[IC] Fateful Convergence

[Vocalia]

"I hope so... It would be nice to be able to control this power," Hayley calmly replied and released the accumulated darkness from her control. Instead of dispersing wildly and chaotically, the small sphere broke up into swivels of black mist that quickly traveled up her arm, making her skin bristle from the sheer coldness they emitted. The mist spun around her body like a roulette of dry ice dipped in black ink before sinking back into the shadow away from sight. "And it would be great for me to know more about this whole umbrakinesis thing... and about the 'other me' too. None of us really know where she comes from," she said to them as she walked down the road, heading closer to their destination.

[Daxam]

As they begin walking into Sean's building, he says, "Don't worry. You'll learn a lot by training with me. I've always believed that a healthy body must also house a healthy mind, especially if there are two minds involved." A short elevator ride up later, he leads the couple into his apartment, saying, "Well, go ahead and pick a room. All but the one on the very end of the hall upstairs are up for grabs. That's my room." As he goes off to do something, not saying what, Isaac turns to Hayley and timidly asks, "So...uh...You wanna...share a room? It's fine if you say no, I was just wondering...is all..."

[Vocalia]

Blushing and trying to mutter a coherent answer, Hayley could only managed to stammer. "I... I don't really mind... I-I mean, i-it's not like w-we're doing anything strange or anything... except that psycho horn-dog..." she replied, muttering the last part with no small amount of disdain, given what Vincent did to an unassuming and uncaring Alexis. "I'm just not sure if the room's big enough to let us sleep without breaking our backs."

[Daxam]

Isaac chuckles and, as they walk up the stairs to the bedrooms, says, "I don't think we'll have to worry about the size of the room here. As for Vincent, I already promised that I'll keep him on a short leash." Stopping in front of the room closest to the stairs, he opens the door and lets out a low whistle. The room was fairly bare, except for the plasma-screen TV hanging off of the wall, opposite a massive, king-sized bed. Chuckling, he turns to Hayley and asks, "See? What'd I tell you?"

[Vocalia]

Hayley was fortunate that her jaw was still connected to her skull. It would have rolled off otherwise from sheer shock. "Holy fuck! I know his house is big and all, but I didn't expect the guest bedroom to be this fucking huge!" The blonde put her belongings down to survey the room, admiring the decor and making sure that it wasn't bugged, just in case. "Well, moving here is looking more and more like a good choice," she remarked as she gently poked the bed to test how soft the mattress was. Forget my pride!! This room's awesome! she said to Alexis, who seemed to be in an agreement over the level of comfort of the bedroom. "The room seems to be of exemplary level for both basic needs and supplementary entertainment." "Well, given the size of this room, I certainly wouldn't mind sharing with you, Isaac," Hayley said to him with a genuinely happy grin.

[Daxam]

Isaac grins back at Hayley and sets his things down before sitting down on the bed, testing the softness by bouncing on it a few times. "Glad to hear it," he says, looking up at her. Suddenly, overcome by some playful instinct, thanks in no small part to Vincent, Isaac smirks and wraps his arms around Hayley, pulling her down to the bed while he lies on his side, laughing.

[Vocalia]

With a yelp, Hayley landed on the bed, looking surprised and flustered. It took her sometime to gather her composure once more and she proceeded to whack Isaac lightly on the head. "What was that all about?" she asked, looking as if she wanted to bite his head off for his stunt, but it didn't take her long to be infected by Isaac's light-hearted laughter. "Ah, fuck... Do you really want to sleep with me that badly... or are you trying to help Vincent set himself up for Lex? Not that I think he could satisfy her in any way other than her scientific curiosity." she asked with a playful grin as she lied on her side, looking straight at him.

[Daxam]

Isaac's laughter quickly stops as his cheeks take on a rosy hue, hearing Hayley's words. Go for it! Vincent urges him. Just take your hand and place it on her chest like this! Isaac feels his arm begin to move under Vincent's influence and resists, making his arm tense up while the rest of him stays relaxed...or as relaxed as he could be, considering what Hayley had said. Clearing his throat, he chuckles nervously and says, "Yeah, sorry. I didn't mean to do that. It was Vincent's fault." Instantly, the tension leaves his arm as Vincent yells, Don't blame me! You're the one who did that!

[Vocalia]

"Really? Can't you just resist or something?" Hayley coyly prodded, realizing that Isaac seemed to be trying to shift his blame somewhere else. "Ah, whatever... If it really was Vincent doing all that and he really wants to see Alexis, let him work for the right to see her. In any case, I know you're not the type of person who would do something that crazy," she replied, her cheeks taking a similarly rosy hue.

[Daxam]

Isaac laughs nervously and says, "What can I say? He caught me by surprise..." A moment of silence passes until Vincent says, That's it. I'm gonna get you for this. Mark my words, Ryder. Ignoring Vincent, Isaac looks into Hayley's eyes for a few moments before saying, "So...now what?"

[Vocalia]

"I dunno..." Hayley mused, similarly at a lost on what to do. Closing her eyes, an idea clicked into her mind. "Y'know, given how eager Vincent is to see Lex again, maybe we should let them out now while we're still awake rather then let him come into my head and fuck around my mind or have Lex sneaking in or out like a thief."

[Daxam]

Isaac chuckles and says, "You know, that might be a good idea." Wait, you're really gonna let me-- "--out?" Vincent says, having switched while he was in the middle of a question. Looking back at Hayley, he asks, "Uh...Lexie? That you? Or are you still Hayley?"

[Vocalia]

A quick blink revealed a pair of gold irises with black sclerae with her skin turning pale, lacking the feminine form that Vincent lusted but having the unique trait to tell the two personalities apart. "You are not mistaken, Vincent. I am Alexis," she replied with the same mechanical tone he had come to know.

[Daxam]

Vincent grins at Alexis and moves to roll on top of her, but feels Isaac holding him back. No, you don't, Isaac says. Jackass, Vincent replies before turning back to Alexis. After looking up and down at her, he smirks and says, "You may not look like my dream girl, Lexie, but you're still pretty hot." That's my girlfriend's body you're talking about, Isaac says. So? You have a hot girlfriend, Vincent answers, still staring at Alexis' body.

[Vocalia]

"He did realize that he was talking about MY body, right?" Hayley nonchalantly remarked, expecting nothing less from the crass other side of her boyfriend. Alexis saw no need to point out the obvious, so she returned her attention to Vincent and asked, "You seem to be showing visible signs of emotional attraction to me. I do not understand why you wish to do so. What form I take is inconsequential in this situation as I am unable to change the biological container that I am sharing with my operator. I can visually differentiate myself, but I am unable to alter this body's shape and size."

[Daxam]

Vincent shrugs and says, "I dunno. I guess you being able to become the woman of my dreams in my mind is a bonus. For some reason, I can't help but feel attracted to you." Chuckling, he adds, "It might be because, in your own way, you're like me. Even though you're cold and calculating, you'll still stop at nothing to protect your counterpart. Plus, I've always loved strong women and seeing you use your powers like you did that first night...Man, that got my blood flowing."

[Vocalia]

"It would appear that your last sentence is another example of hyperbole and I shall process it as such. Nonetheless, I thank you for sharing your observation with me," Alexis replied, still uncertain about the origin and cause behind Vincent's clear infatuation with her. "There is evidence to support your claim of our similarities, but whereas you are capable of acting within your own directive and parameters, I am restricted in what I could do. Nonetheless, we both share a similar goal and co-exist in a similar way with our operators. I find these facts most interesting."

[Daxam]

While he couldn't understand most of what Alexis was saying, one part did manage to make itself known to him. His brow creased in confusion, he asks, "So, you're saying you're like a robot and can only do what you're programmed to do?" Looking into her black-and-gold eyes, he then asks, "Why don't you try doing something you wanna do, something that isn't in your...parameters? What's the worst that could happen?"

[Vocalia]

"My course of action does not deviate from my parameters. It is not because of these directives. Rather, it can be said that I lack my personal directives and parameters. I lack the 'free will' that most humans possess. I only act to the fulfillment of objectives that are in line with pre-existing parameters," Alexis replied, her head tilted slightly as she pondered about the existence of free will and the independence to act on her own desires.

[Daxam]

"Who told you to do that?" Vincent asks. "If I'm not mistaken, you weren't put in Hayley's head by someone, you were always there, like me. As far as I can tell, you're just like any other human. Why wouldn't you have free will?" After a few moments, he then says, "Alright, how about this? Tell me you wanna do, but don't think you can do because your parameters or whatever won't let you. Then, you and I can go do it."