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[ofmisfortune]

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[ofmisfortune]

[ Echo is correct, all is certainly not right.

Weakened by the shifts in his corruption, Vincent can feel his body dying more now than ever. Pain leaves him burning from the inside out, the sort of agony that feels as though it will ever end.

It would crush Gilbert to see him like this, and he couldn’t trust anyone else. In this moment, it feels like Echo is all that he has. ]

I need something to eat. Savory biscuits, or bread… water. Ice.

[individualized]

[Echo quickly gets off of the bed and stands in Vincent's line of vision. It's like she's a soldier at attention, only without any feeling at all.]

Is there anything in here, or do I need to go to the dining hall?

[ofmisfortune]

[ Weakly, he shakes his head against the pillow. ]

You’ll need to go to the dining hall.

[ Peering up at her from beneath his heavy blond lashes, he finds himself wondering if she’s been experiencing ill effects at all. She seems completely unaffected... Though, she’s always been stronger than him.

Sighing, his lids fall. ]

Go ahead.

[individualized]

[She's not strong enough to lug him around easily when he falls asleep in the middle of the floor...]

Yes.

[And off she goes. As much as she wouldn't mind taking her own sweet time to delay getting back, he truly isn't doing well. It's certainly not something she'd wish on him. ...usually...

Echo manages to find both a few biscuits and a respectable chunk of the bread, then gets some ice water. She gets back in the amount of time that would probably be expected. Once she stands by his bed, she holds the tray toward him.]

[ofmisfortune]

[ In Echo’s absence, he has managed to lay himself down on his stomach. Upon hearing her enter, he blearily raises his head.

Vincent reaches to take one of the crackers, taking a nibble off of it, to start. He eyes the ice water, noting that he hadn’t been specific enough about keeping the two separated- but he doesn’t have the energy to complain about it. He simply takes the glass, to sip - and then, hold against his temple. ]

You seem - [ Ugh, he can’t tell if his body appreciates the nourishment or plans to reject it. ] - unaffected by all of this. Are you not uncomfortable.

[individualized]

[She's just going to let him do his thing until he gives her another order.]

I've experienced discomfort, though at present it has not been to this degree.

[Maybe if she still let him molest her on a daily basis he could have noticed where she was developing an exoskeleton. Then there were the intense emotions she could pick up around her sometimes which she found quite painful.]

There have also been changes to my body, but they are not currently visible.

[ofmisfortune]

[ Vincent leaves the glass against his head as he closes his eyes. Listening to her speak. At first, he only hums in acknowledgment, before moving it to hold against the horn nib at the other side. ]

What are they?

[individualized]

My skin is hardening gradually. I am also..."feeling" more. I recall you saw me in Kelesis when it was at its worst.

[Though whether the physical attributes are the same remains to be seen almost like someone is very indecisive....]

It is not physical, but still quite painful...

[She pauses, having been watching him move the water around his forehead.]

Did you need something for your head?

[ofmisfortune]

[ Vincent up at her once more, intrigued. ]

Yes… I suppose that it is.

[ He might envy her, for being capable of avoiding those emotions for so long, despite all that she’d experienced.

His perfect little doll has become a real girl, after all. ]

Ah… [ And she continues to surprise him. ] If you could grab that medicine you’d set aside, I’ll take double what it recommends.

[individualized]

["Avoiding" them. Keep telling yourself that, Vincent. Tools weren't supposed to be allowed to feel anything.]

Yes.

[She picks up the bottle and reads the label. Hopefully it's not one of those super long ones because Echo's going to read the entire thing. Once she's at the end, she opens the bottle and shakes four pills onto the tray.]

This is double.

[ofmisfortune]

[ Though he could probably use the medicine sooner rather than later, he finds himself amused enough by this behavior that he allows it. Just to see if she would, in fact, read the entire thing. He keeps himself busy by finishing his cracker, and a corner of his lips is just barely quirked up into a smirk as he beholds the pills on the tray. ]

… Perhaps triple.

[individualized]

[She shakes out two more. She's your dealer now, Vincent.]

[ofmisfortune]

[ Oh, sweet Echo, you’re his fix.

Exhaling in something of approval, Vincent scoops up the pills to take, washing them down with some water. He vaguely winces as he reaches to set the glass on the nightstand. ]

Tell me - [ Resting his cheek atop the pillow, his mismatched eyes drift tiredly. ] - what are you learning from these new emotions? Are they all painful to you?

[individualized]

[Honestly, Echo thinks the personality difference makes the fact that he's not doing well far more obvious than his gaunt appearance or the bones sticking out of his back. She has to take a moment to think over the fact that he asked such a strange question before thinking over her answer.]

No. I am not sure what to call many of them. The pain is not exactly a physical thing; not in the sense of a wound. It is...

[Finding the names of the emotions is already hard, describing them isn't much easier.]

...the intensity. I do not know what to do.

[ofmisfortune]

[ Vincent’s lashes flutter with mild annoyance, that Echo feels the need to clarify the difference between emotional and physical pain to him. Closing his eyes, he halfheartedly snerks beneath his breath. ]

I’d suppose you left that to Noise, mm?

[individualized]

[Alas, this means he misses Echo wrinkling her nose and pulling her head back a bit. He may even miss the angry and confused frown he's getting.

What did he mean, that she just left all of her emotions for Noise to feel? Somehow, the fact that he was apparently clueless as to what she'd been through made it feel more offensive.]

I did no such thing to her. As an echo, I was not permitted to have feelings. I had no right to anything human.

[She continues in a mutter.] You of all people should know that.

[ofmisfortune]

[ The tone tells him everything that he needs to know, really! ]

You ultimately failed at that, didn’t you? Failed her. [ Lazily peering over at her, his smile pulls taut. ] I’d thought that I taught you well, and yet, you unraveled so quickly.

[ Really, he doesn’t care if she’s upset with him, but that sour face she makes is pretty cute. He’ll tilt his head to watch her fondly. ]

I’m curious to know where I went wrong. There’s still much about you that is a mystery to me.

[individualized]

[...If she kills him right now, would that just end this whole process for him? Echo doesn't know if she likes the thought of shortening his misery at the moment.

She's fighting to keep her irritation below the level where she'd snap. Vincent doesn't know what he's talking about; if he didn't know they were dead, that much was true. It seemed like he was doing that thing where he annoyed people until they made a mistake and he could take advantage of it, whatever that was called. She might be wrong, but that's the hypothesis she's going with.

So, ironically enough, she needs to try to dial in her emotions right now. If only to prevent Vincent from gloating. Just because he was suffering didn't mean she wanted to brighten his mood. He does get to keep enjoying the expression on her face, though.]

.....

Did you need anything else, Master Vincent?

[ofmisfortune]

[ Ah, Echo may him too well, in that regard. Knowing that it would be unwise to keep pushing he relaxes into his pillow with an airy sigh. Still, that flash of venom in her eyes has brought him a fraction of satisfaction. ]

No, Echo. That would be all.

[individualized]

[Nothing would make her happier than leaving right now.

...But a thought is nagging at her, and unfortunately following her free will also meant sticking around even if she had been told not to.]

Did you want something to be done for the lumps on your head?

[ofmisfortune]

[ Questioningly, Vincent raises his head to look at her once more. The blond takes a moment to weigh his options in matters of importance, but inevitably, he sighs. ]

There is one of those… ice things in the kit. You could grab that for me.

[ What he is referring to is an instant cold pack. It’s not something that he’s used before, but he’s certainly noticed it in there. ]

[individualized]

[Echo fishes around in the first aid kit until she pulls out something that looks accurate. Excuse her as she takes the time to read everything about this, as well. Once she's finished, she squeezes the pack and hands it toward him. There were some safety notes, but she's pretty sure he's not going to care.]

It's only big enough to cover one of those...spots.

[She's still not certain what they are, honestly.]

[ofmisfortune]

[ Indeed, he does not care, and will lift his hair to place the pack directly against one of the sore nibs. Briefly, he winces, but his brow eases a fraction just moments after. ]

If you’ve a better suggestion, I’d be happy to hear it.

[ Not said to be callous, but there’s no use in padding his words with Echo. ]

[individualized]

[Oh, you can't offend her any more than you already do, Vince.]

Apart from more ice, not really.

[She pauses.]

What are they, exactly?

[ofmisfortune]

[ Vincent sighs, as he shifts to alternate the pack to the other side.

To the question he simply looks at her for a moment, before begrudgingly speaking. ]

Horns.