Okay, first things first. I do not own any characters from the Devil May Cry games, anime series, nor the manga. If I did, well...I really do not know. But anyways. Who I do have property rights over are Shawna and any OC characters that appear only in this story.
With that out of the way, I do hope you guys enjoy this story. XD
"So, what are we going to do now?"
Toni, Nickolai, Leon, and Natalie walked out of the hospital. Nickolai's thigh was bandaged, so he had to use crutches. Natalie, who had received the most injuries, mostly to her head, had several bandages and a cast on her arm.
"Stop complaining, Toni." Leon wanted to smack the younger boy, but couldn't with his shoulder injury. "We're leaving, that's what."
"But...what about the others?"
Leon glanced down at the girl next to him. It hurt him seeing Natalie like this. 'Is this her fault? Should she be the one to take the blame?' Leon shook his head.
"They're all dead. We're the only ones still alive."
"...What about Shawna? I know I heard her voice," Natalie looked around, hoping that Shawna would show up out of nowhere like she always did.
"She's alive." Leon glanced off in the distance, thinking. "But I don't know if she'll want to join us."
"Then, why don't we ask her?" Nickolai waved one crutch in Leon's face, which annoyed the teen. "I mean...she did save our asses the other day; she'd want to make sure we don't get ourselves killed."
"It's not that simple."
"But-"
Toni put a hand on his brother's shoulder, quieting him. Nickolai looked down, saddened at the fact that they would be leaving Shawna behind. Leon glanced at the twins and closed his eyes. 'Why didn't she just tell us the truth? I know what she really is. No...who she really is.'
"We should still ask her." Natalie walked forward, away from the boys. "She has done so much for us. So what Nickolai said is true. Shouldn't it be right that we still forgive her? I mean..."
"Okay, okay," Leon sighed. "We'll ask her, but don't expect her to be too happy. She's...not who she used to be."
"I don't care. She's still our friend. Shawna helped us when we needed her. Now, she needs us. It's up to us to help her."
Nickolai and Toni nodded in agreement. As much as he was angry at Shawna, Leon couldn't help but see the truth in Natalie's words. 'She really did help us. And seeing the look on her face when Damien was about to kill us...she's still human.'
"Then, let's go. We can't ask her if we stay here and mope."
"Yes!"
…
It was still early in the morning. The sun, casting the earth in its warmth and light, was just beginning to rise above the horizon. The hideout was in shambles. Ever since the demon attack the other day, the place was still a wreck. Shawna leaned against what used to be the doorway, now nothing but a large hole, and gazed at the orange ball of fire in the sky. She sighed in relief. It had been a long night. She had taken the responsibility of giving the bodies of her friends a proper burial by burning their corpses and leaving markers in their memory. Unfortunately, it was rougher than she had in mind. A few of the demons, the same ones that attacked the gang, were hiding in the building next to the hideout. Shawna managed to dispose of the monsters before they were able to devour all of the bodies, though some were still dragged away.
"Why does everything get all messed up for me?" She glanced at the markers. "Why does everyone near me die? Why?"
Shawna got up and walked over to one particular marker. Among the dead was the youngest of the gang, and he was no older than fourteen. The thought deeply saddened Shawna. The kid was like a younger brother to her.
"I'm sorry, buddy. I should've gotten here sooner..." She touched the poorly-crafted stone marker. "You still had your whole life ahead of you. I'm sorry."
Shawna sighed and looked around once more. 'I can't stay here. It's obvious I'm no longer welcome here. Might as well save the others the pain of seeing me.' Turning around, she started heading towards the western part of Limbo City. There were only two methods of transportation in the city. If you didn't have your own vehicle, then there was the train that went out to other cities. Faint voices caught Shawna's attention, causing her to turn in the direction. She could barely make out the vague outlines of the bodies running towards the site of the attack. 'Leon..Natalie...Nickolai and Toni.'
"Shawna? Shawn, where are you?"
The young woman turned away, blinking back the tears forming under her eye lids. Just as she began to walk away, she felt something yank back on her shoulder. She snapped around and aimed her fist out of reaction. However, the sight of Toni holding her shoulder made Shawna stop.
"What-"
"You were just going to leave us?"
Shawna blinked and glanced behind Toni, seeing the other three making their way towards them.
"Shawna," Natalie gazed at Shawna in disbelief. "Why would you leave us?"
Shawna couldn't say anything. She glanced at Toni, then at Nickolai, and then finally at Natalie and Leon. She shook her head and looked away.
"Hey, Shawna," Leon walked up to her and Nickolai, and he grabbed her shoulder. "Why the hell would you leave us without saying 'good-bye'?"
Shawna glanced up at Leon from under her bangs. The look he gave her sent chills down her spine. She inhaled deeply and sighed.
"I figured that you guys didn't need me. After...After what had happened...I-I thought it would be best if you just forgot about me. Save yourselves the pain of looking at my face."
The next thing Shawna knew was the sudden contact of flesh and a burning sensation on her left cheek. The action surprised her into falling to the ground. She snapped her attention towards Natalie, who had somehow managed to get right between her and Leon. Shawna noticed the shocked looks on the boys' faces and the fact that Natalie's fist was half-suspended in the air. 'She...actually hit me,' Shawna placed her hand on her cheek. 'That girl actually had the nerve to hit me.'
"Stop acting like a smart ass, Shawna. Why on Earth would we not want you the stay with us? And don't you dare say that what happened a few days ago was your fault! All of us were taken by surprise. Damien went psycho and had those things kill us off. If there was anyone to blame it was Damien, not you! You're our friend, Shawna. Now stop sulking and start acting like the woman we all know!"
"...You know," Toni was the first to snap out of his stupor. "I'd listen to her. On our way here, Natalie was cursing like there was no tomorrow when Leon told her the details of what happened after she woke up."
Shawna glanced down at the ground. 'How can they be so welcoming? Shouldn't they hate me?' Looking back up at the looks she was receiving from not only Natalie, but the blonde next to her, Shawna sighed and stood up. The pain in her cheek was starting to go away, but it still stung.
"Come on, Shawna. We're gonna leave Limbo City and find someplace else to live. So, why don't you make Natalie happy and come with us?" Leon received a glare from Natalie but ignored it.
The sides of Shawna's lips twitched before a small smile formed. Shaking her head, she couldn't help but chuckle.
"You guys can be a real pain, you know that?" She cocked her head to the side. "Okay, okay. I'll come, but I just want you guys to know that things aren't gonna be as safe as they used to be."
"Pft. Since when have things ever been safe?" Toni earned a smack from his brother. "Ow. That hurt."
"Hehehe. So, do you guys have any idea where we are going to go?"
Seeing that looks everyone gave each other, Shawna frowned.
"Why don't we just take the bus and wait until we come to a place that looks nice?"
"You know, Nick," Leon turned to the younger twin. "...Wait a minute. There are no buses here. There's only cars and trains-"
"Then, we'll take the train." Nickolai glanced at Shawna and Natalie for support.
"Then, take the train we shall." Natalie smiled. "Why are you giving me that look, Shawna?"
"...From the way you said that, it sounded almost like as if we're going to rob the people on board." Shawna gave her friend a blank look.
"I-I...I...T-That's not what I meant to say!"
"So, since we're going to be taking the train, how are we going to get tickets? We have no money whatsoever," Leon glanced at the twins, ignoring the small dispute between the girls.
"Simple," both twins said at the same time.
"We have our ways." Nickolai gave Leon a creepy smile.
"Just give us some time." Toni smirked.
Natalie and Shawna, uncertain of what their plan was, stopped what they were talking about and gazed at the twins.
"You know...I have bad idea of what you devils have going on inside those heads of yours." Natalie visibly shuddered.
"No worries," they said simultaneously. "We'll have enough money for the tickets by the next hour or two. Give or take."
"I think it's best that we leave them be." Shawna shook her head. "They could easily force us to take part in any kind of plan they come up with."
"But I think it's best that Shawna comes with us," Toni wrapped his arm around said girl's shoulder.
"Yeah, she could help us out a lot," Nickolai smirked.
"See what I mean?" Shawna glanced at Natalie, then at the twins. "Sorry to disappoint you boys, but I'm gonna have to pass on that one."
"Awww!" The twins' shoulders slumped. "Why not?"
"...Personal reasons. Maybe next time."
"Sounds good enough." Both twins immediately hugged the shaking girl. "We'll hold you to that promise."
"N-No w-worries. Now, let go of me and get going."
"Okay."
"See ya later."
"Don't miss us too much!" the twins 'limped off' away from everyone else.
Shawna sighed. Once the faint redness on her cheeks disappeared, she glanced back at Natalie and Leon. She blinked at the 'knowing' looks they were giving her.
"What?"
"Nothing!" Natalie glanced away, the smirk still showing. "Nothing at all."
Shawna's eye twitched. She glanced at Leon, narrowing her eyes at his facial expression.
"Don't. Say. A word."
…
"I still can't believe you guys actually did it. Of all the things you could've done, you pulled off some gay festival to get money!"
Shawna and Natalie watched from their seats as Leon started bickering with the twins. Natalie glanced at Shawna.
"Do you know what Leon's going on about, Shawna?"
"...You probably would not wanna know." Shawna glanced at her friend. "Toni and Nickolai decided to pull off some stunt to get some money for the train tickets. All I can say is that it involves some taboo for 'sibling love'. Or something like that."
"Sibling love? Oh."
"Yeah. Forget I even mentioned it."
After about a hour of listening to the boys argue amongst each other, Natalie fell asleep next to Leon. Shawna smiled at the sight. 'Those two care for each other. When will they admit their feelings, though?' She sighed and glanced at the twins, who were also resting in the seats across from her. Looking at the rest of the train cart to find nothing else to ponder over, the young woman shifted her attention to the landscape outside. 'Where will we go, now? Hopefully, where ever we go next will make things at least a bit easier.'
A faint noise from the back of the train caught Shawna's attention. Glancing at the rest of her friends to ask if they heard it too, she saw that they were still asleep. Deciding to check out the noise, Shawna got up and walked off towards the sound. Reaching the back, nothing seemed out of place.
"Hm. Maybe it," Shawna was cut off short at the dull thud above her head. "...was nothing. Great."
The black-haired girl opened the back door and looked for a ladder or something to climb up on. Smiling at the sight of a small ladder to her right, Shawna climbed up and peeked over the side. Her vision was suddenly blurred by a dark object lunging at her face. The next thing she knew, Shawna was being hurled into the air.
"Shit!" Shawna gasped in pain as her body hit the metal roofing.
She glanced up and rolled to the side of the train. The metal, where she was at just a second ago, was bashed in. Metal plating screeched as a clawed hand clenched the roof. The reptilian demon hissed in anger. Shawna sneered in disgust at the eight eyes on its face and the muddy-brown scales covering its slim body. 'Shit. And here I thought spiders were freaky.'
"Crap. I thought your kind was gonna give me a break!" Her throat vibrated from the growl. "Can't you guys just leave us the Hell alone!"
Her words fell on deaf ears as the train sounded its horn. As if on cue, the demon let out a battle roar and lunged at Shawna. Barely dodging the swipe, Shawna found herself on the edge of the railing. 'Dammit.' The wind pressure nearly pulled her off the train and into the chasm that the train was rolling over. It would be instant death if she fell.
"Shit. How the Hell do I fight this guy if there's nothing I can use?"
What sounded like laughter emanated from the demon's throat. It lunged again and managed to nick Shawna's side, making her lose her balance. 'Dammit.' She didn't need to glance over her shoulder to know that she was about to fall over the edge. Closing her eyes, she tried not to think of death... only to hear several gunshots and something grabbing her hand.
"Heh. And here I thought you were gonna put up a better fight than this, babe!" an all-too-familiar voice echoed through Shawna's ears.
Shawna opened her eyes and gasped. 'It's...It's him. What the Hell is he doing here?'
"It's best not to dwell on this, babe." the man in red smirked. "I believe we have a bigger issue to take care of."
A large claw appeared behind the man's back. Shawna was about to warn him when the Devil Hunter reached over his shoulder and shot the hand. The demon cry made Shawna want to cover her ears, but she couldn't with only one hand. With the demon being distracted, the man pulled Shawna up and put his hand on her shoulder to keep her from falling over.
"Let me do the fighting, kid." the man stood up, drawing another gun. "I've tracked this demon for some time now."
'What? But I thought he said he was after me...' Shawna shook her head in confusion. 'What the Hell is going on? I'm so damn confused.'
"I'll explain later, babe. Just sit back and watch how a pro takes down a demon."
If the man was facing her, Shawna would have seen the crazed smirk on his face. She decided it was smart to stay put, and she only moved when the demon came at her. Shawna couldn't help but watch in awe as the older guy shot at the monster and dodged the side swipes. It was like watching a dance take place in front of her eyes. 'If he hadn't tried to kill me at first, I wouldn't mind learning a thing or two from him.'
After watching the demon get weakened enough to lose its balance and fall to its death, the man motioned for Shawna to follow him. Once inside, she felt much safer.
"Thank God," Shawna sighed in relief as she plopped down on an empty bench. "I seriously thought I was gonna die up there."
"Heh, I don't blame you. Wouldn't be too pleasant turning into a pancake falling from that height."
Shawna glanced up at the man as he sat down next to her. Several thoughts went through her mind. As if sensing the turmoil going on inside her head, the Hunter opened a lazy eye and glanced at the girl next to him.
"...Damn. Since you're not trying to kill me at the moment," Shawna chuckled. "Did I ever mention that you have some of the most gorgeous eyes I've seen?"
The comment earned Shawna a laugh from the guy. Taking it as an insult, she sat up and scowled at him. The Hunter, still chuckling, held his hands up in front of him.
"Relax, babe. No harm done." He grinned at Shawna. "I get that a lot. People always comment how good-looking I am."
"...Wow." Shawna gave him a blank look. "If I had known that you were full of yourself, I would've just walked away the moment I saw you. Speaking of which, aren't you still after me?"
"Nah. I was really after a different demon. I only came across your profile when I went into that Police Station. Couldn't help but check out if you were as cute as the picture." The man leaned in too close for comfort.
Shawna growled and slapped the man before he got too close.
"That's good to know. But don't ever get that close again." Shawna's eye started twitching. "Do you hear me?"
"Hehehe. Nice slap, even though I thought you would've hit me-"
"Would you like me to punch you, instead? Or better yet, kick you where the sun don't shine?"
"As tempting as that sounds, I afraid I'll have to pass on that one, babe." the man rubbed his chest, as if reminiscing. "But I am pissed that you stabbed me."
"Hey! That was an act of self-defense!" Shawna pointed a slender finger at the man. "I was only trying to keep you from trying to fricking kill me! That I'm pissed at you about!"
"Which I'm impressed considering how much of a runt you are."
Shawna blinked and glanced at her body. The years of poor nutrition had left her, and the others, very slim and 'weak looking' in comparison to other teenagers who had actual homes.
"Yeah. You can blame that on the damned attack years ago. If those bastard demons hadn't attacked Limbo City, I'd be eating actual food."
"Heh. With a much sexier body, too."
That earned the Hunter a well-aimed punch, sending his body crashing onto the floor. Shawna breathed heavily as the man started laughing again.
"Shut the Hell up, old man!"
"It's true. Now, if you were older, I'd probably even ask you out on a date," he rubbed his bruising cheek.
"Like Hell I'd go out with a perverted old man like you," Shawna crossed her arms and looked away. "And you're not even my type."
"Mind telling me what that type is? I'm sure we can compromise-"
"In your head," Shawna glared at the Hunter, then went blank. "What is your name, by the way?"
"Isn't it rude to demand someone's name without telling yours? Heh. The name's Dante," Dante jabbed his thumb at his chest.
"...Not a bad name. My name's Shawna. Can't remember what my last name is, though." Shawna's shoulders sagged at the thought.
"Hm. Nice." Dante sat down, stretching his legs out. "So, where are you going?"
"I don't really know," Shawna glanced over her shoulder in the direction of where her friends were. "Me and the others don't care as long as we leave Limbo City. That place has been nothing but Hell for us. They deserve better than that."
Dante, catching Shawna's gaze, shifted in the bench and leaned forward. His eyes held confusion but softened at the look on the girl's face.
"You care for those kids, don't you?"
"Yeah." Shawna nodded. "They're practically family to me. Ever since my mom and dad died, I've been on my own. At least, until I met Leon and Natalie. After that, I met the rest of the gang."
Dante didn't miss the brief look of hurt and betrayal in Shawna's eyes. He sighed and placed his hand on her thin shoulder, which caused Shawna to tense slightly.
"Sorry to hear that. I lost my parents to demons, too. At least, you had people to live with. I had no one."
Shawna glanced up at the Devil Hunter and watched him think of his past. 'I guess...he's not all that bad. Just strange.' Shawna gave the man a small smile. Dante smirked at the kid and chuckled. He got up and started walking to the front of the train.
"I'd get back to the others if I was you. Wouldn't want your friends to miss you."
"Yeah, you're right." Shawna got up and followed Dante. "Oh, and Dante?"
"Hm?"
"Where are you heading to?"
Dante stopped and turned to face the young woman.
"Capulet City, babe." He smiled.
"Mind if we join you?"
"Heh. Not at all."