Wow, this one turned out even longer than the last. Hopefully I won't keep doing this, but sometimes you just have to go with it... This chapter is mostly about Florian trying to figure out who Ion really was and trying to deal with living with those still mourning his loss. This is the last chapter (I plan on) featuring actual scenes in the game. I took a little bit of extra license with it since I wasn't sure when exactly Ion's memorial service is, but whatever.
Note: Reread and noticed some mistakes/changed a few minute things that don't really effect the story, but I felt it flowed better and made a little more sense.
Thanks for the reviews. Without them and the favorited notices, I wouldn't think anyone was reading this. XD I'm writing this for myself and not for anyone's praise, but I would like some feedback on whether I'm developing characters well or not. Also, suggestions are much appreciated. I wasn't planning on doing anything with Sync until someone mentioned him and it actually inspired a lot for the next chapter. So, I encourage people to speak up and make requests. You never know what might tickle my muse. ;)
*~The Last Ion~*
The Order of Lorelei was a quiet, somber place at any given time of the day. Every ounce of atmosphere was devoted to peaceful meditation on the Score and Yulia's teachings. The pious members of the church normally spent their time discussing the latest scripture they had read or how to more readily observe the Score despite the radical changes the world was facing. Within the softly lit halls it was easy to forget the outside world and all the horrors befalling the neighboring kingdoms. However, there was an ever present reminder of the great losses and chaos surrounding Daath that most had come to accept or at least tolerate.
Florian ambled through the halls of the order, smiling brightly at anyone that would give him the time of day. He had finally mastered basic manners and was allowed to spend limited time practicing social conduct providing he stayed within the church and out of trouble. The young replica enjoyed the new freedom to explore his home very much though he rarely strayed from areas Oliver, Pamela or Trithiem hadn't personally shown him. Even if he had grown a great deal in terms of bravery and confidence, he still was not ready to challenge anything outside his established comfort zone. Florian had become very familiar with the daily life of the order and found himself forgetting at times that he was a replica and not a regular member. No one spoke of Ion when he was nearby. Until today, that was.
Not a single conversation he had overheard so far lacked the words "Ion" or "Fon Master" being spoken at least once. When he was noticed, the members would silence themselves and try to amend any offense by asking him about his day or the Tatlins. Florian accepted the change in topics with some reluctance. It put him on edge for many reasons he couldn't begin to list that Ion was the central topic of the day and he couldn't imagine why. Pamela and Oliver had been strange that morning, too, when he thought about it. They had been the ones to suggest he spend some time exploring because they would be busy helping Tritheim with a special assignment. Florian sighed at the fact his excitement to go play had taken precedence of what was, in hindsight, a very important matter. He felt a pout tug at his lips and allowed it, not being one to think to ever hide his feelings as he sulked down the hall.
"Goodness, Oliver, be careful with that." Pamela's voice was unmistakable to Florian. He perked up at the opportunity to go question his caretakers and followed the sound eagerly. His feet barely made a sound against the hard, stone floor as he scrambled upstairs and was sorely disappointed to find himself standing in front of the Fon Master's room. Unhappily he peeked inside to see the couple sorting through drawers and boxes. The round, matronly woman was chiding her husband pleasantly as they gutted the room. Florian leaned further into the doorway as he saw strange, foreign items and important looking documents among other odd bobbles. Somehow the ominous room didn't seem so bad if the Tatlins were inside it.
"Florian?" Oliver gave a start when he saw the boy, glancing at his wife uncertainly. The woman's pouty lips curved into a concerned frown. "What are you doing here?"
"I heard you," Florian said as he kept his dark jade gaze on the boxes, "It's easy to hear noises in the hallways."
"It is, is it?" Oliver said more than asked with a sheepish laugh. Florian looked up at the man, his eyes wide with curiosity and brows folded upwards in concern.
"Why are you doing this?" he asked, searching the couple for answers in their body language more than their words. The Tatlins were nervous as if he'd just caught them in the middle of some secret act.
"Well… Florian, as you know, Fon Master Ion has…" Oliver seemed uncomfortable as he searched for a gentler word, but the replica knew the concern wasn't for his feelings so much as it was painful on the man to say. "He has passed on and we need to do something with what he had left behind…"
"Trithiem says that soon they will need to have another Fon Master and we should clear the room out," Pamela added, smiling softly at Florian.
"You're making room for his replacement," Florian said, barely taking notice of the flinch in the Tatlins and regretted the hurt look on their faces.
"Oh, Florian, Ion could never be replaced," Pamela said sadly, "The same way you can never be replaced…" The green haired child only made a soft noise in confirmation he heard her, but wasn't moved by her words as he looked back at the boxes. Not that he could ever think badly of Pamela and was confident she always had the best intentions. He simply knew better. Pamela looked to her husband for help.
"How would you like to help us?" Oliver asked instead of trying to argue with the replica, "Would you like to get to know Ion… our Ion?" he added quickly before Florian could bring up the fact there was more than one. He knew the boy never meant to be cruel, but the reminder of what their Ion must have secretly suffered as a replacement was still very painful.
"He's dead," Florian said, gracing Oliver with a puzzled expression, "Why does it matter?"
"People tend to like to remember those that are close to them," the man said, running a hand through his hair as he tried to figure out how to explain it, "I know that you never met Ion, but I figured that since you had a similar birth, you might consider him to be your brother of sorts…"
"Brother…?" Florian frowned at the word and the strange discomfort it caused in his heart. His eyes traveled away from the Tatlins as he chewed over the notion. Much of it seemed farfetched, but there was a part of him that wondered about the Ion that meant so much to Anise. Slowly he nodded and turned back to smile at Oliver and Pamela. "Yeah," he said, "I want to help you."
"Wonderful," Pamela said happily, finally moving over to guide the boy near some boxes so they could get to work. She tried to make sure Florian was close to her as they went through the room, but he could tell little of her attention was actually on him. Nearly every item the couple pulled out had some sort of fond memory of their Ion. "Oh, remember when…" she would blissfully begin her stories, but the green haired boy had started to tune her out. He didn't like the wistful, loving tone her voice took when it came to his predecessor. He didn't like how she and Oliver would swoon over how wonderful Ion was, and how thoughtful Ion was. How perfect Ion had been in every way. He especially didn't like how many stories they apparently had of Ion and Anise spending long hours together in this very room.
Florian sulked unhappily as the Tatlins lost themselves in their pleasant memories, not taking any notice of him at all anymore. The replica felt something in his heart twist bitterly and quickly decided he did not like Ion at all. While they swooned over their beloved Ion, the boy noticed a purple, rod of some importance poking out of one of the boxes Oliver had been sorting and was instantly compelled to act. Without warning he practically lunged on the box, gripping the handle and pulled lose a sinister looking staff. Oliver instinctively reached for the boy and was startled by the replica's agility. Florian was out the door before a word could be said, laughing happily as a wave of exhilaration gripped him and he ran full speed down the nearest hall.
"F-Florian?" Oliver started before rising and giving chase, wondering what could have possessed the normally well behaved child to do such a thing, "Wait! Someone…!" Despite the call for help, the other ecclesiastics were quick to step out of the boy's way and watched him go in partial disbelief.
Oliver wasn't sure if he was more impressed or frustrated by Florian's stamina. He had always assumed that the replica would be just as fragile and sickly as the others had been, but that didn't seem to be the case at all. The man was quickly becoming more and more aware of his fading youth as they darted through the halls in a large circle that emptied into the main lobby.
"Oliver! Over here!" Florian laughed, twisting his body around to taunt Oliver cheerfully. Just as the man started to catch up, he turned on his heel and sprinted off again. The haggard man stumbled to a stop, horrified that his charge had yet to even lose his breath.
"Wait, Florian!" he wheezed out, "That belongs to Ion!" When he saw that the boy had already scaled the stairs and was peering down at him from the highest balcony, Oliver debated having a heart attack and ending his misery right there.
"Papa!" a high pitched voice quipped, amused and perplexed at the same time, "What are you doing?" Oliver turned his head in time to see Anise and the other worldly adventurers saunter through the doorway.
"Oh… we were just sorting out Fon Master Ion's belongings," Oliver gasped out between breaths, "and then Florian suddenly grabbed one of them and ran off…"
"So you're chasing him?" Luke asked dubiously, trying to keep his voice and expression even as he watched the man struggle for breath. Somehow, the redhead didn't think Oliver was going to make it at this rate.
"Anise!" Florian cheered happily from the balcony, finally taking notice of his precious friend. His face brightened at his new, brilliant idea. "Let's play tag! You're it!" Oliver groaned softly. If he had known Florian would turn playtime against them he would have never taught the boy such a game. Anise rolled her eyes, knowing her father was too much of a pushover to get Florian back under control.
"Florian!" she shouted up at the boy, hands going to her hips as she leaned her upper body forward to project her frustration better. Florian could swear he saw her pigtails flare out from temper and partially ducked behind the railing for shelter. "We don't have time for that right now!"
"Well, there's nothing wrong with taking a break every now and then," Jade suddenly interjected, pushing his glasses back with one finger so the light glinted off the lenses smartly. His mouth thinned into a polite demon's smile. Anise whipped her head to stare up at the Malkuth military man on her left with a look that spoke volumes for her suspicion.
"You must have a reason for saying that…" the blonde swordsman to the right commented, sparing a sideways glance at Jade. Guy knew that the Necromancer wouldn't be interested in a child's game unless he could benefit in some way.
"So, let's play a little game of tag!" Jade said brightly as if Guy said nothing, "Or would it be hide-and-seek?" This earned a further narrowing of eyes and suspicious glares from the other members of the group.
"All right!" the feisty redhead all but cheered as he stepped forward, bringing his arms up to his waist and clenching his fists enthusiastically. He was the only one who didn't seem to notice or at least didn't care about Jade's motives. His grin widened into a smirk as he looked up at Florian. "I didn't spend my whole life stuck in a manor for nothing! You're so mine!"
"Luke…" Guy said with a sigh and weak chuckle at his friend's excitement. He could only shrug and shake his head as the younger man took off for the stairs.
"Master, wait for me! Meiu!" the cheagle floated as quickly as he could to keep pace with Luke.
"How childish," the blonde princess sniffed as she folded her arms and watched as Florian gave a start upstairs then took off to some unknown area of the church. She gave a sharp glance towards the instigator at fault. "What's your purpose?"
"Why, you say that as though I'm the sort of person to have ulterior motives," Jade said in mock hurt, "I believe it will be good for all of us to have a bit of fun, don't you? Besides, the whole reason for our arrival was Anise's worry over Florian's well being." Anise flushed.
"I just don't want to risk mama and papa teaching him something stupid!" the girl objected, "Colonel, don't try to imply something." Oliver internally winced.
"I'm right here still…" he mumbled unhappily at his daughter's lack of faith in him and Pamela, "I can hear everything…" Either Anise didn't hear or didn't care.
"Whatever!" she said before smirking, "There's no way I'm losing to Luke. I'll catch Florian first!"
"Oh, so it's a competition now?" Guy said more than asked, a hand to his chin as he smirked, "In that case, prepare to be awed by my amazing skills. Who do you think it was that had to go find Luke when he hid around the manor?"
"Don't brag," Natalia objected, "I was able to find Luke just as easily as you. Besides, I'm a well trained hunter…" She gestured to her bow. Tear could only stare on at the budding contest, starting to feel a bit concerned.
"Somehow, I feel like hunting game and playing with a child shouldn't be compared…" she said softly to herself, knowing the others weren't about to listen.
"After you, princess," Guy said, bowing with an elegant hand to invite her to go first. Heels clacking swiftly against the floor, Natalia set off determined to win against Luke and Guy no matter what. Once everyone had dispersed, Tear sighed and looked over at Jade.
"You aren't going?" she inquired. Jade chuckled.
"Playing games is for young people," he said, "Although, I suppose I could act as referee." The long haired woman suppressed another sigh.
Florian grinned as he darted down the hall, enjoying the sound of his heart beating in time with his breathing. He felt good. Playing with the war orphans the order supported had made his body more durable, he assumed, since not long before he could barely walk the length of the church without needing a breather. Florian dismissed his thoughts when he heard the thumping of boots against the floor. With a grin he ducked behind one of the armors and was startled when it jumped away from him. He couldn't see the Oracle Knight's expression, but could feel the stranger's eyes staring down at him in disbelief. Florian looked up at the man desperately, his eyes unintentionally begging as he put a finger over his lips. With a hesitation the knight settled back into place, wondering what on earth had caused the replica to choose him as a hiding spot.
Guy mounted the stairs smartly, looking around with his sharp blue gaze. He lightly cupped his chin in his hand thoughtfully, having sworn he saw a flash of green over the banister a few moments ago. From his calculations it would make sense for Florian to be here about now as well judging from the child's earlier direction and speed. When he caught sight of the knights standing guard he smiled and raised a hand in greeting.
"Excuse me, gentlemen," he said smoothly, charm practically radiating from his smile, "Have you seen a kid with green hair run past here? My friends and I are looking for him."
"Ah…" one of the guards started, glancing over to his partner. There was a brief silence before the other knight shifted his shield against closer against him.
"Yes," he finally said, "I believe he was heading towards the kitchens…"
"Thanks," Guy said with a good natured salute then jogged down the hall. When the coast was clear, Florian carefully removed himself from behind the shield and smiled up at the knight happily. He bowed politely to his helper then took off in the opposite direction Guy had, not bothering to explain himself.
"Oh, this is so much harder than I thought it would be," Natalia said with a sigh as she ported in from downstairs. Florian had to scramble behind a corner to avoid being caught, clamping a hand over his mouth as he pressed himself flat against the wall. The princess huffed and flipped some of her hair out of the way. "If only there was a trail or broken branches I could follow…" she mused.
"Yeah, well, this place isn't anything like the forest," Anise said, stepping out from behind the regal blonde. She grinned like the cat that ate the canary. "I know all the good hiding spots around here. This will be easy for me with a home field advantage."
"It's an unfair advantage," Natalia said with a frown, "Hardly worth boasting about."
"Boo!" Anise inflated her cheeks with a pout. "You're just upset that I'm going to win! And you should have known better before challenging me here."
"Well, I for one have to wonder exactly why you know all the hiding spots," Natalia said with a sly grin, "Skimping your duties? You'll never find a rich man to marry if you take short cuts like that. Men like a productive woman."
"Hey, I'm a hard worker," Anise objected, hands on her hips again as the girls bickered. They were so wrapped up in their own fussing they didn't notice when Florian slipped by and went through a door on the other side of the room. The boy was feeling pretty good about himself and chuckled softly as he scrambled along the passageway, coming out into the library.
"Think you're pretty clever, huh?" Florian froze and was able to hear the smirk in Luke's voice before he even turned around. He spun on his heel and saw nothing. Looking around revealed no one was there, either, until he happened to chance a glance upwards. The boy gawked in awe as Luke fon Fabre, in all his glory, stood atop one of the book shelves. "Gotcha!"
"Master, you did it!" Mieu squealed as he hovered over the older boy's shoulder.
"Why…?" Florian managed after a few moments of staring. Luke was happy the boy had asked, knowing there were few things he was a master of, and relishing in the fact he got to be the one on the explaining end for once.
"I figured you'd come here," Luke said, obviously satisfied with his own cleverness, "Everyone knows bookshelves and garden mazes are the best places to hide in."
"Master is so smart," the blue creature gushed, not seeming to mind that he was being thoroughly ignored by the replicas.
"I mean… why are you on the shelf?" Florian asked slowly.
"Well, Va… My old teacher used to tell me that getting the high ground gave you an advantage," Luke said, "Besides, I can see everything from up here…"
"What are you doing? Get down from there this instant!" a cleric hissed angrily up at the noble, causing the pair to jump, "This is a place of study and worship, not gymnastics or whatever you're doing." Luke felt his cheeks turn pink and a bead of sweat go down the back of his neck as he looked down at the cleric. Maybe he had gotten carried away just a little bit.
"A-Ah… Yeah, sorry," Luke mumbled as he climbed down, looking at the older man sheepishly, "We were playing a game and…"
"Playing a game? You're disturbing everyone," the man said, puffing himself up to give the boys a good scolding. Florian winced and hid behind Luke to use the teen as a shield. The redhead briefly had the childish notion to drag the other replica out and make him take the blame, too, but sighed and pushed the idea away.
"Sorry, sir, it was my fault," Luke said, "Don't get mad at Florian, alright? He's just a kid."
"Mieuuu…" Meiu whined unhappily as if he was the one being scolded instead of his master and Florian.
"Florian?" the man blinked at Luke as if the noble was out of his mind. The redhead hesitated before turning around and felt his reality flip upside down when he saw no one was there. His mind reeled as he turned back to the man, fumbling for an explanation.
"D-Didn't you see him? He was right here!" he babbled, "Like, right behind me. You had to have seen him!"
"You're in enough trouble as it is without trying to make up ridiculous excuses," the cleric said, folding his arms across his chest as he prepared to release his full fury on the boy.
"Sorry," Florian whispered softly from where he had quietly slipped under one of the study tables and crawled to the opposite end of the library. He felt a little guilty for letting Luke take the fall, but he didn't want the game to end just yet. With that in mind, he quietly left the library, vaguely noting the sound of Meiu squealing his support for the young master. Florian decided to head for the warp pad, having an idea of where he could hide. He enjoyed the tingling sensation of being warped while he stepped on the yellow, circular glyph and closed his eyes.
"Oho." A firm hand was placed on the boy's shoulder when he landed. Florian nearly jumped out of his skin as he turned his wide eyes up to meet an amused, crimson gaze. Jade smiled. "It looks like Tear is the winner."
"I wasn't really playing…" Tear said but once again knew she might as well be talking to herself. Florian opened his mouth then quickly shut it again when no response came out. He felt disappointed that the game was over and sulked softly at being caught. "Don't worry, Florian, you did a good job," Tear said, her expression cool and serious, but her words were warm for him. The boy blinked at her before smiling happily with a modest giggle. He noticed a slight pinkening of the woman's cheeks and she put a hand to her mouth as if to suppress some sort of outburst. He stared curiously at the woman and tilted his head to the side, noticing for some reason this worsened her flush.
"You… are you ill or embarrassed?" Florian asked innocently, truly concerned he had done something to upset the woman or endanger her health. The brunette shook her head a little more forcefully than she intended, sending her long locks whipping about her waist.
"N-No, don't worry about it," she said as she attempted to will her voice into a more militaristic tone. Jade chuckled, gaining Florian's attention and earning a slight cringe from the female.
"Tear has an infatuation of sorts with things she finds cute," Jade explained much to the girl's horror. He ignored her indignant protest of his name, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose again. "Fear not. The only harm it could do is to her pride."
"Does pride hurt when it is harmed?" Florian asked, his lips curving into a small frown.
"An interesting question," Jade said almost as if praising the boy, but to Tear it sounded like mockery. Then again, everything sounded like mockery when it came from the Necromancer. "Pride does indeed hurt. It can cause many problems and pain, but it is something valuable to most people because it gives them self worth." The blank look on Florian's face told him that he'd already lost the boy. "Well, you'll understand when you start to gain things that are important to you. Do not strain yourself."
"Pamela and Oliver are important to me," Florian said with all the love a child could possess, "And Anise."
"That's so…" Tear started, her voice unintentionally hitting a higher octave before she could suppress herself again. She coughed then smiled at the boy as she spoke more sedately. "It's good to have people important to you. Make sure to cherish that." Florian bobbed his head up and down, noticing a strange sadness in her tone, but he didn't understand enough to read any deeper meanings in her statement.
"Aw, man, looks like I lost," Guy said as he sauntered up to the group, hand resting against the sheath of his sword lazily. Despite this, he had a content smile on his face and seemed to be enjoying himself on some nostalgic level.
"So it seems," Jade agreed, "I do hope you're ready for your penalty."
"What?" Guy's face contorted into alarm then irritation. "We never agreed to a penalty if you lose!"
"Guy, it is disgraceful to whine in the face of defeat," Jade said rather than arguing the point. His expression and voice was stern now as he regarded the young man. "Consider this a lesson in humility for when you retake your title as Count. A noble must show grace and dignity at all times. Perhaps you have forgotten this after living as Luke's servant so long…" Guy winced at the reminder of how his future was in many ways resting in Jade's hands. A bad report to Emperor Peony would not bode well for him.
"Fine…" the blonde said as if resigning himself to some horrible fate, "What's the penalty?"
"Go fetch some pastries, if you would," Jade said as evenly as he would while assigning battle positions to his soldiers. Guy decided it was best not to question Jade and submitted to his task with a grunt of confirmation. Florian watched the exchange passively, glancing between the retreating swordsman and fonist for some hint of what exactly had just happened.
"Pastries, colonel…?" Tear asked although she wasn't sure she wanted to know why. The slight tilt of Jade's head and the way the light glinted off his lenses told her that she was better off not knowing for now. "Um… Never mind."
"Ah, there you are!" Natalia said as she rounded the same corner Guy had disappeared behind moments before. She hid her disappointment at losing the game easily with all the elegance of a princess. "Guy told me that you won, Tear. Congratulations."
"It was all a matter of ascertaining the most tactically advantageous position," Tear said simply, "I figured it was only a matter of time before Florian would be forced to use the warp pad in one direction or another. In order to stop this silliness, catching him seemed like the best course of action."
"Ah, I see," Natalia said, not missing a beat, but it was hard to tell if she really did see the rational or not. She instead turned her attention to Florian. "You are very nimble to have avoided me despite my training. I have a new respect for you." Florian ducked his head shyly.
"I wonder the halls a lot so I know them well," he said with a tiny blush. Natalia nodded her approval.
"It is good to know the layout of your home," she said, "I hope one day you take the time to learn the layout of Daath and its people so you can learn to support them."
"Natalia, I don't think Florian wants to become Fon Master from what I understand," Tear said. Natalia waved a hand to dismiss the explanation.
"It doesn't matter," she said before smiling with all the confidence and love she had for her own kingdom, "No matter what your position in the world, you should know your home and try to improve it with your own hands." Florian's mouth dropped open in a small 'o' as he listened to the regal woman. He could almost see her passion and spirit radiating around her.
"I want to!" Florian said brightly, raising his hand like an eager volunteer, suddenly enthusiastic as if Natalia's determination had infected him as well, "I want to do that. That's what Anise is doing right now, right?"
"Anise is doing what she can," Natalia said with an approving nod, folding her arms thoughtfully across her chest, "So, you must do what you can as well."
"I don't know what I can do…" Florian said, his smile deflating.
"Right now, just being here for Anise is enough," Tear finally said, looking down at the boy fondly, "She already seems to be in better spirits just from seeing you." The replica blinked, staring into the girl's bright, clear blue eyes to confirm the truth of her statement. He smiled softly to himself and fiddled with his robe.
"I want to make her happy…" he said shyly but honestly, "I'll do my best to make Anise smile a lot. I also like it when Tear smiles. So, I'll try to be here for you, too." Tear stared at the boy in shock for a moment before she had to turn away, both hands over her mouth as she tried to refrain from outright hugging the boy. Natalia chuckled softly.
"One day you might be quite the sweet talker," she observed, "Hopefully you won't turn out like Guy."
"Hmph, sweet, yeah…" a loud voice grumbled as Luke approached the group with a sulky expression. After the way the boy had ditched him, the noble was starting to have doubts about just how innocent Florian was.
"Luke, don't use that kind of tone with Florian," Tear said defensively as if she'd been the one personally attacked, "He's just a little kid." Luke winced, recognizing it as the same scolding tone she took when he picked on Meiu.
"Ok, ok, I didn't mean it," the redhead tried to soothe her before she could release a full blown nagging session on him. His expression softened. "That was pretty fun, though. I haven't played like that in forever!"
"Boo, am I the last one?" Anise called as she trotted up to her friends with a pout, "No way! Even with the home field advantage…"
"Well, Guy is missing…" Luke commented as he craned his neck to look for his former servant.
"I sent him on a little errand," Jade said simply, ignoring the suspicious look he received from Luke.
"Oh, well," Anise finally said before turning to smile at Florian, "Found you!" The boy giggled.
"That was fun," he said cheerfully. His chime like voice softened some of the weariness from the adventurers' hearts. It had been far too long since they had heard true laughter. Florian gripped the all but forgotten staff in his hands tighter from excitement.
"Could this be a planetary arte catalyst…?" Tear asked, switching back to business mode when she noticed the vile looking object in his hands. Florian blinked and looked down at the staff as if it might jump to life and tell them its secrets.
"Here you are!" Pamela said, shuffling down the hall. She was slightly out of breath and displayed a small, disapproving frown. "I was looking for you, Florian!" The replica's expression became reminiscent of a guilty puppy.
"Mama, was this staff Ion's?" Anise asked, ignoring any trouble Florian had caused for her parents.
"What? Well, yes, it is…" Pamela said, catching her breath while she recalled the origin of the staff in question. Florian glanced down at the strange object in his hand, taking the time to examine it himself. He felt a small shiver run through him when he realized that it seemed to be moving and pulsating like a living thing. Why anyone would honestly want such a horrible looking thing was beyond him.
"Mama, can we borrow this?" Anise eventually asked.
"That's not something I can decide, Anise," Pamela said as firmly as she could, hoping her daughter wouldn't try to fight her on this. She knew how much of a struggle Anise could put up when she wanted her way. Luckily for the mother, any objections the pigtailed girl had were quickly cut off.
"Let's ask Tritheim about it," Jade said. He was not interested in wasting any more time now that they had achieved their goal.
"Florian, let's go back to our room, ok?" Pamela asked in a tone that wasn't a request. Florian knew he was in trouble but for some reason didn't feel guilty even though he didn't like making Pamela upset at him.
"Okay," Florian agreed reluctantly. He hesitated when Anise stepped forward to recover the staff and glanced briefly at Natalia, remembering her words. His face brightened into a smile as he held the staff out to her. "Anise, let's play again sometime!"
"Oh… Of course," Anise said, a bit surprised by his enthusiasm, but couldn't say no to his smile even if she wanted to. The Fon Master Guardian found herself smiling as well while taking the staff. "I'll talk to you later, okay? We're going to be staying here for a little while anyways." Florian bobbed his head up and down in agreement, nearly skipping as he followed after Pamela despite the lecture waiting for him down the hall.
The boy's good mood had yet to fade as he set to work in their bedroom cleaning it without being told. He carefully straightened the bed he had been using and made sure all of Anise's things were in place. The last thing Florian wanted was for her to have any reason to be upset when she got back. Florian hurried to help Pamela with dinner once he had finished, humming softly to himself.
Pamela sighed, knowing that her earlier scolding had gone to waste, but she was happy to see Florian so chipper. Once her husband returned she and Oliver quietly agreed to let the episode slide in favor of celebrating Anise being home for the night. As things settled down to a lull while they waited for the girl in question, Florian suddenly realized something was off. Anise and her friends never stayed in Daath any longer than necessary. He couldn't think of a single deviation from this until today. The fact that Oliver and Pamela had been in such a hurry to clear out the Fon Master's room combined with the overall mood of the Order that day only made him more suspicious.
"Oliver?" he inquired, no longer able to stand the mystery. He waited until the man had found a place to stop in his book and the tired eyes rolled up to meet Florian. When the replica was confident he had Oliver's full attention he continued. "What is happening? Everyone is odd today."
"Odd?" Oliver inquired, wondering what exactly the boy had picked up on. He noticed Pamela turning to look at them worriedly from the kitchen out of the corner of his eye.
"Odd," Florian repeated, "Everyone is talking about the Fon Master. You and Pamela took his things and Anise is visiting instead of just passing through…" Oliver sighed and closed his book, setting it to the side wearily. He leaned forward, resting most of his upper body's weight on his elbows while he regarded Florian thoughtfully. His eyes searched the boy almost as if he'd secretly had the answer all along.
"Florian," he said in an unnecessary move to get the replica's full attention, "Tomorrow will be a very important day for the Order. We are having a memorial service for Fon Master Ion." The boy swayed back slightly as if a strong wind had blown him off center.
"Which Ion?" he asked, voice softer now but there was a strange edge to it Oliver had never heard in him before. He watched for any warning signs as he gently continued, having expected the question.
"We don't know how many Ions there were," he admitted, "It's a memorial to which ever Ion you would like to think of. Memorials tend to mean many different things to different people." Florian wasn't satisfied by this and Oliver could tell from the stiffening of the green haired child's posture. However, Florian didn't question the honesty of Oliver's words. He made a soft noise to confirm he had heard then turned away to busy himself with something else.
"Florian…" Pamela started softly, words dying on her lips as she watched the small retreating form. She sighed and clasped her hands together in a silent prayer.
Florian pretended he hadn't heard as he dragged out one of the study books Trithiem had given him. He tried to read, but none of the words held any meaning to him while his mind wandered. Tomorrow the Fon Master would officially be dead. Two years had passed and now the world would know that the highest rank in the Order of Lorelei was gone. However, that Ion wasn't the one Anise and the others would be morning. The Ion they loved and respected was a replica wearing the persona of Ion. What had been so special about the replica that originals would mourn something disposable? Mohs had never mourned the others. No one had ever mourned them because they were disposable. Why was this Ion worth mourning over?
Florian didn't notice how tightly he had been gripping his book until his fingers began to throb. Slowly he unclenched his hands and allowed his eyes to wander from the book as if he no longer recognized the room he was in. They traced the corners of the little room and old, arranged dolls that were ever waiting patiently for their owner. His gaze lingered on them and felt a strange kinship with Anise's toys. All of them were waiting for the time when someone would pick them up to be used again. Always waiting for someone.
Before now he had been waiting in that room for Mohs to collect him. How long he had waited was a mystery. For all he knew it could have been days or years with no windows and no concept of time to aid the newborn replica. Only when Mohs had dropped by to quiz the boy on his purpose and how to fill the role of Fon Master did Florian have someone talk to him. In a strange way, he had loved the maestro, but it wasn't the kind of love that filled him with happiness. It was the kind of love an animal would have for the person that fed and watered them. He longed desperately for Mohs to praise him and was unhindered by any insults he had to bare so long as Mohs would look at him and tell the boy he had a purpose. Even if that purpose was something which now filled him with anxiety and had killed so many of the others. The purpose that had killed Anise's Ion.
Florian had to turn away from the dolls, knowing that it wasn't the same. The dolls had been loved and did not need to worry about being thrown away once their purpose was fulfilled. They were still cared for and had a place in the home. It wasn't the same thing at all. His eyes almost magnetically locked onto a box sitting not far away. He recognized that box and shuddered with a deep longing for it. He had seen Pamela and Oliver lovingly fill it with Ion's old, personal belongings. Soundlessly, he felt himself move to it and kneel next to the box, glancing back to make sure the Tatlins were too focused on their own matters before opening the lid.
Inside were several texts and bobbles the Fon Master had received as gifts from the neighboring kingdoms and less valuable items he had taken a liking to. Some, Florian imagined, were probably gifts from favorite Fon Master Guardians. The boy's hands were quick but delicate as if he already knew what he was looking for. Near the bottom was a small stack of papers crudely held together by a folded piece of leather and a red string. Florian carefully pulled out the papers as though handling a priceless relic. He retreated from the box, clutching his new treasure against him protectively and keeping his back to the Tatlins.
Once he was certain no one was coming to take the papers from him, he untied the string and pushed back a leather flap. He took in a soft breath when he saw the name scribbled across the first page.
"Ion…" Florian said softly as he shifted through the papers without honestly reading. He marveled at the chicken scratch that made up the first series of writings and appreciated seeing the slow progress the writer had made in learning how to properly use the pen. Then, without warning, it was barely legible again. Florian was quiet a moment before checking the date on the entry. Two years ago this had been written. Intrigued, he scanned over the crude entry.
"My name is Ion," it began, "Ion is my name. I will be called Ion. Please, call me Ion. Ion is what I reply to. If you say Ion, I should answer. Because I am Ion. Since this book has my name, it is mine." Florian stared at the message long and hard, rereading it several times. He understood it. Having a name was wonderful. Not long ago, he felt the same novelty in saying his own name and having someone else call him by it. Florian tore his eyes from the book to look back over his shoulder at the Tatlins again, suddenly feeling as if just by being near him right now they were trespassing on something important. He carefully refolded the leather around the papers and hid it in his robes. He silently padded to the exit, only looking up to announce his departure once he was half way through it.
"I'm going out for a bit," he said.
"Florian, Anise and her friends should be here soon," Pamela objected.
"I want to go out for a bit," Florian said, voice softening. Oliver looked up at the boy before smiling his weary, gentle smile.
"Be back soon," he said kindly, "I know this has to be hard on you. Just don't go outside the Order, ok? Even the courtyard could be dangerous this time of night." Florian only nodded in agreement before hurrying out the door. His feet moved so fast against the stone floor that he almost felt he was flying. If anyone spoke to him, he didn't hear. He could only hear his heart beating in his ears and robes swishing impatiently with every step. There was only one place he wanted to be at that moment and for once did not hesitate to enter the Fon Master's room. He had to stop for a moment to confirm it was the same place. It was mostly stripped of anything presenting sentimental value. He could swear some more valuable items were also missing, but didn't linger on the thought. Plopping himself in the desk chair he folded his legs under his bottom to get comfortable and snuggled down with his prize.
"Today is a Lunaday. I must pick a Fon Master Guardian," one of the other early entries said, "Arietta can't be my guardian. I'm not allowed to talk to her. She was doing something strange. Water came out of her eyes! I was surprised. It looked uncomfortable. I hope her leaking stops soon."
"Today is a Ifritday. Fon Master Guardians are all so big and strong. They're scary. Mohs says he found one for me that isn't scary. Her name is Anise and she is very cute. I wonder if Master Ion liked cute things. I wonder if I should like her. Arietta was cute. So, maybe he did like cute things. Then I will like cute things, too." Florian stopped a moment, wondering who exactly Arietta was. Somehow that name felt familiar, but it had probably only been in passing he caught wind of it.
"Today is a Undineday. Master Ion does not like carrots, so I cannot like carrots. Master Ion speaks softly, so I must not be loud. Master Ion's body is weak, so I cannot run. I'm not sure what his favorite food is. I need to find out quickly. Anise keeps making me lunch and I don't know if I am supposed to like it or not." The replica idly began to toy with one of the long strands of hair running over his shoulder, wishing he could try a lunch Anise had made. Maybe she would make one for him, too.
"Today is Loreleiday. I read the Score for everyone who came to see me. I'm very tired. We had to stop early because I got tired. Anise was angry at me. But everyone was smiling and thanked me when I read the Score. I feel good when people thank me. I want to read the Score to them every day." Why anyone would want to read that horrible Score was beyond Florian. He wrinkled his nose at the thought but chose not to linger on his own distastes. He noticed many of the next entries were similar and skipped them, not wanting to think about such matters anymore than he had to.
"Today is Gnomeday. Anise accidently put a carrot in my lunch today and I liked it. Master Ion's favorite food is tuna, but I don't like fish. It smells bad and has odd texture. I don't know what to say to Mohs. He will be angry with me if I tell him. I don't want to make anyone angry. Mohs has been so kind to me. He calls me special and different from the other six. I don't want him to take back those words." Florian's heart tightened in his chest. Mohs had never called him special, just useful and necessary if his predecessor continued to cause more trouble. Florian thought of throwing the book away right then, but was compelled to keep reading. However, he felt it was necessary to skip ahead quite a bit.
"I am very concerned over the political situation regarding Malkuth and Kimlasca. Every day the Oracle Knights report more and more border disputes between the countries. Mohs has told me not to concern myself in these matters where my job is just to be a figure head to the people. Is that really ok? I'm not so certain Mohs is right anymore. As Fon Master I feel like there is something more I should be doing." The green haired boy checked the date, alarmed by the change in tone from the first entries. Nearly a year had passed between the entries.
"I've been thinking about the Score lately. Mohs says it is absolute and we must follow it to ensure prosperity. However, I am not in the Score. Day in and day out I read the Score for people to reassure them they are walking the correct path, but the only reference I have is Mohs telling me what to do. If there is no Score for me to follow, what path am I walking? Is it possible there is a path outside of the Score to walk? When I asked Mohs he became very angry with me and had me confined to my room."
"Today, Mohs let me leave my room at last. It has been nearly a week since I talked to Anise and it made me realize how lonely I am without her there. She is the only one who knows I don't like tuna. I never told her, but she knows. She never makes a lunch that has tuna in it and, even though it seems meaningless, it makes me very happy. I know she is only doing her job. Still, it makes me feel like I'm a real person when she scolds me and worries about me. Only Anise knows I am a real person and not just the Fon Master." Florian couldn't help agreeing with the fact that Anise was a great person and worthy of admiration, but somehow it caused his heart to ache realizing that she had been so devoted to the other replica and always at his side. He quietly closed the crude journal and put it on the desk.
For a long time he just stared at the records of his predecessor. That Ion had called himself a person and doubted Mohs. They hadn't been taught to do that. That Ion had his own preferences and opinions that went outside of playing the role of Fon Master. Florian leaned back into the chair, pushing his legs out from under him as if a readjustment in sitting would give him a new perspective to think from.
"But were you ever able to become more than a replica…?" Florian whispered, his gaze never leaving the journal. He wasn't sure how long he sat there waiting for some sort of answer to pop out at him. He barely registered the clicking of a handle being turned before the door opened. With a soft gasp of alarm, Florian dove under the Fon Master's desk, clasping a hand over his mouth to muffle himself.
The door gently eased shut and clicked quietly into place. For an eternity there was silence then the solemn, muffled sound of walking. Florian nearly rose when he recognized the tiny steel tipped boots from under the desk, but something told him he should be still. When the boots were out of sight, he listened. Every sound was slow and heavy as the intruder forced themselves to delve deeper into the room. Florian could imagine those bright brown eyes dimly taking notice of the boxes Oliver and Pamela had packed. However, he knew she wouldn't really be looking at the boxes so much as painful reminders of how cruel progress was. Packed boxes meant that they were moving on and soon it would be as if no Ion had ever been there at all. The sound of clenching fists was deafening in the silence of the virtually empty room.
Anise didn't want to move on. She wanted to rip the boxes apart and put everything back in its place where the masterless possessions could sit and wait for Ion to come home. Then she could pretend that one day he would come bustling through that door with his stacks of papers and flushed cheeks. His face would be blank for a fraction of a second then go from shocked to happy instantly. He would smile pleasantly and apologize for the mess his paper work had caused. He would greet her as if there was no place he would rather her be than at his side. She would scold him for making her worry and try to convince him to take things easier and he would apologize again. Then she would talk to him while he mindlessly signed the papers other maestros had previously approved. Every now and then he would politely stop her so he could read a document that caught his interest before asking her to continue. They would pass peaceful days with the same routine that only differed depending on if they felt like going on a walk or eating with her parents. He would always be at her side with that ever gentle, endlessly patient smile. Not a day would go by without Ion's smile.
"That would be nice…" Anise laughed bitterly at her own foolishness, rubbing the back of her head as if to brush the thoughts away. Her eyes fell on the bed and wondered how many times she had sat beside him while he rested after working too hard. Slowly her body approached the bed and she wondered when the last time was someone changed the sheets. Who had time to worry about changing sheets with everything that had happened? Before the thought even crossed her mind, she flung herself onto the bed, crushing the nearest pillow into her chest as she curled around it. The moment the familiar scent triggered her senses she broke into sobs. Her body twisted tighter around the pillow with all the strength her tiny, battle hardened figure had.
Florian shivered at the heart wrenching noise Anise made. He nearly cried out her name in fear something horrible had happened to her. It was a strangled, choked sound that quickly escalated into a wailing moan. When it dissolved into hitched breathing he nearly relaxed until another partial scream escaped her into the pillow. Florian clamped his hands over his ears as he curled into his knees for comfort. He could still hear the thrashing and incoherent angry rants from the bed and it terrified him. He didn't understand why Anise would do such a thing, but he did understand that it caused his stomach to clench so tight he was glad he hadn't eaten dinner or it might have come back up. His heart was useless led and he was vaguely aware of tears in his own eyes, but he didn't dare make a sound. Neither knew how long they stayed like that. Florian was too frightened to move even long after Anise's tantrum had ceased. He loosened his grip over his ears just enough to listen to her hitched breathing and whimpers, feeling his heart sink deeper into himself every time she called out Ion's name.
Only when it was quiet did Florian feel himself start to stir from his spot. He was numb and barely aware of himself as he maneuvered his way out from under the desk. He remained crouched and held onto the corner of the furniture as if it was the only thing keeping the room in one piece. Anise didn't move. Remaining low to the ground, Florian stealthily crept to the bedside. Anise still hadn't budged and he could hear her breathing again. There was at least one thing he didn't have to worry about. His dark jade eyes barely peeked over the edge to survey ground zero.
The bed sheets had been ripped from the mattress and the pillows that hadn't been trapped in Anise's furious grip were thrashed off the bed. One of the nearby lamps had taken a nasty tumble and a picture was knocked askew by the soft projectiles. The sheets were twisted around her thin legs and body in a desperate attempt to stop her from causing greater harm to her own self or the room. Anise's back was to him and she still hadn't moved. Reassured that he wasn't in immediate danger from her temper, Florian meekly mounted the bed. For the longest time he just sat there, staring at her, lost on what to do. He was suddenly keenly aware of how little he knew about Anise and wished with all his heart he had more experience.
Florian jumped when he felt a slight breeze brush through his hair. He didn't think any of the windows had been open nor had there previously been a draft. The boy twisted sharply as he went on alert for danger at a following rustle. His eyes darted about for the source of the noise and finally settled on the journal that had been abandoned on the desk. He stared blankly at it while he mulled over his options. He had no better source of reference and slipped off the bed. Almost desperately he snatched up the journal and worked off the leather flap. Skimming the pages he flipped across the records of his predecessor's brief two years of life in the Order of Lorelei until one stuck out to him.
"Anise is very upset and I am worried about her. At first I thought she was just angry, but when I saw her walking in the hall she seemed so deeply troubled. Pamela and Oliver probably fell for a scam again. I know Anise is always talking about expensive things and money, but I don't have much myself. I have an allowance of sorts given to me by the Order yet it isn't enough to buy her smile back. I'm going to ask one of the other guardians to take me out today so I can gather some flowers from the forest. Anise has told me before about the Borialis flowers that bloom there. She says that her father used to take her to a patch of flowers back when she was young and carefree. The memories seem to make her feel better so I'm hoping I can find them. The library says they are bell shaped, yellow and pink flowers. Somehow that suits her, I think."
Florian pulled out the entry and carefully folded it into his pocket, dog earring one of the pages so he could put it back into place later. He gave Anise one last long look before slipping out the door and carefully clicking it shut behind him.
Anise groaned softly as she tried to turn over and found her legs stuck. With a grunt and a soft curse she kicked off the offending sheet so she could readjust herself. Snuggling down, she couldn't help noting something like soft confetti was on the bed with her. Odd. Anise didn't remember celebrating anything recently. Her next realization was something extraordinarily floral was filling her senses. Did she fall asleep outside? How did she get there? With a start, the girl snapped her eyes open. The ceiling was there and that much was normal. Slowly Anise rose, eyes widening as they tried to take in the pile of flowers she was laying in. Pink and yellow petals were everywhere. Most of the flowers were still intact and some still had stems attached. She and the bed had apparently become a dumping ground for the uprooted plants.
"Wh… What?" Anise stammered unsteadily as she tried to wrap her mind around the phenomena. She delicately picked one up and held it to her face. "A Borialis? How?"
A soft clicking alerted her to someone shutting the door and looked up just in time to see Florian enter the room with a fresh new bouquet folded into his arms. The replica froze in mid step when he realized she was awake and his face went blank at being caught. Filthy didn't begin to describe him. His clothes were all out of place, wrinkled and torn. His once white pants were nearly brown from the mud that had been stubbornly imbedded in the fabric. Florian's hair stuck out at odder angles than normal and he was missing his ceremonial hat. For a long time they waited for the other to make the first move.
"Florian…" Anise finally breathed out, "What are you doing?" Assured she wasn't going to yell at him, Florian relaxed just enough so he could fidget shyly.
"I wanted… to make you smile," he finally said, "I want to try my best so you'll be happy. This is the only thing I can do right now." Anise's face went blank, remembering words so similar and spoken in an identical voice being said to her once long ago.
"I saw that you were upset and I thought these might help. I like the smiling Anise best, but this is the only thing I can do for you. I'm sorry." He had smiled with that barrier breaking smile as he held out the flowers to her. He was obviously exhausted from his adventure in that fragile body, but he had done it for her. He was the only one that had ever gone out of his way for her sake.
Then there was Florian. Sweet, innocent Florian. He had that concerned wide eyed look again while he waited for her to speak. Every inch of his body language was so honest and blatantly worried about her that it broke the girl's heart.
"Why…" She whispered out thickly, looking down so her bangs cascaded over her eyes. Florian's anxiety rose while he tried to develop x-ray vision through the wavy dark curtains. He cringed as he waited for her to glare at him and scold him. "Why are you…? How did you…" She clenched her teeth as her body shuddered. Without warning, she abandoned the bed, sending petals flying from where they had clung to her hair and clothes. Florian dropped the flowers in his hands as her arms wrapped securely around his upper body. "Idiot!" she sobbed against him, "Y-You idiot! Look at how dirty and banged up you are! Why would you do something so risky? Don't you know the forest is dangerous?"
Florian fumbled for an answer, unsure what he should do with his hands while she clung to him and made such loud, distraught noises.
"Please, don't be angry, Anise," he begged, "I know I did a bad thing, but you were so sad and… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you angry." Anise tightened her grip around him, not caring for the moment if she was squeezing too tight.
"You're lucky no monsters got you," Anise scolded, doing her best to be furious at him, but all she could feel was a heart wrenching happiness which only served to remind her how lonely she had been. Florian looked down at her helplessly as her tears soaked through his robes. "Ugh, you're as stupid as he was. Just too stupid… What will I do if something takes you away, too?"
Florian still had no answers for Anise. Slowly, he felt his arms wrap around the smaller girl and tried to stand still for her. He was silent as he watched her body shudder against his and waited for her to calm down again. When she pulled back with that puffy, tear stained face he looked down in shame. Anise chuckled weakly despite herself, rubbing a sleeve across her face.
"Don't be sorry, Florian," she managed to say, voice thick and choked. She took a moment to swallow a few more tears. "I shouldn't have yelled at you… I'm sorry." Her smile was soggy and painful but genuine enough to make Florian flush. "We're both real messes now!" she said with a short laugh, "And who is going to clean up all these flowers?"
"Um… I didn't think about that," Florian admitted as he looked at the flowers and dirt he had hauled in the room that night. Anise chuckled at the pitiful look he gave her and she reached up to ruffle his messy hair.
"Don't worry. I already have an idea of what we can do…" Anise said.
Tear solemnly climbed the stairs to the altar, eyes distant as she tried to restrain her own mourning and sorrow. She could feel the stares of her comrades and clergymen on her back. Now was the time to honor Ion, not lament over her own pain. She clenched a hand over her chest as she remembered the sacrifice he made for all of them. For the sake of Auldarant, the world he loved, and the friends he cherished. Herself included, as he had removed the miasma from her polluted body. Without him surely she would have been dead long before now.
"Oh, Fon Master…" she breathed out softly to herself. She looked down at the altar erected in his honor and hesitated at the strange display. Upon it was a massive, but crudely arranged bouquet of yellow and pink bell shaped flowers. She had assumed the church would spare no expense but this looked nothing short of amateur. Tear caught herself from reaching out to touch the flowers and pulled her hand back to her side. Somehow, even if the flowers weren't perfect, they were sweet and obviously someone had worked very hard to collect all of them by hand. Ion would definitely be moved by the care and love that had gone into it.
Tear's eyes closed as her chest swelled with the love and respect she felt for the dearly departed Fon Master. Her voice was strong and pure, more elegant than ever as she poured her heart into every syllable, hoping her song would reach him wherever he was.
Florian was in awe of Tear's song, staring at the radiant figure in front of the altar. Breath taking didn't accurately describe her voice or beauty. He only managed to look away when he felt a soft squeeze on his hand. His eyes traveled down to Anise at his side and smiled faintly at the tranquil look on her face. Briefly his gaze ventured over the assembled crowd, amazed by the love and devotion that filled every corner of the great cathedral.
No one would cry or be moved like this by something that was expendable. Somehow, Ion had surpassed his role as a replacement Fon Master. He had risen above being a mere replica by his own resolve and beliefs. Florian felt a new respect for the deceased Fon Master and hoped one day he could be like that, too. He wanted to become a real person like his predecessor. He gripped Anise's hand back gently, his eyes focusing on the altar again.
"Predecessor is wrong…" he whispered softly to himself, squirming for an adequate term for the new warmth in his heart towards Ion, "My... big brother."
"… Thank you."
Florian gasped sharply, feeling something warm flow through his entire body as a breeze rustled his hair softly against his cheeks. The replica's heart fluttered excitedly in his chest and he barely noticed a small cry of surprise from Luke. Tear was glowing now from some unidentified power, but Florian knew it and he understood what it was.
"Big brother…" he said again, this time with affection. Florian smiled faintly as he listened to Tear's song, knowing that this would be the first and only time he would listen to it with his sibling.
This isn't intended to be an Anise x Florian fic. Remember that he's just a kid and all kids need someone to cling to. Since Anise was the first one to be truly kind to him he's latched onto her.
Please feel free to give suggestions or let me know if you like what you see/think I could do something better. Believe it or not, I do tend to take reviews into serious consideration and altar things accordingly if I feel they are valid points. Your voice matters. :P