Part 4 - Nightmare

Darkness grew around him. A strange, thick darkness that was only penetrated by the glow of menacing, blue eyes. Vincent felt distinct from his body, free to move and float and watch the scene before him unfold as Ergo Proxy sat hunched, waiting. His mask no longer covered his face, but was rather held in a large hand, crushed and discarded like a scrap of paper. His mouth curled and parted into a grin, but the bulky body stayed stationary.

What am I waiting for?

Vincent's thought played dual in his head. The voice of the man and the voice of the Proxy entwined. It was true that he was now a whole, no longer conflicting between what he did and didn't know. He had accepted his fate; what he was and what he could do. And with that power he had chosen to be with those he loved. The one he loved.

He moved around, swimming through the impenetrable darkness to try and get a better look at himself. He moved upwards, above the head of the Proxy and observed downwards. He was crouching on something; no – someone. He urged his head to tilt to the floor; his dream-like Proxy form following suit and illuminating the body below with a pale blue glow from its eyes. Vincent gasped. A pale face stared upwards, blue eyes glazed and dead to the dark world; thick blue eyeshadow streamed down its cheeks.

Re-l!

The man gasped, wreathed and stumbled in shock. The Proxy stayed, still glaring down at the motionless body of Re-l Mayer. It laughed, quietly at first, before its manic expression became all Vincent could hear echoing throughout the deep black. For the first time since he'd left Romedo with Re-l he felt alone again. Alone, confused and once more separate from what he was. He forced himself forward, reaching through the body of Ergo Proxy to touch the cheek of the unmoving Re-l Mayer tenderly. Why had he done this? Could the Emissary of Death not live peacefully?

The battle has just begun, Vincent.

Vincent…

Vincent.

"Vincent!"

Vincent's green eyes snapped open; he sat up sharply, banging his head to the wall with a sickening 'thud'. Kristeva stood over him, Pino by her side, clinging to her leg. He blinked, again and again, feeling his eyes somehow unable to adjust to the reality of day. He flicked his gaze from left, to right, to left again.

"Re-l. Where'd Re-l?!" he sounded anxious and angry.

"Waiting for you to take over the steering. It is your turn."

Vincent picked himself off of his shabby bed, and wandered briskly to the deck, Kristeva still uttering behind him words of warning. He vaguely picked out the words 'wrath' and 'scorned', but choose to ignore them. The doorway opened and his concerned gaze was met with narrow, piercing eyes. He smiled broadly, a goofy, relieved smile. Her lips remained pressed into a thin line, and he watched her twitch slightly as a cold breeze ruffled the fur of her cream coat.

"Re-l! I'm so glad you'r- Ow!" Vincent was cut short by a boot to the shin. He hopped helplessly until he found his grip on the tiller, leaning on it as he rubbed his soon-to-be bruised leg. Re-l shoved a palm to his face; probably the closest thing to punching him she could manage without really causing pain. She grunted her thanks for his concern and quickly headed inside, rubbing her cold hands and uttering curses against the male of the species as she went. If Vincent had one comfort from this; at least it was defiantly his Re-l.