Chattering Monkeys

Dark · Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 261

“I got it!”

Dante slid across the wood floors in his socks to answer the door but ended up slamming into the wall near the door. His mother peeked from the kitchen and raised an eyebrow.

“Um, Dante…”

“I got it!”

She sighed and Dante steadied himself, rustling his clothes. Adriana had bought him some black jeans and they were rather comfortable. Dressed in a muscle shirt and a black dress shirt, his mother had commented he didn’t look very Christmas-y. He had just grinned.

Opening the door, he found Vincent’s family on the other side. Vincent seemed to be rather quiet and Dante raised an eyebrow at the boy’s sweater…looked rather…preppy. Tifa entered, wearing her short Catholic schoolgirl skirt and white dress shirt, open so you saw…a lot. Avri and Tidus McCue looked out of place but wandered in and sat on the couch. Jon just kind of wandered away to the kitchen, obviously wanting to get away from his spouse. Dante led them to the living room and Vincent growled, fidgeting with the neckline of the sweater.

“I despise this thing with a passion” he hissed, “But stupid mother threw a fit until I put it on.”

“You look kind of…” Dante searched for words.

“Like a dork!” said Adriana, appearing from behind him.

“How could you, Adriana?” Vincent sobbed.

“I’m kidding. It’d be adorable if it were you” she giggled.

“Yea…” sighed Vincent in agreement.

“Just take it off” Tifa snorted, “I didn’t give a damn what mother said.”

He started to say something when another knock at the door came. Dante rushed across the floor.

“I got it!”

Adriana raised an eyebrow, “Did you get into the eggnog?”

Dante just stuck out his tongue and opened the door…oh God, Tate and family. However, it seemed they hadn’t brought all the kids. At least some of the kids Dante knew were there…

Chocolat and Lucien Esperanza walked into the room with the others. Lucien sighed and scratched his head.

“Oh man, this is such a long holiday.”

Tifa giggled and hugged his waist, kissing him, “But you get presents!”

“And Tifa, what a present I have for you…”

Vincent stared dully at the two, “Eww.”

Lucien and Tifa seemed to be each other’s ‘fall-back-on’ sex person. It was a tad strange in everyone’s opinion but oh well…

The door rang and Dante started to skid away when his mother smirked, walking out of the kitchen with Jon following.

“I got it.”

Dante pouted and she opened the door, Lysa’s family coming in this time.

“Jon!” sang Lysa, hugging him.

Tidus sent her a dull look that Lysa naturally missed. Dante’s mother led them back into the kitchen, directing the teens into the room they were occupying.

Raihn and Raylin Terra appeared, Connor and Steven sitting with the adults instead. Vincent gasped and attacked Raihn with a bear hug.

“Raihn, I haven’t seen you in forever!”

“Since yesterday?” she laughed, hugging him back.

“Too long…” sighed Vincent.

Raylin rolled her eyes and the doorbell rang again. Dante ran for it but his mother ran to answer it as well. She shoved him away and stuck out her tongue, opening the door.

“Thank God, I can’t stand answering the door!” she proclaimed.

Everyone else they expected showed up and all did their particular split, the sages in the kitchen, the knights and children they didn’t hang out with in the den, and the crew in the living room.

Dante smirked as he heard the knights laugh as they instantly started a game of poker. His mother’s group could probably be heard from two houses down, some of them singing the ‘Snow’ song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Dante smiled at Mae, dressed in a pretty silk tunic and a pair of dark flared pants. Her arms were full of presents…

“Oh, you can set those on the table, Mae-Mae” he pointed.

As she wandered off, Lucien rested his hands on his hips, rolling his eyes.

“Dude, I’m already bored! Let’s do something.”

“Anything in mind?” questioned Dante.

“Spin-the-bottle.”

They all stopped and stared at him, exclaiming in unison, “Spin-the-bottle?”

“Uh huh…you know, the kissing game” Lucien rolled his eyes again.

Dante shifted uncomfortably and stared back to see if anyone heard or was looking…well, they were all pretty preoccupied. Blushing, he laughed nervously.

“I…guess I’m game.”

“You know I am!” Tifa proclaimed.

Artemis scowled, “I’ll…pass.”

“Me too…” mumbled Vicious.

“No, no, Artemis can be out, but not you, gothy” Vincent replied.

Vicious glowered at him and Dante went into the kitchen. He raised an eyebrow as Caitlin, Donna, and Sree decorated a cake, dozens of sprinkles randomly dashed across it.
His mother, Jon, and Lysa were chopping up vegetables, either racing or in some strange hurry. Laura and Van were frying things, laughing as the hot oil jumped as they tried to drop meat in the pan. He couldn’t help but smile a bit, taking an empty soda bottle his mother probably just finished.

Heading back to the room, he found them all sitting in a circle, waiting. Luvian grinned.

“Sweet, we’re actually doing this…”

“No kidding” snickered Dante, tossing him the bottle.

Mae giggled anxiously and Dante stared at her, surprised. Holy crap, he forgot she was here…what if someone…

Suddenly this didn’t seem like a good idea…

Lucien took his turn first, the bottle ending up on Raylin. The blonde smirked.

“I don’t know…”

“Raylin, Raylin, the consequences for not kissing me are worse than if you do” he grinned.

She sighed and leaned forward, kissing him gingerly. She grumbled as she took her turn.

“If I land on Vincent, you guys can just kill me, okay?”

Vincent flicked her off but the bottle landed on…Raihn?

“Incestuous lesbian action, eh…” Vincent pondered, stroking his chin.

Raihn snorted and kissed Raylin on the cheek. Vincent pouted.

“I’m disappointed.”

“Me too” sighed Lucien.

Raihn shoved Vincent’s shoulder and took her turn. It landed evenly on…Lucien.

“Oh hell no” growled Vincent, not seeming pleased.

Lucien grinned and fluttered his eyelashes, “Something wrong, ‘Vinny’?”

Vincent sulked and Raihn laughed, leaning across and kissing Lucien. Vincent looked away and Dante blinked. Vincent acted really jealous when it came to Raihn…

“Woo, my turn again…”

The bottle landed on…Vincent. Lucien’s eyes widened and Vincent smirked.

“Something wrong, ‘Luci’?”

Lucien glowered at him before shrugging, “I’ll try anything once.”

“See? That’s the attitude you should have, Dante!”

“I’ll have to pass on that one, thanks” smirked Dante.

Vincent snorted and leant across the circle, kissing Lucien…Dante found himself blushing. He really hoped he didn’t end up kissing someone here, especially Vincent. If he kissed Vincent, he’d probably end up getting…tongue and he probably could never look at the boy again...

He grimaced as Lucien snorted, “That sucked, Vincent, and not in a good way.”

“Lucien, Lucien, you wouldn’t know what to do if I went all the way…” Vincent sighed.

The boy snorted again and Vincent grinned, spinning the bottle. It came to a stop on…

“Oh…” Vincent said in a strangely uncharacteristic tone.

Raihn blushed and so did Vincent which was in a phenomenon of its own. Lucien raised an eyebrow.

“What…? Just kiss her.”

“I…I think I’ll just back out now” mumbled Vincent.

“What!” Tifa declared, “Vincent, what’s your problem? Kiss her!”

“I-I…” he mumbled, shifting extremely uncomfortably.

“It’s okay, Vinny” smiled Raihn, blushing down at her hands.

“No it’s not” glowered Tifa, “Vinny’s a whore. There should be no problem here.”

Vincent scowled at her, “Shut up, Tif! This is different!”

“How so?” demanded Tifa, “A kiss is a kiss. And that you’re arguing this much, I say you have to kiss her for like, 30 seconds.”

“I rule in favor of this” Lucien snickered.

“Ugh!”

Dante raised an eyebrow, unsure of why Vincent seemed so freaked out over the idea. He was jealous of other guys kissing her but couldn’t do it himself…?

The blond turned to face her, staring at her, his cheeks lightly tinted. She laughed nervously and pushed a strand of hair behind her half-elf ears. Vincent visibly swallowed before leaning in slowly, his eyes closing some before their lips touched. It started out innocent enough…but apparently the two opened their mouths somewhere along. They all stared, wide-eyed, before Raylin growled.

“Ewww! That was a MINUTE. You two can stop!”

Vincent’s shoulders squared and quickly pulled away, his cheeks on fire and glared heatedly at Raylin.

“Sh-shut up…”

Raihn blushed and twirled the bottle and it strangely landed on…Dante…?

Dante flustered and kissed Raihn softly as not to anger Vincent and well…that was terribly awkward. Dante cleared his throat then and finally took his turn.

And, of course, it landed on Mae.

He went rigid much like Vincent had and wondered if he could suddenly declare himself sick… Adriana and Vincent coughed and he glowered at them. But Mae giggled and hugged his neck, taking initiative and kissing him. He instinctively moaned, blushing hotly when he realized what he’d done and pulled away, laughing embarrassedly. Mae must not have noticed though because she giggled, and hugged his waist.

“Aww…” cooed Vincent, finally out of his Raihn stupor.

Dante blushed and his mother’s voice suddenly rang out, “Time to eat!”

Thank God, he blushed some, and stood, smiling stupidly at Mae. That was terribly, horribly awkward…

But then, he might not mind doing it again….

“Adrian…if that were a building, I wouldn’t be caught ten miles near it” smirked Tesstory.

“Shut up, mofo” snorted Adrian, licking his fingers of icing.

Dante watched their parents attempt to make towers with their spouses as partners. Andrea walked back in and gawked.

“Adrian, what have you done to our stupid tower?!”

“I was TRYING to make it sturdier!”

“Yeah, that worked, seeing as it’s caving in on that one side.”

Adrian just laughed and she smirked, taking a seat back in his lap.

“You’re not allowed to ever build anything” she snorted.

Adrian pouted and they laughed, joking. Dante chuckled and shook his head, walking back to the living room where everyone was attempting to put houses together themselves.

“I don’t think I was meant to be an architect…” Vincent stared.

“Chocolat definitely isn’t” smirked Lucien.

“Shut up” snorted the girl who hadn’t said too much that night.

Dante chuckled and wandered over to the unopened presents, “Well, let’s open our presents now.”

Adriana snickered, “Restless, Daw?”

“Gah…”

“What’d you get from your parents?” questioned Vincent.

Dante went towards the tree, grabbing his presents. Vincent scowled.

“You suck! That’s sweet…”

Dante’s mother had bought him a Jeune Fille guitar, gradients of cerulean blue in color and a strange eccentric shape. Adrian had bought him a whole boatload of CDs. His grandfather had gotten him a pretty sweet mic stand and he could see Mae having fun with that one…

She giggled and stood, taking the stand from him. It was metal with strange sharp curves, jagged and dangerous, curving at the top like a scythe.

“I like it!” she declared after a moment.

“I watch how the moon sits in the sky on a dark night, shining with the light from the sun. And the sun doesn’t give the light to the moon, assuming, the moon’s going to owe it one. It makes me think of how you act towards me, you do, favors then rapidly you just turn around and start asking me about things that you want back from me. I’m sick of the tension, sick of the hunger, sick of you acting like I owe you this. Find another place to feed your greed, while I find a place to rest” rapped Dante absently, strumming the basic beat on his guitar.

Vincent raised an eyebrow, “What?”

“I want to be in another place, I hate when you say you don’t understand. I wanna be in the energy, not with the enemy, a place for my head” chanted Mae.

“Maybe someday I’ll be just like you and step on people like you do and run away all the people I thought I knew. I remember back then who you were. You used to be calm, used to be strong, used to be generous, but you shoulda’ known that you’d wear out your welcome and now you see how quiet it is all alone. I’m so sick of the tension, sick of the hunger, sick of you acting like I owe you this. Find another place to feed your greed, while I find a place to rest” Dante went on.

“I want to be in another place, I hate when you say you don’t understand. I wanna be in the energy, not with the enemy, a place for my head” chanted Mae.

“You try to take the best of me, go away. You try to take the best of me, go away, You try to take the best of me, go away. You try to take the best of me….go away! You try to take the best of me, go away! You try to take the best of me, go away! Yo’ try to take the best of me, go away, you try to take the best of me, go away!”

Anyone who hadn’t been to their concerts yet stared at her, stunned, as she screamed out the necessary parts. Lucien whistled after a second.

“Hardcore.”

“Kind of creepy” Raylin mumbled.

“What freakin’ song is that?” demanded Vincent, “I don’t remember performing that!”

Raihn suddenly propped her hands on her hips, staring at him, “What? When did you start performing?”

Vincent suddenly stiffened and scratched his head, “Uh, well…”

“A good….five months?” Vicious answered.

“What! Vincent” she slapped his arm hard, “I would come see you, y’ jerk!”

He blushed and mumbled, “Ba…”

“Hmm, and you have Mae acting as the guy. Pretty weird” Lucien commented.

“Are you in the band too, Vicious?” demanded Raihn.

“Yea…”

Raylin seemed surprised and Raihn scowled, pouting. Vincent grimaced, “Raihnyyy, it’s not a big deal.”

“No, I’m mad at you. Don’t talk to me” she grunted.

“Raihn!” he whined childishly as she walked away, following her.

“Well, while the lovebirds duke it out, let’s open those presents” replied Lucien.

They all sat and tore open the millions of presents they got from each other. Dante flustered at Vincent’s gift…

“Vincent…I don’t know how much use I have for flavored condoms…”

“I’ll take them” grinned Lucien.

Dante stuck out his tongue and relaxed them under the scarf Raihn had knitted him. Last thing he needed his parents to see.

“It’s so pretty, Vinny!” proclaimed Mae suddenly.

Dante turned to see what he’d given her and his jaw nearly hit the ground…that idiot actually bought her lingerie.

Blue, lacy, sheer, and frilly…not to mention incredibly short, Dante wasn’t sure Mae quite got the point. Lucien chuckled.

“Yup…pretty sexy…”

Dante blushed heavily and scowled at Vincent who wasn’t actually paying attention, trying to reconcile with Raihn. Sighing, Dante handed Mae his present.

“Merry Christmas, Mae-Mae…”

She squealed and opened it before gasping. He’d spent a good amount of his paycheck on the pendant, shaped like a silver raindrop, a light blue jeweled nestled into it. She suddenly hugged his neck, kissing his cheek.

“I love it!”

His cheeks turned red again and Lucien smirked, “Women and their jewelry.”

Mae pouted at him before giggling and picking up a box, “Merry Christmas, Daw!”

Opening it, he lifted the leather choker up, dangling the charm in front of his face. It was a ying and yang…his mother had one, but it looked quite a bit old. And this one actually looked like it was a box. Opening it, there was a scroll of paper inside. Frowning, he stared at it.

“What’s this?”

“You put a wish on it and put it in the pendant and as long as it’s in there, it’ll come and stay true” she said happily.

He smiled softly and pulled it around his neck, “Thanks, Mae-Mae.”

“What are you going to wish for?” questioned Adriana.

“Yea, Daw!” asked Mae curiously.

They all glanced at him and he blushed before chuckling, smiling secretively.

“Hey, if I told you, it wouldn’t come true.”

Dante smiled, closing his eyes as the brisk January air hit him. It should’ve been bitterly cold but the month was having unseasonably autumn like weather. Thus, the band had been invited to perform at an outside concert. They were pretty hyped about it…meant they were actually kind of popular. However, on this day, Dante had woken up with that thought that SOMETHING was going to go wrong today, he just didn’t know what…

Vincent and Mae sang ‘Revenga’, a very random song which Dante had no idea was about. His mother shrugged and simply told him that band never made as much sense as they could…

“I saw her laugh…then she said…go away…away…” Mae and Vincent harmonized on the bridge.

Dante scowled, looking up. Something was wrong…it was making him really nervous. The crowd cheered as the song was finished up and Vincent randomly talked to them, hyping them up. However, in the sky, something caught Dante’s eye…

Out of absolute nowhere, something came crashing down…

The audience scattered and screamed, running for their lives though a few adventurous ones stayed to see what happened. Dante and the band peeked down and his eyes crossed, stunned.

“Mama?!”

The woman pulled herself up, looking disoriented…before two more people flew in, crashing into and knocking her back down. She groaned loudly.

“Sorry about that. At least you broke my fall” Jon said, sitting up.

“Loser…” grumbled Andrea.

Van was the other one, standing and dusting herself off, “God, they didn’t have to hit us that hard. So mean!”

Andrea stood and crossed her arms, “At least we know now that, uh…downward attacks are not going to do much.”

“I said we should use magic” Jon pointed out.

“I said it’s a waste. They’re all over the place!”

“It’s more of a waste to attack them physically!”

Dante stared at them, wide-eyed, as they argued before grumbling, “Um…mommy…what’s going on?”

She turned to glance at him, surprised, “Dante, what are you doing here??”

“What am I doing here?!”

Andrea propped one hand on her hip and sighed, “Get out of here before you get hurt…all of you.”

Jon crossed his arms as Vincent stared at him as if he’d never seen him before in his life. Thing was, none of them had ever really seen their parent’s on ‘the job’ so this was a tad strange… Van stood sideways and stared up, saying in a rather calm voice.

“They’re coming.”

Jon and Andrea looked up, their relaxed posture not affected by this. Dante scowled, looking towards the sky again. WHAT was coming?

It blocked out the sun, whatever…it was. As the got closer, they got bigger, Dante saw…

It was a whole LOT of its.

Swarms and swarms of flying, squirming worm-like things with far too many teeth to count dove down towards them, making strange shrieking sounds. They appeared to have a sharp exterior as well but Dante felt himself grimace. There were THOUSANDS of those things…and didn’t his mom really hate worms?

The creatures catapult approach came closer and closer but the sages didn’t seem that bothered, standing and staring at the hoard like they were staring at clouds float by.

“Now?” Van questioned suddenly.

“Not yet…” Jon answered.

Andrea frowned and glared back at them again, “Didn’t I tell you to leave? This isn’t a movie, y’know?”

“Huh, oh, uh--” Dante mumbled, embarrassed.

“Now?”

“Now.”

Van’s scythe formed from thin air, a huge thing at least twice her size with a serpent shape as the staff. She swung and the tip glowed blue, making the area around it blur. Swinging a wide crescent…

A HUGE waterfall formed in front of them.

Jon outreached his hand as the water was still falling, his fingertips fogging and the next thing they knew, the water had all frozen. Dante stared, amazed, but wondered what that’d do…

After a second, they heard crack after crack on the other side…

“It’ll hold them for now” Van allowed after a moment, “At least until the others get here.”

But after a half a minute, a drill sound came and they all looked up…the worm things were drilling through.

“Crap…” grumbled Andrea.

The ice threatened to cut them but Dante’s mother lifted her hands and formed a huge wind shield around them. Van twirled the scythe in her hands and darted forward, swinging the huge weapon with one hand and slicing the disgusting creatures in half.
Andrea dropped the shield and drew Sirocco from her belt, Jon having Tsurara out, just in case. They both darted forward, straight into the fray. Dante was horrified…no wonder his dad freaked out. His mom should be dead!

“Vicious…” Mae said suddenly.

They all turned and found the two glancing at each other. Mae frowned, “Should we help?”

“What?!” demanded Vincent, “Help?! What the hell are those things?!”

“They’re the clivells…they’ve been harvesting humans to consume and our parents saved the humans and destroyed their colony…or Donna burned it down. Either way, they’re not pleased and they’re retaliating” Vicious explained before sighing, staring around at the stage, “And if we must…”

“I think it’d be nice” agreed Mae.

“You can’t be serious” growled Dante, glaring at the two of them.

Mae stepped on the chord and yanked the mic out, frowning, before glancing at Dante, “Mind if I use this, Dante? I know you got it for Christmas, but…”

“I mind that you’re actually thinking about going out there!! We’re safe right here on stage! Or at least, remotely safe!”

“Dante…” she pouted.

“I don’t care if you have to use it to protect your—”

“Yay! You’re the best, Dante!”

“Hey, I was about to say--”

“Let’s go, Viccy!”

Mae…MAE, mind-bogglingly, ran vertically across the steel cage they had running a little bit around the area. Running all the way to the top, she did a swan dive off and sliced down some of the worm creatures easily. Vicious dove in casually, slicing madly with claws Dante wasn’t aware he had. Watching them, Dante suddenly realized…

“They’re sage inherits…”

Vincent glanced at him, having watched in amazement as their friends fought quite well, before turning back, “Oh yea…”

So…if Shien was here, he could do this? Fighting side by side with their mother…

…

“Have no fear, Donna’s here!”

Andrea, Jon, and Van looked up, having broken a sweat with the melee. Jon cut one clivell in half with his whip sword and used an ice blade to kill another, calling.

“It’s about time!”

The rest of the sages had come finally and Donna smirked, “Hey, shut up. It took a while to find you guys, flying over here and all.”

Lysa sliced through a group of them and scowled, watching the sky, before suddenly squealing, “This is so gross! And here comes more of them!”

Andrea looked up, frowning, before snapping her fingers, “I got them.”

Dante watched the fight, stunned that it was being contained away from them…what shocked him more, though, was when silvery aura wings sprouted from his mother’s back. Launching up, she had Sirocco drawn, going straight into the hoard. Dante felt his heart skip. What the hell was she doing?!

Suddenly a strong gust nearly picked him up off the ground and he clenched his eyes shut. Barely getting one open, he watched as his mother created a massive wind tunnel, swallowing and ripping apart the insects….wow…his mom actually was fighting. He thought she’d been kidding all these years.

Landing back on the ground as the sages finished off the rest, she sighed and opened her mouth before clamping it shut. The ground started to throb…all the sages looked to Laura.

“…Laura…that better be you” Jon said slowly.

“Nope…”

The ground gave way and Dante gasped as his mother nearly slipped through one of the holes. Andrea grunted and retreated backwards. Lysa snapped.

“Damn! They’re attacking from underground now!”

Mae, who was still on the rampage, killed her last opponent and ran towards them, frowning.

“Mama, what’s wron--”

Dante glanced up and felt his heart jump to his throat.

One of the beasts was right behind Mae, threatening to swallow her.

The feeling he got…he wouldn’t be able to place it for a long time. It was like a dull roar, a horrid vision, the world shook…it hurt…it scared him.

Diving off stage before he had a second to think, he screamed, “Mae!!”

She stopped and looked at him, stunned, as he ran at her. In nanoseconds, it would fall and eat her alive. Without a second thought, he shoved her out of the way and the next thing he knew…

…

Andrea turned, stunned, as her youngest son dove off the stage and ran into the center of the crowd area. She started to yell at him to get back. There was no use running now…

Except he shoved Mae aside and got swallowed.

For a moment, it didn’t really register…she stared at where the worm had burrowed, dazed, before it hit her.

“Dante!!” she spazzed.

Running towards the hole, cutting down worms as she ran, she stared into the hole the worm that had swallowed him had disappeared into and sobbed.

“Dante!!”

Mae stood and cried out as well, “No, Dante, why??”

Bullets whished by them abruptly and Andrea looked up. The knights. Adrian dismounted his horse as it was still running and ran over to her, scowling.

“Are you all right??”

She suddenly started to cry and shook his arm, “Adrian, my baby!!”

“Wha…? What baby??” he questioned, bewildered.

“My baby!!” she shook him even more violently, “Dante!! One of them swallowed Dante!”

Adrian looked stunned and stared down into the hole Mae was mourning over. Growling, he slapped his hand over his eyes.

“Damn it…”

“I’ll get him!” cried Mae, starting to jump in.

Two strong arms caught her, Jynrei’s, and he scowled, “Don’t be ridiculous, Mae!”

“He did it to save me! I have to save him!”

Vicious wandered over, his mother and father following, the sages also coming. He cleared his throat after a moment and softly replied.

“The area’s contained…but…I have a thought.”

“Not now, Vicious” mumbled Vincent.

Vicious scowled, “It’s about Dante! I think maybe they might present him as food to their queen.”

They all looked up at him, surprised, before Andrea shook her head, wiping her eyes, “Wha?”

“Since you probably destroyed the larva and many of their workers, they need the queen to have more children and have to provide her with nutrients…”

“Aka Dante” scowled Adrian.

“It’s a long shot, I know, but it’ll give us hope. We still have a little time to save him…”

Andrea nodded and dove into the hole without much more question. The sages and knights followed except Jon, Laura, Van and Jynrei.

“Stay here, Vincent” instructed Jon.

“You too, Artemis” Laura said.

“No way, dad!” complained Vincent, balling his hands, “I have to make sure Dante’s okay!”

“I wish to go too, mother…” frowned Artemis.

Mae scowled at her parents, “You two KNOW you can’t stop me!”

The girl dropped into the opening as Van and Jynrei glanced at each other before sighing and following. Jon frowned and Vincent grunted, leaping in carelessly. Sighing, Jon followed. Artemis and Laura followed before shrugging and leaping in.

Dante had felt his life being drained away inside the creature and he had to wonder if it was worth it. Mae probably could’ve easily gotten herself out of this situation…

And yet, that wasn’t a very comforting idea…he was happier this way…knowing that she was safe. He’d die, but hey…

He fell unconscious somewhere along and knew that death was coming…and yet, he felt something pulling his cheek…

Opening his eyes weakly, they widened when he found himself staring into the eyes of his father who looked very disgruntled.

“Dante, the next time you become some DISGUSTING insect’s meal, you can stay there because I am not going to rescue you. I am not even going to come looking. Never. Again.”

“Wha…?”

He grunted as his mother sobbed and hugged him tightly, his father still leering at him. Adrian continued, “We had to go down into that freakin’ pit to rescue you and kill about a billion of those things before I found you…and you know, we couldn’t just blow them up since you were inside. We had to very delicately slice and look in oh, hundreds, before we found you. And I will tell you this, it was not pleasant.”

Andrea shoved him, “Shut up and leave my baby alone! He’s traumatized!”

“He doesn’t LOOK traumatized! I’d leave him alone if he LOOKED traumatized!”

“Of course he’s traumatized! He was swallowed alive!”

“Dante!!”

Dante groaned as he was tackled with a hug from his other side, Vincent squeezing him tightly. This was all too much on his mind at once, Dante realized, his head spinning.

“Oh my God, I thought you were dead!”

“Yea….me too…”

Mae slowly walked over and stared at him before bowing her head. Dante grimaced…what was she thinking? He just did the stupidest thing ever…

He gasped a little when she hugged him, crying, “You could’ve been killed, Daw!! Don’t ever, ever do that again!”

“I…”

“Thank you…” she whispered.

She sounded tired and he smiled weakly, rubbing her back, “Sorry to worry you…go get some rest. I’ll see you later.”

She nodded, wiping her eyes, looking reluctant but walking away, waving. Vincent crossed his arms and stared after her before mumbling something. Dante frowned.

“Wha?”

“…Nothing. I should be going…mother won’t be happy I was out this late.”

“Okay.”

Dante watched after him before staring back to his parents. His mother looked weary before standing, sighing, “I’m going to go check on Enya.”

Dante frowned as he watched her go before turning back to his father who was still glaring at him. Dante grimaced.

“Jeez, dad, I’m sorry…”

Adrian opened his mouth before letting out a heavy sigh. Surprising Dante, he reached out and hugged him awkwardly, mumbling.

“I…understand. Just be more careful…I…I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

He released Dante quickly and gave him a sheepish little smile before wandering away. Dante stood shakily before frowning, shaking his head.

It would’ve been nice to think he meant it, but…

They just didn’t want another Shien, and that’s all there was to it.

“And I didn’t want to know…” sang Vincent, “I just didn’t want to know…best to keep things in the shallow end, cause I never quite learned how to swim. I just didn’t want to know. Didn’t want…”

“Close my eyes just to look at you. Taken by the seamless vision. I close my eyes, ignore the smoke, ignore the smoke, ignore the smok--”

The blond stopped and glared at Dante who was flipping through a catalog as he stood by the mic.

“Dante…you think you can uh, do that when we’re not singing?”

“Huh…? Oh yea, blue…” Dante said slowly, not paying attention.

Vicious smirked, “Busy there, Dante?”

He looked up and sighed, “Yea, sorry guys. It’s my dad’s birthday soon.”

“Then it’s your birthday! We’re gonna get drunk, right?” questioned Vincent, excited.

Dante rolled his eyes but laughed, “I don’t think so. My parents were a little too suspicious last time.”

“Gah…well, we’re doing something, right?”

“My mommy’s making me a cake” he raised an eyebrow with a smirk.

“Whoo, party, Dante…actually, save me a slice!”

“We should go to Reign” Vicious suggested, referring to the gang’s favorite club, “Rent a private room.”

“Get some strippers and get crunk” Vincent added.

Dante raised both eyebrows, “And how am I going to get strippers…?”

“I don’t know, just make sure there’s both guys and girls. For me and the ladies. That right, Mae-Mae?” said Vincent, slinging an arm around the girl’s shoulders.

Dante blinked and looked up from his magazine. Mae had barely said a word since she got here…she was shifting the mic between her hands and looked up at them slowly, but especially at Dante.

“I…I’m busy on your birthday, Dante…I’m sorry…”

He smiled, a little disappointed, but…, “It’s alright…what’s up?”

“I, uh…my great uncle came into town and he is very demanding” she said softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Psh, tell him to f**k off. Birthdays are once a year” grunted Vincent.

“I…”

Dante hugged her shoulders, resting his chin on top of her head, “It’s cool, for real. We can hang out later.”

“Okay…” she murmured.

Dante frowned…why’d she sound so sad? It wasn’t really THAT big a deal…

Tesstory sipped his tequila and smirked as Adrian wildly swung at the martini shaped piñata.

“Damn it all to freakin’ hell!!” screamed Adrian, gritting his teeth.

“Huh…and I wonder where Dante gets his mouth from” smirked Andrea.

“Adrian’s been cursing like a sailor since we were 12” Tate sighed, rolling his eyes.

“Great…”

Dante laughed and took the katana sheath from his dad on a backswing. Adrian looked confused and Dante grinned, jabbing his dad in the chest with it.

“Can you see me, old man? Oh, wait, wait, you’re probably deaf now! Am I talking loud enough?!”

“Boy, I will beat you…” growled Adrian, reaching out to grab him.

“Don’t break your hip!” laughed Dante, narrowly dodging his father’s reaching hands.

“I’ll break something alright…”

“Dante” scolded his mother, though laughing, taking the sheath from her youngest son.

Adrian took off the blindfold and glowered at his son who grinned innocently, “So daddy…how old are you?”

“None of your business.”

“Let’s see…you were…23 when I was born? Oh my God, you’re 40!”

Adrian glared as Dante glanced back at his mother, frowning, before gasping, “Oh my God, dad, you’re a freakin’ pedophile!”

“What!”

“When you were 19, mom was 16!”

“Look, you--”

“When you were 16, mom was 13!”

“I was--”

“Oh my God, when mom was 10, you were 13! And when you were 10, she was 7! And when he was 7, she was 4! And when you were 4 she was 1!”

Adrian suddenly put the laughing Dante in a headlock. Dante just kept laughing as Adrian grasped tighter. Andrea pulled at her husband’s arm and Tesstory laughed.

“He has a point, Adrian…”

“You want some too?” demanded Adrian, glaring up from his youngest son.

Tesstory held his hands up and Andrea shoved him before pulling him down, kissing him, “At least our baby can do math.”

“Oh, wonderful.”

Dante laughed and choked, out of breath. Adriana smirked and shook her head.

“Every year…”

“Ugh, this sucks. I mean, God, Jynrei has to be at my birthday party or it just doesn’t feel right” grumbled Adrian.

“Aww, hear that, Andy? Adrian is in love with Jynrei” cooed Tesstory.

“Pretty hot” snickered Andrea.

Adrian gave both of them a look which they returned before they laughed, Adrian still leering at them. Dante cringed.

“That’s a very strange thought…”

Adriana laughed in agreement before staring smugly at him, “You know…for your birthday, since it’s on Valentine’s day, you could go out with Mae and tell her you’re all interested and stuff.”

“She’s busy tomorrow. Me and the rest of the crew were thinking of going to Reign though, if you want to come” shrugged Dante, sipping his drink.

Adriana’s eyes brightened, “You’ll really let me go, Dante??”

“I’ll let you go” he sighed, “But you better be able to take care of yourself…if I have to beat down some punk on my birthday--”

“Yay!” she squealed, hugging him as he stiffened.

“Ugh! Don’t make me regret it!”

She giggled and was beside herself…he never let her go before, but he didn’t see any problem with it... she seemed to be able to keep herself out of trouble…

“I’m here. There better be booze” said a deep voice.

Andrea turned towards the door as Lakyle strode in, cloaked in darkness, “Tesstory brought tequila and Tate brought some wine…”

“Better than nothing.”

Adrian rolled his eyes as someone knocked at the door. Dante darted over to answer it and found Vicious and Vincent standing there, Vicious glaring at the blond.

“What…?” Dante asked.

“I was JUST saying, Vicious…”

“Whatever.”

Vincent pouted as Vicious walked in, his arms crossed. Dante raised an eyebrow and shook his head, closing the door behind them. Lakyle glowered at his son.

“I thought I left you to take care of your mother.”

“She went to bed” Vicious said slowly.

“That means nothing!”

“I…could go back” he said slowly.

“Forget it” he grumbled.

“You’re a really mean father, Lakyle” smirked Adrian.

“And who just had their son in a headlock?” joked Tesstory.

“He deserved it.”

Dante stuck out his tongue and reached behind under the coffee table, “Does that mean you don’t want your gift?”

Adrian snatched it away and stuck out his tongue as well, “Don’t go crazy.”

Opening the box, Adrian dropped the container and took out the item. Adrian turned the fedora style hat over in his hands before dropping on his head. He stared at himself in the mirror and laughed some.

“Thanks.”

“Here’s my gift!” Tesstory proclaimed happily, tossing his at Adrian.

“Since my baby’s present, I think I’ll wait to open it” Adrian snorted, placing it on the table and patting Enya’s head.

“Probably for the best” agreed Tesstory.

Andrea smirked and Tate rolled his eyes, handing Adrian a box, “Sree picked this so you might want to practice discretion with it as well…”

He raised an eyebrow and opened the box carefully so he could look in first. Both eyes rising, he closed it and shifted his wide eyed gaze.

“I hope that’s not for me…”

Andrea stared at him, confused and he closed it. Tate grimaced, “That bad?”

“Not bad as…awkward.”

“Oi…I’m shopping for gifts from now on.”

Lakyle chuckled deeply and handed off the next gift. Aviators. That matched with Adrian’s new hat…

“Looks like you’re up to no good, dude” smirked Tesstory.

“Oh yea, you know it.”

Lakyle threw a handful of chips into his mouth before sipping tequila, “Where’s the music, yo?”

Adrian took the glasses off and pushed them onto Dante’s mother’s face, “Our stereos somewhere…so lay something down for us, baby.”

“Don’t you know I got key by the three, when I chirp shawdy chirp backs. Louis knapsack where I’m holding all the work at. Whatcha know about that? Whatcha know about that? Whatcha know about that? Hey, I know all about that. Loaded 45 on the low where the cheese at. Fresh out the jet to the jects where the g’s at. Whatcha know about that? Whatcha know about that? Whatcha know about that? Hey, I know all about that.” she said dryly.

Tesstory laughed, “Really…?”

“Yep, I’m gangsta…”

Adrian laughed and took the glasses back. Picking up Dante’s new guitar, which he left in the corner of the den, he slumped down on the couch.

“We could play something.”

“Hmm…” pondered Lakyle.

Dante sat down on the floor in front of his mother, Vicious and Vincent sitting beside him. Raising an eyebrow, he stared at his father, “You know HOW to play the guitar?”

Tate snorted, “That’s all he did when he was SUPPOSED to be training back in the day.”

Adrian waved a hand and Lakyle picked up Vicious’s guitar that he left there.

“Now what to play…”

Dante really couldn’t see his father playing…anything… he’d have to see this. The doorbell rang and his mother jumped up to answer. Dante looked back. Oh wow, Ryan…and Jynrei.

“Hey” they all echoed loudly and jovially as the man entered.

He smirked at them, saying flatly, “Hey.”

“Sorr’ wa’ late…I ‘ad ta’ get Jynrei ou’ o’ the house” sighed Ryan, sitting on the stool near his daughter’s drums.

“I owe Van and Mae a seriously big slice of cake” sighed Jynrei, “I barely remember this great uncle but Khin said he was around…he’s so traditional…”

“Adriana, get Jynrei some cake?” asked Andrea.

The girl nodded and skipped off. Adrian strummed absently and tapped his chin, “I say we play…”

“Something classic” Lakyle replied.

“What’s that one song you and Jynrei listened to endlessly?” Tate questioned.

Jynrei tapped his chin then laughed, “Free Bird…?”

“Oh God…do you know how many years it’s been?” Adrian chuckled.

“Free bird?” Dante questioned, raising an eyebrow, “Dad, either that’s horribly cheesy or…”

Lakyle chuckled as Adrian glared at his son, “Shut up, boy.”

“Play it” clapped his mother.

Adrian sighed, “I guess…you would pick a murderously hard song for me to play. Ryan…think you can cover the drums?”

“I’s been jus’ as lon’, but sure.”

Dante stared, “I have to see this.”

Vincent smirked, “And can I ask…how classic is this?”

“Like…” Dante’s mother counted on her fingers, “50 years?”

“Holy crap.”

Adrian started to play it, sticking his tongue out at them, “You play the weird parts until I adjust, Lakyle.”

“Okay.”

Dante frowned, the song starting off kind of soft…murderously hard it was not…

“If I leave here tomorrow…would you still remember me? For I must be traveling on now…there’s just too many places I’ve got to see. But if I stay here with you, girl….things just couldn’t be the same. ‘Cause I’m as free as a bird now…” sang Adrian softly, Lakyle joining, “And this bird you cannot change. Oh, and the bird you cannot change. And this bird you cannot change. Lord knows I can’t change.”

Lakyle played the brief solo, Adrian playing a little, “Bye bye, baby, it’s been sweet, love, yea, yea…though it’s a feeling I can’t change. But please don’t take it so badly…cause Lord knows I’m to blame…if I stay here with you, girl…things just couldn’t be the same. Cause I’m as free as a bird, now…and this bird you never change. Oh, and the bird you cannot change. And this bird you cannot change. Lord knows I can’t change! Lord help me, I can’t change~”

Adrian actually started to play more, his fingers moving a little quicker across the chords as the song obviously sped up, “Lord, I can’t change! Won’t you fly~ free, bird, yea.”

Dante was more than a little stunned when his dad…well, actually started to play. Him and Lakyle had the whole dueling guitars thing going on, playing different tones

Dark · Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 261

Dante was more than a little stunned when his dad…well, actually started to play. Him and Lakyle had the whole dueling guitars thing going on, playing different tones. It was amazing…Adrian had a rather apathetic look until four minutes into the huge guitar solo when he started to laugh a little, the song apparently ending. Tesstory smirked and lifted a random rainbow lighter.

“Whoo.”

“Your enthusiasm is appreciated, Tesstory” Adrian snickered, putting the guitar back on the stand.

“That was…wow” Vincent commented.

“Yea…” Dante said.

Adrian smiled some as Jynrei chuckled, “God, we’re old…speaking of which…”

He handed a box to Adrian and gave him a grin, “Happy 40th birthday.”

“I’m not 40” growled Adrian, “I am 29.”

“At least then you wouldn’t be a pedophile!” Tesstory chipped in.

“I’ll kill you!”

Dante’s mother laughed and dove onto the couch beside him, hugging his side and stroking his hair, “You’re not a pedophile, Adri.”

He grumbled and Dante laughed softly before glancing at Jynrei. If he could get out for Adrian’s birthday, surely Mae could get out for his…

“Hey, Jynrei…you think you can convince your uncle to let Mae come out with me tomorrow?” Dante asked.

“Huh…? Oh no, she has some stupid date tomorrow…”

Dante stiffened and Vincent and Vicious looked stunned. Vincent frowned slowly.

“I…didn’t know Mae was seeing anyone.”

“Oh no, it’s something my uncle set up” groaned Jynrei, burying his face in his hands, “Something about being arranged with a ‘true Asian’…”

“Pimping out your daughter, eh?” Tesstory cocked a brow.

“I am not pimping out my Mae! He was just so damn insistent. But he better be a ‘true Asian’ because if that little bastard tries anything…”

Dante stared a moment longer before clearing his throat then staring at his shoes absently. Vincent looked at him sympathetically and Andrea frowned.

“And Van’s going along with this?”

“Not really any other choice…since I’ve ‘tainted’ my rich Korean history by marrying her or whatever” he rolled his eyes.

“What crap is that? YOU’RE not even full Korean” scowled Adrian.

“I know” he groaned, “And I don’t see what difference it makes anyway, as long as I’m happy…”

“How does Mae feel about this?” Tesstory questioned.

“She’s been really depressed since she found out” sighed Jynrei, exasperated, “My poor baby.”

“Grow a pair and tell your ‘uncle’ to f**k off” said Lakyle bluntly, sipping tequila.

“Not…quite that simple, Lakyle, but I’ve been tempted.”

…True Asian, huh? There goes that racist crap again…Dante wasn’t Asian but that didn’t mean he wasn’t good enough…did it?

“Dante…”

Dante looked up at Vincent who had a girl on one leg and a guy on the other. Vincent was like the personification of ‘bi’…he looked at him, pouting.

“Do you want a hug?” the blond offered.

“No.”

“No fun at all” sighed Vincent.

“Poor Dante” cooed Raihn after having been filled in, “But how much fun can Mae be having on an arranged date?”

“He might be a good guy” mumbled Dante, toying with a bow from one of his presents, “She could love him and they could get married and she’ll forget I even exist.”

“So freakin’ EMO, buddy” Vincent shook his head, “And on your 17th birthday too.”

“…You’re right, I’m sorry, I’m not being very fun” he shook his head, standing, “Let’s go dance or something.”

And they all happily agreed, getting out in the crowd, dancing with each other and random people. Dante put on his happy façade, knowing that it wasn’t fun having a depressed host but deep down was still hurting a little.

He should have been more forward, actually telling Mae how he was interested and felt about her but now it was a bit too late…

He jumped a little when arms wrapped around his waist, someone grinding into him from behind. He stiffened and smirked backwards, knowing full well it was Vincent.

“Vincent…what are you doing?”

“Just getting a feel…”

“Whore.”

Vincent laughed and sighed after a moment, “If it’ll make you feel better, I can go kill this guy Mae’s going out with…”

“No…it’d only make me feel better if I did it.”

Vincent chuckled and Dante sighed. He stiffened again when Vincent licked his cheek.

“Vincent…I am not in the mood to be molested, I’m sorry.”

“Daw, you haven’t SEEN molested, dude. But if you want…”

He reached down Dante’s shirt and Dante elbowed him hard, smirking, “Enough, Vincent.”

Vincent pouted and Dante sighed, readjusting his shirt. He should probably just go home. He’d paid everyone’s entrance and for drinks for the night so he might as well…he was a downer.

As he opened his mouth to tell Vincent so he could get the word up to their group, his cell rang and he frowned, confused. Everyone was here…unless it was his mother or something. Taking the phone out, his eyes widened…

Mae.

What could she possibly have to say? She could have at least told him about this date or something. It better not be a call to wish him ‘A Happy Birthday’ because then he’d just be ticked. Sighing, he flipped the phone open and covered his other ear.

“Hello?”

“Dante…?”

His senses almost immediately went into overload, feeling her distress, and he frowned, worried, “Mae? What’s wrong?”

“I…I just want to go home” she whimpered.

“Where are you? Has that guy done something to you?!”

“Please, Daw…I don’t want to talk about it. Please tell daddy I can’t do it. I can’t get him on the phone but we’re--”

The phone went dead, startling Dante, and he glared at his. Full battery…her call had been cut by someone…

Shoving it back in his pocket, he grunted, “Vincent, keep everything going, I’ll be back…”

“Where are you--”

“I’m going to get Mae.”

Vincent stared after him, surprised, before sighing vaguely.

He didn’t know where the hell he was going but something told him to go this way. It didn’t make any sense but his mind was telling him where to go….he’d take all night if he had to, but he’d find Mae.
Entering a bar restaurant, he frowned, adjusting his eyes to the dim lighting. Looking around, he frowned. No Mae…

Okay, no more listening to his brain’s random directions…

He stopped by the door, hearing random thumping. Frowning, he followed the sound on a whim, knowing anything could be happening but…

And there, sure enough, was Mae…getting slammed against a wall by some guy.

Mae had been able to run vertically across a chain fence and single-handedly take out some overgrown worm things with a microphone stand…so why was she taking this from this bastard?

But it didn’t matter. Dante growled angrily, a wholly unfamiliar sound, and sprinted towards the scene and snatched the guy’s shoulder, throwing him away from Mae. She looked at him, her face red with tears, and seemed shocked.

“Daw…?”

Dante started to stalk towards the guy but Mae ran into his chest, sobbing. He stared down at her before wrapping his arms around her, scowling at the guy. After a moment, he leant down and whispered, “Let me take you home.”

She sniveled and nodded as he took her hand, leading her from the establishment. The guy, having regained his senses yelled, “Who the hell are you to steal my date?!”

Dante stopped and pondered this question before answering, “Who the hell are you to throw a girl against a wall? I think I’m in my rights.”

He didn’t allow any more time for reply and took Mae out into the chilly night. He could smell and feel the snow about to come again…she sniffed and shivered at the same time, obviously worked up. He stopped and took his jacket off, resting it on her shoulders. She looked up at him and was about to shake her head ‘no’ but he pressed his finger to her lips, silencing her.

“Come on.”

He led her towards a tree a little ways away from the Market. He sat her down across from him and stared at her, gripping her shoulders.

“What happened, Mae-Mae…?”

“He was horrible” she sobbed, “He was rude, obnoxious, and mean. I just wanted it to end so I told him I was sick but he told me it was my duty to do as he told me to. Then I told him I just wanted to go home and--”

She stopped and rubbed her face, shaking her head, “I’m sorry. I-I didn’t want you to have to come. I must’ve ruined your party…”

He smiled sadly and sighed, “I wasn’t in a good mood anyway.”

She frowned, “Why…?”

Looking away, he mumbled, “Well…”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the date…” she whispered, “I just…I didn’t know what you’d think. But it couldn’t be that important, right?”

He grimaced and tugged her against him, stroking her hair absently, his heart beating painfully, “You’re…very important to me.”

“Dante…?”

He watched a snowflake land on her nose and he closed his eyes. He’d asked plenty of girls out so why was this so hard…?

“I…don’t want you to have to go out with any other random…’real Asians’. I…want you.”

He was such a poet with words…but she looked at him, surprised. He blushed a little and looked away. Now just for an answer…

“Really…?”

“Yes, really…”

She suddenly seemed content and he stared at her, not sure what to take that as though it should’ve been obvious.

“Mae…?”

He inhaled softly as she kissed him. He slowly closed his eyes and felt content…everything was behind this feeling. He wasn’t sure what that meant but whatever this was…

It was going to be interesting.

Dark · Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 261

The Valentine house was rather vacant...or appeared that way. A hand absently flew up and cupped the top of the couch as Dante groaned, pulling himself up, his hair disheveled. He glared back at the door before glancing at the clock again.

"Ugh, practice is in ten minutes...maybe I should cancel..."

Mae sighed, sitting up and pulling one of her 'oxhorns' back into place, her hair just as messy.

"Cancel to make out, Dante?"

"Sounds reasonable to me..." he sighed, sitting completely up, off of her.

She stuck out her tongue, sitting up as well, "I love practice!"

"I love it too...but I also love other things..."

She smirked and shook her head, standing, "It'd be EASIER if you told the group that we were together. Maybe they'd let us make out during practice..."

"Get real, Mae" he snorted.

A knock at the door interrupted and he sighed again, standing, leaning down to give her one last kiss before sticking his tongue out.

"Drink calcium, woman, and grow another inch so I don't break my back to kiss you."

She 'nyahed' and went into the kitchen as he answered the door. Vincent looked sleepy and Vicious smirked at him.

"You don't look ready for practice...long night?"

"I broke up with Kendale..." Vincent yawned, "And spent the rest of the night making up for lost time with open-ended relationships..."

Dante rolled his eyes and sighed, "Vincent, you should slow down...you're living kind of fast, don't you think?"

"Oh please, you have quite a few notches on your bed too" snorted Vincent.

Dante grinned nervously as Mae returned, drinking a glass of milk, cocking a brow at him, "That's not true..."

"Let's see...Sheila, Cindy, Mari, Nichelle, Tanya, Ashley, Eve, Ally, Ca--" Vincent counted on his fingers.

Dante flustered and didn't turn to see Mae's expression mostly out of fear, "Be that as it may, you still have four times as many...notches as I do."

"Jeez, four? I'd say at least six" snorted Vicious, walking towards his guitar.

Vincent scowled, "Whatever. I like sex and I do what I like."

Dante waved a hand, more ready to end the conversation than convince Vincent any differently. Clearing his throat, he turned but Mae immediately turned as well. He smiled weakly. Oh damn.

"Anywho, what are we playing Friday?" yawned Vicious.

"Huh...? Oh, um, I don't know..." Dante mumbled nervously.

"ACTUALLY."

Dante jumped and glowered to his side at his little sister who walked in holding a piece of paper, "Where do you come from?"

She simply grinned, "I'm magical! But anyway, remember that there's not a show this Friday but that opera mask thing they hold annually."

Dante nodded, "Oh yea...good. So we're off for this week."

"Not quite" Adriana drawled, "They choose five bands to perform. This years five are Gray-5, Dusk at Dawn, Moon Arc, Klone, anddddd..."

Vincent gawked, "Oh dear God, not us?"

"Yup! Infernoz!"

"OPERA?" Vincent demanded, "We're METAL not OPERA!"

Dante groaned, "Seriously."

"Does it HAVE to be opera?" asked Mae increduously.

"Actually, not really. You just have to have a song, make it dramatic and kind of like acting, and it works."

"Acting...?" Vincent groaned.

"Well, I have a suggestion..." said Vicious suddenly, "Ever heard of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' by Queen?"

"I dont know much about Queen...why?" Dante questioned.

"Its really opera ish but still has metal and more what we go with anyway...it has this really weird interlude we can cut out too. My mother has a CD at home."

Dante nodded, "Can you bring it? I'm not sure my ma would have much to work with in that area..."

Vicious nodded and walked out the door. Adriana smiled smugly, "Now...costumes."

"Oh good grief..." groaned Dante again.

"I'm thinking...ruffles."

"I'm thinking...I'll kill you."

"Vincent, would you wear ruffles?" pouted Adriana.

"Not if my life depended on it" said Vincent plainly.

Adriana rolled her eyes as Mae giggled, "Come on, guys, everyone dresses up for this. Some guys WILL be wearing ruffled shirts or sleeves."

"I'll wear a puffy shirt..." Vincent sighed, "But please, I had enough ruffled ties and stuff as a child, don't put me through it again."

"Ooh, that's a good idea...I still see ruffles on Dante" Adriana commented.

He glowered at her as she continued, "With a purple velvet jacket..."

Dante blanked before he laughed some, realizing her implications, "Whatever."

"Oh, c'mon, it'll be awesome!" pouted Adriana.

Dante smirked, "Do I have to belt out 'Purple Rain'?"

"Nope."

He sighed and waved her off, "Then fine, go ahead and make me look crazy..."

She squealed contently and ran off to shop. Vincent raised an eyebrow, "Now that should be interesting..."

"Yea" Dante agreed with a sigh.

"Its sad that we have to do that opera thing this week" pouted Mae, "I wanted to do the Valentine's Day song..."

Dante blinked at her and Vincent crossed his arms, "Maybe that can be our finish up...depending on how this song goes."

Vicious returned and popped the CD into the player, frowning, "We need someone to play the piano..."

"I guess I could" Dante shrugged.

"I think you and Vincent should be the singers on this one, personally...I mean, Mae, you could do it but it'd kind of ruin the masculine tone in the song" Vicious explained.

Mae sighed, "I understand. Like those songs where guys are talking about...being guys."

They listened to it...and Vincent and the others laughed as Vicious sighed.

"Yea, let's not do that part..."

"Now now, that could be fun...let's listen to it again."

Vicious just rolled his eyes and Dante chuckled, standing, "This is good though, Vic. I'll work on the set while Vincent works on his lines."

"I want the second verse" Vincent commented, still chuckling.

"All right, I guess I'll do first...and you can finish off. And then Mae can finish our set with the Linkin Park song..."

Mae came over and wrapped her arms around his neck, staring at the paper, "Can I plan my set as long as it works with yours?"

"If you want" he replied, turning his head slightly to press his nose into her cheek..

Vincent cocked a brow at the two as Artemis and Vicious worked, oblivious. Mae suddenly gasped, "Oh yea, I play piano! I'll work on the set at home!"

She slammed down at the seat and started to play rather haphazardly. Dante stared at her, wide-eyed, before chuckling and shaking his head, standing and walking over to her, sitting beside her.

"No, softer taps, ba--...uh, yea, softer" he said gently.

Vincent crossed his arms as he watched the two...something was up.

"I'm scared."

"Its just the dark, Vincent" snorted Dante as they started to walk out, starting their set, "Let's run it down...Art, Matt's on lights, right."

Artemis nodded, adjusting the embroidered vest she wore, "He's all set up."

"Everyone's ready?"

"Yup...and Adriana's preparing the whole thing for Mae now. I still think that'll end up being too complicated" Vicious commented.

"Those two can handle it" Dante replied, "It'll be interesting."

They went silent as they walked onto the stage. They were outside and thousands of people were around, dressed in huge gowns, masks, britches, tights...it was interesting. His mother was wearing a white and silver bell-shaped gown and when she saw him, she laughed.

"You look like a pimp."

"I know" he sighed, pulling at his white ruffled wrists, "Adriana definitely went out of her way."

Adriana came out, wearing a tunic thing, something he claimed he wore back in his teens for formal knight events. It still fit which was kind of weird...but he did a sweeping bow.

"Milady..." he stood and stared at Dante, "...and Lord Deviant."

Dante laughed and stuck out his tongue, "This is your daughter's work, not mine."

"Oh good lord, you even have rings" Adrian shook his head.

"Its a nice touch" nodded Andrea, making her way towards the door, holding Adrian's arms, "Have a good concert, darling, we'll be watching."

He felt his stomach lurch. Yay, great...

Dante took a deep breath, softly starting the chant between himself, Vicious and Vincent.

"Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught in a landslide though escape from reality. Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see..."

Vincent murmur sang, "I'm just a poor boy; I need no sympathy..."

"Because I'm easy come, easy go, little high, little low. Anywhere the wind blows doesn't really matter to me..." all the males harmonized.

Dante sat, stretched out on one of the steps of the stages, a little dazed when a spotlight hit him directly, "To me..."

He stood and held the mic stand, Mae playing solo on the piano, as he sang gently, "Mama...just killed a man. Put a gun against his head. Pulled my trigger, now he's dead. Mama, life had just begun... but now I've gone and thrown it all away!"

He leant a little on the stand, singing out passionately, "Mama, ooh, didn't mean to make you cry! If I'm not back again this time tomorrow, carry on, carry on!"

Dante sat back down near the stand, saying softly, "As if nothing really matters..."

He went silent as the light faded on him and Mae continued with a brief piano solo before the spotlight hit Vincent who was across the stage from him, sitting rather leisurely. He continued to sit as he murmured, singing.

"Too late...my time has come. Sent shivers down my spine, bodies aching all the time. Good bye, everybody, I've got to go" he finally rose, gripping his mic tightly, "Gotta leave you all behind and face the truth."

"Mama, ooh", he said in a rather purry voice as Dante whispered 'anyway the wind blows', Vincent continuing rather vehemently, "I don't want to die! I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all!"

The spotlights swiveled back and forth as Vicious went into a long, self-extended guitar solo. Dante had to keep himself from laughing at the memory of practice. Some of the sage children had come over to tease them about having to sing 'opera' but heard the strange part in the song and they all made a production out of it for some reason...

"I see a little silhouetta of a man" Dante went on in a strange accent.

Mae, Raihn, and Jubilante echoed back, "Scaramouche, scaramouche, will you do the fandango?"

Squiz'el, Adriana, and Artemis chanted, "Thunderbolts and lighting, very very frightening!"

"Galileo" Vincent said in a ridiculously high-pitched voice as Raihn echoed back in a really deep voice, 'Galileo'. "Galileo." "Galileo."

"Galileo, figaro!" the both sang together in the two different voices.

"Magnifico!" Mae and Dante broke out.

"I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me" hummed Vincent.

Artemis, Raihn, and Jubilante sang, "He's just a poor boy from a poor family! Spare him his life from this monstrosity!"

Vincent finally laughed, "Easy come, easy go, will you let me go?"

Squiz'el, Adriana, and Mae chanted, having an almost screaming match, "Bismillah, no, we will not let you go!"

Raihn, Jubilante, and Artemis launched back, "Let him go!"

"Bismillah, no, we will not let you go!"

"Let him go!"

"Bismillah, no, we will not let you go!"

"Let me go!" Vincent joined in with those on 'his' side.

"Will not let you go!"

"Let me go!"

"Will not let you go!"

"Never, never, never" chuckled Dante.

"Let me go" Vincent laughed some.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no" Jubilante and Artemis chanted.

"Oh mama mia, mama mia" Vincent choked.

"Mama mia, let me go! Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me, for me, for me!" sang the girls.

Dante laughed and turned to glance to the front door. He jumped and was a little surprised to find his father, Tesstory, and Jynrei standing there, staring at them. For a moment, everyone was silent...until Adrian finally said.

"You're all crazy."

Dante chuckled lowly and the guitar solo finally turned into the part where Vincent started to sing again. He smiled back towards the piano. Vincent got on his feet and swerved a little.

"So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye? So you think you can love me and leave me to die? Oh baby...can't do this to me, baby. Just gotta get out, just gotta get right out of here."

Vicious played the crescendo of the guitar solo before bringing it down, the piano coming back in, Vincent and Dante humming, "Ooh, yea..."

Vincent came back to sit, "Nothing really matters, anyone can see, nothing really matters...nothing really matters...to me."

Dante sat again and smiled, murmuring with Vincent, "Any way the wind blows..."

Grand applause came and Dante shook his head, smiling, when suddenly the lights grew pinker...then kind of blue. Both Vincent and him looked back, a little confused. A weird opening came and Dante stood. Oh yea, Mae's song...she stepped from the piano towards the center, wearing a rather male outfit and if Dante didn't know any better, he'd say it was a guy... She sang, gently and rather feminine into a mic.

"My insides all turn to ash...so slow. And blew away as I collapsed... so cold...a black wind took them away from sight. Another darkness over day that night. And the clouds above move closer, looking so dissatisfied. But the heartless wind kept blowing, blowing..."

She closed her eyes and the stage darkened some, "I used to be my own protection...but not now. Cause my path has lost direction somehow...a black wind took you away from sight. Another darkness over day that night. And the clouds above move closer, looking so dissatisfied. And the ground below grew colder, as it put you down inside. But the heartless wind kept blowing, blowing..."

A silent mellow piano solo ensued before Mae continued, "So now you're gone, and I was wrong. I never knew what it was like to be alone..."

A brief silence before an explosion of all the instruments came, along with a cyclone of flower petals surrounding Mae. Dante was stunned, like when you watched someone do a 'magic' trick and wondered how they did that. When the petals fell, she was fully adorned in a blue gown like his mothers, her hair highly styled, a mask in hand.

"On a Valentine's day...On a Valentines day! On a Valentine's day! On a Valentine's day! I used to be my own protection...but not now. Cause my life has lost direction somehow...I used to be my own protection...but not now. Cause my life has lost direction somehow..."

Dante almost applauded but realized that would've been weird...Mae did a curtsey and covered her face with the mask. Dante and Vincent stood, following her off. Once backstage, Vincent blinked.

"That was amazing, Mae...is that really your hair?"

She laughed some, "Yea...its too complicated to explain but I did cheat and use some sage magic."

"Ah...still awesome! I love applause" sighed Vincent.

Dante chuckled, "Come on...now we can party."

"At a opera thing, Dante? Get real..this is the first time I've even heard of it" Vincent shook his head.

"There's a party somewhere."

They went out into the crowd where their parents were. Lakyle, dressed darkly, reminding Dante of the Phantom of the Opera, strangely complimented Vicious.

"I was interested to see how you'd handle that interlude since you said you were going to cut it out...that's almost two minutes of the song."

Jynrei and Tesstory snickered as Adrian smirked, "Lakyle, its probably best that they did."

Vincent laughed, "That would have been sweet, have Raihn and the crew jump on stage with us."

Dante laughed a little, "That would've been fun..."

Somewhere in the background, though, Dante heard something familiar...his mom played it a lot when they were younger. He almost gasped.

"Oh my God, I remember this!"

Vincent and the others cocked a brow at him, "What? This?"

Adriana laughed, coming over, "Yea, we used to dance to this all the time."

"Th-that don't kill me can only make me stronger. I need you to hurry up now 'cause I can't wait much longer. I know got to be right now cause I can't get much wronger. Man, I've been waiting all night now; that's how long I've been on ya'."

The siblings began to dance and Vincent stared at them, "You guys are weird."

Adrian chuckled and Tesstory slapped his back, "C'mon, let's get a drink!"

Adrian scowled as Tesstory smirked, "There's cider, buddy...you get the equivalent of tipsy off three glasses of that so alcohol isn't a good idea."

Adrian snorted but followed him, the other knights going as well. Dante stopped dancing, laughing a little, and blinked around, noticing Mae wasn't in the immediate vicinity. Squinting, looking around, he found her...with some older guys. He scowled and wandered over.

"We've seen many of your concerts! With your range, you could be a hit. We'll make one of the best offers..."

Dante's eyes widened...what? Mae smiled and shook her head, "Right now, I'm good where I am...but thank you."

"Come now--"

"Mae-Mae" Dante interrupted, walking to her.

She turned, her general mood brightening, "Daw."

She rushed over, taking his arm, "Excuse me, gentlemen."

Mae quickly dragged him away and he scowled, "Do...you get offers like that all the time?"

She sighed, "Not ALL the time..."

He stared at her before murmuring softly, "You do have a wonderful voice and you could make it really big..."

She pouted, "No way, Daw, Infernoz forever."

He smiled, tempted to kiss her when the others came over. He bit his lip and leaned down, whispering in her ear that they should run off. She laughed though, hitting his arm, and greeted their friends. He sighed but smiled softly. It's all good.

Vincent scowled as he looked for Raihn...she said she was going to give him a cookie and he was really hungry...

Or, he could just bum something off Dante. He always had food too...but jeez, he couldn't even find him. Or Mae...

He paused and sulked. Those two were acting funny and as soon as he wasn't blinded by hunger, he'd look into it.

Walking further into the woods, he grew even more irritated. If Raihn was this deep in the woods near the school, she was up to no good. And 'up to no good' meant she was back here doing something with a guy... the thought made his blood boil. Raihn wasn't going to be screwed over by some guy as long as he was around. He knew guys...he was one.

A sound interrupted his thoughts and he stopped, raising an eyebrow. Really, anybody from the school could be out here romping around and he honestly didn't want to see that but curiosity got the better of him. Peeking through the brush, his breath caught.

...Mae...and Dante.

She was doing a number on Dante's neck and if Vincent didn't know any better, he'd think she was out for blood. But Dante, obviously, made no moves to stop her and seemed to enjoy it. Vincent sucked his cheek and glared, quickly moving back towards the school.

So they couldn't TELL anyone they finally were together? After he was the one to even suggest it to Dante? The bastard.

He stopped walking for a moment and pursed his lips...or was that the issue?

Dante sang softly, absently, as they waited for Artemis, strumming his guitar, "No matter where you are, I can still hear you when you drown...you've traveled very far just to see if I'll come around... when I'm down...oh all those yesterdays... coming down..."

Vincent glowered at him. He was wearing a sleeveless turtleneck...he was tempted to rip it off and see just how bad a hickey he was hiding. And Mae was wearing something with a high neck too...
she was reading a magazine. Yea, that's right, act as if everything's normal.

Vincent cleared his throat, "You two cold?"

Dante stopped playing and Mae looked up. Dante blinked, confused, "What? Are you? I can start a fire."

Vincent scowled, "No, no, I'm just saying...you're both wearing turtlenecks..."

Dante blinked rapidly, "Oh, I didn't notice."

Vincent's eyes narrowed, smiling darkly, "Really?"

"What's this about...?"

"Oh, get off it! I know about you two!" Vincent finally snapped.

Dante stared at him before sighing, "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about you two making out in the middle of the forest today. I'm sure you have a hickey engulfing half your neck" grunted Vincent.

Mae coughed and Dante sighed again, setting his guitar aside, "I think you're mistaken."

Vincent leered before quickly pouncing into Dante's lap. The boy yelped as Vincent wrestled with his shirt.

"Vincent! What the hell are you doing?!"

"Stripping you, duh!" Vincent grunted sarcastically.

Dante knocked him off but not before his shirt had been tugged off. Sure enough, of course, there was a nice sized mark on his neck. Mae buried her face in her hands, shaking her head as Dante gave Vincent a death glare.

"Happy now?"

"Hardly!" growled Vincent, "Why would you two keep your relationship a secret?! I can't believe you!"

"We thought you'd freak out" Mae said, upset.

"Why would I?"

"I dunno" muttered Dante, picking up his shirt, "You did just rip my shirt off to see if I had a hickey..."

Vincent sulked and Mae sighed, "I'm sorry, Vincent."

"I didn't know how you'd react" Dante mumbled, "But I'm sorry too, you're right, you should've been the first to know."

Vincent pouted, crossing his arms, "Does anyone else know?"

"No..."

"Grr, I'm still mad at both of you."

"Don't be mad, Vinny" cried Mae, "Mae can share!"

"WHAT?" Dante said, stunned.

"Share, eh?" Vincent commented, stroking his chin.

"There will be no sharing!" scowled Dante, flustered, stalking towards the kitchen.

Mae pouted, "Sorry Vinny."

Vincent had to laugh some, "Its fine, Mae-Mae, I'm sure Dante's not much of a swinger...but..."

"Hmm?"

Vincent glanced to make sure he hadn't come back before questioning silently, "Sooo...how is he in bed?"

"Huh?" she blinked, confused.

"Oh, you know..."

She blanked, puzzled, before 'oh'ing, "We haven't had sex yet."

Vincent's eyes crossed out of surprise, "Wha?? Why not??"

"I'm scared" she pouted.

He cooed, "Aww, Mae-Mae, you're so adorable..."

"What?"

Dante had returned, a can of cherry Coke in his hand, cocking a brow. Vincent waved a hand, taking a chip from the bowl in front of him.

"Nothing..."

"Anyway, Vincent, another reason we haven't told anyone is that, well..."

"My daddy would kill Dante!" Mae proclaimed.

"Yea..."

Vincent blinked, surprised, "I'd think Jynrei would be happy that you're with a guy one of his best friends raised."

"Yes, well, that's the problem...my father has told him every thing I've done. I guess he likes me enough because I'm my father's son, but alas..." sighed Dante.

"That sucks" whistled Vincent before raising a brow, "But are you going to tell the rest of the group now?"

"Might as well" sighed Dante, crushing the empty can, "As long as they don't talk about it much. My mommy should be home soon."

"Hold it...your MOM doesn't know you're with Mae?" Vincent demanded increduously.

"Yea, see, Jynrei would kill me, but so would MY dad and my mom tells my dad pretty much everything, I think, so no..."

Vincent shook his head, "That sounds too damn complicated, man."

Dante shrugged and the door opened, his mother entering with groceries, Shien behind her holding some.

"Evening" she said, quickly walking into the kitchen to drop the bags.

"Hey" Dante greeted, "Uh, you sticking around?"

"Yea, I'm tired."

"Oh..."

She wandered out of the kitchen, starting towards her bedroom, "Don't worry about keeping it down...and don't eat my cereal."

"Fine" smirked Dante.

Shien had pulled a disappearing act and Dante turned in time to see his door close. Rolling his eyes, he slammed down on the couch, pulling Mae in his lap. Vincent blinked knowingly.

"See? Doesn't this feel better?"

Mae giggled and hugged Dante's neck as he smirked, "Remotely...just know that us keeping it a secret was the only thing keeping us from screwing around every minute of rehearsal."

Vincent snickered, "What have I done?"

Mae pouted, "Its only Dante who sometimes wants to cancel practice to--"

"Mae-mae!"

Vincent chuckled, "Doesn't surprise me..."

Dante flushed and Vincent crossed his arms, grinning, "Well, I see what you did to Dante's neck...let's see yours."

Dante opened his mouth but Mae peeled her collar down before he got a word out. Vincent stared, eyes wide, "Wow, its shaped like a--"

"Vincent" grunted Dante.

Vincent stroked his chin rather deviously, "Y'know, since I was the one that suggested Mae to you, Daw, I think I deserve some...credit."

"Hell no."

"I didnt say anything..."

"I know what you're thinking" he scoffed.

"What do you say, Mae?"

"You should give Vincent a hickey" said Mae seriously.

Dante gawked at her and Vincent laughed, "Mae, you're already my favorite of all Dante's girlfriends."

Dante sulked and shook his head as Vincent teased, tilting his neck, "Come on, Dante..."

"I'll pass, thanks..."

Mae giggled and darted over to Vincent, straddling his waist, and blowing on his neck playfully. He moaned loudly and rather jokingly. Dante stared at the two dryly and Vincent finally laughed, hugging Mae's waist, and grinning at him.

"Careful, Daw, I might end up stealing your girl..."

Dante scoffed and looked away, pursing his lips. Vincent purred, "Aww, look, Dante's lonely, Mae."

Vincent leapt onto one leg and Mae on his other. Dante glowered at both of them, "You're both demented."

Mae giggled and Vincent grinned, nipping his neck as Mae kissed the other side. Dante flushed, "Will you two stop...?"

"...What the hell?"

Dante jumped and stared towards the door....luckily, it was Vicious...if that was his dad, oh God. Mae laughed and kissed the corner of Dante's lips.

"Vicious, Dante is my lover!"

Dante blushed, "Lover, Mae?"

Vicious just stared and sighed, "You're all crazy."