"Hold on! If you go back home, then who's gonna train me?!" – Luke
Note: I used some things from the Tales of the Abyss anime abridged version from Youtube. Hilarious.
Today was going to be boring, or supposed to be boring, not being a training day with Master Van. Luke grumpily returned to his room as Ramdas "advised" he should wait there until he was called for whatever there was; a meeting with his father, maybe? Bah. He was absolutely bored, bored of this manor, bored of the maids, downright bored. The only thing that kept his sanity was training with Master Van. He'd kill to see that Oracle Knight Commandant right about now, after hearing he'd be here today, though was speaking with his parents. "Ugh, it's so boring…" Luke complained as he went into his room, closing the door and stretching.
Unfortunately, he was hit by an annoying headache which now had a voice speaking to him!
Luke! Use the force! It said, well, it was an older male's voice. What the.
"Ugh…Now I'm hearing voices…" He cringed. "Who… Who the hell are you?" He asked the strange voice in his head that was giving him a headache.
My name is Ben! Ben Kenobi! You must use the force!
"Gaah. I think you have the wrong Luke!" The redhead grumbled irritably.
Whoops my bad! The older man's voice said then dispelled his hold or whatever over Luke. Now that was eerily strange. No, "strange" was not the word he was looking for; down right creepy had to fit. What the crap was THAT about? And what's this about some force?
"Hey Luke! You having one of those blasted headaches again?" Another male's voice called to him, particularly from the only open window in the room. Luke sat up from his fetal position and stared in the direction of the voice. It was a familiar blond with a sword sheathed to his left hip.
"Guy?" The redhead teen scratched his head. "Yeah, but the headache's gone now."
"Oh, good. I heard you were talking to yourself. I nearly thought you had Schizophrenia." Guy said with a sigh.
"I don't even know who that is…" Luke mumbled.
Soon enough, there was a knock at the only door. The two friends overheard it and Guy quickly advanced towards the window. "Uh-oh, I can't let them see me here. Well, see you later then, Luke." Guy said as he made his exit. Luke blinked but waved the older male off before the knocking resumed.
"Master Luke?"
Groaning, the nobleman sighed. "Yeah, yeah it's open."
Stepping in the room after opening the door was a young maid with brown hair. She bowed politely and said, "Master Luke, you have been summoned to meet in the Drawing Room now by Duke Fabre." The redhead nodded and waved her off. "Yeah, all right. Dismissed." He said. The maid couldn't resist a blush when she bowed again to her dismissal. She quickly left the room, closing the door behind her. Once she was gone, Luke sighed again. First boredom, then that headache and now he was being summoned to the Drawing Room. Man, this couldn't get any worse!
-x-x-x-
"Hey Dad, what's going on?" Luke asked as he entered the Drawing Room. An older man with darker red hair looked up from his ending conversation with a man with tan hair tied in a Mitsurugi ponytail style – whoever the heck is Mitsurugi? Someone else made by Namco he guessed – sporting Oracle Knight clothes and a goatee. His blue eyes never left the table but he recognized the voice. "Luke, there you are. You're late." Duke Fabre said sternly as his dark red eyes found the teenager.
"Sorry, I forgot. You know, with the whole kidnapping thing." Luke admitted.
"Oh right… I forgot." The Duke mused himself.
"Wait, you were kidnapped too!?" Luke exclaimed dumbly. His father sighed, shaking his head.
"No. Sit down, Luke."
The boy shrugged his shoulders and immediately took a seat next to the man in knightly wear uncommon in Kimlasca. "Hey, Master Van!" The boy jeered happily. The older man smiled as his pupil noticed him. He returned the kind gesture.
"Luke, it's good to see you." Van returned.
"Hey, so are we going to train today?" was the redhead's next reply.
Yes, but it'll be your last as it requires me to STAB you in the heart and then slaughter everyone in the manor. Van thought out loud somehow.
"Wow, sounds pretty painful." Luke admitted with a dumb expression as he heard Van's thoughts. "But you know what they say, 'no pain, no gain'."
Ugh. I really must keep my thoughts to myself. Van thought again as he looked at his student again.
Note to self, Luke is an idiot. And Van is fucking evil. End note. The Duke thought to himself before speaking up. "Luke. Dorian General Grants isn't here to train you," the Duke said, his eyes focused on the boy. "He will be returning to Daath tomorrow."
"Wait, what? Why!?" Luke asked frantically, panicking even. Why was Master Van leaving?! They…they had more bonding time to do! Aaah! Aforementioned Commandant now had his focus on the impatient form of his pupil, chuckling a little, though kept serious somehow.
"I must return to Daath as I was informed of Fon Master Ion going missing." He explained to the teenager. Luke slumped in his chair in a kiddish fashion, groaning as he slovenly twisted his wrist.
"But that's not fair. And what is this Fon Master Ion?"
"It's not a 'what', but a who." The Duke corrected him, getting upset.
"Dear…" his wife, Susanne, pleaded sweetly, and then turned to her son as Van spoke up next. "Fon Master Ion is the successor of the previous Fon Master Evenos, who ended the Hod war, and led peace between Malkuth and Kimlasca. He is the symbol of that peace, and for him to be missing is very strange."
"Oh…" Luke said after then, "Wait, hold on! If you go back home, then who's gonna train me?!" The redhead gaped selfishly.
"Luke! It's about time you learn some patience. The general has much more important matters to attend to than to serve to your needs." The teen's father snapped.
"Dear, please don't be so harsh on him. You know what this child has been through… the poor thing." Susanne spoke. Van amused a light chuckle at his pupil's continued frenzy to panic, patting the boy's head.
"Heh heh, settle down, Luke. I'll have one of my men come here until I return to Kimlasca." Van said after, smiling.
"Yeah but it's not the same as training with you." The boy grumbled again. Ah, now that was a thought. Luke had some minor point, regardless if it wasn't spot on. Nobody trained in the Albert Style except him and Luke…and one other. He honestly didn't want to send him here, due to many, many complications and the fact he had plans. A lot of plans. But, the Fon Master's missing presence was still an alarm and he had to respond to it. Perhaps he should send a letter to him. He would hate it for sure, but well, he'll consider it punishment for not performing his artes during a few training days and for losing his bet at a game of Duck-Duck-Goose. Yes. It seemed like a suitable punishment.
"Don't worry, Luke. I'll send someone who knows the same style I train you in." Van assured the teen. Yes. And he shall be in within three days, too.
-x-x-x-
Ugh! Stupid, stupid! Why did this have to come?! A God-General in the HQ of the Oracle Knights woke up this morning with a good attitude only to receive bad news and some orders from the Commandant. His original orders were from Grand Maestro Mohs, but now Van was telling him to do something else. He respected Van greatly to the point it became a fatherly-son bond, but this? This was an outrageous request! Going back to that wretched place where his former life had been crushed? Gah! So infuriating! But, he did owe him for losing a bet at the game of Duck-Duck-Goose though. It only seemed right to return the favor. "That was my favorite game, too." The God-General sighed as he finished getting dressed. He brushed back his long, red hair and using gel to make sure his bangs slicked back.
…Why was he using gel anyway? Not like he was a girl or anything, but girls used gel. Hm, that was a stereotype. Who cares. The God-General in now his black and red outfit finished his routine by making up his bed and proceeding out the door, sword equipped, his item bag on him and the letter with Van's signature in tow. That descendant of Yulia was already driving him mad, and not only that, he was hearing voices in his head when he got those Score forsaken headaches!
And curse his luck, another one came from nowhere!
…Are you Luke this time? An old man's voice asked.
"Ugh…!" the God-General groaned, recoiling.
Ah you must be. Ahem. Luke! Use the force—!
"I'm not Luke anymore! You still have the wrong Luke, damnit! My name is Asch! Who the hell are you?!"
Ah not again. I was sure I had the right one. Whoops. And then the voice faded away and the headache was gone. The hell was that? They didn't even answer his question! So rude. "Hmph. Things are getting stranger…" Asch, as he was called, said. "…I really don't want to do this." He grumbled bitterly as he exited the HQ, heading outside the cathedral. Seriously. Van could have picked someone else OTHER than him! Why was his presence so important to request it? And for three days? If anything, that useless dreck of a replica was going to find out about him…
"…Better get this over with. And I'm going to need a disguise…"
-x-x-x-
Three long, boring days passed in Baticul, the manor, everywhere else in the world. Since Van left, Luke was beyond bored. He asked his friend Guy to train him with swords, regardless of their different styles, but it was still a bother. "Aaaaugh, so bored." Luke groaned as he flopped himself on his bed. He stared up at the ceiling, somehow counting the lines that lightly decorated it. It went on for a good five minutes when a knock came to his door. He sat up slowly to look even remotely amused. It was most likely another maid. "Yes, come in." He said. The door opened and like he predicted – really, it wasn't that hard to – it was another maid.
"Master Luke? You have a guest, sent by Dorian General Grants." The maidservant said as she bowed politely. The redhead nodded, waving her dismissal. She bowed again and left the room, closing the door behind her. "Huh, guess Master Van's so-called 'substitute tutor' is here. I better get up and greet them… Man, so annoying." Luke grumbled. He grabbed his white coat, buttoning it on as it could and walked out of his room sluggishly. "Something tells me this isn't going to bode well."
Once Luke crossed the garden and into the Drawing Room again, he came across his father talking to a guy that oddly felt familiar. His voice even sounded like his and that HAIR! That gorgeous, dark, crimson hair with edges in even darker red—wow! His hair did that too, albeit with lighter edges. Huh, that was weird.
"So, God-General Asch, it's good you will be training Luke. That boy is a handful." The Duke said. He apparently missed the scowl the one called Asch gave out. Well, Luke didn't miss it. What was with this guy?
"Hey Dad, what's up?" The teen popped in (in)conveniently. The two other redheads turned to face the newcomer to their conversation. One set of eyes were behind a pair of what seemed to be simple reading glasses.
"Luke, this is God-General Asch," his father began introducing the really familiar other redhead who appeared to be his age. "He is one of the Commandant's soldiers who will be your trainer from now on while he is out looking for the Fon Master."
"Ah man!" Luke half whined, getting an earned scowl from Asch.
"Now that you're acquainted, I must be going to the castle. Don't do anything rash." The Duke said as he was now leaving the Drawing Room, one soldier of the manor leaving with him. Once he was gone, Asch adjusted his glasses – which he knew he didn't really need them, but they had to serve as a disguise for now – and glared at his replica. He knew he was his replica, but the damn thing didn't know. He couldn't let the reject know yet… Not yet.
"Well, Luke," Asch began, trying not to hiss his own name that now belonged to his carbon-copy, "let's get going." Ugh, it was getting hard NOT to get angry at this piece of garbage that dare stole his life! What was Van THINKING!?
"Yeah, I guess." came Luke's rather whiny, soft reply. Grr, curse this replica!
Calm yourself Asch. It's only for three, damn days. The God-General tried to reassure himself as he led the noble to the garden where he and Van used to train when he lived here. This place brought back memories, it surely did.
"Um, hey. How do you know where to go?" Luke demanded.
Shut up. "I've been here before." Asch replied instantly. They were outside now, and Asch turned around to meet his stupid replica. "Draw your sword." He commanded, having drawn his.
"Huh? We're not going to set up dummies and go over the basics or anything?" complained Luke, which added to Asch's growing rage he built. "And, I don't have a real sword to use!"
"No. We're going straight to the point." The glasses-wearing redhead said, "And I have a spare." Going through his bag, he tossed a spare sword to Luke, who caught it by its sheath. He blinked, then took a glance at Asch, who narrowed his similarly green eyes. "What's the matter?"
"Yeah, how'd you do that?"
"Do what?"
"You just…took this long sword out of your pack like it was magic! What is this, Legend of Zelda?"
Asch shook his head, growling. "No, now get into gear, dreck."
"Hey! I'm not—!"
"Fang Blade!" Asch yelled as he charged the replica with an attack arte. Luke gaped as he barely managed to move out of the way, fearing the God-General wasn't going to go easy. And surely, he wasn't. Asch kept aiming more Fang Blades are Luke, who was dodging and evading like a pansy. This infuriated Asch even more. "Stupid dreck! Why are you running like a damn pansy? Get your ass over here and fight back!"
"Y-you're too serious! This isn't how Master Van trains me!" the other redhead complained.
"Of course it's not! This is the real world, whether you like it or not." Asch said as he closed in the proximity of him and his copy. "Show me what Van has taught you! Light Spear Cannon!" The God-General shouted as he rushed at his temporary student with the strike arte. Luke complained yet again. "Hey! We're not supposed to learn that move until level 50! And why did I just break the fourth wall!?"
"Who cares!" Asch yelled as his left fist clenched tightly as he drew close with an uppercut. "Demon Fist!"
"Waaagh!" Luke jumped out of the way, then brought up his sword to block vertical and horizontal slashes Asch was raining down on him. Wait, rain. That sounded like a swell idea. In fact, it gave Asch a brilliant idea. He always wanted to use this on the replica dreck and here he was. Noticing the cackling grin that was on his substitute teacher's face, Luke knew he was in deep crap now. Asch swung his sword to forcefully push his duplicate a good distance, smirking.
"Hey! What the hell was THAT for?!" Luke shouted, getting angry.
"Seems like Van isn't teaching you enough. I bet he hasn't even taught you how to use fonic artes."
"What?"
Soon a glyph of sorts was under Asch, fourth fonons gathering through said young man's fon slots. Oh, this was going to be fun. "O frigid blades pour forth…" Oh shit. "Icicle Rain!" Tons of giant icicles came out of nowhere, hilariously like rain, and came crashing down towards Luke! The whiny redhead gaped as he panicked before instinct told him to roll out of the way.
"Gah!" He groaned.
"Heheh, and I'll get to use that against you on the Tartarus later in the game…" Asch sneakily said to himself.
"What was that?!"
"Nothing dreck. Now get up." The God-General said, watching the other stand, still angry of being nearly killed in this so-called training.
"This isn't fair! You're literally trying to kill me than train me! What kind of substitute ARE you? Man I want Master Van back! You're so lame!" Luke complained and bantered. Asch's eyes widened at the last statement he made, however.
Lame? Lame? LAME?! How dare he call him lame! "Would you like to say that again, reject!?"
"What? What'd you call me?!" Luke was now on edge.
Suppressing his rage, Asch closed his eyes. Just bare with it. Just for now… Asch, you can do this.
"Are you done speaking your thoughts a loud? I can, I don't know, hear them!" the whiny replica said with a pout.
…Remind me to run my blade through him several times when this is OVER! DAMN YOU VAAAAAAN! Asch cried in-thought. Oh, that Commandant was going to get a PIECE of his mind when he got back. Even if he had to use all his artes on him or win at a game of Duck-Duck-Goose somehow.
…Definitely a game of Duck-Duck-Goose.