Archive of Our Own ^beta

Two drops, just two. If Vergil feeds Leon more, it might have dire, unforeseen consequences.

The white-haired man tilted Leon’s head back. The pretty blonde’s eyelids fluttered, but he didn’t open his eyes. Gently pulling down Leon’s jaw, Vergil lifted the tiny vial filled with a reddish liquid and brought it to Leon’s lips. He tapped on the side of the vial and watched as one drop of blood, then another drop of blood, nearly brushed Leon’s uvula.

But neither drop touched Leon’s uvula. Both drops flew past it, going down the pretty blonde’s throat without hassle. Vergil closed Leon’s mouth for him, then tilted his head forward to ensure Leon kept it down.

‘This is all I can offer you as protection, for now, at least,’ Vergil thought mournfully, sighing heavily. The white-haired man tucked Leon’s head into the crook of his elbow, watching as the other man’s chest rose and fell peacefully. ‘Demon blood, in small doses, has been theorized to promote healing. In large quantities, it’d turn you into a mindless killing machine, and while it’s tainted by what lingers of my humanity…I hope it makes you stronger, both body and mind.’

The White Rabbit sent a calling card. He’ll be here for Leon soon, and Vergil will resist interfering. He will ignore his desire to protect the human man as much as possible and see how he fits into the narrative.

The half-demon wasn’t lying when he told Leon that Baines would have him removed. The walls have eyes and ears everywhere, and that man isn’t above ruining lives to serve God’s will. The longer Leon remains in Dante’s life, the harder it will be for Baines to control Dante. Sending the pretty blonde as far away as possible will cure most of Baines’s headaches—Vergil intends to seek out Leon once Dante is captured and prevent DARKCOM from keeping tabs on him. He’ll have to bend a few rules to achieve this, but if it means Leon doesn’t get himself killed…

‘He won’t take this lying down. Leon will fight tooth and nail to protect my younger brother. Forcing him away is the only way to…’ Vergil’s eyebrows furrowed, his gaze on Leon’s peaceful face. ‘After Dante is captured, Leon will suffer. Baines will make him suffer until he is no longer a threat. And once he stops being a threat, I must ensure he remains that way.’

The white-haired man tilted his head back, closing his eyes. ‘The day Dante and Leon are separated must be the last day they see each other. Whatever it takes, Dante must never come near Leon again.’

Vergil’s jealousy partially fueled this reasoning. Every time his younger brother was mentioned, Leon’s eyes lit up. There was a tenderness reserved just for Dante, and it’d be foolish to believe that if Leon didn’t remember Dante, that tenderness would belong to Vergil and Vergil alone. The human mind is powerful; Dante left a mark on Leon’s very being, and it wasn’t just through physical caresses and exchanging life stories.

But forgetting Dante is what’s best for Leon. Their love isn’t good for either of them, and Dante wouldn’t want Leon to suffer anymore, right? He’d want what’s best for Leon, even if it meant he wasn’t part of it. Dante had many flaws; he was brash, unruly, reckless, obnoxious, irritating, and unrefined. But selfish, truly selfish, he wasn’t. That’s what made him different from Vergil. Vergil was selfish and embraced it. He wanted Leon, he wanted Leon’s affection and loyalty. He wanted what Dante had, what could have been his from the start if he had met Leon first.

If things were slightly different…

‘There’s no point dwelling on the past,’ Vergil reminded himself briskly, carefully setting Leon down on the bed and brushing his hair out of his eyes. ‘The White Rabbit will be here soon. I should redress your wounds again, and get you out of these offending articles.’ He thumbed the sleeve of Leon’s off-white shirt, frowning. ‘Amoret dressed you like a slave. Of course, even someone as empathetic as her would show prejudice. I did the right thing, getting rid of her and her brother. They would have handed you to the highest bidder if I weren’t involved.’ Lightly squeezing Leon’s hand, Vergil stood up. He gazed at his reflection in the mirror, barely a mirror and more a shard holding on for dear life. He blinked owlishly, his left eye returning to a haunting, hollow yellow. ‘Time to put on a spectacle, Leon. Please sleep through that infuriating rodent’s visit. Please.’

A flash of emerald green light struck the air in the Demon realm as a beastly rumble made the earth tremble. That flash expanded into an oval-shaped portal, crackling with wild energies and dark like a swollen seed.

The White Rabbit emerged from the portal with a straight back, long, floppy ears pointed, and the completed amulet around his scruffy neck. The Force Edge rested on his back, the blade brilliantly reflecting the emerald green light.

The monstrous gentleman took a moment to gauge his surroundings. The Demon realm is what became his paradise after the abuse he suffered while in foster care. The Demon realm was rotting away thanks to the poisonous air that killed one of the White Rabbit’s siblings. The Demon realm is what he used to hide Dante’s greatest weakness until the time was right.

His home. His home, his prison…his past.

“...” The White Rabbit’s glare fell upon an old skull. It was larger than a human’s, with horns protruding from its forehead, a sharp, pointed chin, and all that remained of some tiny demon before it was eaten alive by bigger, worse fish in the pond. The monstrous gentleman’s pumpkin-orange eyes narrowed dangerously, but he said not a word as he faced forward and began walking.

A harsh wind kicked up soot, dirt, and dry grime. It blew in all directions, stinging the White Rabbit’s eyes. He tried to pull his handkerchief out of his breast pocket, only to double forward on his knees as his chest throbbed suddenly.

The White Rabbit started coughing and gagging, spittle and blood lining his lower mouth. He squeezed his eyes shut and pulled down his shirt collar, gloved fingers twitching.

A strange contraption was embedded in the White Rabbit’s torso. It was circular, with a few tubes, and glowed red. Inside the glowing, red center was demon blood. Unlike human blood, it had a unique smell and was thicker like sludge.

The White Rabbit turned a knob under one of the tubes, breathing in and out slowly. The red glow intensified, and the monstrous gentleman grunted as he felt his veins and arteries swell to accommodate the influx. He stopped and waited until the pain subsided, and his breathing evened out. The White Rabbit stroked the mechanism over his shirt collar, tucking it back in and adjusting the amulet again.

With a relieved sigh, the monstrous gentleman pushed off his knees, dusted himself off, and continued striding forward. He reached behind his back and gripped the Force Edge’s hilt until his knuckles under his gloves turned white. He resumed his trek toward a specific tower; the sky was set alight thanks to a streak of reddish-yellow lightning. The aura surrounding this tower made the White Rabbit smile through the ache.

The demonic knight wasn’t late to tea. How fitting, oh, the White Rabbit hopes he was kind to dear Alice!

It’d be a shame to have come all this way for a broken doll.

“As meeting places go, this spot suits you. You may try to hide it, but you’ve got as much of a flair for the dramatic as I do.”

Nelo Angelo despised being put in the same camp as this rodent. His eyes narrowed, but his expression remained unfathomable as he slowly turned to face the White Rabbit.

“See?” The monstrous gentleman added with a cruel smirk, his pumpkin-orange eyes landing on Leon.

The pretty blonde was out cold, but his skin was a healthy cream color. He had a few bandages on his person, but compared to how he looked when the White Rabbit left him here, he was in tip-top condition. Splendid! He even got a fashion makeover. Dante won’t have anything to complain about—Leon S. Kennedy was in one piece.

The White Rabbit reached out with a gloved hand, only to be stopped when Nelo Angelo finally spoke.

“You have it?” The horned demon asked, the chink in his armor glowing blue. “All of it.”

He didn’t try yanking Leon out of the White Rabbit’s reach, but his tone bled business. He’ll only hand over the human male once he sees what he wants to see.

The White Rabbit harrumphed. “Your information was right. Dante is the son of Sparda, and he admitted to it. His necklace fit very nicely with the one you gave me.” He reached up and yanked the amulet from around his neck, tossing it to Nelo Angelo with a flick of his wrist.

The demonic knight caught it easily, his frowning undeterred. “I held up my end,” the White Rabbit continued. “All I need now is the final piece. As promised.” The White Rabbit’s eyes shone dangerously as his sinister smile broadened.

Nelo Angelo stared at the White Rabbit blankly. He held the amulet in one hand and reached behind his cape with the other. He produced a test tube filled with bubbling, crimson red blood, with some strange, sticky purple goo keeping the test tube sealed.

The monstrous gentleman grinned. The demonic knight peeled off the purple goo; Nelo Angelo tipped the test tube over, and the two demons watched as a drop of blood landed on the completed amulet.

The reaction was immediate. Blue lightning erupted from the amulet before a surge of that same lightning flew in all directions. It flooded the tower with raw, lively electricity, the White Rabbit shielding his sensitive eyes as the intensity worsened. Nelo Angelo didn’t bat an eye, observing as the lightning desperately tried to escape its prison.

“Uh-huh,” The White Rabbit cooed, his monocle digging into his furry flesh. The two demons waited for the spectacle to go out; the White Rabbit cheered as the blue lightning died out. “Well, I’d say that’s good enough.” He said, soon holding out his hand.

Nelo Angelo dropped the blood vial and amulet into the White Rabbit’s gloved, outstretched hand. “The blood of Sparda’s other son. You never know what will turn up in this realm.” He picked up the vial between his thumb and forefinger, watching the bubbles drift to the surface.

“It takes both brothers to destroy the barrier.” Nelo Angelo murmured, the skin around his hollow, haunting yellow eyes pinched tight.

“Oh, don’t worry.” The White Rabbit shrugged, tucking the blood vial into his inside breast pocket. “I’m already working on completing the set.”

His slimy smile fell as Nelo Angelo towered over him and reached behind his back. He unsheathed the Force Edge with such elegance, and the blade turned a bright purple as if reacting to him.

“This sword…Far too great a power for one like you to wield.” Nelo Angelo caressed the long, heavy blade as he said this, internally wrinkling his nose.

The blasted bunny left handprints on the hilt, and the Force Edge was upset. Its energy didn’t sync with the White Rabbit’s because it was Sparda’s strength. Sparda’s strength didn’t belong in the hands of a pathetic, useless waste of space.

“Maybe so.” The White Rabbit agreed, shrugging again. “But seeing as I’m about to use that power to undo the historic crime of its maker and free every Makaian from our bondage, how about I hold onto it for a while?”

He rested his hand on the blade. The blade hummed, displeased. Its true potential was only peeking out because it was in Nelo Angelo’s embrace. “I know who you are.” The White Rabbit said after a moment’s pause, looking up from the Force Edge to the demonic knight. Ignoring Nelo Angelo’s restrained growl, the monstrous gentleman continued. “There’s only one way you could have gotten the amulet piece and this blood.”

“...” The two demons stared at each other, neither yielding. Only when the White Rabbit looked down at Leon did their battle end, with neither emerging victorious. The White Rabbit took back the Force Edge, resheathing it.

Much to Nelo Angelo’s chagrin, the White Rabbit made a show of inspecting Leon. He yanked Leon forward by his coat collar, forcing the pretty blonde to sit up. He sniffed his bandaged wounds, chewing on the inside of his cheek—the demonic knight’s jaw tightened when the White Rabbit pressed down on Leon’s pulse point, recreating the handprint he left on him earlier.

Blasted rodent.

“Alice is ready to go! Wonderful, I knew she’d be in good hands with you.” The White Rabbit let out a whimsical cackle, throwing his head back. He didn’t struggle as he tossed Leon over his shoulder, and didn’t buckle under the additional weight. Leon’s cheek nearly brushed against the Force Edge’s blade, his arms pinned down by the White Rabbit’s.

Leon didn’t make a sound. “You know, I’ve yet to decipher what makes this human male so special,” the White Rabbit added, strolling away with his other hand in his trouser pocket. “He’s swimming in your scent, haha! Don’t tell me you and Dante share the same proclivity for humans. Or for this human, in particular.” The White Rabbit stopped short and spun on his heel to gaze at Nelo Angelo. “I hope that’s not the case, because Alice,” he gestured to Leon’s fluttering eyelids, “will be the first human to die once the wall is broken. You see, this human’s meddling has stalled progress numerous times—she chose to align herself with the enemy, and for that, she must pay.”

For a split second, Nelo Angelo’s facade broke. He snarled like an animal, and his yellow eyes flickered blue. “At least you gave her some peace. I bet you were the last thing she saw before you induced her to sleep. She’ll die remembering you; you were the last thing keeping her from well-earned, excruciating pain.”

Nelo Angelo stayed deadly still. He ignored every muscle, every nerve ending screaming at him to move, to tear this rodent’s head off his body. He didn’t move, he didn’t say a word—Vergil surrendered himself, he watched with beady, harsh eyes as the White Rabbit crafted another portal and walked through it with Leon in his embrace.

‘Leon…’ Vergil’s demonic voice echoed off the walls of his skull, his blood boiling. ‘Dante, Leon can’t die. He can’t! You…you must do everything you can to protect him. I know you’ll fail to keep your promise, but if he perishes in this…no, Dante will not fail. My brother is many things, but he’s not incompetent. He knows when to get serious, and Leon’s life is on the line. He won’t make Leon pay with his life, he won’t.’

“Are you sure you want him in on this?” Mary asked warily, eyeing Grim as the man in the gas mask cleaned his combat knife off with his sleeve.

“Believe it or not, I awakened to my Devil Trigger thanks to him,” Dante said with a soft shrug. He smirked at Grim, who stared at him with icy, ruby-red eyes. “He’s good with guns too—you probably got more arms on ya, Lady, so who better to help us than a trained mercenary?”

“Don’t expect an apology anytime soon,” Grim hissed, putting his combat knife away. He pushed past Dante and Mary, inspecting what remained of the convoy. He shoved some rubble aside, finding a weapons cache behind one of the flamethrower walls. “State-of-the-art anti-demon tech…I’ll need some tips first, but I can shoot any gun.”

“Your reload speed?”

“You’ve seen it,” Grim said, annoyed, turning back to her and folding his arms over his chest. “You give me the firepower, I won’t miss my targets. We have a mission to complete.”

Mary didn’t look convinced. “I’m not pledging any loyalty…but the White Rabbit’s on my hit list. I want him taken out as much as you two do; I don’t care what he says, not just poor, helpless, peaceful demons will come through the wall. He doesn’t seem to care either, and from what Arkham said about him experimenting on other demons, he’s lost sight of his goals. He’s hurting his own people to make a point. If you have to do that, then your cause is just another psychopath’s excuse to unleash havoc. He’s personally motivated to see this through.”

Mary’s eyes widened as Grim honed in on her. “The White Rabbit, I know what he did to your teammates. He lumps all of humanity with you, Arkham. He says humanity is evil, but I think humanity means you.”

“And I don’t know why,” Mary admitted with a despondent frown. “I agree with you. He hates me and DARKCOM specifically. He says he’s doing this to free every demon unjustly punished by Sparda’s seal, but he wants revenge. He wants revenge against me and DARKCOM…killing my teammates was just a step toward whatever damn number he’s on in his plan.”

“...It doesn’t matter why he’s doing it,” Dante said after a hot minute, blue eyes frigid. “That didn’t give him the right to hurt innocent people. Your squad, the plane crew, Enzo, Leon, they didn’t do anything to deserve what he’s put them through. The White Rabbit wants to sacrifice the Human realm—humanity won’t stand a chance if that wall’s down.”

“He wants your blood, right?” Grim asked, tilting his head back. “He needs your blood to break down the wall. The completed amulet and Force Edge weren’t the only pieces he needed.” The man in the gas mask folded his hands under his chin. “Hmmm…so we give it to him.”

“Excuse me?!” Mary exclaimed, gritting her teeth. “Did you mishear everything we just discussed? The objective is to keep Dante’s blood out of that guy’s hands. It’s what he wants, and you’re saying we should do as he says?!”

“We’re on a timer, aren’t we? We need to move, and we need to move fast. The White Rabbit wants Dante’s blood. I say we bring Dante to him.”

Dante blinked, only for his smile to broaden as the pieces clicked. “You’re powerful, more so than the White Rabbit. The Force Edge gave him access to Sparda’s strength, but he still lacks fighting his battles for himself. And we know his lackeys don’t stand a chance against you—your Devil Trigger proves that. They won’t be able to get your blood if they’re dead.”

“So you’re suggesting a diversion. You pretend to be on his side.”

“Yes, Arkham. The White Rabbit knows I despise Dante. It shouldn’t seem like much of a stretch that I turn on Dante, and drag his sorry ass to him.” Grim grabbed one of the handguns and got out one of the anti-demon bullets. He tilted his head as the green liquid churned inside. “You supply the firepower so you and I can stand toe-to-toe with those freaks, and Dante delivers the final hits. We distract, and I’ll strike once there’s an opening.”

“You rescue Leon,” Dante said, his breath caught in his chest. “The White Rabbit might coax me into the Demon realm, and we don’t know if Leon’s still there.”

“If he’s not, leave it to me. If he is,” Grim paused, looking down. He turned around and got rid of a crick in his neck before he yanked his turtleneck collar over his mouth and nose. He pulled his hood free, which was wedged against his neck, and drew it over his head. Mary and Dante watched, stunned, as Grim tossed Dante his gas mask over his shoulder.

The demon hunter caught it easily, staring down at the round, red eyes he’d come to see as Grim’s. “If Leon’s still in the Demon realm, you’ll need this to get to him. Half demon be damned, if the stuff about the poisonous gas is true, you’ll pass out in minutes.”

“Grim. Thanks…”

“If you can avoid going there, try to. The White Rabbits pegs me as the type of guy to go all out; let’s hope he brings Leon with him to taunt you further. You’re the only one I’m not shooting between the eyes.” Grim exchanged looks with Mary. “So? You onboard or not?”

“It’s a solid plan. A lot can go wrong, but it’s better than nothing. Your leadership skills are surprisingly sound, for a loner.”

“I’m called the Grim Reaper for a reason,” Grim replied, the hood excellently obscuring his eyes.

“As in that, you kill every target you’re given?”

“Or that you’re always the last one standing?” Dante asked after Mary, raising a pale eyebrow.

“Exactly,” Grim said and left it at that. He reloaded the anti-demon bullet back inside the gun, humming. “We know where he wants us to meet him. So let’s get goin’.” He aimed for Dante’s arm. “Let’s make this look convincing, okay?”

“Wait, what?! Wasn’t stabbing me repeatedly enough for ya?”

“Trust me, I still got the itch,” Grim said, before squeezing the trigger. He ignored the white-haired man’s pained shriek, watching him crumble to his knees. Mary watched with barely concealed, and somewhat twisted, glee as the Grim Reaper aimed for Dante’s leg next. “So hold fucking still, or that’ll take forever to relieve. Arkham, while you’re waiting,” Grim tilted his head in Mary’s direction. He pulled a black flip phone from his pocket and tossed it to her, “Listen and listen good: type in this number I’m about to tell you, then say the code 334523. We’ll need a ride to the meeting place, and I only ride in what’s subtle.”

“What will you do after this?” Lady asked Grim while behind the wheel, Dante chilling in the backseat. They made their way down the highway in a slick, quiet black number.

The man, normally wearing a gas mask, tilted his head back, as if contemplating her inquiry. “You’ve got a lot of talent, Grim. Your skills could be an asset, not just to DARKCOM but in general. Why stay a mercenary when you can answer to something greater?”

Dante grimaced. Was Lady trying to recruit Grim? Was this the time and place for it?

Or…was she trying to get some personal info out of him?

“I do what I do for one reason and one reason only,” Grim replied softly, folding his arms across his chest. “I don’t need more reasons, and after this little adventure, going back to taking and collecting on bounties looks like paradise.”

“You’re by yourself in the world. Like Leon,” Mary tried again to appeal to Grim’s humanity, which seemed tied to the pretty blonde. Dante winced but held his tongue. “You two are all each other have. So you do this for him.”

“He doesn’t need anyone to take care of him,” Grim stressed harshly, not enjoying Mary’s tone. “He more than defends himself when I’m not around. I’d appreciate it if you stopped painting him as this damsel in distress. He’s not trained like you, but he held his own. And unlike you, he's genuine.”

Mary’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. “There’s something you’re not telling us, Arkham. The White Rabbit has an axe to grind, and so far, you’re the only clue we have as to why. You want to share with the class, hmm?”

“I told you, I don’t know why he has it out for me and DARKCOM.”

“So you’re admitting that humans and demons aren’t so different. Demons are evil, but humans can be just like them.” Grim retorted, drawing out an anti-demon bullet from his handgun again. “Humans are capable of empathy, at least that differentiates us from demons. Demons prey upon humans because they see us as weak. We are easily driven by emotion, all rationale is out the window when something dear to us is threatened.” He sighed, narrowing his eyes. “I normally stay out of trouble like this. When I was younger, I wasn’t afraid of dying. I was gifted, so I applied myself, but even then, death was with me every step of the way. The thing is, when you find a reason to live, everything changes.”

Dante’s expression softened. He leaned forward in his seat, and Mary strained her ears, despite the angry look in her eyes. “When you find something worth fighting for, you realize death wasn’t walking beside you to take you. It was walking beside you to remind you that she has her hands on what matters. She can take it away as quickly as you earned it, so you should appreciate her mercy. She’s not kind to everyone.”

“Where are you going with this?” Mary whispered, pressing her lips together.

“You must have taken something from the White Rabbit for him to despise you and DARKCOM as he does.” Grim turned his head just enough so that Mary could feel his eyes on her. “You’ve been hunting and killing demons for years. You can’t tell me you haven’t been responsible for some heinous acts in your career, Arkham. This can stay between us three; I’ve killed a lot of people, and I’m not even in my thirties. Some people were bad guys, and some of them were innocent. I did my job and collected the cash, but that doesn’t mean their ghosts don’t follow me everywhere I go. So, where am I going with this? I theorize that you’re responsible for the White Rabbit. You or DARKCOM took something from him, and now he’s enacting his revenge.”

“...”

“Maybe my theory’s wrong. But I know pure hatred when I see it, and it’s clear as day in his eyes. That level of hatred is earned, and it’s personal. I understand it all too well,” Grim looked away from Mary, honing in on Dante. “No matter how hard you try, it’s a hatred that sears you from the inside out. It’s a hatred you can’t snuff out. It’s a hatred that toes the line between love and apathy; apathy to your failures breeds overconfidence, but you love the discipline it gives you, too. It teaches you painful truths about feeling. It’s a weakness and a strength.”

“Speaking from experience,” Dante asked, though it didn’t resonate like a question.

Grim shrugged. “...Grim, I promise to make things right.”

“What I want you to do…is promise you’ll get him as far away from everything as possible.”

“What?” Mary and Dante blurted out in unison, Grim folding his arms behind his head.

“This was meant for Leon and Leon alone…but I’ll be gone for a while. I don’t know how long or what will happen to me. But I won’t be here for Leon.”

Dante swallowed hard. Grim sighed before pointing under his seat with his thumb. “Maybe you’re right, Arkham. Maybe I do this all just for him,” the mysterious man went on, as Dante reached underneath the seat and pulled out a black briefcase. “Maybe I’m trying to make up for all the terrible things I’ve done. Or maybe…because this one person showed me kindness when the world tossed me aside, I’d do anything to ensure that person is happy. Leon is my Bella—I’d be completely different without him.”

“Grim, what the hell is this?” Dante demanded. He had popped the briefcase open to find it filled with cash. There was probably half a hundred grand here alone. He looked up from the carefully packaged dollars to the back of Grim’s head, blue eyes wide in confusion.

“There should be enough for you and Leon to skip town. I hear Redgrave City’s beautiful—you’ll continue hunting demons after this, right? You’re going to need a base of operations,” Grim’s tone went from stone cold to casual, as if he and Dante were discussing the weather again.

Redgrave City. How did Grim know about Dante’s hometown?

“It’s far away from here, that’s what matters. You take this money, and you skip town with Leon. Take on new names and start fresh. Give him the life I couldn’t.”

“You know Leon wouldn’t go for that! I wouldn’t either. Grim…”

“I mean it, Dante. I’m not coming back, not for a long time. Someone’s gotta look out for Leon.” Grim insisted, and Mary officially iced out of the conversation. “Who I’m working for now is a pretty big deal. They’ve got eyes and ears everywhere; I stick around, and they target Leon next. I made a name for myself, I have to maintain it. And that means,” Grim turned around, keeping his head ducked. “I have to give up what makes me human. I have to be a soldier full time.” He gripped the pristine leather tightly under gloved fingers. “And the Grim Reaper can’t have an angel by his side.”

“Grim…”

“Tonight, I set things straight. I help you and Arkham; we rescue Leon and leave him in your hands. Promise me you’ll always protect him.”

Dante didn’t flinch when Grim’s fingers suddenly wrapped around his wrist in an iron vice. He pressed the end of his thumb against Dante’s wrist, a stone settling in his stomach. “Promise me that you’ll always protect him. Promise me that Leon won’t suffer with you. Promise me…you’ll love him more than I do; than I ever could.”

‘You’re willingly giving him up. That’s why you’re saying what you’re saying…’ The back of Mary’s eyes burned.

Grim was relinquishing what he loved most for a faceless employer. He was chasing the money and maintaining his reputation. He was moving away from the mercenary life for something bigger, more ambitious.

And to do that, he had to give up the only person he called a friend: his family. He was willing to die, to surrender his humanity, and, to a point, his sanity, to protect Leon. The money and reputation were his strongest vices.

And yet…despite his willingness to serve something sinister and evil, he did it out of love. Grim would rather his name be soiled than Leon’s.

‘You love him so much that you’re willing to give him up so he’s safe. You don’t want your enemies to become his, too.’

“You promise me all that, and whatever happens to me, I’ll live with it knowing Bella’s in good hands.” Grim reached into one of the many pouches on his belt. He drew out a photograph, the corners beaten and torn with time. He handed it to Dante, finally letting go of his wrist and sitting properly in his seat.

Dante accepted the token with a shaky hand, using both hands to hold it steady.

The picture was of Leon. Thirteen-year-old Leon, wearing a baggy black hoodie and smiling fondly towards the sky. The sun above his head turned his brownish-blonde hair golden, a dim halo around his head. His bright blue eyes were dancing, twinkling; the strong wind blew his hair back, some over his eyes; he was sitting on a fire escape with his arms folded tightly across his chest, his cheek lightly pressed against the railing. He looked out into the distance, the picture taken from a profile angle.

This was Dante’s Leon, sweet, caring, and gentle Leon. His face was rounder and his eyes wider, but that was indeed Leon.

From day one, Leon was a fallen angel.

“So? Do we have a deal? Last one for old time’s sake.”

“Steady! The traitor’s spawn is almost here.” The White Rabbit announced as he adjusted his suit jacket. He fixed his monocle, his hairy lips flattened into a thin frown. “Remember,” he added softly, exchanging glances with his followers. The monstrous gentleman sighed, his pumpkin-orange eyes alight, “You just have to land one blow. He’ll come.” The White Rabbit sparingly glanced at his pocketwatch before giving one of the demons a firm nod.

It was the only demon to survive Arkham’s massacre earlier. His deep plum-purple eyes narrowed. He nodded as well, before approaching the dark green, oval-shaped portal hovering feet away from them. The horned demon quietly growled before reaching into the portal with one large, heavily calloused hand.

The horned demon dragged Leon S. Kennedy out of the Demon realm by his coat collar a minute later. The other demons present, some reptilian in appearance, snarled, seeing the unconscious meatbag with their own eyes.

Such an ugly, frail, pale thing, and such a fuss too, because the White Rabbit made it explicitly clear that no one, no one, was to touch it. No one was to pluck one hair out of its misshapen head or risk their leader’s wrath. It was vital to their victory, the White Rabbit said, so if anyone tried to have their way with the meatbag, they’d be forcibly removed from the cause.

The human, sadly, was allowed some dignity. It was dressed too regally, in form-fitting black with a dark blue coat. The coat sleeves were missing, and the collar hid the bandages around the human’s neck. As if this thing deserved such fanfare…

“Alice, time to wake up.” The White Rabbit cooed as he wrapped his hand around the meatbag’s neck. “Alice, Alice, Alice…dear Alice, open your eyes. Now.”

The meatbag’s eyelids fluttered before a pair of blue eyes slowly opened. They were as dark as the sky above their heads, and despite being surrounded by nightmarish creatures, they didn’t squirm. It looked into the White Rabbit’s eyes and held his steady gaze, even when the gloved fingers around his neck left red marks against his skin. “That’s it, there’s Alice!” The White Rabbit’s smile split his face down the middle. The meatbag didn’t respond. “Such a dreary expression on such a young face, haha. Cheer up! Your beloved demon hunter is coming.”

Leon bit hard on the inside of his cheek when the White Rabbit forced him to stand. His hands were tied behind his back, his blonde fringe obscuring one eye. “You two were parted for so long, I’m sure you’ll melt seeing him!”

“You’re not going to get away with this,” Leon grumbled softly, removing a crick in his neck before meeting the monstrous gentleman’s eyes again. “Dante isn’t an idiot. He’ll stop you, and your plans will go to waste.”

“You sound so confident. I thought your brief stint in my world would have opened your eyes.” The White Rabbit drawled, brushing his knuckles against Leon’s cheek. The pretty blonde didn’t react. “You saw the atrocities Sparda has condemned us, Makaians, to for over a century. You’ve seen how vicious some of those at the top can be—instead of seeing the truth, you choose to resist. Why?”

“What some lower-ranking demons are put through is twisted.” Leon began, letting out a shuddering breath. “I’ve seen how those at the top eat those at the bottom alive. Power, greed, influence, or pure malice, in the end, the reason creates monsters.” The pretty blonde hung his head, swallowing hard. “I think I know why you hate humanity so much. I know why you despise DARKCOM; I saw it in your eyes since the start, but couldn’t figure out why. I forced myself to think as you would, so I could understand you.”

The White Rabbit’s nose twitched, quickly growing agitated. Leon lifted his head, his eyes itching with tiredness. “You encompass humanity as a whole for what DARKCOM did to you. You don’t blame humanity for your pain, but specific humans. You blame Mary Arkham for your pain—she took everything from you, so you intend to return the favor.”

The demon cohorts observing clicked their tongues, licked their lips, and spat at Leon’s feet. The White Rabbit hummed, his hand wrapping around Leon’s neck again.

“It seems I was wrong to underestimate you, Alice. You’re not just a pretty face,” he purred, stroking Leon’s cheek. The White Rabbit brought their faces closer together, his breath fanning Leon’s cheeks. “Let’s say you’re right,” he whispered, letting another smile touch his lips. “Let’s say I’m not just motivated by Sparda’s selfishness in tearing down the wall. Say I do want revenge, can you truly condemn me? You’ve suffered loss; your parents,” Leon gritted his teeth, “they didn’t love you. They didn’t want you. You were cast aside, their interests elsewhere. You were merely a nuisance they were saddled with, and you endured their abuse until they paid with their lives for their mistakes. You didn’t mourn them, did you? You were freed when they died, and you never looked back. I know you hated them, and someone with your tenacity would have retaliated eventually. If you know that in your heart, can you truly see me as a monster?”

“Your pain doesn’t give you the right to hurt innocent people,” Leon said, steely, narrowing his eyes. “I hated my parents for what they did, how they treated me. But I don’t treat people the way my parents treated me. Do you know why? Because the world shouldn’t pay for what a few people did to me.”

The White Rabbit’s eyes bulged out of his head. Leon started laughing. “Haha, as if I hadn’t thought about doing just that. I was angry, I was hurt…but if I treated people the way my parents treated me, I wouldn’t have met my best friend. I wouldn’t have found a reason to become a police officer; I wouldn’t have found myself. I’m sorry for your loss, I truly am. I know you think humans are incapable of compassion, and that you are the only victims. But evil demons have slaughtered innocent demons, haven’t they? They’ve slaughtered their kind without remorse and will do that to innocent humans. How can you say one group’s suffering matters more than the other's? No, that’s not it,” Leon shook his head, his grin faltering. “Both humans and demons are capable of tremendous evil and kindness. The demons that took you in prove that; my finding Grim proves that. And Dante fighting against demons despite the blood that runs in his veins proves that!”

The demons serving the White Rabbit grew uneasy. One of them sharpened their claws on the concrete below their feet, but no one dared to shut the meatbag up. “It’s not just black and white—your people will suffer too, not just at the hands of powerful demons but powerful humans as well. Do you think Baines will let this slide? The power you wield, he wants, and he’ll do whatever it takes to get it. Once you’re out of the picture, he’ll take over.”

“So you know what will happen to you tonight. If I don’t kill you, Baines will.” The White Rabbit said, his voice surprisingly calm. “You are human like him, yet he sees your life as expendable.” The monstrous gentleman cupped Leon’s chin, stroking the mending skin with a gloved thumb. “...You and I are more alike than I realized. But we are still on opposing sides. You know you will die tonight, and yet you’re not cowering in fear.”

“Demons perceive humans as having a cowardly, selfish, fragile existence. Sparda fought against his nature to protect the Human realm. So I’m doing the same thing. I’m fighting against my human, cowardly nature to protect what I love.” Leon swallowed hard, his heart breaking into a thousand pieces. “I love this world. I love the people I know in it. It’s not just my home, it’s theirs too. And because of you…I found Dante.” The pretty blonde’s mouth morphed into a serene, relaxed smile. “You’ve forgotten what love is. What family and compassion are—revenge is the only thing you care about, and that’s why, if I die, you’ll die too. Dante will stop you, and he’ll stop Baines. Neither human nor demon should have the power Sparda had; it’s why he surrendered it. And it’s why it’s only in his bloodline.”

“You really are a fool.”

Leon didn’t yelp as the White Rabbit struck him across the face. He didn’t collapse onto his side or dry heave on the floor. He stood his ground and breathed deeply through his nose. “Sparda was everything but a hero. Your beloved Dante is anything but a hero. Your naivety has bored me for the last time, Leon.”

The Force Edge hovered inches above Leon’s Adam’s apple. Despite the venom in his words, the White Rabbit was smirking up a storm. “Which is why I’ll take great pleasure in murdering the traitor’s spawn’s lover with the very blade that will break down the wall.”

“Aagghh!” Leon gasped as the Force Edge dug into his side, slicing through the bandages and staining them red with his blood. He almost buckled, if not for balancing his weight on his heels.

Some of the demons keened and smacked their lips together, the smell of human blood, as always, tantalizing. The horned demon chuckled darkly, enjoying every drop hitting the ground like rain. “...?!”

“Hmm. It seems as if your faith in your friends was misplaced,” The White Rabbit said, as what sounded like a car engine grew louder and louder. He straightened his back, gripping the Force Edge’s hilt so the blade wouldn’t slide out.

As he uttered this, a black car with blacked-out windows skidded across the rooftop. The engine cut off as soon as the wheels made contact, and whoever stepped out was dressed all in black.

Leon’s eyes widened, ignoring the pain riding his spine as he stumbled backward.

“G-Grim?! What are you doing here?!”

“The overgrown rodent wants Dante’s blood. So that’s what I did.” Grim replied, his hood obscuring his face. His submachine gun was strapped to his back; he slammed the driver’s door behind him and walked over to the trunk. He flung the trunk door open before reaching inside and yanking out a body wearing a red leather trench coat. He dumped the body on the ground before dragging it with him by the collar, ignoring Leon’s watery, shell-shocked stare.

Grim flicked his wrist. Dante landed at his feet with barely an audible thud, groaning as dried blood clung to his left pants leg. The mysterious man aimed his submachine gun at Dante’s head, and every muscle in his body relaxed.

“Dante?!”

“His life means nothing to me, Leon,” Grim said in a husky tone, tilting his head to the side. “All I want is you back. All I want is you out of harm’s way.”

“Grim! Grim, please don’t do this!” Leon’s resolve fell apart at seeing the pinched expression on Dante’s normally cheery, energetic face. Even when the White Rabbit dug the Force Edge deeper, the pretty blonde gulped in the air to further plead with his best friend. “Dante’s blood, if you let the White Rabbit have it, the wall comes down! So many innocent people will die, and who knows who will take advantage to gain more power? Dante isn’t the enemy, don’t listen to the White Rabbit!”

“You don’t get it, do you?” Grim retorted, letting out a faint chuckle. “I don’t care about the world. The world can burn, it deserves it.”

“Grim…”

“Dante deserves this, Leon. He brought you into this. You’ve been kidnapped, tortured, you have a fucking sword in your side. He’s done nothing but bring you misery and pain. He’s just like his father. His father got his mother and brother killed. His father, because he was a selfish monster, caused all of this. All Dante has done is hurt you, Leon. All Dante has done is destroy you, Leon, and you want me to choose him over you? You’re all I have. You, whom I’ve been with my whole life. You mean more to me than my own life. No. I did everything you said because I could follow you into battle. I could keep you safe—until I couldn’t.”

The White Rabbit was smiling widely. “If Dante’s dead, he pays for what he did to you. The White Rabbit can have his blood. I want his corpse.”

“Please…” Leon couldn’t keep his tears in any longer. “Please, Grim…don’t do this. Innocent people will die; people who have no idea what’s going on will die. They won’t get a choice in this! Grim, please, I…I love him…please…”

“You should have chosen better.”

“My, my! What an unexpected turn of events, hahaha!” The White Rabbit’s cackling drew every pair of eyes to him, even Dante’s. They were half-lidded, guilt-stricken, as anxiety crushed his ribcage like a boulder at seeing Leon distraught, red-faced, and bleeding. “You’re willing to damn the Human realm for the one you love. All of this is to keep his lover’s corpse, because he’s responsible for Alice’s suffering. You betrayed Alice to get revenge; you’re willing to hurt Alice like you claim Dante has to even the score. Nice trade. No wonder he kept you close.” The Force Edge was yanked out of Leon’s side with a giddy flourish.

The pretty blonde pressed a hand over the gaping wound as he sucked in a pained breath, though his focus was on the demon hunter. “You’re willing to destroy Alice’s mind forever, having her witness her lover’s demise. You truly are the Grim Reaper! Which is why I’ll have my men tear you to pieces slowly. I’m curious what your insides look like. Gentlemen. It’s time to shine, haha! Show them what true resilience looks like!”

“GRIM! DANTE!” Blue flashed behind Leon’s eyelids, and just as he tore free of his restraints, he saw Dante leap to his feet and make a beeline for him.

Just as the roar of a motorcycle filled the pretty blonde’s ears, he spotted silky black hair cropped short and a large case gripped in a slender, pale hand.

Dante risked it. He broke free of the restraints Grim had placed on him earlier, and as soon as he heard Mary’s heartbeat growing closer and closer, he moved on instinct. Time was moving sluggishly—Dante was jogging towards Leon, who was hobbling aside and trying to slow the blood loss. He did his best not to knock Leon’s skeleton straight out of his body as he crashed into him. His arms wrapped tightly around his boyfriend’s middle, Leon’s feet leaving the ground. Dante heard Leon gasp against his ear, followed by strong, bandaged arms looping around his neck.

The two met eyes for a split second. Leon’s baby blues were dripping wet, wide as saucers with pupils thin as needles. His gaze was on Dante’s face as if he were a mirage. The white-haired man didn’t get to say anything, witty or romantic, as he tucked Leon’s head under his chin, ducked, and rolled.

Dante heard Mary’s motorcycle shriek like a banshee as she touched down. Grim unhooked a flash grenade from his belt and tossed it high into the air; drawing his handgun, he aimed and shot the flash grenade with a regular bullet.

“Kill them!” Dante heard the White Rabbit command, followed by hissing, spitting, and flapping wings. The intense brightness blinded the demons on the ground, but only them. The horned demon flew high into the air, then dove towards Mary.

The woman with two-colored eyes smirked. She dropped the case she was carrying; the lid opened, and she drew out a large, custom-made missile launcher complete with a short, serrated blade at the head. The horned demon snarled and brought down his massive sword, the blade colliding with Mary’s.

The dark-haired woman grunted as the force of the impact nearly knocked her off her feet. She gritted her teeth and held her ground, pushing back and trying to aim at the colossal monstrosity.

Grim filled one of the dazed demons with anti-demon bullets, reloading his submachine gun before aiming at the horned demon’s back.

“Look alive,” The mysterious man muttered before pulling the trigger.

The horned demon shouted as a burning sensation rode up his spine. He squeezed his eyes shut, giving Mary the opening she needed. She clamped down on the trigger, the missile launcher rumbling in her grip.

The missile struck the horned demon square in the chest—his eyes rolled back into his skull as he was sent barreling into the bridge in the twilight distance. The explosion shook the architecture to its core and flooded the other demons’ eyes with raw unease and panic.

“Anyone else?” Mary spat, her eyes hard as gemstones.

“Make this easier on us,” Grim added, swapping out his submachine gun for his modified Lightning Hawk. “Make a nice line, and everyone goes out like a light between the eyes.”

That snide comment got a few grunts to snap out of their horrified stupor. One that looked like a cross between a lizard and a firefly, wailed before extending its gnarly nails and launching itself at Grim and Mary.

“Looks like they don’t want to play nice,” Mary chided, cocking her missile launcher and aiming. “Fine, looks like it’s everyone else.” She and Grim were on the move, dodging swipes and kicks while shooting at whoever got too close. The White Rabbit stayed back, watching his men, while Leon returned to reality as he and Dante were huddled behind a wall.

“Leon. Leon, baby, you alright?”

Dante cupped Leon’s face with both hands, seeking out those watery baby blues. The older man was looking down, but once he felt Dante’s smoldering touch, he looked up at him. His pupils dilated, and his tears ran faster down his cheeks. Leon opened his mouth, but nothing came out, only half-hearted sounds and rough gasps. “Hey, hey, it’s okay…” Dante whispered, stroking Leon’s face with his thumbs. He swallowed hard, managing a small smile. “It’s okay, you’re okay.”

“D-Dante…?”

“Yeah, it’s me.” Dante nodded, his smile widening a little. “I’m okay, Leon. I’m here, I’m right here, baby. I’m sorry I took so long to get to you—I know it doesn’t make up for everything, but I’m here now.” The demon hunter was crying now, too. His sobs were quieter and drier, but seeing Leon’s pale, ashen face broke through his cheerful front.

Because more times than Dante cares to admit, it’s a front. His cheerfulness and goofiness were used to hide the pain he carried every day. It wasn’t completely an act, but it’s best to hide your suffering than let the world know you are suffering. “Leon, I’m sorry-”

“Dante!” Leon exclaimed, throwing his arms around Dante’s shoulders. He let out a watery, relieved laugh as he pressed his face against the younger man’s neck. He shivered when Dante folded his arms around his middle again, firmly pressing his lips against his boyfriend’s hot-to-the-touch skin. “I was so worried…!” His words came out slurred, and his face was blotchy but Leon gave less of a damn. “The last time I saw you, h-half of your face was missing! I know you can regenerate, but seeing you like that was awful!! I couldn’t help you, I couldn’t protect you. I had to watch you in pain, and I’m sorry!”

“Leon, don’t-”

“I’m not a demon hunter like you or Mary! I’m not trained like Grim! All I could do was get captured, t-thrown around, and used as bait. I always have to be rescued, and that’s not fair,” Leon pulled away slightly to rub his eyes. “It’s not fair that I can’t protect you like you can me. It’s not fair that you always have to save me—half of the injuries you suffered would have been avoided if I could do fucking something!” The pretty blonde yanked on his hair, shaking his head madly. “I’m sorry, Dante. I’m so sorry…”

“What are you talking about?” Dante breathed, his eyes blown wide. He gently pried Leon’s hands from his hair, cupping his face again and wiping away his fat, salty tears. “Leon…you have saved me. You’ve saved me over and over since the day we met.”

“What…what are you talking about?”

Dante chuckled. “Ever since we met, I haven’t been alone. I’m not alone to dwell on my past, I’m not alone to try and numb the pain, doing whatever so I don’t have to think about…anything!” He sucked in a deep breath, opening his eyes and staring deep into Leon’s eyes. “I’m not alone anymore, thanks to you, Leon. I’m happy. I’m not cruising through life without a purpose; I’d take jobs as long as I didn’t have to care. This business was just to keep my stomach full and a roof over my head. I didn’t give a shit about anything. But ever since I met you, I want more. I want to care. I want to take down demons because it’s the right thing to do. I don’t want anyone to go through what I did—I want to protect people, and I want you. I want everything I can with you, Leon.” The white-haired man’s grin split his face down the middle. “You make me happy, Leon. I feel safe with you, like there’s someone there for me with you. I was scared that if you knew what I was… you’d leave. But you didn’t.”

“...” Leon gaped like a fish, shaking his head in disbelief. Dante gently shushed him, squeezing his cheeks and pressing his mouth against his forehead.

“You didn’t leave. You know the truth about me, about what I am, and you’re not afraid. You said so yourself: I don’t have to be scared of my demon heritage. It’s part of me, and it makes me who I am. I’m a good person and will use both my demon and human sides to protect humanity. You taught me that, Leon. You didn’t judge me, you didn’t hold me up to some high standard; you just listened to me, you talked to me. You saw me for me, and I haven’t scared you off yet! That’s amazing because I’m a mess, and it’s only going to get tougher from here on out, but baby, if you want to stay, I want you to. I want you to stay, Leon. I don’t want anyone else, just you. No matter how complicated this gets, I just want you.”

“Even if I’m just a fragile human?”

“For such a fragile human, you’ve changed my world for the better,” Dante emphasized, Leon’s skin icy under his fingers. He pressed down to share his heat, tears glistening off Leon’s bottom lip. He brought their mouths together, feeling the older man quake under the wet embrace.

Leon swallowed around the lump in his throat, his heart beating a hundred miles a minute. He closed his eyes and kissed back, gripping Dante’s shirt until his knuckles turned white. The kiss was slow and tender, the two men sometimes separating to share breaths. Dante bit softly on Leon’s lower lip; Leon ran the tip of his tongue along the bottom, right-hand corner of Dante’s mouth. When they finally separated, Dante nuzzled their noses together. “No matter how complicated this gets, I want you.”

“I want you too,” Leon said under his breath, his cheeks flushed for another, less distraught reason. When he opened his eyes and looked at Dante, the tears had dried up, and his eyes were back to being beautiful and bright. “No matter how complicated this gets…I want to fight by your side, Dante. I want to fight with you, will you let me?”

“You got my back,” Dante said, unsheathing Rebellion with a devilish grin, “and I got yours.” He reached inside his trench coat and pulled out two heavy, metal wristguards and two of DARKCOM’s anti-demon handguns.

“Lady hooked us up with some of her tech. These wristguards aren’t just a fashion statement; if your guns get knocked out of your hands, BAM! They come flying back to ya, baby.”

“That’s damn handy. And both are fully loaded, too.”

“Only the best for my angel.”

Leon giggled. “You focus on aiming, I focus on dicing. And if you don’t mind being in my arms while ya do…!”

“Let’s get this party started,” Leon replied, getting to his feet and nodding once. “There’s still a lot we need to talk about…”

The pretty blonde felt the rectangular-shaped lump in one of his coat pockets. A storm cloud darkened Leon’s expression. ‘Vergil…’

“Dante, there’s a lot we need to talk about, we’ll do that and more once we clean up here, okay?”

“Right,” Dante agreed, nodding.

Leon was worried about how Dante would take the news about Vergil. Meanwhile, Dante was nervous about asking Leon to move to Redgrave City with him. Both men had something major to disclose to the other, but right now wasn’t the time.

They must stop the White Rabbit from destroying the wall separating the Human and Demon realms.

“You ready, baby? Wait, your side-”

“It’s already healed! Whatever I was treated with while in the Demon realm was working overtime. I can do this. Let’s do this, big guy.”

Dante’s wolfish grin made Leon’s stomach flip. The younger man hooked one arm under his boyfriend’s knees, lifting Leon easily as if he weighed nothing. He winked at the pretty blonde before they bolted over the wall and finally joined the fight. The height boost made it easier for Leon to aim for a demon with wings and a longish, snake-like face, his fingers steady on the triggers. It wailed as it was hit, losing interest in Grim as it folded its wings to shield its face and arms.

“About time!” Grim shouted as Leon landed somewhat gracefully beside him. He reloaded his submachine gun as the pretty blonde covered him, the two standing back-to-back. “Mary and I aren’t miracle workers, you know.”

“Ha, sorry,” Leon said with a tiny smile, ducking as a demon with scaly skin and wide, green eyes tried to tackle him. He ducked, unhooked a grenade from Grim’s belt, and forced it down the monster’s gullet when it snapped its teeth inches from his nose. “Here, present for you!”

Grim leaped backward; the demon’s guts sprayed everywhere, leaving a weird, rotting stench. He wiped some of the stuff off his submachine gun, swapping to his Lightning Hawk again. He took in Leon’s clothes, raising an obscured eyebrow. “Nice threads,” he commented, unflinching as Leon exploded another demon’s head with two anti-demon bullets.

“These might not stick around for long,” Leon admitted, biting his lower lip. These were the clothes Vergil gave him, complete with a new coat. The pretty blonde couldn’t fathom why the other man would go out of his way to give Leon a new jacket, and while it was slick and handsome, it wasn’t Leon’s style. He’ll keep it, but wearing it only reminded Leon of the secret he’s still holding in. “Anyway, let’s trade off here.”

“You got it, Bella.”

“And here I thought you and Kennedy were screwing around back there!” Mary scolded Dante, swiping a demon’s legs out from under it before impaling it with the blade attached to her missile launcher.

The woman with two-colored eyes’s scowl softened, if only a little, as the white-haired man brought Rebellion down on another demon’s throat, decapitating it and spraying blood everywhere.

“Hey, we ain’t ready for that step yet! And I want to put a ring on it, you know? It’s only fair,” Dante retorted, doubling back before shoving Rebellion down one reptilian demon’s throat.

The creature with pupilless, pale blue eyes convulsed and choked, clutching at its neck. Dante only drove the sword down further, watching as the demon’s skin splintered; chunks of grayish-green flesh landed on the floor with a wet splat!

Dante twisted the blade before tightening his fingers on the hilt. Dante barely grunted as he lifted the demon still impaled on Rebellion and swung hard over his shoulder.

The demon was still alive. It let out a gurgling scream as it spun around like a top, its legs striking its allies across the face, in the stomach, or against their chest.

Mary gagged loudly. “Don’t paint that image in my head, asshole!” She snapped, ducking as Dante continued taking out the other demons, with the one dying on his sword. She cocked her missile launcher again and finished off the spasming demon with a shot to the spine.

The demon left a trail of blood leading into the tranquil, dark blue ocean several feet below. Mary wiped some sweat from her forehead, with Dante landing a few feet beside her. She spat on the floor, shaking her head. “Disgusting.”

“Don’t tell me you’re against two healthy, attractive young men in love going at it.”

“I don’t want to think how Leon mounting you works, you idiot.”

“Who says he’d been the one mounting?” Dante pointed out with an exaggerated eyebrow wag. He blasted a demon’s brains out when it tried to bite his head off, Dante not looking away from Mary once. “He’s fun-sized, Lady! Soft curves, full hips, and an attitude to boot; I wouldn’t mind climbing that.”

“Shut up!” Mary threw a punch, which Dante avoided easily, before lodging the serrated end of her missile launcher into a demon’s belly and twisting it violently in place.

The white-haired man shrugged, smirking. He leaped high to clash swords with the horned demon, letting Mary clean up the rest.

The White Rabbit narrowed his eyes.

Leon was moving faster than before. He twisted out of the way, dropped to the floor, rolled, and shot with swift, enhanced precision. He and Grim traded off demon opponents, seemingly reading each other’s minds.

‘I see…you fed him some of your blood. Impaling him with the Force Edge should have crippled Alice, but with your blood running through his system, he’s temporarily overpowered for a human.’ A slowly creeping smile touched the monstrous gentleman’s furry lips. ‘I knew it. I knew you’d develop an attachment to Alice. Just like your brother! Oh, Vergil, I thought you were better than that. But it seems your humanity is still intact.’ The White Rabbit’s eyes drifted towards the portal. ‘You’re watching, aren’t you? You’re watching to ensure Leon isn’t harmed. Well then, if not him, I know who else can test out our fallen friend’s little gift.’

One of the demons, with a hunched back, long, black claws, and a fish-like fin on top of its blue head, locked eyes with the White Rabbit. The White Rabbit nodded, which made the demon cohort simmer delightedly before he honed in on Grim and Mary.

It let out a loud trill before stalking toward the mysterious man. “Grim, look out!” Leon shouted, shooting at the demon’s feet. The creature was skillful, hopping over the bullets and discarding its dark green cloak; Grim turned and drew out his combat knife, snarling as he stabbed the demon in the neck.

“Agh!”

“Grim?!”

The demon had sliced through the body armor with its claws, leaving behind a long, thick cut in Grim’s arm.

A sliver of green goo mixed in with Grim’s blood; the mysterious growled before kicking the demon off him, retracting his combat knife and watching with twisted pleasure as the monster twitched and spasmed on the ground. “Grim, are you okay?!”

“Peachy,” Grim replied harshly, pulling his torn sleeve over the cut. “I’m fine, Bella. Focus!”

“Shit!”

“Lady?!”

Both Grim and Leon watched as Mary went from drawing her handguns to gasping sharply and collapsing on her side. Her eyes were wide, and her chest rose and fell, but every breath sounded forced. She grunted and tried to grab her guns, but her hands didn’t cooperate. “Lady?!” Dante ran to her side, crouching.

“What’s goin-?!” Grim’s inquiry was cut short as liquid fire singed his insides. He tossed his head back and choked on his tongue, landing hard on his back. His combat knife flew out of his reach, his head lolling to the side.

“Grim!” Leon shoved his guns into the holsters Dante strapped to his thighs, lifting Grim’s head and cradling it in his lap. “What the fuck did you do?!” He demanded the White Rabbit, his nostrils flaring. Dante got to his feet, unsheathing Rebellion and shielding Mary with his body.

The White Rabbit chuckled, “A formula I developed based on Echidna’s natural toxin,” he said, referring to the female plant demon Mary had obliterated while infiltrating his headquarters. “It won’t kill them, only paralyze them for a while. All of my warriors’ blades are doused with it. It’ll give us plenty of time to extract Dante’s blood from him,” The White Rabbit blinked twice.

Leon snapped his head back. He gasped as he was lifted off the ground by his waist, the leathery, beefy hand squeezing down hard on his hips.

The pretty blonde fished one handgun out and shot the horned demon between the eyes, only for him to smile impishly and brush what remained of the bullet off his forehead. The horned demon went from docile to hostile in minutes; it played weak while fighting with Dante, to give him a false sense of security. It lifted Leon off the ground, Grim’s head hitting the floor with a muffled thumping sound, before launching him into the portal to the Demon Realm.

“Leon!” Dante yelled with his blue eyes in flames. He swung Rebellion hard and nicked one of the horned demon’s wings, only for the beast to twist free and glide off into the distance.

“Wait!” The White Rabbit held up a gloved hand, the completed amulet shining around his neck.

Dante glowered but stayed in place. “Every move I make is with purpose, Dante. Your friends will remain paralyzed here, they won’t cross over. But your lover has returned to where he was nursed back to health. Believe it or not, no harm came to him here,” The monstrous gentleman gestured to the dark green, oval-shaped portal. “Let me at least show you what you’re fighting for.” His leer went back to the portal; Dante connected the dots instantly.

“Is that…?”

“Your father’s homeland, where Mundus, the king who had your family murdered, still rules. Fitting of Fate’s dark humor, it was Mundus who gained the most from Sparda’s wall. It has allowed him to bleed dry a captive, terrorized populace, while she and the rest of her DARKCOM barbarians ensure Paradise stays sealed off for their own kind.”

It goes back to Mary. Dante looked over his shoulder at her, seeing splatters of demon blood drying on her face. Her jaw was clenched painfully, but her eyes were frigid with fear.

Despite Grim being stiff and numb a few feet away, he was only collateral damage. Just like Leon.

Mary did have something to do with the White Rabbit. “They and Mundus are two sides of the same blood-stained coin.” The White Rabbit went on, pointing to the portal behind him. His nonexistent eyebrows were pinched arrows above his eyes, only for him to scowl when Dante started laughing. “What’s so humorous, Dante? Hmm?”

“I’m sorry, but Paradise?” The white-haired man chortled, thumbing his nose. “You call this world Paradise?”

“Compared to my world, yes.” The White Rabbit replied, shaking his head before holding out his hand. “Come with me and see for yourself. See that even your beloved Alice is safer there than here.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’ll see.” The White Rabbit’s malicious smile was back, his nose twitching.

Dante lost touch with Vergil’s scent years ago. He couldn’t even detect it with Leon swimming in it.

Poor thing. Oh, well, that’s the way things end.

“...” Dante swallowed hard. He squared his jaw, then looked back at Mary and Grim. Grim’s head was tilted back, so his gaze was on the sky. His left hand twitched; he grunted and coughed, the paralyzing agent aggravating every nerve.

Mary wasn’t faring better. She looked up at Dante, somewhat pleadingly. Her Adam’s apple bobbled up and down, cold sweat pooling against her left brow.

“Anyone touches them in this world, then you’ll die in that one.”

“Very well! Hands off the lieutenant and mercenary-for-hire! That’s an order.”

The remaining demons flared their nostrils but lowered their claws, closed their mouths, and straightened their backs.

Dante had two anti-demon handguns on his person. He slung Rebellion onto his back, brushing some hair out of his eyes.

The White Rabbit folded his arms behind his back, patient for only so long. Dante strode forward, occasionally peering at the leering monsters for any sudden movements.

“...” The White Rabbit waited until Dante took a deep breath and put one leg through the portal, and everything he wanted to say he’d save for later.

‘This will be between us, at least at the start. Keep Alice out of this until I direct so, Vergil.’

“Put me down!” Leon threw out his elbow, nailing the chink in Nelo Angelo’s armor. The demonic knight didn’t flinch, folding a hand over Leon’s stomach as they landed on a tall, jagged rock emerging from the lifeless dirt.

Nelo Angelo’s cape fluttered in the heavy gusts, gripping the Yamato in a vice grip. Leon started beating against the demonic knight’s chest, struggling to break his hold on him. “I said, put me down! Put me down now, Nelo Angelo!”

No response. Those haunting, glowing yellow eyes merely stared at Leon’s contempt-filled face, watching as his eyes went to slits and how he braced his fists against the demonic knight’s torso. “Vergil! Stop it!”

That got a reaction. Nelo Angelo’s mouth pulled downwards, but he at last complied. With a firm, powerful hand around his wrist, the demonic knight steadied Leon. The pretty blonde blew out a breath, digging his dull nails into Nelo Angelo’s skin. “I can stand on my own, thank you. Now let go!”

“I can’t, Leon. You know that.”

“I know that I’m being used to lure Dante into the Demon realm, that’s what I know! I know the White Rabbit will bait him to see the Demon realm for himself because it’s Sparda’s homeland. I know that, I don’t know why you’re interfering!”

“You’ll get hurt. Hold still,” Nelo Angelo stuck his hand in Leon’s coat pocket. He produced the oxygen mask the pretty blonde was wearing earlier and, while holding Leon in place by squeezing his wrist, pressed it over Leon’s mouth and nose.

Smart boy, he had been holding his breath this entire time. His lungs hadn’t been ravaged by this hellish poison, even when he was panicking while soaring through the portal. “You’re stubborn to a fault.”

“Look who’s talking!” Leon bellowed, exhaling. “Vergil, let me go.”

“I can’t. Dante has to face the White Rabbit alone. This is his fight, not yours.”

“I’ve just about had it! I’m sick and tired of people making decisions for me! Dante and I, this is our fight! I’m done being on the sidelines—I’m fighting with him, like it or not. I’m not leaving him to deal with this alone, not any fucking more.” Leon drew out one of his handguns. Nelo Angelo’s eyes widened, alarmed. “I’m sorry, Vergil…”

“Gah!” Leon shot Nelo Angelo in the chink in his armor. The shock was more disarming than the pain, the demonic knight loosening his clutch on Leon’s wrist.

The pretty blonde brought his legs together; he kicked off Nelo Angelo’s torso, doing half a backflip before landing several feet below. He can take hits like that thanks to the half-demon blood flowing through his veins.

It might run out sooner than later, so Leon had to move fast.

“Leon!” Vergil’s face flashed under the horned helmet, haunting, pupilless yellow replaced by piercing silverish-blue.

Leon didn’t look back, shoving his gun back into its holster and taking off in a manic sprint. He fought against the howling winds, keeping his head ducked.

“Dante!”

Thunder boomed over Leon’s head. His eyes fell on Dante, gagging and coughing. The portal shimmered behind him; the white-haired man was hunched over, hacking into his gloved fist.

‘Gas mask from Grim! Now!’ Dante’s mind was racing like his heart; he reached into his leather trench coat and slapped the gas mask over his eyes, mouth, and nose. He inhaled then exhaled, his lungs working properly again.

“Ugh…” he stood up tall, eyes watery.

“Hmph. Fragile even with your lineage.” The White Rabbit commented snidely, closing his eyes as he filled his lungs. He let it out slowly, his nose twitching. “A scorched earth, and air turned to poison. Centuries’ worth of devastation, wrought by tyrants who make sapien stories of the devil seem quaint.”

Dante pressed his lips together, wiping the sweat off his forehead. The gas mask helped some, but the burning sensation in his chest wasn’t going away.

The monstrous gentleman unsheathed the Force Edge. He hissed before yanking Dante back by his coat collar. He forced the demon hunter to his knees, grabbing fistfuls of his hair and forcing his head back. “Look and see your father’s wall for what it is.” The White Rabbit demanded with Dante’s sights on the desolate tower tops and swirling, noxious clouds. “An artificial construct raised by a man with immense power to do what all such constructs are designed to do.”

The White Rabbit kicked Dante’s knees out from under him—the gas mask slipped a little, filling Dante’s nose with that putrid, suffocating air again. He didn’t feel pain even from the White Rabbit pulling his hair, the Force Edge’s blade glistening inches above Dante’s neck. “To keep the powerless in their place.”

Dante screamed as he met the hard ground. The White Rabbit had bashed his head into the dirt, his gloved nails digging into his scalp. He didn’t let go of Dante’s hair as he dug his heel into Dante’s back, narrowing his eyes. “The powerless have their place, and the powerless aren’t allowed to leave it! That’s what Sparda and Mundus made clear; we traded one tyrant for another, and they were the only ones left to rake in the benefits.”

Dante squeezed his eyes shut as the Force Edge’s tip grazed his spine. “That is your legacy, Dante. You are the son of a tyrant, a selfish monster. Your legacy is a tyrant, a selfish monster; your legacy is a foolish, ignorant mother; your legacy is loneliness, a twin brother long since deceased, a mother long since deceased, a father long since deceased. There’s nothing you have tying you to both sides. You. Are. Nothing.”

“Hey, Roger Rabbit! Chew on this!”

The White Rabbit staggered off of Dante as a spray of bullets nailed him in the stomach. Leon squeezed down on the triggers, walking forward and circling the monstrous gentleman like a predator observing its prey.

Leon watched as blood splurted from the White Rabbit’s stomach and arms. He watched as he fell on his nonexistent cotton tail, panting and gasping. His monocle was flecked red, and so was his crisp, soft white fur. The pretty blonde glowered at the White Rabbit, keeping one gun trained on him as he crouched down to Dante’s height. “Dante, babe, you alright?”

“Leon, you’re o-okay!” Dante stammered, gagging again. Leon adjusted his gas mask one-handed, tightening it behind the white-haired man’s ears.

“Easy now, breathe in then out, slowly,” Leon instructed gently. “Watch me, okay?”

Dante nodded. He breathed in through his nose, then slowly out his mouth like Leon. They did for a few minutes until the purple hue in Dante’s cheeks went away. “There we go…that’s it, you got it, babe.”

“Saving my life again, baby,” Dante said with a weak chuckle. He sat carefully, Leon still having a gun drawn on the White Rabbit. “Let me check you out, okay? You got hurt?”

Leon smiled and shook his head. “I’m a lot tougher than I look, remember?” He asked, wrapping an arm across Dante’s lower back. He helped the younger man up, his tense expression melting away. “Grim gave you his gas mask.”

“It’s like he knew things were going to go bad,” Dante replied, chuckling again. “...this place, it’s awful. He calls Earth Paradise, but both suck. Both have their issues.”

“Yeah…Dante, there’s something I have to tell you.” Leon began, bracing his hands on Dante’s shoulders. He waited until the demon hunter locked eyes with him. “The White Rabbit lied to you.”

Dante furrowed his brows. “What are you talking about, Leon?”

“About you being nothing. About you being without a family.”

“I know. I know that now, baby. I got you and Enzo.”

“No, I mean yeah, that’s true, but I’m talking about something else-”

“Ah, ah, ah!” The White Rabbit said, wiping his mouth with his jacket sleeve. He coughed violently but pushed off his knees. Leon drew out his other handgun, stepping in front of Dante. “Now, dear Alice, don’t spoil the surprise! I’m going to drop the bombshell myself,” the monstrous gentleman wheezed; his grin now a scowl. “You stupid, pathetic, insolent little worm. Your meddling has gone on long enough. What spared you wasn’t a so-called God’s will or innate ability. It’s because you’re a plaything for such a pitiful bloodline.”

“Tell us how you really feel. What’s worse about all of this…is that you have a point. It’s not fair that innocent demons had to suffer for so long. It’s unfair that they’re treated as less in the hierarchy because they were born into lesser positions. It’s unfair that someone has to fight to survive, let alone find peace. I agree with you; you were right, I hated my parents. I hated them and wanted them to pay for what they did; how they treated me. But getting back at them wouldn’t have made me happy, and hurting innocent people while saying you’re doing this for the unjustly treated makes your cause moot.” Leon stated, not letting his guard down.

“Don’t speak to me as if we’re the same!”

“You said we were, didn’t you? Or was that you trying to manipulate things again?”

“Where do you keep all this courage in that scrawny little frame of yours?”

Before either Leon or Dante could retort, the White Rabbit snapped his fingers. The horned demon came barreling through the portal. Leon gasped; Dante grabbed the back of his jacket and yanked him towards the ground.

The men kept their heads down as massive, leathery wings swooped past them—the horned demon landed on its feet, tossing some bizarre device at the White Rabbit.

He caught it with a shaky, gloved hand, forcing himself to his feet and gulping in some air. “I created this device to detect and prolong the random tears that naturally appear in the wall.” He went back to monologuing, tucking the device carefully under his arm.

Leon and Dante stood up, armed and waiting. “It’s let me save handfuls of refugees.”

“Refugees? Like the ones you experimented on?” Dante asked, his cheeks flushing an angry red somewhat. He gripped his chest, Leon catching his arm to steady him.

“With Makai’s air in your lungs,” the White Rabbit resumed as if Dante hadn’t spoken, “you can understand that will never be enough. The only true answer is to let all Makaians cross over. Now, the wall must be destroyed.”

“You’re…you’re talking about genocide,” Dante stressed, glancing at Leon and then back at the White Rabbit. “ If every demon can cross into this world, humans won’t stand a chance. Millions will die.”

“You can’t know for sure if a Makaian won’t turn on humans as soon as they cross over,” Leon added, his lips flattened into a thin line. “Just like with humans, not every Makaian has good intentions.”

The White Rabbit scoffed, disgusted. “You two aren’t listening.” He said steely, balling his hands into fists. “Millions already die. Yes, with the wall gone, the monsters of Makai will come through along with the oppressed. But in its wake, the worlds will reach a new, rebalanced equilibrium. What’s the sacrifice of a generation or two if it means ending suffering for those who come after? You can right your father’s injustice, Dante. It takes only a drop of your blood.”

“My father was a hero,” Dante said, his face surprisingly calm.

“And how would you know that?” The White Rabbit rolled his eyes. “All the deep, meaningful moments you had together?”

“Sparda wouldn’t sacrifice a generation or two to end the suffering of those who come after.” Leon butted in, shaking his head slowly. The White Rabbit spared him a glance. “...You think sacrificing today’s lives will bring peace? Peace achieved through bloodshed, violence, and fear isn’t real peace. It isn’t real change! Your hypocrisy knows no bounds, does it?”

“Hmmm?”

“You experimented on your fellow demons. Did you sacrifice members of this generation to save the next? What about those who begged you to reconsider, to change your mind? You heard them, you saw their pain, and you ignored it. And you dare to say you carry their losses on your shoulders. You act like a martyr, but you’re just like Mundus.”

“What did you say, you insolent little brat?!”

“Mundus enslaved millions, didn’t he?” Leon asked, snapping his head back to look at the horned demon. “Mundus took and took and took—he didn’t care who he destroyed, it was about what he wanted. You’re more alike than you realize.”

Unbeknownst to the White Rabbit, his followers were hearing every word.

Grim had snuck a two-way radio transceiver into his gas mask, the gas mask he loaned Dante. Just before he collapsed, he unmuted the piece on him and was broadcasting the White Rabbit’s monologue to not only every demon present but Mary, too. She could hear everything loud and clear.

“Leon’s got a point,” Dante said, after staying quiet most of this conversation. “You try to say you and Mundus are different, but you’re closer than ever. And sure, just a drop of my blood could tear down the wall and allow every demon to cross over. You’re right, Cottontail. You’re so right.”

“ Don’t…Don’t be a fucking idiot! ” Mary screeched through gritted teeth, trying to push off her hip to sit up. “ Do I have to get over there and blow your head open again? ”

‘Mary.’ Leon and Grim lamented with faint grimaces, only for Dante to snicker.

“She and Leon make compelling points. I’m gonna have to go with the not-murdering-all-of-humanity side on this one. So, how about we just move on to you sending and your lackeys back to your side with seven hundred broken bones between you?”

“....Then I guess we’ll have to get your blood out the traditional way! Gentlemen!”

“ Don’t get cocky! Remember, their blades are poisoned! ” Grim barked, able to feel half of his face again.

It seems like the White Rabbit’s cohorts are loyal until the end. Neither turned on their leader, even with the truth about his secret atrocities. They ran one by one through the portal, surrounding Leon and Dante with the horned demon as their lieutenant.

“Good thing none of them are gonna touch us then,” Dante said, wrapping an arm around Leon’s waist. “Babe, this is gonna be a bumpy ride. I need you to hold on tight, okay?”

“Don’t drop me; I’ll shoot where you need me to, and maybe if you impress me, I’ll reward you later.”

“Oooh, I love me an assertive hubby! Let’s rock.”

“Hmm, it appears the dosage wasn’t quite strong enough,” The White Rabbit mused as Mary and Grim could sit up without flinching. The mysterious man thumbed the hilt of his combat knife, hidden away under his sleeve. “But let’s focus on the positive,” he strolled over to the two humans, the Force Edge an extension of his wrath. “Maybe you will get to feel the cold grip of death take you both!”

Mary grunted, a devious smirk on her fair lips. “You’re so full of it.” She said, shaking her head. Her smirk then fell, fixing the White Rabbit with hard, angry eyes. “I saw your DARKCOM hate shrine. That’s what you really care about.”

The monstrous gentleman’s giddy aura soured in the blink of an eye. “If you were fighting for the oppressed, you wouldn’t be holding them prisoner.”

Grim moved just in time. His blade collided with the White Rabbit’s, keeping the Force Edge from grazing Mary’s neck. The woman with two-colored eyes stared at Grim’s back, stunned, as the White Rabbit’s fury burned brightly through his words.

“I feel every bit of pain that I cause my people.” He declared, tongue-lashing through gritted teeth. Grim grunted as the White Rabbit applied more weight behind the Force Edge, but he didn’t buckle. “But how much crueler a fate would they have met at your hands? I adopted the methods I was forced to by an enemy willing to do worse.”

“DARKCOM isn’t abusing orphans to turn them into brainwashed soldiers.” Mary protested defiantly, unaware of the side eye Grim was giving her.

The White Rabbit grinned, but it was wrong. It didn’t touch his eyes. “Really?” He asked slyly. “Is that not how you would describe yourself?”

Mary’s throat tightened. “Why did you think DARKCOM recruited you?” The monstrous gentleman went on, his eyes drifting towards Mary’s protector. “Only those who have lost all connection to their world are truly free to fight for a different one. It is no coincidence that our whole little unholy trinity had our families taken from us.”

Unholy trinity…the White Rabbit, Mary, and Dante.

“Dante, you, and I.” The White Rabbit said, confirming Grim’s worst fears. Both he and Mary watched as the White Rabbit brought a hand to his face as if to shield his eyes from them.

Only for him to start…prying his furry skin off.

‘What the hell?’ Grim thought, lowering his arm now that the Force Edge wasn’t an immediate threat. He stayed in front of Mary, just in case, and heard her gasp loud and clear.

The White Rabbit wasn’t a rabbit at all. In place of long, floppy white ears, glowing pumpkin-orange eyes, and bucked teeth…was a man. A man with long, stringy black hair, hard, dark eyes with sharp, thick brows, and leathery, years-old burns going from his lower face down to his chest. He undid his jacket and shirt buttons, revealing a glowing red contraption embedded in his flesh. There were tubes plugged into his nostrils, and those tubes were connected to the glowing red contraption. It was blood; it was blood being pumped into him, demon blood no doubt.

That was keeping him standing. That… is what keeps him alive.

‘A human living on demon blood. He’s only alive…because he’s been filtering demon blood through his system?’

The human man with dark hair and eyes let a somber smile cross his lips. He raised his hands as if surrendering or presenting a grand display. “I am your masterpiece, Lieutenant Arkham.” He purred, the veins in his eyes throbbing.

“....That’s impossible.” Mary breathed, her voice colored black with horror. Grim glanced at her, so many questions on his mind. The woman with two-colored eyes was oblivious to him, literally shaking where she sat on the ground. “You survived.”

‘Just what I suspected. Mary and the White Rabbit do have a past together.’

Great, all of this was unraveling while Dante and Leon were handling the demon horde on the other side of the portal!

“You and your team left me crippled, barely able to keep myself alive.” The White Rabbit admitted, no trace of agony on his harsh, thin features. He brought a gloved hand up to the glowing contraption in his chest, stroking the sides with a long, thin finger. “Now I require a constant transfusion of this cocktail of demon blood with its healing abilities to buy myself the time I need…to destroy every piece of architecture of injustice that killed my family.”

‘His family? Wait, that’s it! His loyalty to the Demon realm, his twisted sense of honor and justice…he was raised in the Demon realm. That’s where his hatred for humans, despite being one, comes from. He was a demon in spirit, and Mary…Mary and her entourage killed them.’

The refugees holed up in what used to be his base before they were all slaughtered by DARKCOM. He was once a refugee, too, and he tried saving others like him.

“We didn’t do…this.” Mary protested, struggling to string sensible sentences together. “You were trying to help demons that night, but now…I should have known you were human from the start. Your brand of pure, psychotic ruthlessness?  That’s all humanity.”

“You’re…an idiot.” Grim hissed softly, seeing red. ‘Both of you are wrong. Pure, psychotic ruthlessness isn’t a demon or a human problem. It’s a being problem. You two are two sides of the same coin—it doesn’t matter what you are, it’s what you become. And both of you are monsters.’

And this is coming from the Grim Reaper himself. To think he’s been risking his neck looking out for this woman…

The White Rabbit brushed off Grim’s comment, his smile wide as he unsheathed the Force Edge again. “That, we agree on.” He said, before bringing the mighty blade down.

“?!” Grim leaped on top of Mary and rolled them both out of the way. The woman gasped, her face pressed against the usually stoic man’s neck; a pink flush entered her cheeks, but she didn’t think to kick him in the groin.

Grim rolled them out of the way before getting off Mary and drawing out his twin handguns.

“Ah, so even though you despise her, you protect her still.” The White Rabbit cooed, eyes widening in mock surprise. “Don’t tell me you’ve come to care for her? After all, it’s thanks to the lieutenant that your darling Bella will never be the same again. You see, demon blood runs through Bella’s system as we speak. A powerful being took pity on her and gave her but a few drops to heal her from her misadventures. That powerful being will return for her when the time is right. Sadly, you won’t be around to see it.”

The White Rabbit said this just as the portal to the Demon realm reopened, and Dante and Leon came rushing through while the horned demon’s head rolled across the floor.

Dante grabbed his necklace while Leon grabbed the Force Edge hilt.

The two stopped the White Rabbit’s body from plummeting into the murky, watery depths below, raspy exhales escaping that pale, scarred chest.

“You were never a demon at all.” The white-haired man murmured, his nostrils flaring. “Just a man wearing a screwed-up bunny mask to hide an even more screwed-up human face…that has a bunch of weird tubes sticking out of it.”

Leon fought hard not to laugh.

“To be fair, I can see why no one considered that.”

The White Rabbit’s labored breathing left ghostly vapor behind. His eyes were dazed, but he remained conscious nonetheless. “I gave you the chance to end this.” He wheezed, shuddering as a blast of icy wind went down his spine. He tilted his head forward, looking both men in the eye. “I want you to remember that. When what will happen next happens, I want you to remember…that you could have stopped it.”

Both Dante and Leon stared at the long-haired man as a manic, wild smile touched his eyes. All traces of sanity, if there were any to begin with, were gone from his leer. The man behind the bunny mask was gone.

There…was no soul left in those eyes.

“What do you me-” Dante began inquiring, only for the White Rabbit to draw a poison-lathered blade from behind his back and slice the amulet’s cord.

Leon was able to draw the Force Edge out of its sheath; Dante wrapped his fingers around his necklace, both he and Leon watching as the White Rabbit fell into the river. His shape was swallowed by the waves in an instant, the river returning to its serene stroll as if nothing had happened.

“...!”

“…?!” Leon slapped a hand over his mouth, letting out a shaky sigh. Dante blinked, the sound grounding him. He quickly wrapped his arms around his boyfriend and squeezed, closing his eyes when Leon buried his face in his chest.

Mary watched with a stomach full of ashes, Grim supporting her as the feeling in her legs had yet to return. The tranquil night was shattered as the propellers of a chopper grew closer and closer. Four pairs of eyes looked up to see Enzo hitching a ride, waving and grinning.

“Hey, Dante! Your buddy Enzo brought the cavalry for ya! Ha!”

“Enzo…he’s alive!” Leon whispered as he pulled away from Dante, smiling with relief.

“You were worried about him? Don’t tell me you like him now, ha.”

“He’s your handler, Honey. Even if he sells you out. Enzo’s funny too, sometimes.”

Dante snorted, thumbing his nose.

“I mean, they actually brought me as a prisoner, but in spirit!” Enzo went on, Grim shaking his head but not loosening his hold on Mary. “Huh?”

Enzo’s eyes fell on the multiple demon carcasses on the rooftop, the bloodshed still fresh. “Holy…!”

“What the hell happened here?” The chopper pilot asked, his eyes bugging out behind his neon pink shades.

Baines was seated behind him, not even breaking a sweat at taking in the carnage.

His carefully composed mask cracked a little, his gray eyes glinting like steel.

“Our first strike in the Holy War. The first of many to come.”