banworthy | etraya inbox.

VOICE | TEXT | VIDEO | ACTION

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only | Expand All

( with her device in her hands, heather stared down at the glowing screen for a long time before she finally began to type out what exactly she wanted to say. she felt like she had known vincent for a long time now and to allow himself to die again seemed...

unusual to say the least. she wasn't sure of the full details of his latest demise, with maria keeping it vague but she felt compelled to check up on him.

at least. )

so....dead again? what happened?

( this is as much comfort as he's going to get from her, because she's not really sure what needed. )

[ He stares at the message and feels a sense of relief. It seems like Maria did as he asked and didn't tell Heather the gruesome details of his demise. However, he didn't return to the train as he thought that he would - instead, he awoke back on Etraya.

No other people there sans Aurora and the companion bots. Only himself and the pets that people left behind. He squirreled himself away back in Stonhyrr. It seems he was knocked out of continuing to participate in the mission, but his mission had succeeded.

Still ... for the first few days, he felt his fingers tremble and hands shake. The fear of death choked him in ways that he never experienced before. Well, it makes sense; the way that he died was violent and painful (however brief that pain was).

Maybe he should cherish himself more. His smile twists on his face; people would say he cherishes himself more than anyone else and he should try to think about others more. Yes, he's aware of his faults. But enough of all that thinking - a response is required. ]

I miscalculated how heroic I could be.

( as his response came in, she looked down at the words with a shocked expression and full of confusion. heroic? she nearly wanted to scream out that word and laugh at the strangeness of all of this.

since when was he heroic and yet a part of her wondered if he was finally taking her advice to heart. she had told him if he tried, he could be liked after all- but she wasn't quite expecting this. could it be? the cold, menacing and calculating vincent actually did something nice for someone?

she didn't know the details around it really, and it was all speculation. so all she could do was think of what to say and ask next. )

you cared enough about someone to save them? is that correct?

[ He clicks his tongue - that was the wrong thing to send.

But it's fine. ]

I merely wanted them to live and ended up dying.

I don't think "care" had anything to do with it. More like bad luck.

for some reason I don't believe that.

( she was absolutely curious about who he had 'saved' and why he wanted them to 'live', but for now she decided to pry further and see what he'll say all on his own.

heather didn't quite consider herself a manipulator by any means but....if he called her out on it, she would just say it was curiosity. )

Why not?

Or rather which part don't you believe?

you make it seem like you don't care, or that *not* saving them was more of a burden than saving them but I think...

vincent I think you've become less of a 'grinch' in your time here.

What an insult.

being called nice is an insult now? who did you save anyways?

( did he need it to be spelled out? she thought he understood her-

the ways of being a teen girl that is. this truly was a compliment after all. )

No, I understood what you meant. It means I'm changing. I refuse to change without agreeing to it first, is all.

Anyway.

[ Hm, how to answer. It seems like Maria didn't say anything. ]

Promise not to feel too betrayed when I tell you who it is?

I don't think that's how it works....

but sure I can't imagine I'd be too much of an emotional wreck over it.

Remember, you promised me.

It was Maria.

( the moment those words appeared on her screen before her, she nearly dropped her device. instead it fell on her lap as a loud gasp filled the room around her. there was a large wave of emotions that filled her up with one of them being mostly confusion-

she already knew that they knew each other, she just wasn't sure of the full extent of their closeness given that heather had told maria about her and vincent's talk back in december.

as she thought about it longer, why didn't maria tell her that the person vincent died for was her? all she could do was think.

finally came her response. )

maria?

why? why would you do that for her?

Why not?

I didn't realize you cared that much for her.

I uh....she means a lot to me and while I'm shocked, thank you.

( not that she's going to take his word for it- she will absolutely message maria shortly. )

Don't put it like that, Heather.

You know that doesn't sound quite right when it comes to me.

But yes, you're welcome. I know she means a lot to you so that also factored into my decision.

wow vincent...

I don't know what to say.

( should she bake him a cake or something? regardless, she's still wildly perplexed by all of this. )

I'm guessing it's a one and done deal right? I'm on my own if I'm in danger?

[ The "yes" that comes immediately is almost frightening.

It goes against his plans and schemes for their world if he lets anything happen to Heather. But the cold fear grips his chest - even after days of stewing and mulling over how he died on the train. He still feels that sharp anxiety and fear of a violent end.

His hands shake at the idea, but --

-- the fear of a similar end can't get in the way of what he needs to do. Heather, as far as he's aware and concerned, has yet to be convinced of what needs to be done to save their world. More time is needed, required, and sacrifices must be made.

His chin drops; he doesn't like it.

"Yes, you're on your own."

It'd be easy and simple and he could wash his hands of it while banking on the good will of dying once for them.

But -- what could be lost if she dies? Would she lose herself and become more like Alessa? They're both the same; they're both her. A terrifying thought that only he holds and no one seems to understand. ]

'Course not.

Do you think you're capable of handling dying here?

( it's not that she truly cared to be saved by him by any means—

after all, how could she trust him fully when he had been a part of such a destructive force to her life and her father? it was hard to shake off that pain and unease that came with being reminded of what the order did to her. yet there's a small part of her that knows he cares, even if it's for some calculating reason he's worked up in his head. maybe just maybe he cared for her just a bit more than that, beyond the reality of who and what she was.

would she ever know the answer? probably not. )

if someone killed me, I might go after them in turn.

otherwise I think I could. not that I want to die again.

( to her, the thought of sinking back into that old negativity wasn't a possibility- she had already sworn to be a better version of herself each and every day after all. but really who knew, when push came to shove. )

I don't think anyone wants you to do anything like that, Heather.

Maria is included in that "anyone."

So, let's just do our best to avoid that sort of scenario.

I can assure you I'm not looking to die around here.

I guess you aren't that bad of a person if you were willing to die again, for maria of all people.