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'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.]