Chapter 2 – Sibling Bonds

As the years passed, Clover, Vergil and Dante grew closer and closer. Soon they were almost inseparable. They always had each other when they needed someone to talk to, and they were always making each other happy, one would think they came from the same parents, although technically they came from one of the same parents…

When Clover entered 9th Grade, however, something happened that was to change her life.

"Daddy! Daddy! I have something to ask you." Clover stated as she came in from school one day.

"What is it dear? I'm sure I can answer whatever concern you may have." Sparda replied as he looked up from his newspaper.

"Where did Vergil and Dante get their amulets from? They always wear them…" Clover seemed a bit envious of her two brothers' jewelry.

"They received them from their mother; I gave the amulets to them on their tenth birthday, which just happened to be two days before you came into our lives." Sparda smiled a soft smile as he recollected the events of that chaotic week.

"Oh…. Their mom… I'm sorry I asked then…" Clover dropped her head as though she had invoked the wrath of her father.

"Oh, no young one, It's quite alright. You did nothing wrong. Your mother will be home with the boys soon. Is there anything that you want for a snack while we wait?"

"Can I get some S'mores?"

Sparda gave a soft laugh, "Of course. Come. We'll make them together."

Clover cheered, "Yay!"

When the father-daughter combo finished getting the chocolate and marshmallows and graham crackers all ready, they put a trey of twelve S'mores in the oven. After five minutes, Clover rushed to get them out.

"I got it daddy." Clover opened the door of the oven and reached in, barehanded and burnt the skin off her hand.

She gave a brief cry from the searing pain that had come and gone too quickly, but Sparda was there to check on his little girl. The injury had healed itself, much like it had when she almost died in the car accident.

"Daddy? What… just happened?" Clover stared at her hands as the redness faded back into the pale white that was her skin.

"Hm… it seems your powers are coming through as well." Sparda cupped his chin with one hand and used the other to observe Clover's healed hand.

"Is that good or bad?"

"Well, in reality, there will be those who are afraid of things like this, but I think that it's a good thing. The time will come when you and your brothers will do great things, when this happens… I won't be around anymore…"

"What do you mean daddy?" Clover had no Idea of what her father was really into.

"I hate to say this, but you'll see soon." With that, Sparda gave Clover a few S'mores and took her and sat her on his lap in the living room, near the fireplace and waited for Vergil, Dante, and Stella.

When Vergil and Dante could be heard, Sparda looked to see them being followed by a blonde beauty, Stella. She gave a pleased smile to Sparda, and he gladly returned the gesture.

"I have some news for you honey." Sparda said in a cool voice as he gave a warm hug to his wife.

"Really? What could it be? Did my baby get her powers yet?" Stella asked with a big smile. She was waiting for this event for some time now. The arrival of ones' own powers usually signaled their stroll into adulthood.

"Yep. Although we kind of saw it by accident…" Sparda looked at Vergil, who was telling Clover and Dante about his day at school, and called to Clover.

"Clover, dear, could you come here for a second?"

"Coming daddy!" Clover replied and jogged over to the hall where the two parents were.

"Yes dad-? Oh, mommy! Look!" Clover showed Stella the hand that had been burnt, only for Sparda to explain.

"We were making her favorite snack when she'd burnt her hand, but It recovered almost as soon as it came."

Stella gave a small clap of excitement, then Clover went back to join her two brothers. When he was sure of them being out of earshot, he gave Stella some grave news.

"I'm afraid that after tonight, you'll have to raise Clover alone…"

"What do you mean?"

"I found those demons that nearly killed your – I mean, our, daughter. It turns out they are part a syndicate army of demons… I plan to take out the entire fortress tonight, but it may very well cost my life… I have enough money in banks across the country so that you can live peacefully without me, but…" Sparda gave off a cool vibe at the start, but slowly became taken over by grief, the grief of not seeing his little girl grow up any longer…

"But… Tomorrow's Clover's 15th birthday… That would break her heart to find out you died on the day she was born…" Stella was saddened by the news as well, and it was showing.

"I know… But I'll leave her with something very valuable. It's in the weapons case, with Vergil's and Dante's…"

"Cant you wait until after her birthday to get them? Please… I don't want to give bad new on a happy day… especially news that could ruin her for the rest of her life."

Sparda looked as though her argument was compelling. "I think their next location will be in Beverly Hills… So I'll just move us out there then take care of them… I want to see my little girl's first day of High school as well…" Sparda gave his wife a gentle hug and they went to the living room to see Dante and Vergil telling Clover a story.

"Alright you three. It's dinnertime, what do you want to go out and have?" Stella asked the young teens.

Dante shot up and said, "Pizza Hut!"

Vergil and Clover replied at the same time, "Chinese Take out."

Stella giggled and looked at Sparda, "Well? What about you?"

"I want some pizza too. We haven't had it in a while you know. And I hear they have more variety with the toppings. I tell you what… We'll go tomorrow, for Clover's birthday, and go to an 'All you can eat' spot. Okay?"

Vergil and Clover nodded and Dante gave a fist pump. "Oh yeah! Pizza Hut here we come baby!"

"Clover come here. I want to give you something…" Vergil tapped Clover on her arm as he passed her and went to the dining room.

"What is it Vergil? " Clover followed Vergil and glanced around, not seeing anything except him and her in the room.

"I'm giving you your birthday gift early." Vergil stated and held out a small jewelry box.

Clover's eyes got wide and she gasped. "What is it? Is it a necklace?" Clover asked and shook the box gently.

"Well, open it and see."

Clover opened the box and saw a small necklace shaped just like Vergil's, and it held the same color, the only difference was that the gem inside was blue instead of red. Clover put the necklace on and squealed happily then hugged her oldest brother.

"Vergil thanks so much! This means the world to me! You're so cool… The coolest big brother ever." Clover nuzzled her face in his chest.

"It was no big deal. I'm just glad that you're my sister."

"I'm sorry that I couldn't get you anything for your birthday though…" Clover whined a tiny bit in the statement.

"It's nothing Clover, besides, You're here and that's all that I really wanted for my birthday anyway." Vergil hugged his little sister and stopped her before she began to cry.

"Same here you two. You know, I think you're trying to one up me big bro." Dante called into the room from the doorway, getting the attention of the other siblings.

"Dante? I'm sorry I didn't get you anything either…" Clover hung her head and spotted another necklace box in the hands of Dante.

"Chilax little sib. It's all good. Here. I gotcha somethin' too." Dante gave Clover a necklace just like his as well, and again the gem was blue instead of Red.

The two devil twins spoke at the same time, "Just like the ones our mother gave us, ya know?" and held their amulet necklaces up to compare theirs to hers. Vergil's gold, Dante's Silver.

Their father stood in the doorway now, and he was about to bestow upon his three children their gifts as well.

"Vergil, Dante, Clover… Come into my study. I want you all to have these before we set out for dinner."

The three siblings all ventured into their father's study and he had four blades on his desk. One was a great sword, another was a Japanese sword, a katana, and the last pair was a pair of ninja blades, which were smaller than a katana but had the same shape.

"Whoa dad! We get to get these weapons of yours? Awesome!" Dante said as he gaped at the three shining pieces of metal that were on the desk.

Sparda smiled and took the great sword, the rebellion, and placed it in Dante's hands. Then Sparda got the katana and twirled it around a bit then sheathed it and gave it to Vergil. Lastly, Sparda gave the two ninja blades to Clover, in a similar fashion in which he'd given Vergil the Katana.

The three siblings held their weapons in the air and smiled, "We are the Children of Sparda! Jackpot!"

The family laughed and then they got into the car and headed for Pizza hut and prepared to have a great night for Clover's coming birthday.