screwthatnoise

♥ v2

A cold, delicate hand grabs yours and pulls. It pulls, and it pulls... there's a sense of urgency in this icy grasp, as well as a trace of reluctance. Abruptly the hand let's go, right as your vision fades to black, and for a brief moment, only a brief moment, your senses disappear. There's only the eerie sensation of weightlessness before your feet are settled back on solid ground again.

(please join #echolife! ♪)

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*grunts quietly at the first shock of it, but he's braced after seeing what happened to Lloyd -- doesn't let go, though his grip is light.*

Don't leave. Please? You're crying...

[tries taking her other hand, bracing himself]

Pain doesn't have to be bottled up if you can share it.

The pain is piercing and sharp, but if you can endure that you should be fine.

"I should leave... but, I am sharing it."

*don't talk to us about pain endurance!!*

Does it help?

[squeezes her hand more tightly :I]

...her smile becomes a bit more twisted.

"It helps Hail."

*oh boy here we go*

You're part of her.

"I am. I am! I am. If she could just accept me properly, her life would be better."

...'Properly' shouldn't mean letting you take over everything else, though. Even if you're part of her, you're not all of her.

A life full of pain isn't better, either! I wonder if you gave up more of it, if you couldn't see the rest of the stuff in this garden...

"I could take over. You could say I almost have. But... I cannot give up what I'm made out of."

Suddenly, without warning, the tree catches flame.

It's like watching a poorly put together gif: one second it's burning, the next it's gone, dispersing into black vapor that, if inhaled, gives you the urge to put yourself in pain by any means.

And, of course, as this happens, the Echo is smiling, but it's not twisted anymore. It's soft and gentle again.

*holy crap*

. . . . . . what happened there? And -- what are you made of? How does that work?

[yeah DISTRACTED BY THE FLAME?]

The flame is dying, but the vapors are sinking towards the ground. Janta is trembling.

"I told you, one way or another... I am made of everything Hail deserves. Everything she once tried her hardest to hide and forget. Now let me go."

...you can do this another way, you know.

You can come with us.

If you're made of what you think Hail deserves, you could still change. We're still holding onto you even if it hurts, aren't we? That's a reason for you — people are willing to get hurt to try to help Hail, 'cause we think she deserves different.

She laughs. It's not like Echo's laugh, it's darker. And that smile is twisted again.

"Haha! She doesn't deserve different. I am what she deserves. I have no intention of changing. And Zwei... I'll make sure this echo gives her heart, this body, to Zwei. Because that's all she deserves, too."

She tries to yank away from them.

*WHAT IF NOT LETTING GO THOUGH*

[yeah no]

I gave you a reason. You're not answering it with anything but "because she doesn't." Why is everyone who loves Hail wrong? Why does it matter what she deserves, anyway?! I hate that word!

"Annoying... This is how her life has always been. It's always been this way. One pleasant thing is followed by numerous devastating things. Downhill... downhill, downhill. I have noticed. Everyone in the heart has noticed." She looks down at the ground. "If you want more information on that, you'll have to go to the library. I refuse to say more here."

The figure, without any further notice, suddenly dissipates into thin air, and all that's left is a burn on your hands where you were holding her.

Dammit...!

Come back! What does having a bad life have to do with what you deserve?!

[FFFRUSTRATED]

NO RESPONSE. Save for the fluttering of the wind and the aroma of the flowers.

I'm sorry.

At least the threatening ash from that flaming tree is gone. The tree is gone, too. Where the tree once stood is a hole.

*ughhh. scrubs at his eyes with the back of his hand and turns to Lloyd, making a meaning gesture -- let's wrap the burns before moving on*

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