Reminiscence
That deceitful, conniving, four-eyed traitor… How I miss him.
Dist walked around his cell for the fifteenth time today. He missed his hover chair more than he thought he would, with its nice cushion seat... But he found that he also missed company, despite always being ignored by just about everyone. He was a man of data sharing and discussion – it was not his fault that no one else appreciated that.
He sat down on his bed, the only place soft enough to sit and not be uncomfortable. He placed his elbows onto his legs, planting his head on his hands. That dastardly Jade only came around when he wanted something – usually information about the Oracle Knights. Dist sighed; he missed the old Jade. The Jade he called his friend.
How long ago was it that he changed?
They were similar, he and Jade. Both craved knowledge and loved to experiment. They were equals in their own right. Dist was the fon machine builder, while Jade had a mastery of formulas. They respected each other for their own work, for alone, they could do nothing.
Now that he thought about it, Jade never really was the same after the fire that claimed the Professor's life. He simply must not have noticed it until now, he figured. The more research on replicas that Jade had done, the more he changed, despised it, it seemed.
In the beginning, both worked their hardest to bring the Professor back. They kept each other's company through it all. Dist remembered how Jade brought back some food while he was out to clear his head, and he had done the same for him. They worked night and day, hoping to perfect the replication process. They were so close too; they had found a newfound source of fonons – the seventh fonon. That worked much better than using the first and sixth fonons together.
And when they were stuck, simply stuck, they both stopped working, allowing their brains to recharge with new ideas. Some of their best ideas came when they were taking their sporadic breaks. It was usually during their walks in the snowy streets of Keterberg. Jade would sometimes pick up snow and examine it, showing it to Dist. Eventually, they would get bored of it and toss the snow aside. Now that he thought about it, he and Jade did have a few snow ball fights. They would laugh the entire time, lessening the weight on their shoulders. Those were some good times…
Was that when Jade began to change?
Dist remembered that night clearly. The night Jade his friend left him, and Jade the traitor was born. It was an exciting night – they had made a breakthrough after studying a replica animal and its original – it was about perfect isofones, a relatively new idea at the time, Dist remembered. A new mystery was added to their pool of ideas, along with why replicas had no memory of their originals' lives. If they could solve the issue with perfect isofones, they might have found the answer.
Dist went out for a bit, deciding that a break was needed, especially after that new discovery. He walked in later with some hot chocolate, thinking Jade could use a break. Dist dropped the hot chocolate onto the ground.
He found Jade standing in the center of their lab, his spear in hand and sweat rolling down his face. All around him was destruction. The test tubes were cracked with the chemicals and other liquids draining out. The replicator and other machines were speared and even charred with magic, small flames spewing out of them. Their research papers were all over the counters, some falling to the floor and others damaged by chemicals. Dist was at a loss for words.
Angered, Dist confronted him, wondering why he did it when they were so close to solving the mysteries. Dist could not – would not believe what Jade had told him; that all of their research was for nothing. That was utter nonsense – they could bring the Professor back! How could that be for naught? They argued back and forth that night, getting nowhere. So what if Jade felt guilty about killing the Professor? He could make amends by apologizing to the Professor through her replica! All they had to do was figure out the secrets to restoring the memories of the original into a replica.
But Jade would not listen to reason – he kept questioning whether they were doing something wrong, a deadly drug that poisons a researcher; Dist knew it was true. He had to make Jade see the truth – they were doing the right thing. That was when Jade crossed the line, forever changing their lives. He smacked Dist across the face, called him a stupid fool, and left without saying another word.
Dist felt his knees give out, and he fell onto the floor. All of the research that they had done, everything they had… was ruined. He knelt there in shock as the fire alarm system clicked on, dousing both the fires and his own ambitions. He remained there for hours until the morning sun shined through the window. He picked up any and all papers that were readable; he was to begin anew.
That was the night he ended everything – our research, our lab, our funding. Our friendship. But I kept hoping that he would understand. Even when he kept putting me down, I will-
Dist was disrupted from his thoughts by the sound of the metal door slamming down the hall. Pulled from his thoughts, he walked to the bars of his cell. He heard two pairs of footsteps heading his way, though he was not sure if they were actually for him or not. It could have been a new prisoner. He was shocked to see who it was.
"Well well, if it isn't Dist the Runny!" Jade said mockingly, a delighted grin on his face. "I suppose you are doing well, given your circumstances."
Nephry stared at Jade sadly, adjusting her glasses. "Saphir, don't mind him please. It's just his way of caring." she said, smiling.
Jade grinned playfully. "Oh, come now, Nephry. Why on Auldrant would I care for this simpleton? My, putting words in my mouth isn't very nice, now is it?"
"Jade! Please, you promised you wouldn't do this today." Nephry frowned slightly, even though she knew he still cared about him, regardless of his tone. "How are you doing, Saphir? I was worried when Jade told me you were here."
Dist inwardly smiled. Even after it felt like everyone abandoned him, there was always someone there for him. "I suppose I'm doing fine, considering that I have war crimes on me now."
"Oh, I'm glad to hear that you're doing well, Saphir." Nephry said with a smile, soon gasping lightly. "Jade, isn't there a reason why you came to see him?"
"Me, having reason to see Dist? My, how amusingly funny." Jade said with a smile, winking at Nephry. "Well, I suppose all joking aside, I suppose there is some reason as to why I came along with Nephry." he said, pushing his glasses up. "I'm busy working with a study on replicas and how to integrate them into normal society, to better understand replicas and whatnot."
Dist gasped weakly; Jade was doing research on replicas again? "Don't be getting any ideas, now. We aren't creating any replicas – we're just studying them, with their consent, of course. However, it's a lot of work, considering I'm working by myself. Then His Majesty came up with this crazy notion."
"What kind of idea are you talking about?" Dist asked with curiosity, crossing his arms across his chest. What was Jade trying to say?
"Well, to be to the point, His Majesty suggested that you help me during your sentencing. Though if you agree, you will be heavily guarded and watched thoroughly. We even took precautions by moving all of the foninim from the lab so you couldn't make a replica." he said, grinning mischievously. "Well? I do need an answer by… today, after all."
Dist was absolutely shocked; he was thrilled that he got to do replica research again, alongside Jade even. Though he was mostly shocked that he needed an answer immediately. "Of course I'd do it. But why on Auldrant would you need an answer so soon?"
"Oh, His Majesty had asked me two weeks ago. I just didn't feel like coming down to tell you until now." Jade replied, watching Dist stare at him with a mixture of emotions, eyes wide in shock and glasses almost falling off his face. He was gaping as wide as possible.
"Ooh, you're evil, Jade! Evil! Evil! Evil!"
Sage: Before anyone asks, yes, it was supposed to end as such. Huh, first ToA fic... Interesting... Well, I don't own Tales of the Abyss, nor mentioned characters. This was done for a net friend o' mine. Hope she likes it. :D Anyway, until later.