Author's Note: As always, the characters don't belong to me, they belong to Namco Bandai. Of course, if they ever want to give Asch up to me, I would have no objections to it.
I totally blame darkangel.mya along with other members of the Asch fanclub on the Tales series forums for this one. As always during one of our random discussions we had one of those moments of "That would make a great fic!" This one was brought up some time ago, and I originally said I wasn't going to touch it, as I didn't think I could do it justice. But then, if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have so many fics in progress now.
I changed my mind though. Also, this is going to be a bit of a prelude to another of my fics that is next on the update list (more like serious overhaul).
Anyway, this is just a nice little one shot covering a particular scene where Asch happens to join the party for a very short period of time and Luke is an idiot as usual. However, here, it is being told from Asch's point of view, rather than Luke's. Other than Asch's thoughts and one particular conversation (which if you have seen this scene, will know which one it is), all the dialogue is word for word from the game and came right from the game script. I tried to add a bit of flavor in the parts where I didn't write the dialogue though to keep it interesting.
Disclaimers: Spoilers for before the Tower of Rem. Also spoilers for part 3 of the Contamination sidequest
Asch really hated having to contact his replica. It was always just one horrible reminder after another of everything that he lost to his replacement. But, it had to be done. He didn't know how much time he had left, but knew the minutes were slowly ticking away. The Jewel had to be found and Lorelei freed and soon, as it was doubtful that idiot would be able to handle it.
He opened the link to speak with his replica, and took pleasure in the fact that it would give him another headache. "Hey. Replica. Where are you?" he said through the connection. At the same time he could see through his replica's eyes, it was a familiar sight.
I don't want to go there damn it. Damn that replica for doing this to me!
Home…no, it wasn't, it hadn't been for seven long years.
But you can go home now…
"Asch...! We're in..." Luke answered, speaking aloud as he always did.
"Never mind. I see it. Baticul." He responded before his replica could say the name.
"Damn it, first you put your voice in my head, now you're looking through my eyes?!" Luke said angrily.
Should I just wait for them to leave and meet them at their next location? No, this can't wait.
" ...I'm close to Baticul. I'll meet you there. Stay in the city." He relayed over the connection. And hopefully his idiotic replica wouldn't go back to the manor or the castle in the meantime.
"I'll be back in the manor. If you want to come see me there, be my guest." Luke answered.
Argh, he goes out of his way to be annoying!
"No, head to the port or something..." Asch said to him.
Please, don't be an idiot, I don't want to go back…do I?
"I want to go back to my home!" Luke answered.
"...Fine! Do what you want!" Asch replied and then closed off the connection.
Well, it looks like I am going home, temporarily, at least.
A short time passed and he arrived in Baticul. He made his way to his former home on the top level. He stopped near the fountain a moment to gather the nerve to enter.
Seven years…and now I am forced to return here, by the one who took my place of all people.
Home…
No…it's not anymore, I can't stay here…there's no time…Well, better get in there
He headed towards the gate, the guard at the gate saw him and greeted him. "Master Luke! I didn't see you leave. What happened to your hair?"
Asch groaned inwardly. He was always mistaken for his replica wherever he went it seemed, except in areas where Van had control. "It's a wig, okay?" He told the guard impatiently.
The white knight just sighed, he would never understand the antics of nobles, especially the Duke's son. He opened the gate and let Asch inside, not knowing that he wasn't really Luke.
It hadn't changed one bit since he was last there, other than the people currently in the entryway. His replica and the group he traveled with, minus Jade the Necromancer and Princess Natalia, were there.
"I never thought I'd see you back here…" Guy said to him.
"I never thought I'd return." He told his former servant.
Of course, they don't know that I did try to return, and found that I was unneeded after all
"Asch, how is Lorelei?" Luke interrupted his thoughts by asking.
"I couldn't make contact. It must be trapped inside Van, unable to communicate." He answered, with an amazing amount of patience considering who he was speaking with.
"So your search for the Jewel of Lorelei is..." Luke started to say.
"Still ongoing." He answered his replica's unfinished question. "But we do know that Lorelei passed the Key up through the Sephiroth. If you didn't pick it up, it should still be somewhere around the Sephiroth."
"But you searched them, didn't you, Asch? What, did you miss one?" asked the annoying Fon Master Guardian, Anise.
" I'm not an idiot. You have me confused with someone else here." Asch remarked in return to her annoying comment.
"What are you trying to say?" Luke asked.
"They say the Sword and Jewel react to one another. You should have found it..." Tear added.
"If we don't get the Jewel, things play right into Van's hands." Luke said.
"Damn. And with the miasma, the people are leaning towards the New Order of Lorelei..."
"The miasma..." Luke said thoughtfully. "Asch... What if the miasma could be neutralized through a hyperresonance?"
"...What are you talking about? That's impossible."
"Not if you have the Sword of Lorelei! It would cost someone their life, but..."
"Luke, what are you talking about?" Tear exclaimed.
"That's the first time I've heard anything like that!" Anise exclaimed.
Guy had been shocked speechless.
What is that idiotic replica of mine thinking?
" ...So? You saying you'll die for us?" He asked his replica sarcastically.
"I... I'm saying..." Luke stammered.
"Must be nice for you replicas, being able to say you'd just give it all up like that."
How could he even think of sacrificing himself? One of us needs to be here to free Lorelei, and I don't know how much longer I have. Maybe I should be the one, since I am going to die anyhow, at least then I can save others, especially Natalia.
"...I don't want to die any more than anyone else." Luke answered.
Of course not, who wants to die? I sure don't, but thanks to you I will!
"Humph, of course you don't. I... I'm not ready to die yet, either." He hedged. He turned to leave.
"B-but wait!" Luke stammered, trying to stop him from leaving.
"This little chat is over. I've got something to do..." He told his replica. Then he felt a hand clasp his shoulder.
"I'm not done talking! Just give me ten--five more minutes!" Luke exclaimed.
"L-let go of me!" Asch said angrily.
"Come on, hear him out, Asch." Guy said to him.
He paused a moment, wondering if he should bother. "...Fine." he answered after considering it. What was the worst the replica could do anyhow?
Luke said nothing, he just headed towards the chambers of Duke and Madam Fabre.
No, he isn't….
Luke opened the door and dragged Asch inside to face his mother and father after not having seen them for seven long years. Both Duke Fabre and Madam Fabre were stunned seeing both of them together for the first time ever.
"Luke! Luke?!" Susanne exclaimed seeing the two.
"You're...!" Duke Fabre started to ask, astonished. No surprise, his son was just as astonished that his replica would have the nerve to do this.
"...Father, Mother, I've brought the real Luke home." Luke told them, starting to back out of the room.
"You bastard! What are you planning to-" he exclaimed to his replica.
"We'll be waiting in the courtyard!" Luke backed out of the room and took the rest of the group with him, who seemed as surprised as Asch and his parents at what happened, with him leaving Asch alone with his parents.
Damn that idiot, they didn't need me before, why would the need me now?
"Luke! It's really you, isn't it, Luke?" Madam Fabre exclaimed surprised.
"...It...it's good to see you again...Mother." he answered, rather nervously.
"So you've been with the Oracle Knights?" Duke Fabre asked him.
"Yes..." he answered abruptly.
"...You've grown up, Luke." Duke Fabre answered.
"Father..." he said, amazed at the proud tone of his father's voice. "But, I am not Luke anymore."
"Lu…Asch was it, correct?" Madam Fabre asked. He nodded in response. "Why didn't you come home to us? We would have been glad to see you again."
For a moment he couldn't even answer, he was so angry. He did come home, they had shown he wasn't needed. It was too late to make amends…or was it?
"I wasn't going to go where I was not needed." He answered.
"What do you mean by that?" Duke Fabre accused.
"Dear…let me." Susanne interrupted before either of them could get upset. "Why did you think we didn't need you? You are our dear son. We were so upset when you were missing. We thought you were returned to us, but without a memory, not replaced with another boy who looked like you."
"Did Van tell you that?" He asked.
"Yes. We didn't have any reason to doubt him at the time." Susanne answered. "But now we know better, it seems he worked to hurt us all, however, that doesn't mean we weren't to blame either, we should have questioned him further."
He didn't say anything. It didn't matter what they said, he can't stay. He wouldn't stay. There was too much he had to do, and so little time.
"Can you forgive us?" Susanne asked.
Can I forgive them? Mother was not the sort to lie, and it makes sense that Van would have lied to them too
But even if I forgive them, it doesn't change a thing, this isn't my home anymore
"I-I think I can understand how Van might have not been telling the whole truth." He started to say.
"Yes. We were just happy to have our son back, or so we thought. It didn't matter that he was different, he was still our son. Had we known…" Susanne explained.
"I understand, and forgive you. But that doesn't change anything. I wasn't planning to come here again ever and have to leave now." He explained.
"Will you ever come home to us?" Susanne asked.
"I…I cannot." He answered. "I must be going. It was good to see both of you again."
Having said that, he hastily left before either of them could respond and headed out towards the courtyard to give his replica a piece of his mind for putting him through that. But oddly, he felt a sense of relief at having made peace with his parents at last before he did what he was going to have to do.
He had just entered the courtyard when he heard his replica and his replica's friends talking.
"I've been asking myself ever since I found out I'm a replica... Why was I born? Who am I? Why am I alive? I have no right to exist! No replica does!"
"I've heard enough!" Guy yelled to Luke as he entered the courtyard.
"So have I." He said. "I'm not Luke anymore, I'm never coming back here. Get over that inferiority complex before you go proposing anything stupid. You're infuriating!"
Before his replica had a chance to respond, he turned and left the courtyard and the manor itself. This time it was for good.
At least I made amends before my time runs out…for that much I am grateful
I hope you enjoyed reading it! If you did, please write a review and let me know. And if you think there is a way I could improve, also do let me know. I am more likely to write more when I receive reviews for my work