Chapter Text
Ever since being with Vergil, you’d rarely play DMC1. It wasn't because of the graphics and the fact that Reuben Langdon didn't voice Dante there. It wasn't because Vergil wasn't playable there either. It was because of the events in that game and a certain character –or two– that you didn't want Vergil to see again. But for some reason, this happened. Although, you still didn’t know it then, when you woke up and found yourself leaning on a statue by the foot of this familiar stairway…
“Vergil?” You quickly got up and scrambled down this short flight of stairs to him. He was unconscious, sitting on the ground with his back to a rock. You were about to check him for any signs of wound, even though they might have already healed. But when the tip of your finger touched his skin, he gripped your arm as if in reflex, despite his eyes remaining closed.
His hold loosened almost immediately, when he must have recognized your presence and your scent, and of course when he opened his eyes. Then he pulled your hand to his lips, and said, “I’m sorry. Force of habit.”
You shook your head and smiled. “It’s alright. More importantly, are you hurt?”
“No, I…” He stood up and helped you do so as well. And what he was supposed to say was interrupted when he realized, “What in the Underworld are you wearing?”
You looked down and found yourself wearing… “Sailor Moon?” Yep, like you’d come out from a 90’s magical girl anime, and your hair was even tied into twintails. Only, you had light armor over your chest, under the big red ribbon. You also had pauldrons, arm guards and fingerless gloves, so it looked a bit like, “Magic Knight Rayearth?”
“Wait, where’s my weapon?” you wondered, as you looked around your waist, hoping there was a scabbard strapped to it. But with the movement, something dangling from your neck made its appearance —wow, convenient timing! It was a pendant of a star, with feathered wings on either side. And when you touched it, the thing lit up and transformed into… “Ah, now it’s Cardcaptor Sakura!” You couldn’t hold back the laughter at what was happening. “Am I in an otaku’s dream?” You looked up and yelled, “Oniichan, if it’s you, wake up now!”
“You look ridiculous.” Vergil seemed like he was just trying not to smile at how you were playing with your magical staff.
You: But you like it, don’t you? 😏 *does a peace sign pose*
Vergil: Hmph, I don’t. 😒
*wind blows and you hold your skirt down*
Vergil: That outfit seems uncomfortable. We better get home and take it off you. 🙄 (😳)
You: Did you just— 🙊 Cosplay-play? 🤭
Vergil: Foolishness. 😑
But Vergil shifted the topic immediately when he looked around and mumbled, “Where are we?”
“I have no idea, but…” As you looked up the long flight of stairs, you added, “It feels like I’ve been here before. Though I don’t remember how we got here. Do you?”
He just shook his head, and said, as he examined the surroundings, “We better be alert.”
“Do you think someone kidnapped us and brought us here?”
“That is unlikely. I’m guessing that this was due to a wrong portal.”
“Ah, yeah. That’s more realistic.” You grinned sheepishly, hoping he wasn’t blaming himself right now for that wrong portal, if that were the case. So you swayed it with a little foolishness, “No one could kidnap you, after all. Maybe except Dante of DMC2 in that fan art.”
He just gave a “Hmph,” and a slight smile as he probably recalled it. Then he turned serious again when he said, “Since we cannot remember how and why we are here, I shall open a portal to home. Remaining here for any minute longer could be dangerous.”
“Are you sensing demons?”
He nodded, then pulled you closer when you turned a bit scared. “Don’t be afraid. I will keep you safe.”
You smiled, for that simple gesture and what he said were enough to instantly take the anxiety away. “Thank you, Vergil.” You then held on to his back as he unsheathed the Yamato and conjured a portal.
To your surprise both, nothing was appearing, not even the cross-shaped slashes in the air.
“But you have your power, don’t you?” you asked, and he simply nodded as he summoned spectral swords to test it. “Then it could be like the Temen-ni-gru II situation again,” you wondered. “Maybe there’s a bigger, more power-concentrated portal here… to the Underworld.”
Upon hearing what you added at the end, Vergil transformed and flew you up. “We must get out of here. I cannot risk your safety.”
But before you could argue nor agree, he stopped mid-air all of a sudden. “What’s the matter?”
“There’s a barrier,” he stated, which sounded a bit like a growl in his current form.
“Barrier? L-Like a force field?”
As he looked around, gauging how wide the barrier was covering, he said, “It might be dangerous to attempt passing through it while I’m holding you.” To test his theory, he tried sending Summoned Swords through it. They were electrocuted upon contact, which convinced him to bring you back to where you two had started.
“So we don’t have much of a choice. We have to go through this adventure, huh?” You forced a smile to somehow hide your nervousness. You didn’t want to add to Vergil’s stress after all. He was already pinching the bridge of his nose.
And when you two reached the entrance to the castle on top of this cliff…
"Yep, we're in Mallet Island Castle alright.” You pointed to the statue of a knight on horseback in the center. “That's where Phantom got skewered—Oops, spoiler!" You laughed, before realization dawned on you. “Shoot, we're in Mallet Island Castle!" And you turned to face Vergil, worries coming to you one after another.