Grief, Death and Pain

A/N: This was based 5 years before DMC 3, when Vergil and Dante were living together, and Vergil was in love with my OC. I imagined that Vergil's thirst for power and his constantly being upstaged by Dante made him leave with a vengeance, leaving both his love and his familly behind. Jade wasn't with them in the fight at Temen-Ni-Gru because Dante told her to stay back, and she did.
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Grief, Death and Pain
MazdaKitsune

The atmosphere of the bar was pretty quiet, not many people out that night. A group of men sat playing poker, the only noise were the taunts from the winner and the grumbles from the losers. The bartender stood cleaning a shot-glass while a woman sat drinking whiskey at the bar.

She had long black hair, slightly tanned skin and emerald green eyes. A real beauty if you looked closely at her, and someone looking out for fun, with her hair tied up in two ponytails. But theis night, Jade Castero was far from looking for fun. Already half-wasted, her bangs covered her eyes as the bottle slammed down on the bar with a loud 'thunk', louder than she meant to. Long legs taunted the men under her short black skirt, but they knew better than to mess with her.

Two Colt M1911s were strapped to her thighs, a wicked looking katana leaned against her stool. She was a partner of Dante's, lover of Vergil, and a female mercenary not to be taken lightly. She was drunk this night, but if anything happened, she would remember it tomorrow. And no one wanted to die by the hands of one of the sons of Sparda.

"Hey, Joe..." Jade's slurred voice brought the bartender out of his thoughts. "Play that song for me, will ya? That slow one on the jukebox...."

Joe cast a worried eye over her before complying, giving the jukebox a small thump before a slow song floated out.


...She put him out like the burnin' end of a midnight cigarette
She broke his heart he spent his whole life tryin' to forget
We watched him drink his pain away a little at a time
But he never could get drunk enough to get her off his mind
Until the night ...

Whiskey Lullaby. Jade smiled as she leaned her forehead against the chilled bottle, letting the glass chill her flushed skin. Why was she so depressed tonight? She didn't know. But she did feel rather depressed. Was it because Vergil had gone to Hell, though he promised that he'll be back? Maybe she feared his safety. Maybe she feared that he never would return after all.

What was happiness, then? Was the happiness she felt when she was with Vergil real? Or was it just a maya, an illusion? She didn't know.

The door opened and slow footsteps approached her. She smiled again without turning. "Hey, Dante... what is it? Another hunt?"

Warm hands rested on her shoulders, sliding down to grasp her elbows gently. "Let's get home, Jade. It's getting late." The warmth of a body enveloped her, coaxing her to release the whiskey bottle. Dante's bangs shadowed his eyes as he picked up Insurga, slinging it on his back as he helped Jade stand.

"Did you know.. Insurga's real name is Hizoku?" She slurred, leaning on him for support. "I just changed the name because I thought Yamato would get jealous... that another sword that looked like it had a Japanese name..."

"I know, Jade. I know. C'mon now." Dante guided her out, throwing a grateful look at Joe before opening the door. The bartender lifted the glass he was polishing at him, giving the half-devil a look that was clearly concerned, telling him to 'look after her'.

The trip back was rather uneventful, Dante sullenly lost in his thoughts and Jade singing Whiskey Lullaby under her breath in a rather off-key tone. Once they had crossed the threshold of Devil May Cry, he let go of her, setting the weapons in their respected places before turning once again.

Jade leaned against the wall, silent now, and almost in tears. "Why..?"

"I wish I knew, Jade." Dante's arms crept around her, pulling her into him, chin resting on her head. "I wish I knew...."

"He's such an idiot," her voice broke and she began crying. "Vergil is the biggest idiot ever! I don't even know why I fell in love with him! And it hurts.... frankly, it hurts....."

"You're not the only one hurting inside..." Dante lifted her, and she saw that his clear blue eyes were totured. "I'm hurt too."

With a start, Jade realised that while she had been too busy with her sorrows, she had only added to Dante's hurt feelings with all her disappearing acts and her drinking. That's right. Dante is Vergil's twin brother. Of course he's going to hurt inside... I'm not the only one...

Worldlessly, she looked up at him, and he looked back at her before capturing her lips in a kiss.
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The next morning, Jade woke up to a pounding headache that quickly subsided when her demonic powers slowly worked it's magic. She was lying on Dante's chest, his arms wrapped reassuringly around her. What was happiness to her? Was it in her life as a Huntress? Would she even find it now that she was a half-breed? She knew that when she died, she'd still go to Hell. Devils weren't allowed in Heaven, so there was a high chance of finding Vergil again, living together in eternal damnation.

She sighed, shifting as Dante sleepily pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Last night had passed like a whirlwind, anger, hurt and desperation released in their lovemaking. It was anything but gentle, and truth be told, he was rough with her and she returned it likewise.

They both relished and reveled in the pain the other caused, using the pleasure-pain to drown out the grief of Vergil's departure.

But would she ever be happy? She didn't know....
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(5 years later)

You've heard of it, haven't you? The legend of Sparda. When I was young, my father would tell me stories about it. Long ago, in ancient times, a demon rebelled against his own kind for the sake of the human race. With his sword, he shut off the portal to the demonic world, and sealed the evil entities off from our human world. But since he was a demon himself, his powers were also trapped on the other side.

I never believed it. I thought it was just a child's fairy tale. But I discovered that this so called legend wasn't a myth at all. Sparda existed. How do I know? I met the sons of Sparda, both of them.

Though the same blood of their father flowed through their veins, the two battled each other fiercely, like arch-enemies. It seemed like they derived some sort of twisted pleasure through this brotherly fighting. But in the end, only one was left standing....

Dante fell back as Yamato stabbed through him, landing on his back with a hard thump, eyes wide and disbelieving. Vergil swept back his hair and picked up Rebellion. "Foolishness, Dante. Foolishness."

He walked away, sword scraping against the ground. Dante's fingers twitched as a vision of Jade flashed through his mind and he tried to call out to Vergil, to tell him about her. Vergil stopped, pain suddenly imbedding itself in his heart as the thought was projected at him.

Jade... Forgive me... But I need more power... I swear, I will come back for you when I've become the ruler of Hell... but for now.. stay dead.

He turned and with one swift thrust, buried Rebellion into Dante, cutting off the happy memories of his past. A warrior needed no distractions, but a cold heart.

Somewhere in the city, Jade felt her heart die.

The Sparda Legacy

A/N: Annnndddddddddd.... yeah, here it is. The idea came into my head after a little tiff I had with Vergil for sassing him. Mmmm mmm... the Sparda twins are hot... not to mention Papa Sparda as well!!!!! XD WHHHEEEE!!!!!! I LOVE CHUS, PAPA SPARDA!!!!!! XD

Sparda: ^/////^ M' lady...
Vergil: ....... >.>
Dante: GODDAMMIT!!! QUIT HOGGING MY GIRL, DAD!!!!

Jade's weapons:
Umbra- Black gun, designed for her right hand
Levis- White gun, designed for her left hand
(Both guns are Colt M1911's, a gift from Dante after her beloved Baby Eagles (Jericho 941) wore themselves out during a tiring hunt)
Insurga- A sword (japanese type. Yeah, given by Vergil???!! Nooooo!!!! Okay, he found it, she broke her sword, he threw it at her and told her to take it)
Sentis- A whip (original weapon)

And now, let the insaneness begin!!!!!!
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The Sparda Legacy
MazdaKitsune
Chapter 1- Faded Memories of a Jade

It had been years, many years since she ever saw that man with his silver hair and blue eyes that seemed to pierce through your soul though it shone with playfulness. Jade sighed, her pencil tapping quietly against the table. A blue tear-drop like stone hung between her breasts, a present from the aforementioned man. It glowed softly and sparkled when the light caught it, but she paid it no mind as she yawned, stretching slightly.

Jade was a girl of twenty that had long black hair and mysterious emerald eyes. Her skin was slightly tanned, the product of fighting in the sun. But wait, fighting? Well.... on the outside, this young woman looked like a normal, everyday girl that was harmless and could only be sitting in one place; behind a table, studying. What no one knew, was that this particular girl had a job. A dangerous job at that.

Devil/Demon hunting.

She was no odinary human. While she did play the part of a human girl and went to college, she hunted demons when the sun went down and took on cleaning jobs for people. A mercenary, one could say.

But you must be wondering by now. Why was she in the dangerous business of hunting demons?

It all started with one man....

Dante Sparda.
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Years ago, Jade used to be a normal girl, living with a normal family and leading a normal life. Then everything went wrong when demons attacked her house one day, killing both her parents and everyone she knew.

The young, plump girl with overlage green eyes sat in terror by her father's dead body, watching as her mother attempted to deflect the horrible, ugly creatures with long scythes trying to come at them. She didn't know what her mother was doing, maybe she was trying to put out the fire that raged around them as well, by splashing water at both the monsters and the flames.

A shadowy mist rose up behind the woman, and the child tried to call out, tried to scream a warning, but all she could do was sit there, watching with a kind of horrified fascination as the long, wicked curve of the blade rose and fell in a smooth, graceful manner, cutting through her mother's body, which twisted and fell, as if caught in some macabre dance. The blood reached her legs and the edge of her tattered nightdress, yet the child just sat quietly by, either too afraid to move, or too bewildered to understand what was going on. Death, as she now called the monsters, remembering a picture she had seen in a picture Bible, loomed closer to her, their scythes gleaming in the dancing flames.

Then he came.

Bursting through the flames in dramactic bravado, the silver-haired stranger let off a series of gunshots, which to the girl sounded like thunder, dispelling the Death monsters into dust. His boots clicked on the wooden floor as he walked closer and kneeled to inspect the bodies. "Shit... looks like I came too late.... Nothing can be done for these people now..." he muttered, running a gloved hand through his hair. He lifted his head, and his gaze fell upon the young child, who had her hands over her ears and her eyes squeezed shut. "Hold on a second there.... you're still alive, kid?!"

She opened her eyes to a face full of disbelief and blue eyes that shone with warmth. Gazing at this stranger for a while, she finally decided that she liked him and nodded. "Great. Then we'll have to get you somewhere safe. C' mon now." He picked her up and nestled her in his arms as he made his way through the fire, using his red coat as a shield.

The girl turned back to her parents. "What about mama and papa? Aren't they coming too?"

The man paused. "Sorry, kiddo. I can't do anything for them. They'll have to stay."

She seemed to understand what he was saying. "Are you an angel, then? Mama always said angels had fair hair and blue eyes. You look like one I saw in my picture Bible."

"An angel, huh?" A painful look passed across her rescuer's face. "I wish I was one, kid. I really wish I was..." Without giving her time to say anything else, he forged a way through the flames and soon emerged into the cool night air. There, in the street, he got a chance to study his little friend's face. Her hair was in two pigtails, and a double chin stuck out from a plump face. But her green eyes shone clear and innocent, her dirty face bearing no streaks of tears whatsoever. "No tears. You didn't cry, even when faced with those Death Scythes," he said in wonder. "You're a spunky one, kid. I admit, you have guts for one so young. Well, you'll have to come home with me before I find you a new home. I wonder if Nina wants you..." The man started walking away.

For the rest of the night, she slept next to her angel in his home. The next day, he cleaned her up, offered her strawberry sundae sheepishly for breakfast, and brought her to see a woman in a cafe. The girl sat eating a strawberry cheese-cake, swinging her legs back and forth as he talked to the woman. "Remember how you said you always wanted a daughter or a son to take over from you? Well, I have a kid I rescued from a demon attack yesterday, Nina. Her whole familly was killed, but she held strong. She's got spunk."

Nina ran an eye over the child, expression softening. "Her familly was killed you say? Poor thing.... it came out in the papers this morning. The house was burnt down to the ground... little Jade here was presumed dead as well. She doesn't seem too traumatized though, Dante."

"I told you, she's got spunk. She just sat there and watched those Death Scythes kill her parents, then watched me get rid of those pests before calling me an angel." Dante seemed to grin at that. "And she didn't even cry nor get any nightmares last night. She may be young, but she's got the spirit of a possible hunter."

"Angel, huh?" Nina smirked. "I'll take her under my wing, Dante. It's only me and the big mansion and I'm lonely. Let me go clear things up with the police, then I'll legally adopt her as my daughter."

"Alright, then. Thanks, babe." "No problem. I've always wanted a kid at home." Nina stood and held out her hand to Jade. "C'mon, child. It's a long way back home and I want to get there in time for lunch."

Jade looked at Dante and after a nod, slid off her stool and took Nina's hand. "Home?" Nina smiled. "Yeah. Your new home. And I'm your new mom." She regarded Nina with childish seriousness before nodding. "Mom."

Jade grew up as Jade Castero after Nina adopted her, and she never saw Dante, her angel again. Though she did meet him again when she was sixteen, she didn't remember him as her angel or her rescuer until he mentioned it.
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"Jade Castero!"

The girl shot up straight in her seat as her lecturer called her name. "Yes, sir?"

He frowned slightly at her and she cringed, knowing full well that she had been dreaming again. "What are the advantages of employers adhering to the company ethics? Give me one example."

It only took her a moment to think before answering. "The employers gain the loyalty of the employees, who in result will stay with the company and produce a lower labour turnover."

The lecturer's face broke into a smile. "Good answer. And so class, we see that........."

Jade gave a sigh. They could throw any question at her, but she always made sure she read her notes beforehand to answer their questions.
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Demons. There were always demons trailing her for some reason. Jade scowled as she lashed out with her whip, Sentis. It was Latin for thorn, and could cut through the demons that surrounded her, leaving dust in it's wake. "Dammit, dammit.... leave me alone, you jerks!" More Death Scythes lunged at her and she bit down on the handle of her whip, whipping out two Baby Eagles, Jericho 941s, that she had bought out of her own money. Lifting the guns to eye level, she released the safety.

"Eat metal, uglies."