fragileprophet | Week 0, Saturday Post-Trial

Oh, um. Sure, what is it?

[ for what it's worth, varian doesn't seem bothered to be flagged down by ion. eon? they never did settle on a nickname. ]

[I couldn't decide what his favorite color is.]

Could I see your arm? The one you cut earlier today.

[ PICK A COLOR ]

Okay? [ he holds out his arm without complaint. it's got a bandage on (thanks nico) and it doesn't seem to be bleeding through it. mostly because he. really did not cut that hard ]

Does your arm hurt or something? The knife shouldn't have been dangerous. I literally just got it from the kitchen.

[Ion shakes his head.]

No, I'm alright. It wasn't too much of a cut, just like you said. I just wanted to try something, if you could indulge me.

[Ion takes Varian's arm in both hands, placing one carefully over the bandage. There is, perhaps, a gentle sensation on Varian's skin...and then Ion lets him go, bringing his arms back to his own chest, where he hugs himself.

Maybe he can see where this is going, but if he takes off the bandage, he'll find the cut is gone without a trace.]

[ varian does take off the bandage to check, because the slight stinging sensation is gone and he's not a stranger to people trying to heal him with ~~magic~~ special methods (rapunzel)

still, this is... ]

Did you just... how did you...? [ oh ] Is, is that your "gift"? You didn't have to do that.

[He smiles.]

I know I didn't...but I wanted to, even if it wasn't much. I hadn't tried to use my gift yet, and there's no point in having it if I see someone with an injury and do nothing about it.

But you were injured, too. And revealing that kind of stuff could be dangerous.

[ said the 14 year old boy to the other "14" year old. varian looks at his arm again after saying that and sighs ]

... But thanks, Ion.

Edited 2018-06-10 02:47 (UTC)

I really don't mind. It might be a risk, but even if word got around, I'd just hope it would give me the chance to help as many people as I can.

[One of his hands wanders the sleeve of his other arm, over where his own cut was made.]

There's no need to thank me, but you're welcome all the same. And I'm sorry for any confusion from earlier. I'm going to talk to the other Ion and see if we can come to agreement on a distinction that we're both comfortable with making between ourselves.

[ ... he doesn't know what to answer to that selfless line except a small smile, so he concentrates on the latter half ]

I won't tell anyone. And-- don't worry. It's not like it's your fault. Though I guess maybe you should apologize to Natsuo? I think you guys completely blew his mind there. [ it was ... intense. but varian's obviously kidding, so ] Um. Do you mind if I ask why you guys have the same name? And appearance. And ... job?

[ is fon master a title or a name. he. he isn't sure. ]

Edited 2018-06-10 02:57 (UTC)

Natsuo is certainly an energetic person, isn't he? I kind of admire it.

[Even if he screamed in his face and unintentionally made him feel really bad about himself! He's not gonna hold it against him! His eyes harden at the next set of questions, though, and he looks slightly away.]

I don't mind. But...based on his reactions today, I don't think he appreciates all that I said in public.

[There's a slight undertone of fear there, like his desire to follow that preference comes from more than just courtesy.]

But I think, as we're not on our home world of Auldrant and we're all stuck in a situation that's already so full of confusion and mystery, it's only fair that we explain. I'll tell you, if you don't mind keeping quiet about it while I still sort things out with him.

[ ah, geez. making ion feel bad was not what he wanted to do, and he hastily shakes his hands in front of his own face ] You, you don't have to say anything if you'll get in trouble for it! Seriously, it's not that big of a deal, I was just curious.

[ he wouldn't tell, but his curiosity isn't worth potentially ... making things difficult for ion ]

[He lets go of his arm to raise one hand in placation.]

If I'm being honest...I don't really like it when we're called brothers. I'd rather people know.

[He hid it all his life. Hid it from his friends, from the world at large. Hid it and stewed and worried and wondered...and having it come back in this light is almost more than he can stand.]

The reason we share all of these things isn't simple, but it's exactly what you might think: we're the same person.

[ ummmmmmm ]

... But there's two of you.

[ there are no clones in tangled ion plz ]

[He's...getting there!]

Right. We're the same person, but technically, he's the only real Ion. His health was failing at a young age, and so he was replicated in order to keep him in a position of power once he passed away. For all intents and purposes, I am everything that Ion is and was, because that's who's image I was made in and who's place in life I took. I'm my own person, but my identity belongs to him.

[He knows it's a lot to take in, so he pauses.]

Does that make sense?

[ ... hm let's go with "holy shit" as a sentiment ]

I. I think so? You're saying they copied him physically to make you, and then ... made you take over his life after he died?

[ hey uh this is a little fucked up ]

And you didn't get a say in any of that at all?

Edited 2018-06-10 03:26 (UTC)

[Ion gives a soft laugh--the kind of sound you make when you aren't really sure how to feel, so that's just the most natural thing that comes out.]

Yes, that's a straightforward way of putting it. When a person is replicated, they're effectively a newborn in terms of their perception and understanding of the world, so by the time I really understood all of the implications of what and why I was and who I was being made into...

[He sighs.]

I guess it's mostly that I had no where else to go...especially when the whole world already knew Fon Master Ion.

That's... I'm sorry. That wasn't fair to you at all.

[ he doesn't know what to say. this is a little above his pay grade when it comes to issues. also he still doesn't know what a fon master is. ]

But you said you guys aren't the same, personality wise. Didn't anyone notice?

[It's fine it's okay we're just gonna brush on past those horrible terrible issues!]

I think the people were generally more concerned with what we could do for them. I had the same abilities, and since he spent a decent amount of his time bedridden, the average person probably wouldn't know any better.

[Of course there were people who noticed, or could notice. That's just neither here nor there.]

I think the two of us have some different values, which is to be expected from our different backgrounds, I suppose, but ultimately I don't actually know all that much about him as a person other than the traits that would allow me to keep from breaking the illusion.

Well, um. You guys seem different enough to me?

[ varian has had like two conversations with one ion and 2 sentences with the other he is absolutely not an expert in any way ]

I think you both can be your own person even if you share... all that. It's kind of a case of nature vs nurture, right? You're a lot younger than he is, and you don't have the same background. Obviously there's going to be differences.

[ this is him. trying to cheer ion up. somehow. ]

It's funny, isn't it? Because of our tapestries, it's all that people can do to assume that I'm the older one between the two of us...

[No, it's not funny. It's uncomfortable. Moving on, though.]

Thank you...for saying that. It's not a thought that I've really been able to...accept about myself, yet. But it's really nice to hear all the same.

From experience? People put way too much importance on age. Don't sweat it.

[ yes because clearly that will solve all of ion's problems. perfect. He looks uncomfortable when ion just thanks him, hesitating before speaking ]

I, uh. I don't feel like I should be thanked for saying something like that? [ but articulating that people not letting ion feel like he could be a person is messed up without somehow sounding like ion should know better is... surprisingly hard, so he lets it go. ] But-- but thanks for telling me.

[ and. because he cant help himself ]

Also this is probably kind of inappropriate for the moment but despite the really messed up circumstances surrounding it and what they did to you, the idea of the science behind something like that is really, really fascinating.

[ Varian no ]

Edited 2018-06-10 13:37 (UTC)

Week 0, Saturday Post-Trial - Varian

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