Authors Notice: I apologize for the poor chapter name, because you may know the main reason why it is called New Skin, well you can guess without a trench coat. Oh Well here is the next chapter.
Applejack and Fluttershy decided to go with Dante and get to know him a bit more, Rainbow Dash decided to stay behind for two reasons. One was that the Wonderbolt's practice session was in about ten minutes and she did not want to miss this, the second reason was to explain the destruction to not only the Wonderbolts; but the ponies who were running to the field wondering what caused this mess and how they did it, so Dante didn't mind it one bit as they left the field in a bit of a haste.
Pinkie on the other hand ran off to the castle saying she had plans to do real quick, as soon as Pinkie rushed off in a trail of dust; Dante was nodding in the direction Pinkie ran; he liked this pony more and more every passing minute. The only ponies that seemed to barely trust him despite their praises of his skills in his Devil's Arms were Applejack and Fluttershy, Fluttershy more less shy than wary of Dante. He turned to both of them as they stopped right outside the main building,
“Well...this is awkward so far I thought you would be as curious as Sparkles to know what I did in my past."
“It ain right to pry anypony about their past." Applejack said as Dante was leaning on the wall of the building.
“Then why are you following me?" Dante pointed out, Applejack's eyebrow twitched a bit at this question. Dante on the other hand was smirking at Applejack's reaction, " Still not as close as Vergil's...but damn ."
Applejack looked at Fluttershy and then to Dante confused on what to say next, “Fair enough Dante."
“Good...Now if you have any torture methods you might want to shoot them out now." Dante said as the doors the castle opened up for the three of them.
“Well first off, why in the hay were you surprised to see your brother?" Applejack asked.
“I thought he died in the Demon World...simple as that." Dante answered.
“Whadda ya mean you thought he died?" Applejack pressed on, Fluttershy perked up a bit hoping to hear what Dante had to say.
“Me and my brother...have different views...if you catch my drift." Dante answered, “Basically by trying to kill each other...the keyword being trying."
" B..But isn't family supposed to be nice to each other? Why do you have to fight him?" Fluttershy asked, Applejack nodded in agreement with Fluttershy as they were waiting for Dante's answer.
"He basically has a view of power.he has a view of wanting gain more power, enough power to surpass our father." The sun was setting slowly as orange and violet rays were piercing through the windows of the hallway and coat the whole room with its warmth.
"Might controls everything and without strength you cannot protect anything...let alone yourself." Dante rubbed the area where Vergil stabbed him, the scar was gone but the words that resonated in his mind was a scar enough for him. Temen-Ni-Gru sure did unleash some of the most hostile feelings any demon or person could imagine, its sole purpose as a pathway to the Demon World did serve its purpose along with corrupting any curious human being with power and darkness; deep down inside Dante felt like that tower going back into the ground brought some closure, but it wasn't enough to avenge his mother, and she would be sick to her stomach to see her son's fighting among each other.
" So did ya stop him?" Applejack asked still curious if he did.
" Their were three instances, one...well you could guess what happened, two we had a draw due to another demon interrupting our lovely reunion, and the third and final one...yeah." Dante still didn't like that memory, Fluttershy flew up to Dante and was now looking deep into his eyes not only seeing a truly powerful force that she looked dead in the eye, but a person with feelings and that little memory seemed to stick with him despite Vergil walking about.
" Well can you please tell us about it? If you don't want to we can understand." Fluttershy took a seat on the nearest bench in the hallway right next to Dante; Applejack was leaning on a wall close to them waiting for his story.
"..."
"..."
" You really wanna know huh?" Fluttershy and Applejack nodded, Dante gave a sigh and pushed his hair up all the Devil Arms clattered around him.
" Guess I gotta start at that final time I fought him."
Unsacred Hellgate
Three months ago
Vergil fell down on his knees panting in defeat, " Am I...being defeated?" the water from the river was drenching his boots and pants as a sneering Dante looked down on Vergil. He had it in his hands, his father's blade; the only blade that could quench his thirst for power for the moment, it felt like it was nothing in his hands, not even the blade that the tales spoke of highly.
" What’s wrong? Is that all you got?" Dante asked baiting him to get back up, he knew Vergil and he wasn't one to give up that easily, " Come on get up, you can do better then that!" Vergil looked down at the river and then got up as he fought the pain that Dante had given him during their fight, he wasn't going down like this he wanted power, even if it meant he had to accept this pain to defeat Dante. All of a sudden a large tremor gave way through the hellgate surprising Dante on the spot.
" The portal to the Human World is closing, Dante... because the amulets have been separated." Vergil announced to him over the tremors shaking the Unsacred Hellgate. Dante knew playing around with him wasn't enough, for the first time in his life...he felt like it needed to end here and now, " Let's finish this Vergil." Dante brought the tip of Rebellion into the roaring river, " I have to stop you, even if that means killing you." Dante knew it would here and now...no turning back...no reasoning.
Vergil brought Force Edge to the surface of the river as the sound of Force Edge rang through out the realm and the only target for it was his own flesh and blood, then all of a sudden Vergil charged in one last ditch effort to retain what little honor he had in him, Dante did the same as he ran towards Vergil, Rebellion to his side skimming the surface of the water. The fate of this last reunion rang out through the Demon World, they were about eight feet from each other as both of them brought their blades up, and in all almighty roar from both of them they made their strike.
In a flash they ended on opposites sides as a wave of blood washed the air, both combatants were waiting taking in the moment on who won, waiting for that grunt of pain or the loss of life leaving them.
The victor was clear as Vergil leaned forward in pain as Force edge fell to his side and a glint of metal fell from his neck and splashed in the river. Dante brought up Rebellion and sheathed it on to his back, he could hear the grunt of Vergil getting up, " No one can have this Dante." he pretty much knew what Vergil was talking about, " It is mine...it belongs to a Son of Sparda." Dante creaked his neck around to Vergil, and his heartbeat started to skyrocket to see Vergil walking towards the end of the river leading to the abyss, he ran over to stop Vergil from even committing this, but he was greeted by the tip of Yamato near his neck and Vergil still holding the amulet near his heart.
" Leave me and go, if you don't want to be trapped in the Demon World." Vergil ordered, " I'm staying." He took once last look around him as he took a step backwards, " This place was our father's home." Vergil started to fall backwards no resistance to even keep himself up, Dante reached to Vergil hoping to catch him, but Vergil gave him two last things before he went...a cut on his hand and a smirk. Dante could feel the open demon air brush against the hand as he could only watch hopelessly as Vergil fell into blackness, gone was the Dark Angel from his very eyes.
Dante looked down at the cut on his hand seeing his own blood dripping over the leather of his glove as balled his fingers into a fist and just keep looking down in the pit where Vergil fell, he felt like one hundred blades went through his stomach as it leaked guilt from the pang, he turned around to see Force Edge still ripping through the current as it remained still and eerie to him. As Dante pulled the blade out he looked upon his reflection, feeling nothing but sadness and uncertainty ;but he never showed those emotions. Force Edge went to Dante's side as he walked out of the zone, the weight of another family member lost to the demons...lost to him.
"Rest in Peace...Bro."
Back in Canterlot
Dante finished telling his story and heaved a great sigh looking up at the ceiling, Applejack sort of felt bad for Dante, having the trouble of defeating his brother, but what really sealed the deal was what Vergil did to Dante when he did defeat him. Dante took off his glove that Vergil cut and showed them, their was a clean cut in their with some dried up blood adorning the edges of the cut, , " Guess that was his way of showing respect and giving his life to get me out of their." Dante put his glove back on, " He could have left me their trapped but...he's a man of honor." Dante tightened his glove up and balled up his hand.
" But..he is back now, so everything is back to normal...right?" Fluttershy asked.
" You know the keyword of that sentence is 'normal' right?" Dante chuckled, even past all the sad moments that he faced he remained cocky yet optimistic, " Trust me between me and him, and barely anything is normal."
" Well tha maybe but-."
" Dante I am so glad I found you!" Dante and the others turned to see Rarity galloping to them, Dante's eye twitched knowing what was about to come up.
" Ummm Rarity why do ya need Dante right now?" Applejack asked, sensing that Dante didn't want to talk about his past again.
" Why I need him right now Applejack, its about...well it's a surprise!" She finished with a little skip as Dante got up and shrugged to the both of them as he followed Rarity. Applejack and Fluttershy decided to follow suit to with Dante wondering what surprise she meant.
But one clue gave it away and it was very obvious...but they just couldn't put their hooves on it.
Canterlot Castle
Vergil was running up the stairs the energy never leaving his senses; Luna was to tired as she passed out at the gates and was carried to bed by her night guards. Vergil made it to the top floor as he rammed into a doorway which was a very large bedroom with a picture of Twilight and Celestia happily playing, right next to it was an exquisite fireplace that had a very warm and roaring fire going on inside the fireplace, the crackles from the fire danced around in perfect sync that it was almost hypnotizing. But Vergil didn't mind much as he back flipped onto the roof and perched on the edge of the roof that was overlooking Equestria. The wind was billowing gently on the roof that it was barely lifting the backside of Vergil's trench coat and barely grazing or messing his hair.
Vergil glared down in the forest as dusk started to set in, he could feel the energy get closer and closer to Canterlot; down in the gardens he thought that he was dealing with Dante's demonic energy, but it was only temporary and overshadowed this current energy. Vergil closed his eyes and took in the energy...but it felt all to familiar...significantly familiar in shape and sense as it danced in his mind...but it made way for another thing.
He looked down at his hand, gazing down at his human hand he felt like he needed to shrug it off, like he couldn't deal with the sight of his human form.
"Familiar...."
This one was consuming him, he needed to know what was happening, but all of a sudden it became clear. He rejected his human side, emotions and all to only make way for the demonic side of his self; once he was defeated by Mundus his demonic side was gated off from him, though he could go Devil Trigger anytime he wanted, it felt like it was surrendering to Mundus and was waiting for that final blow to it, so it gated it self off and his soul started to accept his human side. But this energy started to bring it out again, he felt like he needed more...but what?
But he shook his head as he slid off the roof and landed neatly on the balcony, he decided to do the most logical thing as he walked down the hallway surprising some of the guards.
"I just hope they are truly ready for this..."
Canterlot Library
Celestia got a small report from one of the royal guards saying that Luna passed out and is in bed right now; Celestia decided to take over Luna's duties for her just for tonight as she lowered the sun and brought up the moon upon Equestria. She yawned as she looked over a desk that had Dreadwing's journal and that exact passage that had that poem and a map of their world laid out on the table. Celestia gently brushed a hoof over Equestria, fearing only for the safety of her subject's knowing that if she didn't find the location of the Elements of Purity soon...but she knew she could do it as she sunk her head right into the map.
"Now where are you?"
Twilight was walking down the hallway to her room, knowing the castle like the back of her hoof, she was confident enough she could do it with her eyes closed. She kept saying to herself to thank Princess Celestia tomorrow on letting her go for the day, she kept her pace as she decided to go for it and find her room with her eyes closed.
OOF!
Twilight fell backwards and comically hitting her back on the floor, as she got up to see not only Rarity who was in the same position as Twilight, but Dante and the others.
"Oh Rarity I am so sorry about that." Twilight lifted Rarity off the ground.
" It is quite alright." Rarity nodded, Twilight looked up towards Dante, but before she could speak she saw the red head of Agni bearing down upon her.
" That isn't your regular sword isn't it?"
" No...Its right here." He pulled Rebellion from between Agni and Rudra and showed to the rest of the gang. Twilight then noticed their was more, she could see his hands were in some metal like container along with his feet and light was issuing from the veins.
" Where did you get these and more importantly what are they?"
" These are my other babies." Dante patted Nevan, he socked Agni right on his head, "Ow."
" Did you hear that?" Rarity asked looking around for the source of the voice along with Twilight. Dante sent another bonk to both Agni's head. Both shrugged as Twilight did a full three sixty tour of Dante seeing not only Agni and Rudra, but Cerberus attached to the back of his pants ready to be whipped out, she also saw Nevan and her strings sparking electricity every second. Twilight's eyes began to twinkle immensely as she went up to Dante with a wide grin which she tried to hide, " If you don't mind, I would love to study those...weapons you have, especially that one." She pointed to Nevan.
" Sorry Sparkles, these are off limits, I gave these babes a once in a lifetime show." Dante gestured to Applejack and Fluttershy. Twilight could only frown at the prospect on not seeing what they were capable of, but she wouldn't give up on the subject no matter what got in her way.
" Well Twilight I must get back to my room with our friend here, I have a surprise for him." Rarity took a few steps before Twilight asked, " Hey can I come with you?"
" Well of course, but why are you so interested all of a sudden?" Rarity saw Twilight's eye wandering over Dante's Devil Arms, she gave a small 'oooohh' and gestured for them to follow.
" Now then his style...hmmmm...So much running through my head right now."
Rarity's room
The gang recognized the same room she was staying and it wasn't hard to figure it out because it was the same room she had when she was visiting Canterlot for a bit. But they weren't inside at all as Dante shook his head as they waited for the past forty minutes, " So basically her surprise was to take my measurements and boot us out of the room?" Dante perching on the staircase's wall looking up at the moon.
" Well Rarity is all abou keepin it quiet and ever since we sorta gone overboard on what we wanted for our get ups for the Gala...well you can see right now." Applejack answered.
" Okay." Dante was not only perching on the wall, but eyeing his Devil Arms so that Twilight couldn't take one and examine it. Twilight could only look at each one with a great amount of interest as Cerberus let out a puff of ice ever once in a while and Beowulf let out more of the light that was in its veins.
" Just what are they?"
" Again Sparkles, No show ain't gonna risk gettin ya caught in the crossfire now would I ?" Dante said.
" Will you ever use my full name or just call me Twilight?" She asked. Fluttershy was right on top of the roof tending to a nest of pigeons as she leaned her head down barely to hear what both of them had to say.
" When will you stop eyeing my Devil Arms?" Dante retorted back.
Twilight opened her mouth to retort but stopped at Dante's point, but an idea came to her head as she grinned, " So their Devil Arms?"
" Yup." Dante answered.
" And how did you get them?" Twilight pressed on with the questions with a curious Applejack wanting to know how he got them.
" Trust me...the torture method will never end if I told you how I got them now would it?" Dante said rolling his eyes, " I like ya Sparkles, but sometimes your torture methods start to get to everyone's head."
" Everypony." Applejack corrected.
Dante ignored it but took into consideration whether to use it or not, Twilight was a little disgruntled, " Those 'torture methods you dubbed are key to understanding your world, it wouldn't hurt to know a bit about it and besides," Twilight brushed her mane a bit and gave out a bit of a yawn, " You still owe me questions."
Dante thought about it for a minutes as a small gust brushed through the area sweeping up leaves on its current, their was one thing Dante honored from time to time; and that was promises and to see them to the end and to the fact they were tolerating him was a plus on their side. As Dante cracked his neck he turned to Twilight, " Alright what do ya wanna know?"
As Twilight was about to ask with great enthusiasm the doors to Rarity's room opened, everyone turned to see Rarity with her glasses on and her mane somewhat frizzled a bit.
"Damn she works fast." Dante thought to himself.
" Well Dante," Rarity said a little bit fatigued, " It was tough but I managed to have your surprise ready and waiting for your pleasure."
" It took you about forty minutes to measure me and get everything done? Damn that takes the guys back where I live a day to get it finished." Dante praised Rarity a bit, she blushed at his compliment despite that little swear.
" Why thank you Dante." She led all four of them into the room as she stopped right in front of her bed the curtains were drawn, obscuring Dante's and the gang's vision. Rarity cleared her throat as her horn glowed blue.
" Dante and Ladies...behold!" The curtains were drawn back as astonishment met the air, their laying before them was a red trench coat which the color was little bit darker, but that wasn't all of it. Inside of the Trench coat was a red vest complete with a long black sleeve shirt behind it, complete with it were a pair of red pants with straps circling the left leg and to top it all off black leather boots, clean and sleek, were levitating right at the foot of the bed. Rarity soon walked up right next to Dante, " It just came to me as we were walking to my room, stylish! Dashing! and a bit of suave for such a noble...pony like yourself."
" So it took you forty minutes to make this?" Dante was still eyeing the new getup.
" But of course darling." Rarity smiled, " It wouldn't be right to give my thanks for saving our lives." Dante went up to the new get up and brushed his hand against the trench coat.
" You know Rarity...Keep my old trench coat."
" Well thank- wait did you just use my name?" Rarity was surprised along with the rest of the gang, Dante turned to Rarity and nodded, " Sure, pretty much destroyed anyway, figured you could use it for some inspiration and I don't want to waste any money repairing it again...again that cost is almost as bad as my debt back home."
" Why...why...thank you Dante!" She went up to him and gave him a big hug; he stumbled back a bit from this surprising turn of events. All the ponies in the room 'awwwed' at the show of affection as Dante gently patted her back and let go.
" Well go on! " She motioned to Dante to change immediately as Dante gathered up the contents and went into the bathroom. In about five minutes he appeared out of the bathroom in his new clothes, Rarity piqued up a bit as a grin appeared on her face, " So how does it feel?"
The only answer came from Dante's smirk as he put Rebellion on his shoulders:
“Stylish."
Authors Notice: Sorry for the wait and bad chapter:( I was in a writers block so it is a little rushed and again I am sorry.
Don't be afraid to comment about it, I may switch a bit of later.