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"Hey, Ashton." You whisper to your redheaded friend. "I'll be right back. I gotta do something, keep an eye on Liz."
"hm? where are you going?"
She would think you went completely and utterly insane if you told her the truth. You scramble to cobble together a somewhat convincing lie. "Ah, I'm going to ask the lunch lady if I can get a refill. That's all."
"i could get you a refill, man. it wouldn't be a big deal."
"aww." Ashton groans at the mere idea of you leaving her alone. "fine! make it quick, though, okay?"
"I'll be back, I'll be back." You vaguely gesture at the <span class="mu-b">Man</span> to follow you. He does so, after finishing up the remaining slop on his plate. You wait until you're far enough where the gals can't overhear you.
"How's it hanging? I know we don't get much time to talk, man to man, but I want to make sure you're doing okay."
The <span class="mu-b">Man</span> wishes he had a satisfying answer to your question. He's never been one to really dwell on his own emotions, especially after what happened to him.
He asks you an odd question. He wonders if you ever wanted to forget and remember something at the same time?
"I suppose that depends on what the memory is."
The flower on your wrist perks up. It is VERY interested in where this conversation is going.
He laughs at your answer. He wishes he could forget that he's already forgotten so much. He knows he's supposed to remember more than he does but he can't. The only people who remember him are those who never met him before he turned into this.
The thing that hurts him the most, though, is that he knows he used to be someone important. Yet, the world continues on without him.
Everything runs smoothly. No one notices his absence. The things he created, he knows he had to create SOMETHING, still run perfectly fine without him. He's a ghost in the machine. A specter lost to time, with only two people in the whole world as company.
It sucks, Vincent.
"...You know." You make an awkward noise between a laugh and a cough. "Funny that you mentioned that. I don't think anyone outside this facility remembers me."
The <span class="mu-b">Man</span> points out that you likely still have a family out there. A family you remember.
"Yeah, I guess, but it's been so long since I've talked to them." A flood of uncomfortable, half-remembered memories nearly derails your train of thought. "The people at my job? Shit, the only one who might remember me is Hidaka."
"The only privilege I have is that people can still see me."
The <span class="mu-b">Man</span> argues that's a pretty huge privilege.
"I suppose so. I get where you're coming from. People usually want to be remembered for doing something grand. Something that leaves a legacy, right?"
The <span class="mu-b">Man</span> nods in agreement. He could've had a legacy to leave behind, but now? All he has are those <span class="mu-b">stupid eggs</span> and a big great nothing in the middle of his head.
At least you still have a chance to leave behind a legacy, Vincent.
