with a tilt of her head. "After Teresa's death I became a warrior. I asked them to put her flesh inside of me."
So that's why she flinched when I said "Flesh of a demon." Dante thought. Great, now I feel like a total ass. I'll apologize to her later.
"Your aura was what drew me to this place. I felt it grow large from many miles away so I hurried to this place when I ran into that group of yoma. You can bet that other warriors are headed to this location. I need to leave in order to avoid being discovered." Irene explained. She turned to Dante. "I am interested in you demon hunter. Seek me out in the mountains near the village of Gonall of you wish. I may decide to teach you this technique of mine. That stabbing technique is powerful but it's range is limited."
Irene paused a second. "Bring along the girl to. I owe her at least that much for the sorrow I've caused her."
Irene then vanished into the darkness.
"Well, looks like we've got a date." Dante said sarcastically.
Current time frame…
"Why are you so angry at her anyway? She was just following orders." Dante asked.
"She brought Priscilla with her." Clare growled and kept walking.
Raki and Shadow looked at the pair oddly. The relations of grownups and humans where weird.
One week later…
Clare calmly beheaded the charging yoma as it rushed towards her. Its headless body fell to join its comrades that already been struck down. It the ground with the sound of flesh striking stone. She flicked the blood of her Devil Arm and sheathed it. Shadow, under orders from Dante, had placed an illusion over it to make it appear like her standard issue Claymore. The illusion acted independently from Shadow so he didn't have to make physical contact with it. Clare just had to recharge the illusion with some yoki every couple of days. That way, Clare could use her Devil Arm whenever she wished without attracting attention.
"Boring." Clare muttered. The townsfolk gathered in the area stared at her and the dead yoma with a mixture of fear and awe.
"Thank you so much." Came to voice of the village chief. His hands held the bundle of money. The money charged for the killing a yoma was a ridiculous price. Downright unnecessary in Clare's opinion. The price of a human life wasn't something that should be decided by money.
"I require no money." Clare responded in her typical, professional monotone. "A man in black will come after I am gone. You will give the money to him."
"Uh, O.K." The man stuttered.
Clare turned to leave. She paused for a second. "The money you posses is only enough for two yoma. There is a third here." She explained with her back turned to the man. "If I were to slay it you would be unable to pay the organizations price and your village would never be allowed service again, no matter the number of yoma."
The man stared at her speechlessly as she started to walk away. "A human life isn't something to be decided by money. This will be over in a matter of minutes." Clare said. She left the man standing there and walked through the crowd to the end of the street.
The man watched as she rounded the corner she passed a man in a red coat. Despite remaining in the sunlight the shadows refused to alleviate from his face. Twin blue dots shone where his eyes should have been. The man sauntered up the street towards the village chief. The crowd gave the man a wide berth. Not just for his obscured features but also because of the immense sword the man had attached to his back.
Dante smirked; this was going to be fun.
With Clare…
Clare and Raki walked down the road away from the town. Shadow rode on Raki's shoulders. The two had become quite the pair and where rarely found without the other. Dante had let the demon stay in the corporal world as long as it didn't cause trouble. All it really did was eat and sleep so Dante didn't care. It hid in Raki's pack when they entered towns and guarded him in the case that a yoma attacked while Dante and Clare were away. The human and the shadow demon, a weird couple indeed.
"How do you think Dante is going to handle the yoma?" Raki asked Clare.
Clare sighed. "With no tact and an unnecessary amount of flair. At this rate we won't need to encounter the organizations warriors to reveal Dante to them."
"Well at least he'll kill it." Raki said assuredly.
Shadow just shook its tiny head.
With Dante…
The crowd stared at Dante. No doubt because of his sword… and lack of a shirt. He approached the village chief who was still holding the bag of money with a dumb expression on his face. He stopped in front of the man. Suddenly he pulled out Ivory and fired a shot into the crowd. It flew past several people harmlessly and grazed a man on the cheek. Silence reined as purple blood leaked from the wound.
"Last time I checked human blood was red." Dante said informatively.
The man growled and leapt at Dante, transforming in mid air. Dante put up no resistance as the yoma bore him to the ground. The crowd stood speechlessly as Dante raised a knee into the yoma's gut and it was thrown off him. Dante swung his legs in a circle to propel himself back to his feet.
The yoma got shakily off the ground. "How did you know?" It growled.
"Claymore's ain't the only ones out there who can tell who you guys are." Dante said sarcastically. He dashed forwards and punched the yoma strait in the face. It flew back onto its back and skidded a few feet.
"I normally don't do this for free but I'd hate to let anyone get hurt because they can't pay up." Dante informed the crowd. "My Claymore friend called in a favor so I might as well take this think down."
The yoma picked itself up off the ground, its broken nose covered by a hand. "You're the one the others have been talking about." It growled through clenched teeth. "You're the Redgrave."
Dante tilted his head. "I don't recall leaving anyone alive. Who's been telling the stories?"
The yoma straightened. "You aren't very subtle with your work." It chuckled. It raised an arm at the crowd and another at Dante. "I offer you this ultimatum. You can take the hit or the rest of these precious humans can."
Dante adopted a Chris Angel pose, the grin never leaving his face, his smile showing through the shadows. "Take your best shot."
"Fool!" The yoma yelled as its fingers hyper extended and impaled Dante through the chest. The yoma swung his other arm around and it's other five digits flew and blew through Dante's head. Blood poured out of the wounds, the crowd staring in shock.
Dante continued to smile as he raised Ivory. "Game over." He stated simply as he let loose a thundering barrage from his right hand gun.
"Imposi…" Was all the yoma had time to utter before its body was torn to shreds by the hail of bullets. As it fell its fingers retracted, pulling themselves out of Dante's body.
Dante cracked his neck to work any kinks out. Ivory returned to its holster and Dante turned away from the stunned crowd and left.
With Clare…
"I have another mission if it's not too soon. I need you to go to the town of Gonall and assist in an awakened being hunt." Rubel explained calmly as he casually leaned against a tree.
"It's no problem." Clare stated simply.
Rubel smiled knowingly. "Your manners seemed to have improved. What has caused this change?" He asked.
"Does it really matter that much. I seek to stay alive and that means staying in the good graces of the organization." Clare stated. "You where right when you said I wasn't a hero. Stay out of sight and stay alive."
Rubel chuckled. "You flatter me." He smile persisted. "I'll await the completion of your mission." He turned and left, fading into the woods.
Clare stared at his back as he left. How much does he really know?
Clare shook her head. He knew nothing. Still, Gonall, that was where Irene was. She didn't want to see her at all. But then again there was the eventuality that she may have to face Vergil. She was going to need every possible advantage that she could muster. She had felt Vergil's power that day.
Back during Vergil's battle with Luciela…
Luciela lay panting on the ground, soundly defeated. Back in human form and covered head to two in cuts and blood the abyssal one of the south stared at the man in blue who stood above her.
"I tire of this." Vergil stated matter-o-factly. He raised his right arm and pointed it at Luciela, palm facing towards her.
"I challenge the laws of nature and reason." Vergil intoned as green mandala manifested in front of his palm.
Isley saw what he was doing and yelled, "Everybody down!" before throwing himself to the ground. He'd seen Vergil use this once before and he didn't want to be hit by it when it went off.
"By summoning the power of destruction." Vergil continued as the mandala began to spin. "Beruta eimu kuifa kuifa somuta maa kapfh" He chanted. The mandala stopped spinning and disappeared.
"Hadron… fire." Vergil whispered as the world was engulfed in red and black fire and the roar of thunder.
Soon enough the blast stopped and the people were able to see the destruction that Vergil had wrought.
Luciela stared in shock at the trench carved through the ground beside her.
"I missed?" Vergil said as he looked at the whole and still breathing Luciela. He sighed. "It seems I still cannot control this power." He turned to Isley who was still on the ground. "Do as you wish. I'm leaving." With that Vergil waved his hand at the air. A glowing portal manifested and he stepped through it.
With Dante, present timeline.…
Dante calmly walked away from the town when he felt something tugging at his feet. Looking down he saw a glowing portal manifest under his feet.
"Whoa!" Dante yelled as he was sucked under it.
Dante felt air rushing past him as he fell through a shaft filled with chains and fire. Soon enough the shaft opened up into a large cavern and Dante saw the ground rushing up to meet him. He hit the ground and absorbed the shock on his demonically enhanced legs.
"That wasn't nice!" He called out. "Who did that." He looked around and saw nothing but the darkness of the cavern and the glow of magma from the cracks in the rock around him. Suddenly the ground started shaking and Dante was forced to windmill his arms to keep his balance.
The cracks in the ground began to grow wider. Suddenly a gleaming chrome arm pushed its way out of one of the larger cracks. It used the ground as a handhold the pull the rest of itself out to the fissure. Large tusks, spines on its back that resembled the tail pipes of cars and belched flame, and a gleaming body that looked like chrome the beast let out a mighty roar that blew Dante's coat back. Dante felt the power of the roar and knew that any lesser being would probably have been decapitated by the awesomeness of it. Yes, this demon was one of the most badass things that Dante had ever seen.
Dante smiled and pulled out Ebony & Ivory. "Now that's what I'm talking about!" He yelled happily. This was going to be fun.
It's over!
I think I did O.K.
Classifications go like this.
Quicksword: Speed
Windcutter: Accuracy
Million Stab: Power
Please review. If you don't I'll be sad.