Twas the night after Christmas -

[bloodyashes]

Characters: Asch and open; later, he goes to see Jade about things [closed]
Setting: A nicely hidden corner of the upper lounge and/or media floor; hassling Jade in the library
Format: What have you, bro
Summary: Feelings about regains, headaches about replicas, yelling at Jade
Warnings: Fon Fabre temper tantrums incoming.

[There's a redhead in a beanbag chair in the corner, heels tucked in, with an old framed photo in his lap. Asch's attention is pretty much entirely on the picture, which is tilted up so that it can't be seen from any other angle. Want to see? Better come lean around his shoulder and be obnoxious.]

[He puts a hand to his forehead very suddenly, as though taken by an unexpected headache. Uh-oh, isn't the flu epidemic over? Maybe you'd better go see what's wrong with him.]

Library -

[It's as good a place to start looking as any. Asch is very pointedly not hurrying through the shelves, because it's not like it really matters anyway. If Jade can't fix this, then no one can, and at least death in the Tower isn't going to stick.

Luckily, it seems that right there is the teal uniform he's looking for.]

Jade.

[All the greeting you get. No beating around the bush today.]

Is there any way to halt fonon separation once it's begun? Failing that, is there a way to slow it?

Comments

[bloodyashes]

...

[He slides the photo over to her without a word, still face down. On the proper side is a picture of Luke - or rather, Asch - at about eight, holding hands with a tiny Natalia. Standing behind the two is Luke's mother, with one hand on each child's shoulder. All three are smiling, although the redheaded boy looks more than a bit pouty about it.]

[holychord]

[She turned it over and smiled, a little sadly. It was cute, even though it was technically Asch, and not Luke. But seeing little Natalia was bittersweet. She wondered if everyone back home really was alright... And she also wondered a lot of things about Luke, in his current state...

She returned the picture to Asch, and stood silent for a moment, not sure what to say to him.]

[bloodyashes]

[Technically speaking, Luke had never been the age in the photograph at all. Asch takes it back and folds it facedown over his knees again.

Silence reigns for a few moments.]

...Actually, there was something I wanted to ask you.

[holychord]

[But it's still strange to grasp, sometimes, that Luke didn't have a normal childhood like everyone else. Since he's still living his now...]

What is it?

[bloodyashes]

A favor.

[Here he goes, captain bad at asking for things.]

Although I'm a Seventh Fonist, the only thing I've been trained in is my hyperresonance. Van considered it too risky to have me trained in healing artes, because he considered it too likely that I would set off my power by accident.

[Healer's halls were always full of the Seventh Fonon, after all; a big risk with an untrained twelve-year-old halfway to suicidal.]

...Since that's no longer a risk, I'd like to learn.

[The more healers around, the better, anyway.]

[holychord]

[She nodded.]

I can teach you to use healing artes. It shouldn't be too difficult. Maybe Luke could sit in as well.

[She didn't have high hopes for Luke picking up artes, but you never know!]

[bloodyashes]

[You're not alone, Tear; getting Luke to learn anything is more than enough to give him another headache.]

You can try, but I doubt he'll show up short of being dragged and tied down.

[He smiles very slightly; whether it's in thanks for Tear agreeing to teach him, or at the mental image of Luke tied to a couch, the world will never know.]

[holychord]

[probably the second option, knowing Asch and things he smiles about.]

I'll ask him to come anyway. When would you like to start?

[bloodyashes]

[Hey he also smiles for small children even if they wind up thinking he's Death and his mother >:l

But oh good, Tear's doing the asking, he approves of this.

I assist with the idiot's sword training on - [A pause. Stupid different calendar.] - Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings. Other than that, I have no plans.

[holychord]

[No one had explained this calendar to Tear, and she had no idea what he had even said when he mentioned those days of the week. She didn't want to seem like a total idiot, so she just glazed over that. She's ask Luke to tell her the tower's names for days later...]

Oh-- I'll make sure... one of those is okay for Luke too. Then we can decide on the time.

[bloodyashes]

[It's okay Tear, he's functioning half off isofonic brain osmosis these days.]

Assuming he even decides to come.

[Which would leave him honestly surprised. Asch shrugs slightly.]

Just let me know, although I'll probably hear it from him first.