~*Gaze Back Into You*~

"If you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you."

~*X*~

=Five Months Left=

What a waste of time, Fon Master Ion thought as he heard the door close, leaving him alone in the Cathedral with Arietta. That would conclude his morning reading of the Score, and now he would be free for most of the day to do what he wished. That evening, though, he had a scheduled dinner party with Grand Maestro Mohs and a majority of the other Maestros.

How infuriatingly boring.

The dark forest greens and bronzes of the church contrasted sharply with the golden sunlight streaming in through the high stained glass windows. From his position on the raised podium, Ion could see every corner of the room. Down the small flight of stairs stood Arietta, hands clasped primly in front of her. The bright pink of her Fon Master Guardian uniform stood out starkly against everything else.

Her red eyes were trained on his with that completely innocent intensity of hers, waiting patiently for his orders.

Ion smiled, and it touched his eyes just a tiny bit. She was his pet, his adorable little pet that knew nothing of the Score and only a bit about the world in general. She trusted him, doted upon him, like a dog would its master. He could tell her to jump off a cliff, that even after the fall she'd be fine, and she would believe him.

She was one of his few entertainments left in the world…even with the moment of his death sliding ever closer.

The thought wiped the smile clean off of his face. He readjusted his grip on his staff and walked around the table he had read the Score from, speaking as he did so. "Emperor Carl V just passed away, you know that, right? So now they're preparing the prince to inherit the crown."

Arietta nodded, her eyes still trained on his.

"I want you to come with me on the day of the coronation." Ion stopped, now facing her though still at the top of the stairs, putting on another empty smile. "As is the duty of a Fon Master Guardian, it is an important task that you will carry out from now on. I will leave that to you." Yes, he didn't need any of his other Guardians…they were just trash like the rest anyway, and not nearly as amusing…

He expected her to take up her usual post by the only entrance to the Cathedral besides the windows. Instead, his pet approached him hesitantly, her steps overly loud in the vast, echoing chamber. "Um…Master Ion?"

He turned to her. "What is it?"

Her brow furrowed, and she bit her lip for a moment before saying, "Yesterday…you didn't seem well…? You seem ill."

Ion lowered his head for a moment, letting his green hair drape over his eyes. Huh, so his pet had noticed after all. He supposed she would catch on to his sickness sooner or later. He could feel the treacherous thing now, a pain in his chest that tightened with every breath…

Still wearing his customary smile, he met her gaze again. "Right…my body doesn't seem to function as well as before." Her eyes grew huge. "Because I'm beginning to look weak, you're probably worried about me. Sorry about that, Arietta."

She gasped, saying desperately, "It's not like that! Please…take it more seriously…"

A sudden noise signaled the approach of Commandant Van. He had been watching silently from the shadows. Ion had been aware of his presence for quite a while—the man wanted to speak with him after all. Arietta swiftly realized her impudent tone and hurried off to the far end of the Cathedral to guard the entrance like she was supposed to do.

Ion didn't even look behind him to address Van when he spoke. "Van, I will leave her to you, the girl who was raised by monsters and is able to understand the monsters' words. To become one of the special forces, she really must give all she's got."

He had watched many of Arietta's training sessions, but he had only actually seen her get in a real fight twice. Once had been because of some bandits on the road, and the second time had been because of some Oracle Knights that had caught onto his Replication plan. She usually fought from the back of her Liger, casting spells to add onto his strength.

Van murmured, "You…are the one who taught the human language to her."

Ion tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. The words alone brought back the memory of his first visit to Arietta's holding cell when they had captured her. She had been a wild thing, furious and deadly, lashing out with long nails and clawing like a beast.

And so, she had been chained up like one. Like the dog she was.

However, and the Fon Master grimaced at the memory, he had stepped too close. Arietta had lunged and before Van could stop her, she had sunk her teeth deep into his arm.

"Van…" Ion flinched but let the girl go on biting his arm. He felt the corners of his mouth pull up in a twisted grin as something occurred to him. "This girl's mind has nothing, right? Not even the Score. Isn't that interesting? I will make her my pet from now on…okay?"

He had christened her "Arietta"—Ancient Ispanian for "Feral One".

"Van," Ion remarked as something occurred to him. "Shouldn't you go and tell her to keep it a secret? It seems that she can sense coming misfortune, so it would be better if you did."

The Commandant took a step towards the stairs, and then paused. "Sorry for making you dirty your hands with blood yesterday."

He looked at Van this time. "Ah well, cleaning the blood out wasn't that easy, you know? It took a lot of time, too." Ion directed his gaze towards Arietta with a slight sigh. How wearisome. When trash dared to interfere with his plans, well, he had to get a little…creative, when it came to disposing of them. "Sorry about yesterday's unfinished business. I don't have much time left…"

"Don't mind it."

Ion watched Van go off to talk to Arietta. It would be bad if people began to find out he was dying of sickness. After all, that would unhinge everything he was working towards…

The Fon Master closed his eyes and tried to ignore the ache in his chest.

~*X*~

"It'll be a while until we reach Grand Chokmah," Ion told his Guardian as she pranced about the ship. Her pink hair flowed behind her like ribbons. "You may find the view interesting now, but it will grow old quickly."

"The sea is so pretty though Master Ion!" Arietta turned to him with a wide smile, hopping up and down. She went back to leaning over the railings, eyes round as dinner plates. A screech from overhead reminded everyone on board of the ship that Arietta's monsters were never far away.

Ion didn't dignify that with a response. He leaned heavily against his gold topped staff, trying to compose himself. It seemed that his malicious sickness didn't quite agree with sea travel. They were on board of one of the Order of Lorelei's ships, the S.S. Undine. Not the most original of names, but the passenger boat was an elegant thing the same color as the sky. There wasn't a cloud above them, and the ocean was a deep, calm cerulean.

Escort boats, sent from Malkuth, were arranged in a defensive position near the Undine just in case.

The Fon Master glared balefully around him until Arietta skipped up to his side, then his expression changed to one more befitting of a "benevolent" leader. She hummed, clearly delighted about being out of the Cathedral.

"Master Ion…" Arietta knitted her fingers together. "Are you all right?"

"Why do you ask?" Ion looked down at his pet. "Am I doing something to trouble you?"

She shook her head quickly, rosy tendrils flying. "N-No, I'm just…you always look so sad…"

He smiled. "Do I look sad now?"

Shrinking back a tad, Arietta said so softly it was practically a whisper, "Yes."

This time Ion let his face assume an impassive mask. He didn't understand it. No one else ever saw through his false smiles, and they never would being the idiots they were. But somehow…his pet could sense…

"I'm not sad." No, but he was plenty resentful. "Arietta." Ion patted her head and she leaned into his touch happily. "Why don't you go get your book? Since we don't have anything else to do…"

"You'll read for me? I still don't get some of those words…I'll be right back Master Ion!" And just like that her attention was diverted elsewhere. She charged off, vanishing into a doorway. He could hear the soft pattering of her footsteps against the metal stairs.

The Fon Master pressed his fingers to his temples and sighed deeply, eyes slipping shut.

So…my pet can see through my smiles, and she can tell I'm sick. I'll have to try harder than ever…to hide my condition…

For the first time, Ion found himself thinking of what would happen to Arietta when he died. She was so pathetically—endearingly…?—pathetically loyal to him. Would she be like a dog, lost without her master, dying from the misery of it?

She'll be fine, he decided, reopening his eyes and staring out at the white-capped waves. She doesn't even need to know I'm gone.

The thought, for some incomprehensible reason, caused a throb in his chest that wasn't caused by his sickness, he knew.

Arietta returned in a whirlwind of pink and red. "Here it is, Master Ion!"

He took the purple tome from her and went to sit on a crate. A seagull screeched overhead, and Ion looked up in time to see Arietta's bird monster devour it in midair. White feathers cascaded down upon their heads.

His pet cheered, a myriad of harsh sounding growls rising in her throat as she congratulated her "monster friend".

Shaking his head—and plucking a feather from his sleeve—the Fon Master opened the book of fairy tales that seemed to fascinate his Guardian so. He found her bookmark and traced his fingers along the neat rows of text. Brightly colored pictures and engraving decorated both pages.

Arietta came to sit at his feet like the dog she was. "Master Ion, have you read this story before?"

"They're children's tales." He turned a page. "Everyone in Auldrant has heard these before."

"I haven't," she pouted.

"I'll read you one." Even pets could enjoy a good story he supposed, and he honestly had nothing else to do. If he was left to his dark musings any longer, he would probably end up killing everyone on board the ship with a Daathic Fonic Arte.

"Thank you," she murmured, blinking gratefully at him.

Ion smiled again. "You are very welcome, Arietta." He cleared his throat shortly and began. "'Once upon a time, there was a castle frozen in the embrace of time…'"

The words flowed easily from his tongue, though several times he had to pause to regain his breath. Every instance he did so, Arietta would mutter anxiously to herself, asking if he needed anything to drink or if he wanted to take a break. At many points, Ion found that he knew the next part by heart, and he could look his pet in the eyes as he spoke and see her reactions. She gasped in all the right places, though she always seemed a bit put out when the monsters were slain by the hero.

He would give one of his rare, true smiles then.

As he drew near the end of the first fairy tale, Ion suddenly froze. He hadn't meant to read it, but he took it in anyway. An unexplainable dark fury rose up within him, and he slammed the book shut so hard and suddenly that Arietta jumped to her feet in terror like a startled cat.

"That's enough for now," Ion said tightly. "You may go, Arietta."

"But Master I—"

"Go."

Obviously frightened by his tone, Arietta bowed once and scampered off. He thought he glimpsed tears shining in her eyes.

The Fon Master stood up, banging his staff against the ground crossly. He hadn't meant to take his anger out on his pet…he'd have to make it up to her later. He shut his eyes tight and exhaled deeply, head tilted back towards the sky.

The words still blazed mockingly against the darkness of his closed lids.

And they lived happily ever after.

He wanted to scream.

~*X*~

"It's so beautiful here, Master Ion!"

"Yes it is, isn't it?"

Ion had long since made up with Arietta after his unexplainable outburst a few days ago. Fortunately, that much was easy. All he had to do was pull her into a quick hug with a vaguely worded apologetic reason for his outburst, and everything was right as rain again.

Grand Chokmah was, in the Fon Master's opinion, far prettier than Baticul. Waterfalls encircled the entire city, pouring down into the clear azure pool with a constant, thunderous roar. The spray created a series of arching rainbows that shimmered in the air like Fonons. The buildings were all gold, bronze, and tan. The warm shades added life and magnificence to an already enchanting place. The capital of Malkuth was truly a sight to behold.

A gilded throne for a nest of rats.

Ion had long since dismissed the Oracle Knights, ordering them off to do something, anything, other than trailing him all day. That would defeat the point of having had brought Arietta, he had said. One of the Knights had tried to argue, but a growl from his Guardian had sent the armored man running.

How pitiful. It was too bad he had to act like he was some smiling boy that loved, loved, loved everyone or else he would have obliterated that Knight on the spot.

"Do you think…?" Arietta gazed up at the ominous shape of her circling bird monster. She trailed off and didn't finish.

"Do I think what?" He gazed at her curiously.

"…Do you think my monster friend could eat at the celebration here?" She hunched her shoulders, seemingly both embarrassed and nervous. "He's hungry."

Ion's smile tilted more towards a smirk this time. "I'm sure I can arrange for something."

She brightened instantaneously. "Thank you so much Master Ion!"

It took so little to make her happy. Ah, well. That's how pets were after all. Feed them; give them a place to stay, show them a little kindness and they were yours forever.

Upon arriving at the palace—a huge, towering structure of white and blue stone—Arietta ran ahead of him and heralded in a clear, high voice; "Make way for Fon Master Ion!"

The clamoring crowds instantly split off to the sides to create a clear path to the throne room for the Fon Master and his Guardian. Ion beckoned to his pet with one hand and she obediently trotted back to his side. Frightened gasps went up as her Liger appeared in the doorway. Several guards pulled out their swords.

"Stop," Ion ordered. "He belongs to my Guardian. I'm sure you've seen a monster flying overhead as well, he is also not to be harmed."

"But, Fon Master—"

Arietta silenced the noblewoman who had been about to speak with a fiery red glare. Her Liger, which had been secretly shadowing them ever since they had gotten off of the boat, slunk in to stand a bit behind his mistress. Ion noticed that this wasn't her usual gigantic "monster friend", but rather, a smaller one. Maybe he was a cub, or possibly just a younger Liger. Who knew?

A servant showed them both to their rooms. He tentatively offered to take the Liger to the stables, but Arietta got offended by his statement and took her Liger with her into her room. Ion let his Guardian get settled into the room next to his own, wordlessly unpacking his meager belongings in his own living quarters. They were going to be here for the coronation for about a week…

Trash, trash, the world is all trash…

Ion looked up and saw his reflection in the mirror. His face was pale, and his dark green eyes were bleak with fury…or was that despair? When he reached a hand out to touch the cool surface, his fingers trembled.

You will die at the age of twelve.

Arietta came rushing in at the sound of breaking glass, shrieking in surprise when she beheld the shattered mirror.

When she asked how it had happened, he merely replied, "Accident."

~*X*~

"Congratulations on becoming Emperor," Fon Master Ion told the recently-crowned Peony civilly. He motioned for Arietta to rise from her curtsy. She was a Guardian, true, but unlike him she still needed to bow before royalty. For whatever it's worth, he thought sourly. He smiled, and none of his true emotions appeared on his face. "Though I am sorry to hear about your father."

Peony, reclining on his throne, gave something halfway between a grin and a grimace. "Ah, it can't be helped. But thank you for your kind words."

The Grand Chokmah throne room was as dazzling as the city itself. The circular chamber was placed directly beneath a waterfall, and past the curiously patterned windows one could see the rushing waves as they crashed. The air was cool, and the dull moan of the waterfall permeated everything. The general color scheme was the same as the palace. Blue and white, with a hint of gold.

"Congratulations," Arietta added shyly.

The new Emperor Peony nodded at her, his eyes kind in his tanned face. "Thank you, too."

Ion stepped aside to let the rest of the nobles through to congratulate Peony. Arietta followed. The Fon Master turned to head for a less crowded area of the chamber, but he glanced back over his shoulder as he felt a pair of eyes on him.

A man with a gaze as red as Arietta's was staring hard at him from behind a pair of spectacles. His long blonde-brown hair made him look almost feminine, but there was a definite masculine build to him.

Jade the Necromancer.

Ion smiled politely at Jade, and the Malkuthite Colonel returned the gesture with a smile just as fake.

"Master Ion?" Arietta was watching the exchange uneasily. "Who is he?"

"A very intelligent man," was all Ion told her. He strode off, his Guardian hastening to follow.

I wonder…how much of my plan he has guessed…

"Parties are noisy," his pet commented, stating the obvious.

He humored her. "Yes."

"Master Ion doesn't like parties? You don't look…happy."

The Fon Master wondered if he was losing his touch. "I'm just tired, don't worry. Let's go outside for some fresh air."

"Okay!" He knew Arietta preferred being outdoors, and this pleased her. She ran ahead of him, and then came back, before running ahead again as he retraced his steps. Soon they were outside the palace, and his Guardian knelt down in the gardens of splendid flowers that surrounded the entrance.

Ion went to kneel beside her as she quickly braided a chain of white blossoms together. She placed the chain around the neck of her Liger, which had been standing guard during the coronation celebration.

"How did you learn that? Surely monsters don't make these." He touched the tips of his fingers to flower chain.

Arietta beamed at him. "Monsters are a lot smarter than people think! Mommy taught me that!"

A Liger Queen that could make flower chains? The thought was prosperous, and yet, here was the proof. "Imagine that," Ion said with a smile.

His pet was about to reply, but just then her Liger sneezed. Flower petals flew everywhere, something that was likely going to anger the castle gardener. When things again settled down, the Fon Master saw that Arietta was covered with blossoms—and she had the most hilarious expression of shock on her face, unlike anything he had ever seen before.

Ion laughed, and for a moment forgot he had less than half a year to live.

Author's Note: It's about 2:34 AM here so sorry for any typos. This would be based on the Tales of the Abyss manga, particularly the Ion Gaiden. Don't you find the original Ion interesting? And Arietta is always awesome. Reviews are very much appreciated!