XDH Chapter 2

[madimpossibledreamer]

This is the good Dante, not that new one.  Acknowledges the existence of the anime, don't know if that's a problem for anyone, but it's how I got into the series in general, so it deserves the homage.  Also, as mentioned, includes the female Xander (Alex).

Main Points:
Buffy/Devil May Cry Halloween Crossover, Buffy AU
Chapter Summary: Dante helps the ghost and tries to get his bearings.
Word Count: 1,291
Rating: Gen??

 

He let off a few shots as he neared the area where the scream had come from.  Again, not aiming to hit, for once, just scare the vamps off.  True, innocents weren't supposed to get hurt, if possible, but better them than the normal screaming blonde.  In a dress.  A big, confining dress that meant one could barely move around.  Well, she was no Lady, that was for sure.  Or Trish.  Either of them would be preferable.  Civilians in the middle of a demon-infested town was kind of a nightmare that he didn't particularly want to deal with.

He took a chance and let out just a bit of his power.  It was a bit uncomfortable, but not bad.  And it definitely let the fangs know what they were dealing with—a second of staring in surprised terror and then they were gone.  He was half tempted to laugh.  He'd never seen vampires run that fast.  But then, in the areas he frequented, they tended to stay out of the spotlight.

Blondie took that moment to scream and faint.

Wonderful.

"BUFFY!" Red-no, Willow-screamed, running to the fallen girl.

Dante followed much more slowly.  There wasn't a real point to rushing, after all.  For the moment, the girl was safe, and at this point it was probably more important to find somewhere safe to stash all the non-combatants.  The screamer's probably of no use and, oh, the ghost, as far as I can tell, can't fight.  As usual, it's all up to me.  No pressure or anything.

If only there was an expert in town, someone who could possibly tell them where the nasty devil or spellcaster was hiding, or at least give him a general area of where to look, because as far as he could tell from what Willow had told him, she didn't really know that much, or the town wasn't really that happening.

Then he frowned, rethinking that statement.  Not happening, huh?  That's gotta be a joke.  Closed or not, they had a portal to the Underworld here.  That kind of power drew demons, whether because it made them stronger or because they were jockeying for power or because they wanted to open it and let their masters through.  Whatever the cause, having 'just vampires' didn't exactly make sense.  Other demons ought to have pushed in and taken over by now.

Okay, so how about this?  This town is home to some sort of ubervampire or something.  Some kind of vampires or vampire activity that keeps the other demons from slaughtering them all.  And the other demons are the kinds that like to stick to the shadows and prey on people from there, rather than being freaking obvious about it.

Great.  He absolutely hated those kinds of enemies, especially if he wasn't sure what he should fight because of the stupid spell.  Give him a straightforward (or fun) fight anyday.

"Buffy!  Buffy, wake up!"

He'd since moved into a waiting stance, sword over his shoulder, gun pointed at the ground, ready to move into combat at a moment's notice.  To be honest, he kind of really wanted the combat at the moment-something familiar that he could take comfort in, because so much of this was unsettling.  He couldn't just relax-and that was wrong.

The lady screamed and sat up again, staring at the ghost warily. 

"Buffy!" Red greeted her happily, but from the look she was being given, he didn't expect too much out of the woman.

"Who are you?" she asked with disdain.

"Buffy?" Willow repeated, this time sorrowfully, with just the slightest bit of misguided hope.

"My name is Lady Elizabeth, and I certainly wouldn't associate with a person such as yourself..."  Great, not only wasn't she herself, but she also was now a stuck-up brat.  Kind of like Patty, but more annoying.  "I order you to tell me immediately what is happening."

"Lady Elizabeth."  He stepped forward, bowing slightly.  Poor Willow.  Whatever time period Lady Elizabeth was from, the girl must look like a prostitute to the noble brat.  This when she'd even chickened out of actually wearing it.  Life really wasn’t fair sometimes.  "My name is Dante.  I'm a bodyguard from a far land, experienced in fighting sorcerers and demons, and I have been sent to ensure your safety.  Unfortunately, the evil sorcerer has cast a spell transporting us elsewhere.  It can be undone," at least, he hoped so, "...but I require your cooperation, my lady."

Where he'd gotten all the fancy words from, he wasn't entirely certain.  Hey, Alex, if you're in there, thanks. 

At least it had an effect.  She still thought that they were both beneath her, but at least he had a legitimate job.  "I assume you are capable of fighting, though why you are not instead trying to make a good marriage... It must be a very strange land where women can be bodyguards."

The thought entered his head, and he couldn't help but speak it, hiding the mischievous smile.  "Alastor, my lady.  The land of Alastor."  He felt the amusement in his mind, which ensured some sort of smile reached his lips.

"I have never heard of it.  The land must be far away indeed."  She paused, then sighed.  "You have some sort of plan, bodyguard?"

He bristled a little-she wasn't using his name because she was clearly superior to him-but held his words back.  Getting angry over something like that or leaving her on her own when she'd certainly be killed would be childish and stupid.

"We should take shelter, but Miss Willow is more likely to know of likely places than I."  The woman was going to argue-did she have no sense of self preservation?-so he quickly continued.  "She was an inhabitant of this place before the sorcerer cast his spell, which changed her as you see.”  True enough.  “Her spirit returned to help ensure no others lost their lives due to the man's evil.  I..." Lady Elizabeth was going to try to interrupt yet again.  Well, he'd soon prove which was more forceful.  "...have given her the necessary tests to show her goodness, and I am certain of her loyalty."

“I will trust you know your business.  Where is your usual mistress who, I assume, sent you to my side?  She is not, I hope, caught up in this devil-worshipper’s scheme?”  Shoot, that’s actually a good question.

“Fortunately, I believe Trish was not caught up in this mess.”  She’d deal with it a lot better than Lady would, that’s for sure, and Lady wasn’t a name but a title back then.

“You certainly are from a far land.  You all have very strange names,” Elizabeth says, sniffing, and then nods.  “Perhaps it does make some sense to allow female servants to protect their Ladies, in order to protect their honor, should any be found with the skills.  I will ignore your lack of manners in addressing your mistress by her given name, and I will compensate your Lady Trish for borrowing her servant.  You will bring me to a safe place and protect me as you would your Lady Trish.”

Dante’s too preoccupied trying to stop the amusement at the idea of protecting Trish’s honor from showing on his face to object.  From the look the ghost shoots him, he’s not entirely successful, but the one he’d been trying to keep it from luckily hasn’t noticed.  He bows to the brat.  “I will do my best, my lady.”  Actually, he’s getting the idea that whoever he tells about this, if he actually makes it back home, no one will believe him.

He barely moves as he aims Dusk at an approaching vampire’s feet and hears it run screeching.  “Willow, the safe house, if you please.”