Week 0, Saturday Post-Trial - Varian

[fragileprophet]

[For the second day in a row, Ion's flagging down Varian. This time, he seems to be after something more specific than introductions.]

Sorry to bother you--I'm sure we're all eager to leave this behind us and rest, but can I just have a moment of your time?

Comments

[fragileprophet]

[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?

[alchemenace]

[ ... 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?

[fragileprophet]

[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.

[alchemenace]

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?

[fragileprophet]

[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.

[alchemenace]

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. ]

[fragileprophet]

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.

[alchemenace]

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 ]