Of Demonic Firepower

It was right in front of him. Vergil was about to get answers. The trail goes right into the house. He was just about to place his palm upon the doorknob...

When his head perked up.

Gritting his teeth and switching his grip back to his signature Demon Blade, Vergil turned to his right. There was a rather large power level emitting from that direction. However, upon a little closer deduction, Vergil could put beads on more than just one demon essence.

"There's..." Vergil narrowed his eyes and glared in the direction of the aura, "two, three... four... Four. Hmm."

One of them was significantly stronger than the other three, which immediately made Vergil make the mental assumption that it could perhaps be Dante. Therefore, he tried to focus in on the signal even more.

"It's too blurry," he said, shaking his head. Vergil was seriously debating going over there and investigating, but this house is where Dante's trail ends. Or at least, what with those four powers in the distance, that's all Vergil could clearly make out. Interference. The Dark Slayer was starting to grow impatient with himself. "One more time..."

Then, with all his concentration, Vergil forced his whole mind to focus upon the demon signal - to pinpoint the power levels. Grunting from exertion, Vergil could feel his demon blood boiling, resisting the urge to fight. It got so intense, in fact, that Vergil transformed for a brief moment before exhausting himself.

However, in the end - without a visual aid - Vergil couldn't identify it as Dante or as some greater Demon, such as one of the higher guardians of Temen-Ni-Gru. (why would they be down here???) He decided, at the very least, he would check it out as soon as he checked inside this cottage. Thus, the Dark Slayer spun to the door once more and reached his hand out to turn the knob...

"Fluttershy!"

Dante slammed the door open, nearly causing it to snap in two. He could sense the devil's presence inside, most likely about to lay Hell's wrath upon the poor cream pony. Without hesitating, Dante dashed into the next room, sword drawn: The Devil knew he was already there; after all, Dante DID scream out for Fluttershy...

And when Dante saw the source of the intense aura, he cursed to himself for not thinking of the possibility earlier.

"Well, well, well," Dante said sarcastically, "someone finally had to follow me here that I actually kinda like..."

Dante's rival snorted. "The feeling's mutual, brother."

"Why are you here, Vergil?"

"Why else?" the Devil clad in blue shrugged. "I've come for you."

Dante furrowed his brow. "Aww, what brotherly love... I'm so thrilled to have such a considerate sibling..."

"Don't make me hurt you, Dante." Vergil finally returned his hand to his katana, upon which Dante reacted by raising his own steel. "We've already had a grown-up conversation today, which ended with that very sword you hold in your hand now... stabbed through you. I won't hesitate to finish what I started if you leave me no other choice."

The Devil Hunter smirked and averted his gaze to that of the colourful pony huddled in the corner of the room. Her face was buried, but Dante had no question she was scared beyond anything she had ever experienced before. She needed to be safe prior to round two with Vergil. Then Dante recollected the Vanguards en route to this cottage as well, and knew there was only one thing he had to do...

"Let the pony go."

Upon hearing being referenced, Fluttershy pulled her face out of her hooves and observed the room through soaked eyes and puffy cheeks. She was relieved inside to finally see a familiar face out to save her. However, she was frightened still yet to an endless extent; and seeing Dante with that scary-looking metal stick did not help that much, but deep down she knew he would not harm her.

Vergil stared quizzically. "You mean the blob over there?"

Dante grunted. "Don't play dumb, Vergil. You were always the more mature one, remember? Best not ruin that reputation now."

"Says the younger twin who seems to have made a cute little pony girlfriend?"

"Let. Her. Go."

"Hmph," the Dark Slayer smiled. "Fine, then. You can have her."

Upon finishing his sentence, Vergil drew his hand from Yamato, shifted his gaze to Futtershy, and reached forward with his palm - to which the startled pony recoiled from. Dante lifted his blade higher in repliance, but Vergil was phased not. He continued to reach out for the pony...

But then he thought of something...

"C'mon, Vergil, stop being stupid."

"What? I'm giving you your friend back, like you asked."

"You're doing nothing but scaring her, and you know it."

"She has wings, Dante. I'm sure this isn't the first time she has been off the ground."

And with that, Vergil picked the pony up off the floor, though not with his physical self. It was obviously a form of magic which made her body begin to levitate further from the floor and closer to himself. Fluttershy panicked and squirmed frantically, looking for a means of escape from the Dark Slayer's telekinetic hold. "You know, I can make your body levitate if you let me. Hah!"

"Put her down, damn it!"

"Like I said, I'm giving her to you."

"You could've just scooted to the side and let her run away, but nooooo, you gotta do things your own twisted way, don't ya?"

Vergil shook his head. "You disappoint me, Dante."

"No!"

Dante quickly dropped his sword, out of finally realizing Vergil's thought process. The older twin launched Fluttershy's entire entity straight at his younger brother. Had Dante not lowered Rebellion in the fastest way he knew, the pony in his arms now would be impaled upon it. However, every action has its consequence... Dante had been pushed backward onto the floor when he caught the defenseless mare, leaving him not only wide open to an attack from his brother but temporarily without a method of countering him if he did.

Dante snapped his fingers.

Everything around him began to slow down in a silver-ish mist. With time now on his side, he sprang to his feet and retreated to another room with Fluttershy in tow. Quickly but carefully, he sat the ball of cartoony mass down, and returned to confront his brother. He had just enough time to retrieve his fallen blade, when the mist dematerialized and time returned to normal flow. Sensing an attack , Dante clumsily rolled out of the way.

"What??" Vergil was confused.

Dante pushed himself to his feet, and locked eyes with his older brother. "Now is not time, Vergil! This cottage will be un-"

He didn't even get to finish his sentence when the Vanguards materialized between the twins, obstructing their view. The Devil Hunter cursed while the Dark Slayer grunted and drew steel. Luckily for Dante, the Vanguards seemed more intent on cornering his older brother in the cubby room rather than attacking them both at once. While Vergil was occupied with his three opponents, his younger brother slipped away with the pony. Quick as his legs could let him, Dante sprinted for Ponyville. Once they arrive, he could drop Fluttershy off at Twilight's magic force field. Then, with no other tasks at hand, he would properly confront his rival and end the stupidity once and for all...