014 ~ [Action]

[soreplaceable]

[It was late last night when Ion was taken from the village, and it had been done so quietly it might have been impossible to know he was gone if his bedding hadn't been thrown around the room.]

[But he wasn't gone for very long, as it's less than a day later that Ion returns to the village sometime in the early evening. At a glance, he might just

Comments

[Action]

[its_rose_damnit]

[Dist was just on his way back home from the library, having to occupy his time somehow now that he moved out of house one. He has a few books tucked under his arm, not paying attention to much else than returning to his apartment room. He just barely spots the young Fon Master out of the corner of his eye, taking a few more steps before he stops and turns his head quickly.]

Io--Fon Master?!

[Dist bites his lip, furious that his first reaction was that of deep concern for the boy, and approaches with a hastened pace. When had he been taken? Did the others know? Was he all right? He looked disoriented. Dist stops in front of Ion and looks him over. He looked unharmed...]

[Action]

[soreplaceable]

[Oh hey, it's another... er, okay, Ion doesn't know what anything moving around him is, but they all look a little alike! But his words don't seem to register and Ion just stares up at Dist as though he's never seen anything like him in his life.]

[And technically, he hasn't.]

[Action]

[its_rose_damnit]

[Something about the way Ion was looking at him, like he'd never seen him before, was unsettling. Dist glanced around then knelt before the boy. He had a feeling of foreboding, and watched Ion's face closely, mostly his eyes. He'd seen this face more often than anyone else, and was feeling that foreboding sense develop into one of dread, then frustration.

So, this is how those worms entertained themselves, was it? Despicable...]

Fon Master. ...Ion. Ion, can you understand me?

[Action]

[soreplaceable]

[Understand, understand... somewhere in the back of his mind, for a brief moment, the programming enabling him to understand speech kicks on. But for someone who's never used his vocal chords, getting that point across is going to be slow coming.]

...uh. [He flinches a little, as if not expecting a sound to have come from his own lips.]

[Action]

[its_rose_damnit]

[...Hm. That was something of a breakthrough, at the least Ion responded, and didn't just stare dimly at him. That alone told Dist enough. Ion wasn't completely void of basic functions. Good, that would make getting him back to house one all the easier. Hopefully he's intelligent enough to follow basic commands as well as understand them. Dist can't remember much of when Ion was replicated - it didn't concern him then - so he doesn't know what this replica is capable of in this state.

What an annoyance. Those damned 'scientists' were truly out to get under Dist's skin in the worst possible ways.]

Yes, you can speak. You are called Ion, and I am Dist. Can you also stand?

[Action]

[soreplaceable]

[Ion's mind works to absorb that information, taking a few moments to process what it means. He can speak. He is called "Ion". The one in front of him is "Dist". He can stand.]

[...can he stand? That one was a question. But it's not one he knows the answer to, seeing as he isn't sure what "stand" means.]

[So Dist gets another blank stare.]

[Action]

[its_rose_damnit]

[Oh, for the love of Hod. Dist practically facepalms at Ion's reaction, then stands up straight and gently grips Ion's arm to tug him up on his feet. He's certainly not going to carry the boy, regardless if he's incapable to do so himself. But still...Dist couldn't just leave Ion here by himself. After the events of the previous experiment - curse it to the blackest pit imaginable - Dist reluctantly felt a greater attachment to the boy. One that he couldn't shake, no matter how hard he tried.

He holds Ion steady, taking a tentative step with him.]

[Action]

[soreplaceable]

[Ion isn't sure what to make of the situation as his arm is suddenly grabbed, but he allows himself to be pulled up to his feet. He's only unsteady for a moment or two, but thankfully, standing is already ingrained in him.]

[Walking? Not quite so much. He isn't sure what Dist expects him to do at first and ends up stumbling, reaching out and clinging to Dist's arm to keep from falling over.]

[Action]

[its_rose_damnit]

[Dist grabs Ion as he stumbles, careful not to hurt him, and holds him to his side for a moment, before moving to get some sort of distance between them. Not much - he still wanted to maintain Ion's balance - but enough to not be so smothering. Dist had never been the touchy-feely type, after all. Especially not now, not with Ion. There were too many things, strange and unwanted thoughts, memories, and emotions, that Dist didn't want to dig up by being too near him.

But again, he couldn't leave him here, so he takes another slow, calculated step.]

Steady now...

[Action]

[soreplaceable]

[The one benefit of that stumble is that is directed Ion's attention to the ground. His legs had been the reason he almost fell, so maybe if he watched and mimicked, he could do this?]

[Whatever it was they were doing, at least. Was this "standing"...?]

[He took a slow step, shifting his weight to one leg as he lifted the other for another step. It was slow moving, certainly, but the more steps he took, the more steady he became.]

[Action]

[its_rose_damnit]

[Dist notices how fast Ion could learn, and his brow shot up with fascination. Just barely a day or so 'old' and already he could comprehend speech, could stand, and even walk to a degree...truly astonishing. Ion wasn't like most replicas. He must have been - for lack of a better term - installed with a certain level of intellect. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. It still struck a terrible resemblance to caring for a small child, but...it couldn't be so bad. And once he got Ion back to Nephry, she could care for him.

That's what he hoped for, at least. Dist cracked a smile, despite himself, as Ion progressed, and then it was gone a second later. Rrgh, stupid emotions! Stupid Malnosso, putting him in this situation, curse them for every thing that they did to him!]

...Good. Keep walking.

[Action]

[soreplaceable]

[With such a limited time frame to work with until the original's passing, these replicas had to be fast learners.]

[Eventually he gets to a point where he doesn't need too much support to keep walking. But that doesn't stop him from at least keeping a grip on Dist's sleeve, just for the reassurance that he wouldn't hit the ground if he tripped again.]

[Action]

[its_rose_damnit]

[Dist can see Ion's improvement as he walks, so he's puzzled by the notion of Ion continuing to hold onto him. He looks stable enough, so why hold on? Making a face or mild irritation, Dist tries to shake the boy off, though it's not nearly as violent as jerking his arm away. It doesn't do much, but he hopes Ion will get the message and let go. Lorelei forbid someone sees this...

Regardless, he takes Ion back toward house one. It should take long, the central plaza was relatively close to his old home.]

[Action]

[soreplaceable]

[Every time Dist successfully shook Ion off, he stopped walking. Ion doesn't quite understand why they're moving in this direction, nor that Dist wants him to keep following. As far as he knows, letting go is a sign that he doesn't want him to go with him. And in the seconds it takes Dist to start pulling Ion along again, he almost feels sad at the notion that he might be left there alone again.]

[But none of that shows on his face, as he remains neutral even when they arrive. He didn't know what the place he was in before was, and he certainly doesn't know what this place was.]

[Action]

[its_rose_damnit]

[Focused more on the task at hand that Ion, Dist can't really pick up on Ion's emotional quirks, and keeps tugging him along carefully when he stops, frowning. He even kept muttering for Ion to hurry up and "keep walking". That, or he'd wave him over. Dist hated to clip his sentences or make commands like the boy was some kind of dog, but he did tell him to "come" as well, once.

Slow-going as their journey was, Dist sighed and knocked his knuckles on the door to house one when they finally arrive. Good grief...that took far too long than usual. But whatever, he's going to give Ion back to Nephry now, at last. Give him to her and leave, that was his plan.]

[Action]

[offallingsnow]

[Not expecting any visitors, it's a surprise in more than one way as she opens the door to find Saphir and Ion there.]

...You're all right.

[that half-sigh of absolute relief, accompanied by a smile, could easily be for either of them.]