Truth, Dare and Demons

Nero called Aurelio from a payphone in the town, he didn't want to risk Vergil over-hearing it and felt it might well be better if Dante wasn't listening for the first call too. Aurelio picked up the phone just as Nero was getting ready to hang up.

“Hello?”

“It's Nero, you left a message. I am sorry I didn't call straight back.” He rambled nervously.

“It's okay,” the voice said calmly, “I waited years, a day isn't so long, I know it must be a shock too, I had all but given up.”

“I need to be honest.” Nero said softly. “I don't remember you at all.”

“You wouldn't, you were barely born before we were left with the orphanage. I only just remembered having a brother.” Aurelio said gently. “Nero I can't tell you about our parents, I don't really recall much of it either.”

“How can you be sure it's me then?”

Aurelio explained he had known they were both placed in Fortuna, and that Nero's face had been on a few photograph's via all the destruction at the city. His investigations led him the fact that Nero was an orphan,, and well they looked so much alike...

Nero agreed to meet him, a coffee bar just on the edge of the centre. They agreed to meet the following day, at 1pm and Nero hung up the phone optimistic, given what they both knew.

The following day he had covered up his hand, and dressed, he didn't know what the man would make of the demonic heritage and did not want that to be the initial focus of the meeting. He left Red Queen at home, no point in him looking ready for war over a coffee.

Aurelio was as equally nervous, he had taken a pot-shot at finding a relative. Whilst neither may have any answers it would be a comfort to find a sibling. Meeting face-to-face meant Nero saw why Dante was convinced, they really did look the same. Other than Nero's demonic traits they would have passed for twins. They shook hands and sat down, Aurelio was curios immediately about the white hair and blue eyes, Nero explained to him what he knew, how he had come to find the changes and then finally about his hand. He told him about how he had been brought into the order and series of betrayal's that led to where he was now.

“That's about right.” Nero laughed.

Aurelio explained that he was placed out of the main area, working for shipments yards and then becoming a captain. He felt he was promoted too soon as well, but he tried and found it was a pressure that he could barely cope with. He'd got quite drunk one night and stumbled into a church, had prayed for a sign and yet never really found it. He carried on working, sank into the job instead of the drink and tried to keep up with the pressures of the job.

Three months prior, to him meeting Nero, he had sailed out to a cargo with a monastery on it, they were delivering stones for a new outbuilding. He went to the chapel and sat down to pray, when he got back to the ship he had news from a detective he'd employed to try and locate his family, they called him to say they might have found out, that person was Nero.. he felt if there was ever a sign, then well... that must be it.

“What do we do now?” Nero pondered. “I feel sure this all is correct, look at us, we could probably pass as twins.”

“Unless I was asked to get into a fight.” The dark haired man chuckled. “I think it would be very clear then.”

“Well I hope you never have to get into any.” Nero smiled. “I don't want to think that being in trouble is our family trait.”

They agreed to meet again when Aurelio's next shipment run was complete. Nero wasn't sure if he should be warning him about Vergil but in the end he decided it was best too. He didn't want to let anything put an innocent person at risk, if he could help it. Nero headed back to the DMC and got ready to tell Dante what was going on, also to see what was going on with Rose and see if the answers matched up.