the first – somebody take my hand and lead me

[fragileprophet]

Characters: Ion | open
Setting: the stairs around floor eighty-seven| daytime
Format: prose
Summary: Ion wakes up, decides to take a look around, and completely underestimates how exhausting stairs are. Needing to pause in his descent to catch his breath, Ion begins to wonder whether or not he should have just stayed in his room (and is basically regretting his life choices in general).
Warnings: none at the moment

This room was not his own. Ion knew it the moment he opened his eyes, and the immediate revelation left him both disoriented and troubled. He sat up on the unfamiliar bed and looked around at the unfamiliar white walls, an identical, but empty, bed at each of the other three corners. At first, he wondered if this was Mohs’ doing. It wouldn’t be the first time that the Grand Maestro had gone behind his back (not that Ion hadn’t returned the favor, if a tad less maliciously), though Ion had hoped that he had given up on his efforts to start a war between Malkuth and Kimlasca. In any case, the young Fon Master erased the idea from his mind as soon as an idle movement of his hand to his neck acquainted him with a strange metal collar. He tugged at it to no avail. That was when he saw the letters—and as Ion read the brief but explicit contents of the first, his heart sank to the very bottom of his stomach.

The second was much more informative, but no less troubling. And after he had read it in full, Ion took in the room, his dorm, his new home, with new eyes. They fell almost at once upon the trunk mentioned within the second letter, and he was quick to find his robes inside of them. Ion changed back into them from the strange material he had woken up in, took a deep breath, and left his dorm. It seemed silly to just sit around and wait for something to happen—and having done so much sitting in his young life, Ion had always been eager to capitalize on a moment to get on his feet and look around, even if said feet liked to put up an oft-solid protest. But it wasn’t as if a little exercise would kill him, right? And, besides, it seemed much more logical to get to know the Tower by walking through it, instead of simply bypassing most of its contents in the elevator. He’d have other opportunities to use it.

For now, Ion made his way slowly down the hall of Dorm Floor 1 until he found the staircase that could take him nowhere but down. He walked leisurely, cautiously, and with a thoughtfulness swimming around his head. That was at least, for the first ten floors. By the time he had passed twenty floors—looking passively into them but never stepping out of the stairwell—his face was flushed and his lips pale. The boy’s feet ached and shook awkwardly. Somewhere outside of the eighty-seventh floor, Ion gave up. With a sigh, he leaned heavily against the cool wall, then slid down to sit dejectedly upon the step and rest his head on his knees.

It was too late to go back now; if he could get to the next elevator, he’d be fine. Then he could get something to eat in the cafeteria at the bottom of the Tower and maybe get some of his strength back. I’ll just catch my breath a little he told himself, I’m sure it won’t be too much longer until the next elevator. I can manage! Of course, as the insufferably weak Fon Master tried to focus on breathing, it became harder to think of anything other than Auldrant as a lifeless husk, and all its citizens—all his friends—gone.

Comments

[bloodyashes]

It's pure luck that Asch decided to take the stairs down to his usual haunt in the lounge on the eighty-first floor; he does so about once a week, just to make sure that no more new floors show up unexpectedly, the way the hanging gardens up above did.

Nothing new today, at least in terms of floors, but there is a small, familiar figure that doesn't belong tucked into the side of the stairwell. Ion would be able to hear Asch approaching before seeing him, as the redhead makes a distinct effort to echo his boots on the stairs. He comes to a stop with his feet on the same stair that Ion is seated on, towering over the tiny Fon Master with a somewhat curious expression. He's got a small book tucked under one arm, and the other is halfway extended towards the boy in front of him.

"Need a hand?"

You'll be forgiven for thinking that you've arrived in a parallel universe, Ion. He's being gentle on you because you're new (and also Luke's friend, and double also perpetually ill), that's all.

[fragileprophet]

Of the many possible futures that Ion believed the Score had had in store for him, meeting Asch in such a manner was not one he would have ever imagined to read. To be fair, he hadn't expected to wake up in a strange Tower wearing strange clothes and a strange collar. He also hadn't expected Auldrant would fall to ruin so fast and so suddenly. For a moment that felt like about five moments due to the slow processing speed he contained in his overeager exhaustion, Ion simply stared at the (usually) grumpy redhead in wonder. Maybe he was hallucinating. That was a thing that could happen, wasn't it?

Asch was, of course, real. He had a collar, too, just like Ion did. And when he didn't fade away Ion's stunned expression melted away into one of tired gratitude topped with an easy smile. Even if the pleasant offer to help was unusual for Asch, Ion wouldn't dream of complaining. It was a good change. And, honestly, it was something that Ion needed at that moment. He could have asked a plethora of questions, could have even hugged Asch at that moment.

Instead, he simply nodded and took hold of the arm that was offered him. "Thank you," he sighed softly, "I'm sorry to be a bother." It still felt like a daunting task to stand on his own two feet, but having someone to lean on was more than just a small comfort.

[bloodyashes]

"You're welcome." It takes a bit of effort to pull the small boy up, but not much. Every incarnation of the Fon Master, Sync included, was small and slim - and even Sync, who had trained most of his life as a God-General, had fairly little muscle. So Asch isn't really surprised that Ion needs to lean on him more once he's standing. A bother, maybe, but less of one than anything else in this place.

"Come on, there's a lounge a few floors down. It's a much better place if you have to sit and rest." His words are brisk, but Asch doesn't actually rush Ion very much. Mostly, he's keeping his eyes on the area around them - it's one thing when it's just him, but for the moment, he'll keep watch. And, mentally, add Ion to the list of people he's going to have to cook for this month, which seems ever-expanding.

"This is going to sound like a strange question - what's the last thing you remember?" Better to get all the confusion out of the way first.

[fragileprophet]

Being fairly used to being carted halfway across Auldrant, willingly or not (usually not), one could easily assume it was force of habit when Ion simply allowed Asch to support and herd him down the steps. Of course, there was also the physical and emotional weakness but in the end the situation was the same.

"Alright, let's go there," Ion agreed, focusing largely on clearing his head as he followed the redhead's lead and kept close, afraid of losing his balance and falling headlong down the stairs.

"That does sound like a strange question," replied the Fon Master quietly. Naturally, however, he obliged with an answer. He didn't have anything to hide, even if he wasn't quite sure why Asch was asking him that, of all things that he could have asked. "I was back in Daath with Anise. Things had been pretty quiet since Van was defeated at the Absorption Gate. I think that was a few weeks ago, now. Nearly a month." Pausing, he added thoughtfully, "it sure feels like longer, though. I think I'd gotten so used to traveling around with everyone that once we settled down again, the days started to drag on more and more."

[bloodyashes]

It doesn't matter the reason why; Asch continues to lend support anyway. As much as he prefers to get down the stairs as quickly as possible, he lets Ion set their pace - if it winds up making him late for lunch or something, well, it's not as though he can't contact Luke in other ways.

"I see." He spent most of that month removing from his injuries and starting his trips to the various Sephiroth in search of the Jewel. "The reason I ask is because the Tower doesn't pick everyone up from the same point in time."

Another floor down. Asch frowns. "For me, the events you're talking about were quite a while ago. But Luke and Guy are also here, and for them, what you're talking about is in the future by a great deal. Luke didn't even make it to Akzeriuth." And in Asch's time, Ion is dead, but that can wait. It's more important to get the Fon Master informed about the Tower, since its dangers are more immediate; Auldrant isn't going anywhere while they're gone, whether it was really destroyed or not.

[seekinganswers]

"Are you alright?"

The voice might have startled him, because it seemed to have come from nowhere; Sheba wasn't a master of stealth by any means, but she did make an effort to be light-footed in this part of the Tower. She wouldn't want to attract any monsters by stomping around the place. Sometimes this meant unleashing one of her Djinn so she could become invisible, which of course meant that she had a tendency to flicker into existence in the blink of an eye once the effects wore off.

When Ion looks up, he'll find a short blonde girl crouched in front of him, looking at him with an expression that is quite clearly concern. Her eyes leave his face for only a moment - to look for any telltale signs that he's eaten the poppies. Not finding them, she lets out a small sigh of relief and returns her gaze to him.

[fragileprophet]

Ion blinked. He didn't hear or see her coming--but the blonde was there, suddenly, in front of his face and looking thoroughly concerned. If he had had more energy, he probably would have jumped in surprise, but his heart already felt too worn to try. Shaking his head slightly, the green haired boy hurried to eliminate the apprehension and exhaustion from his face and instead look as energetic as he could manage. Not that his smile really did much good, given the way his voice came out on heavy breaths.

"Yes," he assured unconvincingly, "I'm sorry if I worried you. I'm just a bit tired and need to rest for a moment." Giving a small, quiet laugh, Ion admitted, "in hindsight, I probably should have just taken the elevator, but I thought that walking down to the cafeteria would help me get to know the Tower better."

[seekinganswers]

"Walking is a good way to get to know what's on each floor," Sheba admitted, glancing down the staircase. "It's just that it can be a little dangerous sometimes. There are monsters around and it doesn't look like you've got a weapon."

She was just glad no monsters had stumbled across the Fon Master just yet; as exhausted as he seems, he'd be easy prey for them. That would definitely be an awful way to end his first day in the Tower.

"I'm on my way to the cafeteria myself, so maybe we can go together," She suggested after a moment. There's safety in numbers, or so they say, and this way she can keep an eye on him if he has to sit down to catch his breath again or some such thing.

[fragileprophet]

Monsters, on the stairs? Ion looked down at the identitcal steps that spiraled on and on. The letter had mentioned monsters, but he didn't imagined they would have even been on the stairs. How were they supposed to be expected to get around anywhere if that was the case? "Back home, I worked as an emissary of peace," he explained, "it would have been quite odd for me to carry a weapon. I did have a staff, although it wasn't really designed to be used in combat." Ion didn't want to say he was wholly defenseless...but, well, he might as well have been. Using his artes only ever resulted in aggravating his already frail condition. "It wasn't in my room when I woke up. I suppose it was too much of a hassle to transport."

Without being fully conscious of it, Ion toyed with the tuning fork that laid around his neck. Just like it, his staff was designed to carry the symbol of his order. But it felt sort of strange not having it. Even when he didn't always carry it with him, it had always been something readily accessible to him (and also made for a rather good cane).

He smiled a little wider when she made her offer. It sounded out of her way, but at the same time was terribly friendly of her. "That would be wonderful, if it wouldn't be too much trouble for you. I really would appreciate the company...especially in case any monsters decide to come out."

As Ion carefully pulled himself to his feet and tried his hardest not to wobble about dangerously, he realized, "I don't think I caught your name. I'm the Fo--" Ion caught himself, corrected, "I'm Ion."

[notagiraffe]

Taiki was heading back to his room when he saw the man sat on the stairs looking ill. Usually it was Taiki who was collapsed somewhere and he knew how scary it could be to be too ill to move in a tower full of monsters.

Today he was doing alright, he was pale and his eyes were shadowed but he was stronger than he had been in a while and he hurried a little to get to the man's side.

"Are... sorry are you alright?"

[fragileprophet]

When Ion found himself faced with a boy just as pale--but even younger--than himself, he wasn't sure whether or not to be sad, relieved at coming across a kindred spirit, or worried in return. In any case, sitting there looking at the collared and pale child with a furrowed brow was hardly productive or encouraging. He tugged a smile across his lips, even if it was a bit practiced and didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Oh no, I'm alright. Thank you for your concern; I just get tired easily and I got a bit carried away thinking I'd be alright to walk so far." Trying to be lighthearted, Ion added, "I've always been a bit too impulsive for my own good." Not that he ever seemed to learn his lesson.

[notagiraffe]

"You... sorry you should be more careful" Taiki looked down at his feet, "Do... do you want me to carry you back?"

[fragileprophet]

Ion looked momentarily startled at the offer, and then smiled wider. This time, it had more warmth behind it. "Could you really do that?" he asked, somewhat doubtful that the child could really carry him so far and yet simultaneously feeling that he wouldn't be at all surprised. It wasn't as if he was exactly a stranger to being lifted off the ground and carted around like an accessory. Sometimes he wondered if he was really so light that the only things keeping him anchored were his robes.

"I don't think that'll be necessary," he then assured, "it's very nice of you to offer, though. I think if I can make it to the next elevator I'll be okay. That's only a few more floors down, right?"

Do we want to do something awful with the poppy fields during this thread y/n

[relinquishing]

On its own, the staircase was a good way to keep in shape if not for the monsters that tended to lurk. Most of time time, Guy wouldn't be bothered to use the staircase to go to the main elevator stops. But He'd made a stop at Floor Eighty-One, and had made the conscious decision to explore a little today. If anything, it would get his mind onto what to look out for around here and off of the destruction he had just witnessed during his trip home. Unfamiliar faces were easy to glance at, smile, and quickly ignore.

He could not do small chat right now.

He had only ascended a few floors before seeing the green-haired boy, curled up against the stairwell. It's a face he hadn't seen in a long time, and although they had never been able to get to know one another well (outside Ion imploring that Guy take care of the Daathic seal on his arm), Guy still maintained enough respect for the boy and his position that he was soon kneeling down in front of him, brow knitted in concern.

"Fon Master--? Are you alright?"

My immediate reaction was "yyyyyy" oh no I'm terrible

[fragileprophet]

When Ion looked up at the familiar voice that sounded, he couldn't help but feel a small measure of relief wash over him. "Guy," he sighed. So even if it was true, and their world had been destroyed...at least one of them had made it out. That, if nothing else, was definite cause to be thankful. At least one of his friends was alive. "I'm fine. I just overexerted myself a little. I'm really sorry if I worried you."

He smiled gently, his hands tugging at one another as he admitted, "I'm thankful to see you." Maybe it was selfish of him to say, as this wasn't his ideal environment in which to have met the blonde, nor would anyone have expected Guy to be his first choice. Regardless, that didn't make the statement any less true, even if he didn't have the strength to add the word he was thinking to the end of his sentence: alive.

Welcome to Animus, where everything is terrible. Death (or long naps) by poppy fields happens

[relinquishing]

The apology forced a light chuckle from the blonde, a hand running against the back of his neck. "Hey, really, don't worry about it! And I'm glad to see you, too..." He paused, a slight cloud over his expression as he glances off the stairwell, eyes drifting over the sea of poppies.

"Well... circumstances aside, at least."

To say this was a grand place to meet was never an accurate option. But what was important was that Ion was here and that he was yet another person saved from the wreckage that had become of Auldrant.

The dark train of thought now come and gone, Guy straightened himself up a bit, arms crossed against his knees with a gentle smile slipping onto his face. No need to look so down for the Fon Master - the poor kid already felt guilty enough.

"You must be tired. Did you walk this whole way on your own?"

[fragileprophet]

Ion was glad for Guy, really he was. Even before, when they had all traveled together, the swordsman had always been easy to get along with. He had that way about him: level-headed without being unapproachable, as Jade or Tear could sometimes be. So even knowing exactly how foreign and intimidating this knew setting was, with Guy the Fon Master found himself feeling a bit more like he could pull through it.

"Yes," he admitted, "from my dorm on the top floor. I thought it would be alright to just take the stairs instead of the elevator, but I suppose I overestimated myself. It's a good thing I wasn't trying to go upward instead." Ion followed Guy's gaze across the field of flowers that stretched on before them. He hadn't really noticed before, having just stopped to stare down at the stairs as he caught his breath...but they were rather lovely, if ominous in the way their red petals meshed together to become a blanket of freshly-spilled blood. "Every room is so different," he found himself thinking aloud.

[sacred_flamer]

Luke just happened to be trotting up the stairs, having taken a break from his usual routine to go relax in the lounge. He was in a surprisingly good mood, humming a little tune to himself and just minding his own business... only to end up stopping short when he caught sight of the Fon Master, because what?! Zo, he was going to kill you, you dumb brat! How could he have brought someone like Ion to this place!?

Once he got over his shock, Luke was running up to the Fon Master, giving him a supporting hand, because damn he did not look good.

"You okay, Ion?" he asked, trying not to sound as panicked as he felt.

[fragileprophet]

The green haired boy lifted his gaze just in time to see Luke running toward him, exuberant as ever and...long haired? That was strange. Ion could have sworn he had cut it. Either the Fon Master was seeing things or Luke had grown it back again--and fast. Well, it wasn't terribly important. What was important was that the redhead was alive and well. Even if Ion would have liked to know if the rest of his friends had fared as well as Luke seemed to have.

"I'm alright, Luke," he said as he found himself unable to do anything but smile at his friend. Ion eagerly reaching forward to take hold of the arm that had been offered to him as a means of support. "I do apologize for causing..."

Ion stumbled in his effort to use Luke as a means of standing, catching himself only by taking hold of the older boy in a friendly embrace. Funny, it sort of made him feel better. He hadn't realized the exact extent of how much he needed a hug, or how drawn and worn he felt, or how much he felt like crying, until he was shrouded in the warmth of familiar company. For a moment, he just clung to Luke tightly, but then shakily took a step back in order to compose himself.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I didn't mean to be so brazen. It's just...so good to see you again."

[sacred_flamer]

"Whoa!" Luke exclaimed, keeping a good grip on him despite... how awkward this was. It was a moment before he felt comfortable enough to pat Ion on the back, rubbing his hand in small circles. He still kept a hand on him when he pulled away, worried that he might fall over.

"Nah, it's okay, Ion," he replied. "Suddenly appearing in this place isn't easy for anyone."

[fragileprophet]

Ion shook his head. "No, but I suppose I should just be thankful that I was spared from a terrible fate. Though, I..."

Anise was the first person he pictured. His faithful guardian and cherished friend. Everyone else began to fill in the gaps. All the people who had ever been kind to him, who had ever smiled at him or greeted him or paid him their respects. Even those he never learned the name of. He didn't want to think about how he had met Luke and the others when he had gone on a quest to stop a war. To stop killing and inocent lives from being lost. But now, suddenly, none of it had even mattered. All of their efforts to stop Malkuth and Kimlasca from fighting and all their efforts to stop Van in his plans had been a gigantic waste of time.

Ion didn't know how to finish what he was thinking. That I feel like this is my fault, somehow. That maybe he had failed in his duty as Fon Master and as a keeper of the peace. He knew he shouldn't. How could he, or anyone, have seen this coming? Ion closed his eyes and sighed. "Nevermind. I shouldn't dwell on Auldrant."

[lookmanostrings]

It was when Ion had stopped to sit dejectedly that Fado spotted him. He was no healer or mage like that per se, but it didn't take him a second thought to approach the young Fon Master, offering a hand if he looked up (not that he was much taller than Ion, really) as well as a steady, comforting smile.

"It seems you've taken ill... But unfortunately I am not sure this is it he best place to rest."

[fragileprophet]

As soon as Ion saw the boy who had found him, he took the hand that had been offered, doing his best to stay standing. He liked to think that if he actively concentrated on it hard enough, his knees would cooperate with him and he wouldn't end up falling backwards onto the ground once more. But, regardless of the circumstances, it was always nice to be greeted with a smile. Ion tried to return it, though the words that had been spoken to him did make him feel a bit ill at ease.

"Oh, isn't it?" He sighed, embarrassed. Of course it wasn't. Monsters or not, sitting down on the floor at any point where you felt dizzy was rarely a smart choice. Ion supposed he should have realized this earlier and just suffered on as far as he could manage. "Thank you for telling me. I'm afraid that I don't know my way around yet...though I'm sure that's quite obvious. If it wouldn't be too much trouble, do you think you could point me in a better direction?"

[lookmanostrings]

Fado had no idea if he was truly ill or not-- but regardless, when it seemed like Ion was a bit unsteady, though he released his grip on the other's hand, he stood close by and had his hands up reflexively, as if ready to help steady Ion like a wobbly wall should he come close to falling.

"Unfortunately there is only one path to progress in a place like this-- up, or down. Though there are many places that would likely be safer than here."

[fragileprophet]

Ion hummed in consideration to this statement. "I'm not surprised." After all, wasn't that how life was? You started somewhere, given a lot in life, and from there it was up to you to go up or down. Every decision you make affected your station. Though sometimes, not even the right decisions could help you ascend. He had known many people who had become victims of fate this way. Good intentions turned sour. Ion thought of how Luke had been deceived into causing so much harm to Auldrant when he had been convinced that his actions had been selfless. How he had fallen so far from the good graces of his companions, and had to climb back up step by step.

The Fon Master had spent much of his time going up.

"I think I'll take my chances continuing down. There's so much of the Tower I haven't seen yet." Even if it was dangerous, he'd never know if he didn't keep going. And wasn't it better to learn your surroundings quickly? The boy smiled at the other. "My name is Ion, by the way. What's yours?"