Vergil's OneShots (DMC Fanfiction)

Pride

A/N: I think Nero has been missing for quite some time.

[Pride]

A man wore a long shapeless coat that brushed his ankles while he walked down the road that led him to the bustling castle-city of Fortuna. A low fedora settled easily over his hair, tilted low enough to cast a shadow over his eyes. Nothing about the man spoke of any significant thing worth remembering, and he was almost a forgettable part of the background when he entered the city proper, blending into the crowd as another faceless individual.

This man paused when he overheard the soft conversation being shared between two men.

"I saw him today." Man #1 said with a proud grin. "He was chasing down some demons as usual, but my wife gave him something to bring just in case he gets hungry. Afar he looks capable, but when he came closer, I was reminded at how young he actually is."

"I know. It is really hard to believe that someone that young actually saved the entire city." Man #2 replied with a voice of awe. "Fortuna owes her good fortune to giving us the boy."

"Who would have thought that that arm would be the thing that would save us all?" Man #1 said incredulously. "I am embarrassed to say that I once thought he was something evil because of the demonic arm."

"Most of us used to think like that. But we were stupid and blind."

"I pray for his and his girlfriend's good health every day so that he may continue to keep us safe from the demons. It hasn't been easy for Fortuna to recover from the massacre, but without him, this place would be a ghost town."

The Visitor in the long black coat approached the conversation from the side, tilting his hat slightly up –but not taking it off his head completely –to make eye contact with both conversing men.

"Excuse me." He cut in politely. "I am new in this town here. Were the two of you talking about the boy who saved Fortuna?"

"Yes." Man #2 replied with a small look of surprise. "Have you heard about him outside of the Fortuna?"

The Visitor nodded. "Rumours came about how a gate opened beneath Fortuna and demons came flooding here. But not long after it opened, it was shut close by a boy with a demonic arm."

"That's our Nero." Man #1 said proudly. "Not only did he shut the gate, he also killed the bastard who was responsible for all this mess."

"The rumours said he was a young boy of fifteen. I find that largely impossible."

"Rumours tend to exaggerate when they spread." Man #2 was the one who answered this time. "Our Nero was 17 when it happened. It's been three years since the fall of Sanctus, so Nero is 20 now. Are you here to know more about him?"

The Visitor nodded. "I admit that I made my way to Fortuna after hearing about this miracle boy with a demonic arm who saved an entire city from demons. If he has a demonic arm, then is he not a demon or at the very least half of one?"

"To be honest, we aren't sure of what he is ourselves either. But it doesn't matter now, because we know where his heart lies. He's on our side and has been protecting all of us against the demons that want to ruin Fortuna."

"Do you know where I can find him? I would like to meet him once and ask him some questions."

"I don't think that's very possible, good sir. Nero doesn't stay anywhere for long, because there's always a demon or another to kill around here in Fortuna. He is busy as a bee and I don't think he accepts social calls during his rest time."