Fon Master Ion (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
distressedude) wrote2012-11-17 06:41 pm
distressedude) wrote2012-11-17 06:41 pm
Entry tags:
026 ~ [Voice/Action] | Forward-dated to Sunday
[It's been two weeks since the incident with Arietta, and there was still no sign of Anise in the village. They never even had a chance to speak before she left for a mission, likely in an attempt to put some distance between herself and Ion after their argument. It's strange to think that the last time they went this long without speaking to each other by choice was around this same time last year, though for a very different reason. He's been so caught up in dealing with all of this that he actually let the anniversary of the day he first confessed his feelings for her pass by without a single thought!]
[It was strange to think so much time had already passed. He wasn't entirely sure how to feel about it really.]
[But sometime in the late afternoon, he opens his journal. There's no need to bother with a filter while Anise is still out of the village, and it isn't as though Arietta is the one he's trying to reason with here. Her anger is easier to understand and deal with. There's an uncharacteristic hint of exasperation in his voice when he speaks, having spent the last week and a half mulling over this without any obvious solution coming to mind.]
How do you stop two people who hate each other from continuing to hate each other? [Not a very eloquent way of asking, but it's the simplest way he can think of to explain the situation.]
Though this isn't the sort of problem I'm expecting an easy answer to, I was hoping someone might be able to offer some suggestions. Or perhaps if anyone's had any experience in dealing with a situation like this, it might be of some help.
[And regardless as to whether he's heard any solutions to this problem or not, he'll be spending the remainder of the evening in various places around town. He spends about an hour at the library, not quite able to concentrate on his reading. Giving that up, he goes for an aimless walk, lingering on the various bridges around town for a few minutes before moving on again. He probably looks more spaced out than he usually is, and the cold chill in the air probably isn't helping matters. By the time he arrives back home, it's been dark for awhile and he's shivering quite a bit. He probably should have worn his winter coat today.]
[It was strange to think so much time had already passed. He wasn't entirely sure how to feel about it really.]
[But sometime in the late afternoon, he opens his journal. There's no need to bother with a filter while Anise is still out of the village, and it isn't as though Arietta is the one he's trying to reason with here. Her anger is easier to understand and deal with. There's an uncharacteristic hint of exasperation in his voice when he speaks, having spent the last week and a half mulling over this without any obvious solution coming to mind.]
How do you stop two people who hate each other from continuing to hate each other? [Not a very eloquent way of asking, but it's the simplest way he can think of to explain the situation.]
Though this isn't the sort of problem I'm expecting an easy answer to, I was hoping someone might be able to offer some suggestions. Or perhaps if anyone's had any experience in dealing with a situation like this, it might be of some help.
[And regardless as to whether he's heard any solutions to this problem or not, he'll be spending the remainder of the evening in various places around town. He spends about an hour at the library, not quite able to concentrate on his reading. Giving that up, he goes for an aimless walk, lingering on the various bridges around town for a few minutes before moving on again. He probably looks more spaced out than he usually is, and the cold chill in the air probably isn't helping matters. By the time he arrives back home, it's been dark for awhile and he's shivering quite a bit. He probably should have worn his winter coat today.]
action;
...do you know what a replica is?
action;
A replica? No. What is it?
action;
A replica is like a copy of something, created using a technology known in my world as fomicry. You can use it on almost anything, and can even replicate the text in the pages of a book, right down the letter.
It's... also what I am. A replica of the original Fon Master Ion.
action;
And...and he was a copy? She turns towards him, running through the implications of this in her mind. Would that mean he didn't have parents? Would ha have family at all? What did it mean for him?]
...What? [Her voice is a tense whisper.] How can you be a copy of another person?
action;
...when the original Ion was sick and near death, there was no successor to replace him. And so they used fomicry to create a replica that would prevent people from knowing he had died. I was the seventh one -- the last one they made, and the one they chose to replace him with.
Even if I was to count the time I've spent in Luceti, it's only been about 4 years since I was born.
action;
And he'd only been around four years. He didn't even get a full life time. Just created like that, to serve a purpose, and he didn't even get to have a real childhood?
It made her furious. Ion might be able to notice it, as her hands ball around the fabric of her pants and her brow tightens.]
I...I had no idea.
action;
...I'm sorry. It's not something I intended to keep hidden from you. There was just never an appropriate time to bring it up. Though I suppose that's just an excuse...
action;
What? [...Oh. She crosses her arms.] That's not why I'm...upset, you dunderhead.
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It isn't? [He sounds honestly confused here. After all, he'd never really expect someone to be angry on his behalf for the life he had to live -- or at least, no one's ever expressed a sentiment like that when he's told them about what he really is.]
[He almost feels silly asking, since the answer seems like it should be obvious, but:]
Then why are you upset?
action;
I'm upset because...because it's not fair that you were created that way. That you didn't have a normal family or a childhood or any of that stuff. I mean, who does that?
action;
[It takes a few moments for realization to settle in, and once it does, he just can't help but smile at the sentiment.]
It's very kind of you to think that way, but it's all right. I'm happy with the life I have now.
[...]
...but thank you. For being upset on my behalf.
action;
It just doesn't seem fair. [Not at all.] But if you're happy, then...that's what's important.
action;
The reason I brought it up is because it relates to the problem I've been dealing with between Anise and Arietta. Anise has been my Fon Master guardian from the very beginning. It was her job to protect me... but that position originally belonged to Arietta. And Arietta was one of those kept in the dark about the original Ion's death...
[It sounds as though the more he talks about Arietta, the sadder his voice becomes. He still feels so much guilt -- much of it unnecessary -- for the pain Arietta has had to deal with. Perhaps even more so for the pain she still deals with, knowing her Ion is dead and the one in front of her is just a replacement.]
[And it's that line of thinking that gives merit to Anise wanting to keep Arietta away from Ion.]
Replicas have no memory of the past. When I was born, I didn't even know how to walk or talk properly... if Arietta spent too much time with me, she would have noticed the difference. And even now that she knows the truth, she still doesn't completely understand the difference between a replica and it's original.
action;
But maybe that's just how wound up in it they were. People do crazy things when they have strong feelings. Zuko sent an assassin after them because he was so hellbent on keeping his honor. But it was crazy, and stupid.]
So they want to hurt each other - over that? But it's not even either of their faults!
action; /just piles on the tl;dr forever
[It's strange how he can understand Arietta's motivations for hating Anise so well, and yet even after speaking with Anise, her reasons remain a mystery. She could argue that Arietta is a danger to Ion as much as she likes, but that still doesn't change the fact that out of all the people she could be a danger to, Ion is the least likely to be harmed by her. He sighs.]
I only wish I understood Anise's motivations for hating her even half as well as I can understand Arietta's. Though it's true we had reasons for seeing Arietta as an enemy due to a conflict back home, the circumstances of that conflict no longer apply in Luceti. There's no reason we shouldn't be able to settle our differences here, except--
[--except for something he'd probably be better off leaving unexplained. Which he is going to, rather quickly, attempt to blow off.]
I'm sorry, I realize this is a lot to take in, isn't it? I suppose I needed someone to talk to more than I initially thought.
action; GOODNESS SARAH KEEP IT TOGETHER
She notes him trying to change the subject, trying to save himself from having to explain whatever he was about to. It doesn't sit well with her. Maybe it was too private, and she wasn't one to pry, but she also didn't want him sparing her if it was something he needed to talk about. She was already this far in. She didn't want to back out then just because it might be easier. She was already committed, had already admitted that she cared enough to try and help.
She frowns.]
Except what, Ion?
[Not 'sissypants' or even 'Greenbeard'.]
action;
...something happened before I came to Luceti. Something Arietta blames Anise for... and something I don't think she'd ever forgive her for. But it wasn't Anise's fault. And for her, back home, it hadn't even happened yet.
[Something he was forced to explain to her here in Luceti. And to Luke as well. And it's not the sort of thing that gets easier every time you say it -- if anything, it only becomes that much more difficult.]
To be honest, I'm more worried about what'll happen back on Auldrant. There are people from my world from a time further in the future, but a part of me has always been afraid to ask. I suppose a small part of me still hopes that if they were able to get along here, they might be able to resolve their differences back home as well. But I guess... that's just being overly optimistic.
action;
...I don't think there's anything wrong with that.
[She draws her knees up to her chest and winds her arms around her legs. It's posture more closed off than she usually exhibits, but she's taking a lot of risks here. They both are.
But there's no turning back now.]
When I met you, I thought you were just some total sissy who needed to be saved all the time. But now that I've gotten to know you and see more of who you really are? You're one of the strongest people I know. [Admitting that wasn't easy, but she'd witnessed too much evidence to the contrary not to believe it.] Maybe it seems impossible, and maybe they won't ever stop hating each other. But if anyone's gonna get them to see reason? It's gonna be you.
[The corners of her lips turn up.] So just...stop being a big dunderhead and keep trying, okay?
action;
[Toph was the strongest person he knew. She's saved his life and been there when he needed her. But more than just in terms of physical power -- her strength went beyond that. There was a reason Ion thought so highly of her, after all. And she thought he was strong? He doesn't know what to say. Even back home, serving as Fon Master and working with the others to prevent war, he never considered himself to have anything even remotely close to strength.]
[And yet when she says it? He believes her.]
...I'm not going to give up. Even if it seems impossible now, I know things can always change. I just... have to hope Luceti gives me enough time to try.
[Though he means in regards to Anise and Arietta, there's an ominous second meaning under his words.]
action;
The way he says it is vaguely unsettling, but he was talking about Anise and Arietta, right? He wanted them to get along before someone got sent home. That made sense. But she can't shake the feeling that there's something else...
She doesn't ask about it, instead focusing on keeping with this upward train of thought.]
For the record? I hope it does, too. I mean, for as much as this place sucks, it really has a way of changing how people think. And if you need back up, I'm pretty good at stopping fights.
[Good at starting them, too. But! That was not the point.
She stretches out, tucking her hands behind her head, lightly blushing.]
Just - don't let that comment about being strong go to your head, okay? You're still a sissy.
action;
[But it's that last comment that finally brings a small, genuine smile back to his face.]
Don't worry, I'll be sure to keep that in mind.
[He pulls the blanket over his shoulder a bit tighter, gaze once more pulling away from Toph. He still has a smile on his face, leaning towards being more fond than it had been before.]
And... thank you.
action;
Don't mention it. Gotta watch out for my sissies, you know?
action;
Well, you've certainly got your work cut out for you. This isn't the first time you've helped me, after all... I only hope I'll be able to repay the favor someday.