LONG WAY DOWN.

affiliated trish from dmc. indie friendly.

[daimonbolt]

valsharesses​:

✖ ———— “Your friends interfered in my business, jalil. I think my reasons are obvious. I do not tolerate anyone who stands in my way. Especially loud mouthed males who do not know their place.” She takes several paces, the clatter of her heels echoing against the concrete of the underground garage, only to come to a halt. “I don’t believe I will tell you, jalil. It seems counterintuitive, doesn’t it? I have already achieved my goal– and I do hope that when I send your friends back to you in pieces you shall think twice before crossing my path.”

The valsharess pauses, then laughs. “I do respect the audacity of a proud female, however. Shall I offer you a gift of good will?” She grunts ever so slightly, kneeling down, voice a little distant when she says: “Say hello, iblith.”

There is no immediate response. Voice still distant, she says, “I will not repeat myself, iblith.” Followed by a strained gasp, a grit-toothed growl Trish might recognize as Nero. A growl that inevitably caves to something that is most certainly not a hello, but rather a, 

“Nghh— fuck— you!”

  business? what sort of business? Trish knew there was very little Nero could stand by and just watch -- that incident in the empty apartment complex with the organ trafficking being one of them -- so it was a needle in the haystack to try and figure it out. but it’s something to uncover later on. almost does she chuckle at the threat, but it is something that falls short with the mention of ‘good will’ and the muffled sounds of another.

            so she’s captured Nero.

   that was unexpected to say the very least. it could not have been easy-- he never goes down without a fight, so for this woman to have him....either her power is like that of Mundus. or, which is the demon’s hunch, she has stronger allies. people who have been here longer and are at their peak. it isn’t easy to take down a Sparda and she becomes worried. not for herself, but for the boy. damn it, Nero. can’t you ever stay out of trouble? another thing added to the list: once she finds this woman, she has to get him out of there.

    despite the steadiness of her voice, Trish’s steps increase in pace as a grin tugs at her lips. “ You don’t have to tell me. Underground, huh? Clever. Not many places in this city that are underground.....and made of concrete.” that leaves out any sort of housing complex or business. the echo she heard would not fit. so then.....where? keep her talking. she just needs to keep her talking. “ You could have killed Nero by now, yet he’s still alive. Why? Can’t do it yourself?”

[daimonbolt]

angelbrought​:​​

Zero listens, breath steady as he thinks. Picking up his phone before it rings, answering Hansol’s call. Another worried voice to add to the situation. Speaking briefly, he reassures he’ll keep her updated before he hangs up. 

Acknowledging the two are already familiar with each other is what establishes a bit of trust. 

“Kyrie, you should stay with her. The possible people involved are willing to take anyone hostage.” 

With a heavy sigh he keeps the more gruesome detail to himself, trying to think of what to do. Feet moving beneath him for a few steps before he stops again. Hand around the hilt of his katana, it’s hard to make a decision. If that woman has the help she wanted, then Nero will have a hard time. 

At the same time, this could also mean that same trouble could be coming for Kyrie. You can’t be at two places at once. It’s easier for you to take orders–yet you want to act more independently. There’s not a lot of time to waste.  

When he finally makes eye contact with Trish, he flashes a sliver of his blade as a show of capability. His eyes dull, but resolute. 

“What’s your plan?” 

@angelbrought​

               ❝  but i—!  ❞ she opens her mouth to protest, only to sweep her gaze across to zero, who yields similarly.

       the pit in her stomach swells, yawning; can she truly do nothing? is she really so fragile? a bird can’t fly with clipped wings, and secretly, it wounds her. she knows she can be there for nero in other ways, even if it were only in words— and yet, of late she can’t seem to shake the lament at the back of her mind.

       he knows her too well, for should the situation call for it, kyrie wouldn’t hesitate.

       lowering her eyes, she stays her tears long enough to murmur a lonely plea unto her company.

               ❝  … please… bring him home.  ❞ maybe that was selfish of her to ask, but she surrenders it nonetheless.

     i can’t promise that, is what goes unsaid. Trish cannot promise that she’ll bring Nero home, not when she has already come to a decision of what to do once she is sure Kyrie is someplace safe. her goal will not take her towards Nero, but to the source itself. that and she knows how much of a fit the Sparda boy would throw if someone else interfered to save his ass. an unfortunate thing and a habit that often brings the demoness a headache (how many times has she warned him already? clearly he didn’t listen at the hospital) but a part of life she’s long since come to accept.

        she nods once at Zero before turning back to Kyrie. at the very least, she can give her a sliver of what is going on.“ I don’t know all of what has happened, but earlier I got a call from Nero. All he said was ‘don’t let them get to Kyrie’ before the call cut out.” she does not mention the sounds of battle, nor the shattering of the phone before the line went dead. too much worry would weigh on the other’s heart and right now, she does not need that.

   “ I don’t know who ‘they’ are, but I suspect they’re one of the few who has been following us lately. And knowing Nero, he confronted them.” annoyance slips through her tone, but she casts it aside. now is not the time. turning to Zero, she motions with her head for him to follow as a hand is placed gently against Kyrie’s back, nudging her along. 

              “ The plan is getting her somewhere safe and I know of a location. It’s a building in Yesteryear, which right now....is probably the safest place for her. “ all the while, her eyes dart to and fro, keeping an eye out for any tails, her words directed at Zero. “ I need you to keep watch over her. Just until Nero gets back.” if, she keeps herself from saying. “ I doubt they’ll search in Yesteryear but I can’t risk leaving her unprotected. The building is underground, hidden in the darkness. And since only dolls and wildlife exist there, you’ll be able to hear another coming. “

@errantkatana​​

[daimonbolt]

valsharesses​:

✖ ———— It’s not like the demoness is telling her anything she doesn’t know, and the woman laughs. Low chortles that abruptly break into a scream when she feels her bone shatter, gun falling uselessly from her now unresponsive hand. “Fuck… fuck!” She cries, before she tries to save face by turning her howl back into uneasy laughter. “She’ll kill me,” she says between the pain as Trish retrieves her phone, “And she’ll kill you too, bitch!”

But more important by far is the woman who picks up on the other end, scowling at the incoming call– why is this one bothering her now? The scowl fades, however, at the unfamiliar voice, eyes narrowing ever so slightly. There is a slight echo to her voice; her location wide, vast and empty. “How word travels fast,” she says, cool and unbothered, “Tell me… what is it I can do for you, jalil?”

     “ Less travelling, more your grunts couldn’t keep quiet if their lives were on the line.” so it was a woman. one who didn’t sound the least bit bothered that Trish had taken some matters into her own hands and contacted her directly. well, at least that makes things a bit more interesting and saves her time in the long run. finally, she drops the woman to the ground, leaning down to pick up the gun and tucking it in her back pocket as she exits the alley.

        “ You can tell me why you sent others to follow my friends and to attack them. And then, after that, you can tell me where you are.” that was the true goal of this, after all. “ You send others to do your work for you but hide in the shadows. It’s about time you faced the ones you’re watching, don’t you think?”

[daimonbolt]

valsharesses​:

✖ ———— The woman braces herself for a shock at the awful sparking, visibly tensing only to let loose a half-gasp when Trish appears before her, and in an instant she’s left like a fish dangling uselessly on a line. “Strong one, aren’t ya?” The woman hisses back, her pride demanding she match the malicious smile on Trish’s face like a mirror copy.

Not that she knows any of the recent developments. She can only assume that this woman is friends with the wench, the samurai, or the other one who attacked their Queen at the chapel. “You gonna kill me, love? Best make it fast. I’d rather meet my end at your hand than her’s,” she says, cryptically, before the smile leers wider, and she says:

“The Queen don’t stand anyone who gets in her way. Yer friends are fucked,” she taunts, still blissfully oblivious to the threat Trish is aware of, still assuming that she means these friends noticed they were being followed. Hell, maybe she means the one who stabbed one of her colleagues to death in an alley for being an idiot. “And you’ll be too if you hurt me.”

 “ You’re a mouthy one, aren’t you?” it was becoming clear that this one wasn’t going to give Trish the answers she sought. that’s not to say she hasn’t divulged something in her pride. the demon only knew of ‘they’, not that this involved someone called ‘The Queen’. “ So your Queen is the one going after people. That’s pretty pathetic, isn’t it? Sending others to do her dirty work for her. I wonder how many she’s disposed of when they outlived their usefulness?” there is a nonchalance to her words, a pause given, as if she was awaiting the other’s answer. in truth, she was not. she could give less of a damn about anything else this woman has to say. that and she was growing impatient. the clock was ticking-- not for her, but Nero and anyone else that might be with him caught up in this mess. V, most likely.

               can’t they stay out of trouble for more than five minutes?

   “ Unfortunately for you--”  she sighs after a moment, expression turning bored. one twist. one twist in an unnatural direction and the sound of bone snapping can be heard as the woman’s wrist breaks under Trish’s grip. “-- pawns aren’t worth my time, nor your Queen’s. Do you really think she cares about what happens to you? Humans....so naïve.”  and with her other hand, she reaches into the cloak, quickly finding a phone. a means of contact between her and this Queen, no doubt.

     she keeps the woman dangling by her damaged wrist as she searches for the correct contact in the phone. there was only one, really. and with one touch, she hits dial, bringing it to her ear and waiting as it rings, rings, rings-- and then it stops.

              “ You should find better henchman.” she speaks without hesitation, head tilting to the side. “ A rat is quieter than this one was. The Queen, was it? “

[daimonbolt]

valsharesses​:

✖ ———— Follow, but do not engage. Those were the commands she abided by up until this point, when her hand is forced and she pulls her gun from her belt. The voice is terrifying to a nobody like her, of course, but that doesn’t mean she’s going to back down. The woman points the gun at the ground, then back up to the air around her, turning in a small circle to try and figure out what game this vixen is playing.

“That so, eh?” She says, voice level despite her circumstances. “These the same dogs that’ll be lickin’ yer bones clean once I’m done with ya, love?”

Trish will have to do more than smoke and mirrors to scare her off. She’s seen the depravities of the Queen. And she will not back down unless faced with something worse.

    so, she was a brave one. either that, or a complete fool. from her position, hidden within a darkened room behind a cracked window (an empty building, luckily) she could see the gun, watch her survey her surroundings. so she had a weapon. a bit unfortunate but not surprising. it has been awhile since she had last been shot at and ages since anything of the mortal world pierced her flesh. no, she hasn’t forgotten that she has been weakened here, for it matters little. skill always triumph. “ I used to run with them back in the day. Cute little things, nasty when angered. I’m sorry to disappoint, but they prefer the taste of mortal flesh. “

 is she telling the truth? is she lying? it is impossible to tell. her voice remains cool, almost unbothered by the woman’s threats. if she pleased, Trish could toy with her for hours, but this lapdog was not worth her time in that manner. no, she had questions that needed answers. now.

      a quiet sigh echoes out and there’s the sound of something crackling, like a torn electrical wire sparking against the ground. she’s gone from her perch, suddenly materializing before the other out of thing air. Trish leaves little time to react, her hand shooting out to grab the wrist of the hand that held the gun. fingers squeeze -- even without her enhanced strength, she knows how to snap bones like twigs -- as she lifts. lifts until the woman’s feet dangles a few inches above the ground and their eyes meet level. 

          “ I’ll cut to the chase. I know you’re working for someone. I know they’ve ordered you to follow me the past few days and I know it’s the same one who’s gone after some friends of mine. Now, I’ll only ask the once and if you answer me, you can go free. ” her fingers curl tighter, nails beginning to dig into flesh, and all the while she keeps that expression, that almost unnatural smile.  maybe Trish will keep her word: maybe not. demons weren’t known to be merciful. all of it depends on this woman’s actions and if she’ll fight back or crumple like a piece of paper. “ Who ordered you to do this?”

[daimonbolt]

@valsharesses​ SAID: Over the last few days, Trish has probably noticed the strange figure tailing her from afar. Not doing anything in particular; just watching, observing. Maybe this woman has a crush! :) Surely there is no nefarious reason to be watched like this. :)

   what was asked of her had been done. Kyrie tucked away somewhere safe, somewhere that nobody but her and a select few will know of. (Nico and Lady in particular.) somewhere where she could not be touched and remain whole-- worried, but whole -- for whenever Nero crawls his way back from the mess he’s found himself in. one thing of importance taken care of.....

                 and another, falling right into her lap.

   she knows a tail when she sees one. at first, she considered it to be nothing to worry of. what harm could a mortal do to her? but days passed, it continued, and after that call from Nero-- it is not nothing. countless years hunting demons, working with Dante, existing within the human world has her a seasoned veteran. she knows that this woman who has followed her from corner to corner, down packed corridors between buildings and down stairs was sent for a purpose. she could try to lose her within Fibonacci’s lower levels. but she has no want to. in fact, she wants to be followed. Nero had said ‘they’. that meant more than one. and she would bet Rebellion that this woman following her was a part of that ‘they’.

   so she’ll turn left, effortlessly weaving through bodies into a narrow alleyway, making a right and another left until all that is heard is the sound of her boots against wet pavement. and right as the woman turns the corner to hopefully catch sight of of the demon, she will find nothing but an empty dead-end. the demoness is gone, but only for a minute.

           “ The hounds of hell could hear you a mile beneath the surface, hun.” her voice sounds suddenly from beneath the woman, head cocked to the side as her eyes narrow. the air surrounding her is charged with something. nothing that will hurt the other, of course. but she doesn’t know that.

[daimonbolt]

angelbrought​:

errantkatana​.

To have such an emotional connection–to tell something like this by mere instinct, is absolutely wild to Zero. It isn’t something he’ll doubt, knowing the nature of the place; perhaps it’s ironic, given his own future seeing ability. 

But it only reaches so far. 

And neither do they, as @daimonbolt​ stands in the way of them both. 

       the silence is his answer, and wordlessly she thanks zero for his deference. kyrie knows how much nero means to him, and it is in that fondness that they share an understanding. before long however, she falters, her pace petering out when her way ahead is barred by a familiar face.

               ❝  trish…?  ❞ the moment that name falls from her lips, her heart lurches in her chest— something’s happened.

       those people— the ones that had been following her and nero… it dawns on her, like pieces of a puzzle falling into place. she knows they have something to do with this.

               ❝  nero’s in trouble—!  ❞ she pleads, the urgency rising her voice, ❝  i have to find him— please, you have to let me go. i—!  ❞

                                  i can’t lose him again. i could never forgive myself.

       @daimonbolt​.

      the demoness is the picture of an immovable object. eyebrows knitting together, lips tugged into a frown-- something that she so rarely wears. but it is not the time for games, for playing around. that time passed by in a blink of an eye. she has something to do and she intends to see it through until the end.

           what end? simple. either when Nero comes back (if, a voice reminds her) or whoever ‘they’ are decides to show their face.

    “ I can’t do that, Kyrie. “ her tone leaves no room for arguments and no room for any pleas to change it. Nero’s voice still echoes in her thoughts-- don’t let them get to Kyrie. this is exactly what she had warned him about. this is exactly why she told him to be more careful and now that fear of his has become a potent reality. her gaze flickers to the one accompanying the other woman before falling back on a distraught expression. “ I need to take you someplace safe.” a pause and this time, she adresses the other. “ If you’re with her, then you must be a friend of Nero’s. In that case, you need to come as well. “

@errantkatana​​

[daimonbolt]

angelbrought​:

       somewhere amid the silence, a glass breaks. it slips from her fingers, and shatters at her feet, spraying shards of glass across the kitchen floor. she holds her wrist, clasping it to her chest— somehow she can’t shake this feeling of uneasiness, looking upon the mess with knitted brows.

       … without a word nor thought to spare, kyrie pulls off her apron, and runs out the door.

                                                                                  nero…!

  she was waiting for it to happen, ever since she got that call from Nero -- panicked, rushed, the sounds of combat clearing before being cut off -- she knew it was only a matter of time before Kyrie would grow worried. worried and then try to act which is something that the demoness cannot allow. though instinct tells her to go help the Sparda boy, to drag him kicking and screaming if need be from whatever mess he’s landed in, she cannot.

   Nero would never forgive her if she let something happened to the one he loved.

     and it’s why the woman won’t get far. why she will find the demon blocking her path, everything confirming the other’s fears. “ No, Kyrie. Don’t.” is all she will say because she knows, oh she knows.

[daimonbolt]

  now, while usage of powers isn’t allowed during the games of this years festival, they are outside of the Stars designated activities. and for one demoness who has had her fill of quiet days, it was enough of an incentive for her to cause some problems of her own. and one unlucky person was her target. they would be minding their business, enjoying the season, when from behind comes a sudden water balloon that explodes against their back.

    there would be little time to react, though. as suddenly as water spewed everywhere, another balloon would be coming from the front of them mere seconds later. the only thing between the actions was a loud ‘crack’ (as if lightning split the sky.) but, all one might see if they choose to look around is one woman, a smirk tugging at her lips.

            and in one hand? a balloon, tossed up and down.

[daimonbolt]

devilbring​:

“What kind of games?” Looks up from a book pulled from his coat. A History of Spirale in Recent Memory. “Not seeing anything about their festivals in here. When you say ‘entertainment’…” he narrows his eyes. “You mean like that gallery?”

   she says nothing on the book, simply raising an eyebrow before giving a shake of her head. leave it to Nero to get up to something. “ Slow your roll there, Nero. Nothing like that. They’re not going to put innocent festivals in a history book. The winter one I went to was just that-- a festival. Ice skating, snowball fights, classes for holiday gift making. I even danced with Dante at the crystal funhouse.” here, she sighs and offers a small grin.

          “ It won’t be anything like that gallery. This is one event you can feel at ease going to. Why don’t you take Kyrie out? If I recall, humans love using fireworks this time of year. I’m sure she’d enjoy that.”

[daimonbolt]

kalinanns​:

      ❝   Only if you get caught. Or if it’s against me.   ❞   A   festival, huh ?  This place was a lot more lax than she was expecting… … Not that she really knew what she expected. 

     ❝   Do they at least have prizes worth cheating for ?   ❞

    “ Mhm, if it’s against you then that’s just ten times the fun.” and more of an incentive than anything else, but you didn’t hear that from her.

           “ I wasn’t around for any summer ones but maybe. And even if they don’t, cheating is free. “

[daimonbolt]

   “ A summer festival huh? Considering how they ran their winter festival the year before I’m sure this one will have just as much entertainment packed in.” a pause, one leg placed over the other. “ I wonder if using our powers in the game would be considered cheating....”

[daimonbolt]

saintsong​:

    why is my husband throwing himself out of windows somebody please explain this to m

oh how i have stories to tell you--

[lizzart-zardonicz]

Best gals with fancy shades. ✨

[daimonbolt]

[dangles a piece of pizza on the tl as incentive] i think i will toss out a smol starter call for the first part of the event! i’ll cap it at 3, castmates being exempt from this and not counting towards said count!

[daimonbolt]

      “ I see their sense of humor hasn’t changed one bit.”

‘they’ being the Stars and whoever the hell else was in charge of this place and this museum. her voice is as usual; level, seemingly unbothered. arms are crossed over her chest, head tilted to the side as her gaze remained fixed on two paintings placed side by side, obviously there to catch her attention. one was of the woman she was modeled after with an intent to finally rid the world of the Devil Hunter. perhaps it was that very same painting that hung within the Sparda home before it went up into flames and set a path that took years to finally reach the end of. 

      the other was smaller in size and showed a moment from the past. her death, the be precise, something that she has not given a thought to in ages. not out of a refusal to think about it but because she saw no reason to. it wasn’t important and it was as clear as day how different she was now compared to then.

  “ What’s next, I’ll find a carving of Mundus in the gardens?” she wouldn’t mind shattering such a thing to pieces if so--

[daimonbolt]

    “ Hm. Well, I guess it’s gonna be a bit more lively around here.” she doesn’t say it but there’s a muted thank god tacked on at the end there.