Cassandra could feel warmth on her cheek as she was dragged towards consciousness. She fought to return to the soothing blackness of sleep but it was too late. Blearily, she opened her eyes and woke up a little more when she realized that Vergil was still in the chair though at some point he'd fallen asleep. A heavy volume rested face down in his lap. He stayed. But, I shouldn't be surprised. If nothing else, Vergil keeps his word.

The woman lay there for several minutes simply trying to summon the will to move. The previous night's tears had provided some relief but the feeling of violation would not leave her so easily. Slowly, she slipped out of the side of the opposite Vergil and started for the chair by the window.

"Don't you dare go and sulk in that chair again."

Gasping softly, she spun to find Vergil awake and watching her with steely eyes. "What?"

"You heard me," Vergil stood. He knew little of emotional matters but he also knew he could not let her return to her lifeless musings. He would help in the only way he knew how. If she hated him for it so be it. "You are not going to spend the day sulking in that chair. It's a waste of time. Get dressed."

Green eyes lit with outrage and Vergil carefully repressed a pleased smirk. If she could get this angry this quick she was not broken. Battered perhaps, but not beyond repair.

"Sulking?" she hissed, "Just who do you think you are you sanctimonious . . ."

"I am your master, remember?" Vergil interrupted imperiously, "I ordered you to get dressed. Now."

Her features twisted with pained confusion. Vergil had been so kind to her and more caring that she'd thought possible. She couldn't understand this return to her cold, impersonal master. As much as Cassandra hated to admit it, she was hurt by it.

His cold heart twisted a little in his chest and Vergil almost back down. Then, he quickly composed himself. Weakness did not suit him and it would certainly not help her. "I'll be waiting downstairs. You'd best be down there in twenty minutes." Turning his back on her splutter, he strode from the room shutting the door behind him.

For several minutes, Cassandra just stared at the door in mute rage. Then, she considered simply not going. She knew, however, that Vergil would just come back upstairs and drag her out of the room if necessary.

Resigned, Cassandra quickly pulled on a clean pair of black pants and a black shirt. It matched her current mood at least. She ran the brush through her hair and then hurled the item across the room. Angrily stuffing her feet into her boots, she stomped out of the room slamming her door behind her.

Storming down the stairs, she found Vergil waiting impatiently by the door holding Yamato in one hand and a sword she had never seen before in the other.

"You're five minutes late," Vergil informed her. "Don't let it happen again." He watched her face redden and wait to see if she would react. He could sense the anger in her and it had to come out or it would destroy her. But no. It appeared she was not ready.

"Forgive me, Master," she replied blandly.

The half-devil struggled briefly with frustration and annoyance before shrugging them both off. It was too soon for such things. "Follow me," he commanded, striding out into the sunlight.

He led her around to the back of the structure into a clearing. He extended the sword to her hilt first. "Take it."

Tentatively, Cassandra took the blade, swinging it experimentally to get used to it. "You want to spar?" she asked confused.

"You're hardly at a level to call it sparring just yet," Vergil sneered, carefully watching her face, "But, yes, you need to train. Now, attack me."

The woman scowled at the insult. So, I'm not an almighty master of the sword just yet. He doesn't have to be an ass about it. I don't even want to be out here.

Anger and frustration flooded her and she grabbed onto it making a wild lunge that Vergil blocked easily.

"That was pathetically sloppy," he snapped, "You can do better."

Adjusting her grip on her sword, Cassandra circled the more powerful devil searching for an opening. Vergil merely watched her with a mocking smirk in his eyes. "Are you going to do something today?" he drawled. Damn Rine. She's not reacting like she should and she is better than this. I never imagined I'd be trying to piss her off. But if she 'master's me one more time I may be ill. He decided to take a chance. "You're weak. And that is why Rine was able to capture you."

Green eyes flashed blue and Cassandra let out of scream of rage. She attacked in earnest then and though Vergil was still far better he was pleased to see that she was using everything he'd taught her in their brief lessons. He let her release her fury merely blocking and dodging as necessary. Each time he dodged she became even more angry.

"Damn you, Vergil," she yelled as they locked blades, "You think you're so fucking perfect! The almighty son of Sparda. Well, guess what," she pushed away to glare at him, "Mundus made a puppet of you. So you aren't as bad assed as you seem to think. You and Rine can both get really fucked, you hear me? Damn you for killing him because I wanted to!" She began to hack mindlessly again, "Damn him. I hate him. I hate him. I HATE HIM!"

Trusting his instincts, Vergil chose that moment to end it. He twisted Yamato sending Cassandra's sword flying through the air to clatter to the ground yards away. A swift kick sent her skidding across the grass. When she finally slid to a stop, his sword was already pressed her neck.

Damn! She'd hit a nerve with her words about Mundus' control over him. Yet, she'd spoken the truth. He was not invincible. The Demon King had pillaged his memories and taken everything that had made Vergil the man he was away. It was a violation of his mind and, he suddenly realized, that he did understand how she felt at least a little.

Cassandra glared up at Vergil defiantly attempting to read the look in his eyes. Abruptly, she realized that he'd done this on purpose. Every word he'd spoken since she had climbed from the bed had been intended to snap her control. It had worked. Last night she had released her grief over what Rine had done to her and now she had released the poison of her anger. Yet, she knew she no longer wanted to be so powerless.

"Teach me," she said clearly, "Teach me to be strong."

Vergil stepped back taking Yamato from her neck. "You are strong," he said quietly, "You have strength of spirit and will. Without that, a warrior is nothing. You were right when you pointed out that I am not all-powerful. No one is except perhaps God. Not even Mundus for my father defeated him. I can't promise you that you'll never fall."

"I know," Cassandra replied steadily, "But I don't want to be defenseless. I . . .I need to feel like I can take care of myself. If I fall, I want to go knowing that I died fighting. Teach me to be a warrior."

Blue eyes studied the woman below him. Vergil was wise enough to know that Cassandra was not magically free from the emotional scars of her ordeal but he was confident now that she would heal and be stronger for it if given the proper outlet. Vergil sheathed Yamato and extended his hand. Cassandra took it and allowed him to yank her to her feet. "There is more to being a warrior than swordsmanship. Come."

This was the beginning of an intense mentorship between Vergil and Cassandra. Every moment she wasn't sleeping or eating she was training. They worked for hours each day on her sword fighting capabilities and Vergil even trained her in the use of a firearm.

"These weapons are uncivilized," he said, "But they can be useful and you should have knowledge of as many weapons as possible."

Cassandra found that despite Vergil's disdain of guns that she enjoyed the weapons and quickly became a good shot.

At Vergil's insistence she also spent a good portion of her time reading and developing her aptitude with magic. "Knowledge is power," Vergil said, "So you must obtain all the knowledge you can if you truly wish to be a powerful devil."

Too soon the day came when they must return to the Demon World. Vergil ran calculating eyes over his student and was pleased by what he saw. She was improving quickly and more importantly, she had regained the vivacity that Rine had briefly ripped away. No one in the underworld would see anything amiss.

Cassandra stood with Vergil in the clearing that had become their training grounds. "Do you really want to go back?" she asked softly.

"We have no choice," Vergil answered stoically, Rine's blade clutched in his hand. "We don't belong here."

"I'll miss it," she sighed. Shaking herself, she opened the portal. "Ready when you are."

This time, Vergil stepped through first, never looking back. Cassandra was touched by the trust this implied and then by guilt at the urge to simply close the portal. Yet, she knew that she never could. For better or worse her life was bound to Vergil's. She owed him too much to betray him like that. With a last look around at the lush green of the human world she stepped through, the portal hissing shut behind her.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Vergil's eyebrows arched when Cassandra stepped out of the portal behind him. He knew what he'd done that by going through first. He'd allowed her to choose. Looking into her eyes her realized that she knew what she'd done by returning with him. Cassandra was too smart to have missed the opportunity he'd given her. So be it.

"We must report to Mundus." He looked across the barren terrain at fortress of the Demon King looming in several hundred yards away.

"Let's get going then," she sighed.

Together they walked the short distance into the castle, the guards allowing them entrance immediately upon recognizing Vergil. The half-devil directed them easily towards Mundus' throne room where he waited patiently for Mundus to acknowledge him.

In moments he was called before his master. "You've returned at last, Vergil," Mundus boomed as Vergil and Cassandra knelt, "I see you were successful."

"Yes, Master," Vergil said holding the blade out above his head, "I have brought you Rine's own blade as proof."

"It took longer than I expected," Mundus said studying his servant closely.

It did not escape Vergil that he had not yet been given permission to rise. "Forgive me, Master," Vergil said carefully, "Rine was clever, and it took time for me to track him to his lair." Not exactly a lie.

"And this was all that caused you to take so long to return?"

Damn it. Mundus knew something. "No, my lord," Vergil took a chance, "My slave was injured during the battle and I allowed her time to recover before we returned. Forgive me if I have angered you, but my lord did give me two weeks to complete my task."

"So I did," Mundus acknowledged, "Rise." The Emperor's eyes shifted to the woman who stood behind Vergil. "She has been a great trial?"

Summoning up all the cold arrogance at his disposal Vergil shook his head. "Nothing I can't handle, Master. She is learning quickly."

"I am told that before that before departed you were training her in the use of a sword."

"Yes, my lord," Vergil admitted.

"Has she made progress? Cassian," Mundus gestured to the large cockroach glaring at them from the left, "Said that she showed little ability."

Vergil gave Cassian a condescending glance. "It seems, my lord, that the problem wasn't the student but the teacher. Cassandra has done well under my tutelage."

"I don't believe it," Cassian snapped, "You're lying. No one could teach that worthless creature to wield a sword."

"Have a care, Cassian," Vergil growled.

"Enough," Mundus commanded, "This argument is easily settled. Bring Naos to me."

"Naos?" Vergil asked uneasily, "I don't understand, Master." Naos was one of the lower members of Mundus court. He wasn't particularly powerful but the half-devil didn't like where this was going.

"Naos has been found to have been one of Sizol's supporters. I have sentenced him to death." Mundus explained as the demon in question was hauled before him. Naos wasn't a large demon but his eyes glinted with cunning and fear as he was forced to bow before his King. "I'm in a generous mood, Naos," Mundus said, "I was going to have you executed but I'm going to give you a chance. You will face Vergil's slave in a trial by combat. If you defeat her you will be exiled but you may keep your miserable hide intact. If you loose . . . well, I'm sure you understand."

Vergil wanted to protest but he bit his tongue. Arguing with Mundus would only cause further harm. Cassandra was looking at him nervously but she seemed resigned. Mundus word was law in the Demon Realm.

Each of the combatants were handed a sword and the room was cleared of furniture as the occupants formed a circle around them. Cassandra hefted her sword, aware of Vergil's anxious gaze on her and hoped that she would not let him down.

Well, at last another chapter. Verge is really being a shithead but after much arguing we compromised and came up with this chapter. Let me know what ya think!

Eliina: It is nice sometimes. And my Zack muse is so nice to have around when I'm tired or have had a bad day. Vergil has his moments but he's a lot more temperamental. LOL. I think this chapter was pretty fast paced. Be sure to let me know what you think.

Devil Rebel: I'll try as soon as Vergil stops pouting.

MacAnimeGirl: Of course. He can't cooperate with two people at once that shithead. LOL. He'd better appreciate it with all the aggravation he's causing me. Thanks for reviewing!