[IC] Fateful Convergence

[Vocalia]

Alexis quietly took everything in, listening to Vincent's explanation and trying to relate what he told her to the existing information within her database. "Are you inferring that the experience of "love" is vital to human survival? I cannot process your observation due to my lack of sufficient information, but I have recorded it for future analysis when I have obtained evidence of "love" as a human emotion. I would like to extend my gratitude for your cooperation despite your own lack of data. In time, I will complete the missing information," she replied, sounding as if she was looking forward to knowing more, at least as much as a robotic being could sound hopeful.

[Daxam]

Vincent smiles and kisses Alexis' forehead. "That's the spirit." Sighing contently, he pulls Alexis even closer and rests his head on top of hers, his hands clasped in the small of her back. Minutes pass until he finally asks, "So, now what do we do?"

[Vocalia]

"I do not know," Alexis replied, looking around at the empty landscape around them. A "priority" suddenly moved up her "to-do list". Looking at Vincent, Alexis asked, "I would like to propose an "idea". I have been studying tactical co-operation in battle within my capacity as my operator's guardian and concentrated source of her knowledge. However, I have come to a conclusion that I must learn to do more than merely being a reactive catalyst to Hayley Summerland's survival prowess. I am currently researching about whether or not my existence is capable of significantly empowering my allies just as it empowers my operator. I would like to request your permission to conduct a short experiment on you regarding this matter, but I understand if you do not wish to consent. Verily, this hypothesis is still untested."

[Daxam]

Vincent stays quiet for a few minutes, debating with himself how he should answer. Eventually, he turns to Alexis and, grinning, says, "I don't see why not. Worst case scenario, nothing happens. But if this works...Well, let's just say that our enemies have another reason to be afraid of us." Releasing her, he steps back a few paces and holds his arms out. "Hit me," he says with a grin.

[Vocalia]

"Affirmative." Alexis shed her human disguise and turned back into her formless, gelatinous shape. The black mass charged at Vincent at break-neck speed, then hit his body with an audible "Splat!" before engulfing her psychopathic partner and then forcing her way into his body. Once inside, she split herself up and flowed within his blood, straight into his organic cells where she proceeded to play around with her temporary experimental host.

[Daxam]

Vincent had closed his eyes in preparation for the impact when Alexis charged at him. When he finally opens his eyes, he realizes that he felt somewhat...different. His mind seemed to be in hyperdrive, as well as his senses, almost as if a fog he didn't even know existed had been lifted. Looking down at his arms, he sees black lines running up and down his hands and forearms, which he realizes were his veins tinted black from Alexis' presence. "This feels...great," he says, his voice calmer than usual.

[Vocalia]

Alexis remained silent for a minute before responding to him. "Observation recorded. Cellular fusion is successful. No organic rejection detected. Do you observe any visual changes to your organic body? Is your motor coordination impacted?" she asked, slowly channeling the darkness that was her all over Vincent's body, taking note of his elevated adrenaline level , improved neural network, and his uncharacteristic calmness.

[Daxam]

"Other than the black veins," Vincent reports, "there doesn't seem to be anything else worth noting." After a moment, thanks to their being in his and Isaac's mind, Vincent makes a mirror materialize in thin air. Looking into it, he sees that, in addition to there being blackened veins on the edges of his face, one of his eyes had turned golden while the other remains steel-grey. "Correction," he says, "it looks like one of my eyes changed color, as well."

[Vocalia]

"Affirmative. It would seem that my presence within your cells have altered your physical appearance, but I would require an analysis on how your body performs under this altered condition," Alexis replied, taking in and recording as much information as she could. If she could do this right, she could potentially learn to co-exist with other people aside from her "host". "I request that you manifest an immobile target and attack it to gauge any changes and alteration to your physical skills and coordination."

[Daxam]

"Got it," Vincent says. A moment later, a group of Crey soldiers appears. However, none of them move, as if they were statues. Reaching out toward them, Vincent uses a small amount of power and, a moment later, a dome of carbon and iron spikes appears around the group before each one buries itself into a different soldier. "It appears that I can do more while using less energy than usual," he says, somehow knowing that to do the same thing, it would've taken almost twice the amount of concentration and energy.

[Vocalia]

"It would seem that my presence is beneficial to your survival skills and assists in enhancing offensive effectiveness. This is a valuable experiment. All data and observation have been recorded for analysis. I extend my gratitude to you for your co-operation," Alexis replied. "It would be desirable to replicate this result within the material world." While she spoke, Alexis seemed to be able to measure and sense Vincent's heartbeat. Something about being within him seemed to have entranced her. If Vincent was to turn back to his mirror and take a closer look at his torso, he would be able to see a hand-shaped, black patch on the left side of his chest where his heart was. It was as if Alexis was gingerly touching his heart.

[Daxam]

Although Vincent didn't see the hand over his heart, he could feel it. Smiling, he places his own hand on top of it. For a few minutes, he stands there, his hand over Alexis', until he finally breaks the silence by saying, "Why don't you come back out, now? I wanna spend as much time as I can with you in my arms."

[Vocalia]

Alexis seemed shocked when Vincent suddenly placed his hand on his chest, almost as if he could feel her moving close to his heart where she found a strong sense of security and something she could only describe as "comfort". After a while, Vincent spoke to her and she promptly responded. "Affirmative." Leaving his body behind, Alexis came out through Vincent's mouth and manifested her human form once more, turning to look at him and check up on him in case her presence had caused unintended side-effects. "You appear to be unharmed," she said.

[Daxam]

Vincent chuckles and says, "I didn't think you would hurt me, even by accident." True to his word, he then pulls Alexis into his arms and slowly sits down, bringing her down into his lap with his hands around her stomach. Resting his head on her shoulder, he sighs and says, "That's better, right?"

[Vocalia]

Alexis couldn't claim or pretend to understand Vincent, be it his behavior, demeanor, or his emotional aptitude. Nonetheless, she found his presence to be desirable to her, even when she still didn't know why. "I would assume that our current position means that I will answer your question with an affirmative yes," she replied, then gently placed one hand on his head and let him rest comfortably against her shoulder.

[Daxam]

Vincent smiles and closes his eyes as he nuzzles against Alexis' shoulder, pulling her as close to himself as he possibly can. Sighing contently, he eventually lays back, pulling Alexis on top of him, and watches as the white emptiness that was his and Isaac's mind change. Soon, they were laying in the middle of a field with nothing around them for miles, gazing up at a blue sky. "It's funny," he says. "I've never been more at peace than right now."

[Vocalia]

Alexis seemed to look intrigued and confused at the same time, but she seemed "content" enough to rest by Vincent's side. "Perhaps it is due to you being able to find personal comfort, however you might have achieved that. I find it very odd that you can find peace, which is an abstract and subjective experience, but I have observed that it contributes positively to your state of mind. I shall not dispute this sense of peace," she replied. She found it strange that Vincent didn't drool over her naked, ideal body and the fact that she seemed to have no intention in dressing herself up, but she was too fixated on him to even bothering altering her appearance, seeing that he had deemed her current state to be acceptable to him. The embodiment of darkness put one hand on his cheek as if she was acting on everything she had learned thus far, but still incapable of "loving" and "emotionally caring" for him.

[Daxam]

Feeling Alexis' cool hand against his cheek, Vincent looks down at her, into her golden eyes. He suddenly feels an overwhelming surge of affection for the embodiment of darkness, making him tighten his arms around her slightly. Leaning forward, he slowly moves closer to her before bringing her into another kiss, this time, all traces of timidity gone and replaced by passion.

[Vocalia]

Once again, Vincent suddenly pulled her into a kiss before she could react, taken off guard by his spontaneous nature. She couldn't feel the same passion he felt for her, but she could certainly tell that, whatever it was that was influencing him, it was very intense and sudden. Nonetheless, she openly let him express his love with the intention that she would be able to observe and eventually learn about "love" and being able to "love". Sensing tension in his muscles, she gently ran her hand along his neck and shoulders to sooth him.

[Daxam]

Vincent felt Alexis' hand run along his neck and shoulders and feels himself relax completely. His hand was just beginning to travel downwards when he suddenly became aware of a sense of surprise, then heard Isaac's voice say, the redness so obvious, it could almost be heard in his voice, W-what do you two think you're doing?! Vincent breaks from the kiss and groans. "Dammit," he mutters before sitting up. "You're awake, I take it?" Yeah, Isaac responds. I have been since you two started making out! Nothing against you, Alexis, but I think it's time for you to go home.