[Vergil cannot simply tell Nero not to feel the way that he does both because if it were that simple, Nero would have done that already, and because Vergil would have as well. Nothing could really be quite so hypocritical as to tell his own son not to feel something that he himself has felt acutely for the majority of his life. Most frustrating than the lack of a straightforward affirmation though is Vergil also lacks the ability to advise Nero forward. There is no real solution that came to him or that he worked toward that soothed those feelings of inadequacy within him that they now bear less control over him and his decisions as they once did. It is something a number of things likely contributed towards, if he's honest.]
I... [he starts, faltering a little. Vergil remains uncertain where to start or how much to share, and deeply uncomfortable with the level of vulnerability that it feels it takes to say anything at all. But Vergil also does not wish to meet Nero's confession with silence. That would be far too cruel of a choice to make so willingly.] I know it may be difficult to believe from what you know or have been told, but I am...familiar. With that feeling.
[Vergil doesn't know what has been discussed between Nero and Dante precisely, but an explicit conversation isn't even likely needed. He's seen enough of both twins at this point to tell the differences in how they fight, relaying even just a little of the differences in how they've each grown into their power. But even setting that aside, Vergil sits confident in his own strength and power, outclassing most that Nero will ever come to face. The idea of anyone who so readily accepted his powers, who sees the devil within him to be just as much himself than a separate entity, bearing that sort of insecurity that Nero acknowledged seems incongruent.]
Father was... He was not some savior of humanity to me. [Not in the sense of how the Order attempted to raise Nero to think of him as being, and not in the manner of it being his greatest accomplishment, nor a legacy that Vergil aspired to uphold someday. It was never about that.] He was our father. Our protector. So long as he was there, we knew we would be safe because he was stronger than anything that might try to threaten us. To tell you the truth, I believed that so strongly, I was likely the last among the three of us left behind to accept that Father was not returning after he left. He was everything that I wanted to grow to be, and it seemed unfathomable to me that he could ever...
[Vergil waves a slight hand. He accepted it a long time ago that his father was likely dead in the best case scenario. In the worst, however... He did not like to entertain that scenario.]
I think because of that, Dante always believed I wanted to be as strong and powerful as Father, but the truth is, after Mother died, I wanted to surpass him.
[It's there that Vergil feels the limits of what he's willing to part with both in this less private setting, and in general. There's much of his life that Nero does not know, does not need to know. But it is perhaps enough for him to understand that Vergil's desire for power began somewhere, and not somewhere out of malice for others.]
That feeling you have can be all-consuming and blinding, but it is important you guard yourself against it.
Each time I knocked you to the ground, you rose to your feet again. But rather than doing so out of the strength you possess, you did it out of anger and spite towards yourself. You focused on your mistakes not for the sake of learning from them, but to punish yourself because that feeling inside you told you that you were being inadequate. A disappointment.
And in doing so, you did not just lose sight of the fact you landed a dozen blows today against an opponent with greater mastery over his power and abilities, and has been fighting demons far longer than you have been alive. You were driven to self-destruct because that would have been more tolerable to you than that feeling continuing its endless refrain.
[Vergil glances away from Nero then, pausing a moment and folding his arms loosely across his chest. He does not want Nero to be like him. He wants Nero to surpass him. Not in strength or fighting prowess, but in the ways that truly matter.]
I told you that you were born with all the strength and power you will ever need to possess. It is only a matter of learning to wield them, which will come with time and practice.
You must find ways to remember that even when you've made mistakes or failed to meet the expectations you set for yourself.
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I... [he starts, faltering a little. Vergil remains uncertain where to start or how much to share, and deeply uncomfortable with the level of vulnerability that it feels it takes to say anything at all. But Vergil also does not wish to meet Nero's confession with silence. That would be far too cruel of a choice to make so willingly.] I know it may be difficult to believe from what you know or have been told, but I am...familiar. With that feeling.
[Vergil doesn't know what has been discussed between Nero and Dante precisely, but an explicit conversation isn't even likely needed. He's seen enough of both twins at this point to tell the differences in how they fight, relaying even just a little of the differences in how they've each grown into their power. But even setting that aside, Vergil sits confident in his own strength and power, outclassing most that Nero will ever come to face. The idea of anyone who so readily accepted his powers, who sees the devil within him to be just as much himself than a separate entity, bearing that sort of insecurity that Nero acknowledged seems incongruent.]
Father was... He was not some savior of humanity to me. [Not in the sense of how the Order attempted to raise Nero to think of him as being, and not in the manner of it being his greatest accomplishment, nor a legacy that Vergil aspired to uphold someday. It was never about that.] He was our father. Our protector. So long as he was there, we knew we would be safe because he was stronger than anything that might try to threaten us. To tell you the truth, I believed that so strongly, I was likely the last among the three of us left behind to accept that Father was not returning after he left. He was everything that I wanted to grow to be, and it seemed unfathomable to me that he could ever...
[Vergil waves a slight hand. He accepted it a long time ago that his father was likely dead in the best case scenario. In the worst, however... He did not like to entertain that scenario.]
I think because of that, Dante always believed I wanted to be as strong and powerful as Father, but the truth is, after Mother died, I wanted to surpass him.
[It's there that Vergil feels the limits of what he's willing to part with both in this less private setting, and in general. There's much of his life that Nero does not know, does not need to know. But it is perhaps enough for him to understand that Vergil's desire for power began somewhere, and not somewhere out of malice for others.]
That feeling you have can be all-consuming and blinding, but it is important you guard yourself against it.
Each time I knocked you to the ground, you rose to your feet again. But rather than doing so out of the strength you possess, you did it out of anger and spite towards yourself. You focused on your mistakes not for the sake of learning from them, but to punish yourself because that feeling inside you told you that you were being inadequate. A disappointment.
And in doing so, you did not just lose sight of the fact you landed a dozen blows today against an opponent with greater mastery over his power and abilities, and has been fighting demons far longer than you have been alive. You were driven to self-destruct because that would have been more tolerable to you than that feeling continuing its endless refrain.
[Vergil glances away from Nero then, pausing a moment and folding his arms loosely across his chest. He does not want Nero to be like him. He wants Nero to surpass him. Not in strength or fighting prowess, but in the ways that truly matter.]
I told you that you were born with all the strength and power you will ever need to possess. It is only a matter of learning to wield them, which will come with time and practice.
You must find ways to remember that even when you've made mistakes or failed to meet the expectations you set for yourself.