Disclaimer: I only own Raven, Emerald and Dante. Everything else belongs to Square Enix or you guys.

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait but my computer broke down and everything on it was deleted, including the nearly finished chapter. So I had to try and remember what I had written and type it again. This chapter was a little difficult for me, as some people may know, I find it hard to write action scenes and in this chapter there is one. I've also been very busy and didn't have time to type much. So I hope this is ok, and I hope you enjoy! Oh yeah thank you all those who reviewed it is greatly appreciated. Anyway here it is, chapter 8. Dun Dun!

Chapter 8

"Why are you so surprised to see me?" The voice asked. "Surely you knew I would come to collect what is mine and Raven does belong to me after all"

"Raven belongs to no one, Hojo" Vincent replied, saying the name with utter disgust.

"Ha ha ha! Mr. Valentine you don't change do you? Still trying to protect but always failing, how awful that must feel" Hojo replied. He turned his menacing stare onto the fox like creature. "Tolea, there's no need to hide, show them your true form"

"True form? What are you talking about?" Emerald asked in confusion.

"Watch and you'll see" Hojo replied still staring at Tolea.

The sound of bones cracking came from Tolea as she stood on her hind legs. Her white fur disappeared and very tanned skin formed in its place. Her eyes glowed a bright golden colour, their brightness matching the sun as it sets in the evening. Now a human figure was starting to form, upon her head purple hair now grew, soon goggles appeared strapped to her head. Upon her slim body green overalls and a lavender t-shirt underneath, covering much of her tanned skin. Lastly a heart shaped charm made of deep blue crystal hung around her neck. Her glowing golden eyes glared at Hojo. From no where a big wrench appeared in her right hand, one could tell that she was confident with this weapon of choice from the way in which she held it. "Now isn't that better?" Hojo asked in a mocking tone. Emerald stared in wonder at Tolea, Vincent was more occupied by Hojo and refused to take his eyes off him.

"Hojo, how dare you show your face here" Tolea said sternly. Emerald was the odd one out here, as she was the only one who didn't have her gaze fixed on someone. "I don't know what it is that you want but I think you should leave while you have the chance" At this remark Hojo burst into a fit of laughter.

"What do you find so funny?" Emerald asked, she was quite confused at the moment and didn't know what to think, you could say she was being a blonde. Hojo calmed himself so he could answer Emerald's question.

"What I find so funny you ask, I find the fact that you think I would leave my specimen here when I haven't finished my work on her yet. That is what I find funny" Hojo replied, upon his face was a ghostly smirk that made him look like the living dead.

"What makes you so sure we will let you take her?" Vincent asked, his eyes still fixed upon the ghostly man. He turned to the entrance of the cave, then he let out a menacing laugh once more.

"So, you want to play rough, do you? Well I can do that" Hojo muttered, he was quiet but still loud enough for everyone to hear. Tolea let out a growl of disgust as she suddenly charged at Hojo, she was about a metre away from her target when she was blocked by a sword, for a split second her golden eyes met with silver eyes. Tolea was thrown back, dust flying through the air as she stabled herself. All three pairs of eyes were now on this new enemy, between them and Hojo was a masculine figure. His skin was quite pale, almost ghostly, his hair and eyes both matched as they were a light shade of silver. However his hair showed signs that it was once a light blonde and somehow changed to silver. His ears were pointed and about the same size as Emerald's, was he an elf?. His clothes were black and quite tight to show off his muscular body. His expression was blank and didn't show any sign of weakness to the cold conditions. "Ah, I'd like you all to meet my specimen, Dante" Hojo said smugly. He now returned his gaze back to the group. "Now, do you feel like having some fun, hmm? Do you my dear specimen? Would you like to destroy them, rip them limb from limb?"

"If you so wish it master, I will do so" Dante replied, his voice holding no emotion. Hojo let out a chuckle at his specimen.

"That's what I like to hear. Retrieve Raven unharmed, kill the others" Hojo ordered, his voice becoming stern.

"Yes, of course master" Dante replied, his voice still in the same tone. Vincent and Tolea glared at Dante, though it didn't affect him. Emerald however just stared in shock t Dante. Dante? It can't be…why would he fight for that professor? Dante would never fight for a human, he just wouldn't! But he looks so much like him, its just his eyes and hair that don't match Emerald thought.

While Vincent and Tolea both got ready for the upcoming fight, Emerald remained in shock. Both Vincent and Tolea got their weapons ready and proceeded to get into their fighting stances, Emerald remained still. Of course Dante was already in his fighting position, so he made the first move. He charged swiftly at Tolea first, pulling his arm back to unleash a powerful strike, however Tolea successfully dodged and hit Dante in the back with her wrench. Though he didn't show any signs of pain from the blow, he moved on for the next strike like nothing had happened. Vincent was quick to move in with his trusty gun, swiftly and accurately he shot Dante in the upper leg. Again he didn't show any sign of pain or weakness, though blood slowly oozed out of his wounded leg. Dante went for a strike again, though this time he went for Emerald, who right now was in so much shock she couldn't even move. His sword was about thirty centimetres away from Emerald's face, when a gunshot echoed throughout the cave. Emerald hadn't realised that she had shut her eyes, slowly she opened them, afraid of what she might see. She was greeted with the face of Dante, his angelic face was contorting in pain, he let go of his sword and with a clang the metal hit the floor. Next was Dante himself to fall to the ground, horror was written all over Emerald's face.

"Dante!" Emerald cried as she fell to her knees, she crawled to Dante's side. "Dante, I looked for you for so long but I couldn't find you, I'm so sorry!" Her blue eyes began to fill with tears. Now surrounding his head was a pool of red blood, the bullet, fired from Vincent's gun had imbedded itself in the back of Dante's head. How was he still alive? They all guessed it was something that Hojo had done to him.

"…Em?…Is that really you, my sister?" Dante asked in a hoarse voice. Now Dante's voice did show emotion, it showed sadness, pain and happiness all at once. Also, his eyes were no longer silver but a light shade of blue.

"Uh huh, it is me, Dante" Emerald replied through sobs as tears began to run down her face. A small smile appeared on Dante's pained expression. "Dante, I won't let you die, I promise" Vincent and Tolea were only partly listening, as they were keeping their attention on Hojo, who now had an angry expression on his face.

"..Em..it's too late for me, you were the only thing that kept me alive, the thought of seeing you again. I'm sorry I attacked you and your friends, I couldn't stop. I hope you can forgive me, Em" Dante said, his voice becoming no more than a whisper. Now his eyes were starting to close, ever so slowly they would get closer and closer to never opening again.

"Dante! Don't say things like that! I do forgive you, I truly do! You're not going to die! I won't let you!" Emerald cried, as she continued to weep over him. She hadn't seen her brother in ten years, and here all of a sudden, he was lying in front of her, passing into the next world. Emerald couldn't believe this was happening, she just refused to.

"Don't cry over me..Em, I want you to be happy. I want you to smile that beautiful smile that you always used to have on your face" Dante stated. With what little strength he had left, he slowly lifted his hand to wipe the tears from her face. "I love you….Em….." With that his last breath escaped his lungs, his hand fell from Emerald's face and to the floor where he now lay still not moving an inch.

"Dante! No Dante!" Emerald yelled hysterically, even though blood still oozed out of the wound on the back of his head, she pulled him close to her body where she held him and wept. "Come back Dante! Please! I don't want to be on my own!…Please Dante, I love you too!"

"Pitiful" Hojo said with a stern tone. Tolea let out another growl of disgust and anger as she charged at Hojo, her wrench pulled back ready to strike her target. Strike it's target it did indeed, Tolea slammed her wrench into Hojo's head, all that was heard was the crack of his skull and the thud as his body hit the floor.

"I told you to run while you could, Hojo" Tolea said in a low voice looking down on his body. "I will never forgive you for taking another innocent life" Tolea walked back to Vincent. "That girl" She gives a nod in Raven's direction. "She needs warmth, she is freezing. You should take her back while she still has a chance of opening her eyes" Vincent gave a nod in response. Silently he walked over to Raven, where he crouched down and picked her up.

"Emerald, we need to leave, now" Vincent stated, his voice his normal cold tone. Emerald looked up at him, her top now covered in Dante's blood. Emerald looked at Vincent's eyes and knew she would have to leave, slowly she nodded. Before leaving she gave Dante a tight hug, then she released him and stood, her face red with tears. She took a few steps towards Vincent, then she looked back before she finally walked to Vincent's side. Vincent turned his attention to Tolea, "You may come back with us if you so wish it" With those cold words spoken he began the long hike back to town. Emerald and Tolea were quick to follow.

A/N: OMG! I am so sorry! Thank you so much Tolea for giving me the inspiration to update! I promise I will work on the next chapter tomorrow, well I have to think of what to write first obviously. Well anyway, what you guys think? Sad, no? It gives you a little more information on Emerald. Once again, I am so sorry for the long wait and I'm sorry if this is short. I will update soon promise! Until then though, bye!
Cheese out…………….