A/N: Keeping with the tradition, I planned on making an Anatomy of a Scene with Xan. I just needed to pick the leading ladies to star alongside him. I had two in mind and asked my editor for additional input. He was content with the two I had in mind. Then I remembered one more, so I have my three in mind now.

So with that closed up, we can begin.

The first of the three scenes will star Anna Williams.

An interesting choice for a partner for someone like Xan. Wouldn't he rather kill her than get involved romantically? It's a possibility, but you got to take a closer at Anna to realize why I thought of her as one of his OTPs. She's damaged like Xan, though I don't think anyone can get to his level of mental scarring.

These three scenes will showcase how Xan will act after the 25 year time skip in GbNF. He'll be more chill and less confrontational. Though pushing his buttons or testing him will revert him to how he acted during Arc IV. I can also make these scenes a bit longer than the other 'Anatomy of a Scenes' since I'm only doing two of them.

Anyway, let's get to the scene itself.

"As the ruins of the Temple of the Fighting God is now surrounded by flames and Tekken Force operatives, there's no known location of the King of Iron Fist Tournament 3 winner. Kazama Jin has disappeared after besting the Ogre. His grandfather Mishima Heihachi had no room for comment," the Japanese reporter commented. So Jin defeated Ogre. Huh, didn't think he had it in him. I guess being vengeful can bring out one's latent power. I would know from experience.

But where has Jin gone? No doubt that decision had to do with his grandfather's terrible decision-making skills. Heihachi probably did something reckless, was fed his crow by Jin himself before the latter escaped in the chaos. At least he's okay, though. Jin should've made contact a while ago if he was. Eh, probably not ever since I tipped him off on the CIA keeping an eye on me. I don't need to give them any more ammunition to fire. The entire tournament was madness, in all honesty.

Meeting Julia, who was adopted by Michelle for starters. I don't think Michelle put together that I'm over 400 years old yet since Julia said her description of me was 100% accurate. Reuniting with Jin after not seeing him in four years was another. Jun told him that if anything were to happen to her, he should go to Heihachi or me. He came to me first, and I told him to be cautious if he goes to Heihachi. I may not be his father, but the very least I could do was make sure he doesn't die young.

We both had the same goal in mind: to destroy Ogre. While he did it because it killed Jun, I had reservations because it was the right thing to do. He indeed grew in the four years that passed. Jin still remembers Jun fondly and even goes as far as to say that her spirit's watching over him. Well, I guess that makes two of us that have a ghost from our past keep watch over us.

However, the most surreal event during the whole ordeal was Anna.

I swear Anna's ghost has been watching me throughout my run as I progressed. Kim's been saying the same thing while fighting in the tournament until she got to Jin and forfeited since we all shared the same goal. But for me, I bet there were times at my forest home where Anna was right behind me within an arm's length. Yet, I turn around and see no one there. It wouldn't bother me much, but she looked exactly the same the last time I saw her when I analyzed her face.

Nineteen years ago.

Everything seemed to wrap up nicely for the most part. Kim and I will meet up tomorrow to talk about what we'll do next as I look at the clock. Seven Forty-Five at night, still relatively young. Maybe I should go out for a walk or something.

*KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK*

Who could that be? Kim would've called me if she was coming by. Julia went back to America, so it couldn't be her. Maybe it's Jin. Regardless, I walked up to the door.

"I'll be right there."

I reached for the doorknob and turned it before pulling the door to get a view of my visitor. Immediately, I felt something soft clash against my lips. My baser instincts kicked in, taking a whiff of this person's smell. Perfume, one I'm familiar with.

No... No way.

Her tongue invades my mouth as my own melds with hers. If my eyes weren't closed, they'd be crossed with how good it felt to feel these lips again after nineteen long years. But lust, love, and longing eventually gave way to how I should be feeling.

Angry.

I opened my eyes to confirm my suspicions. (Or fears) Slightly dazed blue orbs, her sultry voice moaning in satisfaction. Furrowing my eyebrows, I pushed Anna Williams off of me. She looked genuinely confused.

"Where the hell have you been!?" I quietly seethed my inquiry as she closed the door behind her. "You said you would be a couple of hours, and next thing I know, nineteen years go by!"

"Xan, I can explain-"

"Oh, this oughta be good. How could you do this to me, Anna!? I gave you my trust, and you disappear without a trace!"

"Please, Xan. Calm down so I can explain what happened. Please," she calmly pleaded.

"This can't be happening. There's no way you can be real. You haven't aged a day since I last saw you." I slightly hallucinate before sitting on the couch, Anna joining me.

"Neither have you." Anna stroked my hair. "I thought I looked good, but you still look just as handsome as you did nineteen years ago."

I pushed her hand off of my head, trying to remain angry but failing to do so. "Explain. Now."

"When I went to gather my things from my Zaibatsu locker, Kazuya gave me the whereabouts of Nina."

That immediately caught my attention. Kazuya and I fought a vicious and violent battle the last saw each other (Blue Fire Jian level of violence. Kazuya might as well be Xan's worst enemy) to the point where we were both on death's doorstep. If it weren't for Kim and Anna, who brought me to Ida (Shana's granddaughter since she died of old age after the 25 year time skip), I would've died by Heihachi if I were to guess. "She was taken to Dr. Bosconovitch to undergo the Cold Sleep procedure, which would place her under cryogenic sleep for an undisclosed amount of time."

"And you did it with her? Knowing you made a promise to me? What if you never woke up, Anna?"

"I'm sorry, Xan. I... I know I shouldn't have done it, at least not so impulsively. But I thought of how much I would've missed Nina if I didn't do it, only for her to have amnesia when we woke up. Before the freezing put me to sleep, the last thing I thought of... was you. Then, a sharp feeling of regret hit me before I was frozen completely."

"So you spent the past nineteen years in cryogenic sleep because you didn't leave your sister. Even though from what you told Kim and me, she tried to kill you multiple times and was the favorite daughter to your father."

"You wouldn't understand. You don't have any siblings, let alone an older one. Twisted as my family is, it was all I had until I met you and Kim. I guess... I had a small fear that I would push you two away."

"Heh. If anyone was going to push anyone away, it would be me. I suppose I have to believe your story, outlandish as it sounds. Seeing as I'm old enough to be your fifth great grandfather." The anger leftover started boiling over. "But still, that's no excuse for what you did. I should be telling you to get out of my condo for leaving me hopeless for nineteen years!"

"Then why haven't you? You have every right to do so, but you haven't yet." Anna pulled a risky move and intertwined her arm with mine. I slouched and placed my hands over my face before sighing deeply.

"Because I already grew attached to you before you left me. It was so nice to have someone to have and hold without having to compete for her affections or to fear her leaving me that isn't my daughter or my pet dog. Then you left. Almost every single pore in my being screamed, telling me that you were good for nothing and that I wasted my time placing my trust in you, even if you did help save my life," I answered before sitting back up and sinking into the couch. "I've lost enough to last multiple lifetimes, Anna. You not being there for me the past nineteen years hurt me deeply."

Anna closed the distance between us boldly. "I'm truly sorry. The moment I entered the chamber was when I knew I had made a big mistake. But there was some solace in the decision. If you truly were as old as you said, then you would still be here, looking exactly the same as you did back then." She played with one of my bangs. "And I was right. I know I left you alone, and I'm sorry. But I'm back, and I'm not going anywhere. I promise. All I want from you is your forgiveness." Anna reduced the distance between us to almost nonexistence. "Please?"

"Of course, Anna. I forgive you, against my better judgment."

She bit her bottom lip with glazed eyes. Anna gave me another soft but deep kiss that I immediately returned. I took another deep whiff of her aroma as she came on to me, her hands roaming my chest. We broke our kiss and stared longingly at one another.

"I missed you so much, Anna," I break the silence, quickly looking from her lips to her eyes.

"And I missed you, Xan. Now that I'm back in your good graces, how about we do some catching up?" Anna offered as she all but slammed by coat on the floor. "Nineteen years is a long time, you know." She gave me a more lustful kiss, saliva leaving a trail on my chin.

"You read my mind, Anna. Let's go."

I lifted her before taking us to the bedroom where clothes were quickly shed. Anna looks just as amazing as she did nineteen years ago. Safe to say, the Cold Sleep worked its magic.

"You like?"

"I love," I responded before eating away at her sexual stamina by nipping her neck and descending down.

I'm going to enjoy this a lot, and I know she'll feel the same.

Four Hours Later

"Oh, my God," Anna gasped as we finally finished our love-making session. "I forgot how good you were."

"I can say the same about you. That Cold Sleep definitely worked. I forgot that you had that much stamina." I returned her compliment. "I'm more surprised that we didn't wake up Ida."

"She's a heavy sleeper, that's for sure." We turned to each other before sharing a kiss filled with content and passion. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too. And you're done with the assassin business?"

"Yes, I'm done. Nina can have it for all I care. She never cared for me, so I won't care for her. Though if she tries to kill you, I'll murder her."

"Shit, I'll help. I just don't want you to leave me again." I voiced my worries. "I'm sorry I'm being too clingy."

Anna pecked my cheek. "Don't be. You're justified in feeling that way, and it's my fault for just leaving like that." She scooted closer and embraced me. "It makes your forgiveness all the more rewarding."

"Hey, Anna."

"Hmm? What is it, sweetie?"

"There's a lot of empty drawers in here, and I don't have enough clothes to fill it all. S-so if you want..."

Anna gave me another kiss, and I could tell the fatigue was starting to catch up. "I'll go by my house in Ireland and bring some of my clothes over here. I can make a day out of it."

"I can go with you."

"No, you should stay here and relax. You fought hard in the tournament, so you should sleep."

"But I don't want to lose you again." I voiced. She pecked my nose to calm me down. "I promise you, I'm not going anywhere without your knowledge of it again. Abandoning you impulsively for nineteen years was enough." She cuddled against my chest before yawning. "Now go to sleep. You must be tired."

I yawned in response. "So I am. Goodnight, Anna. I love you."

She looked up at me before smiling and kissing my chest. "I love you too. Goodnight, sweetie."

Everything then faded to black.

I had a general idea of the direction but didn't know how to properly weave it. As a result, I may have written Anna out of character but thought I did her justice. Anna suffers from abandonment issues and a very contentious relationship with her own sister - a toxic combination for anyone. In terms of the pairing, I couldn't think of a better way to show how the pair would be like, especially after the time skip from Tekken 2 to 3. Since Xan has trust issues that rival Callie, it would be hard to get back on his good side after Anna left for nineteen years without any explanation. Unless you left that good impression on him like she did during the Tekken 2 era. That allowed Anna to salvage and save their relationship. Otherwise, Xan would've told her to take a hike. He said it himself.

The second scene will star Rachel from Ninja Gaiden and DOA. It's quickly dawned on me that every woman I'd consider to be Xan's OTP has some tragic backstory. Anyway, Rachel is criminally underrated when compared to her fellow DOA ladies. Though I think she's the best girl in the Ninja Gaiden franchise. Though I wish Team Ninja didn't make her a damsel in Ninja Gaiden and Ninja Gaiden Black, especially how they introduced her. She was cool, calm, collected but caring to those she treasures.

Let's see how she and Xan get along.

Doku. It seemed he knew me from the past while still a human. No wonder he knew my various styles of swordsmanship so well. Yet, Doku wasn't familiar with the simplicity of my Blue Fire Jian Style. He couldn't comprehend how little there was to the style, that it just pushed basic kendo to its limit. Then he would have had a better chance. From what I can tell from battling Zedonius, Greater Fiends tend to underestimate humankind. Not to the detriment of Doku. How would he know that I had complete dominion over fire?

The seal had taken full effect. Doku was gone for good and sent back to hell where he belonged, leaving only his Tachi behind. Spawning the scabbard of the Blue Fire Jian, I sheathed it before moving to pick the blade up. Until a familiar voice halted me.

"Don't pick it up!" Rachel's powerful voice caused me to stop.

I looked to my left and saw the fiend hunter herself, recovered from her battle with Gamov. I rubbed her spine to welcome her back as the last time we spoke, the conversation went deeper and personal than either of us had intended.

Three Days ago:

"Muramasa-san, it's good to see you again," I greeted the old blacksmith.

"Oh, if it isn't the Edgemaster himself. Good to see you as well." He responded in kind while scanning my person. "Hmm, did you lose your Jian?"

"No, I have it."

"Where is it? I can't see it."

"Maybe your age is finally catching up to you, Muramasa-san," I joked lightly.

He laughed. "I don't think so if you're as old as you say."

Holding out an open palm, I spawned the Jian as a shroud of Blue Flames surrounded my hand. A second later, the sword in its scabbard appeared. I placed it on the table where Muramasa had his hands.

"Oh, so that's what Ryu meant when he said that your Jian isn't a weapon. It's just your Blue Fire in weaponized form." He quickly examined it and gave the scabbard a detailed examination, removing the blade from its sheath. "May I?"

"By all means. Having the legendary blacksmith examine any of my weapons is a massive honor."

He eyed my other weapon, the O-Katana slung on my back. "If you don't mind, I would like to appraise that Katana on your back as well." He unsheathed the Jian, a powerful sound ringing throughout the store when the blade left the scabbard, causing the blacksmith to wince. "It's very light even for Jian standards. Seeing as it's just a weaponized element, making sense since fire is also weightless. The element is Blue Fire, right?"

I nodded.

"Ah, a scarce element indeed that complements its very complex design with the tassels at the handle edge alongside the blue handle itself. And the blade, while silver, has a faint blue glow. Even the scabbard that holds it is of a remarkable design. A fitting weapon for a warrior such as yourself." Muramasa places the weapon back in its scabbard before handing it to me.

"Thank you, Muramasa-san." I made the Blue Fire Jian disappear. "I take it that you wish to see my O-Katana now?"

"If you have the time, Xan. I don't want to rush you if you have places to be."

"Nonsense. You've wanted to appraise it for a while now. It's only fair I let you do it before I go since who knows how long it'll be until I come back here."

I took the scabbard off my back and placed it on the table, much as I did with the Jian. Muramasa picked up the sheath, and as he unsheathed it, I could see his eyes bulge. He took the entire blade out and looked as though he had found the love of his life. I had a guess on what his first compliment was.

"Damascus Steel? Formed by the original smithing method! Where did you get this?"

"I made it," I bluntly answered.

"You didn't tell me you were a smith yourself. This is remarkable craftsmanship. Where did you find the materials?"

"That's a secret. It took a very long time, and I never attempted it again since I wasted so many materials to get that one in as perfect a form as I could. Then I adopted Kim, and that was that."

Muramasa was about to say something else, but the door behind us opened. We both turned to see who it was... Rachel. She was battered and bruised. I quickly moved to catch her before fatigue took complete hold of her as she fell. Her giant war hammer was gripped in her right hand.

"Rachel! Hey, what happened to you?" I asked while surveying her curvaceous body for any more injuries.

"Gamov... captured me. I... escaped and killed him. I feel... faint." She then passed out.

"Rachel. Rachel!"

It was no use. She was out. "I need to get her to my place. I have medical equipment there. We'll catch up later, Muramasa-san."

"But what about your katana?"

"Keep it until I come back," I said before heading to my place.

Rachel's War Hammer made carrying her almost impossible since it weighs a ton. But after slogging the streets of Tokyo and ignoring the gazing eyes, I finally made it to the condo. I set her down gently on the couch. Ida barked to greet me.

"Hello, Ida. You mind healing her for me?"

Ida barked in compliance before summoning a healing spell on Rachel, which eased her while she slept.

"Thank you, Ida. I'll make sure to put a treat in your bowl before I go to sleep."

She barked once more before going back to her hut. Grabbing some ice and bagging it, I immediately start treating the bruises. Even in her sleep, Rachel winced from the cold contact. Working through that, I continued treating the bruises as they all shrunk considerably as time passed.

Content with my treatment, I gave Ida her treat but heard a shuffling noise while moving to the kitchen. I turned around to see Rachel sitting up. Quickly feeding Ida her treat for helping, I eased Rachel back into the couch.

"Hey, relax. You passed out from fatigue," I spoke calmly with my palm on her chest. Not resisting, giving me a conflicted stare, she laid back down. "I admire your work ethic, Rachel, but you'll kill yourself if you keep up at this rate."

"You, of all people, are not talking to me about calming down. You slay demons and fiends like it was going out of style."

My gaze intensified. "But you also have to keep in mind that I've been slaying demons longer than you, Ryu, and Muramasa-san have all been alive. I can afford to be restless because I am, in a sense. But you, while extremely talented and well versed in fiend hunting, are still just a human and have your limits." I shut her down. "I will not let another ally and friend die on me."

"But, I need to slay Alma," she complained while trying to sit up again.

Again, I lay her down with furrowed eyebrows. "Alright, it's time for you to come clean, considering this is the second time I done saved your ass. Who the hell is Alma? And why are you so fixated on killing her?" I inquire with furrowed eyebrows.

"Alma... Is my younger twin sister."

"What?"

"We are both half-fiends, cursed through our blood. Alma succumbed to its influence and became a Greater Fiend. I resisted, and the curse stopped attempting to corrupt me, giving me my powers. I need to slay Alma to atone."

"The only thing you'll be slaying is sleep because you desperately need it," I countered, noticing the bags under her eyes. "Hold on, I'll get you some water."

I went back to the kitchen to pour her some water.

"You carried me here?" Rachel asked, some energy returning in her voice.

"I did, though your War Hammer didn't make it easy. That thing must weigh a ton or two. I've never lifted something that heavy before."

She chuckled at the thought, most likely. "That's because there's a seal on it. Only those with fiend's blood can lift it with ease."

I sat back down and handed her the glass, which Rachel drank swiftly. I noticed a cut on her abdomen. Not deep, but best not to let it get infected.

"There's a cut on your stomach. Gimme a sec. I'll rub some ointment on it." I left to get the medicine.

"How do you have all this medicine?"

"A friend of mine runs a medicine store in Hong Kong. He supplied me with them since he knows I do dangerous things like slay demons for a living. Alright, it's going to sting a little so brace yourself."

I started applying the ointment to the wound, and as expected, the sting caused Rachel to wince again. She quickly got used to the feeling.

"Mmmmm, it feels good. Keep rubbing me."She said in a sultry tone, placing her hand on my wrist as I rubbed deeper.

The next thing I knew, my hand was moving up her body, thanks to her influence. Her other hand removed the cloth I was using to treat her cut. Not beating around the bush anymore, Rachel took my hand and firmly planted it on her above-average-sized breast. She groaned loudly while biting her red lips, a lustful stare in her eyes. I couldn't take my hand off of her breast, kneading it without regret.

Suddenly, Rachel was on me with a kiss holding lustful and malicious intent. My eyes widened as our bodies merged during the deepening kiss. Moans escaped her as she intertwined our hands and placed them above me. She then separated, gasping for air as her face was right in front of mine.

"Hey, Rachel. I'm flattered, but I think you should mull something like that over." I broke the silence.

"I don't think I need to," she said confidently. "I want you, Xan. Can it be any clearer?"

"No, I don't think you can be. Like I said, I'm flattered. However, I just want you to make sure you don't mistake or misconceive your feelings. Give it a few days; let the feelings simmer a bit before you make a decision like that. For all we know, you could be doing this because I saved you twice."

Rachel gave me a confused look but reluctantly got off of me. "If that's what you want."

"I'm sure, Rachel. Besides, neither of us may be alive tomorrow with our professions. Another sunrise may not be guaranteed."

"That may be so, but we thrive living in the moment. I appreciate that you're giving me time to think about that. I assure you that I don't need it."

"Still, I'm giving it to you. Plus, you need time for your wounds to heal before you get back out there. So, until your wounds are closed completely, you can stay here. My room is that way, and you can help yourself to any food and drink. Just make sure you feed Ida when she's hungry. I have to get my sword from Muramasa before he decides to keep it permanently."

I stood and blew a kiss at her. "See you later, Rachel."

Present:

"Good to see you up and about, Rachel." I welcomed. "What's the deal with Doku's sword?"

"It's cursed. If a Greater Fiend used a weapon, there would always be a curse on it. It should be purified before being used," she clarified.

I pulled out a purifying talisman and placed it on the sword. It glowed a strong white that temporarily blinded us. When we could see, the amulet was gone. The sword looked 'cleaner' for lack of a better term. Now that it was purified, I picked up the Kitetsu and its scabbard before placing it inside and slinging it on my back. I put my Jian away, freeing my hands up.

Taking the opportunity, Rachel interlocked her right hand with my left. I glanced down at our hands and looked back up at Rachel as she gave me a loving kiss. Her moans echoed throughout the street as she let my hand go to cup my face. Doubling down on her decision, I closed my eyes and welcomed her plump lips. I then felt her arms wrap around my neck, her moans growing husky as the kiss deepened.

We finally separated as Rachel's hands had a firm grip on my undershirt, her breaths heavy. "Take me home, Xan. Now."

She licked my cheek then kissed the same spot. Before I could respond, Rachel pulled me in the direction of my condo. When we made it to my door, she turned around and gave me a final kiss before saying the words that solidified our coupling.

"You're mine now after earning my heart. Now... take my body," Rachel rasped as she opened the door and dragged me inside.

While there was some conflict between Rachel and Xan, there definitely wasn't as much between him and Anna. The pair knew what they wanted, but the circumstance allowed some doubt to slither its way in. Hence why Xan gave her time to think about it. Plus, they have already befriended one another off-screen as Xan mentioned he had already saved her from a predicament like the one you all saw. Rachel's strong will could only take so much kindness before her feelings of longing took over though. Xan giving her time to think it over only intensified her feelings, which would most likely happen if I were to pull the trigger on the pairing.

Lastly, Lady from DMC is the best DMC girl bar none. I will not hear any other debate. However, it's rare for anyone to see her in a time of peace with no demons to slay. So, how would she act primarily in a romantic context?

Let's find out how with a simple confession scene.

I didn't think I'd be in front of Devil May Cry's doors so soon after the whole Qliphoth incident. Yet here I am back in town. Did Dante and Vergil get out of the Underworld already? Guess I'm going to find out soon. I opened the door and entered the establishment. Inside were Morrison, Trish, and Lady. The latter two were eating pizza as the former noticed my arrival.

"Xan, my man! Good to see you made it," Morrison greeted me.

I walked in further. "Morrison, good to see you're still about." I looked around and noticed the lights on. "I'm surprised the lights are still on. Dante didn't pay the light bill."

Morrison knew already, as the ladies both had shocked expressions. "So you knew too. I had a feelin' Dante would tell you, unlike those crazy bitches over there."

"Well, what do you want me to do?"

He handed me a piece of paper. "Until Dante comes back, I'm placing you in charge of Devil May Cry."

"What?" Everyone else said at the same time.

"Whoa, Morrison. Why not give it to Trish or Lady? Hell, isn't Nero somewhere? Give it to him. The last thing I want is to have Dante's debt slammed on me because it'll take decades to get it off." Morrison smiled as if he had thought about that before. "You have a contingency plan, don't you?"

"Yup. Since you proved to everyone that you are old as hell, on top of being a better Demon Hunter than Trish and Lady," he boldly claimed.

That pissed both ladies off. "Excuse you, Morrison? Xan is great, but he isn't better than Lady or me. Right, Lady?" Trish voiced.

"I find that hard to believe, Trish. Who was it that saved your white ass?" Trish looked deflated since I saved her when she was powering the Cavaliere Angelo. "That's what I thought. And you, Lady. Got any problems with my decision?"

Uncharacteristically, Lady shook her head with humility. "No, I know how good Xan is firsthand. If Dante vouched for him, he's definitely better at it than I am."

"And that's that. I'm not sayin' you gotta do it alone, but I trust you to get paid and not waste it all on gambling. That way, when you give it back to Dante, he can actually get paid and keep the money." He shoved the deed to the place in my free hand. "I'll be back tomorrow with your first contract. If you're gonna get some help, I'd do it now."

Morrison moved for the door. Guess I gotta call Kim and tell her to come to the shop. Hopefully, she isn't busy tonight or tomorrow. Adding to my annoyance, the lights finally went out.

"Man, this is going to stink."

"I'll call the light, water, and electric companies. Tell'em that Devil May Cry is under new management. I'll keep in touch, Xan. Later," Morrison said, leaving Devil May Cry.

Taking out my lantern, I immolated the wick with blue fire to better view my surroundings.

Trish walked into my line of sight, the blue flames lighting her face up. "I'm going to head out. I got my own place to crash. Let me know if you need some extra hands for your next job, Xan. I'd be down to party with you," Trish said as she exited the building.

"I'll keep that in mind. Take it easy, Trish." I said goodbye to the demoness.

A few moments later, the power comes back on. "Jeez, Morrison works fast." I blew out the flame in my lantern before rehooking it. "What about you, Lady? You're gonna hi-tail it too?"

"I mean, I could. But I won't say no if you wanted me to stay," she answered bluntly.

"Huh, I wasn't expecting that answer from you. I thought you liked working alone. I plan on making a call to someone who also hunts demons to see if she can swing by and lend me a hand here."

"Oh," Lady said, slightly disappointed. "Is she like your girlfriend or something?"

There was a hint of jealousy in her tone as I shuddered at the thought. "Absolutely not. She's my daughter Kimura, or Kim as she prefers."

"Oh, okay. I look forward to meeting her." She said with renewed confidence. "You mind if I stay here?"

"Not at all. There should be more than enough beds where we won't have to share. If you want, you can turn in since it is getting pretty late."

"No, I'm not tired yet," Lady said bluntly. A silence took the foyer for a moment. "Uhm, I never got to thank you."

I shot my head up. "Thank me? For what?"

"For comforting me after I killed father." She blushed. "It was a heavy moment, and I needed someone to confide in."

I remembered that moment, though it happened at least two and a half decades ago.

Twenty-Three Years Ago. The top of the Temen-Ni-Gru:

Opening the door outside, I found myself viewing a windy path that twisted to the top of the tower. Seeing no other way, I started walking up with my Jian ready in case a demon wanted to try and test me. I fought off legions of them on my way up, so what's a few more? But halfway up the path, I heard gunshots.

*BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *CLICK* *CLICK*

I stopped after the first one. Who could that possibly be? My eyes widened as I started thinking the worst.

"Lady?" I called out before running up the path.

The trek felt endless after hearing those gunshots. When I finally reached the top of the image, what I had in mind was shattered. Lady was on the floor, empty gun in hand... Arkham's dead body on the ground in front of her.

"Lady?" I spoke while putting my Jian away.

I carefully approached and noticed she was crying, borderline bawling her eyes out.

"Oh, my God," I said silently.

She somehow heard me and began speaking. "I'm a mess, huh? *sniff* I thought I wasn't going to cry. The tears just... started and didn't stop."

I placed a hand on Lady's shoulder and helped her stand. She then hugged me before weeping into my shirt. Letting her do so, I confided in her by returning the hug. I looked over her and saw her father's dead corpse. The scene was unsettling to me, so I can only imagine how she's feeling right now.

"C'mon, Lady. We should go."

She looked up at me. "Wha?"

"We need to go. Being here is only making it worse for you." I

Looking back at her father once more, Lady nodded. "O... okay."

I grabbed her hand, Lady jumping slightly from the motion. I led her all the way down to ground level. She didn't resist or say anything on the way down. Whenever I peek to make sure Lady's still there, she just stared at me like she was lost. Reaching the bottom, she held onto my hand after my grip loosened.

Those couple of days were undoubtedly out of the ordinary even for me. I'm glad that was past us.

Present:

"Don't worry, Lady. It was the right thing to do. As someone who's been through his fair share of mental wars, it isn't something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy," I said before thinking about that. "Well, I'd consider it. The point is, you're welcome. I remember when you held my hand and didn't let go until we got to the bottom. Even then, you still held on for a bit longer." I recollected fondly with a light chuckle.

Lady blushed from the memory then pouted. "Sh... shut up. I felt comfortable holding your hand. That's why I held on to it for longer than normal."

"Sure, Lady. And when you asked about Kim, I noticed a bit of jealousy in your voice when you thought we were dating. Is there something you want to tell me?"

Her face became conflicted, like when I helped her out of the Temen-ni-Gru. "Uh... Sure I do, actually. I... I want to have a bigger part in your life. And I've wanted that for a long time. But you rarely come by the place, so I either never run into you, or I don't have enough time to tell you that."

"Really, Lady? You could've just reached out to me. Or asked Dante or Morrison about my location."

"And have to answer questions I'd rather not answer? No thanks. But now that you're going to be running Devil May Cry in place of Dante, now is a perfect time. I've never been intimate with anyone before, so... I wouldn't know what to do."

"Oh, it's not much. You just be there for me physically and mentally. I'd do the same for you. And we do things to reaffirm our mutual commitment."

"So, you'll…. Give me a shot?"

"Of course, Lady. I think you're a wonderful woman. Sure, you have baggage, but so do I, and I can handle it." I intertwined our hands together, and she jumped slightly. "Unless there's something else you want to tell me?"

Lady shook her head immediately.

"Good."

I stared into her blue and red eyes, finding myself entranced by them. Her soft pink lips were so inviting, and I found myself subconsciously closing the distance until our lips envelop. I could tell Lady was lost by the act but quickly succumbed and unknowingly returned the kiss. She moaned softly and innocently, wrapping her arm over my neck while incorporating her tongue in this slow but passionate makeout session. Not a single word was spoken before in between kisses; she took her jacket off as it dropped the floor.

Finally, we separated with Lady out of breath, clutching my shirt embracing me. "My God, what was that? Why did it feel so good?"

"You never received a kiss before?"

"Not until now. That's what that was? I... I want to..."

Lady didn't even finish before giving me an even hungrier kiss than before. Her arms found their way in my sleeves, and she got my jacket off before cupping my face. She unknowingly pushed me on the table edge, completely hugging me while her soft lips were on top of mine.

"Um... can calling your daughter wait? I finally got you to myself, and I finally have your answer. I just want to catch up for the lost time."

"Don't worry, Lady. Kim won't know anything until then." I kissed her cheek. "Let's go upstairs to the bedroom."

I offered her my hand like I did all those years ago. Sealing her fate, Lady took my hand as I led her up the stairs.

A/N: A little shorter than the other two, but I don't think much had to be done for this scene.

Out of the three, Lady is the most ordinary scene out of the three and therefore was the easiest. This set was harder than the rest. I know Xan well, but since he's my first OC and protagonist, I never made him with anyone in mind romantically. The three women I used were so severely underutilized, I was traversing through the dark with every scene. This is when my initial goal of giving more underused characters the spotlight works as a detriment and benefit. I may not have enough to go off on, so I have to make educated decisions. Doing it wrong may cause me to write the characters in question out of their personality, depending on the context. My editor thinks I did a good job with what I had, and I hope you all did too. Now, I have a couple of more A-B-C Challenges to write.

Later!