(no subject)
[series]: Pandora Hearts
[character]: Vincent Nightlay
[character history / background]: In order to understand Vincent's backstory, it is first necessary to understand the world of Pandora Hearts. The society itself is far from modern, with individuals dressed in clothing that is fancy and almost Victorian, and the society itself reflects that. People move in carriages, and technology is limited to watches and trinkets, thus providing an understanding that the world itself is not like ours. Though it draws from an influence like ours many, many years ago, is it very different. This world has many obvious and direct allusions to Alice in Wonderland, though the full extent and understanding is confusing, and what connections and parallels are left up to the readers themselves. The characters don't seem aware of the parallels, but there are things like the Cheshire Cat, Alice having her tea party, and another world. This other world, dark, distorted, and full of powerful creatures called "chains," is the backdrop of all the circumstances of the world. It is called the Abyss, and while some understanding has been reached about it, its full existence is as yet unknown, lurking, uncertain, and full of memories of tragedies of years gone past. If someone slips into the Abyss, they do have a chance to come out; the years that pass will never be clear, nor will the memories and sanity left with these individuals. In this society, there are four Duke families that watch over the doors of the Abyss, but there's an implied fifth door; it is this door that presents a problem, though the exact problem is still as yet unknown.
Beyond that, it is also important to note that the story itself takes place in a so-called "present," one hundred and ten years after a tragedy that literally destroyed the capital in this world and turned it into a giant crater. There, the Abyss seems to leak out and cause illusions of a civilization lost past, of a people who lived and breathed and existed, happily, with the exception of the conniving influence of one Glen Baskerville. It is in this past society that the mysteries initially unravelled, and that the potentially selfish intentions of that Glen eventually had to be stopped-by Jack Vessalius. The full intentions of Glen Baskerville have not been revealed, but it's noted that he ordered his underlings to kill freely, and somehow, those underlings are still alive, moving with the intention of finding a way to bring Glen himself back. Given that at least one of them has revealed that they have a chain, it's possible they fell into the Abyss-or that as a result of their chain, their ageing stopped as the years went past. The important parts of this is that Jack Vessalius was claimed a hero for his willingness to kill Glen Baskerville-his best friend-and the Tragedy of this capital occurred in this past time: the Tragedy of Sabrie, leaving the society devastated, but aware that they were able to live on because of Jack's actions.
It may not seem important to mention this all at first, but in all actuality, knowing the background before delving into Vincent himself is important. Many of the mysteries of the world are still being revealed, but one has been uncovered, and perhaps it's the most important key: Jack and Glen's actions aside, as well as the mystery of the Abyss lurking and controlling things, there is one individual responsible for the Tragedy of Sabrie that occurred one hundred and ten years years prior to the main story itself. That individual is Vincent, who at the time, was not a Nightlay, but a servant for the Vessalius family.
Now, the beginning of Vincent's life is far from a pleasant tale, but perhaps not what you would expect to be the eventuality of the death of so many people. Since birth, he's been granted with the misfortune of having a red eye, and because of this, he, and his older brother Gilbert, were forced into living on the street. The reason behind this is unclear, but everywhere they went, people said that Vincent's eye would bring destruction, pain, misery, and unhappiness to the people around him. It was as if people were waiting for it, and in order to make things better, he would keep his blond hair long enough to cover that eye. It would protect him, at any rate, because people would attack him.
This continued until Jack Vessalius found Vincent and Gilbert and decided to take them in. Jack didn't mind the potential omen that came with an eye like Vincent's, and even boosted his confidence in telling him he loved it, cutting his hair so he could see it easily. In a way, life seemed normal this way, Gilbert easily slipping into the role of servant to the master, and Vincent wanting to follow suit. However, things changed when Jack introduced Vincent and Gilbert to a young girl named Alice, who made fun of Vincent's eye. Gilbert chose this moment to attack Alice-by pulling her hair-and Vincent came to hate her because she made Gilbert show such a negative expression (as his tie to his brother was interesting and quite close). This led to Vincent cutting up dolls and toys-frequently rabbits-in annoyance and frustration with Alice herself. It's the start of Vincent's twisted nature, or perhaps the trigger of it, all for his brother.
Some time later, Gilbert ends up dying in order to protect Jack from Glen-as a servant should-and learns that, through Alice, Glen will be using Gilbert's body as his next body. In order to stop this, Vincent is shown the way to opening the door to the Abyss, stopping the ritual, saving his brother, bringing them down into the Abyss, and eventually causing the Tragedy itself. The full extent of this circumstance is murky and confusing, as memories of the actual Tragedy show Vincent walking around with a pair of scissors, as if he literally butchered people (and the people on the floor had their eyes cut out).
What happens next is unclear. Perhaps while in the Abyss, Vincent made a contract with a chain, or perhaps afterward, but after leaving the Abyss, Vincent and Gilbert appeared to the world almost a hundred years later. Gilbert himself has no memories of his past, but Vincent, at least, could remember his brother clearly and wished to be with him. It was as yet unknown that this boy, aged thirteen, was the brother of the servant in the Vessalius household. Vincent was adopted by the Nightlay family, a darker aligned family, while Gilbert became a servant in the family that was in direct opposition (the Nightlays, as their name suggests, largely associated with darkness, and because of Jack Vessalius, the Vesslius family was associated with light). At the one hundred year point, the Vessalius heir, Oz, finds himself dragged down into the Abyss as a result of the Baskerville meddling-because his existence is a sin, supposedly, though the meaning of that is still unclear-and afterward, Gilbert was found and adopted by the Nightlay family, and was forced to believe he betrayed his former master.
What happens in the next ten years is unclear. It can be ensured is that Vincent definitely gets his chain in this time, and definitely hooks up with the Baskervilles, who are seeking to bring back Glen himself (though Vincent's intentions likely do not align with them, for obvious reasons of what was going to happen to Gilbert in the past). Gilbert gained the power of the chain called Raven, largely connected to the Nightlay family, because he wanted to save someone he cared about from the Abyss. Beyond that, it becomes confusing, unclear, and only that Vincent himself has some involvements that are ambiguous and leaning toward his darker nature. It's also clear that Vincent is working things to protect Gilbert and himself, as well as those memories from a hundred years ago. He also acquires Echo, who apparently is merely the false personality and cover-up for her true self, a girl called Zwei, who is also undoubtedly connected to the Abyss itself. Somewhere along the way, Vincent joins Pandora, the organization connected to the Abyss itself, and is likely there to move after his brother and also work his own machinations. While with Pandora, Vincent even carelessly kills someone with an illegal contract, saying that the man himself would have killed his own son (whether this is true is up in the air, but it seems to be a lie). Oz himself did not want this to happen. It's another sign of Vincent's cunning behavior, and possibly connected to his true intentions of protecting himself-but most of all, his brother, who doesn't remember him from all those years ago.
In order to do this, he not only works with the Baskervilles, but also captures Sharon Rainsworth, a member of one of the four Duke families, and injects her with poison, so that he can protect a terrible memory from one hundred years ago that belongs to Oz's chain, Alice (who, undoubtedly, is connected to the Alice from the past, though the confusing issues with her personality have a part in this, and are as yet unclear). Vincent manipulates Break, who typically has a hand in everything, into destroying that memory with his chain, so that Sharon would be saved. However, Vincent has no intention of helping Break after the memory is broken, and after teasing Break for being willing to save Sharon, Vincent moves to drop the antidote (the prize for destroying the memory) off a balcony. It's saved by Echo, who then moves to save Sharon. Echo had been used as proof that the poison worked, as the antidote was tested on her first (a sign that Vincent doesn't care about her as more than a servant and something to use).
Vincent continues to work behind the scenes, eventually meeting with his brother and manipulating him to the best of his ability to kill Alice (who Vincent still seems to hate). This is meant to happen because Gilbert needs to protect Oz, as his servant, and in being Oz's chain, Alice is slowly removing Oz's life. He tells his brother that he will be there for him no matter who he has to kill with his hands, implying that Gilbert has possibly not only killed in the past, the distant past, that is, but also in the present-and may have to in the future. Most recently, Vincent has stayed behind while the rest of Baskerville went to meet up with Oz, Gilbert, and the others in Vessalius, and the reason why he does not go is because that place recalls too many memories, too many circumstances that could hurt him.
Many things are left unanswered as of right now: is it Vincent who killed Alice all those years ago? What tie does Glen have to all of this? And most of all, in the greatest relation to this, what is Vincent doing, if he is not truly loyal to Baskerville?
Given the intrinsic involvement and ties between all of the characters, it's impossible to include all the details of everyone in the story, while adding the necessity of Vincent's backstory. As a result, to fill in the probable gaps, wikipedia becomes necessary.
[character abilities]: As yet unknown! He's rather crafty with a pair of scissors and strong enough to easily beat up on his servant girl, but for the most part, they're unknown. Vincent has a legal contract with a chain, a creature of the Abyss, called Yamane (which is actually a dormous). As it is always seen sleeping, the most one can conclude about it is that due to its tie to Vincent, it occasionally makes him fall asleep.
Tactics of manipulation and screwing with his brother's head are probably also special talents of Vincent's.
[character personality]: Perhaps to truly understand Vincent, it is important to start with the personality displayed in his first appearance. While Oz is trying to keep a father from being taken from his son, Gilbert is uncomfortable about killing the man, despite the fact that he is an illegal contractor who will only continued to kill other people. When Gilbert cannot pull the trigger, Vincent comes out of nowhere and does it, claiming that had he not done it, the father would have killed the boy. In this scene, Vincent smiles through his explanation, and shows a cold, meticulous ease with which he carries himself. The following scene make it apparent that Vincent is someone who is not always respected and trusted, or even welcomed, despite his part with the Pandora group. He seems fully aware of the fact and even willingly accepts it, even if it means that he and his brother don't have that in common. After all, Vincent is also a calm individual, seemingly riding the waves of things without any change in that appearance, that look, that smile, and he always seems to have a way of approaching things that's thoughtful, well put-together, if just a little bit off.
The important thing is this: for all his lies and machinations, it doesn't seem like Vincent bothers to keep up facades. It's an interesting fact, and while he won't say exactly what he's thinking, he's someone who's perfectly aware that he's not likely to be trusted, not likely to have many friends or people who claim they're fond of him. All the same, for all his tendencies, Vincent is someone who seems to move despite this, uncaring, with a smile on his face and a polite notion. It's not easy to tell that he's actually working with the Baskervilles, but it is easy to tell that there's something that's not exactly right about him. To others, he may seem to have a distinctly off attachment to his brother, and a polite way of carrying himself, but it's obvious that he's not exactly normal. His approach to people is polite, yet mocking, his way of touching people is largely in their space, and it seems that many times that Vincent doesn't have an idea of personal bubbles. So, sure, he may not make it clear that he's completely twisted in his head, but it's difficult to false to sense the parts of Vincent Nightlay that are off, that make him someone who can't be followed.
Interesting enough is the fact that, despite all this, he has an almost childish charm in how polite he is-emphasis on the childish. His way of controlling things and his approach to matters is almost like a child, like he never truly grew up because of the tragedy as a child. There's an obsession and motivation behind his actions, something distinctly tied to his acceptance that he is something wrong and his need to protect (and even sometimes use in order to protect) his brother. He doesn't act necessarily spoiled, but there are moments in which his approach is brattish, in which he openly shows surprise and irritation when he loses control, and attempts to act as if it's nothing. Vincent is someone willing to lose, and accept that, but also act as if things should have gone his way. He's abusive toward his servant when she acts out of place, and is even careless about her-and many other people, despite his tendency to get up close to them. He is childish and unhinged, playing things in his own mocking, condescending, yet strangely polite way, showing his willingness to laugh when things go his way, like when he's poisoned Sharon.
For all that this occurs, it's all because of his obsession to his older brother, Gilbert. Though Gilbert himself does not remember the ties they had all those years ago, the two were inseparable, and all Vincent wanted was for him to be happy. His obsession has changed throughout the years, evolving into something that is more honed, meticulous and disturbing. He's willing to push his brother into killing someone, willing to kill in order to protect his brother, and he does it all with a smile. It all ties back from those events over a hundred years ago, but it's obvious the complex is unusual. And though Vincent is willing to push into the personal space of most people, the affection with which he does it toward his brother is different, as if it's a unique approach, because Gilbert truly matters to Vincent more than anything. And though Vincent seems aware of what he does for Gilbert, the childish spin seems to make it perfectly all right, even as he manipulates him and hurts him. It's for the good, isn't it? His motivations are his own, too, and he doesn't care if he's on the side of Baskervilles, as it seems to be another card he's playing for his own intentions.
A sum of Vincent's whole would a cold, ruthless, sadistic with a pair of scissors or a worthy poison, and somewhat childish individual, who speaks formally and with an ease, but is fully aware of who he is and where he comes from. It is that awareness that likely adds most of the edge to his nature, as it adds to the fact that he is quite possibly mad. Yet, his cause: his brother, seems to be a worthy one-he does love him dearly, all aspects and all things he must do, and even respects that (or pretends to understand that) to some extent. He's strangely willing to touch and be near people, his behavior free and lax, as if he's in control and doesn't mind these aspects. It means he's comfortable, at least, and that some part of him likes people-or messing with people, drawing out uncomfortable reactions and making them respond in funny ways, all while showing a bit of control (hence why he shows surprise when that control is taken away and exerted back on him, but he laughs it off, easily enough).
Either way, Vincent will laugh it off with an easy, calm smile, and continue on as politely as possible. He is a thoughtful sort, anyway.
[point in timeline you're picking your character from]: Post-chapter 39.
[journal post]:
[ voice ]
Ah, perhaps there is no easy way of saying this-I'm afraid I'm lost in a beautiful garden, far, far away from the place I meant to be, and this device is nothing like the things I'm used to from home. I think that it's unusual that a person should come into a place filled with confusing items but capable of communicating with others, but it's great, it's brilliant, that you've given me this. For, you see, if I'm here, then someone else must be here, too. He'll be a little lost without me, and I'd much rather use this opportunity to speak to him.
[the sound cuts out for a moment before it switches]
[ video ]
[Vincent is standing carefully the device obviously in front of him, and a picture pulled out, painted, of a man with dark brown hair and golden eyes, eyes that could be rather similar to Vincent's if his were the same color. the person beside Vincent is standing still as Vincent holds the arm holding the device over over him, around and forward, head cocked against the male's head, like they've been friends for a while. the discomfort on the man's face seems to indicate that this is not the truth]
Never mind who's with me! He's only helped out with the device, but this is Gilbert. He'll look a little frustrated! Oh, and he might ask after a boy named Oz, his master, as that is Gilbert's duty.
It's okay if he doesn't come immediately. I'll understand. But I'd like to know if he's here.
A brother should be reunited with his sibling, shouldn't he?
[third person / log sample]:
There is no need to revisit Sabrie, not because there are too many memories to conjure up, but because Vincent remembers them vividly, every second, every moment.
He remembers walking the street as a boy, the twisted annoyance that would fill up inside of him whenever someone would insult and attack him. But these moments were always unusual, for the approach Vincent had toward them was not anger because they saw him as a monster, but anger because his brother would need to protect him. The image of Gilbert's reddened cheeks and fierce determination would never leave Vincent. It doesn't leave him as a child, and he remembers vividly when they would slip away, when Gilbert would steal a piece of bread and assure him, promise him, that he would not lead to darkness, he would not be an omen. The two of them would curl up at night, and often, Vincent would tell stories, and try to make Gilbert laugh. And when he laughed, Vincent would laugh, too, a melodious, easy sound, that would slip into the night and disturb rodents and cats (Gilbert was always afraid of cats) but no one else. Kids on the street were easy to ignore, ducked under tattered blankets covered in dirt.
Now, Sabrie is filled with these children and no one else, with the exception of desperate mothers keeping their families together, building small forts, and telling their children to keep away, keep away, from that hole in the ground filled with days that have long gone. Vincent has not gone near that hole, but he has lurked along the outside of Sabrie on a bright morning, a cheerful smile on his lips, and when a child has approached him, he has been careful to block that eye, just for old time's sake, before bending down to curl his hand under the boy's chin. "Shouldn't you be with your sibling?" It's just a guess, but the little boy nods, pointing toward his older sister as she tries to scavenge food from another family, dead asleep, unaware that they've started a routine of waking up early enough to gather what they need to survive.
Survival is very important, and that's what Sabrie reminds Vincent most of-not of Jack and his kind smiles, not of cutting up little dolls, but the fact that he and Gilbert have survived. Gilbert surviving is the most important, for although he is different, there is so much of him that is the same. Fierce determination, but the need to keep his master alive. The announcement of Oz Vessalius' return was met with easy laughter, a cheerful sound as he escaped to sit alone. He remembers slipping off into a slumber, waking up with Echo standing over him, and reaching out to grab her wrist, pulling himself up, and drawing her toward him, face against his chest, as the sound once again poured out. Interesting, isn't it? he thought to himself.
His laughter stopped when he heard about the girl and her tie to Oz, like she had been tied to Jack, so innocent and like she deserves everything in the world.
As the room falls silent, all guests absent with the door closing shut, he picks up a pair of scissors and a recently acquired stuffed rabbit, and tosses the rabbit into the air. Vincent's movement toward the rabbit is graceful, scissors swinging open, and closing around the rabbit's neck. It shouldn't be this easy to destroy a toy like this, but years of practice, gutting and tearing apart the creatures, have left him doing it with ease. A mirror would reveal that he does it with a smile, a malicious glint that only seems to come into that eye, and the picture of her face in his mind. It never changes, always brutal and disgusting, one that deserves to die so easy. He doesn't need to go back there to remember her face, the unnecessarily long brown hair and Gilbert's frown as he pulled that hair into his hand and tugged. He doesn't need to remember how he's protected his brother, how he's kept him alive. It's not a memory, but everything that he is. The piercing laughter as he blames her-a memory that he doesn't know has been witnessed by others, but he doesn't care.
Vincent has never been very good at hiding his nature; he was born with that eye for a reason, after all.
He pulls himself out of the daze, the reverie, with the remains of the rabbit sitting on the floor beneath him, stretched out in various pieces. A door creaks open, and he turns, smiling, toward a servant in all black garb (typical, for the Nightlay house). "Master Vincent, did you want your tea?" the servant asks, pointedly ignoring the mess on the floor-they've seen this time and time again, this behavior, his fondness of scissors, and they've never cared. His brand of ruthlessness is even welcomed in the Nightlay house.
"I won't be needing it, I think," Vincent replies. "I think you should have some ready soon. Gilbert's favorite." When he speaks of his brother, his voice goes higher. He stands calmly, brushing his hair back over his shoulder as the servant comes close. The smile doesn't fade, but Vincent steps toward him as the servant keeps his nose from wrinkling, and Vincent, slides a hand over his shoulder, caressing it easily until he reaches his neck. Gloved though his hand currently is, it's enough to bring out a shiver in the man.
"Do you think he will be returning for a longer visit?"
"I do. It's about time he truly came willingly, don't you think?"
They talk a little longer, about Gilbert's favorite meals and snacks, favorite teas an clothing, before the servant leaves with the bits of the rabbit in his hand, awkwardly clumped together like it's expected. Vincent waves toward him and then finds himself on the verge of laughing again, a private joke with a private image: the picture of his brother showing up bloodstained, eyes wide with all the memories of the past lurking in his mind.
It's been so long since Vincent held those memories alone, of how the rabbit teased and broke and destroyed everything; it's high time he has his brother back, so he can truly protect him.
[character]: Vincent Nightlay
[character history / background]: In order to understand Vincent's backstory, it is first necessary to understand the world of Pandora Hearts. The society itself is far from modern, with individuals dressed in clothing that is fancy and almost Victorian, and the society itself reflects that. People move in carriages, and technology is limited to watches and trinkets, thus providing an understanding that the world itself is not like ours. Though it draws from an influence like ours many, many years ago, is it very different. This world has many obvious and direct allusions to Alice in Wonderland, though the full extent and understanding is confusing, and what connections and parallels are left up to the readers themselves. The characters don't seem aware of the parallels, but there are things like the Cheshire Cat, Alice having her tea party, and another world. This other world, dark, distorted, and full of powerful creatures called "chains," is the backdrop of all the circumstances of the world. It is called the Abyss, and while some understanding has been reached about it, its full existence is as yet unknown, lurking, uncertain, and full of memories of tragedies of years gone past. If someone slips into the Abyss, they do have a chance to come out; the years that pass will never be clear, nor will the memories and sanity left with these individuals. In this society, there are four Duke families that watch over the doors of the Abyss, but there's an implied fifth door; it is this door that presents a problem, though the exact problem is still as yet unknown.
Beyond that, it is also important to note that the story itself takes place in a so-called "present," one hundred and ten years after a tragedy that literally destroyed the capital in this world and turned it into a giant crater. There, the Abyss seems to leak out and cause illusions of a civilization lost past, of a people who lived and breathed and existed, happily, with the exception of the conniving influence of one Glen Baskerville. It is in this past society that the mysteries initially unravelled, and that the potentially selfish intentions of that Glen eventually had to be stopped-by Jack Vessalius. The full intentions of Glen Baskerville have not been revealed, but it's noted that he ordered his underlings to kill freely, and somehow, those underlings are still alive, moving with the intention of finding a way to bring Glen himself back. Given that at least one of them has revealed that they have a chain, it's possible they fell into the Abyss-or that as a result of their chain, their ageing stopped as the years went past. The important parts of this is that Jack Vessalius was claimed a hero for his willingness to kill Glen Baskerville-his best friend-and the Tragedy of this capital occurred in this past time: the Tragedy of Sabrie, leaving the society devastated, but aware that they were able to live on because of Jack's actions.
It may not seem important to mention this all at first, but in all actuality, knowing the background before delving into Vincent himself is important. Many of the mysteries of the world are still being revealed, but one has been uncovered, and perhaps it's the most important key: Jack and Glen's actions aside, as well as the mystery of the Abyss lurking and controlling things, there is one individual responsible for the Tragedy of Sabrie that occurred one hundred and ten years years prior to the main story itself. That individual is Vincent, who at the time, was not a Nightlay, but a servant for the Vessalius family.
Now, the beginning of Vincent's life is far from a pleasant tale, but perhaps not what you would expect to be the eventuality of the death of so many people. Since birth, he's been granted with the misfortune of having a red eye, and because of this, he, and his older brother Gilbert, were forced into living on the street. The reason behind this is unclear, but everywhere they went, people said that Vincent's eye would bring destruction, pain, misery, and unhappiness to the people around him. It was as if people were waiting for it, and in order to make things better, he would keep his blond hair long enough to cover that eye. It would protect him, at any rate, because people would attack him.
This continued until Jack Vessalius found Vincent and Gilbert and decided to take them in. Jack didn't mind the potential omen that came with an eye like Vincent's, and even boosted his confidence in telling him he loved it, cutting his hair so he could see it easily. In a way, life seemed normal this way, Gilbert easily slipping into the role of servant to the master, and Vincent wanting to follow suit. However, things changed when Jack introduced Vincent and Gilbert to a young girl named Alice, who made fun of Vincent's eye. Gilbert chose this moment to attack Alice-by pulling her hair-and Vincent came to hate her because she made Gilbert show such a negative expression (as his tie to his brother was interesting and quite close). This led to Vincent cutting up dolls and toys-frequently rabbits-in annoyance and frustration with Alice herself. It's the start of Vincent's twisted nature, or perhaps the trigger of it, all for his brother.
Some time later, Gilbert ends up dying in order to protect Jack from Glen-as a servant should-and learns that, through Alice, Glen will be using Gilbert's body as his next body. In order to stop this, Vincent is shown the way to opening the door to the Abyss, stopping the ritual, saving his brother, bringing them down into the Abyss, and eventually causing the Tragedy itself. The full extent of this circumstance is murky and confusing, as memories of the actual Tragedy show Vincent walking around with a pair of scissors, as if he literally butchered people (and the people on the floor had their eyes cut out).
What happens next is unclear. Perhaps while in the Abyss, Vincent made a contract with a chain, or perhaps afterward, but after leaving the Abyss, Vincent and Gilbert appeared to the world almost a hundred years later. Gilbert himself has no memories of his past, but Vincent, at least, could remember his brother clearly and wished to be with him. It was as yet unknown that this boy, aged thirteen, was the brother of the servant in the Vessalius household. Vincent was adopted by the Nightlay family, a darker aligned family, while Gilbert became a servant in the family that was in direct opposition (the Nightlays, as their name suggests, largely associated with darkness, and because of Jack Vessalius, the Vesslius family was associated with light). At the one hundred year point, the Vessalius heir, Oz, finds himself dragged down into the Abyss as a result of the Baskerville meddling-because his existence is a sin, supposedly, though the meaning of that is still unclear-and afterward, Gilbert was found and adopted by the Nightlay family, and was forced to believe he betrayed his former master.
What happens in the next ten years is unclear. It can be ensured is that Vincent definitely gets his chain in this time, and definitely hooks up with the Baskervilles, who are seeking to bring back Glen himself (though Vincent's intentions likely do not align with them, for obvious reasons of what was going to happen to Gilbert in the past). Gilbert gained the power of the chain called Raven, largely connected to the Nightlay family, because he wanted to save someone he cared about from the Abyss. Beyond that, it becomes confusing, unclear, and only that Vincent himself has some involvements that are ambiguous and leaning toward his darker nature. It's also clear that Vincent is working things to protect Gilbert and himself, as well as those memories from a hundred years ago. He also acquires Echo, who apparently is merely the false personality and cover-up for her true self, a girl called Zwei, who is also undoubtedly connected to the Abyss itself. Somewhere along the way, Vincent joins Pandora, the organization connected to the Abyss itself, and is likely there to move after his brother and also work his own machinations. While with Pandora, Vincent even carelessly kills someone with an illegal contract, saying that the man himself would have killed his own son (whether this is true is up in the air, but it seems to be a lie). Oz himself did not want this to happen. It's another sign of Vincent's cunning behavior, and possibly connected to his true intentions of protecting himself-but most of all, his brother, who doesn't remember him from all those years ago.
In order to do this, he not only works with the Baskervilles, but also captures Sharon Rainsworth, a member of one of the four Duke families, and injects her with poison, so that he can protect a terrible memory from one hundred years ago that belongs to Oz's chain, Alice (who, undoubtedly, is connected to the Alice from the past, though the confusing issues with her personality have a part in this, and are as yet unclear). Vincent manipulates Break, who typically has a hand in everything, into destroying that memory with his chain, so that Sharon would be saved. However, Vincent has no intention of helping Break after the memory is broken, and after teasing Break for being willing to save Sharon, Vincent moves to drop the antidote (the prize for destroying the memory) off a balcony. It's saved by Echo, who then moves to save Sharon. Echo had been used as proof that the poison worked, as the antidote was tested on her first (a sign that Vincent doesn't care about her as more than a servant and something to use).
Vincent continues to work behind the scenes, eventually meeting with his brother and manipulating him to the best of his ability to kill Alice (who Vincent still seems to hate). This is meant to happen because Gilbert needs to protect Oz, as his servant, and in being Oz's chain, Alice is slowly removing Oz's life. He tells his brother that he will be there for him no matter who he has to kill with his hands, implying that Gilbert has possibly not only killed in the past, the distant past, that is, but also in the present-and may have to in the future. Most recently, Vincent has stayed behind while the rest of Baskerville went to meet up with Oz, Gilbert, and the others in Vessalius, and the reason why he does not go is because that place recalls too many memories, too many circumstances that could hurt him.
Many things are left unanswered as of right now: is it Vincent who killed Alice all those years ago? What tie does Glen have to all of this? And most of all, in the greatest relation to this, what is Vincent doing, if he is not truly loyal to Baskerville?
Given the intrinsic involvement and ties between all of the characters, it's impossible to include all the details of everyone in the story, while adding the necessity of Vincent's backstory. As a result, to fill in the probable gaps, wikipedia becomes necessary.
[character abilities]: As yet unknown! He's rather crafty with a pair of scissors and strong enough to easily beat up on his servant girl, but for the most part, they're unknown. Vincent has a legal contract with a chain, a creature of the Abyss, called Yamane (which is actually a dormous). As it is always seen sleeping, the most one can conclude about it is that due to its tie to Vincent, it occasionally makes him fall asleep.
Tactics of manipulation and screwing with his brother's head are probably also special talents of Vincent's.
[character personality]: Perhaps to truly understand Vincent, it is important to start with the personality displayed in his first appearance. While Oz is trying to keep a father from being taken from his son, Gilbert is uncomfortable about killing the man, despite the fact that he is an illegal contractor who will only continued to kill other people. When Gilbert cannot pull the trigger, Vincent comes out of nowhere and does it, claiming that had he not done it, the father would have killed the boy. In this scene, Vincent smiles through his explanation, and shows a cold, meticulous ease with which he carries himself. The following scene make it apparent that Vincent is someone who is not always respected and trusted, or even welcomed, despite his part with the Pandora group. He seems fully aware of the fact and even willingly accepts it, even if it means that he and his brother don't have that in common. After all, Vincent is also a calm individual, seemingly riding the waves of things without any change in that appearance, that look, that smile, and he always seems to have a way of approaching things that's thoughtful, well put-together, if just a little bit off.
The important thing is this: for all his lies and machinations, it doesn't seem like Vincent bothers to keep up facades. It's an interesting fact, and while he won't say exactly what he's thinking, he's someone who's perfectly aware that he's not likely to be trusted, not likely to have many friends or people who claim they're fond of him. All the same, for all his tendencies, Vincent is someone who seems to move despite this, uncaring, with a smile on his face and a polite notion. It's not easy to tell that he's actually working with the Baskervilles, but it is easy to tell that there's something that's not exactly right about him. To others, he may seem to have a distinctly off attachment to his brother, and a polite way of carrying himself, but it's obvious that he's not exactly normal. His approach to people is polite, yet mocking, his way of touching people is largely in their space, and it seems that many times that Vincent doesn't have an idea of personal bubbles. So, sure, he may not make it clear that he's completely twisted in his head, but it's difficult to false to sense the parts of Vincent Nightlay that are off, that make him someone who can't be followed.
Interesting enough is the fact that, despite all this, he has an almost childish charm in how polite he is-emphasis on the childish. His way of controlling things and his approach to matters is almost like a child, like he never truly grew up because of the tragedy as a child. There's an obsession and motivation behind his actions, something distinctly tied to his acceptance that he is something wrong and his need to protect (and even sometimes use in order to protect) his brother. He doesn't act necessarily spoiled, but there are moments in which his approach is brattish, in which he openly shows surprise and irritation when he loses control, and attempts to act as if it's nothing. Vincent is someone willing to lose, and accept that, but also act as if things should have gone his way. He's abusive toward his servant when she acts out of place, and is even careless about her-and many other people, despite his tendency to get up close to them. He is childish and unhinged, playing things in his own mocking, condescending, yet strangely polite way, showing his willingness to laugh when things go his way, like when he's poisoned Sharon.
For all that this occurs, it's all because of his obsession to his older brother, Gilbert. Though Gilbert himself does not remember the ties they had all those years ago, the two were inseparable, and all Vincent wanted was for him to be happy. His obsession has changed throughout the years, evolving into something that is more honed, meticulous and disturbing. He's willing to push his brother into killing someone, willing to kill in order to protect his brother, and he does it all with a smile. It all ties back from those events over a hundred years ago, but it's obvious the complex is unusual. And though Vincent is willing to push into the personal space of most people, the affection with which he does it toward his brother is different, as if it's a unique approach, because Gilbert truly matters to Vincent more than anything. And though Vincent seems aware of what he does for Gilbert, the childish spin seems to make it perfectly all right, even as he manipulates him and hurts him. It's for the good, isn't it? His motivations are his own, too, and he doesn't care if he's on the side of Baskervilles, as it seems to be another card he's playing for his own intentions.
A sum of Vincent's whole would a cold, ruthless, sadistic with a pair of scissors or a worthy poison, and somewhat childish individual, who speaks formally and with an ease, but is fully aware of who he is and where he comes from. It is that awareness that likely adds most of the edge to his nature, as it adds to the fact that he is quite possibly mad. Yet, his cause: his brother, seems to be a worthy one-he does love him dearly, all aspects and all things he must do, and even respects that (or pretends to understand that) to some extent. He's strangely willing to touch and be near people, his behavior free and lax, as if he's in control and doesn't mind these aspects. It means he's comfortable, at least, and that some part of him likes people-or messing with people, drawing out uncomfortable reactions and making them respond in funny ways, all while showing a bit of control (hence why he shows surprise when that control is taken away and exerted back on him, but he laughs it off, easily enough).
Either way, Vincent will laugh it off with an easy, calm smile, and continue on as politely as possible. He is a thoughtful sort, anyway.
[point in timeline you're picking your character from]: Post-chapter 39.
[journal post]:
[ voice ]
Ah, perhaps there is no easy way of saying this-I'm afraid I'm lost in a beautiful garden, far, far away from the place I meant to be, and this device is nothing like the things I'm used to from home. I think that it's unusual that a person should come into a place filled with confusing items but capable of communicating with others, but it's great, it's brilliant, that you've given me this. For, you see, if I'm here, then someone else must be here, too. He'll be a little lost without me, and I'd much rather use this opportunity to speak to him.
[the sound cuts out for a moment before it switches]
[ video ]
[Vincent is standing carefully the device obviously in front of him, and a picture pulled out, painted, of a man with dark brown hair and golden eyes, eyes that could be rather similar to Vincent's if his were the same color. the person beside Vincent is standing still as Vincent holds the arm holding the device over over him, around and forward, head cocked against the male's head, like they've been friends for a while. the discomfort on the man's face seems to indicate that this is not the truth]
Never mind who's with me! He's only helped out with the device, but this is Gilbert. He'll look a little frustrated! Oh, and he might ask after a boy named Oz, his master, as that is Gilbert's duty.
It's okay if he doesn't come immediately. I'll understand. But I'd like to know if he's here.
A brother should be reunited with his sibling, shouldn't he?
[third person / log sample]:
There is no need to revisit Sabrie, not because there are too many memories to conjure up, but because Vincent remembers them vividly, every second, every moment.
He remembers walking the street as a boy, the twisted annoyance that would fill up inside of him whenever someone would insult and attack him. But these moments were always unusual, for the approach Vincent had toward them was not anger because they saw him as a monster, but anger because his brother would need to protect him. The image of Gilbert's reddened cheeks and fierce determination would never leave Vincent. It doesn't leave him as a child, and he remembers vividly when they would slip away, when Gilbert would steal a piece of bread and assure him, promise him, that he would not lead to darkness, he would not be an omen. The two of them would curl up at night, and often, Vincent would tell stories, and try to make Gilbert laugh. And when he laughed, Vincent would laugh, too, a melodious, easy sound, that would slip into the night and disturb rodents and cats (Gilbert was always afraid of cats) but no one else. Kids on the street were easy to ignore, ducked under tattered blankets covered in dirt.
Now, Sabrie is filled with these children and no one else, with the exception of desperate mothers keeping their families together, building small forts, and telling their children to keep away, keep away, from that hole in the ground filled with days that have long gone. Vincent has not gone near that hole, but he has lurked along the outside of Sabrie on a bright morning, a cheerful smile on his lips, and when a child has approached him, he has been careful to block that eye, just for old time's sake, before bending down to curl his hand under the boy's chin. "Shouldn't you be with your sibling?" It's just a guess, but the little boy nods, pointing toward his older sister as she tries to scavenge food from another family, dead asleep, unaware that they've started a routine of waking up early enough to gather what they need to survive.
Survival is very important, and that's what Sabrie reminds Vincent most of-not of Jack and his kind smiles, not of cutting up little dolls, but the fact that he and Gilbert have survived. Gilbert surviving is the most important, for although he is different, there is so much of him that is the same. Fierce determination, but the need to keep his master alive. The announcement of Oz Vessalius' return was met with easy laughter, a cheerful sound as he escaped to sit alone. He remembers slipping off into a slumber, waking up with Echo standing over him, and reaching out to grab her wrist, pulling himself up, and drawing her toward him, face against his chest, as the sound once again poured out. Interesting, isn't it? he thought to himself.
His laughter stopped when he heard about the girl and her tie to Oz, like she had been tied to Jack, so innocent and like she deserves everything in the world.
As the room falls silent, all guests absent with the door closing shut, he picks up a pair of scissors and a recently acquired stuffed rabbit, and tosses the rabbit into the air. Vincent's movement toward the rabbit is graceful, scissors swinging open, and closing around the rabbit's neck. It shouldn't be this easy to destroy a toy like this, but years of practice, gutting and tearing apart the creatures, have left him doing it with ease. A mirror would reveal that he does it with a smile, a malicious glint that only seems to come into that eye, and the picture of her face in his mind. It never changes, always brutal and disgusting, one that deserves to die so easy. He doesn't need to go back there to remember her face, the unnecessarily long brown hair and Gilbert's frown as he pulled that hair into his hand and tugged. He doesn't need to remember how he's protected his brother, how he's kept him alive. It's not a memory, but everything that he is. The piercing laughter as he blames her-a memory that he doesn't know has been witnessed by others, but he doesn't care.
Vincent has never been very good at hiding his nature; he was born with that eye for a reason, after all.
He pulls himself out of the daze, the reverie, with the remains of the rabbit sitting on the floor beneath him, stretched out in various pieces. A door creaks open, and he turns, smiling, toward a servant in all black garb (typical, for the Nightlay house). "Master Vincent, did you want your tea?" the servant asks, pointedly ignoring the mess on the floor-they've seen this time and time again, this behavior, his fondness of scissors, and they've never cared. His brand of ruthlessness is even welcomed in the Nightlay house.
"I won't be needing it, I think," Vincent replies. "I think you should have some ready soon. Gilbert's favorite." When he speaks of his brother, his voice goes higher. He stands calmly, brushing his hair back over his shoulder as the servant comes close. The smile doesn't fade, but Vincent steps toward him as the servant keeps his nose from wrinkling, and Vincent, slides a hand over his shoulder, caressing it easily until he reaches his neck. Gloved though his hand currently is, it's enough to bring out a shiver in the man.
"Do you think he will be returning for a longer visit?"
"I do. It's about time he truly came willingly, don't you think?"
They talk a little longer, about Gilbert's favorite meals and snacks, favorite teas an clothing, before the servant leaves with the bits of the rabbit in his hand, awkwardly clumped together like it's expected. Vincent waves toward him and then finds himself on the verge of laughing again, a private joke with a private image: the picture of his brother showing up bloodstained, eyes wide with all the memories of the past lurking in his mind.
It's been so long since Vincent held those memories alone, of how the rabbit teased and broke and destroyed everything; it's high time he has his brother back, so he can truly protect him.