"Heh, let's see what you've got Dante" Griffon said while flapping his wings once while in mid air. Unaware of footsteps rushing towards the four that had started from where the union had taken place. After a brief moment with a spirit Hara and Phantom were left surprised at what this resulted in- a new familiar and a new friend.
However before they could think a new line of thought entered their mind the moment they sensed what V's familiars were up to. Phantom was known to be many things but proud was one of them. On the other hand he would scarcely admit he was attached to his fellow familiars or V for that matter. Not that Hara would say it since she knew what was in his heart thanks to her power.
As a result it caused the pair to think the exact same thought.
Stop! Don't do it! Panting grew heavier as she rushed up the hill in hopes of avoiding unnecessary bloodshed. Part of her grew fearful that she would be too late that they would
Start leaving no room to avoid or stop it completely. She wanted to hope, she wanted to believe that there was a solution. She refused to believe that it would end. Just because they were all expendable now that Vergil was back in one piece.
"Stop it!" Hara screamed shrilly startling the group, running past Dante's startled form she stood in front of the famliars. "Do NOT hurt them!" Hara screamed sharply as she placed her hands up to block Dante from attacking the familiars to their shock.
"Hara?!" Griffon cried out in alarm but she neither moved nor responded to his frustration, his wings beated quickly as his heart grew painful. Almost as if someone was twisting it with a knife to his dismay.
"What are you doing?" Griffon asked now feeling conflicted at the fact he could hurt Hara. No, that was the last thing he nor his fellow familiars would have wanted to do. Not after all they went through either.
"You shouldn't be here! Leave! We don't want to hurt you" Griffon said despite sounding strained, conflicted by what was happening. Hara eyed the avian from the corner of her eye, frowning at the Griffon, she straightened her posture but kept her arms straight.
"I will not have you sacrifice yourself just for a stupid idiot's mistake!" Hara snapped loudly startling them. Dante blinked in surprise before allowing Rebellion to vanish, knowing that the fight would never take place now thanks to her appearance. A small chuckle soon left his lips from seeing how much Hara cared for the familiars, even if they were pieces of his brother she still wanted them to live. Even when she stopped him from grabbing V- his brother's human half. A sick twisted irony that should have entered his mind. After all why did his brother's demon half run about without his human side?
In the end, Hara had all the cards but kept quiet the whole time. Still he did not understand why she helped his brother's human half? Did she not know the travesties he had caused? Things Dante had to clean up because of his brother. Did she know that Nero was Vergil's son?
Griffon paused from flying for a brief moment as his mind reeled in shock, staring at Shadow who's ears pinned themselves to her skull. Her shoulders slumped in dismay. Even after all this, Hara still fought for them. Knowing who they were and helped them without question without wanting anything in return.
Just… why? How could such a person exist startled the demonic familiar remnant. Nightmare despite not being able to speak rumbled signalling his surprise but soon relaxed it's posture knowing that it was safe and there was no need for bloodshed. Even if it was a losing battle.
"Vergil forsook you all, thinking you are all weakness- saw his human side as weakness but in fact you are all strong. You all deserve to live, to be happy and exist on your own terms. Not just him! You do not have to die just because he says so! What does that say about you? That you should jump when he tells you to?" Hara snapped sharply as she scolded the avian "If Vergil doesn't want you then who says you should just off yourselves just to make him feel better? How is that fair on any of you?" Griffon's eyes dimmed as he clenched his beak in frustration.
Where would they go anyways?
In the end of the day, they were only just nightmares of one's mind. Where could they even exist unless they tie themselves to someone else? Just the thought made Griffon sick to his stomach, forcing to rely on someone just to live. Burdening the person because he couldn't do anything else.
Dante's mouth twitched as a frown continued to form on his face, as much as he agreed with the woman. What could they do? They had nowhere to go.
"Foolish idiots!" Phantom snapped as he suddenly appeared besides Hara in his original tall form, glaring fiercely at the trio. Disappointment filled his many eyes as he clicked a few times. Startled Dante took out his guns before stopping as he realised that the spider was not going to attack anyone, however, instead of putting the guns away he remained on guard just in case. Mostly thanks to his previous encounters with the spider.
"Who knew Verge would conjure up this demon of all things" Dante muttered weakly as he remembered seeing it at Mallet Island.
"For a group who wanted to help that miserable shell of that half human, you're so easy in giving up when he finally becomes whole? I should have ended you all when I had the chance!" Phantom yelled as flames flickered from his limbs allowing them to see his fury take form. He soon stilled as he felt Hara place her hand on the closest arm to her, mellowing slightly he grumbled in disgust.
"It's not like we want to give up eight legged moron!" Griffon yelled in frustration "where can we even go? Our purpose is now over. We're going to die anyways, so why not die on our own terms?!" Griffon flew towards Phantom in anger, frustration filled him as Phantom clicked his mandibles but didn't respond.
"Well?" Griffon raised his voice as Phantom rolled his eyes at how foolish and ignorant his fellow familiar was. To think they all came from that foolish cambion of all things.
"I am still alive, or as alive as can be you fool. Did you forget that I am under contract as well?" Phantom responded calmly stunning Griffon into silence. Perking up Shadow's shoulders rose as she realised what the arachnid demon was talking about. Blinking once Nightmare made a few noises that sounded like rocks rolling together alerting Griffon of what it was saying.
"You can't be serious?" Griffon shook his head as pain filled his mind. Knowing what they were talking about.
"And why not?" Phantom snapped causing the avian to bristle "if this human is willing to save you then surely that just shows you are all fighting for. So why are you being the stubborn one? Do not think that I do not know what you've been thinking about me!" Phantom added in anger causing Griffon to recoil in shock.
"There has to be another way, I can't let you all die…" Hara said feeling her heart clench and squeeze in despair. "In the end, we are the only ones who prove that Vitalie existed. He would never want us to be discarded as cold Vergil appears, you know deep down that he doesn't want to be alone. If he could have someone close to me help turn back time, then surely it proves something. Or are you just going to list this as a whim?" Hara added firmly.
"Because it was not to me! Vitalie- Vergil or at least what was left of him that time was a brother to me, I also know pain and loneliness when I see it. I know what it's like to feel like the world has abandoned you. That it's often a thought that you are better off not existing because people hate you for being born for being who or what you are. The difference is that despite my short time with people- they had been there for me. I wanted to do that for him. Despite his short life I wanted to give hope to him. I'm sure you all wanted that for him as well, otherwise why did you bother helping him to being with?" Hara narrowed her eyes at them, ignoring Dante who's eyes went wide from being stunned by her words.
Dante at this moment envied his brother deeply for the luck he had gained in a short time, to think he had gained a friend- a person who saw through his faults and treated him as a sibling of all things.
"To think all it took was using the Yamato to separate him to gain such an invaluable friend" Dante felt the ends of his lips quirk up as a smile fought to break through.
"And like him I am not giving up on any of you" Hara concluded in a tone of finality shocking them even more. "I- no Phantom and I are taking you home! If you feel like you have no home to go to then my home is always open. You have family and we never leave people or creatures be them angel, demon, Nephilim or whatever! Family despite our ups and downs are there for each other so get that through your thick skulls!" Shadow without saying anything slowly prowled over towards Hara shocking Griffon.
"What are you doing?" Griffon cried as the panther stopped beside Hara's leg and nuzzled her, a purr left the feline's body earning her a soft but relieved smile from Hara who placed her hand on the side of Shadow's maw.
Groaning Griffon shook his head before exhaustion filled his already stressed mind, soon sounds of heavy rock steps caught his attention as Nightmare made his way towards Hara before kneeling down. Allowing her to look at his single eye.
Hara released a relieved chuckle before placing her hand on his left arm.
"Thank you" Hara said with a genuine smile, a sense of joy filled her heart knowing instantly that it was Nightmare's emotions despite looking like a blank canvas on the outside.
"Don't thank us just yet" Griffon mumbled as he flew towards Hara and stopped just a few spaces before her. Shaking her head at his stubborn streak Hara smiled, not noticing her silvery white hair slowly changing colour. The group watched in surprise as it became reddish black, red strands began to glow from her hair as the sun continued to shine down on the earth but she paid no heed, enjoying the sun's rays as it continued to warm her shaken form. Nor did she care that her eyes had changed from red into a reddish brown that glinted from the sunlight.
"Huh… so that's what you look like" Griffon commented while looking up at her from the ground, humming in confusion Hara placed a hand to her hair in order to look at the captured strand, noticing it was now different. Chuckling softly to herself, she realised what this meant.
"Yup, this is the real me" Hara replied warmly, not caring that Dante was in awe of her new appearance.
Did that mean Vergil was unaware of what she truly looked like?
If so, why?
Why go through such a disguise if she was helping him anyways?
"So, shall we go home now?" Hara asked the trio, Nightmare and Shadow agreed without hesitation while Griffon who remained uneasy soon nodded. A soft glint appeared in his eyes before all three familiars vanished as if the wind had taken them. Feeling a soft breeze Hara soon hugged herself as she felt the warm presences of her new familiars.
"You've done it now" Phantom said bluntly causing her to now look at him, laughing heartily at his attempt of making a joke she shook her head. "You just had to take the mouthy bird with you" he added darkly causing her to smirk.
"You're getting soft Mr" She winked before nudged him with her side.
"I-Foolishness! I-I am not made of stone!" the arachnid looked away feeling his face heat up. Feeling his emotions Hara continued to smile before placing her hand on one of his arms.
"I am glad I could save you too Phantom. Don't forget you are family as well" Hara said warmly before he slowly vanished while mumbling to himself. Shaking her head while mirth filled her eyes, her expression soon vanished into a cold stare startling Dante at how quickly she changed expressions.
"You don't have much time left, don't go wasting my good graces" Hara said sternly as she eyed his baffled yet conflicted expression. Surely he couldn't leave her here. Where was she going to go?
"Save him" without giving him time to speak or think, she vanished leaving Dante to gawk in surprise. His outstretched hand remained frozen in place as he tried to grab the female before she teleported away from his line of sight.
Slowly placing his hand down Dante felt his stomach drop, knowing that this was a final good bye.
"He's going to be really disappointed" Dante mused before continuing the path up the tree. Not realising that parts of the tree had started to crumble.
