T'was The Night Before X'Mas

or Account of A Visit From Nelo Angelo with apologies to the original author and
to CAPCOM, as, obviously, Dante and Nelo Angelo aren't mine.

for Juza Sukegawa-san and FIREHOUSE ^o^v

T'was the night before X'mas, and all through the house,
not a creature was stirring, half-demon or mouse.
Black boots were sitting drying next to the fire
Crusted with devil guts, icky with mire

Dante was nestled all snug in his bed
He'd capped sixteen devil scum square in the head
He slept in the nude, snuggled up to his guns
dreaming of devils all turned into chum.

When out on the fire escape was a clatter
He fell out of bed to see what was the matter
Scrambling to the window, guns at the ready
he peered out the curtains, aim true and steady

The streetlamp and neon on dirty old snow
The howl of far sirens as police come and go
He blinked once or twice, not quite believing
At the armored blue guy on the edge was relieving

Himself so it seemed and Dante just stared
(the blue guy, if noticed, didn't much care)
Then out of the night, like a bolt from the blue
Came his chariot pulled by a horrible crew

"Now Ifrit! Now Griffon! Now Phantom and Shadow!
On Sin Sycthe! Alastor and gibbering lizards!
To the top of roof, and over the bar
Now let's fly from here, fly away, fly away far!"

They rose up above and flew straight away
Leaving dante perplexed at the quick fading bray
Scratching his head, but impressed by the sight
and just slightly disappointed at the lack of a fight.

Then quick as a wink, a thud on the roof
the claws scratching, paws padding and hoovings of hoofs
Guns drawn in his hands and he turned quick around
The blue guy appeared in the room with a bound.

He was dressed all in black armor with no little grace
A smug look planted across his familiar blue face
The sword on his back was really quite large
And with nary a word he started his charge

His eyes how they burned! His stare full of fire!
But it wasn't from anger, nor fury nor ire.
With a droll little smirk he went straight for the kill
But Dante, unclothed, felt quite a chill.

They battled with force and annoyed all the neighbors
But it soon became clear what the real purpose was for
With a wink of his eye and a shove on the rump
It was perfectly obvious, he wanted to hump.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work
And quite filled up Dante (who had called him a jerk)
Gasping and moaning, they demolished a desk
And when they were finshed, left the room in a mess

He gave Dante a kiss and to his crew a low call
And vanished like that, like spring into fall.
But he chuckled just once as he vanished from sight.
"Merry Christmas, dear brother. And next time, we'll fight."