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It had been a busy day. Calloused hands swept away stray strands of hair that threatened to obstruct the man's view.
One more week remained until he rendezvoused with Nero to defeat Urizen once and for all.
Urizen. The name V had given to his other self. V's memories of the split were unfortunately vivid. His fear was easily recalled as he pictured himself lying in front of the demon before him, naked and powerless. His other self would never have been put in such a position of fear and helplessness.
He shook his head, emptying his mind of the thoughts. Above him, Griffon flew overhead in an attempt to scout out large hordes of demons in advance. Shadow searched around corners, eager to spot demons before the feathered familar could get the chance.
The sun beginning to rise was the only indication V had as to the amount of time he had been out hunting demons in Red Grave for the day. His hands were shaking from exhaustion, and his eyes were dark with frustration at his human body that threatened to collapse at the first signs of drowsiness.
Have to keep going, V thought.
Going. And going, going, going. Never stopping, never hesitating. The immense guilt of the crimes his past self had committed always threatened to pour over whenever he rested. So he kept moving, eager to right his wrongs. Wrongs that he had never truly committed.
V shifted his focus to Griffon from time to time, half wanting him to finally spot a demon if only to put an end to his trailing thoughts and overwhelming boredom. As he pushed himself onwards, he chanced to spot a flash of red from the corner of his eye. Stopping for a moment, he turned.
Before him lay a small patch of vibrant red flowers. Their petals danced in the breeze, a small flash of beauty amongst the rubble of Red Grave. How something so beautiful could burden itself with living in a place like this, V did not know. Unknowingly, his legs began to move him towards the flower patch.
He knelt down on one knee, examining the stems carefully. He wanted one. Trembling hands opted to move towards the smooth stem of one of the plants.
Before he could pick any, Griffon had flown down beside him.
"Hey, hey, hey! What do we have here?" the bird began. "Does our little pal V here have a soft spot for flowers?"
V let out a small chuckle.
"Who knows?" he said, an air of irritation in his voice. "But it is of no importance. We should keep going." With that, V grabbed his cane and stood up, turning opposite the flowers and walking back towards what was left of the road.
Griffon hesitated. The only other time he saw V so intensely fixated on something was when he read that book he so adamantly carried with him. The familiar glanced at the flowers, then back at V. Letting out a sigh, he took three of the flowers in his beak and started off for his master.
V hadn't noticed Griffon's absence until he heard the flapping of wings directly behind him.
"V!" Griffon called, his words slightly muffled by the stems hanging from his beak. "Wait up!"
V stopped in his tracks and turned to his feathered companion. He was just about to ask what needed his attention when he noticed a brilliant red hanging from Griffon's beak.
Griffon dropped them on the ground before V's feet. Seemingly noticing the surprised expression on V's face, he said, "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just shut up and take them, poetry boy."
V's lip curled up into a smirk. "My, my," he started, bending down to pick up the flowers. "I didn't know you had it in you."
Griffon groaned. "Look, you tell anyone about this -- and I mean ANYONE -- I will NEVER let you summon me again. Got that?"
V nodded, the smirk never leaving his face. "If that is your wish." he said. "You have my thanks."
Shadow padded silently up from behind them, giving Griffon a purr of amusement from the events that had just transpired.
Griffon shook his head and flapped his wings. "Oh for the love of... CAN IT, KITTY. Unless you want me to peck the eyes out of your furry little head!"
Shadow let out a growl.
V couldn't help but laugh as he gently stroked the red petals with his fingertips. These flowers were so beautiful, he thought. Then he finally thought that, yes, he would miss this life and all of its silly moments like these. He would miss his autonomy, his freedom to feel so strongly and be felt just the same. Had it not been for this weak vessel, this crumbling flesh, would he have carried on like this? Had Urizen posed no threat, could he have stayed? Could he have lived?
He knew it was impossible, a fantasy derived from the deepest parts of his mind that his former self had shut out from the world.
He had to save the world from Urizen. From the Quliphoth.
He had to save himself.
And he had to save Vergil.
It was the only way to atone.
Then he remembered the state Vergil was in just moments before the split. His flesh crumbling, his body that was only seconds from collapsing all together. V knew that same fate was waiting for him.
And so it appears my rejoining will be the only way to survive, he thought to himself.
He carefully tucked the flowers into the front pocket of his coat. He wanted to hold onto these for as long as possible.
Griffon puffed up his chest. "Remind me to never do anything nice for you ever again." he said before flying up to scout for demons yet again.
V shut his eyes. And for a fleeting moment, he relished this life.