[See, the thing with Ion is that if Luke manages to successfully lie to him without any sort of backlash, he starts to feel bad for it. Luke looks away and rubs at his neck, although he glances at Ion every now and then just to make sure he isn't trying to talk or anything. He'd never know with his hearing gone...

After a moment, he sighs.]

... A-Asch made our minds join up again while I was with the Malnosso. You know, like back in Yulia city? He did it to protect me.