A/N: Right, it's a short one but hey it's here. First I want to say sorry if I don't get a few aspects of the devil may cry universe wrong. Like where things are meant to be in Dante's office and that, and whether they are there or not ...

Chapter 9

His Power

Dealing with demons is what he did best. Today, he was using that brilliant skill of his to release his stress and anger. In the beginning, he wanted to slay these demons for him, he wanted to get rid of them, and protect him. He wanted to be the one to stop them for him, to do it all for him.

Now, - now? He no longer knew what he wanted to do. Dante loved his brother, he really did. But when he acted the way he did, love would be the last word he would use when he thought about him. Why, why, why. He regretted those words; those unfeeling; vulgar words he told him before. At the time he felt as if he had to do it, to just put it out there; get it over with.

He was such a fool for doing that and he knew it.

Dante hauled himself at the demons coming his way. He needed to fix this problem; he needed to find a way to make everything okay for everyone. And him.

Nightfall was coming in haste, the sky darkening and sun dying away only to be risen again the next. It was dark, and Dante wasn't back. Vergil was lost without him, like a puppy. Not knowing what to do next, after the fight; and the words shared between them, he'd been doing nothing, and thinking of nothing since. He could just leave, but he couldn't bring himself too. He wanted it all to go away, he wanted to be able to go to sleep, and never wake up again, that way he wouldn't be in any sort of pain. He would only then be free. Truly.

He was sat upon the floor near the centre of the spacious room, and closer to the front entrance. He wouldn't admit to himself he was waiting for Dante to come back to him, though it was fairly obvious with his every-five-second glances to the front doorway.

In his palm, his half of the amulet laid. His hands were sweaty, but he held it in place. Outside the rain begun, was heaven crying for him? No, never. How could he think such a futile thought, it was horrible and miserable out, grey clouds taking up the sky, depressing. That's how he felt, he was absolutely disgusted with himself, he was... So filthy. Dante would never come back to him, not to dirt like him.

He stared at the blood stains on the floor from a few days ago. It was his own blood from when he was shot in the chest, that wound was all healed up now. Thanks to Dante... How could he of been so blind, so very blind. It was the pride; it obscured his eyes from everything else; made him oblivious to everyone else. And look where it got him, pride. Self importance, self love, self-centred, bloody narcissistic.

Vergil crushed his fist into the floor in infuriation; he loathed himself for all he has done. He hated this body, he hated this skin; his increasing lust for power, he hated it all with a passion! All his fingers snapped on impact, he cried out into the floor. It was his entire fault, all of it.

Abandoning Dante those many years ago was the biggest mistake of his life. "Dante..." He sobbed. What would his father think if he were alive today? With what he's done to his brother? He would be appalled, anyone would. Putting power in front of family, he was a disgrace.

He wanted to put things right, especially for his brother. But first, revenge was on his mind. That urge to fulfil his revenge will never leave him until it is done, he needed his revenge. He deserved that much. And to get it he needed power whether he liked it or not, he was going to get his former power back only; his demon and sword. That would be enough to face them, he was sure of it.

And then what? If he were to fail... All hope lost, his fate was set, an eternity in hell, damned forever. But if he were to succeed. What then? No matter, he would worry about that another time... When it mattered.

Vergil had already noticed the various objects Dante liked to stick into the walls or on them. He noticed a particular sword that stuck out from the rest. Force Edge, Sparda.Something he nearly doomed a whole city for once.

He approached it wearily, one arm already out to retrieve it from its place. Would it be wise? To take it, it would help him a great deal. His hand barely touched the handle, he was drawn to it. He wanted it, needed it. Vergil – seized his movements.

There was an unexpected visitor in his midst.

"Hey!" The foot steps got louder, "Old man!" Vergil narrowed his eyes at the nickname; someone was mistaking his identity for another. He was currently without the distinctive teal coat, which had been horribly ruined during his more-than-below standards of fighting. "What the hell..." Nero stepped in cautiously. It seems that every time he visited, the shop just got wrecked up in a whole new level. "-Happened?" Vergil kept his back to him, his hand down by his side now, limp. He became... uncannily still. "You listening?" Nero paused in his tracks, realising there was something not right about this. Vergil turned slowly; he raised his right hand to his hair and swiped it back in one smooth go.

"I am not the one you seek, child." He told him ever-so-calmly. His appearance flabbergasted the younger devil-hunter, not the fact that he had Dante's face, but his face's state instead; it dismayed him a great deal. His lips were completely busted, swollen to a degree and what not. The dry blood across his face, it was... Unsettling. Nero's Devil Bringer brightened up a tad bit, expressing his surprise at the display Vergil had there.

Vergil was equally as surprised at the younger's appearance, though he didn't show it, his poker face on. He had very similar features to himself. Did Dante have a son? It was a just a little thought; he knew he had no children of his own so... He lowered his gaze to the boy's arm. Now that was peculiar.

"Then who are you, what have you done with Dante!" So he thinks he's harmed his brother somehow, physically anyway. Vergil had forced his sword into Dante many times, and he came out okay in the end. He doubted anyone could really harm Dante. Harm as in, get him close to death. He hasn't seen it happen anyway, his brother had zeal.

Vergil took another look at the boy's arm. There was something there; he couldn't quite put his finger on it yet. He had to look harder, but it was very familiar. It was-

-His devil.

"I have done nothing..." he turned his body away from him again, back to his former position before. Vergil pulled out Force Edge with his broken hand and launched dead-on in Nero direction. "-With DANTE," he added. Nero dodged just in time, pulling his Red Queen out with his human arm.

"So it's a fight you want!" He yelled, roaring up his sword. He came at him quick, wasting no time with taunts, Vergil was without a weapon, Nero had the upper hand at the moment. Vergil had no time to search for another sword; he rolled over; out of deaths way.

He hurried down to where Force Edge laid; he couldn't win this fight without it. But Nero was quicker, his Devil Bringer pulled him down by his leg; slamming him into the ground, face first. Vergil reached for the handle still in frustration; he wasn't going to give up just yet. He got it right before being dragged across the floor towards Nero. He lifted him up and crashed his whole body back down with great force. The floor beneath them caving inwards. Vergil held in his moans of agony, not wanting to cry out. He needed to focus harder; he kicked Nero's face in with his other leg, using this chance to slash at his demonic arm to release its tight grip while he was dazed.

Nero pulled away from him fast, the sword he was using had an affect on his Devil Bringer; he could feel the pain spark through him. "That's a hell of a sword you got there!" he hissed. Vergil smirked at this.

Their blades collided against one another; Vergil was dominating him with both hands pushing down hard. He had to win this, if he was correct, which he believed he was. His demon was within this boy. Maybe if he killed him, it would grant him back his power as a reward. "RAWH!" He pushed with all his might, Nero's Red Queen clattering across the room. He used his arm to protect him from Vergil's coming assault.

And it ended badly.

Blazing blues flashed before them, Vergil staggered back; the magnificent power threw him away from its source. Nero had triggered.

Vergil was indeed correct; this boy possessed his power; and his sword. And Dante never told him? He must be protecting him, for what reason? Unknown. He wielded Force Edge, holding it in front of him as if it were a guard. He was ready for this, he had to be.

Yamato slashed at him fiercely, fast and deadly. Nero was mad, almost out of control; the power of the Force Edge coming in contact with him must have set him off. Vergil kept his eyes on the demon rather than the possessor; it looked just like him, his triggered-self mind you. The last time he saw its face, it was being hurled down deep into the abyss by Mundus. A part of his soul robbed from him and tossed away.

Now he wanted it back, and nothing will stop him.

Force Edge flew from his hand; Nero had hit his arm hard, the pain unbearable. Yamato was on his shoulder, ready to slice through him any second now, he had no idea why Nero hadn't done it yet, was he hesitating? Has his demon recognised him? And refused to terminate the other part of his soul he had left? Perhaps. It was its other piece, one would not want to go on incomplete now would they? This was his chance, he gripped Yamato sharp blade with his better hand; uncaring if his hand pained him to do so. He will not have his own sword kill him! He wouldn't allow it. "This is MINE!" With one hand he pulled Yamato towards him, his leg attacked Nero full-on into his side; throwing him off completely...

One trigger turns off, another one sets off.