JL Sigman (jlsigman) wrote in no_true_pair, @ 2009-01-09 05:48:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | ! 2009 eight characters challenge, author: jlsigman |
Title: Second Chance, Second Sight
Author: jlsigman
Rating: R
Warnings: Language, violence
Word count: 457
Prompt: Nevan and Maria: "Who do you think you are?"
A/N: To catch the story up: Dante and Nero chased Nevan/Maria for a couple of weeks. It quickly became apparent that they were not engaging in random acts of brutality, but were looking for something. What, exactly, neither devil hunter had the time to figure out, because wherever the not-fully-integrated duo went, slavishly devoted demonic entities followed. There were also times when it seemed that Maria was trying to do something without Nevan's approval, like going back to Dante's shop to get her weapon back. It was during one of those times that Nero managed to get a message to Maria via her Net connection, trying to tell her that she was safe with him. The results of this were unknown until the final showdown, when Nevan/Maria found a place where they could gather power to rip open a portal to whichever particular Hell Nevan came from. Dante and Nero battled a demonic army, but it was Maria who decided to kill her guards which allowed Dante to run her through and break their bond. Unfortunately, the portal was already open, and Maria was very nearly destroyed by the backlash. Nevan escaped through the portal, and Dante gave chase. Nero tended to Maria, learning what had to be done to close the connection, then left her with her laser scythe and a reason to live despite her burned-away eyes and burnt bridges.
Nevan stumbled as she ran, the ruins of her skirt getting tangled in her legs. She could hear Dante's heavy tread behind her, the faster beat of Nero's behind that, both of them pounding out her potential doom. But she could also see the light of the portal ahead of her, and knew that if she could get through that freedom was close at hand. She would have her revenge for her dead brothers: first on whatever was left of Maria, and then eventually on the rest of Sparda's thrice-damned descendants.
With a breathless, triumphant cry, Nevan reappeared in the cavern. She felt her strength returning, slowly but surely, and with a smirk moved with her usual grace. It came as quite a surprise when she suddenly found herself sprawling on the hard ground. She arched her back to see what had tripped her and saw her feet still standing on the ground. A thin, shrill scream escaped her lips as she pulled herself forward with her arms. A ragged, pathetic excuse for a shadow carrying a large staff stepped in between her and the portal. “You...” Nevan whispered in shock.
Maria leaned on her staff and smirked. “Me,” she answered hoarsely.
Nevan tried to crawl backwards away from her, smearing ichor in a thick trail. “Who do you think you are?” she screamed. “You're nothing without me! A crazy scared little girl who doesn't deserve to live!”
“I am Maria,” the younger woman said, taking a step forward every time Nevan got too far away. “I probably don't deserve to live, considering all I helped you do, but I am.”
There was a shimmer, and two male forms appeared. One with a mis-shapen arm held the larger form in place. The portal's energies lit up the entire cavern for a moment, and Nevan got a good look at what she had done to Maria. She laughed, cruelly and hysterically. “You think you deserve anything with that face?”
The scarred woman shrugged and extended the laser blade.
Nevan was nearly to the wall, still frantically pulling herself away from her creation. “He'll never forgive you, not in a thousand years!” she desperately shouted, trying to find one of the old chinks in her armor.
The blade lifted into the air. “Then I'll have to live for a thousand and one years.” The blade descended.
“I'll see you in hell!!” was Nevan's final scream, cut off when her neck was sliced in half. The head bounced away, coming to rest near Maria's feet. As the burning red eyes faded, so did the portal.
“I know,” Maria said, turning off the blade and leaning on the staff again.