A/N: Since this is more of an epilogue than a chapter, I decided I'd post it today as well. The Author's Note at the bottom will have all the Easter eggs in it, for those who are interested. I'd really like your thoughts on the story, so drop me a review. ;P
Still don't own these guys, which I still think is a shame...
Quiet Beauty, Roaring Beast
Epilogue
"A good story like that should be earning you something. You left out a few details, though, babe," Dante said, smiling.
Lily looked up from her son.
"Like what?" she whispered.
He smirked. "What happened to the evil fairy?"
Lily turned back to the little boy on her lap.
"Nero killed her off, and she became the Devil Arm Maleficent."
The four-year-old's eyes grew wide with delight.
"You mean the one Daddy said was mine when I got bigger?"
Lily nodded. "The very same."
They both glanced at the matched set of butterfly swords mounted on the wall. The handles were bone white with dark orange veins lacing through them, running through the blades as well. The blades themselves looked like glass or crystal, but according to both Dante and Vergil were neither. The orange veins that ran through the swords were a vivid dark orange that pulsed when wielded. Not much more than a foot and a half in total length, Vergil had asserted that they were still a little too big for his son to start learning.
"Yeah, it's a shame you missed the fight, Lily, I totally kicked her ass. I'll have to tell you about it sometime, little bro."
The boy's eyes lit up. "Right now, Nero?"
"Hang on, kiddo, your mom hasn't finished this story yet," Dante interjected. "How did Vergil get restored?"
He smirked again, enjoying the cleverness he had employed.
"Yamato had been your father's sword, and it had enough value to him, and enough of his power, to help him free himself of the memory repression the ring's magic had caused. When Dante threw it to him, he caught it, and fought the spell again. That time he won, and he destroyed the collar ring," Lily answered.
The little boy looked up at his father. "What did you do with Yamato?"
Vergil shrugged.
"I gave it back to Nero. I had given that sword to him long ago, just as I will give you Maleficent."
Nero grinned. "Yeah, Mom was thrilled."
Vergil smiled faintly, a faraway look in his eyes.
"And the reason he couldn't do so many things?" Dante prompted, changing the subject.
Vergil snorted. "You enjoy this too much, Dante."
He smiled gently at his younger son. "The demoness had blocked so much of my personality trying to access my inner devil that she also blocked great portions of my humanity. Being unable to do so many things made 'Diavolo' more dependent on her, and losing my speech gave her respite from any protests I might have given her. Over all, she did not see the detriment to that much repression."
"Why did she think you should be with her if you didn't want to be, Daddy?"
Vergil shrugged. "She knew my bloodline, believed me handsome, and knew I was obviously superior to Dante."
Everyone laughed at Dante's expense, but it was his turn to snort.
"Don't let him fool you, kiddo. He was already in the demon world, where she was, whereas I was here. It was just too much trouble for her to come after me when he was so easily available."
Another chuckle went through the family gathered around.
"Can I ask the next question?" Kyrie's quiet voice slipped in. "I just love hearing this story, and you haven't mentioned one of the most important details. Why didn't Dante or Nero know that Diavolo was Vergil?"
Lily nodded, then looked at Vergil.
"The magic repressed Vergil's humanity, remember?"
Everyone nodded.
"Well, the repression in turn corrupted the appearance of his devil form. Dante noticed his familiarity only because he knew his twin so well, but even so, he failed to fully recognize him," Lily answered.
Lady-the-devil-hunter, who was holding Lady-the-cat on her lap, jumped onto the story-prompt bandwagon.
"And his gradual change in behavior?" she asked.
Lily nodded. "We have come to believe that our relationship was breaking down the collar's power. Love is a very powerful thing, but it is a human power and worked against the demoness' power. We wonder if the curse could have been broken given enough time, but really, who knows?"
Kyrie spoke up again. "What was the 'countdown' for?"
Dante answered her.
"Based on what the demoness said, Verge and I think the countdown was a failsafe in case he ran off, or was taken. We're not sure if it was supposed to take as long as it did or not. It could have been that being in the human world slowed it down, or it could have been the budding romance between Lily and Vergil."
He turned to his twin. "How long did she have you, anyway, Vergil?"
He shook his head. "Not long before she gave up on convincing me and resorted to that infernal collar. If you recall, Lily mentioned that only a few runes were left when she found me, but I was with Lily for far longer than I was alone."
Lily nodded again. "Which can only mean that for whatever reason, while we were together, the countdown slowed considerably. Anyway, when the timer ran out, it let out some sort of signal that she could use to find him. The pain and memory sublimation were probably to keep in him place once the beacon went off."
Lady frowned. "If it was a locator, why didn't she pop up in front of 'Diavolo', instead of Lily?"
Lily frowned. "Well, Dante said that that park is a fairly convenient access point between the demon world and the human world, but either the baby's presence threw off her tracking, or it was a really terrible coincidence. Considering how easily she was able to use the collar to summon him to her, she may not have cared how closely she appeared to him, meaning that she used the best gate, and it was just a terrible coincidence that she found me."
Trish grinned wickedly as Lily finished.
"So why wasn't he wearing anything?"
Lily wheezed laughter at the darkening of Vergil's countenance.
"He actually had pants on, which is why his parts weren't exposed all the time, but she had stripped him before initiating the curse in hopes that he'd be more beholden to her, and just because she wanted him as her plaything."
"How did Uncle Dante know her name was Maleficent?" the four-year-old asked.
"I didn't, I was just making a joke, because of all the other fairy tale references all around. Verge just decided to call the Devil Arm that. Do you know what her name was, Verge?"
Vergil shook his head. "She wanted to be my mistress, so I was required to call her 'Mistress' until I lost my voice."
His mouth twisted in distaste at the very idea.
"Where did my name come from, Mommy?"
Lily smiled. "Well, I knew your father as 'Diavolo', Italian for 'devil'. In the games, Vergil has an alternate form called 'Nelo Angelo'. I thought calling you 'Angelo', Italian for 'angel' was appropriate on multiple levels."
Angelo nodded.
"So Uncle Dante, how much of the games are true?"
Dante laughed.
"Some other time, kiddo, your dad said one bedtime story, remember?"
A/N: Well, here's the breakdown:
Chapter 1, Lily refers to Snow White - the fairest one of all.
Chapter 2, (lines, not references), Lily thinks there will be water if God wills it - Stephen King's Dark Tower books, Lily says "No unpleasantness, I trust?" - Megan Whalen Turner's The Thief.
Chapter 3, Lily muses over Cinderella - turn into a pumpkin, and Beauty and the Beast - when the last petal falls, Lily mentions The Little Mermaid - the sea witch's deal, a voice to be human.
Chapter 4 has none.
Chapter 5, Dante mentions Snow White - Snow White being ugly, Sleeping Beauty - invited to Aurora's birth, Cinderella - prince paying attention to shoe size, and Sleeping Beauty (again) - "Maleficient".
Well, that was fun for me, I hope you enjoyed the story - let me know, huh?
Later, Jimli ;P