The selfish blood runs through my veins

[demonic_divinity]

WHO: Vergil Sparda
WHERE: The fountain, the Inn, and the village.
WHEN: July 9th and 10th.
OPEN TO: All (* For arrival just one character please)
WARNINGS: None yet, will update as needed.

---

The Fountain, July 9th*
Vergil couldn't pin when he realized he was in water, but the moment he did he started kicking upwards. His lungs burned by the time he reached the top, a gasping breath escaped him. The need for air as powerful as the need to get out of the strange fountain. He hauled himself over the edge, his scrubs covered knees hitting the ground as he started coughing up the water he breathed in. His hair darkened by the water was hanging in his face as he tried to breath, sitting on his knees, fists against the ground.

It took a few moments before three things became very clear; one, it was raining, two, these were not his clothes, and three, this was not where he had meant to teleport to. His hand shot up to his neck, it only took a second before he realized his pendent was missing.

Sitting up Vergil ran a hand through his hair to get it out of his face. Looking around at the little park he appeared to be in. Looking back towards the fountain he lifted his hand again to try and open a new portal... when nothing happened his eyes widened. "Oh no..." His powers hadn't failed him yet. Looking around as dread started to weigh in, he choose to figure out what was going on before he let a panic truly set in.

Better to focus on whatever this was, than the ache in his heart.

The Inn, evening July 9th
After being brought to the inn and listening to the one that found him, he found himself sitting at a table looking over the record book. All of his plans were ruined and he was upset but a task to focus on was just what the doctor ordered. He had a lot of questions but he didn't want to bother anyone yet... Being surrounded by so many people after what had happened houses before just made it all the more real. This was a new place, a new chance, and a means to forget the betrayals for now.

Anytime he heard footsteps he would look up and weakly smile. His heart wasn't in it right now but he knew networking was always the smartest start to any venture.

The Inn, July 10th
The night before had been interesting to say the least. Learning what he could about his new home before retiring and claiming an empty room of the inn. Waking up he could feel the static in his hair, he felt so different without the power coursing through him. Was this how Kat... hell any human felt? He was stiff and still tired, but the sun was up and he needed to get more information. He moved over looking in the mirror, a bit of black stubble peppering his face, but there was nothing he could do about that for now. He would worry in a day or so. Sometimes he hated how his stubble didn't match his hair, but genetic's were a pain.

He made his way down the stairs, the scrub pants had dried by now so he had them and the t-shirt on. Leaving the rest upstairs. His platinum hair was pushed back but without product it had a mind of its own, a slight static-y curl going on. He hated looking so unkept but what else could he do? He moved over to start skimming the records book again. Figuring he should see what everyone else did around here.

Sixth Itheration Village.
He set out of the inn around noon, taking a moment to memorize the way the inn looked, hoping to be back by sunset. He headed out walking off towards more buildings. Taking note of anything he passed of interest. He didn't have any paper so it was all mental notes but for now he had no idea what else to do. Survivalist wasn't one of his skills. Take down an evil demon king, sure any day... survive in the world without tech or money... nope. He had to find someone or something to busy his time with least he let himself fall into a funk which would make everything worse. His mind kept replaying the look on Dante's face as he stabbed him through the heart, and the sound of Kat, of all people, begging Dante to let him live... He took them both in, gave them a home and a purpose... and they betrayed him. Death would have been kinder. No, alas death wasn't in his cards yet. Despite the dull ache in his heart every time he thought of his brother and the girl he pressed on.

Out of sight, out of mind.

He had a world to explore and learn. Maybe this was a fine new start, even if the weather was dreadful. He did not yet know that he could get sick, the idea had never crossed his mind. Human ailments weren't a nephilim's problem.

Comments

Fountain

[theluckygirl]

There was absolutely a pep in Claire's step and a cup in her hand that was half full of the best damn smelling coffee. She'd just gotten a gift from the Observer's of a box full of it and she couldn't be happier.

Things seem to be going well for her and no so much for the guy who just crawled out of the fountain. Another arrives.

Claire approached cautiously; her face calm with a look of sympathy. It's always rough being the one to break it to a new person that she can't explain how or why.

"I know," she nods, coming to a stop a few yards away until he notices her standing there. "You have a lot of questions and I'm going to do what I can to answer them but a warning, I probably can't answer all of them."

[demonic_divinity]

The sound and feeling of someone approching should have been something he sensed, but he felt different, there was clearly also water in his ears. Which he was currently trying to knock out with one blue eye closed his head tipped as he bashed his palm against the other side in less than dignified way. It was then that he noticed her, the slightest flush crossing his face.

Well, that's embarrassing.

He shifted his eyes to her as he slowly managed to pull himself up, a dull ache in his chest was all that really felt wrong now. He was pretty sure he knew what that was anyway. "Wonderful... just wonderful." He grumbled before holding a hand up. "I don't mean to be rude, I apologize, if it sounded that way. Yes, any answers would be welcomed."

[theluckygirl]

Claire gave a small smile and shook her head. "Your reaction was way better than some of the others that have come through, trust me."

He looked nice enough. Then again, so did the guy with the metal arm and he ended up putting her in a chokehold. That was the worst reaction she's seen so far so not bad and he apologized, which she didn't expect.

"First off, I'm Claire. Second, no one knows how people are arriving in the fountain beyond some kind of magic. You weren't dropped in it on this side."

[demonic_divinity]

He ran the hand he had just hit himself with through his hair to smooth it back, to get the wet strands out of his face. "That sounds worrisome." He spoke like he was captain obvious.

"A pleasure, Claire, my name is Vergil." He responded. It felt awkward to give his name when he was always the one unknown but he clearly wasn't home and he needed information. "I know a bit about magic, but not enough to figure something like this..." He admitted.

Luckily, he was smarter than to just attack, namely when he realized he couldn't feel Yamato. AS the realization hit he reached up for his neck his eyes widening as he turned fast. "My Amulet!" He looked down in the fountain like he might jump back in. He wasn't even in his clothes but panic was swelling within. The only memento he had of his mother was missing.

Inn - July 9th

[womanofvalue]

Peggy's not drunk, this time, but she did come back to the inn to see if Owen had been able to patch the leak, wary that her help when she had been drinking might have been less than ideal. When she arrives, it takes her a brief moment to wonder whether she is still a little out of it, but quickly notes that she's not and it seems there's someone new.

She ignores the dismissive voice in her brain saying that it will only last so long, intending to at least be polite while she's here. "Is it good reading?" she asks, of the record book he seems to be poring through.

[demonic_divinity]

Vergil's nephilim abilities were gone, but that didn't stop him from leaning on a lifetime of paranoia that helps keep him on edge. Enough that when the door cracked his deep blue eyes shift up from the book, and then back down. At first he feels drawing attention to himself is not wise. Old habits he had to work to break here if he understood what he was told well enough.

His silverish hair was still damp from the fountain, so when the woman spoke his way, he reached up pushing it back, hopeful the residual wetness would keep it in place. Which was a pipe dream at best.

"It is... informative at least. And as it stands, information is what I am in need of." His tone was neutral and yet well spoken. "My apologies, my name is Vergil." He added as he offered his hand over. He was so used to wearing gloves these days that offering his bare hand felt a bit wrong.

[womanofvalue]

Peggy's trying to size him up without making it overtly clear that this is what she's doing. She doesn't want to be rude, after all, which means that she needs to be cautious about what she says and given her more recent moods, she's not exactly a peach.

Then again, was she ever? She knows that warmth and earnest kindness is far from her strong suit. "I'm Peggy," she introduces herself. "And I'm not sure if it will make you feel any better, but I can assure you that everyone is in a similar boat when they arrive."

[demonic_divinity]

He was tall, built like an athlete despite not being at all athletic. His hair platinum blonde, but almost silver, despite looking young, he was in his early 20's at best by looks. Given his last few weeks around his long lost twin, he's not exactly bothered by moodiness and less than perfect appearances.

"A pleasure, Peggy." He responded, a second later crossing his arms again. "I have heard that, and from what I see of the records this has been happening for quiet some time, still, no one has figured out what is pulling the strings?" He both spoke and questioned all at once, before uncrossing his arms to offer the chair across from him. "Please, if your not to busy, I would love to learn about this place. If you have anything you can share."

[womanofvalue]

It's a rather sore point to Peggy that they haven't been able to figure this out, but she doesn't say that out loud. He's new, after all, and it's not his fault that he doesn't know that she's been struggling to find answers since the very beginning.

"Well, I've been here from what we perceived to be the start, in that there was no one else when I arrived out of the fountain. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how much I'll be able to tell you. As you said," she notes dryly, with a hint of irritation, "no one has figured out the strings."

[demonic_divinity]

Vergil had a terrible habit of picking at sore spots without even aiming to. He had done much the same to Kat when they first met. At least this time he wasn't wearing a scary metal mask phasing through walls. Here he had to learn just to be a normal man, which was going to take some time and a lot of coming down off a high horse. At least he was being his normal-ish civil self today.

"Fascinating." He spoke as he watched. "So this place was empty, where the buildings here?" The book seemed to indicate as such but a witness was so much less bland. "That must be utterly infuriating, whatever the powers that be are must be quite powerful indeed." He didn't want to say demons again, yet, but it was rattling in the back of his mind.

[womanofvalue]

"I wouldn't call it empty," she says, because while it had been devoid of people, there had been plenty of evidence of life. "We'd come upon houses coated in dust, filled with the things that people need to make a living," she goes on.

"Then again, given how we arrived here in this second settlement, I do have to wonder if it was simply...us, or more people, who are just one step ahead," she notes. Is there someone back there now, discovering her house? She has to wonder.

The Inn, July 10th

[littledhampir]

One of the perks - if you could call it that - of living in the Inn, is that you generally got to scope out the newcomers before the rest of the village. Sure the Inn was generally the meeting place for everyone, the central location where meals were served but they had homes to go to, people to spend time with, places they'd rather be. New people rarely found themselves a house so soon after their arrival. They stayed at the Inn, more out of convenience.

People like Rose? She stayed at the Inn because it was pretty well the only place around that came with electricity. That and she'd never lived in a house to miss having space. The rooms here were a lot like the ones she'd lived in growing up, only far more spacious than anything she'd experienced. The Larger bed was firmly in the 'perks' column.

Though not quite as disheveled as her platinum blond counterpart, there was no doubting that she'd come here much the same way as he had. Her scrubs, while obnoxiously Magenta, were otherwise identical to his. Where they differed is that she came down the stairs with an air of familiarity, moving to grab what looked like a more bland, than palatable muffin before pulling up a chair at the table next to his.

"I didn't realize anyone actually bothered to read that thing." Nodding at the record book that she'd never so much as skimmed.

[demonic_divinity]

Staying at the inn seemed the wisest choice after arriving the night before. Even if he had been informed that empty houses were free game, and something he would look into after at least a few days. First he needed to learn the lay of the land and the people. Wars are fought on all fronts, and he still firmly believed that knowledge can be just as powerful of a weapon.

Something was powerful enough to strip him of all that made him powerful, all but his mind and he intended to figure out what and how. Even if it would prove fruitless, best to try than to just give up and roll over.

His eyes had shifted up when he heard her steps, seeing how she moved with familiarity, but his eyes downcast once more. The book was about as exciting as an accountants ledger but he needed to read it for now. When the woman in her magenta pants sat down he moved his hands off the book crossing them other his chest as his eyes shifted to her and her muffin. People were certainly sociable here at least.

"Truly?" He inquired to what she said. "I admit it is not very invigorating but, it is always wise to be armed with knowledge and this book is just that." He kept his attention to her for now, as much as he knew he needed to keep reading he was also bored out of his skull with the bland records inside. "I take it you have been here quite some time?"

[littledhampir]

She shrugs, all but dismissing his argument as she does so. “The only thing I really care about is how to get out of here, and if that were in that book? This place would be a ghost town.”

Not that she should be in any hurry to return home. She wasn’t even sure what it held for her now, but even if she couldn’t go back to the Academy? Home was where Lissa was. Things may not be great with them right now, but Rose would still protect her with her last dying breath.

“Not really?” Though she looks uncertain as she says that. “I was here and then I wasn’t and now I am again… It’s… complicated, I guess.” Beyond the Inn she was lost but within these walls? She’d first arrived more than a little worse for wear and she’d spent far too many days stuck inside this building.

“The thing you learn about this place? The stuff you need to watch out for, won’t be written down anyway. It blindsides you.” She doesn’t sound as bitter as she could, even as she makes a face at the muffin she pulls a piece off of and shoves into her mouth. Bland. As expected, but it beat the hell out of going hungry.

Rose’s approach to being here was a realistic one, at least that’s how she thought of it. The stuff that could kill you was the very stuff you never saw coming.

“You get stuck here more than a couple of weeks and you’ll see what I mean.”

[demonic_divinity]

Why did her words make him think of the Judas back home? The dirty rat that was supposed to be his brother. That realistic unwavering dismissal of anything outside of the known. The phantom pain started to lightly make itself known. It took everything in him not to reach up and clutch his chest. Pain was not something he had had to worry much about before, and pain was not kind here even the mental kind. He had already inspected his chest last night, not even a scar where Dante had stabbed him. His thoughts only showed in a momentary drop of his features. An amused noise escaping him as his mask slipped back into place.

"I suppose you have a point there. None would be here. Though, you and I have a likewise common goal I to, probably like any other wish to be out of this place." One day in and he's ready to go and demand a refund. Did this place have a manager, he'd really like to complain to the manager.

A nod was given as she explained her point and her fascinating tale. She left and returned, truly fascinating. "And you do not remember how you left?" He inquired even though his tone showed he already knew her answer. As she said, the place would be a ghost town if it was known. "as for being blindsided, that is how any battle is. Even is this is not quite the same idea, one never knows what the enemy has planned. I will be keeping an eye out though." The fingers on one of his hands tapping at his upper arm where they are crossed across his chest as he weighed his thoughts.

"I hope to not be here that long, but from what people are saying and my own observations I doubt I will be able to break free anytime soon."

[littledhampir]

Ignoring her muffin for the time being, Rose lifted her gaze to listen to him speak, head canted slightly as his formal words rolled over her. He had that kind of, educated sound to him that she so rarely heard among the Dhampir but was common with the Royals at least. She’d learned to associate that manner of speech with an air of superiority, but so far at least he didn’t seem like he had a stick up his ass.

“Nothing.” Some of that casual way about her disappearing as for just a moment, there’s a hardening to her eyes, her voice. She might try to mask it, but clearly her missing time is something that bothers her. “When I returned I thought somebody had dumped me in the fountain as a joke.” Shrugging as if to play it off as no big deal, the action meant to shake the tension from her shoulders. “Turns out I’d been gone six months.”

Six months and nothing to show for it. No memory of being taken, of what had happened in that time. Not even a flash of memory from when she was brought back. An entire stretch of her life was missing and there was a big blank spot left in its wake.

“But you know your enemy, right?” At least she had in her own world. “Plans change and they can spring things on you without warning but I’m talking… The things that happen? You don’t even know they’re remotely possible until you’re stuck in the middle of it.” She supposed it might be how a human felt, moments after encountering a Strigoi and right before meeting their own death.

“Like that storm going on right now? You might want to avoid it. Unless you can take a bolt of lightning to the head and live to tell the story.”

[demonic_divinity]

He did have that education, and had been raised by his foster parents, and likely his birth parents beforehand to sound the way he did. Ever the best, ever the smartest. The higher class that money could buy. Sadly, the stick was there he was still just in a bit of shock, enough so that it hadn't made itself known. He knew very well how to network and sometimes it meant being what you need to be in that moment.

He took note of the hardening of her eyes, and of her tone. So many things in just a few words were ticking off in the 'bastard hurtful brother' list, and yet, maybe it was the betrayal being so fresh but he found himself inclined to try and keep this woman talking as long as he could. "Fascinating, and curious all at once. And no time passed for you. Strange, our captors must be nearly god level demons at the least." Yes, he said demons. It's always fucking demons.

"Here no, back in my home I knew my enemy very well." Was that enemy Mundus or Dante? The idea of Dante being his enemy made that ache throb more. His beloved brother stabbed him in the heart... at least he had the bloody decency to stab him in the front. Reasons he was Judas and not Brutus. "I wish I could say I do not understand, but I am fresh from a long war against a demon king. I am quite well versed in expect the unexpected." And willing to do what others wont to keep his chess pieces one step ahead of the game.

"And here I had hoped to go out and learn the layout of this new place. Before, yes I know, before I came here I could have survived that, here... well things have been robbed of me. A great many things." It was easy to talk to her, to just let his words flow. That could be a problem.

Finally he uncrossed an arm and held it her way. "Forgive me, I have not introduced myself. My name is Vergil."

[littledhampir]

She wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about her situation being thought of as either ‘fascinating’ or ‘curious’. Personally, she liked to think of it as a load of bullshit, but Rose didn’t like anything she couldn’t explain. It made her uncomfortable to be so out of control. It reminded her a little too much of what it was like when Spirits ill effects consumed her, but at least then she knew what she’d done, even if she hadn’t been able to stop herself.

“Demons.” Because, yes. It warranted repeating, a hint of disbelief in her eyes that she wasn’t ready to voice. There was a time, not all that long ago, that she adamantly refused to acknowledge the possibility of anything that was outside of her understanding. There was a way that things were supposed to work and she stomped on anything that didn’t conf0rm. It was hard to imagine it had only been a year ago. That version of herself had died along with too many of her plans for the future.

“As in… Angels. Demons. Heaven and Hell?” Was it really so crazy given all that she knew? She’d died and been resurrected and could see dead people. Angels and demons were only a hop, skip and a jump away from that.

“Same… though.” Her nose wrinkling as she made a face. “Less, demon king and more…” She hated the term because it was so painfully generic and conjured images of bad, young adult fiction versions of the creatures that paled in comparison to the real thing. “Well most people would know them as Vampires.” Yes. She said Vampires… though after the whole Demon revelation, it was a rather anticlimactic reveal.

“Before you came here.” Rose unable to keep the light sparked by curiosity from her eyes.

“Rose.” The hesitation at his offered hand, was only infinitesimal, Rose leaning forward to shake it and dropping her voice just enough so that nobody passing by would hear, as she continued.

“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.” Not that she had anything to show, not anymore that is, but the point was still clear: You tell me your thing, I’ll tell you mine.

Jul 11th

[theimmortalweapon]

[Continue from... test drive.]

He was patient, listening to Vergil while keeping in mind any injury that he might have sustained. Danny didn't like to assume things, because he was usually wrong, but it sounded like Vergil didn't have a good relationship with his brother. Danny had never had any siblings though the Hope had been the closest thing he had to a sister. He couldn't really say that Ward was anything like a brother but they had been family . . . once upon a time.

"I always wanted siblings." He wasn't sure why he was telling Vergil this. "But then I started worrying that if I got siblings they would suck."

Danny blinked and finally understood what might be happening to Vergil. Something around them was making them not only speak but say what was on their minds. He could imagine that being very uncomfortable for a plethora of reasons, like bringing up old wounds that had rather stayed buried beneath layers of denial.

"Danny Rand." He smiled. "I don't think I caught yours either."

His pace quickened a bit, trying to get them inside the inn and away from whatever the hell was doing this to them.

[demonic_divinity]

The injury was healed but he was thankful for the help even if he was to proud to admit it. At least he could hold the tears back. Pain... really hurts when one is human. Vergil spent his years since learning about Dante craving to know his brother, to have the other half of his mirror returned and honestly now he's just bitter about it.

"So did I..." He grumbled. "and trust me, siblings sound cool, but they suck. More so twins. My brother is a bag of dicks." Bitterness and to much truth in hurt all in his tone as he moved along with Danny as the rain started. "Vergil Sparda." Was Sparda his last name for real? Who knew, but that's what he's been using for awhile now. Stealing his fathers name for his family name over his adopted families name. He introduced himself as he walked with Danny.

[theimmortalweapon]

A low chuckle rumbled through Danny's chest. "Oh I know. They aren't related to me but I had two friends growing up who were close. Our fathers were partners in a large company, so we spent all of our time together." Danny exhaled a slow breath and while he didn't know why he was saying this, he just let it happen. "Ward can suck a bag of dicks."

Danny looked over at Vergil with a hint of a smile. "It sucks though; caring about someone who doesn't give a damn about you." That's how it felt with both Hope and Ward and... it hurt.

"Nice to meet you Vergil."

[demonic_divinity]

"Of course anyone named Ward is a dick, I would assume whoever named a child that is also a dick." He grumbled through the pain as he moved alone, listening and learning. On the bright side they were coming further from the most and the pain was easing up in his chest as he moved with him.

"It does indeed, I spent years looking for my brother, and he betrayed me." he truly feels that way, so it wasn't lying for him. "He's nothing like what I had hoped." A sad sound to his tone as he nodded. "Likewise, Danny, thank you for this."

[theimmortalweapon]

Danny chuckled softly. He didn't think that Ward's dad was a dick, in fact, he was the only man to welcome Danny home after he'd been returned to New York. It made him question what he knew though only for a moment or two. Danny really didn't have time to focus on it because he was focused on Vergil and getting back to the inn that was now in sight.

"Sorry. That sucks." It was likely the understatement of the week but Danny wasn't exactly the best at comforting people. He could barely comfort himself.

"Betrayed you?" He asked in a polite tone.

[demonic_divinity]

If Vergil knew the situation, he would probably say the father most def was involved or at least knew it was happening. Older generations tended to be the puppet masters or at least confidants of whoever stood in the spotlight. There were reasons Dante was so important to Vergil's plans. If the plans failed Vergil had to be able to slip back into society without being marred as a terrorist. Dante was the one on stage with Kat, Vergil pulled the strings.

"Sucks, is an understatement... a vast understatement." he grumbled a bit, but clearly wasn't bothered by it. "The wound, be it healed or not, he inflicted it. He stabbed me in the heart over a disagreement." He spoke purposely making it sound like betrayal. Because to him it was, just a minor disagreement. "He nearly killed me over something minor, and I can promise he feels no remorse." His heart ached more thinking of it. Stupid truth causing whatever. "I searched for him so long... and he did this in return."

[theimmortalweapon]

Danny was an idealist and, despite everything he's been through, he had a natural inclination to trust people. There was no reason by his apparent trust and at the end of everything he was likely to be hurt from it but he hadn't learned any other way. In K'un-Lun he was told to respect the other Monks, his teachers and his elders. On top of what he'd been taught, held the hope of a young boy who yearned for the love and affection of his family.

His parents were dead and he hadn't had any siblings; he didn't have anyone else who might show him some small sliver unity.

Their steps faltered and Danny looked over at Vergil with an uncertain knit furrowing his brow. "He stabbed you?" He understood an argument between brothers but stabbing someone through the chest sounded extreme. Kind of like threatening to drive someone off the roof of a parking garage. . .

Danny exhaled a slow breath as they reached the door of the inn. He had to stop helping Vergil and focus on getting the door open so they could safely slip inside. "What did you guys argue over?" Was it Monopoly because Danny would argue that Monopoly was a big fucking deal.