As Vergil stepped out of the hospital, he took a deep breath, Dante was fine, they were all happy... So did he still feel like the scum of the earth? He needed to distract himself, he reached into his jacket, only to find his poetry book missing, Damnit!

"You alright there Vergil?"

He was startled when Dawn snuck up on him... That's right, he had never been snuck up on before, he would usually sense people before they got close, but this time it appeared he was too stressed

"Yes, Dawn. I am fine."

She dead gave a him a deadpan look before saying

"You were hyperventilating after you came outside."

Vergil scowled, he hated showing weakness, he was supposed to be the strong one, the unstoppable force. Yet there he was, about to collapse, all over a dream.

"I said I am fine. The person you should be worried about is Dante. What I am going through is mine alone."

He said, but as he came to know, she challenged him

"You know, talking about it could help. Whatever you're going through, you don't have to go through it alone."

She said, hoping to sway him. He instead dismissed her out of hand

"My problems are trivial. It does not matter what happens to me-"

"Well that's simply not true! Everyone's problems matter! And I can't help you if you don't want to he helped."

Her face feigned anger. But Vergil knew the true emotion beneath, concern. God, he hated when people were concerned for him.

"Let me pose a challenge then. A Pokémon battle, as you call it. If I win, you leave me alone. If you win, I'll talk."

His last sentence made him grit his teeth, he really hoped Griffon and Beowulf were up to it...

"Deal."

Dawn replied, a look of determination on her face. Finally... The first worthwhile battle...

Dante felt a sudden pain in his chest. After Dawn and Vergil had left he was instructed to get some sleep. But was pleasantly surprised by Beowulf jumping on his bed to wake him up, but the Mankey was far from happy, he looked distressed. The small Pokémon made a bunch of wild hand gestures before pointing outside, Dante then looked over at his window. He was on the ground floor, surely no one would notice he was gone for a few seconds, right?

"Dodge!"

Vergil ordered, Griffon deftly moved out of the way of a fire blast from Dawn's Chimchar, retaliating with an attack from his talons to its forehead.

"You're gonna have to do better than that! Chimchar, use Ember!"

By the time their battle had really kicked off, a small crowd had gathered around. Dante groaned as he clenched his chest, pushing his way to the front, he was not expecting the sight he was beholding. Instantly, he jumped in the middle of the two trainers

"Hold up! Hold up! What happened to being teammates?! We aren't supposed to fight!"

He said, wincing as his sudden movement hurt him even more. Vergil stared at him, now was not the time to be told off by his little brother

"Move out of the way, Dante. We have a battle to settle!"

The crowd around them seemed to be even more interested than before by the drama between them.

Dante stared back at Vergil, he tried to show anger, but it didn't escape the younger twin's notice that was glancing at his wounds. Knowing he wasn't going anywhere with his blockheaded brother, he turned to Dawn

"Mind telling me why you and Vergil are fighting in the middle of the street in front of a hospital?"

Dawn crossed her arms and gave a sigh of annoyance

"Well. Let's see, I saw your brother about to pass out when came outside. He refused to tell me what was wrong and challenged me to a battle."

Yep, that definitely sounded like something Vergil would do. Beowulf jumped in front of Griffon and began a tirade of squeals, yips, and a bunch of hand gestures that made the small bird look down in shame.

Vergil grit his teeth, he wouldn't lose to the likes of Dawn, nor his little brother

"I told you! It does not matter what happens to me! I do not need your help! I do not need anyone's help!"

Vergil looked around him at the whispering crowd and before turning around and running off, not even bothering to grab Griffon on the way. Dante tried pursuing only for his chest to explode his pain, Dawn rushed over to support and recalled all the Pokémon into their respective balls.

"I need to go after him. He's never acted like that before. Something is seriously wrong..."

When he tried to move, Dawn held him back, he struggled free and only managed to get a few feet before falling flat on his face.

She looked at the fallen boy and gave a huge sigh.

"If you're really going after him. At least let me help..."

She hoisted him up and they began going in the same direction Vergil had gone...

Vergil cursed himself again as he sat down by a river. He felt so... Weak, his outburst only furthering his sense of self-loathing. First, he couldn't protect his brother. Then, he tried fighting the person both of them had befriended. And now, he had retreated out of sheer anger. What was wrong with him?

'You failed him'

His dream echoed in his mind. If that wasn't true before, it is now. He had run away when his brother needed him... Again. He felt like the scum of the earth, he should have died a long time ago. He didn't deserve to be here, Dante did. He had saved the world countless times and did what was right. And yet, he was the one everyone, including Dante, worried about. He should be left to rot... It's what he deserved...

He heard the sound of someone calling his name through the forest, it was Dawn's. And by the sound of it, Dante was there, too. He looked at the river before him, if he jumped in it, they wouldn't notice, he would be washed away... And they'd be happy without him...

He stood up and walked over, he was literally one step away, but he hesitated, and then stepped away. Why?! Why was he such a coward?!

"There he is!"

He heard his brother's voice call, full of relief and hope. He fell on his knees and pounded his fist into the ground, he didn't deserve this, to be with people that cared, he deserved a death full of suffering. He felt his brother' arms wrap around, and couldn't contain himself anymore. Vergil felt several tears flow down his face. Dawn stood a few feet away, looking at both of them with her arms crossed.

"It's okay, I'm here. You can talk to me, Brother."

Dante reassured

"I failed you."

Vergil said, knowing he didn't deserve his brother's embrace.

"It's alright, everything's going to be oka-"

"No."

Vergil said. And caved, he told them everything, his dream, his feeling of worthlessness, how he didn't deserve to be with them. He expected his brother to throw him away, as he should. He didn't deserve the right to live-

"It's going to be fine."

Dante said, relieved that Vergil finally opened up to him. Before he could process what Dante had said, Dawn had joined in the embrace, trying to comfort the two brothers.

"I can't do anything right."

Vergil said

"Then let me help you."

Dante replied

"Everything I try to accomplish, I fail."

He said again, only for his brother to hug him tighter

"Then let me help you. Let both of us help."

Dawn nodded

"You don't have to carry your burdens alone, we're here for you."

She said. And that was when Vergil went from semi-composed to sobbing as his friends held onto him... Why? He didn't... Did he deserve this?

'You don't have to carry your burdens alone.'

'Then let me help you.'

For the first time in his life. A huge weight was lifted from his back. He no longer had to be alone, or fight all his battles by himself. He had Dawn and Dante... And he was grateful

"Thank you..."