Character Bible: Short Story of Sync
Short Story of Sync
From Tales of the Abyss: Character Episode Bible
Translation by Pazu (otakara)
The Order was abuzz with talk of the upcoming New Years Lorelei Festival.
It was tradition that every year, for the Lorelei Festival, the Fon Master would recite the Score for the new year.
Aside from special occasions such as this, the Fon Master himself did not usually read the Score. For that reason, the Fon Master's Score reading was something anxiously awaited not only by members of the Order, but by the entire world.
(What a bunch of idiots...)
As he and his coworkers watched the crowds chattering about the Fon Master's Score, in his mind, Sync felt like vomiting. Going on about the Fon Master, the Fon Master... Little did they know that their great and noble Fon Master was just a replica-a fake. Seeing everyone ignorantly praise their wonderful Fon Master like that, Sync thought he might die from laughter.
“...I wonder if we'll meet Ion.”
Out of nowhere came Sync's fellow God-General, Arietta, inquiring in a small, mosquito-like voice. Possibly because she had been raised by monsters, her mind and body were very childlike. With her childish appearance and actions, she was always annoying Sync. The thing that nauseated him most about her was her obsession with Fon Master Ion, and her tendency to blabber on endlessly about him. It looked like she developed strong feelings for him while she was working as his Fon Master Guardian a little while ago.
(But despite that, she still hasn't realized...)
Beneath his mask, Sync narrowed his eyes, glaring at Arietta.
Fon Master Ion was dead. It was something that had been foretold by the Closed Score.
To take advantage of the empty throne that would result, the Order-no, the Oracle Knights' Commandant, Van, along with the Fon Master himself, devised a plan to put a replica Fon Master into power.
The plan was a great success, basically. Not a single person caught on to the fact that Fon Master Ion had been replaced. It was ridiculous, in a way.
(Poor original Ion. Living and dying without anybody noticing he'd been replaced...)
“...He'd be better off never being born in the first place.”
When Sync spat out those bitter words, Arietta turned her tiny neck to face him. She looked like she wanted to ask something, but Sync ignored her.
That's right. He'd be better off never being born in the first place. Both Fon Master Ion-and himself as well, as Ion's replica.
The truth was that the Fon Master's replica plan had produced seven impostors.
Among them, the best impostor was selected to become the Fon Master, while the other six were disposed of. Sync was thrown into the crater of the volcano, Mt. Zaleho, like useless garbage. The only reason Sync was alive now was because Van had taken interest in his physical prowess, and rescued him with the intention of using him as his pawn.
He was created when he never wanted to be born, then he was thrown away when he was found to be useless, and so he regretted being picked up afterward. All of it was because of the Score. Because of the Score, the original Ion learned of the time of his death, and created those replicas.
Fon Master Ion and the Score both disgusted him.
“Hey, Sync. What did you mean, 'better off never being born'?” Arietta asked, looking as though she could burst into tears at any moment.
“Nothing... just forget it.”
“Liar! Were you talking about me? Hey... Sync!”
“Shut up!” Sync shot back at her, causing those tears in Arietta's eyes to begin to spill over. He clicked his tongue in irritation.
What a pain in the ass. Just as Sync was wondering if he ought to calm her down or ditch her, the door in the center of the great hall opened, and Fon Master Ion appeared, accompanied by his Fon Master Guardians.
“That voice... Arietta?”
With a jump, Arietta turned to look at Ion. Flustered, Sync quickly hid himself behind a nearby pillar.
“Ion!”
Arietta ran over to greet Ion. He met the girl's face, a face which must have become sickeningly familiar to him, with a gentle smile, and asked her, “Are you crying? Did something happen...?”
“Ion! Sync was... Sync was being mean to me!”
“Sync?”
Ion looked confused. Noticing that, the Fon Master Guardian by his side whispered in his ear, “She means Sync, one of the Six God-Generals. I guess you haven't met him yet. He just joined the Oracle Knights recently. He's the guy who's always wearing some weird mask.”
“It's none of your business, Anise!”
“Oh, be quiet, Arietta. You're one to talk. Don't come crying to Ion over everything!”
While Arietta bickered with the Fon Master Guardian, Ion's eyes wandered as he looked around the room. It appeared he was looking for Sync. Sync kept his presence hidden, cautiously watching Ion's movements.
He'd heard plenty of rumors, but this was the first time he ever saw the replica Fon Master in person.
At a glance, there was nothing surprising. After all, without his mask, there wouldn't be a single difference between them.
But what about this difference in circumstances?
The people in the great hall cleared the area, bowing their heads before Ion. The only whispers among them were words of praise for Ion.
Even though that Fon Master was only a replica, just like Sync.
Just what was so different between Ion and Sync?
They looked so alike it was sickening, but just because Sync was a tiny bit lacking in his ability to use fonic artes, he was forced to live in the shadows behind his mask, while the other was awarded the role of Fon Master, and was able to live while being showered with respect and adoration.
But if anyone were to ask Sync if he was jealous, he would declare that he was not.
He had no desire to quietly play the role of a substitute like Ion did.
However...
“Sync doesn't seem to be here. Very well. I'll pass along a message to Van later,” Ion said, seemingly trying to cheer Arietta up.
Playing the role of the original Ion.
Like an idiot.
The original Ion, the replica Ion, and all the people proclaiming their adoration for an impostor - they were all idiots.
“Come on, Ion. We have other appointments we should be getting to.”
At the Fon Master Guardian's words, Ion quietly nodded and began to walk.
As they departed, the Fon Master's entourage passed right by the pillar Sync had hidden himself behind.
An impostor just like him was right there, within an arm's reach.
Sync clenched his hand into a fist.
Time passed, stretching slowly as if each grain in an hourglass were falling one by one, as the replica Fon Master Ion made his way out of the great hall.
(The biggest idiot here is me...)
Sync thrust that clenched fist into the side of the pillar.
From Tales of the Abyss: Character Episode Bible
Translation by Pazu (otakara)
The Order was abuzz with talk of the upcoming New Years Lorelei Festival.
It was tradition that every year, for the Lorelei Festival, the Fon Master would recite the Score for the new year.
Aside from special occasions such as this, the Fon Master himself did not usually read the Score. For that reason, the Fon Master's Score reading was something anxiously awaited not only by members of the Order, but by the entire world.
(What a bunch of idiots...)
As he and his coworkers watched the crowds chattering about the Fon Master's Score, in his mind, Sync felt like vomiting. Going on about the Fon Master, the Fon Master... Little did they know that their great and noble Fon Master was just a replica-a fake. Seeing everyone ignorantly praise their wonderful Fon Master like that, Sync thought he might die from laughter.
“...I wonder if we'll meet Ion.”
Out of nowhere came Sync's fellow God-General, Arietta, inquiring in a small, mosquito-like voice. Possibly because she had been raised by monsters, her mind and body were very childlike. With her childish appearance and actions, she was always annoying Sync. The thing that nauseated him most about her was her obsession with Fon Master Ion, and her tendency to blabber on endlessly about him. It looked like she developed strong feelings for him while she was working as his Fon Master Guardian a little while ago.
(But despite that, she still hasn't realized...)
Beneath his mask, Sync narrowed his eyes, glaring at Arietta.
Fon Master Ion was dead. It was something that had been foretold by the Closed Score.
To take advantage of the empty throne that would result, the Order-no, the Oracle Knights' Commandant, Van, along with the Fon Master himself, devised a plan to put a replica Fon Master into power.
The plan was a great success, basically. Not a single person caught on to the fact that Fon Master Ion had been replaced. It was ridiculous, in a way.
(Poor original Ion. Living and dying without anybody noticing he'd been replaced...)
“...He'd be better off never being born in the first place.”
When Sync spat out those bitter words, Arietta turned her tiny neck to face him. She looked like she wanted to ask something, but Sync ignored her.
That's right. He'd be better off never being born in the first place. Both Fon Master Ion-and himself as well, as Ion's replica.
The truth was that the Fon Master's replica plan had produced seven impostors.
Among them, the best impostor was selected to become the Fon Master, while the other six were disposed of. Sync was thrown into the crater of the volcano, Mt. Zaleho, like useless garbage. The only reason Sync was alive now was because Van had taken interest in his physical prowess, and rescued him with the intention of using him as his pawn.
He was created when he never wanted to be born, then he was thrown away when he was found to be useless, and so he regretted being picked up afterward. All of it was because of the Score. Because of the Score, the original Ion learned of the time of his death, and created those replicas.
Fon Master Ion and the Score both disgusted him.
“Hey, Sync. What did you mean, 'better off never being born'?” Arietta asked, looking as though she could burst into tears at any moment.
“Nothing... just forget it.”
“Liar! Were you talking about me? Hey... Sync!”
“Shut up!” Sync shot back at her, causing those tears in Arietta's eyes to begin to spill over. He clicked his tongue in irritation.
What a pain in the ass. Just as Sync was wondering if he ought to calm her down or ditch her, the door in the center of the great hall opened, and Fon Master Ion appeared, accompanied by his Fon Master Guardians.
“That voice... Arietta?”
With a jump, Arietta turned to look at Ion. Flustered, Sync quickly hid himself behind a nearby pillar.
“Ion!”
Arietta ran over to greet Ion. He met the girl's face, a face which must have become sickeningly familiar to him, with a gentle smile, and asked her, “Are you crying? Did something happen...?”
“Ion! Sync was... Sync was being mean to me!”
“Sync?”
Ion looked confused. Noticing that, the Fon Master Guardian by his side whispered in his ear, “She means Sync, one of the Six God-Generals. I guess you haven't met him yet. He just joined the Oracle Knights recently. He's the guy who's always wearing some weird mask.”
“It's none of your business, Anise!”
“Oh, be quiet, Arietta. You're one to talk. Don't come crying to Ion over everything!”
While Arietta bickered with the Fon Master Guardian, Ion's eyes wandered as he looked around the room. It appeared he was looking for Sync. Sync kept his presence hidden, cautiously watching Ion's movements.
He'd heard plenty of rumors, but this was the first time he ever saw the replica Fon Master in person.
At a glance, there was nothing surprising. After all, without his mask, there wouldn't be a single difference between them.
But what about this difference in circumstances?
The people in the great hall cleared the area, bowing their heads before Ion. The only whispers among them were words of praise for Ion.
Even though that Fon Master was only a replica, just like Sync.
Just what was so different between Ion and Sync?
They looked so alike it was sickening, but just because Sync was a tiny bit lacking in his ability to use fonic artes, he was forced to live in the shadows behind his mask, while the other was awarded the role of Fon Master, and was able to live while being showered with respect and adoration.
But if anyone were to ask Sync if he was jealous, he would declare that he was not.
He had no desire to quietly play the role of a substitute like Ion did.
However...
“Sync doesn't seem to be here. Very well. I'll pass along a message to Van later,” Ion said, seemingly trying to cheer Arietta up.
Playing the role of the original Ion.
Like an idiot.
The original Ion, the replica Ion, and all the people proclaiming their adoration for an impostor - they were all idiots.
“Come on, Ion. We have other appointments we should be getting to.”
At the Fon Master Guardian's words, Ion quietly nodded and began to walk.
As they departed, the Fon Master's entourage passed right by the pillar Sync had hidden himself behind.
An impostor just like him was right there, within an arm's reach.
Sync clenched his hand into a fist.
Time passed, stretching slowly as if each grain in an hourglass were falling one by one, as the replica Fon Master Ion made his way out of the great hall.
(The biggest idiot here is me...)
Sync thrust that clenched fist into the side of the pillar.