doublecrows | [Prologue, Tuesday: Ion (older)]

[The phrasing of the question is so startling—and so intensely personal, it throws him badly enough off guard he nearly drops his staff. He quickly composes himself as much as he’s able to, and forces a smile.]

That is how the tapestries described the two of us, isn’t it? Technically, both apply in my case...but the seventh replica is me that’s being referred to.

Edited 2018-06-06 03:33 (UTC)

[GORO "KIND OF RUDE SOMETIMES" AKECHI, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN]

Oh, did I offend you? I'm sorry; I didn't know how else to differentiate.

[he does have the decency to feign sheepishness, though]

I hadn't realized you had a. . . brother?

[Ion raises a hand and shakes his head.]

Oh, no, please. No apologies necessary. It’s not a topic that offends me so much as it’s a little difficult to talk about.

[Anyway, Akechi isn’t the one who wrote the tapestries.]

We aren’t brothers, but that might be the easiest way to refer to us. It’s a little complicated.

. . . I admit, I'm curious.

[AND NOSY]

Is it a tale you mind sharing?

[He does look away just slightly, his smile wavering, as he appears to weigh his options. Ultimately, Ion nods. It’s your lucky nosy day, Asketchi.]

I suppose I don’t mind...but would you be alright just keeping it between us for now? I’m just not so sure how he’d take to knowing I’d spoken about this without his consent.

[Is that guilt...or fear? Hm.]

Actually, we’re the same person. Or, more accurately, I was meant to be him.

Edited 2018-06-06 04:25 (UTC)

[Asketchi wins!!]

Of course. It'll be our secret.

[if he notices that hint of guilt or fear, he says nothing. TOO CURIOUS TO BE THE NICE GUY AND GIVE ION AN OUT. . .]

To be him. . . like a body double? I remember you saying you were a high-ranking member of a religious organization.

[tiny pope]

Ah...that’s a good way of putting it.

[And not completely inaccurate, it’s just only a smaller part of the picture.]

But more than that, I was created to take his place after he died. He was suffering from a terminal illness.

[. . .]

And it was him specifically-- or, at the very least, his likeness-- they needed in the position you occupy?

Edited 2018-06-06 04:40 (UTC)

Yes, that’s correct. His illness and death was kept from the entire world. With me in his place, no one was to ever know.

[Ion unconsciously reaches up to clutch his necklace.]

Ion was an extremely important individual, both in terms of what he could do and how revered he was by his subjects.

[a thoughtful pause]

From a pragmatic standpoint, making that sort of decision was wise. It would have prevented your entire country from panicking at his death.

[THINK ABOUT REPLICA PROBLEMS THO, AKECHI??]

Your position must be far more powerful than I initially estimated.

Edited 2018-06-07 00:03 (UTC)

[AKECHI!!!]

Ah...

[Yeah, probably, when you consider that Ion was one of the only things keeping the entire world from collapsing into war, for a time there. But, hey, who's keeping track. Ion smiles softly.]

I don't know if my worth back home has much to do with any of us here, so I wouldn't trouble yourself too hard over it.

[AKECHI SUCKS!!]

I have been trying to find a commonality between all of the captives, but so far, there's nothing. Likely because there are so many of us here.

Perhaps...they were aiming for a varied cast of characters? If you continue on the theme of stories, that is.

[If everyone was the same, there'd hardly be much of a dynamic between the lot of them.]

The unpredictability could be a deliberate choice.

[he lets out a chuckle at that]

No narrative is enjoyable with only one character type, so I believe you may be onto something there, Ion-san.

And our captors do seem to enjoy a bit of. . . unpredictability.

Very true. I'd be lying if I didn't admit it concerns me.

[He has to give his own laugh, here. Given the context, it's almost an absurdity to say it.]

Granted, there's little about our situation that doesn't concern me, but I worry that their seemingly-fickle tastes might keep any of us from gaining steady footing.

[Hm.]

Maybe that's part of the point. It's any player's game.

It is, as they said, a battle between "good and evil." They can't interfere too much if they really want to see which result we achieve ourselves.

The natural question here being...what is meant to be good and what is meant to be evil?

[Especially if killing also counts toward the apparent "greater good" as it were.]

Those terms are awfully subjective. I don't know if that's an answer anyone here would be able to agree upon.

But did you notice how our titles are grouped?

Hero, Villain, Civilian, right? One typically good, one typically evil...and the last, perhaps, meant to lean in either direction?

[When he thinks about it, townsfolk in folk tales either serve as an obstacle for the hero or for victims of the villain.]

Something like that. I wonder if their battle between "good" and "evil" is related to the titles given to us.

In what way are you figuring? I know there’s very little information for us to go on at this juncture, but...

[He shakes his head.]

Personally, I don’t know what to make of the objective I was given.

Oh?

[Akechi's response is pretty immediate, the question asked without him really thinking]

What is your objective, if I might ask?

[Ion blinks. Somehow, he honestly wasn't expecting to be asked so candidly. It throws him off.]

Ah...aren't we meant to keep them a secret from one another?

Ah, yes. . .

[sheepish, like he realized he made a mistake]

My apologies, I let my curiosity get the best of me.

[You made a mistake and you can't get everything for free Akechi.

...

And yet.]

No, it's alright. You're a really kind person, so there might not be any harm in sharing after all. My concerns are just who it would trouble to know...but if you don't mind keeping this between us, as well, I trust you.

Edited 2018-06-08 03:16 (UTC)

[HE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT HE'S DOING, HERE. he gives a small smile]

Thank you for that, Ion-san. And I trust you, too. Please, don't feel as though you have to share just because I wasn't thinking before I spoke. I don't want to make you uncomfortable.

[a pause]

That said. . . if you did share it with me, I promise I won't tell another soul.

[He shakes his head. I hate how easy he is, goddamn.]

No, please, I'm not uncomfortable at all--you only took me by surprise. But I think an open and honest approach to this, at least to an extent, is perfectly reasonable. I can understand why most people wouldn't, or shouldn't, share what they've been assigned, given the words of our Hosts and the overall atmosphere...

[He starts to say something else--that he's not afraid, but decides against it. Saying he isn't afraid of what he's been asked just because it's hard to stomach...that would be a lie. He's much more afraid than his easy stance betrays.]

The truth is, they asked me to die.

[oh]

[honestly, the look of surprise that crosses Akechi's features isn't faked at all]

They. . . asked something that serious from you? Why?

[Ion laughs softly, but his eyes wander to the floor. He can't stop himself from being troubled over this--it's only natural. But somehow, it's like talking about the seemingly inevitable end to his own life is only encouraging him to act increasingly unaffected.]

I'm not sure--you can understand why I said I don't know what to make of it. They must have known there's no way that I can contribute to a plot like this in any other fashion.

[. . . truthfully, something about this leaves a bad taste in even Akechi's mouth, much as their hosts' insistence that everyone was brought here to kill each other did. he may not have any moral qualms against killing, and he may lack the ability to truly empathize with Ion's status as a replica (a "spare?"), but]

[the thought of Ion being here solely for the purpose of dying is. . . he doesn't like that. he doesn't like it at all]

Yes. . . I can absolutely understand that now. And I can understand the necessity for you to keep such a thing a secret.

[if anyone found out that was his objective, would they try to help Ion achieve it for him?]

Is dying truly the only way you can contribute to this game?

[His hands tighten around his staff as he closes his eyes.]

My partner, Sandalphon, has already expressed his discomfort in the thought that he has responsibility over my well being. I tried to tell him that my death is nothing that any one should trouble themselves over. Ion is described as "ill-fated" for a reason, but...still, I'm worried for him.

[He gives himself a few seconds to think, then opens his eyes again.]

All I can imagine to do is provide as much support as what my given gift allows me up until the moment I'm no longer able. Aside from that, while I'd hate to place the burden of killing me over any one person, I suppose that simply offering myself to my fate would help absolve someone of their reservations. If I can do even that much...I'd be happy.

Edited (squints at my edit that didn't edit????) 2018-06-08 04:54 (UTC)

[WHAT THE HELL IS THIS JESUS SHIT??]

[and as much as Akechi feels discomfort at the idea of Ion being nothing but cannon fodder, he also feels a bit of awkwardness at the fact that he can't. . . follow that logic. at all]

Are you really happy with being considered "disposable?"

[and so he asks, to try to understand, in the bluntest and rudest way anyone possibly can]

[I mean, that's one way to startle him out of his fog of insecurity and general sense of worthlessness. He snaps his gaze back up to Akechi's face, his eyes wide.]

Of course I'm not.

[He doesn't mean to actually admit it, but it comes out before he can stop himself, and then he has to bite back a sigh, annoyed at his own carelessness.]

It's just that it's what I am. It's in my tapestry. I'm not just Ion's replica--I'm Ion's seventh replica. There's nothing special about me, and nothing lasting or necessary in my life, so I keep hoping that at least, if I can't prevent myself from being thrown away, I can at least make it count for as much as I can.

[It's all that he has. All that he thinks that he has.]

Edited 2018-06-08 05:03 (UTC)

[HELP HIM WHAT IS HE SUPPOSED TO DO HERE?? HELP. HELP!!!]

[it's hard for Akechi to empathize. empathy was never his strong point. connecting with people was always so hard, and it still is, even to this day. no one really gets him. no one ever will. so what he's feeling isn't really empathy, per se]

[it's discomfort. discomfort at not being able to understand. at not really liking Ion's situation, but not being able to do anything about it. at not knowing what to say. at not knowing how to react]

. . . I'm sorry.

[and that's why all Ion gets is a halfhearted apology]

[Maybe it shouldn't, but his shoulders lose a bit of tension, his expression softening.]

You don't need to apologize. Nobody's ever prepared to die, and I'm no exception to that rule. But...every new moment that I have is one that I cherish. No matter how frightening some moments are, how precarious my situation, or how short it may be cut, I wouldn't trade the life that I have when I never should have had one to begin with.

[But that..isn't something Akechi should have to bother himself with, so hesitantly, he reaches out to put a hand on his arm.]

I am happy, even if I'm afraid, as well.

[why!! are you comforting him!! when your situation is the one that sucks, Ion!!]

I don't understand how you could be happy when your life is the way that it is.

[rude?? but it isn't. . . asked in a ruder manner. Akechi sounds legitimately, positively bewildered, because he just can't process a single thing about Ion's viewpoint. the selflessness, the desire to live his life to the fullest despite the fact that he's a spare, the lack of self-hatred. it's so. . .]

[weird???]

[He's a weird boy...weird and probably depressed.]

Sometimes I don't understand myself, either, but it's the way I've always been. The way I've always thought.

[He doesn't know why he's the one who managed such a thing, under Mohs' disdain and the weight of his own lies, the trouble he has coming to terms with his own identity. The only other one of them to survive (to his knowledge) became bitter and hateful and longed for an end. Their original himself had so much hatred over his pre-determined fate. Maybe that's the reasonable path. Maybe he's just not reasonable.]

In any case, I don't intend to make good on my objective anytime soon. I couldn't do such a thing in good conscience, so I'll be working hard at staying alive.

[He pauses, either oblivious to Akechi's frustrated confusion or simply choosing to smooth past it.]

So for as long as we're both still here, I'd like it if we could be friends.

[. . . . . . .]

[it isn't the first time someone here has said that to Akechi, but it is the first time it's come from someone so. . . sincere? he doesn't know if he believes it. should he believe it? why would anyone truly and honestly want to make friends in a place like this]

[???????]

[. . . Akechi's reply is muted. it's soft, but there's something missing, something almost doubtful in the tone]

Yes. I believe I'd like that, too.

[Prologue, Tuesday: Ion (older)]

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