Author's Notes: PLEASE read these or else this story is likely to make no sense. This is based off a world where Hod never fell, Mohs split off to create the Grand Maestro Faction, and Van and Mary were married. Obviously, a lot of things are different from the Tales of the Abyss world we're all used to. The "main character" of this story - or rather, set of drabbles - is the son of Van and Mary, Zacharias Abdiel Gardios-Fende - Zach for short. Also know that these drabbles don't go in chronological order. I will most likely be adding to these every now and then, but for now here's the first look at a world very different from the one we all know.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of the Abyss. I do own Zach, Elisia, Sylvia, and Gelda - the OCs mentioned in this story. Zach was developed for the livejournal community Digital Dive.

The Six

One

Small hands clutched Mama's dress. The king of Kimlasca was so big! He was so big and strong and intimidating! He just wanted to hide behind Mama's dress and stay there, lost in the pale yellow flow. But Mama pulled him forward, a smile on her face.

"Don't you want to greet King Luke, Zacharias?"

Zach shook, but looked up to face the King. His eyes lingered on the sword on his back, right-side handle. It traveled up to his face, gentle green eyes. "Hi, there."

Body shaking, Zach replied, "H-hi."

King Luke nearly chuckled.

He couldn't wait to tell Natalia about the little boy – maybe he'd get along with Sylvia when she got older.

Two

She was on her lunch break. He was late.

A sigh. "Marcel… What's taking you?"

Years of seasoning paid off. Tiny echoing getting louder, a wonder she heard it at all. What wasn't a wonder to be heard, however… A young brown haired boy – the Garidos boy, she believed – dashed down the corridor…and then hid behind her.

"C-c'mon, guys, I don't like this game!" He peaked through her legs at the two girls following him.

One blonde, one sandy – older and younger. The first – child of the Emperor – giggled, dragging the other behind her. "Hurry up, Eli! We gotta catch him!" Younger girl – Fon Master Guard's little charge – nodded, mystified somehow.

Gardios boy panicked, gripping her legs before running again. The girls followed, nearly knocking her over.

Catching her balance with the wall, she called after, "This isn't a nursery! Watch where you're going!" only to be answered with "sorry, Miss Oslo!"

"Giselle!" She turned to see him – Marcel. "Sorry to keep you waiting! The new commandant just went on and on…"

A smile. "Let's just go get something to eat."

Three

The manor was so quiet, little Zach thought. Mama and Papa and Auntie Tear and Uncle Guy and everyone were busy. Not a single person to play with. …What're the guards doing now, huh?

A pout appeared on his lips. He couldn't even find them! …Wait. What's that? Time to hide. He peeked out from behind a pillar.

"Man, why do we have to watch him?" Four guards. What were they carrying? Oh, a cage? With a person inside! Why's that? A person doesn't belong in a cage.

Cage went down. One guard said to the other, "Because the count said so – that's a good enough reason for me." The cage was quiet. Big burly man. Lots of blue hair. "Relax – the escorts from Kimlasca'll be here soon. Besides, he's not going to do anything anyway."

Another guard, younger. "…You think Count Fende would mind if we just…stand outside? Being in the same room as that guy gives me the creeps!"

Last guard. Laughing. "Big baby. Look at him!" Leaned down at looked into the cage. "To think this is all that's left of Badaq – whoops, sorry – Largo the Black Lion. Serves you right for all those raids."

They left anyway. Zach could come out. He waddled over to the cage. Big man didn't look dangerous. Big man just looked…sad. He sat down, peered up at him. "The Black Lion." His hair did look like a big kitty's.

"…Kitty?" Big man glanced at him. Eyes looked all funny. Zach reached out, grabbed a strand of really long hair. Now big man looked at him. "Kitty! Hi, mister Kitty!"

Big man didn't say anything. Distant eyes got all fuzzy, though – maybe liquid-y. Zach pet the big man's fur-hair. He wondered why the big man was in a cage – cages weren't for people, even if they were kitty-people. His hand eventually went to big man's really big finger. So big he could barely wrap a hand around it.

Big man smiled!

"M-M-Master Zacharias!" Shrieking maid. Zach's ears hurt (big man kitty-man's probably did too). "Master Zacharias, get away from there, it's dangerous!"

The maid took Zach away from big man. He waved goodbye, though. Maybe tomorrow he could see big man again.

Kimlascans came later that day. Zach never saw the big kitty-man again.

Four

"But Dad," Zach protested, holding Father's hand as he walked, "I don't want to go to the meeting." He fiddled with his necktie. Why'd he have to wear this, anyway? It was so uncomfortable.

Father looked down at him. "But you always expressed interest in going to meetings with the other countries before. Why not now? Malkuth is our home nation, after all."

Face red and neck low, he mumbled, "Crazy-Gelda's gonna chase me again. I hate playing with her."

Holding back a chuckle but keeping a stern face, Father replied, "Now, son. You shouldn't assume things like that."

"I'm not assuming." A hint of whining. "She always chases me around and tries to do these weird things – she's creepy!"

"Well," Father glanced away slightly, a half-smile forming, "you'll have to get along with her one day. Just as you're going to be the Count of Hod, she will one day take a husband and become Empress of Malkuth. Then the two of you will have to work together."

Shuddering, Zach gagged. "Don't wanna."

A red-eyed man approached the Gardios-Fendes. Father bowed slightly. "Brigadier Curtiss. A pleasure to see you again."

Brigadier Curtiss bowed even lower than Father. "No, no, Count Fende. The pleasure is as always mine." …Zach couldn't tell if he was being sincere or not. "Emperor Peony is waiting in the throne room. If you'd follow me, then–"

Zach blinked. "Dad, why'd he–?"

The wall to their right exploded inwards. Zach stumbled – away from Father. "D-Dad!!"

Head turned wildly, searching for the disturbance. …A-a robot? With a weird looking man in it?

"I, DIST THE ROSE, WILL HAVE PROFESSOR NEBILIM'S REPLICA DATA IF I HAVE TO RIP APART THIS ENTIRE CITY TO FIND IT!" Dist the Rose's eyes stretched too-too-wide, mouth open in a shaky grin.

Slowly and carefully, Zach edged away, trying to hide behind a piece of the used-to-be-wall. Giant, crouching robot stepped closer to him.

Father got there first, though. He scooped him up and away from the robot…while Brigadier Curtiss's voice cut through the chaos. "…O countless falling stars, come forth! Meteor Storm!"

Dist the Rose froze as…meteors appeared out of nowhere and crashed into his robot. Zach didn't see anything else. Father shielded him. When he finally saw again, Dist the Rose was sprawled among the heap of robot – burned and unconscious.

Brigadier Curtiss walked over to him…and nudged his foot. With a sigh, "You…never learn."

Now that? That was serious.

Five

Zach never met the fifth. Not once in his life.

"Uncle Florian, Uncle Florian!" Florian looked down to see Elisia, the young orphan Anise taught and let stay in Daath, with the children of the heads of state: Sylvia Fae Kimlasca-Lanvaldear, Gelda Anthea Malkuth, and Zacharias Abdiel Gardios-Fende. Elisia, barely the youngest of the bunch, looked up at him with big doe eyes. "Uncle Florian, did you and Papa-Ion ever have other brothers?"

…How did they…?

Florian led the children over to a wall ledge, sitting down on it while they crowded around him. He continued to look at them, but said nothing. His eyes grew fuzzy.

"…The Synchron level was a problem."

He didn't know. He didn't know anything.

"Come with me, little replica."

He didn't know anything.

"You'll be safe."

Except…

"…The Synchron level was a problem."

That boy looked like him.

"You'll live."

…That boy wasn't as lucky as he was.

"…The Synchron level was a problem."

That boy was never found.

Florian's smile… It wasn't supposed to be sad.

"Yes."

Six

The Isle of Feres certainly was larger than Zach expected. He held Mother's hand, trying to ignore the stares that obviously came from such high-class nobles being out with only one guard. His eyes lingered on some of them as they lingered on him as well.

"M-mother… What are we looking for?" He inched closer to her as he fought his way through the crowd.

Mother looked down at him, smile radiating. "Anything, dear, whatever we think we might want."

Zach blinked. It really worked that way? Like…the market back on Hod? Staring at some of the stalls, he paused for a moment. Such a nice crafted sword… Father would love it! He turned to tell Mother when he noticed that…

…Mother's hand had slipped out of his.

The sword forgotten, he fought through the crowd, pushed on all sides. "M-Mother? Mother!"

"Are you lost?" Soft yet powerful.

He nearly fell through to the other side, spinning to see where the voice had come from. A young woman with long pink hair standing at one of the stalls, dresses and a few very pretty necklaces in front of her.

A kind smile on her lips, she asked again. "Are you lost?" Zach sputtered, biting his lip. "You're the boy from the House of Gardios, aren't you?" No prodding stares this time. Just a simple statement.

"Y-yes."

The woman smiled deeper, her eyes narrowing slightly. She put out a sign on her stall – "BE BACK SOON" – and walked to take his hand. "Let's go find your mother, then. She must be worried."

Zach stared at her slender hand, not yet taking it. The woman saw his hesitation and reached behind her stall, pulling out a patchwork doll – one that looked like a cross between a rappig and a dog. "I won't hurt you. I promise." She handed him the doll…and despite the fact that he was a big boy, he took it. She bent down slightly. "Can I help you find your mother?"

A small nod. She positively beamed. Remembering his manners, Zach mumbled, "I'm…Zacharias Abdi–"

She chuckled. "I know your name. You don't know mine." He finally took her hand and she led him through the market, turning back ever so slightly to glance at him. "Arietta Dacapo, tailor of threads, silks, and wears, at your service."

From that day on, Miss Arietta tailored all of the Gardios-Fende clothes…and sometimes, on lonely days, Zach would make a guard take him to the Isle of Feres, just so he could talk to her.