red grave city au with alastor

[carvemyname]

 

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[superstylishsquid]

I know my limits. I actually spent weeks in this form after being forced into it, while injured, and I handled myself fine.

[He shrugs.]

Would've been a nuisance if something had tried to ruin my day, but I haven't seen anything in town that I couldn't handle like this.

[carvemyname]

...alright.

[ Vergil gives in on his argument, but Dante looks curious. ]

So what called for this, anyway?

[superstylishsquid]

Mix of things. Wanted to talk to Trish about something I didn't wanna bring up with you two until after, had some things I needed to gather for that project, and I just got sick enough of being cooped up unless I was invisible to put up with being grounded.

[He grimaces at that last word.]

Not having my wings is the real inconvenience of trying to blend in with humans.

[carvemyname]

I bet. I can't imagine being without something I value as much as an arm.

[ Dante pauses and then, when he speaks again, both twins ask together. ]

Project?

[superstylishsquid]

The grave marker. Can't just carve a chunk of cement into a box and call it a day. Enchantments like the sorts I'm promising involve a bit of what people these days call alchemy.

Though, what I was talking to Trish about...well, it's a little relevant to that project. You two might wanna sit down.

[carvemyname]

...sure.

[ Dante sits down at his desk. Vergil stays standing and raises his eyebrows. ]

Go ahead.

[superstylishsquid]

It's about Eva. I had a suspicion from Mallet, but talking to Trish and taking a look at the amulet myself confirmed it.

[He walks over to where he left his sword on the wall and takes it in hand. A gust of wind blows through the room as his demonic features return.]

Part of the point of a personal Devil Arm is that we demons seal a small fragment of ourselves into a weapon, so that our soul goes there if something destroys our physical body. 'S how I'm standing here now, even though Mundus killed me.

Manipulating souls like that isn't something that can be accomplished with witchcraft, but it is something demonic magic can do to someone else. And it seems like Sparda did that for your mother, because her soul didn't pass on to the underworld like would be expected. It's in that same pendant that got split between the two of you.

[carvemyname]

...

[ Vergil sits down now, very heavily. Dante and he both looked stunned, and at a loss for words.

It's Dante who finally speaks. ]

Can we get it out of there?

[ He doesn't want to get his hopes up... ]

[superstylishsquid]

Technically, yeah. Resurrecting witches has been attempted before...ever hear about Eurydice? But it's only as simple as putting the soul back in the body when the corpse is fresh.

[He shakes his head.]

We'd need to come up with a new vessel for it, or else...well, you might not like the other option. The souls of witches who survive in the underworld for long enough become demons in their own right. I could facilitate that transformation, but she wouldn't be human anymore. And I can't guarantee the transition would be smooth after this long separated from her mortality.

[carvemyname]

No.

[ That's Vergil. He sounds insistent enough on it that Dante looks surprised, and looks at him for an explanation that doesn't come. Instead, Vergil just brings up more questions. ]

Where would we get a vessel?

[superstylishsquid]

That's the tricky part. It's possible a similar corpse that recently died would work, but I doubt anyone here has keys to a morgue.

Otherwise, the only thing I can think of is a homunculus. Use a combination of magic and alchemy to make something functionally identical to a human body, just without a soul of its own.

[carvemyname]

What would you do?

[ Dante has no idea what to think about any of this. What option is best does not seem obvious at all. All he knows is that suddenly, he could have his mother back and he wants that very badly. ]

[superstylishsquid]

The homunculus would be a lot of work, but...I just can't think of any ways to get our hands on a fresh human corpse that don't feel kind of gross.

[carvemyname]

You could rely on me to get one.

[ Vergil is the one who says this, and Dante eyes him. ] Huh?

[ Vergil shakes his head. ]

Just don't ask any questions about how and I'll get a body.

[ Dante... is not comfortable with that. ]

Uh...

[superstylishsquid]

No.

[It's Alastor's turn to be firm this time.]

I know you want to get her out of there, and I have plenty of sympathy for her situation, but it's not going to involve stepping on someone else.

[carvemyname]

...

[ Vergil looks discontent, and Dante levels him with a stare. ]

Just because we aren't doing it the easy way doesn't mean it's not gonna happen.

[superstylishsquid]

I'll talk to Rodin. If anyone has the connections and supplies to make this easier, it's him.

[carvemyname]

He'd probably like to see her come back, too.

[ At least that's what Dante thinks. ]

[superstylishsquid]

I think you're right. He's always enjoyed doing business with witches...don't tell him I said this, but I kinda think he's got a fondness for humans, too.

[carvemyname]

...she probably wouldn't look at me the same, if I gave her a used body? Mother, I mean.

[ Dante looks surprised at the interruption, but he's quick to verify it. ]

Probably not.

[ He can't be kind about this. ]

[superstylishsquid]

[He shakes his head.]

Demons like me and Trish have an easy time changing our appearance because our bodies are essentially solidified spiritual energy. Human bodies are entirely material, though...put a soul in a different body, and nothing about the body would change.

[carvemyname]

So what, she'd have characteristics of someone else?

[ Dante doesn't like that. ]

[superstylishsquid]

If we used someone else's body, yeah. That's an advantage of the homunculus, we can shape its appearance during creation.

[carvemyname]

How long is this going to take?

[ Vergil has to try not to be impatient, apparently. Dante frowns. ]

Probably awhile?

[superstylishsquid]

Yeah, these things don't happen overnight. At best, we're looking at a few days...and that's if Rodin already has everything we need.