Echo went really quiet. She closed her eyes.

"I...I don't know...I don't know anymore..."

"Me not knowing if I have friends?" Echo asked. "Or the fact I might not have friends?"

Echo grimaced.

"...Because.. I...I uhm, I..."

Might as well just say it, because Echo had been in denial of it.

"...I...stay away... from any I have made," Echo answered. "I-I just... I don't want her to hurt them... so I stay away. It's been... a really long time since I really... interacted with anyone who... isn't... isn't family, other than recently you, I guess. I don't even know where my friends are at, or even if they care. I doubt anyone has even noticed."

Echo sighed.

"Sorry... it's not really much of answer... sorry."

Echo by now has stopped crying, but there is still an air of sadness in her apologetic tone. She, all together, looks tired, but not much physically. It's more of a mental tiredness, one that just kept growing no matter what. A tiredness that was caused by years of who-knows-what and Echo's own thoughts of herself.

In all, Echo was tired of herself, her own existence.

"What about you. Don't you have friends?"

Echo shrugged and said, "I'm taking that as a no, then."

"...Someone not good," came Echo's vague answer. "Someone who I have to deal with every day, and I probably will for the rest of my life. I hate her, and she hates everybody who isn't me."

Echo sighed.

"But that isn't a good answer, isn't it?"

"Hmph. Of course it isn't a good answer."

"...Hmm... Try guessing who she is."

"Yea... that's correct," Echo sighed. "But it's more like up here."

Echo pointed at her head, tapping her temple.

"I think she's been referred to as, like, I dunno, a flipside or somethin' like that. I don't think she's a double personality, though. No, she isn't me at all, she's like some kind of demon sharing my body, I think..."

"...So far, there hasn't been a way to get her out. Exorcism, magic, medicine: nothin' works or helps."

Echo smoothed the hair that covered her left eye, making sure it stayed covered.

"I think one day she'll be gone. If I ignore her long enough, she'll get bored and leave. Yea, she'll get bored and leave, no matter how obsessed she is with 'fixing my life' and 'fixing me'."

Echo thought for a moment.

"Do you have one? A flipside or somethin' like that?"

"Dunno," Echo shrugged. "She's been with me ever since we were young, so I don't even know if she really could be classified as one. That's what she's been referred to, though, so that's what I call her."

Echo closed her eyes, gritting her teeth a bit.

"Yep, a stupid flipside."

"...Octave."

Echo tilted her head in thought.

"I don't think you do. If you did, then you're good at hiding them. Or maybe you get along with them. I dunno how flipsides work... although you did ask me what causes a flipside, so I don't think you would need to ask if you have one."

There was a slight shrug.

"I guess you're right," Echo sighed, now feeling a bit stupid for what was probably the hundredth time. "Hmm... still, my guess is that you don't... am I right?"

Echo didn't know what else to really say to keep the conversation going. She wasn't good at that. Instead she looked up at the ceiling of the cave, trying to think as her mind fabricated nothing but blanks.

"My...hair?"

Echo suddenly looked nervous.

"Uhm, I r-rather not show. It's not quite pretty or anything, so, ya know, I rather not. Yea, no, I rather not really do that, haha."