trashed | → 002; [filtered voice/open action]

[Filtered to Ion:]

[Okay, first thing's first. He wants to get this out of the way since he's been sitting on it since...well, it happened. And he's actually a little surprised he hasn't heard from any of the Fon Master's little friends yet.

So he's going to make sure that didn't even happen.]

Saturday. Forget about it. Nothing happened that day, do you understand me? I don't want to hear about it again, from you or your stupid friends.

[And that was that.

He closes the book and then starts off, carefully through the ice. He slides where he can, keeping mindful of how slippery the ice is as he makes his way through the village. Really, he's not going anywhere in particular. Movement was best in cold weather like this, after all, and only sitting around was making him more and more mad.

Thinking in general made him more and more mad.

There's a chunk of ice that's hanging in the corner of his eye, and he walks over to it. With a few good kicks it's dislodged, and he moves it around on the frozen ground, his mind still racing.

Stupid place.

Stupid fruit.

Stupid Ion.

All of those thoughts combined together, and before he knew it, that piece of ice was kicked and went flying. When he hears the sound of the crash, he doesn't panic like a normal person would. "Oh my gosh, did I do that?" No, that won't be coming out of his mouth.

Instead he starts laughing, because that was a sort of release for him. He didn't care what he hit - it was just satisfying to hear that destructive noise.

Yeah, okay he's...starting to scrape up some more ice now.]

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[The moment Sync replies, Ion realizes just what he's gotten himself into and frowns. This wasn't the first time he's had a conversation like this, and just like the last time, the end result was the same. And especially in Sync's case, it was just far too soon to think that he could have changed. After all, Sync didn't just not regret it. He reveled in it. Ion could see it in his eyes and hear it in that twisted laugh...]

[But Ion's expression drops from his face the instant he mentions Anise, his hands tightening into fists at his side. Do you see that, Sync? You hit a sore spot. And he'll be damned if he lets it show any more than it already is. There's a pause, just enough for a calming breath, before he speaks.]

...we were enemies on Auldrant. It isn't as though I've forgotten that. [Despite his change temperance moments ago, his voice remains calm and gentle.]

But that doesn't mean we need to be enemies here. Regardless of what you've done in the past, you still matter to me. And that's why I want to start over. I want the chance to get know you as you. Not just Sync the God-General, but Sync the person.

And maybe someday you could get to know me as... someone more than just a replacement for the original Fon Master.

[Oh. He notices that tightening of his fists, and his smile only gets wider, thinking he'd finally made Ion mad...

But then he doesn't. As infuriating as ever, he was turning this around into something that could be positive. Just when he thought he had gotten to him.]

Damn it! Do you ever get mad, or was that feeling just not programmed into you? You're just as naive as I thought you were!

I will never see you as more than just a replacement for the original Fon Master. Never! You may think I can change, and I won't. I don't want to! No matter where I am, no matter where you are, we were both created because of the Score. The difference is, you were successful, while I was a piece of trash!

The Score may not exist here, but that means nothing. That doesn't change who we are! [HUFF. He just now realizes that his fists were clenched so hard that...well, his hands kind of hurt. He takes a deep breath, rubbing his hands together before glaring back over at Ion.]

I'm not you. I don't give up so easily.

[He winces when Sync starts to yell at him, wondering in the back of his mind if this was wise, talking to Sync like this when no one else was around. Sync was smart enough not to out-right attack him, yes, but that was when Sync was thinking calmly. Not when he was angry. And it really always seemed as though he saved a special reserve of anger just for Ion...]

[He waits a moment, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath of his own. His shoulders are shaking, and not just from the cold.]

...not everyone shows their anger by jumping and screaming, Sync. [No, he doesn't sound angry yet. He probably sounds sad, if anything. Although his hands are, notably, still tightened into fists. Try as he might to hide it, those words were starting to sting.]

Just what is it you aren't giving up? Why do you insist on clinging so hard to the notion that you aren't worth anything?

[The part of Sync that Ion just couldn't understand. Why was Sync so resistent to the idea that things could change? That he could he happy? Did he even know what it meant to be happy? Just the very notion was so sad, Ion couldn't wrap his mind around it.]

You asked me why I'm trying to talk to you... because you don't understand why I would want to. But you're the one I don't understand. And I want to understand. I want to understand you, Sync!

[...Yeah, it's probably not wise at all. Even though he's angry, he still knows in the back of his mind if he were to strike him, it would end badly for him.

Not that he didn't think he couldn't take them, he just didn't want to deal with them.]

...So you are angry. [At least, that's what he's taking from it. In a way, it's satisfying to hear, if that was...the case, anyway. He still notes the hands are still tightened into fists...

Yes, good. That doesn't mean that his temper has subsided all that much, though.]

Because I'm not! I'm not worth anything at all! There's no why to it - why are you trying to tell me I am?!

[Because Sync doesn't handle change, that's why. He doesn't want to change from the way he was - why? Well, who knows. Maybe he just likes being miserable.]

There's nothing to understand. Go try to understand someone else.

[It was a statement, not a question, so Ion says nothing. Yes. He was angry. Not angry enough to show it, but angry enough to acknowledge it. Even knowing that doing so didn't really benefit him in anyway, except perhaps to let Sync know he got to him... in that sense, it was almost a concession, wasn't it? Sync's goal had been to trigger that anger in him, after all.]

[But that aside, this conversation isn't getting anywhere, and Ion knows it. Sync is just so stubborn... it's not a quality Ion is really expecting to see him lose, really. But if he just wasn't so stubborn about this, maybe he could actually find a way to cheer up for once in this place!]

You're worth more than you know. You're the only one who can't see it.

[This touchy feely crap...he just doesn't understand it.

He shakes his head.] No, you're the one who can't see it. [Huff.] But you're just wasting my time.

[Neither of them are going to budge on this, are they?]

...maybe I am. [It's a soft, quiet admission. He takes a deep breath and his posture relaxes, his hands folding in front of him.]

But if there's anything we have here in Luceti, it's time. [He smiles. There's a look in his eyes -- determination, perhaps? Or maybe just an attempt to channel that anger he still felt elsewhere.]

[He turns as if to leave, but not before shooting one last glance at Sync.]

And I don't give up so easily, either.

[...Even if that was true, he doesn't like it. But what does Sync like, anyway?]

Neither do I.

[And he's done here. He's going to turn and try to leave again, carefully in case he were to slip. He hasn't forgotten how slippery it was out here, after all.]

[And for once, Ion won't pursue him. He's said all he can today, after all. And right now, that was about all he could do.]

[He stops, looking up at the sky for a moment. He may have said they could forget that day ever happened, but that didn't mean he had to forget all of it, right?]

[Maybe someday, he'll be able to see Sync smile like that for real...]

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