"Dante Redgrave" Hara said bluntly as she greeted the now awakened demon hunter, dusting himself he looks at her before greeting her with a grin.
"Hey Babe, have we met somewhere before" Dante asked earning him a cold glare from V, not that Hara could blame him as she folded her arms. On the other hand Hara raised a brow from hearing his greetings.
"No" Hara said in a dark tone "but I do know someone who does and he's got a picture of your face on his dartboard. In his office. He's been scratching your face with his fingernails" Hara said almost shivering from the memory. Blinking Dante felt a shiver almost run down his spine from her words, V stared at her in surprise not believing that was actually true.
"Wow… who did I upset?" Dante muttered.
"Does Maxwell ring a bell?" Hara asked wearily as she tilted her head.
"Not that I can recall" Dante replied while scratching the back of his head weakly. "Why? Someone I should know?" Hara raised a brow at the nonchalant response.
"He's a police officer who's been cleaning up after you, knows a guy named Morrison" Hara replied in a deadpan voice. Dante frowned as he pondered her words.
"Still doesn't ring a bell babe, sorry" Dante said with a weak smile. V bristled from the nickname but felt Hara's assuring aura keep him still, not that he wanted to create a scene after almost stabbing his brother. Which would have been satisfying to some degree. Sensing that she could hear his thoughts V eyed her briefly to see a hidden smirk while her eyes glinted in amusement. Seeing this a smirk almost formed on his face despite keeping it blank.
"Unfortunately he knows and remembers you, won't shut up about how you've been making a mess of the town with your antics. Had the pleasure of arresting you three times for being a miscreant" Dante tensed up as an uncomfortable feeling entered his mind.
"Wait wait, you're not talking about a stuck up police guy with-" Dante paused as he saw her mood darken. Seeing this he felt the area go cold causing a shiver to run down his spine.
"That was a guy who transferred here from Tokyo years ago while you were in your early teens. I was his boss!" Hara said the last part sharply causing the pair to gulp loudly. "Next time you see him, you had better apologise for the stress you've given him. His poor wife and I have had to hear him muttering about you nearly non stop" she added leaving the pair to feel as if they were being scolded by their mother.
"Yes ma'am" Dante murmured weakly feeling more embarrassed for the scolding. V meanwhile flashed him a surprised look. Who knew she could get him to react like that.
"Now that's over with, we need to formulate a plan before things get more out of hand-"
"Sorry lady but I work alone. This is my gig and I have to finish it" Dante turned to leave shocking V.
"Will you be happy Dante?" Hara asked causing him to stop moving "your brother is sick, really sick and needs help. You just think killing is going to fix things?" Hara asked in a challenging tone. Silence greeted them as neither one moved a muscle.
"What else can I do?" Dante said softly leaving them to stare at him "he won't see reason so I need to put him out of his misery" For the both of us Dante's frown deepened as he stared at her.
"Because he's not well" Hara commented "he's not fully in his right head, but he can get better"
"Sorry but I've had enough of hoping for something that's just going to end badly"
"So have I and yet, I've managed to see some happy endings. You have but to choose to believe" Hara watched as the wind tousled Dante's hair slightly as he remained still, his hands remained clenched at his sides causing the gloves to squeak from being pushed to their limits. Hiding his troubled look, he smirked.
"You really are something" Dante said as he looked at her unconvinced look.
"I've been shot, stabbed, ridiculed, pushed down a flight of steps, had my neck crushed, threatened, watched people die and so on. My question for you is do you think I'm scared to take you down if you cross me?" she took a step forward while giving Dante a stern look. Staring at her while masking his emotions Dante's smirk grew.
"We'll see, we'll see each other soon I'm sure" Dante left the pair to talk while Griffon chased after retreating cambion.
"So that's your brother?" Hara said before looking at V "I don't like him" V without meaning to laughed loudly earning him a raised brow.
"I'm alright, just surprised by the response" V waved his hand to assure her he was okay. Hara meanwhile pursed her lips in worry.
"He's got a heart on his sleeve covered in barb wire" she replied "he's hurting for sure but I think it's not just him that needs sense slapped into him" she hinted earning her a brief nod.
"I agree, maybe you can do the honours?" V asked with mirth as he used his cane to help him walk towards her.
"My scythe would just leave a mark on that pretty face of yours" she smirked alongside him.
"I'll keep that in mind" and with that the pair continued their route. As they walked something caught V's eye causing him to stop, pausing Hara watched as V went to investigate what caught his interest. Watching him silently as he walked back while pocketing the item Hara gave him a curious look before he shook his head.
"It's nothing important" V replied.
"Yet" he added mentally piping her interest. Tilting her head she smirked at him.
"Found a pretty toy?" she asked earning her a snort from V.
"Not exactly" he said with a smirk of his own. Rolling her eyes playfully she walked ahead.
"Alright Mr. Let's get going" she said in a dull tone before they resumed their trek.
On route they spotted Dante fighting the suit of armour that had escaped after being separated from the Geryon. Just as they broke into a sprint Dante had used his sword to slice the armour in two causing a blond haired woman to slip out of it. Hara sighing in relief from sensing that the woman was okay ran faster to check the woman for injuries, hearing the woman murmur a few words Dante placed her down before taking off shocking Hara.
"Oi! Why not leave your jacket idiot!?" Hara snapped as she shook her head at the retreating male who now sat on top of a motorbike which appeared after defeating the suit of armour.
"Take care of Trish for me" Dante hollered over the noise and sped off leaving Hara's mouth to drop before hearing V panting. Groaning loudly, she eyed V from the corner of her eye.
"Vitalie, you still have some stamina. Stop acting like you've never ran in your life" she commented dryly. A loud chortle left his lips as he ran while hitting the cane on the pavement, shocking him enough to cover his mouth.
"Habits I'm afraid die hard" V replied with a sheepish smile before going towards a large piece of rubble in order to sit.
"Oh I know, don't worry I have enough energy for the pair of us" she replied, resuming her examination of the woman.
"She's okay just exhausted" Hara sighed in relief before lifting her hands. Making a swishing motion with them a midnight blue blanket appeared leaving V intrigued by how she made it appear out of thin air. At the same time his eyes caught how the blanket sparkled in the lights reminding him of stars as she placed the blanket on the sleeping woman.
"Should keep her comfortable" Hara said before getting up, turning to face V she placed a hand to his right cheek.
"Your vitals are not good at the moment, I'll try to increase some energy to keep you going" she said before feeling his hand touch hers lightly.
"Don't push yourself" V said sombrely as memories of when she collapsed in a pool of her blood filled his mind, a thing he never wanted to happen again. Even now filled him with dread and worry that she could suffer and it would be his fault.
"Vergil! None of that!" Hara scolded him sternly causing him to look up at her with mixed emotions. "I've enough for now and if I don't, I'll go to sleep to replenish the energy. It's a risk I'm willing to take"
"I still don't understand" V said with clenched teeth causing her to raise a brow. "You-you chose to help me and died the first time because of me! Why do you still stay?" V asked, pleading her for an answer. Blinking Hara tilted her head.
"I… died?" confusion filled her face "that can't be right my husband wouldn't allow it" she folded her arms as she sat beside V, worry filled her face as she saw his pale expression.
"You bled to death because of Urizen. I saw you die and it was my fault. All of this is my fault, don't you see? I always cause pain for others. Why do I bother helping when it's just going to end badly?" V flinched as she lifted her hand in the air before patting his head lighty.
"V, V, V… you silly naïve twit" she muttered weakly causing him to flinch in dismay. "I chose to help you not because I wanted something out of it, I did it because it was the right thing to do. How many times must I keep repeating myself. I care for my little brother who I've known for a short time. I don't want anything but your safety and happiness. You have things you need to fix and I'm here" she placed her hands on his and clenched them tightly but not enough to hurt. V's eyes shook as he began to feel overwhelmed.
"As my friend I want to help, is there a reason to help? No. As my brother I love you so much so do not put yourself in that dark pit you call a mood. You have so much to give, you've just forgotten how. It's normal, you've only had yourself to survive for. I'm not going to hold it against you because you are aware of your wrong doings. Not many would do that- try to redeem themselves. Others just say 'flip people who cares they deserve it' but despite being prickly and an oddball you are trying your best. It's hard don't get me wrong but it'll be worth it. I promise" Hara said in a stern but calm voice, as she spoke she felt V's heart tremble from her words leaving her wanting to hug him to assure him she was here.
"You are stronger than you think V, you are never alone just remember that"
"But after all this… you'll be gone. You'll leave" V murmured softly, leaving it almost hard for her to hear. Her heart hearing this grew heavy as she felt his pain and loneliness creep up.
"I can't stay here, this is not my home Vitalie. I have no place here that I can stay in. Think of me as a fleeting dr-"
"I don't want to!" V clenched his hands despite being in her grip. A sigh left Hara's lips as she listened to his outburst.
"I don't want you to leave" V said sharply as he looked at her with tears stinging his eyes. A notion that annoyed him even now. Why did he have to be so weak?
"But as Vergil, would he want me to stay?" Hara's words stilled the upset poet as he looked at her sad smile. "I'm nothing but a helper V, in the end I know my place and that's enough for me" she added.
"But… but if Vergil had a home that he didn't want. A place you could stay in. Would you-?" Hara blinked in surprise before a sad smile formed on her face once more.
"I'm not getting assassinated by a touchy cambion. I deal with enough half breeds as it is and four of them are Nephilim" she almost shuddered from her words. "And you cannot say you refuse to join with Urizen, you need to live and if I have to drag you all the way to him, I'll do it. Don't make me do it!" She added with a firm but warning tone that left him almost chuckling weakly.
"Not that I'd ever doubt you for doing that" he mused softly. Sighing heavily a shudder ran down V's spine from feeling overwhelmed.
"I just…"
"I know" she nodded softly "it's hard to say goodbye but the ones we care about never truly leave us. They're always in our hearts, our memories do not forget that and don't forget. You now know the truth about what happened back then. That has to count as something" she smiled warmly as V released a withered sigh.
"At times, I wonder if it's a good thing" he agreed calmly.
"Better to know then live in 'what ifs' take it from someone who knows. As for Nero, when you're whole apologise. Heavens knows that boy needs it and then some" she added.
"I'll do my best" V said before placing his hand on top of hers. "Thank you… sister" Hara's heart swelled from his words knowing he was truly at peace. Taking her hands out of his hold she pulled him into a tight hug which he reciprocated without hesitation.
"It'll work out in the end, you'll see" she said softly as she laid her head on his chest due to their height.
"I hope so" V said quietly feeling more vulnerable than he would have liked to be.
