#familiar lore

Her voice surprised him. It quite literally boomed around him as if she was yelling from everywhere at once. She sounded terrified through her tears and Vergil wanted to rush to her side before it was too late. But he found himself frozen. 

“Roxy,” He said. 

“Leave,” She sobbed. “Please. Quickly. Before it’s too late.”

“If I leave you’re dead,” Vergil said. 

“But I promised you!” She said. “I promised… I…”

“Enough,” Kuro said, his voice quiet and breathy. He was minutes from death. Maybe seconds. Vergil wasn’t certain, but it didn’t matter. If they lost Kuro before he could take his place, it was all over. “You’re acting like a child.”

“A child?” She said. “I am not…”

“I am dying, Roxy,” Kuro said. “You need his help.”

“You lied to me,” She whispered. “Kuro. You…”

“I knew you were not ready for the truth.” 

“And you think I am now?”

“You have to be,”  Kuro said. “And… I’m sorry.” The dragon’s eyes closed as Vergil reached them. Roxy froze as tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Kuro…. Kuro wait. Please....” Her head dropped against his neck. “Don’t go. Don’t leave me!”

“Roxy…” Vergil said as he reached for her. 

“I said go!” She shouted, her eyes snapping up to him. “Please Vergil I…”

Anger surged through him. “Is the idea of making a pact with me so miserable you’d rather die than accept it?”

She stared at him. “No that’s not…” A sob broke her words up before she could finish that sentence. “I promised you your freedom,” She choked out. “I can’t…”

“I’m here, am I not?” Vergil snapped. “I made the choice to come find you. I made the choice to take his place until we could fix this.” He reached for her, resting his hand on her shoulder as he glanced at Kuro. The dragon was still holding on. Still listening. Could Vergil do this? He wasn’t certain, and he hated it. He hated not knowing if this would work. He hated not knowing if this would all be for nothing. But he had to try. He had to do something. He couldn’t lose her. Not now. Not ever.  

This was her only chance. Their only chance. 

“My creator,” Kuro mumbled. How long it had been since Vergil had heard that name. And there was something in his voice- some powerful emotion Vergil couldn’t quite pick out- that reverberated in those two words alone. “You have shown me many wonderful things in this world. You gave me a reason to live. A reason to keep going. A reason to…” He trailed off as he took a deep and painful breath. “You must live, Roxanna. You must… You can’t let him win. Please…”

Roxy’s hand fell to the dragon’s snout before her head followed. Her tears slowed, but Vergil wasn’t certain if they’d ever truly cease. “There’s so much you haven’t told me.”

“I know you’ll figure it out,” Kuro said. “He’ll help you.” His eyes closed again. “Trust him… Roxy…”  He tried to force them open again, but his body wouldn’t let him. When his head rolled to the side again, his body began to vanish. Roxy choked back another sob. “Take care of her… Vergil.” 

Roxy’s hands hit the ground as he vanished completely. The second she gasped for air, Vergil was by herself side and took her hand. “Whatever you need to do,” He said as he gently pulled her toward him. She stared at him, her eyes glazed over in shock. “Roxy!” He yelled. “You have to…” 

He gasped as her hand touched his chest. Electricity snapped through him. He felt his own power pulse around them, sweeping through the roses. Each one turned various shades of blue. The blood seeped into the ground, vanishing as if it never existed. Insurmountable grief flooded into him, knocking the air from his lungs. Suddenly, all he could hear was Roxy; her tears seemed to coat his own cheeks. When he tried to wipe them away, nothing happened. 

Your biggest concern will be her. 

That was a gross understatement. Vergil felt everything. The erratic beating of her heart as it tried to regain some semblance of control. The burning of her eyes as she cried where Kuro had once been. The weariness in her legs. The pain in her back. His own whirlwind of emotions nearly overwhelmed him as he tried to catch his breath. Instead, Vergil forced himself forward, collapsing at her side. Without a word, he pulled her close, resting his chin on her head. She buried her face into his chest, sobbing. “He can’t…” She whispered between breaths. “He can’t be gone… he…”

“Roxanna!”

When Vergil blinked, he was back in the real world, flat on his back beside Kuro. Roxy gasped for air beside him, crumbling as if all the bones in her body had vanished. The clanging of swords echoed around him, followed by Nero swearing in at least four different ways. Vergil forced himself upright, reaching for Roxy. But he nearly fell again as his hand went right through. Instead, tendrils of something clung to his fingers, linking himself to her. Four curled around to her back. One went straight to her heart. Was this how Kuro healed heder? No wonder the dragon had focused so much on transferring power; this was the only thing keeping her alive. 

But as Vergil shifted a bit of his own strength to her heart, he frowned when he was unable to do the same to the other tendrils. Why? The energy needed for her heart had been minuscule compared to the rest of what he had. Why couldn’t he channel some of the rest? Surely he was capable of more than this?

“You need a few more days,” A chirpy voice echoed in Vergil’s head. “You’ll never be able to reach her like this.” 

Aki?

“Yep!”

“I can’t see you yet,” Roxy mumbled. “Our connection isn’t very strong. But…” She pushed on her chest again. “It’s… beating…” Flashes of her memory flooded into him; agonizing pain as her heart simply stopped. Vergil winced, trying to reach for her again. His fingers slipped through her, but she shivered, reaching for the arm that he’d gone through. Her eyes closed as she let out a shaky breath. “You’re there… You can hear me.”

“He is!” A chirpy voice echoed in Vergil’s head. “I can see him.” 

“Good,” Roxy murmured. She tried to push herself upright but failed miserably. 

“Insufferable child!” The archdemon shouted behind them. Vergil’s gaze jerked to the fight, relieved to see Yamato in his son’s hand; at least he’d had the sense to grab that. “It doesn’t matter what you do.  Your father is gone. Accept it.”

“What, you think my pops is gonna just go down like that?” Nero rolled his shoulders, Blue Rose pointed at the man’s face. “Then you don’t know him as well as you think you do.” He glanced back at Roxy. “Please tell me you have good news.”

She clutched her chest and winced. “Dia.”

The woman was by her side in an instant. “We have to go, Nero.”

“A little busy,” Nero said as he parried the dragon again. “This fucker doesn’t even have Yamato anymore.”

“I never needed it,” The man hissed. But as Nero swung for what could have been a deadly strike, the demon blinked away, landing back up in the tree. “I’m done wasting my time with you.” A dragon claw took the place of his hand, and he slashed at the air behind him. A portal opened as Nero lunged forward, and the demon vanished through it before he reached him. Nero tumbled past the tree but rolled to his feet as if nothing had happened.

“Dammit,” He said as he reluctantly clipped Red Queen to his back. “Damn it all.”

“Nero,” Vergil said. But his son didn’t react. He didn’t even look at him. “He can’t,” Vergil thought. “Not yet.” But the logic didn’t stop the sting in his heart. It didn’t help when Nero had to pick Roxy up, his eyes full of concern. “Please tell me it worked,” Nero said. She nodded but didn’t say anything as her eyes drifted to Kuro’s corpse. 

Kuro. Her voice echoed in Vergil’s head. Come back… Kuro…

He’s gone, Roxy, Vergil thought. It’s just… 

Us. 

Aki cooed sadly as Nero loaded Roxy into the van. Vergi glanced back at the dragon as guilt nearly tore him apart. 

“It isn’t your fault.”

Vergil flinched as Dia stepped up beside him.  “I’m assuming you’re there, anyway,” she said. Her voice caught before she cleared it and spoke again. “We should have been paying more attention… we should have assumed that someone would come here… but I wanted so desperately to believe that it was anyone but him.”

“Who is he?” Vergil thought. 

There was silence for a moment. Vergil felt a tug on the tendrils prickling his skin. “She’s falling asleep,” Aki said. “We’ll both fall asleep with her.” 

“Go,” Dia said. “I will deal with this.”

“Who is he?”

Dia’s eyes closed, and Vergil still wasn’t certain if she could hear him or not. “Give yourself time,” She said. “Things will get better.”

Dia!

“Let me bury my son,” She said. “Then I will help you.”

Suddenly, the door opened, followed by a slow-moving Nico and Kyrie. “Mr. Vergil,” Kyrie said as her eyes scanned the room. They didn’t fall on him, nor did he expect them too. “We’re here to take care of Roxy, okay? That’s all we’re doing.” Vergil didn’t quite understand why she was talking to him (or maybe more towards him) as if he were some kind of wild, unpredictable animal. How long had they been out? It couldn’t have been more than a few days. But the girls picked Roxy up with clearly practiced hands as Kyrie wrapped her arms under her shoulders and Nico picked up her legs. Roxy groaned, but her head simply flopped to the side. 

Vergil followed them out of the room, both curious and uncertain how far he would be able to go attached to her like this. The girls led her into one of Devil May Cry’s bathrooms and slowly turned the dials to the bathtub. Someone must have convinced Dante to pay for the water, as it came out in an instant, crystal clear. Vergil looked away as they undressed her, and he felt a ping of recognition somewhere in the back of his mind. Roxy was awake but quiet. She might still be half asleep for all he knew, but she was aware of her surroundings. He heard a quiet slosh of water and he risked a glance as the girls lowered her into the bathtub. She stared back at them, her… his blue eyes glossy as she sagged in the tub. “Hold on, Roxy,” Nico said as she handed Kyrie the shampoo. We’ll have you out of here before you know it.”

Tears prickled at Vergil’s eyes, but he knew immediately that they were not his own. He hesitated, wondering if he should reach out to her in such a state. Could she even see him? He didn’t know. She wasn’t really looking at anything. More just staring into an empty abyss of her own making. Vergil could feel her sorrow weighing on his own heart. The pain of Kuro’s loss was clearly too much for her to bear. But Vergil didn’t know how to fix that. He couldn’t bring Kuro back. He couldn’t even summon himself. 

Find a form that doesn’t put a strain on her. 

He closed his eyes, pondering the dragon’s words. When had he seen Kuro summon himself? He’d been small, almost like a child with Kuro’s knowledge and memories. What would be the equivalent for Vergil? A part of him wondered if V was the answer, but he doubted summoning his human half was any different than simply summoning himself. No. It had to be something different. Something small and inconsequential, but something that could still help her if he needed to. A summon to bridge the gap until she got her own power back.

As the girls continued their ministrations, Vergil wandered back out into the hallway. He felt a gentle tug on his chest, but he kept it bay by pacing in front of the door. What could he do that wasn’t too taxing? His mind wandered as he walked, considering multiple possibilities. She needed something now. She needed to know he was still here with her. She had to see that Kuro’s death wasn’t for nothing. 

“Mr. Vergil?” Aki said. 

He paused. “Yes?”

“Your form is flexible like this,” Aki said. “At least, that’s what Kuro told me.”

“Summoning myself as a tiny human isn’t going to do us any good.”

“That’s not what I meant,” the owl griffon huffed. “Maybe try something that isn’t human at all.”

Vergil stopped dead in his tracks. Inhuman. He hadn’t even considered it. Was it even possible? A flexible form didn’t necessarily mean he could do something like that. But maybe… just maybe…

He closed his eyes and thought of his own familiars. Griffon had been able to speak, but she needed something more. Nightmare was much too large and had taken far too much of his own power to summon. No, he needed something flexible. Something like Shadow.

Shadow…

Could he really do it?

“It doesn’t hurt to try,” Aki said. 

Or it might hurt a lot. Vergil wasn’t really certain. But what did it matter? This was the best shot they had. So, he closed his eyes and thought of Shadow. How sleek the panther had been. How flexible. All the ways she could transform however he needed. He thought of her claws, her sharp hearing, her demonic fur; anything he could think of he did, rolling it through his mind dozens of times. His limbs started to ache. He heard a crackling sound, and pain shot through every nerve imaginable. Vergil reached for his arm, biting his tongue to keep from crying out. He heard Aki’s voice, but it melted into the background as agony nearly overwhelmed him. But he held on, determined to make things right.

This wasn’t worse than the pain he experienced before.

This wasn’t worse than Mundus.

Roxy. 

When he opened his eyes again, he was lying on the floor. When he groaned, it came out as a purr. Surprised, he snapped his gaze to his hands - paws - and realized it had actually worked. He gently got to his feet, feeling his new, panther muscles moving in an unfamiliar way. His walk was clumsy, and he could feel his tail swinging in an effort to stabilize him. 

Slowly, he moved back to the bathroom and gently pawed at the door. When nothing happened, he tapped it with his head. It shot open as Nico stared down at him in surprise. “Shadow?”

“Not quite,” he thought, but no words came out. Behind her, Kyrie had already drained the tub, and the two had managed to wrap Roxy in the biggest towel Dante owned. Vergil peered past Nico, trying to find Roxy’s eyes. And as her head gently turned to the side, her surprise was obvious. Tears filled her eyes as she whispered the single word that he wanted to hear. 

“Vergil.”

-----------

“So let me get this straight,” Dante said in the most exasperated tone possible. “Roxy is paralyzed from the waist down for reasons we can’t figure out, and Vergil can only manifest himself as a cat.”

“Something like that,” Nico said. “Though that’s all conjecture on our part. He hasn’t said anything.”

“He can’t,” Roxy said quietly. At least now she was sitting upright with her legs propped up on the recliner Dante had gotten a few weeks ago. Vergil was on the couch beside her, tail flicking often in annoyance. It was the only expression he was capable of making, and nobody seemed to notice. 

“And Mundus is still out there somewhere,” Dante said slowly.

“Seems that way,” Nero said. “So what’s the plan? We can’t exactly leave her by herself.” Vergil growled at him, and Nero threw his hands up in mock surrender. “You’re a cat, Dad. There’s not much you can do.”

Vergil didn’t know if he should be offended by the comment, or proud that his son had called him Dad without any sort of hesitation. Maybe it was a little bit of both. Not that he had any way to express it. That would just be too easy. 

“They could stay here,” Dante said. Vergil growled again, and it was his turn to take a step back. “What other plan is there? You can’t exactly stay with Nero and the kids if Mundus is after you.”

“He just needs to learn how to heal my back,” Roxy said, wincing as she sat up. “Then we’ll be fine.”

“He’s still a cat,” Dante argued. 

“I’ll be able to summon him properly once I’m healed,” She snapped back.

“How do you know that for certain?”

“I could summon Kuro.”

“Well no offense to him,” Dante countered. “But he’s a lot different beast than my brother.”

Roxy glared at him. “He was strong in his own right, and I suggest you watch what you say.”

“Look,” Dante said. “I get it. You miss him. A lot. And I don’t blame you in the slightest. But you have to look at the facts, Sunshine. Vergil isn’t just a dragon archdemon. He’s the technical ruler of the Underworld. It would be the equivalent of you summoning…” he trailed off.

“Mundus?” Vergil thought dryly. His tail flicked toward Dante, but he couldn’t will it to spike him. Not yet, anyway. That was something he was determined to figure out first. If his demon could do it, so could this flexible cat form. But Dante seemed to take the hint and kept going. “I’m certain you’ll figure it out. He’s clearly stubborn enough if he’s summoning himself like this,” He gestured in Vergil’s general direction. “To make it work. But we don’t know when that will happen.”

“So what?” Roxy said. “You’re going to sit in here and babysit me until things get better?”

The panic in Dante’s eyes might have been amusing if it were any other situation. “Well… I mean… If I have to.”

“Why doesn’t she just come with me?” Nico said. Vergil’s eyes snapped to hers in surprise, but she kept going. “I mean in the van when Nero and I are out. It’ll give Vergil access to some demon energy to help heal her, and you won’t have to be at home all day.” She shrugged. “Seems like a win-win.”

For a long moment, nobody said anything. Then, Nero sighed in a rather Dante-esque way and hopped off the back of the couch. “If that’s what it takes to fix this, then I have no problem with it.”

“You might draw more demons to you,” Dante warned. 

“That bastard doesn’t have Yamato,” Nero said as he held the sword out to make a point. “That dragon-man couldn’t fight me, and I doubt he’d try again so soon.” He shrugged as he put Yamato on a special strap beside Red Queen. Vergil hadn’t realized he’d been wearing it but was rather proud to see it. He was more surprised Dante hadn’t demanded he take it back. Maybe he still felt guilty for losing it before. 

“And I can help take care of her at night before we leave,” Nico said. “Sound like a deal, V-man?”

It took Vergil far too long to realize that everyone was staring at him. He simply nodded, his attention fixated on Roxy.  She looked pale and exhausted. Maybe he shouldn’t be too surprised, though he hoped it wasn’t because he’d summoned himself. Surely this form had to be weak enough to count. 

He didn’t let himself think about that statement for longer than he had to. 

“You can rest here for tonight, Verge,” Dante said. “Just use your old room.” 

“I’ve got her,” Nero moved to Roxy’s side. “If that’s okay with you.” She simply nodded, and he scooped her up as if she was nothing, hopping up the stairs before Vergil had a chance to leave the couch. Surprised, he did so rather clumsily, glaring at Dante before the latter had a chance to laugh at him. But Dante just shook his head with a small, lopsided smile. “I can’t tease you like that. Ruins all the fun.”

Vergil huffed and followed after his son, stepping into the room as he lay Roxy down on Vergil’s old bed. “We’ll come to get you tomorrow, okay?” Nero said. Roxy nodded again, but Vergil could feel that she had long since checked out of the conversation. Nero hesitated, so Vergil pushed his head against his son’s legs and managed to flick his tail toward the door. “You’ll take care of her then,” Nero said. Vergil nodded and hopped up on the bed with more grace than he’d managed since he’d first transformed. “Well this is weird,” Nero muttered.

“You’re telling me,” Vergil thought. 

“But it’s probably even weirder for you.”

Vergil snorted. It came out as a huff. Nero smiled just a bit, but his expression was wary. Vergil didn’t blame him in the slightest. “You think you’ll be able to fight with me if she stays in the van?” When Vergil nodded again, Nero sighed as he reached for the door. “Sounds like we have a plan then. I’ll see ya then… pops.”

He left at that, and Vergil might have dwelled on his son’s words more if he hadn’t felt a tug between them. He saw the tears in her eyes as she stared helplessly at the ceiling. Her fists clenched at her sides. “He’s gone,” She mumbled. “Kuro’s…. He’s really…”

Vergil nudged her chin and, after a moment of hesitation, licked her cheek in an attempt to get rid of the tear. She sniffled and looked at him. “I’m sorry,” She said. “I’m so…” Vergil head-butted her as gently as possible. Her eyes watered more as she reached up to scratch behind his ears. He purred and lay down beside her, head resting on her stomach. “He’s gone,” She repeated. 

“I know,” He thought.

“What are we going to do?”

The shards retreated. His body healed. Air rushed back into his lungs, painfully filling in where the holes had once been. It wouldn’t be long until another series of something impaled him. Glass. Swords. Bones. Yamato. 

Yamato… That is an interesting idea. Mundus whispered. I wonder if I’d be better off discarding your pesky human emotions altogether. 

Vergil wished he could fight back. He prayed for some kind of snide remark that would prove he was still fighting. But nothing came to him but cold, hard dread. He would not survive a second break. His human form would vanish in an instant. His demon half would follow its new master. He would cease to exist. 

Vergil!

Mundus growled. That foolish girl interrupts what she does not understand. 

“Leave her out of this,” Vergil said. 

Vergil! Wake up!

Mundus chuckled. I’m afraid that’s just not possible. But how fun it will be to tear her to pieces in front of you. Maybe I’ll start with the familiars…

“Enough!” Vergil shouted, stretching against the chains that dug further into his skin. “You will not have me.”

We shall see. 

“Wake up!”

Vergil snapped upright in a panic. A yelp of surprise caught him off guard as his hand found flesh. A blast of cold smacked him in the chest. He recoiled as his vision finally cleared. Roxy hit the ground, gasping for air as she reached for her neck. A bruise was already forming, and Vergil realized what he’d done. 

No…

No. No. No.

“Leave!” He yelled.

“No!” She snapped back as she dragged herself to her feet. 

“I said…”

“I’m not leaving you!”

Silence fell. Kuro retreated, his energy slipping back into Roxy. The bruise vanished, leaving Vergil to stare into her furious gaze instead. 

No… not furious. 

Terrified.

“I hurt you.” 

“It was my fault,” She said. “I shouldn’t have tried to shake you awake like that.”

 “You didn’t have a choice.”

“It was Mundus, wasn’t it?” When Vergil said nothing, she sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. “You didn’t hurt me.”

“You…”

“Dia won’t be back for at least a week. She’s working with Nico as we speak and has Dante and Nero watching out for more unusual portals. Our Yamato thief has not reappeared, but the chances of them finding this place are slim to none.”

“There’s still a chance.”

“That is why we need to figure out what we have to do,” She said. “The moment Dia comes back, we have to make the pact or this will all be for nothing. I’ve located some of my father’s work, but I’ve only found some information on his transplants.” She paused for a moment then, quietly, she said, “Have you always had nightmares?”

“I assumed you were aware of them.”

Roxy blinked. “Why? I sleep pretty soundly when I actually fall asleep.”

“When you actually…?” Vergil trailed off as his gaze hardened. “How many days?”

She looked away. “Since?”

“You’ve slept a full night.”

Still, she didn’t look at him, but her fingers tightened on the blanket. “Three or so.” She mumbled. “I’ve gotten about eight hours total. I think. Maybe less.” She shook her head. “This isn’t about me.”

“If you’ve needed help…”

She snorted. “With what, sleeping? And how are you going to help with that? Sing me a lullaby?”

“You need to rest.” 

“I can’t, Vergil.” There was a hint of anger in her tone, but she clearly didn’t have the energy to express it. “And I don’t appreciate you turning this conversation on me.” When she met his gaze again, it was with a soft, warning glare. “How would I know about your nightmares?”

“Aki,” Vergil said. “He’s always been there when I have one.”

She stared at him, and Vergil was absolutely positive she had no idea what he was talking about. “But why?” She muttered, more to herself than him. “How would that even help?” She went silent for a moment as her eyes closed. Vergil could imagine her reaching deep into her subconscious, searching for Aki’s soul. Maybe she would summon him. Maybe she wouldn’t. It didn’t matter as long as she got answers. When her eyes opened again, they were Kuro’s pale blue. “Aki says he could feel your distress and wanted to comfort you.” She shook her head. “I never considered that my own familiars could help you.” 

“How?”

“Kuro’s magic is primarily healing,” She said. “And Aki has likely absorbed plenty over the years…” Her eyes brightened suddenly as if a literal lightbulb had gone off in her head. “I can help too!”

“What?”

“Proximity,” She whispered. “Maybe if I sleep in the same room…”

“Absolutely not. I’m not risking your life to make myself feel better.” Vergil said. 

Her anger flared up again. This time, she had no trouble showing it. “You didn’t hurt me.”

“I’m not an idiot, Roxy.” He said. “I saw the bruise.”

“I bruise very easily,” She said. “And, as you can see,” she waved her hand near her neck. “It’s gone.”

“Roxy,”

“Please, Vergil,” She said. “Let me at least try.” 

“... You’re not going to give this up are you?”

“Nope.”

Vergil sighed. “Fine.” 

--------------

After three days of near-perfect sleep, it was Kuro who woke Vergil up. 

“Come,” The dragon said, his snout incredibly close to Vergil’s face. “Leave her here.” He hopped off the bed and sauntered away, leaving Vergil to stare at the ceiling. Roxy was asleep beside him, as her heartbeat was a gentle thump that had miraculously kept most of the nightmares away. He’d had a couple, but she’d always been there to soothe him back to sleep. In fact, Roxy had barely left his side since her promise, constantly finding ways to distract him when his mind wandered too far. And Vergil didn’t mind the constant companionship, though he was very aware that he was much less her caretaker now than she was his. But, considering how quiet the rest of his family had been (which he hoped was a good sign), she was the glue holding him together. 

Of course, none of this helped him figure out what Kuro could possibly want on a morning like this. The dragon had been rather quiet as of late. After they’d been forced to give Roxy some of Vergil’s blood to keep her functioning without the extra demons to help, Kuro had all but disappeared. Roxy said he was keeping track of her “from within” (though she had sounded a bit skeptical about that). The dragon had claimed he was giving them privacy, but the two had both agreed they weren’t doing anything that necessarily needed it. Sure, the two had been more open about their feelings toward each other, but they still had a lot to figure out before anything… drastic.

Honestly, that was the furthest thing from Vergil’s mind at the moment. They’d have plenty of time to figure things out once Mundus was taken care of. 

Aki appeared on Vergil’s chest and gave a series of chirps as he tilted his head in what Vergil assumed was a “what are you waiting for?”. Then, the bird ran up Vergil’s arm and curled up in the small space beside a sleeping Roxy. Vergil sighed as he absentmindedly ran his thumb along her arm. Dia hadn’t returned yet, though he had no way of knowing how time worked between her world and theirs. He didn’t have the mental energy to stress over that too. 

A low growl is what finally got him out of bed, and he wasn’t surprised to find a very irritated, and rather large Kuro sitting outside. He towered a good few feet over Vergil, tongue flicking in pure frustration.

Vergil was not impressed. 

“Slow as usual,” Kuro said.

“If you’re trying to intimidate me, don’t bother,” Vergil replied.

“You are not ready.”

“For?”

“To be her familiar.”

Vergil’s eyebrow shot up. “It is temporary, is it not?”

“You don’t know how long that might be,” Kuro said. “What if Mundus’ hold on you does not immediately break? What if his mark remains and he comes after her? What if my power is overused in the process and she needs yours to keep her going?” Kuro’s head rose a bit higher. “You are wholly unprepared for the possibilities, and I am going to teach you.”

“I know how familiars work,” Vergil said. 

“Summoning is a lot different than being summoned.”

“I’ll be fine.”

Kuro huffed. “How do you maintain balance between her energy and yours?”

“I…” Vergil trailed off, realizing the ruse was up.

“How do you keep your thoughts from flowing freely into her mind?”

“I’m sure that’s…”

“How do you keep your nightmares from terrorizing her?”

“You’ve made your point.”

“Have I?” Kuro said. “Do you know how to summon yourself in any form she needs you in, regardless of the strain it puts on you? Do you know how to channel your demonic magic where she needs it instead of yourself? Do you even know what it’s like to put someone else’s safety entirely above your own?” The dragon’s muzzle was uncomfortable close now, and his voice only got louder. “This isn’t some game, Vergil. It’s her life. And I will not allow you to undo the sacrifices I have made to maintain it.” 

“It isn’t my intention to hurt her,” Vergil said. “Nor am I so foolish to risk her life.”

“You’re afraid.”

Vergil’s eyes drifted closed. “Not of her.”

“Of what could happen.”

“I don’t have much of a choice.”

“Which is why I ask that you learn what you can while you have the chance,” Kuro said. “If something goes wrong, you need to be the one in control, understand?” 

Vergil swore he heard a chuckle of amusement, but it was difficult to tell through the dragon’s natural voice. “Do you feel it?” Kuro said. “A fifth appendage waiting for your command.”

That was where the problem lay. Beyond the natural weight of the tail itself Vergil didn’t feel anything. There was no sensation of a third arm or leg. Nothing connecting his brain to the thing hanging from his back. Yet it moved on its own, swishing occasionally from side to side, or even thumping the ground when Vergil was irritated. But all of it was instinctual. Vergil himself couldn’t control it. And that perplexed him more than the logistics of summoning the tail itself. 

“If it makes you feel better,” Roxy said. “I think it’s impressive.” She leaned forward from her spot on his bed, eyes wide with happiness. The two were sharing the same space temporarily, with Nico and Nero in Roxy’s place. It had been at Nico’s request as, after hearing about the potential pact, she’d deemed it important that the two ‘get as close as possible’. Nero had nearly yelled at her over that, until all of them realized she had said it completely unironically and hadn’t at all meant it the way they thought she did.  So, Vergil took the bed at Roxy’s request, and she took the couch. The two had continued on with their routine as if everything were normal and they weren’t constantly ten or less feet from each other..

Kuro snorted. “Of course you would.”

She blushed, glaring at him. “He summoned his tail Kuro. In his human form! Is that not fascinating?” She looked almost dreamy in a way, and Vergil cursed the well of pride that he felt at her excitement. 

“It won’t do him any good if he can’t control it.” 

“But if he learned how to summon it that quickly, then he can learn anything.”

Kuro rolled his eyes. “You have too much faith in him.”

“Or you don’t have enough.” 

“He hasn’t shown any promise so far,” Kuro said with a huff. “Move your tail, Sparda-spawn. On purpose.”

Vergil scowled at him. The tail thumped. “Sparda-spawn?”

“It comes off the tongue more easily than Son of Sparda.”

“Sure it does.”

“You can do it though… right?” Roxy said. “I mean maybe not right now, but you can learn.”

Vergil stared at her, trying to ignore the way his heart was thudding in his chest. The idea of failing her… the thought of not making her expectations… He loathed it. 

Now he was certain that he had well and truly lost it.

“Yes,” He said with as much confidence as he could muster. He let the tail go, satisfied when it vanished within a few seconds of him asking it to. He tugged on his gloves to occupy himself, as he was certain he wouldn’t be able to stand still otherwise. “But you want something, yes?”

This time, it was Roxy who stared at him. Vergil wouldn’t admit that it had been a lucky guess. Why else would she have come into his room? Surely it hadn’t been to admire him. 

“Maybe I just wanted to see how you were doing?”

… Or maybe it had.

“You look distressed,” Vergil said. It was another shot in the dark, but he liked to think he knew her well enough to tell between her usual, cheerful demeanor and this tense, I’m pretending to be happy one. “What is bothering you?”

Roxy looked away. “I have to visit my mother,” She  muttered as if the idea deeply pained her. “I haven’t been there in a few… months… so…” She trailed off with a frustrated sigh. “I was hoping you would go with me.”

Kuro snorted. “I do not think it wise to introduce him to your mother.”

“It’s not about introducing him,” Roxy argued. “It’s about me not wanting to be alone.”

“You are never alone.” 

“I can’t exactly show my demon hating mother a demonic dragon, Kuro.”

“But you are willing to go with a half-demon?”

“It’s not like she’s going to know.”

“You need to think with your…”

“I’ll go,” Vergil interrupted. “Nero and Nico will be fine for one day.”

After a moment of silence, Kuro sighed. “Fine. Do what you will.” 

“We have to drive,” Roxy said. “Since, no Yamato and all.”

Vergil twitched. “How long?”

“Might want to bring a book,” Roxy said. “Or ten.”

--------------

Three hours into the drive, Vergil was grateful that he’d listened to Roxy, as he was certain he would have lost his mind an hour ago. 

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been on such a long trip. He’d spent a few hours here and there with Nico in Fortuna, but that had always been in the city. They’d always made numerous stops to keep Nico (and Vergil) from going insane, and there had always been some demons to fight somewhere. This was just… a road of nothing to nowhere. All he’d seen since they passed through the city was grass. Endless waves of various shades of green and the occasional cow that reminded him that there was other life in the universe. 

You’re being dramatic, He could imagine practically everyone in his life saying. That’s why he kept a majority of his thoughts to himself, glancing through his fourth book as he made a conscious effort to read slower. Roxy had mentioned that they probably wouldn’t make it home until long after the sun went down, so Vergil hoped his demon eye-sight would come in handy. 

For now, however, Vergil decided that simple conversation would suffice.

“What is your relationship like with your mother?” He said. While he already knew the answer - not very good - he was hoping she’d elaborate. 

“Pretty terrible,” She said as bluntly as a baseball bat to the skull. “Things fell apart after the accident. She blamed me for it, fought with my dad over it, and gradually lost her mind. While I was away trying to live this new paraplegic life, my father had to put her into assisted living because neither of us were capable of providing for her.” She paused for a moment, fingers tapping the steering wheel. “I try to visit once and awhile, but the chances of finding her as… herself…” She sighed. “I think just seeing me sets her off.”

“Do you know why?”

She was silent for a few minutes, and Vergil wondered if he’d gone too far. “I haven’t told you about the accident, have I?” 

“You don’t have to.”

She tapped the steering wheel again. “I’d rather you hear it from me than her.”

Vergil glanced out the window. “Take your time.” 

It was another half hour before she pulled into a resting spot and spoke again. “I was twenty-two at the time. My sister, Alina, and I were coming home from a concert she’d been dreaming of for months.” Vergil didn’t miss the small smile as her eyes drifted out the window. “Alina was the golden child of the family. She was finishing her doctorate and on her way to working at the biggest hospital in the city. I was the artist. The child that my father loved for the same creativity that my mother loathed.”

“She wanted you to follow your sister?”

“Not necessarily,” She said as she looked back at him. “She knew I wasn’t cut out to be a surgeon, but she wanted me to do something else. Anything, really. She didn’t approve of the time I spent studying demons with my father or my dreams of opening a studio or… anything really.” She shrugged. “It didn’t matter. I knew she disapproved, but we had a decent relationship anyway. She loved to cook, and I’d join her whenever possible. She taught me how to sew and knit and a dozen other “handy hobbies” that I could still stumble my way through if I tried. But Alina was always her favorite.”

Vergil’s heart fell into his stomach. He had a feeling he knew where this was going. “She didn’t make it.”

“Drunk driver,” Roxy whispered. “He was driving a truck with dozens of metal pipes. When he hit us, they dislodged. And… well…” She looked away as a tear slipped down her cheek. “Alina died on the spot and I… ” She touched her lower stomach with a wince. “They told me the pole went straight through, but I don’t remember anything before I woke up from the surgery.” 

Images of Yamato plunging through his chest made Vergil wince. His fingers twitched as he resisted the urge to reach for the scar that hadn’t gone away. The pain had been… immense. As were most things that plunged through someone’s body. But he couldn’t imagine being human and experiencing it. He couldn’t imagine not knowing if he’d live at the end of it (even if he hadn’t truly known the devil he was unleashing). “You don’t remember the accident then.”

She shook her head. “It hurts sometimes,” She said. “The scars. But Kuro takes good care of me, and I barely feel them anymore.” Vergil swore he saw her entire body relax. It was as if the weight of the world had finally been lifted from her shoulders. He hadn’t even realized how naturally tense she had been. Behind the constant smiles and the laughter and the encouragement… How long had she wanted to tell him this? Had she told anyone? Surely Kuro knew…

“Thank you,” Vergil said. 

She blinked in surprise. “For what?”

“Sharing your story with me,” Vergil met her gaze, fully aware that anything else would be disingenuous. “I know how hard it is to share something so personal, and I hope I do not squander the faith you have put in me.”

She smiled as a second tear fell along her cheek. “We’ve got about an hour left to go,” She said as she pulled back onto the road. “I’m happy to talk if you don’t want to power through the rest of your books so soon. I’ve got much better memories to share than that.”