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

[attheclocktower]

[She stops, biting her lip. "Not quite" is an odd way to put it. Still, she shakes her head.]

He's a friend of mine. I just figured it'd be better to sit together if we were both here.

[It's safer to stick in groups in the Tower, after all. You could never tell when something might happen.]

[bloodyashes]

[Well how would you describe it, Xion. It's complicated.]

...If you want to sit, you can.

[Just don't attempt to share his beanbag ok. And Xion you say that like this one is ever in a group - ]

[attheclocktower]

[Xion looked down and away, shuffled her feet a little awkwardly, and finally sat down on the nearest couch, fidgeting with her books. Questions buzzed around her head. When he'd said he was "not quite" Luke... did that mean he was another one? But then he would still think he was Luke wouldn't he?

Did that mean Luke had been right?]

...Who are you?

[bloodyashes]

My name is Asch. Luke is a replica of me.

[Simple and to the point. If she is Luke's friend, then she deserves the truth, or at least some distilled version of it.]

[attheclocktower]

[Xion's breath sucked in. Every suspicion she'd had at the time... the things she and Luke had talked about when he'd told her what his shadow had said, and she'd told him why her costume had been so upsetting...

It had been more than speculation. She stares down at her books.]

He was right... [She swallowed, and raised her voice a little] I think... he was here by himself for the longest time, and he thought he might be... but...

[There'd been nobody to confirm it]

[bloodyashes]

[Asch just nods slightly.]

That's what I heard from him when I arrived. There's no point in pretending otherwise, now.

[attheclocktower]

[Something about that... something about his whole demeanor is leaving Xion unsettled for some reason, but she can't put her finger on it.]

Why's that?

[Perhaps a pretty confusing question, but she's pretty confused herself right now]

[bloodyashes]

Well, it's be honest about the situation or pretend to be twins; as I'm sure you've noticed, it's impossible to hide that we have the same face.

[He runs a hand through his hair. That's the same, too, or close enough - unless they're standing together, no one could tell the difference.]

And I don't intend to pretend any longer. Especially not for his sake.

[attheclocktower]

[Why is this bothering her so much. Pretending. Pretending to be twins, or siblings, which Asch doesn't want to do. But... if it's pretending that means it's not real. Not at all like what she expected. When Sora had found out she was a replica of him he hadn't cared, he'd even....

Even started treating her like a sister.]

Is that all he is to you, then?

[She sounds... genuinely upset about this]

[bloodyashes]

...He's a pain in my ass, but useful enough sometimes, I suppose.

[A sibling? He wouldn't know what to do with himself, Xion. It's hard enough for Asch to acknowledge that they somewhat share parents.

Deeper issues here, replikid. Much deeper issues.]

[attheclocktower]

[Useful. That's the highest that he can say. Useful. Like he's a thing or a tool...

Her sad frown deepens into a scowl and she looks down at the notes, glaring at them but not really seeing them. She bites her lip, then finally...]

So many people just see replicas as tools.

[Xemnas. Saix. Probably even the person whose notes she's holding right now. And so it seemed from Luke's world too.]

[bloodyashes]

[...He's not sure what to say to that. It's silent for a long moment. Finally - ]

It doesn't matter if it's humans or replicas. People are always using each other.

[...Yeah, crossing his arms and pointedly not looking at her.]

[attheclocktower]

[One of her hands tightens, threatening to tear the paper she's holding. She's uncharacteristically vehement when she replies]

Well it's not okay. They should care about who people are, not what they can do for them.

[That includes you]

[bloodyashes]

Nice ideal. If there were more people who thought that way, that kind of world might actually exist.

[Harsh and bitter all over. Even if he could believe in that kind of idealistic world... There's no place for him there. Maybe for Luke, but never for Asch.]

[attheclocktower]

[Xion sighed, the surge of anger petering out as suddenly as it flared up.]

It's not just an ideal...

[For her, this was something that just... was. To her, it's fact.]

[bloodyashes]

If you think that, you're either very lucky or very naive.

[If you listen close, you can practically hear the "Just like him" bitten off at the end there.]