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Beginnings
By Neko-chan the Mewse
4/8/11

"It's not the end for you yet, Sync," Ion whispered fiercely. "Not if I can help it."

"I suppose then that I'll just go along with whatever you decide," Sync replied flippantly.

Sync hadn't been sure what to expect when he had been defeated and his fonons scattered to the winds. He dimly wondered if Vaan could still succeed in the face of such a determined group but found that he couldn't care less. What good would Vaan's replica world do him when he was dead?

He had died, briefly, down in the core. He couldn't remember much but it had been peaceful. It was infinitely harder to live.

He felt the same peace creeping up on him now and he eagerly awaited it. He was tired of life, tired of living. He was a replica, he had no worth, and because he wasn't strong enough, he had been defeated.

"Sync, won't you come with me?"

It took him a moment to realize that the soft voice that sounded so much like his own did, in fact, not come from inside his head. He wearily glanced up, disconcerted to find that his fonons had been gathered together to temporarily give him form again. The replica of Ion that had been good enough to live stared down at him with pitying eyes. That was strange. Wasn't the other replica supposed to be dead?

"Sync, I'm sorry, I know you wanted to rest but I couldn't just let you go. You said before that replicas are worthless if they can't replace their original. I want a chance to prove you wrong." Ion—because what other name could he answer to?—gently patted Sync's head and he realized his head was lying on the other replica's lap.

"I'm right though," Sync muttered, turning his head away. He convinced himself that he didn't move off of Ion's lap because he was tired and couldn't be bothered. It wasn't as if the action was comforting. "I'm not as good as my original and because of that I was defeated."

"You were defeated by another replica, one who tried his hardest not to replace his original once he realized what he was." Ion pointed out.

Sync stared into Ion's determined eyes and sighed. "You're not gonna let me die unless I say you're right, are you."

"I'm not going to let you die at all," Ion replied. "Not unless you want it so badly you're willing to kill me."

"You're already dead," Sync pointed out. "I can't kill you twice."

Ion smiled sadly. "I'm not quite dead and neither are you. You will be soon, though, if you don't accept my offer."

Sync rolled his eyes. It was so typical of the soft spoken Fon Master. "You never gave me any offer."

"Yes I did. Come with me," Ion smiled.

"Go with you where?" Sync deadpanned.

Ion flung his arms out and declared, "Anywhere! Everywhere! Wherever you want! We'll have a few responsibilities, but that's not a problem."

Sync stifled a groan. He dreaded the thought of being chained to a sissy like Ion. "I'm tired. Just let me die. I lived my very short replica life. End story."

"No," Ion hissed and Sync did a double take at the fierce glint in his eyes. "No, it's not the end. It's never the end."

"Well, death is supposed to be the absolute ending," Sync drawled. "If you think you can change that then go ahead."

Ion's eyes flashed blue for a moment and then he leaned down to rest his forehead against Sync's. Sync had no choice but to concede when Ion was so determined.