There was one thing Hara hated and that was being surprised, along with having to deal with a fool hurting her family or friends. After groaning from her headache Hara turned to her right to see V out cold causing fear to form in her now trembling body.
"V are you okay?" Hara nudged him slightly before checking his pulse, feeling it she then checked his mental state only to sense something amiss. It was almost as if his soul had left the body despite being inside the body at the same time leaving her frustrated.
"What did that witch do to you?" she grumbled as she closed her eyes and focused on giving him strength to help him wake up. To her dismay nothing was happening except the occasional twitches, murmurs or yelps of pain leaving her conflicted. What could she do? She couldn't enter minds or dreams, she was not made for that. If anything she could only provide some help with her life force, something that would probably get her scolded now by the sleeping poet. However due to the timing and how little they had left before things hit the fan. Hara was more than determined to help him.
Feeling her energy leave her Hara winced but kept on forcing V to accept her energy until suddenly his eyes snapped open. Gasping for air he looked at her before gripping her arm as tightly as he could.
"St-Stop it" V groaned weakly surprising her enough to sigh in relief. Feeling the flow stop Hara and V sighed heavily before she flopped beside him.
"Don't! Do that!" V forced out as he gave her a scolding look despite looking withered and weak, his eyes widened as he saw some skin webbing appear on her cheek which she ignored.
"What happened? You passed out" Hara asked only to pause as she watched him sit up and place a hand to her cheek, feeling the rough flaky texture leave his fingers V's eyes narrowed as frustration filled his mind.
"You used too much power, you could have died" V muttered weakly as a sick feeling entered his stomach.
"I know my limits V, you needed it" Hara watched him shake his head.
"That demon- Malphas set a trap for me. She separated me from my familiars" V explained, watching her stunned expression. "You shouldn't have done that, you've already done so much"
"For all I knew, not enough" Hara said before slowly getting up, wincing as her body screamed in protest due to how much energy she had left.
"Be careful" V scolded as he helped her sit up, groaning weakly she sighed heavily before leaning her head on his shoulder.
"Glad you don't have to feel this though, that's more important" she commented softly causing more turmoil to fill his heart. "Best I change form so we can get there quickly. We're running out of time" Hara said before closing her eyes.
"Take a break" V said surprising himself that he actually would say this. Startled but grateful she smiled at V allowing her form to turn into a small fox. Curling up at his side she soon went to sleep leaving V wanting to gnaw on his lip.
"How much did she use?!" V wanted to bang his head against a wall as frustration for being careless filled his mind. How could he have let this happen?
How foolish!
Foolish!
He just had to let himself get caught in that trap. On the other hand, he was glad that it was him and not Hara. Not that he doubted her abilities but the last thing he wanted was for her to get hurt. Slowly picking up Hara's sleeping form which released slow but calming breaths, the tired male made his way further into the tunnel until he heard a coo from a familiar voice.
"Where are you?" a trio of female voices called out causing blood to leave his face, fear a notion he hoped to never have again filled his chest. Knowing that he could only do so much given how strong the demoness was. If she was trusted by his demon half then without a doubt she would be strong to avoid disappointing the demon himself.
"I can't leave Hara like this, there's not even exit nearby except behind us either. Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! What do I do?" V cursed heavily in his mind due to how bad the situation was now.
Just as V closed his eyes tightly, a gun shot echoed in the area shocking him enough to tense up.
"That… can't be" V dared not move or peer over the edge in case it was all a rouse.
"Oi! Ugly, you looking for me?" Nero's voice alerted V enough to almost sigh in relief, knowing that help had arrived.
Hearing the demoness hiss and respond to Nero in anger she attacked. Meanwhile V remained where he was, knowing that the boy had it covered and needed no help. Why would he accept help from the one who ripped his arm off? Who endangered his life again and again without any care or how the boy would feel?
If anything it would have been better if he suffered at the hands of the demoness, he should have been the one who was fighting her.
"And yet, you'd be bird food" Hara muttered before slowly opening her eyes to V's relief. Ignoring the fight as it raged on from below them.
"Not that I wouldn't have it coming" V replied weakly "how are you feeling?" V observed her tired look despite trying to remain normal.
"Bit tired but the nap helped" Hara replied softly as she felt him stroking her fur.
"I'm… I was really worried" V admitted startling Hara before a soft happy smile filled her face.
"Hey you can come out now!" Nero called out causing Hara's left ear to twitch, looking at the pit below she chuckled.
"Typical… we're okay Nero! Thank you!" Hara called out before slowly slipping out of V's hold. Immediately V's arms and hands went cold due to the lack of warmth leaving him feeling numb. Looking at his hands he flexed them before slowly looking at Hara who was having a talk with Nero.
"What happened? Why did you turn into a fox?" Nero asked sounding worried.
"Hit a snag but we're okay now" Hara assured Nero before focusing on her energy once more. A chill filled the room from behind V causing him to shiver and look behind him until a glow caught his line of sight. Nero's eyebrows rose up in surprise as Hara's fox form began to glow until the glow became larger. Without warning the glow vanished leaving a larger creature in its wake. A large white lupine fox stood on all fours while shaking it's head before looking at V with a wolfish smirk.
"Come on, get on V or we're going to be late" Hara's voice said except it sounded more stronger and older to their surprise.
"Wait wait! You could turn into that at any time?" Nero asked as V remained stunned to move, his eyes widened in disbelief at the form she took. Seeing the mixture of wolf and fox, the wise look in her eyes left V feeling unworthy to look at her. If anything he felt dwarfed thanks to how large she was, which no doubt was larger than Urizen. Sensing his feelings made her chuckle and without saying anything nuzzled him with her nose.
"It's a form I take but rarely" Hara assured the pair "Get on V we're running out of time" she reminded him playfully snapping him out of his thoughts. Swallowing V climbed on top of Hara's back and immediately felt his skin shiver from how soft her fur was. Gripping it lightly V nodded at Hara after attaching the cane to his belt.
Nodding back at him with fond eyes she jumped gracefully into the pit and landed next to a now jumping Nero.
"Up and at'em Nero" Hara said as Nero was trying to compose himself from what he witnessed.
"You really know how to scare people at times" Nero muttered weakly as he climbed onto Hara's back, looking at V's back Nero swallowed before wrapping his arms around V.
"Just because I don't want to fall" Nero assured V who smirked at the nervous teen.
"Neither do I" V agreed before the pair immediately felt as if air left their lungs from the sudden lunge. Looking ahead they watched as the area blurred around them.
"Before you ask, a bike would not handle this. I'm not scratching it" Hara said before spotting the exit in the distance.
"Wouldn't want you to, Hara" V paused as nerves filled his body. Seeing her ear twitch a bit to signal she was listening he swallowed before trying to recollect himself.
"Thank you" V looked down. "All this time… I just wanted to be loved and protected. In the end I feel as if I lost more than I gained" V said before spotting Urizen fighting Dante, pain filled his heart knowing that this was the end. That once Urizen had been defeated he would have to finish it. An irony that the thing Vergil had cast would be his undoing.
"You're not foolish, everyone deserves to be loved, safe and happy" Hara assured V who looked at the back of her head.
"She's right, no one should have to feel as if they're alone" Nero added shocking V. "Whatever has happened, you've got us now" Nero said not seeing V's eyes well up, conflicted thoughts and feelings filled V once more as his body shook. Unable to cope with the news, knowing that if Nero knew the truth it would just end in pain.
How could he look at the boy?
How could he allow himself to think the boy would want him around?
No it was merely a fleeting comfort that would leave once it was all over. He had to finish this, he had to stop his demon side at all costs.
As soon as Hara stopped at a distance the pair slid off her back, after changing back to her human the trio watched as Dante stabbed Urizen causing him to fall backwards.
A bitter pain filled Hara's chest knowing that it would be the end. That once V had joined her task would be done and yet, she felt relief knowing that V would live. He would have a proper chance to live through Vergil.
Feeling a metal chain around her right wrist containing a thin wing and some mini stones around it while it hid inside her sleeve, her last gift from V and another entity. Her heart immediately grew heavy. The one thing she hated was goodbyes. But this one, it would be a good one knowing that she was able to save his life. That and she had something from V and the entity. A thing that would remind her of her times with him.
Watching V as he semi stumbled towards Urizen, past Dante she watched him give her a grateful look before resuming his task.
Sensing that Dante and Nero would stop him she froze their feet to the spot startling Dante enough to look at her before a bright light filled the area.
"Take care… Vitalie"
