deercountry | The New Person

Entry tags:

echo: kaito

The New Person

Who: Echo + Pandora House & Friends
What: Meeting or reintroducing yourself to the new housemate.
When: Arrival time in April.
Where: In and around the Pandora Hearts house.

Content Warnings: Allusions to abusive conditions

Oz just happened to find Echo on the boardwalk after she finally made it to shore and got her bearings. She followed him home! ...Well, maybe it was more like he dragged her. Although "dragging" would imply she hadn't willingly grabbed his hand...

ANYWAY, regardless of semantics, he's taken her to the house the people from his world (and then some) inhabit. Oz will be handling the initial settling in, making her pick a room that's more than a storage closet with a place to sleep, etc.

For everyone else, there's a good chance Oz proceeded to tell you Eko-chan was here! Or maybe you saw her arriving or are just seeing her for the first time around the house. And Echo will definitely be around the house, as interesting as it is. At some point, you could find her just about everywhere she can reasonably get to. Echo won't intrude on some's personal room without invitation, and she probably wouldn't spend too much time in any of the stranger places like the basement, because she spent enough time in Vincent's room already, thank you. She has a habit of just quietly observing from one out-of-the-way spot with a good view and not showing much emotion. Unless you're very perceptive, you may not even spot her at first. She does need to do things like go from place to place and eat, so you can certainly find her moving about, as well. Echo could also be found in her room.

Since I'm still learning about the house, I'm going to trust you guys with the exact settings this time if that's okay.

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Xerxes Break did not descend into the thick of things, in regards to welcoming Echo to the house. His heart skipped a couple beats the second he saw her, honestly. But Oz knows damn well what happened to his uncle, was present at the time in fact, and if he's bringing this girl into the house and sparkling so hard about it that it may as well be his birthday, Break will trust that the weirdness going on with her before is no longer an issue. If that's the case, Break is pleased about her arrival, even. Echo helped him during a crucial moment indeed in the past that he's certain saw her punished, and he doesn't even want to imagine the nonsense she had to put up with in such close proximity to the drain rat.

Still, he holds back until he's got his head on straight about it, and lets the kids be the ones to introduce her to the overall weirdness of the house.

Perhaps it's better that way. The Mad Hatter, Pandora's Strongest, had a certain reputation, and a solid half a year in Trench has led Break away from it. Echo will get a much better hint of the person she can expect, the person Break is becoming, when she slides into the kitchen some while on. It's his domain more than anyone else's in the house, and she'll find the Rainsworth dukedom's vicious guardian in casual dress with his shirt sleeves rolled up as he handles the baking of bread for the day. His omni sits in the mess on the table, quietly playing a modern song he's taken a shine to, and his ever-present omen -- a huge black borzoi -- is sprawled on the tile within sight of the door, chewing happily on a pineapple.

The necklace visible past his open collar, a dark unicorn on a shield, is a blatantly obvious tribute to Sharon. Definitely Xerxes Break, without a doubt. The wine-colored handprint wrapped around one forearm like a birthmark, underneath a red bracelet that matches the earrings twinkling past his somewhat shaggier hair in a stark contrast to his typically purple everything, can be Echo's first indication that there are interesting new things to discover here. You know, if the fact that the Mad Hatter is baking wasn't already weird enough.

"Miss Echo," he says mildly when he spots her, tone neutral. His omen likewise tilts an ear in her direction, but otherwise doesn't disengage from his pineapple. "You're settling in well, I hope?"

Oz had mentioned very early on that Break was here, and Echo hadn't been sure how to feel about that on her part. They'd had limited interactions before now and most of what she'd heard about him otherwise came from Vincent scheming aloud. It wasn't as though she bore any ill will toward him; she had known very well he could have alerted all of Pandora that she was Zwei and was grateful he'd kept silent. Her reservations likely were stemming from the general air of adversity that had always been between them in their previous circumstances.

And, well, just because he's Break.

Echo knew she was going to encounter him at some point, and while finding him in the kitchen isn't in and of itself particularly surprising, the tableau definitely stands out to her. The garb, the strange music, the fact that he's the one preparing the food is all incredibly absurd. And that is, of course, the most accurate description of Xerxes Break as far as she's concerned. So no, she's really not surprised at all by any of this even if she doesn't understand a single bit of it. If she's lucky, maybe one or two things can be answered satisfactorily.

She stops where she is and hesitates for a second before giving him a polite bow. "Break-sama." From the outside, it seems like almost nothing has changed about her. Her clothes, her monotonous tone, her muffled emotions—everything is the same. "I...believe I am, yes."

Honestly, Echo still isn't sure what to do with herself as literally everything about this was so unexpected, but from what she can tell she's doing well. Even if she's still trying to figure out just about everything. On that note, being a part of conversations directed at her is one of those things. From what she's seen other people do, they usually reciprocate a comment being made about their current condition. That why she follows up her answer with "You seem...occupied."

There's no concern in her voice, no attempt to use that as an excuse to leave. It's purely stated as an observation.

[Oz has been rather awkward in how excited he is to have Echo 'home.' It's no lie to say that he's been thinking about her since arrival. It seemed so cruel that he would get a second chance at life like this while Echo did not. To be able to live simple lives together would have been a dream. He regretted so much that he didn't get to know her better.

But still: He's awkward. After leaving her at her room to get used to it, he had announced her arrival to the house-- Then run off before anyone could tease him. A few hours later and he's arrived back at the house in full spirits.]

Eko-chan~! Did you get some rest? Are you ready to go shopping?

[This may be the first time that he's told her that he's taking her shopping. Oz just went off to sell some of his stuff so that he'd have the funds to spoil Echo. Because something tells him that she won't decorate her room without a gentle push.]

[Echo had rarely felt much interest in anything that was beyond a basic necessity. She'd had the simplest of rooms at the Nightray manor, and it probably would have shocked people to find something that paltry in a sprawling mansion. That's why this place was seeming like a bit much to her, and it was taking a while for her to feel comfortable with it. If she hadn't been exhausted, she may have had trouble getting some sleep there.]

It is Echo.

[She's not sure which to question more: why he's still calling her that when he's gotten it right before, or why she's still correcting him when she knows it means a lot to her. And no, he had not mentioned shopping, which is why she gives him a confused frown.]

I have. However...shopping?

[Wait, she's got it!]

Ah, yes. More supplies would be necessary with an additional resident using what was previously sufficient.

"None of that," Break says immediately, flapping a hand to wave away the honorifics. "In this place, all of us are simply here."

His tone isn't sharp or unkind. He, too, defaults to being overly formal at first, and sometimes struggles to figure out how to address those who don't want any honorifics at all. Saying names without some sort of qualifier is something for those he's especially close to, after all, and even then only in certain moments. It won't vex him if she's insistent on calling him something other than his name alone, but he certainly doesn't need that level of respect when it's not as though he ever outranked her.

"Handling the cooking here is the primary duty I've chosen for myself," he adds, by way of explanation. "It's much too troublesome for so many of us to go out and barter for every meal, you know?"

In Echo's mind, the honorifics just come with the individual, so she doesn't see what about that changes their circumstances. It's certainly not a requirement to her to use them, she's just used to doing so for most people. But she called him Break-sama before, so for the time being, that's what it is.

"I see." She hadn't had a chance to ask yet, but she'll never complain about getting information. "It is certainly more efficient to minimize transactions to a single individual for items with diverse functions." As in, just one person buying ingredients, but it's always better to specify, right?

Considering everything he said, however, she quickly adds, "You selected your own duty?"

Well, yes. There's that...

[Oh, Echo...

He does end up smiling despite it all. Oz had been wanting to help her decorate, but of course that would not matter to her. Hence, his need to drag her out and lightly force her to try decorating.]

But isn't this room kind of plain? I thought we could start with bedsheets in a nicer colour and maybe some extra clothes..?

[Pause.

Oz doesn't know how to decorate either. Especially for a girl's room. Should he ask Alice for advice?]

[Echo stares at him silently for several seconds. People who are aware of her nuances can probably tell she's surprised. And here she thought this was going to make sense.

Then again, it's Oz. She doesn't understand a lot when she's around him.

Finally, she glances away awkwardly.]

Th-this is fine... It...seems a bit much, actually.

[Sorry she's so difficult, Oz...]

[Oz laughs lightly, hoping to ease them both into a cheerful mood. If he smiles, then maybe Echo will follow his lead.]

If it's a lot to take in, then we'll take it one step at a time!

[He walks around the room slowly, mindful that it is Echo's space now and he doesn't want to invade her room too much.]

We should start with the bed, right? The weather will be getting warmer soon, so we should buy you some lighter blankets? [Maybe a practical element will help ease her into the idea?]

[But Oz, you're always doing that around her. Plus she's still working out when to smile.

At least she nods at his "one step at a time" comment. As unnecessary as she sees it, that makes it sound a bit better. And maybe because the room is new to her, she doesn't really mind him being in there.]

So much darkness would imply a colder season, yes. And it would be wise to be prepared. But...

[But what? She's not sure, so she trails off. Even though she knows she's a valid existence, having things beyond her diary, work items, and what she no longer has from St. Bridget's Day still feels foreign to her.]

"I did," Break agrees. He glances up at her, giving one of the calculating looks she's more familiar with. He certainly doesn't know the entirety of Echo's story, how she came to be stuck with the Drain Rat -- on the one hand, her position would have been a great way to keep a Baskerville at his beck and call, but on the other, he treated her like garbage. But that alone, and the speed with which she asks it, makes him think that the answer to her simple question might actually be one of those things that informs whatever life she decides to make for herself here.

Bereft of the other Baskervilles, and free of Vincent Nightray.

"Everyone in the household has done such. Nothing that dictated our stories at home has carried over into this place, you know? Here, Oz needn't worry about whatever lies Jack is slinging about. The pale Alice is no longer the Will of the Abyss, and so on." He shrugs elegantly, and echoes something Sharon said to him at the awful party that feels like it was so, so long ago, now. "Whatever we make of this new life...it's up to us, really."

Edited (forgot an icon) 2022-04-25 02:12 (UTC)

[But? He wonders where her mind may be going with that. Sensing she is searching for an excuse, Oz decides that he is being a bit too pushy. He's emotionally intelligent enough to back off (when he isn't purposefully bullying someone.)]

Have you never bought new bedding before?

Because same here! I always had servants doing that sort of thing for me. [He lowers his energy levels, choosing to open up and try to understand Echo better;] Honestly, this place has forced me to rethink a lot about the way that I used to live. I'm always bumping up against things I've never tried before and I've had to change my standards for living... But I've found some compromises to keep me comfortable while doing it.

So! [Oz turns swiftly, facing Echo's room with his hands confidently on his hips. A posture choice that contradicts the uncertainty of his confession.]

What would be a good compromise for Eko-chan? Hmm...

What was your old room like?

By instinct, his gaze makes her feel a bit on edge. From what she's come to understand about this situation, she's fairly certain she doesn't need to worry about him, but she can't rule out the possibility of danger even without Vincent pitted against him.

In spite of this, his explanation clearly leads to some serious contemplation. "Hm," is all she gets out for a good, long while. She already knew Oz was free of Jack, and the Alice and the Will of the Abyss comment is definitely on her Get This Answered list, but the prospect of figuring out what to actually make of her existence herself is in the forefront of her mind.

Her eyes begin slowly drifting to Baltus and different parts of the kitchen as she thinks. It's a very difficult concept for her. So much had been predetermined for her before, and the few times she acted on her own were typically within the moment. And once she accepted herself as a person, she did so knowing she was about to die. There was no reason to even speculate about something like this before.

Finally, she softly responds "It must not be easy in a place as strange as this." Not that her comment is affected by the fact that she's just been taking in a kitchen with unfamiliar aspects, the Omni and its weird sounds, the pineapple dog thing, and Break.

[Echo head tilts just slightly as she listens to his explanation about what life has been like here. It's actually making her feel a bit bad for him. Sure, she has very limited knowledge of his life before this, but the idea of things being worse in any aspect is troubling. At least she's used to doing servant work, not that it included much shopping for her.

A slight frown had grown on her face as she considered these things, but her expression snaps back to her usual neutrality as she answers.]

It was located near the top of the manor. It contained a bed. And it also had a lamp.

[She stops talking. That's it? Yep, that's it. On top of that, she says it like it's a completely normal factoid and not at all depressing.]

... Like an attic?

[They... They put Echo in the attic?

That grinds his gears, for sure. Oz has surmised that Echo was not treated well, but to put her in the attic with only a bed and a lamp... No wonder she's so unsure about buying herself some extra furniture. She's never been allowed to want it, has she?

Oz forces himself to exhale calmly. Can't be getting angry about the past... Can't change how she got here. He can only go something about where Echo's life will be from now on.]

Well, uh. Let's see.

Eko-chan, did you... like having only those things? Or were you just accepting of it?

Yes.

[And she's still just accepting it like there was nothing wrong with that. It could be worse, she could think it's worth noting that she didn't even have an official pillow for a headrest. She found a cushion, it was fine!

Echo does take some time to seriously consider his question, though.]

I did not particularly like or dislike them. They are what is necessary for a resting place.

[She does know you can have more than that, but even though she's found her independence that was still how she was shaped. Most of her possessions that would count as unnecessary don't feel that way to her.]

Hm~mmmm.

[He nods along, agreeing with her. Because these are Echo's opinions, after all. They are what make Echo Echo. He isn't about to tell her that she's wrong to have survived that way.

Looking over her room again, Oz considers his next words carefully. He knows he's being selfish to force his ideals upon her, but he also knows that he doesn't want to repeat her old lifestyle.]

They might be all that's necessary, but "necessary to rest" and "necessary to have fun" are different... Hm hm.

[He suddenly points to a corner of the room.] Right there! You like keeping your journal, right? Right there is the perfect place for one of those fancy writing desks! It'll be good for your posture-- Oooh and we can paint it! What colour do you want, Eko-chan?!

[The "necessary to have fun" concept is not something she's considered before. And it was such a rare experience for her that she's not sure what that might include. Fireworks? Does there need to be something festival-like going on?

Her contemplation is shattered by his outburst.]

.....Huh? Wh-what exactly is being painted? A desk seems an unlikely choice. And...all of that will be fun?

Yeah, the desk! We can make it any colour that you like, Eko-chan! Then you can be happy to write in your journal there, right?

[Oz has decided! A new desk, it shall be!]

Blue suits you... Wanna get a blue desk?

[She didn't recall any painted desks in the Nightray manor. But, appropriately enough, one of the reasons she keeps her diary is in an attempt to understand everything she encountered. Perhaps this was just another one of those new things.]

Er, a-all right. Blue is nice, yes.

And the necessary supplies are readily available in this town?

They can be!

[Oz will find a way to paint a desk for Echo, if it's the last thing he does! After all, it seems like the most simple way to introduce her to the concept of decorating her room. She'll have a practical piece of furniture and some optional colours.]

What do you say? Want to go into town together and look?

[That doesn't sound very convincing, but she's done enough surveillance to know how hit-or-miss most things in life can be.

So she give him a nod.]

That's fine.

[Echo starts to head out of the room, but hesitates as she remembers that apart from getting outside, she has no idea where she's going.]

There is no need to sit and stare at her while she contemplates all this, so Break simply keeps going with his breadmaking, his hands moving deftly as he kneads. It's his omen who pays Echo real attention during this quiet interlude. However, despite the fact that the dog is a spectral shadow thing with glowing white eyes and an awful lot of teeth wrapped around that pineapple, Baltus has much less of a dangerous atmosphere around him than Break does. Of course Baltus will keep an eye on her; he knows what Break knows. But despite not being an actual dog at all, even outside of being an omen -- Baltus is a churchyard grim -- it suits him to be perceived as such. Break can be the cunning schemer. Baltus is simply here to help.

Or to troll the ever-loving shit out of Break, should the opportunity present itself.

When she finally does speak up again, Break glances at her -- and makes a face, having missed the point entirely. He isn't fully aware that to Echo, simply living a life is strange, despite the fact that the omni and other such things have certainly thrown him for a loop, too. He's been here too long, and his thoughts go instead to all the obnoxious psychological trials and grisly ways to die that Trench presents on a daily basis.

"It's not so terrible as it could be," he says, grudgingly. He sounds as though he's admitting something annoying. "You'll find that, in an overwhelming majority, the Sleepers -- those like us -- are terribly eager to help one another. If they're not reaching out to complete strangers, they're building safehouses to flock to in the event of...I don't know, whatever relevant terrible thing."

And it's contagious, too. Break has felt it his own duty to pay all those early kindnesses forward now that he's settled in, and he's been so preoccupied with turning his own house into a safe place for his kids and favorites that the house itself has caught on.

"So it is a group utilizing survival skills to ensure minimum losses." She sounds as interested as she can while saying this, nodding slightly. Information is one of the most precious things as far as she's concerned, and the more she has on each individual experience, the better.

She still hasn't returned her gaze to Break. Her lingering unease around him makes it hard for her to focus, and Echo feels as though concentrating on her current line of thought should be her priority. Not having to take in one of his stares seems like a good tactic to ensure that she can. And really, Baltus is curious enough to her that it's not too hard to focus on something else.

"Then, the options for what one can make of their existence would have to fit within the limitations of what is required within the society's needs. In other words, it is still bound just to what is necessary..."

She frowns a bit. This was starting to sound a bit more like her previous existence, even though she knows she has far more freedom now than she ever could have imagined. Oz had been saying things to her about possibly taking other things into account here though, and while she still hasn't grasped what most of those are or why she should, the potential for them to be cut out so quickly is a bit disappointing.

What.

"...ehhhhhhhhhhhh, however have you come to such a dismal conclusion...? You could go off and become a professional tap dancer if it suited you."

Break suggests this random career choice in particular mostly because he thinks it would irritate Vincent, which pleases him.

"It's only that -- Sleepers tend to be the heroic sort, so you'll find that sort of impulse in a great many of us." He thunks his bread dough into a bowl to rise and pats his hands off. "We're far from the only ones here who have had to fight some stupid megalomaniac or three to prevent the whole world from breaking apart, you know?"

She finally looks back at him if only to give him an annoyed glare for that tap dancer comment. She's just trying to use logic here! That...was decisively not logical. She probably would have vocalized her complaint had he not continued.

Those later comments remind her about just how much she still doesn't know about the world she left. Echo hadn't even been able to properly focus on the real problem for long and she has no idea what happened, but given her lack of success in questioning Oz she's pretty sure Xerxes Break is not going to prove to be an easy font of knowledge. It's probably best to stick to the topics at hand, or at least things that had been mentioned.

"Understood." At least, probably as much as she's going to be able to right now. After a pause, she adds "What did your previous comment concerning the Will of the Abyss mean?"

Then let's go! It's a date!

[He really needs to watch his mouth, before he embarrasses himself. Oz offers her his hand, bouncing on his heels with eagerness. Brightening Echo's life is apparently the highlight of his day.]

[Yes, please don't call it a date. She totally knows that's not what it is. Plus as much as she knows that in general they're not the sort of things Vincent would talk about his being for, that's still most the exposure she's had to them.

So Echo is going to ignore whatever her face has decided to illogically do in response to that and nod.]

Y-Yes. You...will have to lead the way.

[She takes his hand again without hesitation, at least. And finds herself squeezing it a bit again too. It's been quite the day, that must be why.]

[Oz has also noticed, a bit too late, that he used the word 'date.' Normally he uses such language to diffuse tension or get a reaction, but it's embarrassing to use it on Echo. Maybe because she's a friend and he's used to one-off chats with strangers.

He also has to recover from his new expression.]

Ooh, you're gonna trust me to lead? What if I take you somewhere weird~?

[Gently, he tugs her towards the door. Looking forward while he corrects his face.]

[I mean you got a reaction even if she wants to pretend you didn't? Not that you're helping the situation if you keep talking like that... Quit making her gut reaction be to stop or just walk away when she's already holding your hand and it's hard to let go because of what jut happened (from her point of view, at least)!]

Eh?! Echo— I have only j-just found myself here. Where—that is, why would you do such a thing?!

[If he knows anywhere weird, it has to be Break's fault. Would not be the first time this has happened.]

Because sometimes weird is fun?

[He laughs nervously, aware that he is digging his own grave. He appreciates her pronouns, which do help him to behave.]

But alright, I'll stay in line. We'll only pick up the basics today~ Weird stuff some other day?

[...So admittedly, she does find him weird on a regular basis (like right now) and has ended up liking when she spends time with him, but she's pretty sure that's not what he's talking about.]

......No. That is, it would depend on what exactly you mean when you say "weird".

[Would it really, though? Here she'd thought Oz had helped her figure everything out about herself when it turns out she still doesn't understand much at all. She really wants something about this to end. And she's pretty sure it's not the "being with Oz" part.]

J-Just! Whatever is considered to be basic. Yes.

Right, right. We'll find a basic desk and chair today... Maybe we can find a shelf to display stuffed animals on or a wardrobe to put dresses in tomorrow!

[Oz leads her out of the house, waving farewell to their haunted housemates, and pauses at the gate. He debates using the 'lamp friends' to teleport them into a shopping district, but ultimately stays his hand. He's sure that Echo wouldn't mind a walk and this way he can keep her longer.]

Let's go! Weather is great and your desk awaits, Eko-chan!

Uh...?

[Dresses? Displaying stuffed animals? ...Well actually that would be safe now, and it would be a lie to say she didn't miss her Jyanta plushie, but he was sacrificed for a more worthy cause.]

Yes, but...you s-seem to be thinking somewhat too far ahead, Oz-sama...

Of course I'm thinking far ahead!

[He adjusts his hold on her hand, insistent in how he links their fingers together.]

We've got a looong time to be together now! Unless you're thinking of slipping away~? Should I be worried that you're a Cinderella?

[How did he just make her feel worse? Or, feel it more strongly? What is she feeling? Whatever it is, it involves her heart pounding in a potentially troubling way.]

I— I...do not think I would like to leave again, in the foreseeable future... However, I am not familiar with that term?

It's from a fairytale I read recently. Guess I'll have to read it to you next time.

[Oz flashes her a carefree smile;] But I'm glad that you aren't gonna leave me again. I don't think I could stand it, if I'm to be honest.

... Okay.

[Not that she can't read it herself, but it's another chance to do something with Oz. That alone is pretty incredible right now.

His last comment makes her frown a bit, though. She'd really been focused on her own experience at that point, but given all the circumstances that wasn't wrong of her. And she could accept that was how things had ended. In retrospect, though, Oz hadn't seemed as okay with it as she was.]

I— I should apologize, if you were hurt before...

[He maintains his smile, even if her apology hurts him deeply. It isn't her fault. It's the memory of those last moments and watching her turn into dust... Knowing that Echo was gone forever and they had only just started to understand each other.

Unconsciously, he tightens his grip on her hand.]

It's okay. I was hurt because I like you, Echo. And I was so happy that we met. You don't have to apologize for that kind of pain.

[She still feels bad, if only because the idea of him suffering in any way is painful to her. She may only have a rough idea of what he's been through, but she certainly understands how difficult it would be. Not just from her own experiences but from watching Noise's, and her suffering was hard enough for Echo.]

Oh. All right.

[She mumbles that, but in spite of her concerns his words made her feel good somehow. She kind of has a ghost of one of those smile things, actually. And she finds herself returning that tighter squeeze on his hand.]

"I meant exactly what I said. Both of the Alices are here. They are twins. The paler of the two was once the vessel in which the powers of the Core of the Abyss itself resided. The dark one, the one you know, was born in the Abyss alongside her, and set loose."

Set loose might be the best way possible to describe that Alice in particular making a decision to do anything at all and then doing it. This vibe is somewhat alleviated when Oz or someone else she deigns to listen to from time to time is around, but Break has noticed it never leaves entirely.

"In this place, they're both simply young ladies, learning what pleases them. And so, sometimes I find myself with the girl who was once the tool half the players in our world wanted to get their hands on helping me to tidy up the kitchen, you know?"

From her Baskerville adjacency, Echo is fairly aware of the oddities of the Abyss. While this was new information to her, she finds it pretty easy to accept as fact even if she doesn't totally grasp the details. And from her own experience with Alice she would agree that's definitely the best phrasing for her.

"Because they are choosing their own duties, yes..." That's been a common theme not only in her conversation with Break just now, but in things she's heard in general since she got here. "Lacking the bonds from our previous lives, it does not sound like an easy thing to do if I am to be honest."

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The New Person

Kitchen times are go

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...I see what you did there...

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