gunlady:
It’s him, beyond any doubt. She’d recognize that corset-sandal-cane combo anywhere, and his poetic manner of speech only seals the deal. She struggled to believe it at first, that a devil could split into two halves, but Lady figured even Vergil had to have some shred of humanity left in him. Whatever his reasons, he had helped even back when Temen-ni-gru was a problem, and she hadn’t known him to go out of his way to hunt humans like most other demons. All in all, he could have been worse, and V being his humanity just made him better in Lady’s eyes.
“Oh, I’ll prepare, don’t you worry about that. He cost me my Kalina Ann, and he owes me for her. Besides, I doubt he’d be lurking around anywhere… if he was here, you would’ve seen or heard something. A giant throne or villain cackling somewhere, probably.” Hopefully not another tree. That place was disgusting, way worse than most other dens and dungeons she’d cleared.
“Confined, huh?” She sighs softly, shoulders drooping with a slight shake of her head in disappointment. “I was hoping this would just be a blip on the map, but there’s no way to leave after all, huh? Well, I’m sure we’ll find one eventually. Everything has a weak spot, you know. Besides, maybe it’ll be nice… I’ll call it a vacation for now. I haven’t seen a single demon yet, so this might even be better than the beach.” A smile replaces her brief pout, and her hands find her hips in defiance of the situation. No reason to go getting more bummed than needed, not yet. “I’ve only been here for… maybe a couple hours? Got to my new home, got bored, and set out to explore. Figured I’d stop for pizza on the way, see if Dante is set up anywhere to finally collect on some of that debt he owes me, and that’s when I ran into you.”
Her head cocks slightly to the side, an index finger tapping gently on her lower lip in thought. “But you’re really doing better? No risk of crumbling or anything?” There’s a brief pause as she wonders just how familiar it’s alright to be with him, especially since they barely had the chance to speak, let alone meet before. “It’s… kinda strange to be talking to you when I’m not feeling totally worthless or minutes away from getting my ass kicked.”
The casualness in which she speaks, the fact that she’s still speaking at all─ V isn’t quite sure how to interpret it. Whether she knows the entire story or not shall remain a mystery, and V decides he doesn’t particularly care to think on it too much. She’s here, she’s talking to him like he’d assume a pair of old friends would talk, and there’s no hostility.
Perhaps the humanity in him is actually grateful for that, and mildly relieved.
“ Powerful he may be, yet not a creature worthy of a throne. ” V states with narrow eyes. He still vividly recalls watching as Urizen manifested into the world alongside him and the feelings that accompanied. fear. awe. guilt. envy. He wonders: where did that half of him go to? “ Shame about your weapon. ” he interjects as an afterthought. Genuine, but still no change in his tone. Her optimism about the situation doesn’t surprise him. He’s still getting used to familiarity, after all: remembering qualities about others that aren’t just a measurement of power, or good or evil. Strange.
“ If there was a way to leave willingly, we would have discovered it by now. Unfortunately, I believe your debt collection will have to be postponed. Are you surprised? ” a conclusion she’s likely surmised already, but one he finds almost amusing to point of.
It isn’t unlike his dear brother to not return what he’s borrowed, after all. He should have hid his own things more thoroughly. Ah─ seems the memories still continue, even here, even so far after he ended things. Not wanting to linger on the thoughts too much, lips part to affirm his recovered state.
But a certain familiar has other plans.
‘ Good as new, good as new! ’ the demon bird chants as he manifests from the ink on V’s body, ‘ Our wittle V here is doing as good as eva’! So, miss Lady, if you’re thinkin’ of messin’ with us, think again! You guys got here, yeah? Heehee! Means you’re weaker than us right now! Well, not like you had much of a chance anyw─ ’ the cawing is cut off by a sharp THWACK !! of V’s cane, causing the avian to squawk defiantly.
‘ Oh come on !!! I’m just happy to see another familiar face! Imagine being me and being stuck with Mr. Gloomy all the time! You’re happy to see someone we know too, ain’t ya’? ’ the former directed at Lady, while he turns to V for the later question. V just sighs, returning his unwavering gaze to her.
“ It’s good to see you in one piece. And... human. ”
damned bird.
