Devil May Cry 1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone! I am so excited. The idea for this story came to me last night; if you're interested then read the footnote thing and I'll explain it a little more. **

**I've got tons of ideas and details on how I want the chapters to go so I hope it comes out as an interesting read. I'm writing this alongside "The Life and Times of.." so I'll update as often as possible. Thanks for reading!**

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"Devil May Cry."

Dante listened intently to the caller on the line. He gave a few nods as he scribbled some notes on a crumpled piece of paper before him. He stared off into the distance soaking in all of the information. The slayer said a few "mm-hmms" and "Okays" in response.

"Okay, we'll get it taken care of."

He slammed the receiver of the old rotary phone onto its base with a loud_ thud_. After finishing up noting all of the pertinent information Dante arose from his chair and headed upstairs.

* * *

Nero was sitting at the desk in his room carefully cleaning the intricate parts of his gun Blue Rose. He barely heard the knock at his door over the music in the background. He turned in his seat and looked at the door.

"Come in."

Dante opened the door and leaned on the doorframe.

"Pack up kid, we've got a job," announced Dante over the beat of the music. He noted that Nero was cleaning his gun- excellent timing.

The younger slayer leaned over to the stereo and flipped the music off. A small grin formed on his lips. Things had been boring lately; the prospect of a challenging mission excited him greatly. Dante seemed eager as well- they both loved the action that their jobs held.

"You should pack for a few days; I think that this is going to be an interesting one kid," the elder elaborated.

Nero jumped from his seat and nodded in understanding. It wasn't too often that they went on long trips. Their jobs usually consisted of close-by work, or at least jobs that were easily accomplished with their combined force. This is exactly what he had been hoping for.

"I'm going to pack up myself then we will head out as soon as possible," began Dante. "I'll give you the rest of the details in the car okay."

He turned and retreated to his own bedroom. It wouldn't take the elder too long to pack, he was terrible at organizing so him 'packing' was him throwing random shit into his bag and going. Somehow he always managed to pack the majority of what he needed though.

The younger, on the other hand, was fairly organized and tidy is his workings. He pulled out his traveling bag that was stuffed under his bed. After making a list in his head of things to bring: ammo, sword, socks… he went about packing.

'It'll be great to get out of the office for a while,' thought Nero to himself. He continued moseying about placing necessities in the old bag.

The only worry on his mind was who his companion was. He and Dante had traveled together before, but there was a certain threshold that was usually crossed. A point where he got so annoyed with Dante that he wanted to rip his head off. However it didn't seem to work both ways. Dante could dish it and take it- he rolled with the punches. That pissed Nero off.

Nero shook it off, determined that he would keep his cool this trip and focus on the mission. It probably wasn't too far anyways, maybe just far enough away that would have to stay for one night. He nodded, deciding that this must be the case before finishing up with his task.

* * *

Dante picked a shirt up off the floor and gave it a big whiff. Deciding it was clean, or clean enough, he threw it into his bag. That was his method of packing. Within five minutes he had rustled up what he deemed vital for the mission.

He threw his bag over his shoulder and exited his bedroom. As he walked towards the stairs he passed by Nero's room. The door was still open and he saw him folding a pair of pants and placing them into a bag. Dante chuckled as he continued on his way.

Awaiting Nero the silver-haired hunter grabbed the paper from the desk and shoved it into his pocket. He snatched his favorite coat from the back of his desk chair and shrugged it on. The familiar leather scent was comforting. He slipped his boots on before approaching his cabinet of devil arms.

His hand hovered above the weapons, unsure of which blade he wanted to accompany him. After a few moments of pondering he finally decided on Rebellion. He wrapped his fingers around the blade and let it slice through the air once before sheathing the weapon on his back.

Never letting the twin guns get too far from him he holstered Ebony and Ivory before closing the cabinet doors. He was now all set and ready to go. The only thing left to do was wait on Nero.

* * *

Nero descended the stairs with his bag hung over his shoulder. He too was equipped with his weapons. Blue Rose hung at his hip and Red Queen was mounted on his back ready for action. He was glad that he had given his gun some attention this morning; she would no doubt perform well.

"Okay I'm all set," Nero said maybe a little too eagerly.

Dante could tell that he was excited, but who was he kidding they had been cooped up in the office for days now. They were both chomping at the bit to get out and slay some demon ass.

"Why don't you go grab a snack or something kid, you always get cranky on long car rides."

Dante slapped his leg and gave a hearty laugh while Nero stared at him confused for a moment. It had already begun.

"Shut your fucking mouth," Nero yelled back pushing past Dante to exit the building. They hadn't even left the city yet and Dante was already harassing Nero- it was surely going to be a long and tiresome trip.

The older hunter grabbed the keys from the wall and followed Nero outside before locking the front door. Nero had already thrown his bag into the backseat and sitting on the passenger side with his arms crossed in annoyance.

Dante copied Nero before climbing into the driver's seat and cranking the engine. The black muscle car roared to life. The vehicle was a fairly recent acquisition. Lady had only allowed him to purchase it because she saw the long-term investment. With a car both Dante and Nero could go on missions together and rack in bigger pay for her to eventually collect. All in all, everyone had won.

"You all set kid," Dante asked before revving the engine and setting off onto the highway.

"Yeah." He patted his jean pocket to double-check that he had his phone. Both Nero and Dante had placed their blades in the trunk and left their firearms on themselves for the driving portion of the trip. He felt confident that he had everything- he wasn't so sure that Dante had though.

"Okay then we are ready to get going then."

Dante reached over to the stereo and flipped on some tunes. His 80's metal came blasting over the speakers. Nero preferred more current hard rock over the older slayer's 'classics'.

"Wait, at least tell me where we are going," stated Nero as he looked over at his partner.

"You're in for a real treat kid," replied Dante as he grabbed a pair of sunglasses that were hanging on the rearview mirror. He slipped them open and slipped them over his eyes and smirked. "We are going into the dirty south- into Cajun country."

Nero thought about this for a moment. He had never even been below the Mason-Dixon Line before. Honestly he had hardly even left the city of Fortuna before he came to Devil May Cry. It seemed that Dante on the other hand was a bit more 'worldly' and had been a lot of places.

A part of him was fairly excited though, he had always wanted to travel more and see different places. But he had no idea what to expect.

"Brace yourself kid. The south is a whole new world, especially where we are headed- New Orleans!"

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**Where the idea for this story came from: So last night I took a road trip with a friend over to a town called Benton, LA. I live in Texas, only about 45 minutes from the LA state line. I've been to Shreveport before and plan on using some of my experiences in the story. Anyways, we went mudding with some friends and took in the scenery which really inspired me to write this story. Also I watched some Duck Dynasty... **

**I have a great love and appreciation for the south and I hope to bring a piece of that to this story. I remember how shocked I was when I went to New York for the first time. That's how I imagine Nero reacting to being in the south, lol. We'll see. Thanks for reading my rant.**


	2. Chapter 2

**This chapter has some good banter and friendly pestering which I enjoy lol. Special thanks to bitbyboth who agreed to continue beta reading for me! When I have a reader it makes me write more often which is a good thing. **

**I hope that you enjoy and please don't be shy if you want to review...because you know you want to ;-)**

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At hour five Nero was getting very annoyed.

_'What the Hell was he thinking driving instead of flying this trip?_' thought an agitated Nero to himself. _'Knowing the old man he just wanted to save some money…'_

Nero crossed his arms and continued to stare out of the window. Hour after hour the world outside began to change. The hustle and bustle of the city that he was use to, along with all of its tall buildings, were fading into less dense areas with fewer buildings. It was only going to get worse he assumed.

Dante leaned back coolly in his chair thoroughly enjoy the long drive himself. He didn't mind the open road and getting lost in some good tunes. All that was missing was a babe in the passenger seat. Instead he had a moody teenager with a short fuse.

"Don't look so down kid, we've only got about fifteen hours to go." Dante threw a grin in the younger's direction before returning his gaze to the road. It was a little stagnant for his taste so he needed to liven the mood.

"Only fifteen!" Nero snorted hotly. He knew that it would be a long drive but not that long. With furrowed brows he looked in Dante's direction.

"If you weren't such a cheap ass then we could have just taken a damn plane!"

"Yeah, I guess you're right. And it only costs a couple hundred per ticket. I could take it out of your cut of the pay. Hmmm."

Nero pursed his lips slightly and considered this. "Well, I'm sure the pay for this mission is good so it wouldn't have been that big of a deal…"

"Well, what about our weapons? We can't exactly roll up into an airport packing the kind of weaponry that our jobs call for. Did you think of that?

Nero froze at the realization. He closed his eyes and let out an angered breath. It burned him up when Dante put him in his place. It made him feel so childish and small; something that Dante was an expert at.

"Whatever," was the great comeback that Nero supplied. They both knew he had been beaten….again.

"Can we at least change the music, there's only so much Def Leppard that a person can take."

Nero reached his hand to the CD player in an attempt to change the music. Dante immediately swatted his hand away from the dash.

"No way kid, first rule of driving, the driver always gets to pick the tunes." He snickered, very amused at himself.

_'Fuck the mission, kill me…' _Nero crossed his arms and stared out the window once again.

* * *

At hour ten Nero was exhausted, starving, and ready to murder someone.

He felt like he knew every word that was ever sung in the 80s. When one CD had ended Dante simply reached under his seat and pulled out a new one to switch. The old CD was placed back in its case and tossed into the backseat, bound to resurface again in the future. It was a vicious cycle.

"Okay Enter Sandman, can we stop and get some food already?" Nero asked with little tolerance in his tone. His stomach gave a small gurgle. They had been on the road since nine that morning with only a few fast food tacos to hold them over.

"Yeah, guess it is about chow time," replied Dante. He had ditched the shades when the sun had become less intense. Nero had heard the elder's belly growl a handful of times as well.

They were somewhere in Tennessee now. With about another ten hours to go the pair decided to eat and crash for the night. Despite sitting all day a road trip can really take it out of a person. They stopped at a local diner and grabbed a bite.

The duo ordered their meals and sat in silence as they scarfed down their food. Utensils scrapped over ceramic as they feasted. They were eating as one would expect two men to eat. After a few minutes of blissfully devouring food Nero spoke up.

"So, what details do you have on this mission?"

Dante looked up from his half-eaten plate. "Some guy called from a small village outside of New Orleans and said that young people have been going missing from around town." He took another bite of his food recalling the details. "The ages range from infants to early twenties. They just up and leave without a trace."

"What do you think it is?" questioned Nero intently.

"I'm guessing it may be a Blade, Wendigo, or even a simple Will-O-Wisp. Those things are known to lead idiots astray. The only thing that gets me is that all of the victims are young. Most demons don't have a preferred type I guess you could say."

Both continued with their meals while they thought a bit longer on the upcoming events. Nero was very intrigued by the information that Dante had supplied. Whatever it was, it seemed that it was a big problem.

"Let's finish up here and find a place to stay for the night."

Nero nodded in agreement. He was looking forward to a hot shower and (hopefully) clean bed for the night. Tomorrow things would unfold and hopefully they could gather some more information once they reached their destination.

They checked in at a reasonably priced motel. Nero gave the woman working the front desk a strange look at hearing her accent. It kind of sounded like she was slow- like a lot. Apparently that was just a thing because even the waiter at the restaurant sounded that way.

After receiving their room keys they gathered their traveling gear to head inside. The two hunters shared a room with matching queen-sized beds. Overall the room looked decent enough. It had a TV, lamp, and a few complimentary bathroom items on the table.

After throwing his stuff on the bed Nero hastily ran for the shower, not wanting his partner to steal all of the hot water.

Dante arrived in the room after Nero was already locked in the bathroom. He heard the knobs squeak and the water begin to flow.

"Dammit kid I wanted the first shower." He tossed his bag on the bed next to Nero's.

"I bet you did old man, but if you snooze you lose," Nero barked back through the closed door. He was going to take a long hot shower and enjoy every relaxing minute of it.

The elder slayer sunk down onto the bed and rested his back on the headboard. Mindlessly he flipped on the TV and began channel surfing for something good.

* * *

Nero emerged from the steaming shower with his nighttime attire: a fitted tee and flannel pants. He rubbed his hair with a towel before grabbing a complimentary comb and sweeping it through his hair. The teen looked in the mirror at his hair pushed back.

"Hey Dante look, do I look lame or what haha," Nero amusingly laughed at his reflection in the mirror.

The elder hunter casually glanced over at him and froze for a moment. Nero was smiling at him with his white hair swept back in a familiar manner. It took him back, and he continued staring at Nero.

"Uhh, Dante…?"

"Don't ever do that!" Dante snapped at him.

There was a strange tension in the air for a moment.

"What gives? If this is about me taking the hot water then my bad." He ran his human hand through his hair and messed it up in its usual fashion.

"…Sorry kid, it's been a long day." He really didn't feel like explaining it, so he left it at that. He hadn't meant to snap at Nero but when he saw him looking like that it was like he had seen a ghost. Something he would rather not think about right now.

Nero nodded understanding where he was coming from. It was rare to see Dante get snappy though, especially over something as ridiculous as his hairstyle. Before turning to gather his things from the bathroom Dante spoke up.

"Hey look what's on TV. It's VH1's hits of the 80's!"

And just like that he was back again. Dante shot Nero a sinister smile and began air-guitaring to the music on the TV. Nero's face scrunched up in repulsion as he turned around to pick up his dirty clothes. This was going to indeed be a Hell of a mission.

* * *

**I've been doing small bits of research for this story which has led me to read some interesting things, hmmm.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello! Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed. Bad news, I have an idea for another story. But the good news is that I don't like to write more than one story at a time (unless it's a one-shot or something). So if you're into the story then don't worry I am stubborn and like to finish one project before moving on to the next. **

**On with the story then! Please review if you have any thoughts on it so far. I'll admit I use to never review until I started writing myself then learned the value and meaning of a good review! **

**beta reader: bitbyboth**

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The next morning Nero awoke to someone on the TV babbling on about something.

…and it's slightly cloudy. There's a cold front moving in from the north later today…" the man on the TV was spouting off monotonously.

Nero rolled over under the warm sheets and blinked his blurry eyes a few times. After regaining his vision he saw Dante sitting on the bed next to his.

"Morning kid," Dante grinned as he placed a strip of crispy bacon into his mouth and gave it a crunch. A few crumbs were on his shirt from a previously eaten biscuit, and a few more strips of bacon rested on the plate in his hand.

"Mmm, what time is it," questioned Nero as he sleepily rubbed his eyes and sat up. The sun outside was shining bright, but it was obviously still early.

"It's about 7:30," replied Dante as he ate more of the goodies on his plate.

"…how long have you been up?"

"Oh, about an hour or so. I wanted to make sure that I got to hit the free breakfast before it was over."

Nero noted the almost empty plate of food in the elder's hand. His stomach gave a little growl at smelling the delicious food wafting in the air.

"Makes sense. The only thing that can get you out of bed this early is food." Nero flung back the covers and grabbed his room key from off of the nightstand. He was hungry and wanted to grab some morsels before they got back on the road.

"I'll be back." The teen gave a small wave in Dante's direction before scurrying out of the room.

"Better hurry," Dante called back before averting his gaze back to the screen.

* * *

"Damnit! Either you ate all the food or they've stopped serving breakfast!" Nero threw his room key on the table before storming off into the bathroom. Dante shot him a sad look while he still had a piece of bacon hanging from his mouth.

"Oh my bad, guess the clock is off. He he."

The younger hunter went about his morning business, ignoring the fact that he had missed breakfast because of Dante's idiocy. He angrily brushed his teeth and mumbled profanities to himself to alleviate his frustration.

The two soon packed up and were ready for another fun-filled day of being cooped up together in the car. Within the hour they were on the road again.

Ten more hours of driving and half of a dozen energy drinks apiece they reached New Orleans. It was around eight in the evening when the city flashed before their eyes.

"So where exactly is the guy that hired you?" questioned Nero. He was taking in all of the sights around him. The architecture was different than what he was used to, as well as the natives. Bright lights were flashing from every corner, and drunks littered the aptly named Bourbon Street.

"He is from a small village on the outskirts of the main part of the city called Creola. The man owns a bar here on the main strip, so we're going to stop in for a bit and get some more details." The pair found a spot and parked on the strip before walking into a bar called the Paige Pub.

The atmosphere inside the building was buzzing with energy. People were coming in and out; the air was thick with the scent of smoke and strong spices. Citizens from all walks of life were seated throughout the odd joint. The walls were an eclectic feel of brightly colored ornaments and tattered music posters.

Dante walked in as if he owned the place and approached the bar. There was a young man standing there drying a clean mug in his hands.

"Hey there, what can I do fer ya?" the man gave a wide grin and placed the dried mug on the counter in front of him.

"I'm here to see a Robert Gatreau."

"Yeah, just hold on one minute sir." The young man walked to the door leading into the kitchen and gave a shout. "Hey Paw, there's a man here to see ya." He walked back and gave another toothy grin.

A weathered old man rounded the corner from the kitchen. He was sporting an apron with assorted stains adorning it. He hurried over at seeing the white-haired hunter.

"Hello sir, you must be mister Dante. My name is Robert, nice to meet 'cha." He stuck his hand out and gave a warm-hearted greeting.

Dante replied by accepting the man's shake and grinning in return. Nero stood slightly behind him, not entirely sure what to do, watching everything unfold.

"Yes I am. I made it here as soon as I could," Dante stated to the man.

"Wonderful. I do 'preciate you both being here." The old man saw Nero standing beside Dante. The similar appearance tipped him off that they were partners. "Why don't y'all take a seat? I'll rustle up some food then we can talk."

Dante nodded before turning and locating an empty booth on the edge of the bar. The teen followed him like a small child. They sat down and Nero spoke up.

"They sure seemed cheery, have you met them before?"

"Nope, that's just the locals- real hospitable people." Dante leaned back and awaited the man to return with information and food.

Robert joined the two hunters carrying two large steaming bowls.

"Here ya go gentlemen; it's the house specialty red beans and rice. My own recipe!" After setting down the bowls he joined them at the table so they could comfortably chat.

The elder grabbed his spoon and dug into the piping hot bowl with eagerness. Nero followed suit and dipped his spoon into the dish before bringing it to his hungry mouth. The food was bursting with flavor, tons of spices and notes were present.

"I called y'all here because we've been having a problem with some young folks disappearing." Robert's cheery face had fallen at mention of the troubles. His eyes dropped to the table as he tugged on his salt and pepper mustache. "They were all disappearing from Creola, but the last few done gone missing from here in Orleans."

"So, in the beginning they were all from your village and only recently they've been going missing from in town?"

The elderly man nodded his head. "Yes sir. The range keeps expanding and we don't know what to do. We told the authorities, but the way they disappear makes me think it's not a man. There are never any signs of struggle or breaking into a house."

He stopped for a moment, recalling other vital parts. "I heard about you from a guy that knew a guy. Anyways, you deal with this sort of stuff so I thought it wise to call y'all down before this gets any worse."

Nero stopped listening for a moment as he felt a strong tingling in his mouth. The tingling quickly turned to a burning sensation. Without realizing it his mouth had gone from spicy to flaming hot. His eyes watered. He turned to Dante. The older slayer was intently listening while dumping spoonful after spoonful of red beans and rice into his mouth practically unfazed.

The younger slayer dropped his spoon and tried not to think about the fire burning in his mouth. He could kill for a glass of water.

"And where exactly did the last disappearance take place?" asked Dante gleaming every tidbit he could.

"About two weeks ago a teenage girl went missing from her apartment on the French Quarter down the road. She lived with a roommate who said that there was nothing taken, and all of her stuff was still there."

"Okay. No need to question her then." Dante finished with his bowl and felt satisfied with what he had heard from Robert. "I guess we'll start first thing in the morning investigating then- right Nero?"

Nero barely heard his name. He was busy trying to hold it together while in front of other people. His face had a tight and pained looking. He gave a cough before nodding his head in agreement.

"Loosen up kid, it'll be fine." He gave him a rough pat on the back causing Nero to give another cough.

"Another thing, the disappearances all happen at night so whoever or whatever you are looking for can probably only be found at night."

"We'll get it done, don't worry."

* * *

The pair exited the bar and made their way to the car.

"Were you alright in there kid, I thought you might pass out for a minute," Dante laughed thinking of Nero's face.

"What the Hell, that was some spicy shit!" The burning sensation still lingered; however it was much better than before.

"Get use to it, that's how the food is around here."

"You sure didn't seem to mind." Nero breathed the cool night air into his mouth to help alleviate the sting.

"This isn't my first time down south. This job will lead you lots of places and you've just got to embrace the change."

"Oh yeah, I bet you have tons of fond memories and nostalgia being here then."

Dante let his mind wander. He thought of drunken nights in bars that never closed, gambling away thousands on the boats in Shreveport, and of course sugary sweet southern women. He cracked a smile thinking of the last one.

"Yes and no. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll make some memories here yourself kid- in due time."

They climbed into the car as it roared to life. Tomorrow is when all of the real work began. It would be no more laughing and silly antics- it was business time.

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**Oh my, I'm sure you do have some crazy memories Dante! The next chapter has some good humor in it lol! Thanks for reading.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Ugh, I feel like I haven't updated in months! Sorry it took so long everyone. I've been finding ways to occupy my time this summer instead of write *cough* playing Dead Island *cough*. Anyways, this chapter has a nice sprinkle of humor to it. I hope that you enjoy. **

**Beta Reader: bitbyboth **

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The next day brought along the tedious process of checking things out. Since the two were unsure of what exactly they were after they decided it best to scope out the town that everything had originated in.

Nero and Dante pulled into the small community of Creola about midday.

"This looks more like a backwoods redneck convention," Nero took note of the various shacks and dilapidated buildings that scattered the area. The ground beneath them was dirt with prominent outlines of the 'roads' the locals used.

"Watch your mouth kid; this is where these people live." Dante had expected something slightly less lavish that what the city had to offer- but this was sad. "We just need to talk to a few locals and see what's been happening on the inside."

The teen nodded and followed Dante into the heart of the village. People were going about their everyday lives it seemed. They duo decided to start their investigation at the local market- a natural gathering place.

"Why don't we split up for a bit and meet back at the car in an hour?" Dante peered around scoping out good targets for information. He figured that splitting up would gleam twice the information in half the time. Besides, whatever was threatening everyone seemed to only be active at night.

"Okay, see you around." Nero trotted off in the other direction.

* * *

Dante saw a store that a few people had gone in and out of near the market so he started there. The bell on the door rang as he entered the place. The cashier looked him over when he walked in.

"Hello sir, mind if I ask you a few questions?"

The man had a stern face and simply looked at the white-haired man before him.

"Okay…I was wondering if you knew anything about the disappearances that have been happening lately."

The cashier looked down t his hands for a moment. "Yeah, people been going missing lately- strangest thing."

"Anything unusual besides the missing people lately?" Dante would take anything to work with at this point. Even something small could turn into a solid link that could help.

"Naw sir, same old same old around here. If anything unusual happened everyone would know in a small town like this."

"I see, well thanks sir. Let me know if you hear anything else."

Dante turned to leave the shop when he was approached by a woman in her mid-forties. She had fair skin and washed-out brunette hair.

"Excuse me sir, I overheard you talking with the owner. If you are looking into the disappearances then I would like to help any way that I can."

The elder slayer nodded to her. Maybe she would know something they could use.

"You see, my niece was one of the people to go missing…." She trailed off as she reached for a handkerchief from her purse. Her eyes began to water and she patted them to soak up the salty trails. "I'm sorry….it just, still hurts…"

"It's okay. Is there anything you can tell me that you think might help?"

"Well, I hear people say that it's not human. They say that it's something else that is luring everyone away in the dead of night."

"Yeah, I heard the same." It seemed that none of the locals knew any more than he did. People wither didn't know what to look for or were too afraid to look it seemed.

"I'm sorry I don't know more. Maybe you should go talk to Marie Laveau."

"Yeah that's a great idea, I bet Miss Laveau might know something," the cashier piped in at hearing this. "She knows about all of that stuff, like magic and stuff."

This piqued Dante's interest greatly. Maybe there was someone in town who knew more about what they were working with. Or at least someone who knew that there were demons and monsters running around the world.

* * *

Meanwhile Nero walked through the farmer's market and hadn't met anyone that seemed to know anything. He was about to give up and head back to the car when he heard someone call out to him.

"Excuse me lad, can you give me a hand?" An elderly woman was in her front yard attempting to pick up a large potted plant.

Without even considering passing up helping the little old lady Nero sauntered over eager to assist.

"Yeah sure." Without even blinking Nero threw the potted plant onto his shoulder and looked at the old woman. "Where do you want this?"

"Oh my, you are a strong young lad aren't you!"

"I'm not that young…" Nero muttered to himself.

"Put it on my front porch if you don't mind."

The white-haired teen placed the pot on the porch with ease. He felt good about helping a senior with a simple chore. It was Kyrie that had instilled in him the importance of helping others less fortunate- something he still carried on to this day.

"There you are ma'am, have a good day." He turned to leave when the old woman chimed in once again.

"Wait, won't you please come inside and rest for a moment?"

"Uhhh, well you see…"

"I have cookies!" The lady beamed at him a sweet old smile. Her wrinkled face held character and kindness.

Nero let out a sigh and looked over his shoulder. "Yeah, sure, but only for a bit. I have somewhere to be soon." He followed her inside feeling anxious that he would keep Dante waiting.

* * *

The younger slayer chewed on a soft chocolate chip cookie as the old woman crept about the small kitchen. He eyed her as she fixed two cups of tea for them to enjoy. She sat down at the table with the drinks in hand.

"What brings a young lad like you out to this small village?"

Nero sipped some tea and swallowed the remainder of his cookie before answering. " I'm here with this guy and we are investigating the disappearances that have been happening lately."

"Oh I see, so you don't like women hmm?"

The teen stared at her with his eyebrows furrowed. "I wait -what? No! I'm here searching for….I like girls!" He felt defensive at the woman's strange assumption.

"Ooh hoo, my apologies. We get loads of hoodlums from New Orleans that like to wander off into the woods together and eat mushrooms. They dress funny like you and color their hair too."

_'Why does this always happen to me?' _thought Nero to himself. _'This senile old bat thinks I'm a freak, druggie, and lollipop!'_

_"_No. I'm here looking for the missing people." He set down his cup and scooted his chair back. "I actually have to leave now and meet my friend." This was going nowhere fast and he and Dante actually had work that needed to be done.

"Okay, do be careful. Tell your man-friend the same. Don't eat the brown mushrooms!"

Nero hurried out of the house before she could spout off any more nonsense. He didn't know whether to blame it on her old age, or the fact that she lived in a swampy redneck paradise. Whatever.

* * *

Dante was leaning against the side of the car when Nero finally arrived.

"What gives kid? You're twenty minutes late. I hope you found something interesting we can use." Dante gave him a wary look.

"Well you see, what had happened was…. I uh ran into this woman-"Nero was immediately cut off by the elder hunter.

"A woman huh, about time you start chasing some skirt kid!"

"No, dammit! Why won't people just leave me alone? ! This old woman made me move stuff then starting being weird and I left as soon as I could."

"Uh huh, she 'made' you? Well while you were out helping the elderly I actually found out some good stuff."

Dante stood straight and opened the trunk of the car. He removed Rebellion which had been resting in there while they were in town. Both he and Nero had kept their firearms on them at all times though. Even in the middle of town, you never know.

"Great, what did you find out?" At least one of them had done something productive in the past hour.

"Seems there's some sort of 'witch doctor' close by that might know something. At the very least maybe she can point us in the right direction."

Nero nodded in confirmation. He had never met a 'witch doctor' and in all honesty wasn't entirely sure what it was. He assumed they were those crazy people who cut off the head's of chickens and sprinkled salt in their doorways.

He too withdrew his sword from the trunk and placed it on his back. The bayou was surely filled with all types of threats, both natural and supernatural alike.

"She lives out in the bayou and we can't drive there, so I hope you brought your walking shoes kid."


	5. Chapter 5

**Beta Reader: bitbyboth**

* * *

"I gave Robert a ring and he said that he had a friend in town who could lead us through the bayou," Dante stated. The two hunters headed back into town with all of their weaponry ready to go. "His name is Gerald and he lives on the edge of town in an old house with a blue roof."

This town seemed so odd that Nero was beyond ready to leave even if leaving meant venturing into the heart of the swamp to get away. Hopefully they could find some answers, finish their mission, and be on their way back home. A step out of the ordinary was nice every now and then but this place was really throwing him for a loop.

Dante led the way to an old house with a blue tin roof. Nero's heart dropped when he realized where he was. An old couple was sitting on the front porch with sweating drinks in their hands moving steadily in matching rocking chairs.

"Oh my, if it isn't my young friend," the elderly woman smiled at seeing Nero.

"I'm no friend of yours granny…" Nero mumbled to himself.

He immediately recognized the shriveled up woman as none other than the old bag who had insulted him earlier. Seated next to her was an equally old man sipping on a glass of ice tea steadily swaying in the old chair.

"Oh is this your woman friend kid, she seems nice," Dante exclaimed aloud giving a flashy smile to the old couple. He approached the two to speak more. Nero's shoulders slouched as he too approached the pair.

"Excuse me sir, would you happen to be Gerald?"

The old man glided back and forth in his old chair while he answered.

"Yeah, that's me, and this here's my wife Betty. What you fellas need?"

"We need to locate someone out in the bayou and Robert Gatreau said that you could show us the way." Dante awaited the man's reply eagerly.

"Oh yeah, I haven't seen Robert in a while- not since we stopped playing poker together on Thursdays. Mmm hmm, that old fart always took my money."

Nero dropped his gaze to the ground. Old people were so frustrating to him; they always talked about nonsense and things that nobody but other old people would care about. He shifted his feet impatiently and was glad that Dante was doing all the talking.

Dante calmly listened to Gerald speak his mind for a second before 'guiding' him back to the topic.

"Sounds like a real card shark. So anyways, can you take us to Marie Laveau's place?"

Nero felt a chill go up his spine as he glanced over to Betty; she was staring at him as her thin fingers tapped on her tea glass. He fixed his gaze instead on Gerald who was taking his time getting to the point of the conversation.

"Sure thing son, it's a long trek out there but I can do it."

"Thank you sir, I appreciate it. We are ready to leave at your earliest convenience."

Dante sure knew how to turn on the politeness when he needed to. It was quite rare actually to see him acting so charming. Nero was use to the slayer being a real asshole and having a smart mouth. But when duty calls…

"Let me put my mud boots on and we can get going. We need to hurry before it gets any later though; the gators like to come out at night."

Gerald stood from his rocking chair and slowly walked to the front door. Betty watched him head inside and followed him. Her thin frame seemed unsteady and frail. Nero wondered if the old man was any better; could he really lead them into the swamp?

"Don't forget to put on fresh socks hon, you don't want your feet smelling."

"Yeah, they get to smelling like an old whipped swamp donkey." The conversation trailed off as the two went inside for a moment.

Dante turned to Nero. "You gotta relax kid; you need to have patience when dealing with these old types."

"You've got nerves of steel; I can't deal with all of this dancing around the point shit- it drives me crazy."

"I remember being young and dumb once too; at least you have enough sense to wear a shirt unlike me. But, you're still pretty clueless, hehe."

"Clueless?! You're the one that still acts like a kid, you-"

Nero was cut off by the opening of the screen door to the blue roof house. Gerald emerged with his tea glass in one hand and a shotgun in the other. His dirty boots were tucked into the camo pants that were held up with an old leather belt. To top it off he was wearing a faded cap that said 'Mardi-Gras '79'.

"Alright, you boys ready?"

Gerald walked down the steps and approached the two hunters. He gave a weary smile and began walking towards the swampy marshes.

"Let's shake a leg," Gerald exclaimed.

"Gerald, where's my goodbye kiss," Betty called as her head popped out from behind the screen door.

"I'm on a mission woman; I'll kiss you when I get back. Good grief…."

"Okay, I'll be waiting with a plate of warm biscuits!"

She smiled before retreating herself back into the house letting the front door close with a 'snap'. Gerald continued walking shaking his head slightly; his balding head catching the light with each shake.

"That woman is going to be the death of me; either she's gonna poison me or feed me biscuits till I die," Gerald took another big swig from his tea glass. "I hope it's from the biscuits boys."

The marshes didn't seem especially dangerous. Navigating the way, however, was a different story. If you didn't know where you were going then it would be extremely easy to wander through the bayou for hours with no clue where you were at. Gerald thankfully seemed to know exactly where he was going.

"How do you know your way through here so well old man?" Nero questioned curiously.

"Well let's see, I grew up in this little town and me and my friends use to go out into the bayou and play during the summers. Yep, use to swim in the little Cypress creek, and fish down at Mud Lake. Mmm hmm."

Nero imagined growing up in such a place. The thought of it seemed so farfetched to him. He had grown up on a coastal town, spending his younger days going to the beach getting salt water in his eyes and coming home with bad sunburns on his fair skin. Good times. If he had grown up somewhere different then his childhood might seem as crazy as Gerald's.

Small ponds littered the terrain giving the scenery a damp and dirty look. The ground beneath their feet was spongy and squished with each step taken. Although there was plenty of wildlife about it was all fairly harmless like frogs, squirrels, and bugs galore.

Dante was walking behind both Nero and Gerald keeping a lookout. Even though their tour guide knew where he was going it didn't mean that they wouldn't run into any 'surprises'. Something in the air felt chilly and slightly off.

After about an hour of walking they came to a small clearing with a cottage nestled under two big willow trees. There was a soft glow coming from the windows as well as smoke billowing from the stone chimney.

"Alright boys, this is where Marie Laveau lives. She's a real kind young woman. Hope she can help you out boys."

Gerald turned to leave. "I'm headed back home now; it's gonna be getting dark soon so I recommend you take care of your business quickly."

He raised his hand with the cup of tea into the air to bid them farewell. The two hunters nodded and continued on towards the cottage to gather some hopefully good information on the case.

Dante stepped in front of Nero as they reached the front door of the old house. He tapped a few times on the wooden door and awaited their host. A few seconds later they heard footsteps come towards to door to greet them.

The door creaked open and a young woman, appearing to be in her late twenties answered the door. She had long dark hair and creamy caramel skin. "Hello, may I help you gentlemen?"

"Yes m'am, are you Marie Laveau?"

"I am, what can I do for the two of you?"

* * *

**Random: So I wandered over to fictionpress and made an account the other day. I thought that it would be a lot like here (it is layout-wise) but it's more different than I had hoped. I posted the first chapter to this random story I've been dabbling in and I'm pretty sure it sucks...like a lot lol! I've only had a handful of views and no reviews, oh well. I should stick to what I'm better at, not necessarily good, but better- fanfiction.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello everyone. I can't believe that school is just around the corner *gasp*. While I'm going to miss my free time and lazy afternoons I'm also looking forward to being productive and back on a schedule. Until then I'm going to spend my time being lazy and trying to beat Legend of Dragoon (10 years and I've never beat it). Wait, I'm suppose to be talking about ****_this_**** story... Oh well, I hope you enjoy and thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far! **

**Beta Reader: bitbyboth**

* * *

"My name is Dante, and this is my partner Nero." Dante gestured to the young hunter. "We would like to talk to you about the people that have gone missing lately. A friend said that you may have insight on what this could be that we are dealing with."

Marie got the hint and opened the door wider for the two to come inside. The pair entered the cottage as Marie closed the door behind them. She walked over to the table and asked them to have a seat.

Nero immediately began taking in his surroundings. The room they were in was fairly large and open. A fireplace was on one wall with brick surrounding it. The three of them were seated at an old kitchen table in the left corner of the room near the kitchen items. Overall the abode had a very old and almost tribal feel. There didn't seem to be electricity and all the lighting came from the fire and assorted candles in the room. Despite the old and dark nature of the house it was quite warm and cozy.

"So Dante and Nero, what would you like to know?"

Marie had poured two extra mugs of tea and slid them to her two guests.

"We've caught wind that the disappearances are unusual and might not be the work of humans," Dante explained before taking a drink from the steaming mug in his hand.

"I see. I take it that the two of you are hunters then."

Marie eyed both Dante and Nero for a moment. Nero glanced to Dante who nodded in response before she continued on again.

"Yes, I heard of the disappearances as well, even out here in the marshes. They seem to go missing without a trace and no clues to help solve the mystery. I don't know what is causing it, but I'm happy to help in any way that I can."

Dante's heart sank a bit at hearing this information. He was sure that she would have some inkling on what the cause was. But alas, she was as in the dark as the rest of them were. Every new lead had led to a dead end so far.

"I see; maybe we can use your help though. The few people that I talked to in town seemed to think highly of you. Your ties to the city could be useful in helping us gather more information and intel."

Marie nodded her head and ran a hand through her long dark hair. The glow of the fire cast a flattering light on her caramel skin.

"I love the people of this town. I began my practice here over a decade ago. They trust me and I care for them, and in turn I am willing to help you any way that I can."

"I'm curious, what exactly do you do?" Nero questioned with a puzzled look on his face. Ever since he heard Dante call her a 'witch doctor' he had been extremely enticed as to what that meant.

"I take care of people mostly. Sometimes I go into people's homes and heal the sick when they are physically ill. Other times I am called upon to take care of those who are spiritually sick. I have a connection with the spirits and can help those with darkness in them."

Nero glanced around the room as she continued speaking. There was a wide assortment of relics and strange items adorning the walls in the cottage. Above the fireplace was a strand of garlic, on the kitchen counter was a large clear jar of either salt or sugar, and dangling above the doorframe was a set of animal bones.

"The soul sometimes wanders, it happens to all types of people. I have also been known to go into people's homes and ward away unwelcome spirits."

Marie kept eye contact on Nero as she spoke. The younger slayer brought his attention back to her before nodding and taking another drink from his mug. Interesting.

"Do you like cast spells or sacrifice things?"

Dante snorted at hearing this. "You've been watching too many movies kid."

Marie giggled coyly before clearing the air. "I'm afraid not. I do however know some 'tricks' when it comes to changing ones fortunes or making things happen. Did you know that if a woman sprinkles some salt from her house to yours, it will give you bad luck until you clean the salt away and put pepper over your door sill? Also, you can give someone a headache by taking and turning their picture upside down."

"What? That just sounds like old rubbish that old people believe in." Nero seemed skeptical in all of this 'voodoo' stuff.

The witch doctor tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled at Nero. "You think so huh? In a world where demons take people in the dead of night and half-devils take on slaying their own kind you don't believe in a little voodoo?"

"Oh it's real kid and you'd be surprised at what a witch doctor can do." Dante leaned back a bit in his chair and gave Nero a condescending look.

"Hmm, it does sound interesting; maybe I should find out more about it later."

"I'm pleased that you find it interesting." Marie pursed her lips and drank from her steaming drink. "It is quite amazing what the right know-how and some energy can do."

Dante stood up from the table and spoke. "Sorry we can't stay longer but we should head out before it gets too late. Whatever this is won't catch itself."

Marie and Nero also stood from their seats.

"If you are headed back to the city then allow me to join you. I have business that I need to attend to later this evening." Marie took the three mugs and deposited them into the sink.

"Yeah, you're more than welcome to join us; you can probably lead us out of these swamps faster than we can ourselves." Dante headed towards the front door with Nero close behind.

Marie walked into a room in the back. She grabbed a bag and threw a few things in before coming back into the main room. After extinguishing all of the candles and the fire in the fireplace the trio headed out into the foggy swampland.

* * *

As expected she led them back into Creola swiftly and without any conflict along the way. They arrived in the small village as the sun was setting beyond the horizon. A few people were out and about taking care of their business before night fell.

"Thanks for showing us the way." Dante gave her a small wave.

"It was my pleasure."

She turned to leave but halted and spun back to face the two slayers once again.

"Actually I am headed to someone's house now for a cleansing, would the two of you care to join?" Marie extended the invitation and awaited a response from the hunters.

"I have to meet up with Robert and ask him a few things, but kid if you are interested you don't have to tag along with me."

Nero pondered this for a moment trying to decide if he wanted to go with Dante and talk to the spicy food guy or watch some possibly badass witchcraft. He didn't think on it too long.

"I think I'll go with Marie and keep her company for a bit."

Marie gave a smile in response at hearing Nero's plans.

"Okay, call me when you are done and I'll take us back to the hotel, okay kid?"

Despite hearing it numerous times a day Nero still slightly cringed when Dante called him 'kid' He was always more aware of it when in the presence of other people- especially a woman.

"Yeah yeah, I got it old man."

Nero rolled his eyes and turned to walk towards Marie.

"Take good care of him," Dante laughed before turning and heading towards the parked black car.

"Don't worry, I will."

* * *

***gasp* Doesn't Nero know to never go with strangers!? He is always getting into shenanigans lol. You can expect some 'voodoo' magic to happen in the next chapter!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys. So I meant to post this chapter on Monday as a back-to-school special lol- that obviously didn't happen. I started back to school a few days ago so I'll update when I can. I feel like I always make excuses for not updating but usually end up posting things on schedule. Anyways, I hope that everyone enjoys the chapter!**

Beta Reader: the always lovely **bitbyboth **

* * *

Nero followed behind Marie. He wondered what exactly what he was getting himself into, but was excited nonetheless. Whatever they were going to do it was surely going to be better than listening to two old farts gossip and talk about nonsense.

"Where exactly are we going?" Nero questioned. He had his hands resting in his pockets in clenched fists. All sorts of wild scenarios were playing in his mind.

"When I was in town earlier this week a woman informed me that her husband had been a little distant lately. She suspects that he has been seeing other ladies."

Nero scowled at hearing this. Whatever he had been expecting this had not been it.

"…So, what does that have to do with us? Are we going to try and catch this guy with his pants down or what?"

Marie gave a hearty laugh. "My, you do have a way with words Nero. But no, I have a few tricks of my own that don't involve us being detectives to keep her man on the straight and narrow."

* * *

The duo arrived at a large two-story house near the middle of the town. It seemed to be one of the nicer homes in the backwoods community of Creola. They sauntered up the steps to the large wooden door and Marie gave a strong knock.

A few seconds later the front door opened and an older woman opened the door. She had graying hair and was casually dressed.

"Oh Marie, thank you for coming by," the weathered woman said. She opened the door and gestured for the pair to come into her abode.

"Certainly Lucy, it's my pleasure."

After Nero and Marie stepped into the foyer Lucy closed the door behind them and led them into her kitchen.

"Lucy this is Nero, he will be spectating this evening if you don't mind."

"Certainly, it's no trouble."

The older woman, Lucy, had a very tired and worn appearance. She had probably spent too many nights staying up worrying about her adulterous husband. Such a shame.

"Okay then let's get started. Did you prepare his dinner like I instructed you to?"

"Yes I did, tomato soup, just like you said."

Lucy walked over to the stove and removed the lid of a pot steaming on the burner. She picked up the wooden spoon lying on the counter and gave the thick soup a stir. The red soup swirled and gave off a rich aroma.

"Excellent. Now please come over here to the table and we can get to work."

The silver-haired slayer was completely lost. He wasn't sure if they were trying to catch a cheating man or trade family recipes for tomato soup. Whatever the case was he was just going to go along with it.

Lucy and Nero sat down at the kitchen table while Marie took the bag she was carrying and set it on the table. She opened the bag and rummaged around a bit before pulling out a large needle and a vial. Nero's eyes widened as the rather large needle came into view.

"I'm going to draw some of your blood Lucy then we can continue with the preparations."

Lucy look skeptical as well but it was evident that she fully trusted the witch doctor. She rolled up one of her sleeves and extended her arm to Marie. The dark-haired woman carefully stuck the needle into the woman's arm and began to slowly fill the needle.

After a full vial was filled she removed the needle and applied pressure to the point of extraction.

"What do we do now Miss Laveau?"

Lucy continued to apply pressure as Marie went to the sink and rinsed off the soiled needle. She returned to the two puzzled people seated at the table and explained.

"What I want you to do Lucy is add some of your blood to your husband's soup before serving it to him tonight. Don't use the entire vial; save enough so that you can add some to his coffee in the morning as well."

Nero's face looked shocked. The thought of adding one's blood to someone's meal was disgusting. Despite this he was really intrigued by the whole situation.

"By adding your blood to his food and drink you will keep him away from other women. He will be loyal and faithful to only you."

Lucy's face immediately perked up.

"Thank you so much Miss Laveau, I'll add it when I go to fix his bowl for dinner."

Marie gave a small bow before handing over the vial of blood to Lucy. She closed her bag and slung it over her shoulder.

"We should go Nero; we need to be gone by the time her husband arrives."

Nero stood from the table and pushed his chair in.

"Hold on one second." Lucy sauntered over to the kitchen counter and picked up an envelope. She handed the parcel to Marie. "Thank you again, you too Nero."

"No problem, thank you for inviting me into your house. I wish you the best of luck."

Marie tucked the envelope into her bag and headed for the front door. Nero followed behind her with Lucy taking the rear. The two walked out the front door and Lucy gave them a wave before disappearing into the house.

* * *

"That was….interesting," Nero finally spoke after a minute of silence.

"My methods may seem strange but they work. She will have no problem with her husband seeing other women- he will never quit her."

"How do you know all of this stuff anyways?"

Marie stopped for a moment and turned to Nero to answer.

"I learned from my mother, who learned from her mother. It's been passed down in my family for generations. The techniques have been proven to work for years over countless trials."

"Huh, seems crazy but I guess it must work. Dante said that the people in this town trust you right. That probably wouldn't be the case if your tricks never worked right?"

Marie nodded.

"Well Nero, that's all the business I had to take care of this evening. I appreciate you accompanying me on this trip. I'm going to head back home now."

"Wait, you're not going to walk back through the swamps this late at night are you?"

Nero's voice had a touch of concern; it didn't go unnoticed.

"I'll be fine, I have lived here all of my life and fear nothing living in these swamps." She reached out her hand and gave Nero's human hand a firm squeeze. "Thank you for your concern though, such a gentleman."

Marie released Nero's hand and turned her back to begin her long walk home.

"Perhaps we'll meet again hunter."

Nero watched her walk away as he flexed his hand. Her touch had left a surprising tingle on his hand- it was almost electrifying.

* * *

After Nero gave Dante a ring it wasn't long before he came and picked him up.

"So how was it kid, see anything interesting," Dante took his eyes off the road for a moment and glanced at Nero.

"Yeah you could say that."

He explained the strange events to Dante who didn't seem nearly as shocked as Nero had been. The elder slayer had apparently seen his fair share of strange things on his travels. He left out the part at the end where Marie gave him a friendly squeeze. Besides Nero had no time for a love interest- he took his job and this mission very seriously.

"So what did you find out from Robert?" Nero asked keeping the conversation flowing.

"Not much really. He gave me some more information on that girl that disappeared from her apartment on the French Quarter. She was apparently pretty wild and liked to go out and have a good time. Robert suspects that she may have met someone or something while out one night."

Nero listened, trying to piece things together, to no avail. All of the clues that they gathered seemed unrelated. He wasn't particularly good at detective work.

"I figured that tonight we should patrol around Creola since this is where the disappearances first took place. Tomorrow night we'll check the city out, okay kid?"

"Yeah okay."

This case was turning into something bigger and more involved than either of them had imagined. It was going to take a little more brains and a little less brawn than the pair was use to. They were, however, ready to tackle anything that came their way.

* * *

**So the new Avenged Sevenfold CD "_Hail to the King_" came out on Tuesday at I love it! I recommend it to anyone that likes rock. My favorite track is number 9: Planets. I've been jamming to it while driving to school in the mornings. It's an hour drive to class so it helps pass the time!**


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