Chapter 21

[Code: Demon Days

“Open wide!”

“Dante…”

“Come on a little wider!”

“Dante, this isn’t necessary-“

“If you don’t open up, I’m forcing it in.”

“DANTE!” A spoonful of porridge was thrust into Arith’s mouth making her almost gag; Dante’s touch was far from gentle. The rest of the girls were standing by the door not bothering to suppress their laughter as they saw Dante torturing the poor girl. Arith had gotten sick even after taking the beating from the other night, the girls liked to call it AIDS. Dante had never experienced ‘sickness’ so he took great curiosity with Arith- not to mention she was so prone of getting into danger it made him worry if Death himself was trying to claim her. He had made Ayame cook some porridge up for Arith and was determined to feed her not letting her move at all.

As Arith chewed away she glared at the other girls, her eyes going red temporarily.

“There you go, wasn’t that simple now?” Dante grinned bringing his hand with a napkin to wipe her mouth but Arith wasn’t putting up with this anymore. She shrieked and slapped Dante hand away angrily taking hold of the bowl demonstrating to Dante that she was more then capable of feeding herself.

“Look, see? I can move my arms pretty good now; I don’t need you to feed me. “

“Now, now, princess.” Dante mocked pulling the bowl back into his possession ignoring the sad efforts Arith was doing in her favor. “You’re sick, I don’t want you to get too sick, and we need to get to training. Look, even Iris is worried.”

Right on cue, Iris came flying up towards the bed holding a pack of Advil’s and landed beside Arith looking up at her nervously. The girl petted her gently and finally leaned back towards the bed rest and glared at her friends who were still laughing.

“Don’t you all have something to do?” She growled crossing her arms as Dante began to do the airplane with another spoonful of porridge. They weren’t helping.

“Actually, we’re off for school. Good luck Arith.” Aranell called deviously as she led the way out of the room with Ayame on her heels, but Kimni stayed behind looking at Arith’s pained look and Dante’s childish antics in trying to pamper her.

“Don’t make a fool of yourself, Dante…” She called out before winking her good lucks at Arith who was finally giving up in fighting Dante. Her mind went off following them as they walked down the stairs and out the door leaving her with Dante. It sucked horribly…

“Come on Arith, why the sad face, you aren’t going to school!” Dante hollered excitedly taking advantage of the moment when she opened her mouth to speak and shoved in another mouthful making her gag.

“It’ll be fun. You can stay in bed if you like, and if the pains come back or the congestion, we’ll get high on ibiprophin!”

“Ibiprophen is an anti-inflammatory Dante… it doesn’t cure the flu, or whatever the hell I have…” The girl said after finally clearing out her throat.

“Sure it does, its medicine isn’t it?”

Another groan and yet another mouthful and Arith finally fell under the covers coughing away and sniffing like crazy. Dante sat beside her on the bed and looked down at her with a weak smile. She didn’t know it but he was returning all the care she had once given him in recovering so long ago…

Even now as she laid there huddled up in her own grief’s as he once had been in the old days, he felt it was his duty to bring her back to health. The girl jumbled up into a ball under her covers and Dante immediately moved forward.

“You know,” He began quietly moving the porridge here and there before taking a mouthful himself, “This reminds me of a long time ago in a land very far away.”

“Let me guess.” She muttered in a raspy voice, “You’re going to tell me the whole Star Wars story. Too late Dante, It’s a old and told tale.”

“No, no, no!” Dante laughed taking another mouthful before lying beside the small bundle in the blankets leaning on his elbow comfortably, looking off into a blank spot in the ceiling in reminiscence. “When I first met Marie, I was in your position.”

“Dante-” she began to whine not wanting to hear about any past life she once had… it was rather depressing but Dante hushed her by placing his forehead on a lump he felt to be her side.

“It’s all right. Felicia was trying to teach you how to heal. It ain’t an easy task for yah, you know.”

“Why’s that?” the covers spoke in hidden curiosity.

“Well, fire isn’t exactly the all nurturing type.” He stated bluntly pondering on the subject, “it’s more of a universal destroyer.”

“Joy.”

“But come on, think of this as a way of repaying your attention back then. I’ll take care of yah babe, just hang in there.”

There was no reply underneath the covers, only an uncomfortable shift of position.

“Are you cold?”

“No… I’m fine.” She giggled as Dante placed a hand on her side; he was really making her seem like some baby.

“I think its cold in here.”

“No, it’s okay.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Just to make sure…” Dante got up and looked around for anything to cover her with as a second layer and failed in vain- not even the closet seemed to be of any use… except-

“Here.” Dante mumbled as he spread an old trench coat he had hanging around in the closet. He neatly spread it covering the whole ball that Arith had some how formed under the covers and smirked proudly. “That thing will keep your warm no matter what.”

He stood there with his arms crossed over his chest waiting for a thank you but it never came. The ball was not moving except for a rhythmic rise and fall here and there. Dante moved toward the bed and slowly raised the covers to see her face- she had fallen asleep. Iris came flopping on the bed beside her and leaned down to look through the gap Dante had created before looking up at Dante with beady eyes.

“She’s sleeping. I’ll let her sleep.”

He brought the covers back down to how they were before and walked towards the door where Sprout and Talon were making their way into the room. He stood by the doorway as Iris flew down to meet them chirping excitedly before they all moved onto the bed. Sprout had amazingly made his way inside the blankets while Talon curled up beside the ball and laid there. Iris was perched on the mount, glowing a gentle orange.

So… Dante thought with a smile, they are doing their share to heal her.

He left the door open and walked on down the hall eating the porridge that Arith had left behind letting ‘nature’ do its job.

School wasn’t exactly interesting since the girls were thinking of everything but school- Arith at home sick, the Trio pulling that scam off, the level of strength they were in, why nobody in New Jersey questioned the nursery home catching on fire…. it was devastating to think that maybe, just maybe, they could have lost Arith. Aranell was off doodling on her piece of math paper. Instead of drawing what a squared function would look like she was making up various ways into decapitating Vergil.

A few seats to her right there sat a gloomy young man. His shoulders were hunched forward as he himself leaned over the desk doodling on his own sheet of paper. Unlike Aranell, it wasn’t hatred that he was bestowing on the drawing he was making, on the contraire; he was slowly and delicately doing the outline of an eye as he brushed his pencil smoothly on the paper.

Drawing came easy to Michael, it was his favorite past time- especially when he had all the time in the world- such a sad and tragic truth.

The black haired teen sat up straight in order to look at his masterpiece, an allusion of his mind. Once more, he found himself feeling the same ache in the emptiness that consumed him.

The drawing on his paper was that of a woman. There was nothing special about her, it was drawn like an expert, but Michael kept feeling the same awkwardness about her- the way her hair was curled into perfect locks, the uncolored eyes that in his dreams glowed bright purple, the smoothness of that skin that a mere pencil could not come close in portraying. Who was she, why was she driving him mad?

Instantly, he looked up and tilted his head in the direction of Aranell whom to his surprise was looking back. The two kept their eyes locked for what seemed ages before they actually realized what was happening.

Aranell turned back to her paper as she glanced briefly at the teacher. The monotone voice coming from the front of the class didn’t help in calming her embarrassment, it made it seem that all eyes were on them in that particular moment. She knew that guy.

The only time she ever saw him was during lunch time back at the private school not here at the community college. She nervously brought her left hand over to move the hair from her face now conscious of her actions. Little did she know that three seats away from her Michael sat grinning slightly.

“Psst!”

Kimni’s pencil came stabbing Aranell on the back making the girl jump. “Stop flirting.” Kimni mocked as she beckoned towards the board where the teacher had begun to write problems due at the end of the period.

“I wasn’t doing anything…” Aranell bitterly replied as she crumbled her sheet of paper with stick figures into a ball noisily.

Michael remained pleased as he looked down at the drawing before him. He knew perfectly well who she was. He stealthily stole a glance at Aranell before confirming his hypothesis. They were completely alike her and the woman in his drawing. It always bothered him that the girl he was infatuated by was his own enemy.

But no one would ever know that.

After a few minutes of comparison he finally settled down as the teacher issued a pop quiz.

Back home, Dante was taking this opportunity to reminisce on the occurrences of the past night. He hadn’t exactly slept well. The memory of his brother so falsely counting himself responsible for someone that even Dante thought Vergil actually cared for made anger rise to his throat giving him the sensation of spitting out endless curses.

According to Arith, he was still there when she went to sleep. She seemed completely heart broken when Dante told her what happened- to the point that she didn’t believe him. The girl actually got mad and said Dante was just making stuff up- honestly, when it was Dante who actually had good intentions!

Is this what you want Vergil, he thought as he slumped down completely exhausted on the living room couch, do you really want to destroy her like you did Marie?

As if on cue, the half demons ears perked as the nonstop gagging and coughing from upstairs made him stand up tensely in the living room holding his breath until it became silent again.

And then the coughing began.

Dante was upstairs before Arith could begin her second coughing fit as he ran into her room pretty much slamming the door open, completely paranoid that perhaps she had gotten even worse.

Unfortunately for Arith and to Dante’s surprise, she had been changing and gotten a sneezing fit. The minute Dante ran into the bedroom Arith’s shrieks of shock were muffled by Iris’s screeching as she exploded into the giant looking bird that had rushed out of the rubble a few days ago covering Arith from Dante’s view. Sprout lunged at Dante making him fall backwards pinning him to the ground as Arith’s bedroom door went shut with a gust of wind.

Dante was dazed there on the floor with Sprout angrily pounding miniature balls of vines on his chest and covering his eyes. Inside the bedroom there was cursing and fumbling as Arith moved about trying to get dressed quickly before walking out her door and slamming her fist on Dante’s bare chest in complete outrage.

“How could you?! You demented pervert, I should kick your ass!!” the girl glared angrily as her eyes began to glow red while Dante stood there with sprout on his head eying the fist on his bare chest admirably.

“I knew you were hot after all…” he said proudly as he took her fist into his hand and pressed her against his chest practically suffocating her as she tried to squirm away from his grip gasping at the smell of old spice tickling her nostrils. Dante on the other hand was ignoring the fact that Sprout was trying to attack him while Arith became weak in his arms.

“Arith?” He said rather provocative amazed she would break that easily, he hadn’t done anything- this was quite flattering.

“I can’t breathe…” The girl gasped and Dante let her go completely hurt before Arith started a coughing fit. Dante was freaking out seeing her face go all red so he did the first thing that came to his head, he slapped her back unconscious that perhaps he had hit to hard and she went flying towards the wall with an awkward gurgling sound as she fell to the floor gasping for breath.

“Oh shit…” Dante blinked nervously as he made his way to where she sat and soothed her shoulders nervously not finding anything else to do before she finally coughed a bit and exhaled heavily yet relieved.

“I’m sorry princess…” Dante said slowly rubbing her back gently in order to calm her down but Arith broke into a laughing fit leaning on him gently as she tried to steady her breathing.

“God damn you’re rough…” She said as her voice sounded rather raspy, her eyes were drooping down but she seemed to find comfort in Dante’s warmth. “That actually felt good…”

“You sure you’re okay? I heard you coughing and I thought perhaps you were choking and-“

“I was…” she said nervously showing him her napkin which was littered with blood specs, he turned to look at her seriously taking coughing up blood was actually bad.

“Don’t worry, it’s not TB.” She said too calmly for Dante’s taste as she took the napkin back and stuffed it in a pocket of one of his trench coats she was wearing. “I’m guessing my throat is acting up again, it can explain the numbness.”

“Man babe, you’re really making me want to take you to the hospital or something.” Dante said bewildered. He had never experienced sickness. Perhaps allergies but never sickness. He pressed his hand on her shivering head- she was very warm- and realized Arith was shivering from warmth. The girl only smiled and waved him away as she got to her feet.

“Ugh, I’ve been worse. That’s what I get for having large tonsils…”

“Want me to carry you to your room?” the smooth talking devil added with a grin but Arith just sighed irritated.

“Take me downstairs you pervert. I want to watch TV. Perhaps I’ll forgive you then…”

“Babe, I can so win my forgiveness back, just ask.” He mocked giving her one of his grins as he scooped her up in his arms walking towards the stairs. Arith only giggled as the two disappeared downstairs.

“You know, I can’t wait for the Christmas vacation. All of these pop quizzes and tests are driving me mad.” Kimni was saying as the three girls made their way downstairs and towards home. They had finished their classes at the college and it was time to leave. To their surprise, the weather had changed from a normal cool day to the beginning of fall. The sky was ominously grey as the girls entered the large courtyard taking a few seconds to take in this change in scenery.

“Well… can you believe this…” Ayame muttered under her breath looking around at the place with a smile. “Our first Christmas in New Jersey…”

“I don’t think it’s anything to be happy about you know.” Kimni muttered as she pulled her light sweater about her, she actually missed her home- the parties, the reunions, the family in general. “ Dante’s pretty much going to have us training through the whole vacation. Not to mention we still have to endure thanksgiving…”

“Oh no… thanksgiving…”

“I’m sure he won’t even get us any food.”

“What?! But… we can cook it!”

“Ugh, please. He probably doesn’t celebrate it. I don’t want to get him in an argument.”

“Damn Kimni, you are sure vouching out for him, you know.” Aranell interrupted Kimni and Ayame’s conversation with a questioning grin that even made Ayame turn in amazement at her. The poor girl looked at the two accusingly with a blush not liking to be the spot light.

“What are you talking about?” Kimni questioned ever so gingerly knowing she’d regret whatever was coming when Aranell made her way right in front of her stopping Kimni in her tracks and pointing at her accusingly.

“Give it up, you got the hots for Dante.”

“WHAT?!” Kimni hissed slapping her hand away from her face before looking around nervously hoping Dante wasn’t hiding behind some tree or trashcan eavesdropping on the conversation before she turned and glared at Aranell’s little sense of humor. “You know perfectly well that isn’t true. Why would I like him, he’s not even on the same page age wise.”

“Now, now, Kimni. You know Age doesn’t matter when it comes to love.” Ayame mocked doing a little dance that reminded Kimni of a leprechaun.

“Yeah, you’re always protecting him and he can’t keep his hands off of you.” Aranell muttered shaking her head in shame ignoring the redness of Kimni’s face as she stuttered to protest but nothing came out, she wasn’t sure if this accusations were real or not because to tell you the truth- she had no clue this was true.

“He keeps looking at you all the time, I freak out when I can’t see his hands if you know what I mean…” Aranell went on as she gesticulated away but her voice was drowned under the sound of Kimni’s thoughts as she tried to think.

So what, Dante had a little soft spot for her but it wasn’t that major- why did they make it seem like if it was such a big thing. Not even a night ago Ayame and Aranell had told her the same thing but she hadn’t paid attention to it- she was too tired. Now that the accusations sprouted up again Kimni couldn’t help but feel bothered. Was something happening that she was too blind to see?

Off from a corner of Aranell’s view she saw the school doors open and a lone figure stepped out as her breath was caught in her throat leaving her speechless. The brown haired wonder was making his way towards them his eyes fixed on Aranell as he shot her a weak smile before Aranell returned to the conversation acting as if nothing happened but Ayame and Kimni were already looking behind them at the incoming boy.

Michael felt like a complete idiot. Who was he fooling; he didn’t have the guts to talk to a girl- especially when she was considered an enemy. It felt as if the eyes of both Ayame and Kimni were drilling into his skull and he didn’t dare keep eye contact for long since he worried they would notice something familiar to his other alias- Future. He kept walking forward until he finally reached their little group and stopped smiling weakly at everyone receiving nothing but blank stares and raised eye brows before Aranell spoke rather cheerfully from in front of him.

“Can we help you?”

“Err…” he muttered nervously before heaving a sigh and looking at them rather bluntly, “ I remembered your faces from the private school down main street.” He muttered and to his relief Kimni and Ayame nodded before beckoning him to walk on with them as Aranell took a place beside him smiling weakly and looking at him not forgetting their little ‘moment’.

“Yeah, we remember you too.”

“How can she forget…” muttered Kimni under her breath making Ayame laugh as Aranell glared at her murderously making Michael smirk.

“I notice you are missing one of your friends, does she not take classes here too?” He asked wryly as Aranell turned her head making her curls fly about her flirtatiously nodding happily.

“You mean Arith? She’s sick today but she does come to school with us.”

“Arith…” Michael repeated curiously wondering if Arith was defeated or not, the girls didn’t seem as if they were mourning so he figured Arith must have gotten out of her little troubles safely- damn.

“Yeah, she’s Arith, the blond one is Ayame and the midget is Kimni.” Aranell mocked before Kimni protested at her with a questioning look.

“Last time I checked I was much taller then you.”

Ayme broke into hysterical laughter again as Aranell turned back to the guy and smiles brushing away Kimni’s comment as she went on.

“I’m Aranell.”

“I’m Michael, nice to meet you all.” He replied and nodded his greetings before it went quiet again. Something inside of him told him this was bad- he shouldn’t be with the enemy- what would the others think?

The four were walking now in silence when Ayame stopped dead on her tracks and gasped making everyone else turn.

“Darn, we need to go buy those patches Dante was complaining about!” the blond muttered as she began rummaging through her pockets disappointedly taking out a lonesome twenty dollar bill. “He says it’ll make the soreness go away.”

“No, the jerk probably wants us to wear those so we won’t complain once he works our asses off like-“

“SSHHH”

The three girls turned to Michael who was looking at them rather curiously knowing perfectly well what was going on- they were starting to train. The walking commenced and finally Aranell turned to Michael with a smile.

“Which way do you live?”

“Down 2nd street right off Parkway Boulevard,” He answered back quickly knowing perfectly well that it wasn’t true. How could he tell them he lived in an abandoned church a few blocks down the Devil May Cry Agency? “There’s a convenience store around there where you can find those heat-patches, my err… brother tends to go buy them there since he’s in …. Football.”

“2nd street sounds pretty far though and I really wanted to get home and-“

“Then I’ll go, just give me the money.” Aranell interrupted with a confident tone as both Kimni and Ayame turned from her to Michael knowing perfectly well what she was up to- they didn’t like the idea.

“Don’t you want to see how Arith is doing?” Kimni insisted ignoring the imploring look Michael was giving her, “we can just tell Dante to go and get them.”

“Dante is lazier then us so I’ll just go by myself. You go ahead and get something ready for when I get home. I’m craving Spaghetti.”

Both Ayame and Kimni ran out of things to use against her leaving and finally- with a stubborn and hesitant action- gave her the money and turned around in the direction of home looking rather defeated. Michael stood beside Aranell as she waved good-by at the two girls while in return only raised their hands in a weak and nervous wave before they turned the corner and headed down Main Street.

“Well,” Michael broke the silence as he cleared out his throat fixing his coat around him for the walk home, “I suppose I should-“

“Walk me to the pharmacy?” Aranell butted in with a smile. Perhaps it was the abashed face Michael was giving her or maybe the fact that he had turned bright red that mad her smirk, he laughed gently and finally gave up as he followed along beside her.

Aranell hadn’t exactly been on this side of town during the daylight. From what she remembered a few nights ago, this had all seemed so ominous and deadly- every shadow and crevice seemed to hold an enemy. In the light of day it was a bustling mini market place. There were people walking here and there, groceries putting fruits on fruit stands outside their stores and a few children here and there running about celebrating the incoming holidays.

He wasn’t exactly into romantics and he didn’t know what to say, it seemed that the silence between the two seemed to say so much. When one would look at some incredible sight- may it be a bird perched on a tree, the two would look at each other and smile. There was something so innocent yet so forbidden from just walking down the street together that it made him feel uneasy.

“You okay? You look like you’re getting sick.” Arenell’s voice broke through the silence as she eyed him worryingly as they entered the little pharmacy. He held the door open and assured her with a smile.

“Is she insane? She’s flirting with some guy she doesn’t even know…”

“I think that’s how people start, you know? You meet someone you don’t know and start to know them. I think that’s what dating is all about Kimni.”

“That’s not what I mean.” Kimni grumbled angrily as she walked beside Ayame who was happily humming here and there and waving at people who passed. She seemed to find their reactions to this very interesting. Paranoid city people…

“I mean,” Kimni began after a few moments of silence as an old lady patted the top of Sarah’s head and passed her a candy when she had waved at her, “I understand that with her good looks, getting guy’s attention is simple but come on- on of her best friend’s almost died and she prefers to go flirt with some guy she’ll never get far with? It’s being selfish.”

“I think its love.” Ayame hummed as she scrutinized the butterscotch candy in her hand before throwing it over her shoulder not trusting it to not be spiked or something, “let her do what she want. It’s not like Arith is dying or anything.”

“Let her do what she wants? She criticizes me like if I liked Dante or something but there she goes flirting with some random guy- what am I suppose to think?” Kimni exclaimed her patience running out as she turned to watch Ayame receive a pat on the back by a young woman who hurried her child beside her to walk on.

“By nice lady!” the child called out as he opened and closed his hands bidding Ayame his farewell’s before she turned around to see Kimni glaring at her impatiently. Ayame couldn’t think of anything to say so she simply lifted her right hand and waved- Kimni slapped it down and kept walking angrily.

“Never mind.” The girl muttered as she strived to get home faster but Ayame caught up and stopped her shaking her head disapprovingly.

“Okay, so she ditched us- big deal? Somewhere in our hearts we both know we would have also done such a thing- no don’t interrupt.”

Kimni had begun to open her mouth to protest but she quickly closed it and pouted as Ayame continued.

“Let her do what she wants- she has all the right to go out with the guy if she wants, she’s the one that gets hurt in the end and not us. We’re her friends so we can give her advice. You can tell her to forget him but hey, she won’t listen to you- especially since the fact that we’re leaving once everything is done with won’t stop her. Let her go on with it, it’s none of our concerns-“

“But-“

“It’s none of our concern.” Ayame repeated with a definite tone signifying that the conversation was over. Kimni sighed and turned back towards the road as they began to catch a glimpse of the DMCA.

“The Valley sounds very interesting.” Michael muttered as he plopped another chip into his mouth eyeing Aranell curiously as she talked on.

“It’s not interesting, things just don’t happen all the time there. It’s a good place to live but not much excitement going on.” The girl went on with a pensive tone as memories of her old home came flying into her memory. “Compared to New Jersey, it’s very different.”

“I can imagine.”

Michael had decided to walk her home in order to keep the other two from finding out what he was up to. He knew that he could not walk into the DMCA without Dante finding him out- unlike the girls demons have their way of knowing. They were crossing the intersection to main street now as the DMCA came into view.

“Is that where you live?” He asked faking a curious tone.

“Err, yeah. We’re here with a friend of ours.” She quickly justified with an nervous laugh which made her feel that Michael wasn’t buying it. It didn’t matter, she couldn’t exactly tell him that they lived with a half demon or something. At that moment, someone who both of them would have given anything to not see arrived discreetly and to their misfortune, grinning. Aranell was the first to see him as he walked down the street rather pompously holding his head high and his strut long. She threw him a glare as he moved over to their little group surprised to see the two.

“Afternoon Aranell.” Vergil’s cold and smooth voice called out as he eyed her suspiciously along with the boy beside her. “Aren’t you supposed to be at home?”

“That was exactly where I was heading actually. Thanks for stating the obvious Vergil.”

The devil’s eyes turned to the boy whom had yet to turn his face to look at him, he was taken back by pure curiosity even though he could smell the familiar cowardice of the individual. “And who is this?” He asked temptingly like some snake.

To his surprise, the boy turned. He was standing face to face with no one other then Future. Their eyes met as Future glared at Vergil not to give him away knowing very well that the smile upon the devils face didn’t come from any warm feelings but of knowing there was weakness to the all powerful trio leader.

“Michael. Friend from school. Didn’t catch who you were…” Future replied rather stiffly as he extended a hand to shake Vergil’s gripping it as hard as Vergil was not falling back.

“Well I’m-“

“Arith’s boyfriend.”

Both men turned to Aranell in shock as she stood there smiling away happy to cause Vergil some grief. She was finding great pleasure in starring at his traumatized face as if something ugly had just passed in front of him while Michael had begun to grin letting go of Vergil’s arm.

“I didn’t know Arith had a boyfriend.” Michael moved on to assure this theory. If it was true, then something really serious was in play here. Dante was either truly in love with some girl or he was just really good at getting what he wanted- which hopefully that was the case.

“Yeah, we’re just not proud of that so we keep it on a down note.”

“Thank you for being honest.” Vergil muttered sarcastically annoyed at Aranell’s grinning and mischievous face. “Shouldn’t you be going home? It would make Arith better if her friends were there to show her moral support.”

“And it would be great,” she interrupted crossing her hands across her chest, “if her boyfriend was there to show her some love.”

Michael laughed at this not being able to contain himself as Vergil went paler then usual his hand twitching to kill her on the spot, “She’s got a point there.” Michael agreed giving him a mocking look before Vergil turned rubbing his neck.

“I need to… buy her flowers…”

Both Aranell and Michael broke down in awe’s making Vergil red in the face out of anger until Aranell finally beckoned to leave.

“I suppose I’m off. Thanks for the walk Michael, I guess…. I guess I’ll see you at school.”

“Of course.”

The two exchanged glances and a smile before Arnaell turned and began walking down the street towards the DMCA disappearing into the crowd of people heading home. Time itself stopped as Michael stood there watching her silhouette disappear. Years of dreams of a girl that looked exactly like her came looming into his mind making his chest ache. A part of him didn’t want her to leave thinking that perhaps she would never return. There was something there, something around him- like a darkness infinite and immense- that would take her away… everything he ever wanted. Michael reached out to follow her as a hand gripped his shoulder hard pulling him back.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Vergil spoke breaking Michael from his little trans as he turned to look at the devil himself. There was no emotion in his blank stare but his eyes were cunningly showing interest in what had just happened. Future didn’t like it.

“Something tells me you were not on a recon mission.” He mocked folding his arms triumphantly in front of him while Future just glared up at him utterly annoyed.

“Aren’t you supposed to be buying your little girlfriend some flowers or something?”

“I would have gladly bought her flowers to dress her grave had a trio done their job.”

Future eyed him curiously, was he faking it? He was aware that just like him there had been some history in their past lives between someone from the elemental guard. Could it have been Arith’s past selves? Did he really want her dead?

“Such harsh words from the very man that tipped them off of our doing, we hadn’t fully opened the gateway to hell yet.” The young man muttered angrily as he began to walk towards home, Vergil walking beside him.

“I thought that perhaps if I told one of them, they would act like the hero- a simple kill for the trio.” Vergil explained as his eyes darkened in concentration and seriousness. “Arith was supposed to die that day…”

“Don’t lie to me.” Michael interrupted stopping on his tracks and looking up at him now businesslike. “Dante knew where to find us and how to seal it. He knew perfectly well that we were there and what we were up to. If he took the guardians then he knows that only they can destroy us. The only person who knew was you…”

“You are mistaken there. Dante knew that the guards are the only ones who could destroy you. Do you not remember your own death?”

Michael froze glaring up at the man not being able to look through his deceit. According to Vergil, he was the only eye witness to his murder. Him asking Michael if he remembered his death was rhetorical- of course he didn’t. It seemed the devil had caught sight of this and began to weave his plot of manipulation.

“You know,” he began with a tone of heavy deception, “There is a reason why fire is considered the overall element of destruction…”

“What about the others?” Micheal continued not wanting to even start on the complicatedness of elements.

“Every element has their own special characteristic of course. Earth with its grandiose strength and power of healing to waters ever changing yet manageable strengths and wind…”

Michael was starring at Vergil curiously as if his words were that of a prophetic soul stating the apocalypse.

“Well, you know her better then I do, don’t you.” He muttered with a mocking grin rubbing his chin pompously making Michael cower in his own shame and fear. “A bit too well if you ask me-“

“History won’t repeat itself Vergil. You best remember that.” Future threatened with an impatient shake of his head while Vergil remained silent only grinning evilly. It was times like these Future wished he had never met him.