“I hear you grieving…
All through the night
Welcome to my world.
The room despair…”
I sung quietly, the song that Elena sang when she got a debut. Dante glanced at me, listening to Tim again once I had stopped singing. I could see that Dante wanted to say something to me. But he was waiting until Tim was done before he spoke to me.
“Then suddenly, all of our work paid off for something. We got our shot at a major debut and she gradually got more gigs. When we finally got that first album released, something we wanted for so long… We started getting popular. But… These really strange things started to happen to all of the fans who were listening to her records.”
“What strange things?”
“The fans lost themselves in excitement and in the end all sorts of people started committing suicide or even murdering one another for tickets to her concerts. Even Elena herself began to change, the more Elena’s spellbound fans went crazy and out of control, the further she drew away from me and the other guys in the band. And then she just…”
He trailed off before frowning, going off to help some of the other guys lift the boxes of records into the cars. I looked up at Dante as he turned to me, his eyes were studying me, and I felt a blush creep up on my cheeks.
“Dante?”
“Are you ok? I saw you couldn’t hold up against her…”
“No, I can… I just…”
“Masumi, you were shaking. You collapsed when you tried to walk afterwards. I don’t want you getting hurt…”
“I’m not going to get hurt, I’m not a child. I can take care of myself. I can hold my own against demons…”
“Masumi…”
“Just because I’m not an all powerful demon like you doesn’t mean I’m incapable!”
“You’re not listening to me…”
“You think you’re so high and mighty because of your blood. The infamous son of Sparda who thinks he’s better than everyone else in the world.”
“Masumi!”
“You’re just as bad as everyone else! You’re just the same as my mother!”
I was shaking as he tried to grab my hand, I snarled and pulling it away from him.
“Don’t touch me!”
And that’s when it happened. My hand connected with his face. I slapped him, hard, hard enough to leave a bright red mark on his face. His eyes narrowed as I stepped back and covered my mouth, my eyes widened in shock at my own actions. I’d just slapped him. I just slapped my partner.
“Dante… I-I’m so sorry!”
“Go back to the office. Get your things and go.”
I’d never seen the fury in his eyes before, I was shaking, and I was terrified. I gulped before rushing away, heading straight back to the office as fast as my feet could carry me. I watched him shake violently before slamming his fist into a wall, causing the wall to crack.
“Masumi?”
I looked up to see Lady on her bike, pulling over to me as she flipped up her helmet. I couldn’t help it, tears poured down my cheeks as she looked at me. I walked over and hugged her tightly.
“What happened? Where’s Dante?”
“W-we had a fight… I… I was such an idiot.”
“Masumi?”
“I hit him… It was an accident but… I-I hit him…”
Lady frowned before patting the bike, I got on the back and clung onto her, keeping my eyes shut tightly. What had I done? I couldn’t get the fury in his eyes to leave my mind. He looked about ready to kill me. I hadn’t just yelled at him… I practically made him out to be like every other demon in the world. Like his brother, Vergil. No wonder he was so angry with me.
“He told me to get out the office…”
“Shit! You really hurt him, Masumi! Come on, we’ll get your stuff. You can come to mine.”
We headed straight back to the office; I collected my things while Lady waited outside. I took the chance to scribble out a letter to him. An apology.
Dante,
I don’t expect you to read this; I’m expecting you to just throw this away because I’m that much of a complete idiot.
I’m sorry, ok? I never intended to make you feel how you did. I didn’t know what I was saying; I know you were only trying to make sure I was ok. I feel like a complete tool to be honest. Because I am one.
I’m sorry Dante. You mean too much to me. You’re my partner; I look up to you so much as a hunter. You’re like a brother to me. You’ve looked after me ever since Lady dumped me on you.
I’m so sorry.
Forgive this idiot?
Masumi
I placed it on his pillow in his room; I blinked at his wardrobe then opened it, glancing inside to see the infamous coat from Devil May Cry 3. I couldn’t help but smile when I saw it, gently running my fingers over the leather. He still had it then, he hadn’t gotten rid of it since the events of the third game. I couldn’t help but take it out and put it on. It was still big on me though not as big as the coat he wore now. It smelt like strawberries and pizza… Though I had to take it off at some point. I slipped it off and hung it back up in the wardrobe. I glanced around the room one last time after closing the wardrobe then headed out the room, closing the door behind me. I collected my things from my room and headed down, I slung my messenger bag over my shoulders then got on the back of Lady’s bike again.
“MASUMI!”
I froze, Lady looked up at me curiously when I got off the bike again, Eva rushed over to me, forming in front of me. My eyes widened as she almost collapsed in front of me. I didn’t care that Lady couldn’t see her; I began to talk to the dead mother.
“Eva? What is it?”
“You need to get back! Dante needs you!”
“But he hates me!”
“He would never hate you! You need to go back now!”
I nodded as I helped her up, looking at Lady. She raised an eyebrow before shaking her head as I handed her my belongings. She smiled at the sight of my messenger bag then nodded to me.
“I take it you’re going back to him?”
“I need to… Lady, don’t think I’m mad… I know… It’s strange… But… I can see Eva… I can see Dante’s mum…”
She glanced to the side of me where Eva was standing and nodded with a smile. She didn’t think I was mad, she truly believed me. She gave me a quick hug then rubbed my back.
“I’ll take your things to my place. I believe you… You’ve told me crazier things like the ‘costume play’ situation.”
I nodded as she drove off to her place; I rushed back as fast as my feet could carry me, Eva running beside me. I didn’t know why she was helping me but she could see that I cared about her son and that was the main priority for her. Making sure that her son was safe and with people he cared about, I didn’t understand how I could see Eva truly. She had never even appeared in any of the games nor the anime, all she was… Was a picture in a frame. I hoped to god for the first time in my life, that Dante would forgive me.
Dante’s point of view
I leaned against the wall of the house, next to the large crack I’d just put into it. She’d practically compared me to Vergil without even realising it. She was just another stupid human… No, she wasn’t stupid. Both our emotions were running high; I could see it in her eyes. She was scared of something… Before I went mad at her. I covered my face with my gloved palms and breathed in sharply.
“Shit… Fuck’s sake… Making me like this.”
How awkward must have it been for her as well? When she kissed me, that single kiss… Her soft lips on mine, those chocolate eyes closed so softly. The gentle blush on her cheeks that appeared when she mustered up the courage to kiss me like she did. Ever since it, I’d been having overwhelming urge to protect her, to make sure she was ok even if she was fine. I dropped my hands then licked my lips slightly, pushing myself off the wall and headed straight to where Tim was waiting for me. A stage in the hall of the abandoned building, the curtains were cut and filled with holes, it reminded me of the house with that crazy Mad Hatter guy just before the Temen-Ni-Gru incident, with the Alice girl who became an adult and tried to seduce me. I shivered at that memory, that wasn’t pleasant.
He opened the record player; the record that Elena was after was still ready to be played as I stood next to him. I had to focus on what was in front of me.
“So you use this on her?”
“Yeah, I think she’s searching for this record. I believe she could be searching for her own songs, sounds crazy I know… So tell me Dante, what is the devil hunter going to do with her?”
“The woman you know as Elena Houston isn’t here anymore man… What you saw… Was nothing but a demon.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
He begun to play the record, my eyes closing as I sighed, Masumi’s singing would be nice right about now. Tim loaded his gun as I turned to stand in the middle of the hall.
“This music’s a little rowdy for a funeral though.”
“Standing where I should be
Believing as I’m told to believe
Being who I should be
Doing what I should do.”
My eyes widened to see Masumi walking in, singing her soul out again. I couldn’t help but smile when I saw her; she rushed up to me and jumped by my side. She drew her precious guns then looked up at me.
“I’m sorry.” I simply spoke; she nodded as well before gently touching my gloved hand with her clench fist.
“And I’m sorry too… I didn’t mean it. None of it.”
“Neither did I, you liven the place up too much for you to go. Will you stay?”
“Only if you make it up to me!”
“Damn women!”
I joked with a smile, glad to have her back by my side. She was blushing again, the gentlest blush I’d ever seen on a young woman, the majority of them that approached me had the bright red blushes, the mark of a whore in my eyes, the paleness of her blush showed her innocence. I opened my hand, Rebellion flying through the window, smashing it to pieces.
“So what do you want?”
“I’m not sure yet! I’ll think of something!”
Just to see her grinning brightly, still singing along to the song as Elena’s demon form, a kinda of fish like creature with gills landed in front of us. It still stunk though, like earlier. Masumi instantly jumped back from me as the demon lashed forward, trying to strike me as I blocked each attacked with the blade on Rebellion. Masumi took to striking the demon with bullets, attacking her back and then waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Masumi’s point of view
I kept shooting at Elena’s demon, a frown on my face as I kept singing to myself, Dante was coping until the demon suddenly turned on me, rushing forward and grabbing me, wrapping her claws around my neck. My eyes widened as I started to wiggle around then turned to thrashing, trying to get free and get more air. I dropped Nereid and Atalanta, the two clattering to the floor as I thrashed, kicking my legs around.
“D-Dante!”
I choked out; Dante instantly drew Ebony, pointing it at Elena. My vision started to go hazy as the demon dropped me once Dante had put a bullet in her each of her arms; I collapsed on the ground, panting for breath. I just laid there as Dante jumped forward to take out Elena.
“Stay down!”
Not much else I could do in all honesty, I closed my eyes, the bubbles being blasted from the gills on her neck. I didn’t need to have my eyes open, I knew the scene off by heart, Tim was begging Elena to stop, the demon side of her was still going mad.
“ELENA!”
His eyes shot open as mine opened slightly, Dante throwing Rebellion and pinning the demon to the wall, impaling her throat as the real Elena fell to the floor, completely unharmed. Dante glared at the demon as it snarled.
“Mark my words… You’re all… Going to… Regret… This…”
As he pulled the blade free, the demon disintegrated, the hunter crouched down beside me as I finally got all of my breath back, the record finished playing as Tim rushed over to Elena, having a moment with her. I looked up at Dante with a smile as he sheathed Rebellion on his back and slipped away Ebony. He brushed some of my hair from my eyes as I yawned.
“Dante?”
“Yes?”
“Are you mad at me still?”
“No, I forgive you… If you forgive me…”
“I forgive you… T-thank you for giving me… This chance…”
“Come on you… We have a home to go to…”
I closed my eyes, just as I felt his soft lips upon my forehead, picking me up bridal style and held me in his arms. I rested my head against his clothed chest, the scent of strawberries and pizza was strong and assaulted my senses but… It was a wonderful scent. I loved it so much; it had definitely become one of my favourite scents in the world. Dante had such a sweet scent it was so comforting.
Dante’s point of view
I held my partner in my arms as I stood, looking over at Elena and Tim, the human Elena was waking up, Tim talking to her to help her wake up properly.
“Elena! Elena! Elena! Please Elena, just open your eyes and look at me, you can do it!”
She opened her eyes, Tim smiling brightly as she whispered, her voice so faint. I couldn’t help but let my eyes go soft as I glanced to Masumi, her head resting against me as she breathed so gently.
“It was you… I can’t believe it… You still have my record…”
“Of course… Because you’re the greatest…”
“I wish… We could be together… Again…”
Her hand dropped as I walked out into the sunrise, still holding Masumi in my arms. The girl was completely out of it; she deserved just to rest after that experience. As soon as I arrived back at the office, I placed her on the sofa, heading upstairs to fetch my duvet and a pillow for her. I noticed the letter and frowned, it was her writing. I sat down and opened it, reading it over.
“Oh Masumi…”
I placed the letter on the side and took down a pillow and the duvet, covering her up and gently lifted her so I could slide the pillow under her head. She smiled softly in her sleep, almost whispering in her dreams as I perched on the floor to watch over her.
“Next mission… Wishes… Come true…”
What did that mean? I raised an eyebrow before getting up and sat down on the spare sofa, she curled up into a ball then threw one of her legs out of the duvet with a smile, a soft snore escaping her lips. I couldn’t help but quietly snigger as I settled down to read a magazine.
A few hours later, Masumi was still sleeping. Tim had brought round Elena’s first record for me as payment; Patty was now cleaning up the office as the now fixed jukebox played the record. The little girl wandered over to the record frame then looked over at me.
“A tribute to the spirit of the queen.”
Masumi opened her eyes at that moment, I smiled over to her as I got up, putting my magazine down and got up to check on her.
“Are you ok?”
She yawned and nodded as I brushed some of her hair from her eyes, taking the clip from her hair and placed it on the table in front of us both. God help me, Trish was right. I was being to care for her and right now, I didn’t know if that was a good thing or bad.
Masumi’s point of view
I watched as Dante got up to go and bug Patty while she was cleaning, I looked over to the other sofa to see Eva sitting on the arm of it. She smiled softly to me and placed her finger on her lips as if to say ‘stay silent’.
“He’s watched over you all the time.” She begun with a soft smile, I could help but smile myself, as I stayed buried under the warm duvet. “You’ll need to be careful on your next mission… I know you’re scared of it… But you can do it. You are strong, Masumi.”
With that, she vanished. My own guardian angel in a way, that’s what she pretty much was now with all the help she was giving me along with the advice. Kind of like the mum I always wanted but never got. I sighed and curled up again in the duvet, it was too warm and welcoming to get up just yet I think. Dante seriously was a bad influence to me now; I just wanted to sleep the day away.