#both vergil and nero might have A Reaction to seeing dante have something...so simple

[prototypelq]

The reason I am so ensnared by the idea of Patty interacting with Dante AND the entire DMC cast is that she is, pretty much, the only normal person out here. Dante and Patty's relationship (found family or just friendly, I hunt down shippers for sport) is the most normal relationship, which is also quite important to him. And he has never had that.

Dante's relationship with literally any other character is rooted in very bad, no good, terrible history which neither of them want to talk about ever again. Those relationships are full of landmines, which they need to avoid. Dante&Patty don't have that, there is no big blacklist of topics between them, they can just vibe together without this additional weight of History TM between them. This normality, is in itself, abnormal in DMC and for Dante especially. He needs that, and honestly, every character in this series is mentally deranged in some way, they all need that. But I also think exposing them to this little island of almost-normal will hurt them initially...(this can vary a lot depending on the circumstances, look for reblog for additional thoughts).

This doesn't make other relationships Dante has with characters less, nor does it make Dante&Patty's relationship more important than others. I just wanted to point out how heavily this (1) normal relationship heavily contrasts with everything else this series has, and can have a little earthquake effect of this house build of cards. More importantly, I wanted to highlight how Interesting it would be to compare it with others, and it would be fascinating to see other character's reacting to it.

[firebirdsdaughter]

Small things that kill me…

… The look on Vergil’s face when Nero gives the ‘Dante’s not going to die up here and neither are you’ speech.

Honestly… Just all of his interactions w/ Nero in that scene.

Vergil’s a fucking dumbass who has no clue how to person at this point, he’s a complete wreck who may or may not have known he had a kid before the whole incident w/ Mundus, but now he’s even less equipped to deal w/ it, he has precious little if any practice not being at the least indifferent at the most hostile…

I think one of Vergil’s big issues is indifference, to the consequences for his actions, especially for others, for what others think, for himself in many ways… While V did develop a bit, enough to realise splitting himself in half caused massive, destructive consequences for countless people. Sure, maybe he couldn’t have predicted (which I don’t think he did) that Urizen would go that bonkers, but setting half a demon loose on the world would generally be a bad idea, to say nothing of ripping someone’s arm off in order to do so (the extreme indifference again, causing him to be unable to properly ask for help—I don’t think he enjoyed or ‘wanted’ to ‘hurt’ Nero, but the consequences never crossed his mind; to him, it was just something he had to do to survive, that was all that mattered). And that’s all a result of what he went through ever since the attack—I have this whole ramble about how I think his and Dante’s fighting styles reflect the (both unhealthy in their own way) way in which they reacted to that traumatic event—but bc he’s been fending for himself since eight, w/ only the Yamato on hand, he’s downright dangerously/extremely self sufficient/obsessed with being completely self reliant. Like the Phantom of the Opera’s ‘the world showed no compassion to me’ except really. His entire life was just about getting through the day, he had it drilled into him by experience that he could only truly trust himself, that he needed to be able to do things entirely on his own—to the point that even after being ripped apart, pretty much literally, by Mundus, he still can’t ask for help. It is a result of his trauma, but it means he has very limited skill in thinking of other people. Like, if we get a future game w/ him as one of the protags, I feel like that would be something he’d absolutely struggle w/, being more aware of others. That it would take him twice as long to react/do things that might take others like Dante or Nero a moment bc he has to actively make himself think about others, forcibly train himself to do that.

Anyway, I’m going off topic. My thought is… Vergil’s definitely not, at first glance, or even second glance, or third, parent material. I love the character, he’s a walking disaster. He’s no good at thinking of others, and is indifferent to what others think of him. I think he still loved Dante in his own, very damaged way, but he’d rallied himself against that feeling for so long, considered it weakness and shut it out, that he likely won’t be able to express it in any understandable way for a long time. And on the inverse, he can’t conceive of, for instance, Dante actually caring about him—like… He doesn’t think he matters to anyone either, puts no emotional value in himself. If that makes any sense? Like… Even when he does encounter compassion, he rejects and suspects it… Dante is a weird case, but I do see Vergil not understanding that he matters to anyone. He’s indifferent to everyone, including himself, and he doesn’t expect any more care or affection from others than he shows—like he’s not one of those jerks who expects people to like him despite being a jerk, he’s just largely given up on relationships (he either thinks they only bring pain, or that, like his softer feelings for Dante, they are weakness).

And I think he went up there to die. Pride and stubbornness prevented him from surrendering, but he had at least some idea of the enormity of the consequences of his actions. At the least, he knew he’d majorly fucked up and caused a lot of pain. I think his intentions were similar to that of Griffon and crew—face Dante one last time, fight all out bc his own pride wouldn’t let him do any less, and leave it up to fate. I don’t think he expected to kill Dante, just that he couldn’t not fight his hardest, out of respect and bc it was his nature. But he had no illusions over his probability of survival. The only reason he did throw the sheath away this time was that it wasn’t a ‘suicidal blaze of glory’ like I think fighting Mundus might’ve been, but more of a trial by combat, to him. Dante, meanwhile, was just assuming/accepting that he was going to have to take his brother out again, and he likely wasn’t planning on ever coming back from that, either (which I don’t think Vergil realised), either by dying in the fight, too, or going into hell on his own.

But then Nero shows up. Now I think V and therefore Vergil were at least aware that Nero and Dante mattered to each other, bc Dante’s the kind and caring one and Nero’s a good kid. Like, I’m sure he was aware of that.

I don’t think he’s surprised Nero interrupted (that form probably was unexpected, but Nero objecting in general or trying to rejoin the fighting wasn’t completely unthinkable) or that Nero was defending Dante.

I think what catches him off guard is the ‘and neither are you.’

He ripped Nero’s arm off and then knowingly deceived him as V, and on top of that, turns out Nero is his son who he pretty much abandoned (like we don’t know the details of when and why Vergil left, or if he knew, but the fact is, he made choices that resulted in him not being there for Nero). And that’s to say nothing of all the hell Urizen caused. Basically, a list of things that would generally result in Nero falling into the same category as everyone else—another burned bridge, another person who hates him, and Vergil is quick to close doors. He expects no consideration from Nero, no more than he’s shown, and V was aware they had horribly hurt Nero (esp since V was weaponising Nero’s issues surrounding that).

But instead of just completely writing Vergil off like Vergil expects, Nero extends this declaration of ‘not dying’ to him as well. Sure, Vergil immediately tries to throw up the usual prideful walls what w/ that ‘if I beat Nero I win by default’ stuff, but then he later tries to get Nero to stand down rather than continuing the fight, saying it has nothing to do w/ him [Nero], and then his reaction to Nero’s ‘it has everything to do w/ me’… He just doesn’t know how to react to Nero? He expects one thing, but Nero just keeps defying his assumptions (which takes some mighty powerful heart and compassion on Nero’s part bc while I do see Vergil as incredibly tragic and don’t think he’s fully ‘responsible’ for Urizen’s actions, Nero doesn’t have a lot of that info, but he’s making the decision that this is fucked up and no family of his is going to kill each other—so anyway while I do love me the angsty drama dads, let me just say I love Nero, too).

It’s with Nero that bits of his awkward, ‘tsundere’ side come out, ever so slightly. He and Dante have trapped themselves in a pattern, Dante bc he’s Tired and has just resigned himself to the necessity of it an wants to get it over w/ and Vergil bc at his core he’s afraid to try anything else bc he sees it as weakness. But I said this before, I think Nero being his son and Nero being… How Nero is, all heart and and good and warm and compassionate, to the point that he’s defying not just the ‘inevitability’ of Vergil and Dante being at odds, but literally fighting to save him, after all he’s done… I think that meant something.

Obviously, it’s not going to be simple or easy, and I do think that, now that he’s been given hope that he can get through to Vergil and not have to kill him (which I think he’d concluded was a sort of mercy kill?), Dante is the best person for Vergil to get used to his emotions etc. w/ bc they have that deep understanding of each other and what happened, esp now, but… I love how Nero cracked his shell there? Like… He’s not really prepared for it, but I think I can see Vergil wanting to at least try to be some kind of parental, esp after he’d recovered a bit more? And I do think he’d also respect if Nero ultimately told him to get lost (although I can seem him, like, watching from afar or something), even now, bc again w/ the whole I think he has no expectations of what others think of him, but… I do see him wanting (and maybe having trouble accepting that he wants it, at first) to be part of Nero’s life in some way? Esp in a vein of… Wanting to preserve Nero’s ‘goodness’ for lack of a deeper word? Bc I can see a slightly more recovered post dmc5 Vergil not wanting his son to fall down the same holes he did. Like, they’ve all gone through trauma, and lost people, but Vergil is now very aware that he ended up hurting and even killing people and very nearly destroying himself and going absolute monster, to the point his twin brother, who understood him on another level, in their own way, resigned to having to kill him to stop it (I genuinely think for all his talk, Dante did see it as a bit of a mercy kill, the only way he could preserve the last shreds of the brother he loved and keep Vergil from actually going Full Urizen [V even existing means that Vergil wasn’t completely gone, but I think he was on thin ice]). Dante’s already dragged into this by the very same events that placed him there, but Nero has a chance not to be, which I think was part of his ‘this has nothing to do w/ you’ thing, and I totally see Vergil following that sentiment and wanting to keep Nero from ever turning out like him. 

Vergil’s probably never going to be ‘nice’ or very good at empathy or things like that. It may forever take him more willpower to think about others. He may need to start small (like just Nero and/or Dante). He’ll probably still be insensitive for years to come. He’ll never be able to be as easily open and compassionate as Nero and Dante. And he knows he can’t change the past, can’t undo the Arkham incident, or what he did to Nero, or the fact that his stubbornness, pride, inability to ask for help, obsessive habits, and indifference/inconsideration for consequences had calamitous results. He’s not magically good or saved bc he has a kid, but I think even just knowing about and seeing Nero act the way he did resonated w/ something he thought he’d lost a long time ago. Nero and V’s interactions have a whole new light for him now. I absolutely think if Dante’s willing the twins should stick together bc they balance each other, Dante can watch him, won’t take his shit, and wants to help him be better, but… I think even if that didn’t happen… There’s a chance just knowing Nero exists and is so… Good could enough of a catalyst for Vergil to find a different way to live, even on his own. Like there’s a sense of pride? Not in the vein of taking responsibility for Nero turning out as good as he did, but, like, in the way people sometimes say ‘I’m sorry’ like ‘I’m sorry that you are sad’ as in ‘I am expressing sympathy for your sadness.’ Pride that Nero has achieved this, and is strong in his own right. If that makes sense.

He will always be rather an asshole. But, esp if he has some support for his issues and someone watching him… He can do better. Like… Do better. He’ll always be stiffer and pricklier than everyone else, he’ll probably be more pragmatic, think more w/ logic than w/ heart. Emotions and empathy and compassion will always be hard.

But those interactions (and, honestly, that whole ending, even more honestly, the themes of  the whole game), def gave me the impression that he could absolutely do better.

… I just went on a total stream of consciousness ramble, so, uh, virtual treat of your choice if you read all that.

[tsukuna]

Chapters: 5/?                                         NEW CHAPTER POSTED

“Ahehehe,” Griffon cackled, “Jus’ look at all ‘em roots sucking up all that blood willy nilly!” He continued to babble about how funny the roots were, as expected. You tuned back in after he said, “Ya know, I’ve been thinking…” Both you and V tilted your heads. “Shouldn’t we have helped the humans run away first? Right now they’re just sitting ducks for the Qliphoth’s roots.”

“What’s the point? No one would have believed me anyways.” Based on how quickly he responded, you assumed V thought about the situation earlier.

You scratched your head with a sigh. “There’s just too many of them. If I come across one who can possibly be saved--” not like the one you just saw “--then I’ll help.”

Griffon nodded to both your responses. “Eh, whatever, not our problem. I’m sure it’ll work out.” You couldn’t help but inwardly chuckle at the comment. It would work itself out... with the solution being the roots devouring and engorging themselves on human blood. “We should focus on that rookie instead. Ya sure he’s gonna come back? Still think we shoulda gone with.”

“Nero will come back.” You were sure of it.

V nodded. “That child’s not the type to simply accept defeat like that.”

“Oh really? Didn’t realize you two knew him that well,” Griffon teased.

“Oh, I understand him very well,” V responded to the bird. “You would know what I’m talking about if you saw the look in his eyes.” 

“Geez, I wonder who he got that from.” Griffon seemed to be insinuating something, but try as you might, you could not figure it out. 

A gurgle and slither erupted from behind. Another smelly demon. Unfortunately, it was something that you would have to get used to for the next month.It was one of the most ugly things you looked at: a bulging, insect-like head, the body of a man, spikes coming out of the back, clawed feet. To top it off, it was holding two handy-dandy, person-sized knives. The demon appeared to be stronger than the Empusas, undoubtedly, but considering they were a let down… you couldn’t imagine these guys were that much. Nothing compared to Urizen, nothing compared to Vergil.

It ran and sliced at V, only to be decapitated the next moment by Shadow. V redirected the blade away from his body, a cocky smile adorning his face while the cat growled at its body. You sidestepped the bubbling fountain of blood that gushed from its headless neck.V, however, did not, opting instead to skewer the demon with his cane. You primarily watched over him during his moments of weakness or while the two of you were resting. Despite being covered head to toe in blood, you recalled one of your initial thoughts about him. He’s really beautiful.

“I don’t understand your expression,” V’s comment pulled you out of your thoughts as he looked over you curiously.

You flushed a little in embarrassment, but decided to be honest anyways. “Ah, I was simply thinking you looked cool and beautiful.” He simply stared at you, so you added, “You smell like shit though.” Smooth. 

He sniffed himself and confirmed it. “Demon blood isn’t the most lovely fragrance.” With a sigh, you took a moment to lean against the balcony and shut your eyes. You heard a quiet conversation happening between V and Griffon, but decided not to wedge yourself into it.

That didn’t stop you from picking up what you could though. You listened to words about Dante, appearance, defeat, answers, but had no definitive answers on how they connected. However, the bits and pieces did bring you back to your dream of Vergil and of Dante. V knew about that past, but if you wanted to pry out pieces of information, you knew you’d have to offer up some pretty substantial facts about who you were. 

“Holy shit!” Your eyes snapped open at the sound of people screaming. It appeared your moment of reprieve was over. After all, you told Griffon that if you were around and could help, you’d at least make the effort. Your attention turned to V, and you were curious about what he was going to do.

“Human? ...Human,” he muttered. You quirked your brow at the words, but jumped over the railing and made your descent. Fighting was easy enough, with or without V; though part of you did hope he’d join and keep you company. How selfish and spoiled have I become? Despite the distance, you landed on your feet comfortably and gracefully, having already summoned a sword as your weapon. A brief glance over the people showed expressions of unhinged horror, eyes red from screaming and crying, face covered in sweat. The dead carried similar expressions, but theirs were unchanging. 

“What the fuck?!” You heard Griffon screech from above and saw V coming down as well. You smirked to yourself. I guess I’m getting what I wanted. “There’s no point!” Griffon insisted to V. “Just let them die!” It was a fair point, you acknowledged as you began slashing at the skeletal demons equipped with scythes. Shadow, Griffon, and V were by your side shortly. Cleaning up the demons (for now) would be a quick task. “Didn’t ya say you didn’t want to drain your powers?”

“I just have to do what I can,” he said flatly. “Even if it’s only a fraction of what I could normally do.” 

“Tch. And who’s the one who’s gonna have to pick up and re-glue your pieces?” You complained, but you didn’t truly mind.

V joked, “How could I ever repay you?”

“Let’s stay side by side, hm? That’s payment enough!” You exclaimed between swings of your blade.

“Simple enough.”

--

You and V split off from each other for bouts of time during those next two days, with Griffon typically being the one to find you and bring you to V’s location. It wasn’t always necessary though. Every once in a while a Nightmare would fall from the sky and obliterate everything as it crashed. One of those instances happened a little too close to you and loads of sharp and blunt objects alike assaulted you. You did not let V hear the end of it that day, much to his chagrin. There was a sense of delight that you (and Griffon) took in him apologizing so many times. You finally accepted one of the ‘I’m sorry’s in exchange for him cleaning up the wounds on your face. It wasn’t like you could see them to clean them, though it did make you feel a little shy to have him so delicately touching your face.

By the third day, you two had separated once again in search of food this time. Much of the city was already a.) raided or b.) destroyed. Finding food was no easy task. Only a short time ago, the group of you were eating normal food (albeit it was the cheapest available). Griffon squawked expletives while you and V made plans to cook and eat him one night. Your holy grail had been smashing machines or finding abandoned houses and restaurants. Unfortunately, they were growing farther and fewer. The search left you a great deal of time to introspect (for better or for worse). Your first thoughts wandered to your new companion V. He was generally mysterious, quiet, and level headed. But it was oh so entertaining when that facade dropped. Reveal something about yourself? V would readily offer information of the same importance about himself. Mention poetry? V could talk about it endlessly if there was the time. Griffon spewing random shit? V would get noticeably irate and even give the demonic crow a rap on the head. There were even times where you saw him smile without reservation. Every time he looked at you with that expression, you got fuzzy and warm and you couldn’t help but reciprocate.

Which brought you to your next line of thought, who was he to you and what were you to him. At the very least, you felt him to be your friend--your very first friend, in fact. You had never spent time with anyone but your mother, yet falling into comfort with him was… simple enough. Even physical touch between the two of you never felt threatening. It was the opposite, it made you feel warm. 

V could be fragile at times, and you were fiercely protective of him. While you didn’t voice the concern (it’d surely make him feel inept), you were hesitant to let him split from you. You wanted to always be with him and keep him safe. Your eyes wandered to your ring of blue opal and dark metal. It was your most precious treasure and your curse. Much of your energy was imbued within it, and a decent chunk of that energy was being transferred to V whose body just couldn’t seem to heal itself. Should I bestow it to him?

It was a sure way to make sure he didn’t crumble to pieces while you were apart. But if something were to happen to it, if it were to break… you were dead. You shook away the thought, you knew you could trust V. Especially if you explained the why’s and the how’s of it. You were certain he wouldn’t hurt or betray you, and you knew V was confident in you doing the same. You had a feeling he had also never had someone to call a friend, but you hoped he was willing to call you one. Surprisingly, you pouted and shook your head at the thought. 

It was at that moment that you realized that perhaps you had a bit of a crush. You had never had one, so perhaps you were wrong, but the ache in your chest made you doubtful. From the moment you saw V, you thought he was cute--wavy black hair, tattoos, and an aloof expression. 

His deep green eyes were another feature you could stare at. Ah shit, I think he’s hot. Despite being alone, your face flushed as you understood that you liked him. Or as a child would say, like-like him. 

But was it reciprocated? The answer to that question was uncertain. Unlike your physical reactions, V didn’t appear to ever be flustered by you; however, he didn’t mind you touching him or being close at night. But was that just him thinking it was a means for survival? Regardless of his feelings, you had to debate whether or not to share your own. You were both grown adults, and you were sure you could take rejection. And so it appeared there was nothing to lose. Perhaps you could test the waters first by giving him the ring. It was all such a mundane, human experience.

You groaned dramatically. “This fucking sucks, man,” you complained despite there being no one around on your search. Not even a demon lurked about, strangely enough. What was even more unfortunate was the lack of any sustenance in the entire area you were assigned to search. Hopefully V and Griffon had more luck. It would be incredibly lame to die to starvation instead of fighting. As if they knew your search was over, you felt the tremors of Nightmare crashing somewhere in the city, and the plume of dust and debris indicated where they would be. It was time to reunite, and so you pushed away any childish, lovey-dovey thoughts to the back of your mind to be discussed later. 

Luckily, you had divine-like stamina, so it wasn't too long or hard of a sprint to make it to them. The location appeared to be a now destroyed grocery store with a mass of demon carcasses lying around. "Uh, what happened here?"

"V here smashed the whole fucking store to get rid of the demons! And all the food with them! There's nothing here! Nada! Zilch! None!" Griffon appeared to be pissed to say the least. "All that's left to eat is these demons!"

You grimaced at the thought. "That's all there is," you asked, hoping it was a mere jest on Griffon's part. 

"Sadly," V turned around, blood smeared on his mouth. Your lips stretched into a frown. 

"I already warned V that he may get the shits!"

After a moment of silence, you sighed. "If this is all there is, this is all there is." Your eyes locked onto the biggest body. "How do we plan to transport this? Cause I am not willing to stay here, and I'll drag you away from it too if I must." 

"Hah," V let out a brief laugh, reminding you of your previous thoughts. Ugh. "I was thinking we would all work together--you and I, Shadow, and Griffon." 

You began to pick up a squishy, bloody demon's body. "Let's get a move on then."

"I still think you guys are gross, just so you know," the demon pointed out. 

"Thanks Griff, I appreciate your kindness and concern," you rolled your eyes. 

The group embarked on a new adventure--finding somewhere closer to sleep for the night. On the way, Griffon informed you that V saved a mother and child trapped in the store. The man seemed displeased about being outed but you just smiled. It was sweet and you wondered why he did so  was it simply convenient, or did he care? You sniffed around before pulling V by the hand. "There's no demons right nearby." It was a secluded courtyard with a fountain in the middle. For now, it was safe, but you pulled out sheets of paper and began to scrawl on them in case. You knew V was looking at you inquisitively. "They're wards," you explained. "They won't forever, but they will for the night and morning at least." He nodded in gratitude. "How about we have Shadow butcher these bodies outside of the little area though? Can you do that girlie," you scratched her behind the ears, and as she took bodies outside the area, you were sure she understood. 

"We could try cooking them," V offered. "I doubt that that would make them any worse."

"Let's do it," you agreed. "Think you can start gathering sticks while I put these up?" You motioned to the sheets of paper. 

"Of course," he got up and began searching while you slapped wards around each pillar. You wished you would be able to enjoy the nicer  change of venue, but it was hard to do so when you remembered the food that awaited you. And those pesky feelings. But you were a big girl, and the show must go on. 

In a short period of time, sticks were gathered, Griffon created fire by shocking them, Shadow returned with pieces of the meat, and it was cooking (and emitting an off-putting smell). You and V stabbed sticks through them once they were done and took a bite.

“So how’s the roasted meat?” Griffon asked, flapping around. 

“Absolutely vile.”

You chimed in in agreement. “I’ve had to survive on some lowly, near inedible things, but holy shit,” you held back the tears that pricked your eyes, “this is the worst thing I have ever eaten.” 

“Ungrateful! Both of you!” The demon pecked your head. “What the hell were you even expecting?!”

“Something similar to fried chicken,” V wished gloomily, which Griffon found to be absolute insanity. You giggled, they were a funny pair. You and V choked down as much meat as you could before tossing the scraps to Shadow. She purred in delight while munching. The crow complained and yelled at Shadow to not eat up all of you and V’s food, eliciting a growl. “You two are causing quite the ruckus.”

“You trying to piss me off?!” 

“No. It’s just,” V paused, “I have a strange feeling.” In the next breath, Griffon dug his talons into V’s shirt and dumped him into the fountain. 

He cackled at V, telling him to wash the stink off and strip down. While V scowled at being dumped suddenly, he appeared to agree with needing a bath.

“Gotta agree with the bird,” you smiled at him. “Just leave your clothes on the edge whenever you’re done, and I’ll help take care of them.” You added with a wink, “Don’t worry, I won’t peak.” 

“Don’t think it matters either way,” V chuckled, and you punched him in the shoulder as he untied his top. You turned around with a smile and blush. The sound of wet clothes plopping next to you happened shortly after. 

“Alrighty gang,” you turned to Shadow and Griffon, “let’s try to dry these up. Especially you,” you pointed at the bird, “Since you soaked them and all.” 

V spoke up from behind, “Just get them dry before my skin gets all wrinkly from the water.”

“Don’t tell me what to do!” Griffon then turned back to the cat, “Wring it out, dammit!”

“Let’s put it over the fire,” you suggested after getting the excess water out. 

You didn’t sit there long before you a “What the fuck!” from Griffon. You turned around to see him pulling V by the arm out of the water. “Hey, hey, hey! The moment I look away you start drowning? Are you a fucking infant?!” You couldn’t help but laugh at the insult. Griffon cooed in baby speech as he brought V his clothes.

“I’d barely call these dry.”

“Sorry,”  you shrugged. “I can only work so hard to clean up the mess of this chatterbox right here.”

“Well, as long as it’s wearable, anything goes,” V spoke softly as you assumed him to be getting dressed.

“If only we had the luxury of a towel.” As V came to sit back down near the fire, a sigh passed from your lips, “I should probably rinse off my clothes and bathe as well,” you started with unraveling your bandages--bloodied by now. The rest of your clothes came off soon after. V kept his gaze forward to give you a bit of privacy; Griffon however pressed you with questions.

“What’s that big ol’ tattoo on your back?” He perched on the stone in front of you.

“It’s a blooming lotus with the light of a full moon above it,” you described. “My mother gave it to me as a child. Said it was of religious importance and it would complete me.”

“Hehhh? What the hell does that mean?” He tilted his head.

“I have theories, but never questioned it. I agreed with whatever to get the rituals and experiments over with,” you mumbled uncomfortably. You placed your foot in the water and shivered, it was cold and you did not relish the thought of immersing your whole body. “But that’s enough free information for now,” you said, finally getting inside the fountain. While the chill wasn’t nice, knowing that you’d be semi-clean afterwards was a comfort. You looked to V quietly reading his book and pondered if this was the moment to admit your feelings. It may be a little less embarrassing for him to not see your expression and for you to not see his, after all. 

Timidly, you took off your ring and moved up right behind him. “Here,” you put it in front of his face.

“Your ring?” He questioned. “Do you need me to hold onto it while you are in the water?” V opened his palm for you to drop the ring in, which you did. “Nope, it’s yours now.” You added, “If you are okay accepting it of course…”

Unexpectedly, he turned his head to look at your face. “Why would you give this to me? Don’t you need it for survival?” His face scrunched, clearly concerned and hesitant.

“Well,” you began, “I trust you with it, and it will help keep you safe when I can’t be there.” V made a strange face you couldn’t discern. “This way, wherever you go, I’ll always be with you,” you smiled.

His green eyes stared at the ring, but he finally closed his hand. “I don’t understand you,” he admitted. “Why do you care to help me so much? You have since you met me. Even amongst all the insanity and information I have omitted, you have stuck by my side. And now you wish to give me a piece of you.” V’s face scrunched. “Why?”

Your stomach flopped. “Well, it’s because I like you of course.”

[zenithlux]

Cadence- CH 1

In which Vergil meets someone new, and that someone might just confuse him more than anyone else he’s met since his return from the Underworld. 

It’s here! And with an accompanying song/lyrics that I feel just fit the chapter (or something I listened to a lot while working). That will continue with every chapter because writing and music go hand and hand for me. Now, I get to share that experience with all of you!  🎶🎶

I hope you enjoy!  🥰 🥰

Hello my name is regret I’m pretty sure we have met Every single day of your life I’m the whisper inside Won’t let you forget.

Hello, My Name Is - Matthew West

After six months in the human world, Vergil still had no idea what he was doing with his life. 

He kept himself busy, of course. He took as many jobs as he could. Not because of Dante’s frequent declarations of “who better to pay off the debt!” (Vergil had done many things wrong in his life, but he would never take the blame for Dante’s current finances) but because the work gave him something to do. A purpose, if you will. For someone who often felt that the world should never have given him another chance, it was comforting to know he could do something meaningful.

Helping the small town around Devil May Cry was another one of his projects, though that was one he kept to himself. It was a small and quiet place, which was more than expected considering its location. When the twins had finally found their way out of the Underworld, they’d discovered that the town, which the citizens had unironically named ‘Haven’, was being rebuilt around the ruins of the shop. So, Dante had focused his attention on that. Not for the money potential customers would bring (though paychecks were sorely needed), but to provide some kind of assurance that the demons would never touch this small place again. 

Vergil had quietly helped with the town itself, donating a portion of his job money to the buildings that needed a little more work. And aside from a small cut that Dante demanded to “keep the lights on” (which Vergil never understood as they could see in the dark), the rest went to Nero and the orphanage in the form of anonymous donations. It wasn’t much, and Vergil knew it would never be enough. But, as Dante had told him more than once; “You can either sulk forever or move on and make up for your mistakes the best you can.” 

Today was one of the very few days Vergil had off. Since the phone had been “conveniently” unplugged that morning, there were no jobs to take. Months ago, Vergil might have argued over Dante’s “oversight”. There were always demons to deal with in a world so damaged by the Qliphoth tree. But today, he let it go. Word on the metaphorical street was that the local bookstore had finally opened its top floor with books sent from Fortuna. Vergil remembered how the owner had proudly announced that she was able to reopen with reduced prices. Rumors had circulated of another donor paying for the building’s renovation, but Vergil (regretfully) had played no part in that.

That didn’t mean he wouldn’t enjoy the fruits of someone else’s labor. 

The building had an old-fashioned feel to it, as it was filled with paintings of landscapes, bouquets of flowers, and other antiques. The walls and floors were made of wood, but the building itself had been redone with red bricks. Today, it smelled of lavender and lemons from the various candles scattered about. As usual, the owner was behind the counter, reading her own book from a stack she kept on her own personal bookshelf. She was an older woman with curly white hair and wrinkly skin, but she had the energy of someone much younger. Her wide smile was oddly comforting, even for a man who’d much rather keep to himself. 

“Welcome!” She said as she set her book down. “We’ve gotten a lot more in stock since I saw you last. Especially in our new classics section.” The old woman’s eyes lit up as she let her reading glasses drop to her chest. “I’m glad our small town finally understands the value of good literature.”

“Indeed,” Vergil said with a curt nod. She was friendly, yes, but he still wasn’t one for conversation. 

The woman gestured to a set of stairs next to her. “Some things are still being organized, so let me know if you have any questions.” 

Vergil simply nodded and headed up. The top floor was virtually identical to the bottom but much larger as it stretched over the woman’s living space. The dozen or so bookshelves reached close to the ceiling and were lined up in two, long rows. In the back, Vergil saw a trio of tables but frowned when he heard the quiet voice of another person. 

Wonderful. 

He knew he shouldn’t be bothered by other people. This place needed all the patrons it could get. But he greatly preferred solitude. 

Especially when said person started talking rather loudly, and seemingly to herself. 

“This is what I was hoping to find,” the unknown woman said. “I’m glad those donations paid off.” 

That piqued his interest, as much as Vergil wanted to ignore it. No one knew who had funded the store, just as no one knew of his donations to the housing project four months ago. And a small, insufferable part of him was undeniably curious. Reconstructing this building had not been a cheap endeavor (he’d seen the numbers himself), so he often wondered what kind of person could afford such a thing. 

“Foolishness,” he thought. He didn’t come here to make acquaintances. He came here to lose himself in the book stacks and leave marginally more relaxed so he wouldn’t want to argue with his brother once he left. 

But the damn woman wouldn’t stop talking. 

“And isn’t this a beauty?” He heard a soft thud, likely a book landing on a table. “A full collection of English Poetry. I wish I had the budget for that. I’d buy it in a heartbeat.”

Vergil twitched, and his grip tightened on Yamato. It was irritating how she was somehow saying all of the right things as if she was actively trying to get his attention. But Vergil was certain she didn’t know he was here. And even if she did, there was no possible way she could predict what kind of things would entice him. 

But Vergil didn’t want to be enticed. He wanted to read. In silence. 

Frustrated, he stubbornly scanned the closest shelf, looking for anything to distract himself. This was normal. Human interactions - or humans in general - were normal. A part of him didn’t understand why he couldn’t quite get over that fact. Maybe it was his time in the Underworld, both before and after the Qliphoth Tree. Maybe it was because he hadn’t had any respect for humans until his temporary split, and now felt uncomfortable (“Guilty,” Dante’s voice echoed in his head) whenever he was around one. 

His eyes fell to a simple poetry book - English Romantics - and his thoughts dispersed in an instant. That would be enough. Now all he had to do was find a secluded corner and…

A quiet, but unmistakable chirp caught him off guard. The woman sighed in a dreamy sort of way. “I do need more supplies for something like this,” She said. “Let’s make an order to Fortuna when we get home.”

A second, louder chirp was the final straw. 

Vergil whirled around, both irritated at the intrusion and confused at why he was so annoyed with it. And when he found the woman surrounded by an absurd amount of books, he didn’t hesitate. “Do you often talk to yourself?”

She practically leaped out of her seat. A pile of books crashed to the floor, but when she moved to grab one, Vergil saw her flinch in an odd sort of pain. She sat back up and stared at them with a forlorn look on her face. “I’m not talking to my…” She trailed off as she met his gaze. “Yes. Yes, I do.” 

He watched her for a moment, assessing how best to respond to keep the conversation in his favor. She was a petite woman, and he knew he would tower over her even if she was standing. Her odd, light-blue locks were pulled back into a loosely curled ponytail, and her cheeks were spotted with a modest, but not distracting amount of freckles. Her green eyes were the most striking; much brighter than any he had seen before. That didn’t change why he had approached her in the first place. “Keep it down,” He said. “There are others here that don’t appreciate the useless chatter.” 

“I see that now, but you must be one of the quietest people in Haven.” She watched him warily, but he didn’t miss the smile when her eyes flickered to the book in his hand. “Good choice. I highly recommend it.”

As Vergil stared at her, he realized that he didn’t have much of a plan for this conversation. But, to be perfectly honest, he hadn’t expected a conversation to spark in the first place. Most people didn’t try and converse with him after such a curt demand to be quiet. But there was something about her. Something off in a way that he didn’t quite understand. So maybe this conversation would be more beneficial than he thought. So, he quickly scanned her books, hoping for a suitable topic to continue with, but was more surprised to find that her modest piles consisted of art tutorials, history books, and the stack of anatomy textbooks that had hit the floor. It wasn’t until he found a tome of poetry that he finally figured out what to say. “One should always value the classics.”

Her eyes seemed to light up as she raised her own poetry book like it was her most prized possession. For a moment, he thought her reaction childish. But, in all fairness to her, the blue cover, expertly painted pink flowers, and golden calligraphy made the entire thing rather impressive. “I like to broaden my horizons. This, for example, is a fantastic collection of every great English Poet from Keats to Wordsworth.” Vergil’s frown deepened, but she continued before he could say anything. “Though I have a special fondness for Brontё and Blake.”

That caught him off guard. Again. “Blake?” He said, annoyed at how… confused he sounded. A very small piece of him wondered how this woman dared to fluster him, but the more rational half realized how childish that sounded. 

“He’s sorely underrated nowadays,” The woman said, clearly unaware of the chaos in Vergil’s mind. “There’s too much of a fascination with Shakespeare. Even Keats and Wordsworth get more attention than Blake. A crying shame I tell you.” She gave a dramatic sigh as she set the book back down. “But alas, I do not have the kind of time to explore such interesting topics in my old age”. 

Vergil wasn’t certain what her definition of “old age” was, as she looked about as young as he did. Though, considering how slowly he’d aged in the Underworld that wasn’t saying much. “I see.”

“What about you?”

That time, he said nothing. He wasn’t certain why, as the answer to that question was both easy and obvious. But this conversation had already spun out of his control, and he wasn’t about to admit it. The woman’s eyebrows furrowed. “Uhh… right,” She said. “I’ll just go back to… talking to myself. But quieter this time.”

“That won’t help,” He muttered. 

“Well, I can’t go home for another half an hour so…”

Vergil huffed as she reached for one of her art books. He could feel the war within his head; one side demanding that he walk away, and the other pushing him to talk. V would talk if only to defend his favorite poet. But Vergil would… do something else… maybe.

“Blake is far superior to others of his time.”

The woman’s face lit up again, and Vergil felt an uncomfortable and strange surge of satisfaction at the sight. “Most would disagree with you.”

“And they’d be wrong.” 

She laughed. “Care to support your argument?”

Vergil’s eyes narrowed, but his mind raced. A cordial debate then. That was something he could handle. “His works are art given life through his passion. He wrote for a great cause, and never shied away from the issues and progress of his time. He was a visionary, if you will.”

“The same could be said for Wordsworth and Keats. All three were the Romantic Poets of their era.”

“Blake is the most prolific,” Vergil said. “Who never let his relative obscurity hinder his writing. His focus on the future is much more valuable than dwelling in the past or on the present.”

“All three explored similar topics,” She countered, her eyes never wavering from his own. He could see glitters of excitement, and he swore her face had flushed from passion alone. “All three searched for meaning in one’s existence. And while I think looking to the future is certainly valuable, remembering one’s past and the trials can create a sense of hope for the direction they’re heading in.”

Vergil paused. Not because he didn’t have more to say, but because her words hit him a bit harder than he expected. Hope? Maybe a simple human could find hope in their past, but his was nothing but failures and mistakes. He felt his eyes narrow and didn’t miss the way her smile faltered at that alone. “Though I will admit,’ She said slowly. “I’ve always found Blake’s approach to be more… comforting.”

Vergil didn’t know what she was getting at, nor did he know why she was trying to argue in his favor. “Then you agree with me.”

“I never said I didn’t. I just enjoy a good debate.” She shrugged. “Growth is inevitable. The world is harsh, but pain is often necessary to push a person to where they truly need to be.”

Vergil paused again, as the wisdom he’d gained as V circled through his mind. While he would never admit it outright (especially not around his family), he’d been quite humbled after splitting himself. His recollection of both halves was hazy at best, but V’s memories were more prominent. His feelings towards humanity were more real than Urizen’s overwhelming desire for power. He still recalled the guilt he’d felt once he’d realized what he’d done, and how determined he had been to fix it. He’d had nothing. No power. No future. No hope. Yet… V had kept going. V had fought the demon Vergil had believed better than his human half in every way. And while this conversation with her certainly wasn’t as dangerous or world-ending under any circumstances, Vergil could feel V tugging at his mind; reminding of him what he fought for. “If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to a man as is.”

“Infinite,” She finished. 

A shrill ring echoed around them. And while she reached for her heart in another burst of panic, Vergil simply glanced at the phone she’d left on the table. When she grabbed it, she grimaced. “Unfortunately, this is a call I can’t ignore.” She reached for the smallest stack of books - two art, and one anatomy. Odd choices, but Vergil wasn’t one to judge - before reaching for the poetry book. “Please take this,” She said as she held it out to him. “I’d hate for it to end up on the shelf of someone who can’t appreciate it.” 

After a brief moment of hesitation, Vergil took it. Her smile returned as she tossed a side-bag over her shoulder. “I’ll let Maybelle know I made the mess. She’s more than used to it by now.” She bowed her head ever so slightly. “Thank you for talking with me, and I’m sorry for disturbing you.”

Vergil tensed as she passed him by. His demonic senses flared to life as he realized what had been bothering him all along. Something was off about her. Inhuman. But it was so minuscule that he barely noticed. It wasn’t like Dante or Nero who exuded the confidence and power of their demon-selves, but it was something he didn’t recognize. A spike of energy that dissipated the moment she left. She couldn’t be demonic; he would have felt that from a mile away. But...

“Hey, Verge!”

His frown turned to an immediate scowl as Dante’s voice echoed from downstairs. “I’m sorry to bother ya!” He said in an unapologetic tone. “But we got important business to deal with.” 

Vergil rolled his eyes. “And here I thought the phone was off.”

“It is,” Dante said. “This was a personal visit.”

That, unfortunately, was vastly more important than whatever demonic thing the woman was involved in. Tucking the books under his arm - might as well take something for his time - he blinked as close to the counter as he could get without startling the owner. Dante was already there, leaning against it with that annoying grin on his face. “I’ll take these,” Vergil said, ignoring him completely. 

“You’re all good to go,” The owner said as she tapped the blue poetry book. “I’m glad that’s going to a good home. One of the few I considered buying for myself.”

Vergil blinked. “How much…”

“Oh Roxanna bought it for you,” She said as she fished through a nearby drawer. “And this.” Vergil’s eyes widened as she set an exquisite bookmark on top of the pile. A dark blue sky with stars that seemed to glisten off the plastic itself. Black yarn was braided on the top, with a small star charm hanging to the side. On the bookmark was a very familiar quote; “No bird soars too high if he soars with his own wings.” 

“I don’t…”

Dante yanked the bookmark out of his hand, inspecting it as if it were a priceless diamond. His eyes widened when he flipped it over. “She gave you her number!?” He groaned as he slapped his hand to his forehead. “I can’t believe you got a cute chick’s number before me.”

Vergil snatched it back. “I did not…” He trailed off as his eyes fell to it. 

Impossible.

She… wanted to talk to him again? That’s what a phone number meant right? No one had ever done that before, but he’d avoided anything but casual small talk, preferring to keep to himself. 

Did he want to talk to her again?

Why did he feel so strange?

Foolish.

“So when ya gonna call her?” Dante said.

Vergil glared at him. “We have a job, yes?”

Dante rolled his eyes as he spun toward the door. “Off we go then.”

Vergil glanced at the bookmark again. The woman gently pushed the books toward him. “Don’t forget these,” She said with a genuine smile. “I hope to see you again soon.”

“Let’s go, Verge!” Dante shouted from outside. “I’m not getting any younger.”

“I apologize for his…” Everything. “Behavior.”

The woman chuckled. “I don’t mind. It’s nice to see people again.”

After another moment of quiet thought, Vergil tucked the bookmark into his gift and left. 

Read on AO3 Master List

[skvaderarts]

Happy Holidays everyone! For once in my life, I’m actually geting a holiday post out on the day of the actual holiday! Can you believe that because I know I can’t! Anyways, I stayed up until 7 am on Christmas morning to get this done, so I hope you like it!

It’s about time Vergil got some love, damn it!

READ BELOW (Hiden to save long post scrolling sanity)

P1: To Reciprocate What Was Given

Note: In an attempt to get something DMC related prepared on time for once to celebrate a major holiday, I stayed up until 6 am on Christmas Eve night to get this done. This is just a short introspective dabble to celebrate the festivities. It takes place in my AU, but that honestly has very little bearing on what's going on overall, but you can think of it as a follow up to my one-shot "The Rest is Silence" as having read that first will make this more enjoyable since it references an event in that fic. You can find it on my Ao3 page. There will be a part two for New Years that will hopefully be a little longer, but for now, happy holidays and enjoy the short.

If anyone had told him that one day he and Dante would be sitting in the living room of the Devil May Cry office surrounded by friends and family who were eager to celebrate the holidays with them, he would have thought them insane. He and Dante had not fostered a healthy relationship with one another their entire adult lives. Why would the holidays change this? If anything, the occasion seemed, at first glance, to be a perfect opportunity to drudge through the bottomless lake of bad memories and regrets that the twins shared collectively between them; a perfect opportunity for misery and suffering. And yet the only thing at this party that could pass for true misery was V trying to get into a festive mood and not grow like moss on the wall in the far corner. Parties just were not his thing, regardless of how comfortable he was with the people involved.

No, Vergil was almost having a good time tonight. Not quite of course. Joy was utterly beyond him at this point. But he was, daresay, content with the way things were going at present. Nero and Kyrie had hauled Kyle, Carlo, and Julio with them from Fortuna, Lady showed up to show off her new outfit, Trish had just about physically dragged V to the house from his comfortable perch on his couch at home, Patty had stopped in to drench the house in awful neon pink adorned gifts, and Morrison had stopped by to wish everyone a pleasant holiday and drop off a purposefully ironic fruit cake that absolutely no one was going to eat. Ok, V was going to eat it because he was peculiar, but he didn't count for that very reason. But that was beside the point.

For the first time in what had to be the better part of his life, Vergil had nothing notable to concern himself with. Kyrie had made dinner, the children were keeping Nero busy, the girls were fulfilling their new roles as pseudo wine aunts, and V was... well to everyone's shock, he was helping Kyrie cook dinner. No word yet on his capabilities. Vergil had survived in the underworld for nearly two decades. V's aforementioned cooking skills (or possible lack thereof) wouldn't be the end of him. Maybe he was content with the presence of his children, or just so tired of pizza that anything would suffice at this point. At this moment, he honestly didn't care. This was the first time he had a reason to acknowledge the holidays since he was the age of Nero's oldest child, and that was quite literally a lifetime ago.

At that moment, something stirred him from his idle thoughts. He glanced over at Dante who was sitting reasonably close to him on the couch. And by reasonably close that meant sitting on the same couch to start with. His younger twin had slumped over on the arm of the sofa, sleeping as if to actively defy the ambiance in the large, festivity filled room. He was not the source of this sudden change in the space's atmosphere. Vergil pivoted his gaze back around to the floor in front of him and mentally chastised himself for somehow managing to overlook someone standing so close to him.

It was V.

The slender young man stood before him with his back to the rest of the guests in the room, a look somewhere between anxiety and anticipation on his face. For someone so akin to a wordsmith, he was clearly searching for the right words. His change in demeanor wasn't so much obvious as his mannerisms were easy for Vergil to pick up on. It took the perceptive eye of a nonverbal recluse to read another with any degree of ease, and he had always had a knack for this sort of thing. He couldn't be sure if it was the number of people crammed into the building, the lack of private places to retreat to, of the awful sweater that Trish had somehow blackmailed V into wearing, but the younger descendant of Sparda was noticeably crawling in his skin.

Just as Vergil was going to ask the white-haired poet what he wanted, he retracted his arm from behind his back and produced an overly wrapped gift. The box was clad in shiny metallic navy blue and gold wrapping paper, bound with gold and silver weapon, and topped with a black bow, a set of color choices that did not go unnoticed by the eldest son of Sparda. Vergil cocked his neck to the side thoughtfully as he took in the sight of the box. What on Earth...

"... May I join you...?" V gestured towards the plethora of open space between Dante and Vergil as the couch was longer than the most.

Vergil gestured towards the space with a silent tilt of his head, still taking in the fact that this situation was actually happening. After taking a seat and managing to retreat even further into himself than he already had up until this point, V handed Vergil the neatly wrapped box and leaned forward, clasping his hands together in his lap. Vergil accepted the gift and turned it over in his hands a few times as if he were trying to memorize every fold of the paper and centimeter of ribbon. It was almost a shame to take apart something so flawless.

Vergil dismantled the wrapping paper at the seams, deliberately taking it apart with the same precision and care that had gone into wrapping it. This somehow flattered and terrified V in equal measure, and he was starting to get the impression that Vergil was trying to elicit this very reaction from him. When he finished unwrapping the box, he opened the box and stared.

Inside of the box was an ornate metal covered book with Sparda's sigil inlaid into the cover. slotted into a label window was a rectangular piece of parchment paper with the words "family photo album" scrawled into it. He could tell by the weight that Vergil moved to open the book and then hesitated, unsure if this was the correct time before electing to simply open the cover. The first page contained a photograph of an all too familiar family painting and superimposed into the inside cover was a quote in what could only be Sparda's handwriting.

"Amor vincit omnia.

Improvidus, apto, quod, Victum.

Citius, altius, forties."

Vergil sighed and closed the book, placing it down onto his lap. "... Where did you get this?"

V gestured across the room towards Nero. "We were delving into the ruins of Redgrave, and Nero managed to find your childhood home. This was in the remnants of what I think was a Library. I can only assume it has otherworldly properties, considering the number of fires it has survived. I suppose we both found, though it was never truly lost. Consider it a gift from us both, though I am not sure it was ever ours to give."

He considered V's words for a moment before looking back down at the book again as if to make sure it was real. He would have to reminisce over this with Dante when he woke up. "Thank you. This is..."

Kyrie cut in from the kitchen, shouting something about whatever dubious project the two of them had been concocting together under the guise of cuisine. V nodded thoughtfully and stood, politely excusing himself to go attend to his prior engagement. "You don't have to tell me. I understand." He gestured towards Nero and then towards Dante. "Tell them."

As V exited to room, Vergil made eye contact with Nero from across the room. He gave a simple, appreciative nod towards his son, thoroughly perplexing him before turning towards Dante. His hand lingered over him for a moment before he elected to wake him. The younger twin sat up groggily and stretched, clearly unamused. "Vergil, what's your pr-"

Vergil extended the hand that held the book out towards him, stopping Dante dead in his tracks. "A gift. It might be worth your time, brother."

Dante stared at it and shook his head in disbelief. "You know what? It just might, Vergil. Maybe there's some pictures of you looking like a dumbass in there that I can laugh at."

Vergil rolled his eyes and smirked ever so slightly. Of course he would say that.

End Note: I guess this turned out to be longer than I originally figured it would be. I wrote all of this in a grammar checker, but I'll do a second edit run when I've actually slept. I'm sure I've missed something. And as for that Latin bit, each line is a quote. I won't ruin the surprise for you. Go check it out! Happy Holidays and thank you for an amazing year of support for an amazing franchise! I can't wait to see what 2020 has in store for us!

And yes, Nico was at the party. She was just hiding in the kitchen with Kyrie!

[skvaderarts]

Hiraeth Chapter 31: Reinstate

Chapter Thirty-One: Reinstate

Masterlist can be found Here!

Note: Sorry for the upload being a few hours late. I had one of those days where something happens and it just pisses you off, so you take a nap and when you wake up, it’s 8pm. SMH.

(-~-)

One week Later… 

Stretching on and on for what felt like miles, the looming, almost oppressive structure towered over them like some sort of vast Eldredge monstrosity. Clad with dark brick and even darker windows, there was no clear-cut indication that the residence was even occupied, aside from the immaculate condition in which the grounds were kept. Although slightly overgrown in regards to the thick ivy that clung to the top of the high wall that bordered the corner lot, and the equally thick secondary, almost blue variety of foliage that crawled up the grey and red bricks that covered the home, it seemed deliberate. All of the hedges were cut, all of the thick cypress trees had been pruned, and not a single blade of grass was out of place on the side of the fence they occupied. Even the flowers themself that stood tall, basking in the glow of the mid-morning sun seemed to be too well-shaped. It was as though someone had meticulously plucked every petal in order to force the buds to form a certain shape, or that had been purposely bred to do so automatically. All in all, a very strange sight.

Admittedly, the top of the gate and walls were no different. In addition to being a frankly overkill solution in regards to keeping out unwanted visitors, every wrought iron spike and delicate curl stretched upwards in perfect uniformity, abnormally clean, and clearly under the care of someone who was more than slightly obsessed with the upkeep of the environment around the manor. It was one thing to clear away debris and old plants, but to polish the gates in an attempt to keep their natural shine for as long as possible? That was something else. That would literally take forever, and it would have to be done constantly. Who had the time or the inclination to do something like that?

Nico had insisted on coming, certain that she would have some new and exciting stories to share with Rock the next time she talked to him. Maybe she could send him pictures? She felt like he might be into that, but with everything going on at the moment, it probably wasn’t wise to start contacting members of her family. Who knew who might be watching. The last thing that the plucky young gunsmith wanted to do was unknowingly contribute to the death of one of the people she cared about most, especially when they were family. She just knew that she would never be able to forgive herself for doing something like that, even if it hadn’t been her intention.

On either side of the gate were what seemed to be guards. They stood there like statues, unmoving sentinels with a clear and defined purpose: to keep outsiders from entering the grounds unless explicitly permitted by someone from within the building. And by the looks of it, they were nowhere near that lucky. Despite the fact that they had now walked the distance of the entire wall, no one from within seemed to have noticed their presence yet, more than likely mistaking them for simple passers-by. It was an easy enough thing to do, considering how gloomy it was. The cool breeze and light rain hadn’t helped their odds of being noticed sooner rather than later. Umbrellas tended to block your line of sight.

Peering through the gate from afar, not much more than the stone path that led to the front gate was visible from this angle. What looked to be a front door was present a few yards away towards the left of the property, but they couldn’t be sure from here. The cypress trees that lined the half-circle driveway made being able to discern these things from as far back as they were challenging. Still, they needed to gain entry to the property, so they were apparently going to have to bite the bullet and give up the element of surprise a little. How unfortunate. They had been hoping to maintain that for as long as they could.

Approaching the gate, Magnolia stopped for a moment and took a long, slow breath before proceeding to press the call button on the gate. Vergil noticed, but said nothing. It wasn’t his place to, and he knew that better than anyone else here probably did. Only once had he walked the halls of this establishment, and it had been so brief and so long ago that trying to recall the specifics felt like trying to remember the details of a dream you had experienced decades ago. He had been an entirely different person then, but coming here had been a decisive move on his part that had proven to be a positive decision despite the path it later sent him down.

When no one responded, she cleared her throat before turning to one of the guards. Perhaps one of them would hold the answers to why she was still standing here without a response of any kind to fall back on. “Excuse me kindly, sir. Surely someone is home? I’ve never seen this place empty in the four decades that I’ve walked this earth.”

The tall man turned to her, seemingly dismissing her existence outright. He didn’t seem at all pleased to have her standing anywhere near the gate. “I’ll have to ask you to move away from the property line. The lady of the house isn’t accepting guests. The property is on lockdown, you see.” He paused for a moment, seemingly distressed by something that he had just said. After adjusting his collar, his tone became sterner, more than likely a direct result of him noticing the fact that she had company for the first time. “Don’t trouble yourself with the details. They aren’t important. Just vacate the premises, ma’am.”

She got the impression that he had said more than he was supposed to, and that in of itself was enough to pique her curiosity. It was very rare that something like this happened, but now she got the distinct impression that she understood why seemingly no one was home. They were all safely inside of the confines of the manor, guarding themselves against some unknown threat. That was worrisome. They didn’t tend to hide. “Lockdown? Whatever for?”

”I’ve said more than enough already. Off with you.” The man said, clearly miffed. The guard on the other side of the gate seemed to notice the situation, turning around to face them both. It seemed that if she needed to be removed from the premises, then he would be part of the solution. But upon noticing who his partner was talking to, he stood at attention, motioning for the other man to stop speaking. He stepped forward and looked at her closely, tilting his head to the side slightly before standing at attention again, mouth agape.

“Pardon my intrusion… but are you… It is you!” The man recoiled in surprise, motioning for the other guard to stand aside. Clearly confused, the other man did as he was instructed, but gave his compatriot a skeptical look as he did so, clearly not comprehending what all the fuss was about.

“We were told not to allow-” The first guard started, looking between his partner and the strange woman at the gate, the latter of which was giving him a fierce look of disapproval in regards to his treatment of her thus far. The older guard shushed him, clearly not entertaining any further interruptions on his behalf. This conversation was over.

“Belay that. Do you have any idea who you just disrespected?” The older guard asked as he unlocked the front gate and slid it to one side, nodding politely to Magnolia as she and the others entered the front gates. Vergil didn’t pay the man any mind, but Dante, Nero, Nico, Lucia, and V were thoroughly perplexed. Didn’t Magnolia’s family live here? How did no one here recognize her? Sirrus didn’t seem surprised by their reaction, but he did seem slightly agitated.

“Forgive him, Lady Ludwig. He is new here, and he has no idea who he is speaking to. Please, you and your guests are welcome to enter. I will alert one of my benefactors to your presence. Please, enjoy your visit.” He stepped out of her way and moved to close the gate again, much to the ire of the other guard who was clearly still out of the loop as to what was going on. “It has been quite a long time, has it not? Not to be insensitive, but I thought you long dead! When you approached the gate, I thought I had just seen a ghost!”

“Think nothing of it, Briar. Family affairs drove me away, and family affairs have brought me back. That is simply the way things work around here.” Magnolia bowed politely, a tired but happy smile on her face. This was going to be a long day, wasn’t it? “It is good to see that you are well, however. Seeing you here after such a long time… it was a pleasant surprise. I trust that my little sisters are here?”

He nodded, gesturing towards the front door. “That way, ma’am. Lady Aluta is out of town, but Madam Willow should be back shortly. She had to step away on an important business trip. I can’t imagine she won’t return before dinner. She never misses it.”

“Of that, I have no doubt. That would be unlike her.” Magnolia’s face was plastered with blatant discomfort at the prospect. There had been a part of her that had hoped to run into her youngest sister. Aluta was concise and brutal at times, but she was logical and level-headed above all else. Utterly ruthless and cunning, but able to be reasoned with. On the other hand, Willow could be very…

Just then, the doors to one of the third-story balconies above them flew open, and out stepped a young woman with soft brownish-gray hair. It trailed down towards her waist as it and her long gray robe blew in the wind, her eyes traveling towards the gate. After a moment, they settled onto Magnolia, and she gave a surprised gasp. “And just when I thought my day could not become more interesting! Tantine, is that you?! At last, you’ve come home!”

Magnolia gazed up at her before her eyes went wide, and she covered her mouth with her hands, clearly taken aback by the sight that unfolded before her. “Hydrangea is that you, ma chérie?! Surely it hasn’t been that long?! Little lady, when did you get so… tall?!”

Without warning, the young woman vaulted over the railing, eager to meet up with them. Alarmed looks crossed the faces of both Nero and Nico as they watched her plummet towards the ground, while V starred on in hesitant expectation. He had the feeling that she knew what she was doing, but it was still alarming to watch her vault over the edge like that. But surely someone her age knew how to not fall to their death off of a tall building like this? There was no way that she would have done that if she didn’t think she’d be able to land safely. At least he hoped so. He would find out soon enough either way.

V’s assumption proved to be correct a moment later when about two-thirds of the way down, her fall slowed somewhat, and she was able to come to a gentle stop on the gravel coated pavement, the young summoner noticing for the first time that she was barefoot. Dante and Lucia shared a curious look, but said nothing, seemingly just along for the ride at this point. Sirrus snickered, shaking his head. Oh yes, he never got tired of this place. He needed to visit more often.

As soon as she stood all the way back up, she sprinted over to Magnolia, throwing her arms around her and hugging her tightly. Magnolia reciprocated the gesture, lifting the small structured young woman off of the pavement as she embraced her, clearly overjoyed to see her. It really had been that long, hadn’t it? Goodness… 

I am so sorry that I have not come to see you sooner! I received all of your letters, and knowing your mother, it was probably quite the challenge to send them to me at all!” She shook her head as she lowered the young girl to the ground, clearly considering something that she hadn’t prior to that moment. But they would have plenty of time to take a trip down memory lane once they were inside of the house. The rain and wind were picking up speed, and it was starting to become unpleasant to stand outside in the cold, unwelcoming conditions. “Should you ever wish to stop by, my doors are always open to you, dear girl. Please know that.”

“Believe me, aunty Magnolia, I would never doubt that for a second. And now that I am old enough to make my own decisions, one of the first will be to visit you. I’m sure mother will be thrilled.” She shook her head, the sass in that statement evident. She then gestured towards the front entrance, surging forward in a sort of gliding sprint towards the front entrance, the ground barely moving under her feet. It was as if she were a skipping stone, skimming over the surface of a placid lake. “Hurry, let’s get inside. I hear there shall be a violent storm soon. Best to not be caught outside in it if you can help it. I don’t exactly know of a spell that can cure the common cold just yet.”

She stopped for a moment, turning in the direction of the front gate as she flagged down the guards. “Briar, I haven’t the slightest idea what you're doing out here at the front gate, but thank you. Please go inside and get out of these awful conditions. As for you, Benson…” She glared at the other guard, the man seemingly feeling the weight of his impoliteness crushing him in earnest now. A thousand different variations of regret and nervousness gripped him tightly as he awaited her decision. “... I’ll let the injured party decide what will become of you. We told you to watch the gate and turn visitors away. We did not instruct you to be inhospitable towards them. That’s my mother’s job.”

He nodded low, clearly not looking forward to Magnolia’s decision. “Forgive me, Ma’am.”

For a moment, Magnolia shook her head as she turned towards him, folding her arms across her chest. So this was her decision, then? There were so many decisions she could make based off of that kind of gifted authority, but there was no need to be sadistic or blow things entirely out of proportion. He was simply an overly loyal employee who had gone a bit too far in regards to his assigned duties. It wouldn’t be right for her to lambast him over it. “As you were, then. Return to your post.”

The guard looked relieved to still have his job, and eagerly returned to his station, more than likely going over how he had managed to get himself into a situation like that over and over again in his mind. He needed to be more careful going forward. As the group approached the front steps, Vergil turned his attention towards her, peering over his shoulder momentarily at the guard as though he himself had considered further action on her part. “You’ve decided to let it go. What a waste of a learning opportunity for him.”

Magnolia smirked, a light chuckle emanating from her closed mouth as she snorted through her nose. Vergil wasn’t entirely sure what she was so amused about, but he had the feeling that he had missed something pertaining to this situation. She was crafty. It was entirely possible. He didn’t verbally inquire as to what was so funny, but he did give her a curious look as they reached the steps that lead to the front door. She picked up on this and shook her head, realizing that he had misunderstood her intention.

“Let’s see if he feels that way after he stands in the rain for a few hours. You might change your mind, in that regard.” She said dismissively as they approached the front door, waiting for Hydrangea to open it. One could only hope that having spent as much time as he probably had around her family would have taught him not to get smart with strange women, but apparently, that was a lesson that had to be reinforced. “It won’t harm him, but it will absolutely give him time to reflect, and perhaps he will undergo an attitude adjustment.”

“Or perhaps he will be struck by lightning, and your dear uppity sister can hire a less openly hostile gateman. A net gain either way.” Sirrus said with a slight smirk as he passed her by, attempting not to laugh. His body had healed for the most part, but that didn’t mean that his ribs didn’t still hurt like hell whenever he laughed. It was best that he not push himself any further than what was necessary considering the state that he was in, even if he was positive that it probably wouldn’t do much.

A moment later, Hydrangea held out both hands and pushed them towards the front door, a loud clicking sound echoing through the space they occupied as the front doors flung open to reveal the entryway of the vast structure that they had been given such a hard time about entering. The young girl then turned to face them, a bright, proud smile on her face as she stepped back into the doorway and disappeared, only the sound of her voice remaining as the space occupied by the doorway rippled like water and overtook her.

“Welcome to Château Ludwig! Make yourselves comfortable. Tea will be out shortly.”

(-~-)

I hope you liked this chapter! This was a blast to write! I’ve been wanting to get a little time for Magnolia in, and I think this was probably the best way that I could accomplish that! Your comments on the last few chapters have been amazing, and they always make my day when I read them!

The cover art will be done within the next week, and then I will be getting the first test prints in to take pictures of! I hope you end up liking it!