abyssdressing | Nightmare Fuel: The Post

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characters: betrayalsquared

Nightmare Fuel: The Post

[On the outskirts of town, a familiar figure can be seen kneeling beside a small stream. But this is certainly not the Fon Master most people are familiar with: the hem of his robes are stained red with blood and his eyes are empty, as though no light is reaching them.]

[Leaning over the running water, Ion reaches down to cup a handful to drink. He remains like that for a few moments, almost as though he was considering going into the running water himself...]

[But before he can make that decision, a pair of dark, ghostly hands shoot out from his own shadow and gently pull him back. Then, just as quickly as they had appeared, they fade back into the darkness. Ion doesn't even bat an eye at what had just occured, simply staring down at the water.]

[That is, until he notices you.]

[ooc: From the same universe as

replicasquared I give you yandere!Ion! AU information can be found here. He's not going to lash out right away, but he might be a little traumatizing for certain characters, so watch out for nightmare fuel! ~~And yes, I know I'm a horrible person for this.~~]

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[Anise shielded her head when the water and rocks began to fly, ducking down in hopes of avoiding any damage. She grit her teeth almost angrily, cursing those things that were harming her precious Ion, changing him into someone, some...thing he wasn't.

She was just a few feet away, splashing through the ankle deep water, when she slowed to a stop. She swallowed the lump in her throat, and took a deep breath. Those words, all of them, hurt so much more than she wanted to admit, but...but she couldn't stop. She had to help him! Even if it really did mean she'd get hurt somehow, Anise had to help him this time.]

I...I know, a-and it the worst mistake I've ever made. But I won't let the same thing happen again! Ion, please, just let me help you this time! [And she steps forward again, reaching out a hand.] Please, Ion...I won't hurt you. I-I just want to help. We can find the Colonel, and you'll be fine in no time.

[For a moment, the hands stop. Ion's face turns to the ground and his shoulders shake. For a moment, he looks as though he's regained control.]

...I know you won't, Anise. You would never hurt me. [His breathing becomes shaken and it sounds as though he's beginning to cry. But the longer one listens, the more those tears begin to sound like laughter... and not the sort of laughter Anise has probably ever heard come from Ion.]

[When he finally looks up, there's a grin on his face and his eyes are emptier than before.]

But it doesn't matter. I'll still die... and you, too. Then we can finally be together... and it won't hurt anymore. Nothing will... nothing... we'll be nothing together, Anise.

[Anise, against her better judgment, kneels in the water beside her friend, even though she, too, is shaking. Something wasn't right about him. Her mind was telling her this somehow wasn't the Ion she knew, and she should get away, but she couldn't. Anise kept thinking back to when he was normal - normal and suffering - and the more she thought about that, the more her reasoning and self-preservation began to ebb away.

Anise reached out, and touched Ion's shoulder gently, reassuringly.]

Of course I won't... I-I would never...n-never...hurt you. [Not again.] Ion, I promise. I--

[He was gone. Ion was gone, and that laughter and those eyes, that face. The chill that Anise suddenly felt was icy, like she had been pushed into subarctic water. It stung, and it hurt so much more than she could describe. The fear, however, was so much more painful. Anise had never, ever, been afraid of Ion. She suddenly knew of the danger she was in, and backed away.]

Ion...! Ion, please, this isn't you. You wouldn't do this to anyone! Please, Ion, please... Why are you doing this?! If it's my fault, I'm sorry. I--...didn't know what to do. I'm so sorry...! Please, Ion, don't... Don't do this!

Anise... Anise, don't look at me like that. I'm doing this for you. For me. Everything will be... nothing. The way it should be.

[The hands behind him begin to multiply in number, steadily growing larger and dark as they stretch into the air. They rear up and begin to take a new shape, becoming narrow and twisted on the ends. One passes by a nearby branch and cuts through it as thought it were nothing.]

[Their blades are all aimed at Anise.]

The pain... I'll take it. I'll take it all away, Anise, and there won't be pain anymore because there won't be anymore.

[He takes a step closer.]

Good-bye... [The blades start shooting down towards her.] ...my most... cherished...

[But those dark shadows never reach Anise. There's a bright flash of light and a loud crash, almost like glass shattering, as a powerful arte is cast from somewhere nearby. The hands appear to disintergrate as they creep back behind the crazed Ion, pulling him further away from Anise.]

[In that same instant, someone behind Anise grabs her by the arm and jerks her back. The face is a familiar one, but probably only makes things more confusing: the one saving her from Ion was none other than Ion.]

Stay behind me and don't speak a word, understand?

[His words are rushed, in a tone he's never used on Anise before, but this was necessary. Whether it was fortunate or not, he knew what this thing was.]

Back! Get back! I won't let you harm her!

[Anise's eyes widened is horror when she saw those hands twist and coil into blades. Blades that were staring her down, blades, grinning like some kind of sick and twisted grin. Was she really staring death in the face? This couldn't be real...this couldn't be! Ion would never--...he wouldn't... Anise just couldn't believe he'd do anything like this to anyone.

But those blades were coming down, and Anise screamed, shielding her face and closing her eyes, preparing for the horrible sting of pain and death. It wouldn't have mattered if she tried to fight back, it'd take her too long to get Tokunaga ready and, even then, she herself wouldn't hurt Ion. Especially not when he said those words. The same words... Anise felt a sting in her heart, and sobbed. Did she deserve this? This was because of what she did, right? Oh, Ion...

But there was no pain, and a pair of arms grabbing her roughly, and a familiar voice; a familiar face. Through her tears, Anise swallowed hard, her voice strained. What was going on? There were two Ions now?]

I-Ion? What...?

[Although the attack injured the shadows around him, his body was still conscious and trying to cover. The dark ominous glow around him began to increase as the the hands started trying to multiply once more. Slowly, Ion dragged himself back to his feet and stared down the one who had attacked him.]

[When he realizes who is it, his eyes begin to widen.]

Why... why are you here? Are you real? Real... or are you nothing? You shouldn't exist and neither should I.

[And as he speaks, the hands start creeping out from the shadows again.]

Nothing... everything that will be... will not be. As it should be.

[The other Ion was right. And the words stung. They might share his face, but neither of them could ever truly be Ion, right? Ion died. The replica died. What did that make him? A replica of a replica, bearing the memories of events that happened before he was alive... he shouldn't exist. He probably shouldn't have ever been created.]

[But he was here now. And Anise needed him. He didn't know if she was "his" Anise or not, but that didn't matter. Anise was Anise. And with that thought in mind, he grits his teeth and raises his staff once more, this time making a direct attack on the other replica and sending him to the ground. It was only enough to knock him unconsious; he wasn't about to kill Ion, an Ion, in front of Anise.]

[Not that killing it would do any good.]

[When he turns to Anise, he's breathless, but he knows there's no time for rest now. They had to get away while the adrenaline rush could keep him going and before the monster replica woke up.]

Anise? Anise, look at me. That isn't who you think he is. We need to get out of here before... b-before he wakes up.

[It was painful to watch. Painful to do nothing when someone who shared the face of the one she cared so deeply for was being attacked. But, perhaps fortunately, Anise was frozen with fear. Her legs felt heavy, and she was pale and shaking. Ion had attacked her. Ion had tried to kill her. And now another one, was here to protect her, to save her. It was so...surreal. Like one of her hundreds of nightmares coming true.

It took a moment for Anise to look back at Ion, the one trying to save her, and she looked like she was going to break. Her voice cracked when she tried to speak, so she just nodded. Nodded and turned her face away to hide the flowing tears.]

[Seeing that look on Anise's face just broke Ion's heart. Even if he wasn't to blame, he couldn't help but feel inklings of guilt for not arriving sooner. Now, because of him, Anise was suffering again...]

[But now was not the time for self-pity, and he grabbed Anise by the hand once more and started leading her away. Slowly at first, and then breaking into a run. It was almost ironic; the only reason Ion was able to run so fast these days was because of all the time he spent running away from Anise. And now, here he was, running with her.]

[He's going to keep running as long as he can, as fast as he can without letting go of Anise's hand, until the nearby town starts coming into view and the trees around them start thinning out. He starts slowing to a walk and eventually stops, entirely out of breath.]

I... think we... lost him...

[It certainly was odd, to have the tables turned like this. Wasn't she supposed to be the one leading Ion to safety? Wasn't she supposed to be the one doing the protecting? Wasn't she supposed to be the strong one? But here she is, being dragged behind Ion, gasping and running for her life and nearly tripping at least twice due to being blinded by her tears.

Everything...it was wrong. It was so wrong. Ion, two Ions! Why on earth was there two, and why did that other one want to kill her? Why did he even try to kill her? Anise knew she deserved it, yes, but it was still shocking. It was like a nightmare come to life, and she had no one to cling to this time. No Tear or Natalia to comfort her. Just...Ion.

When they finally stop, Anise falls to her knees. She feels physically ill, like she was going to throw up. Thankfully, she doesn't but instead she does something she will never be proud of. Something she had never done in front of anyone ever before. Not even her parents.

She broke.

Her face was buried in her hands to try and muffle her loud sobs, tears leaking from her eyes and between her fingers. She doubled over, almost like she was trying to curl up and be as small as humanly possible, and sobbed. Anise cried out only once or twice, shouting why to no one in particular - or perhaps herself, before she just dissolved into more sobs, more painful and agonized tears. What had happened to make Ion like that? Was it really because of her? ]

[When Anise falls to her knees, Ion's heart stops.]

[What if he was too late? What if Anise had already been seriously wounded? What if those things possessed her somehow? In the half-second it takes Ion to kneel down beside, dozens of worst-case scenarios flash through his mind. In the end, none of that mattered, because it didn't change the fact that Anise was still hurting right now.]

[But while the Ion Anise is familiar with had never seen her cry like this, he had. On that day, when he was "born" and her mind finally snapped... it takes every ounce of Ion's willpower to keep himself steady and not bolt away. No. This Anise was different, she had to be. His Anise wouldn't have hesitated in the face of that replica. His Anise wouldn't have cared. This Anise did, as she made painfully aware with every shiver and sob.]

[It didn't matter either way. Anise was Anise. And Ion would never leave her to suffer alone.]

[He hesitates only a moment, not sure whether comfort coming from him would even help, but eventually he sets a hand on Anise's back and gently rubs it, remaining silent just in case hearing his voice only makes things worse for her.]

[The initial touch made her tense, but after a few seconds, Anise's sobs became more and more hushed. Even so, her tears didn't seem to want to stop, no matter how hard she wiped at her eyes. Every time she tried to think straight, to rationalize, her mind went back to moments ago...to when Ion had intentionally tried to kill her.

Why? Why did he do that? W-Was it really because she had a hand in ending his own life so long ago? Anise truly hoped not, and wanted to use the excuse that her parents were being held hostage, but...well, that's all it was - an excuse. Besides, it was right of him to hate her for inadvertently aiding in his death, after all.

She coughed, sniffling, and looked over her shoulder to the second Ion. So many questions surfaced just by looking at him. Who was he, what happened to the other one, what were those black things--]

Why? Why is all this happening?

[Ion can't look at her. He's glad she's able to calm down, even if only a little, but he can't bring himself to look her in the eyes. Especially with what he's going to have to tell her.]

[It was heartbreaking enough, having to tell everyone back home who he was, what he was. Having to tell everyone here was almost more so. But telling Anise? After what just happened? It was downright cruel.]

Anise. That... back there, that wasn't...

[He can't bring himself to say it. To say that the first replica wasn't Ion would be like saying he wasn't Ion either.]

[But right now, the last thing Anise needed to deal with was his own selfish existential issues. If she learned what he really was... no. For now, he'll have to lie. Anything to ease Anise's pain.]

That wasn't Ion. It wasn't... me. He's a replica of the seventh Fon Master replica. He was supposed to have died shortly after he was created... but whatever it is that's become of him now, he isn't who he appears to be.

[It did hurt, to hear even that clipped explanation. Not Ion... It was, but it wasn't. That person wasn't the Ion she knew, or so she hoped. His words still echoed in her head...a cruel and painful reminder of what she caused. Her betrayal to her beloved Ion...

Why are you hurting me? Haven't you... haven't you already hurt me enough?

If you come any closer, I'll kill you, Anise!

Good-bye... ...my most... cherished...

She feels sick all over again, and hugs her arms to the point of pain, but she can't feel it. It doesn't matter right now anyway. She couldn't...didn't want to believe that wasn't Ion. He was in there. He was in there! She saw him, for just a minute. He...Ion--]

...tried to protect me. [Then a thought comes to her mind, and she stares up at the second with wide, sad, horrified eyes.] I-It's my fault, i-isn't it?

Anise... [He looks up at her for a moment or two before shaking his head.] Of course not. Whatever happened to him, it could never have been your fault.

[The Anise he knew had become a monster, but even Ion couldn't blame her for what she did. She hadn't been herself. If only Ion hadn't died, if his body hadn't been so weak... maybe things wouldn't have worked out the way they did, and this Anise wouldn't be suffering right now.]

Those things he said... it couldn't be further from the truth. You didn't want to see your parents hurt, just as much as I wouldn't want to see harm brought to them. Never, not even for one moment, would I ever blame you for what happened. Just the very thought of it is so...

[Unfortunately, it hasn't occurred to Ion that it wouldn't make sense for him to both know about the details of his own death and for him to be here right now. Even though Ion's own memories of the event were hazy at best and stopped entirely immediately after removing Tear's miasma, to meet someone after their death... it had to be a strange feeling.]

I can't say for sure who he is, but he wasn't me. I would never hurt you, Anise. I would never... I couldn't even think it, I...

But...I--!

[She should have told someone! Even now it sounded so stupid to have been Mohs' spy, when her friends were so much smarter and stronger than Mohs was. But Anise had been so scared; terrified, when he threatened the two people she loved most in all of Aludrant. The two people Anise would have, and had been doing, anything and everything for. Her mama and papa needed her, and she needed them, yet she...to Ion...to everyone...!]

Ion... [His words help, somewhat. She's still aching and crying, but much of the guilt has ebbed away. He didn't blame her, he understood, he--wait. He knew?] You knew? You...you knew Mohs was keeping my parents hostage? Then...what--why would you...i-if you knew, then why?

[Why would you stay with her, believe in her, trust her, even now?]

Edited 2011-04-14 15:03 (UTC)

[Ion is frozen. Of course she would have assumed he was from before... Who would assume the dead had come back to life? Or worse, to assume the truth, that he was only a replica of the Ion she cared about...]

[He bites back his tongue, realizing what a delicate situation this was right now. No. He couldn't tell Anise what he really was. Not now. She was still hurt from seeing that other Ion, another replica who wasn't the real thing and probably never could be. As much as he wished it to be otherwise, he wasn't the Ion Anise thought he was.]

[He considers his words carefully. What could he possibly say to that? Perhaps he's just over thinking things... maybe the truth was the simplest answer?]

...because I care about you, Anise. [He brings his hand to his chest.] You matter more to me than anyone else. If I had only known sooner, perhaps I could have done something, anything, to help you, but I...

[He shakes his head before looking up into Anise's eyes.] But what's happened, happened. And we're both still here, aren't we? I'm still here... so please, don't cry, Anise.

[Because I care about you, Anise.

Anise felt her throat tighten, and her voice get caught as she tried to speak. He cared about her, and she did too - so much - but still betrayed that affection. And he knew that, but still... Anise felt a welling of grief and anger bubble inside her as tears welled up in her eyes. ...How could could he? How could he?! She lead him along a path straight to his death because she was selfish, and he still cared about her?! Stupid...stupid, kind-hearted, forgiving, naive...!

She bites her lip to keep her sobs in check, dabbing vigorously at the tears in her eyes. Don't cry. Don't cry, damn it! Anise coughed, finally finding her breath, but not her voice. She didn't look the young man in the eye, she couldn't lest she'd yell or sob or shove him in her irritation (why couldn't he just be mad at her?!), and nodded silently as she dabbed at her eyes. Come on, where's that mask, that wall? It couldn't be this hard to put it back up.]

[Ion can tell it's going to take more than words to calm Anise down, but it was a start. There was a part of him that wanted to wrap his arms around her and hold her close while she cried, let her pound against his shoulder and let out all of her grief and guilt.]

[But he's too weak for that. It took all he had just to hold her hand earlier, and even now, there's an urge in the back of his mind to turn and run away. He was still a coward.]

[At the very least, he could provide some comfort to her, right? Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out a clean handkerchief and holds it out to her with a gentle smile.] Here.

[Sniffing, and hating every one, Anise looked back at Ion, and his extended hand. It was odd, how distant he was, but she didn't think much of it, given the state she was presently in. Ion was just giving her space, as far as Anise was concerned. And space is what she needed. She was afraid that she'd have pushed him away if he came too close, right now.

But, she does slowly take the offered napkin, her hand brushing gently, and accidentally, against Ion's.]

[It goes without saying that Ion's fear of Anise is irrational. Yes, the Anise in his world was insane and bent on murdering him, but this Anise wasn't. Not all Anises were like that. The impression he's gotten so far seems to be that his world is, in itself, unique.]

[But that doesn't stop a small squeak when their hands brush against each other, resulting in Ion quickly jerking his hand back and very nearly knocking himself over. Somewhere in his mind, for the slightest instant, he was afraid she would grab his hand. Lorelei forbid.]

[He stares at her for a moment or two, eyes suddenly wide, until blinking himself back to reality.]

...s... sorry.

I-Ion!

[It was a reflex that she reached out to catch him, then pulled back when he seemed stable. Stable and...absolutely terrified of her. What? Why was he scared of her? She looked at him for a moment, confused and wary of going nearer, then moved back, dropping her hands by her side.

This didn't make sense. Ion knew all about her plans, his death, he was scared of her, but saved her life and comforted her, then that other Ion...the one that seemed like he was possessed by some kind of evil black mist. Plus, this Ion knew of the other. Just what was all this? It felt like a nightmare, but it was real. Anise knew it was real, but wished it wasn't.]

Ion...wh-what's wrong? [Why're you so scared?]

[Ion bites his lip and glances away, thinking of some way to explain this without really explaining this. Anise was finally calming down. To hear he developed a phobia of her after an alternate version of her tried on numerous occasions to kill him?]

[He couldn't do that to her right now... if ever.]

It's... it's nothing. [Yeah, that isn't going to work.] You know how people come from different worlds here? So similar but with... little changes, right?

[No, that doesn't work at all. Anise can sense his hesitation, and her fears begin to escalate. Was he really afraid of her? Why? Was his world so much worse off than hers? Or, Yulia forbid, did she hurt him somehow? And then that still left the other Ion, who seemed so hellbent on killing her, because of those shadowy things. Was that her fault, too?

Just how much grief she cause him?]

Y-Yeah... [Go on. She's listening, though hoping for better than what she assumes.]

Nightmare Fuel: The Post

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