Hidden Shadows/Darkness Within
This is my first fanfic on TOA, so go easy on me for now. Thanks for whoever will read this, and sorry if you don't like it and if it stinks… --About the title, I haven't actually decided about which title I will officially be using… What do you guys prefer? You guys choose then whatever gets majority of the votes will be its title.---
Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of the Abyss, Namco Bandai or any of the series. I only own the laptop I'm typing on, the clothes I'm wearing and that's that!
PS. I edited this chap, thanks for pointing out my errors, RicoReto. I made necessary corrections. I guess I typed incorrectly, sorry…
Chapter 1
As Tear's singing voice echoed through the whole Tataroo Valley, Guy, Anise, Natalia, Jade and Mieu stood behind her. Her voice seemed to give life to every living thing in Tataroo Valley. At the near end of the song, she reached for the sky and rested her hands on her chest. When she finished singing, silence took over. But Natalia broke the silence and spoke.
"You didn't come…" Tear slightly moved "I believe your presence was requested at Luke's coming of age ceremony at the Duke's manor." Tear replied immediately "I'm not interested in some ceremony, in front of Luke's grave." She said, still looking down. Anise looked at Natalia and Jade "That's why the both of you came here, isn't it?"
Guy looked at Anise, who was still looking at the two, "He said he'd be back, so let the others sit around and tell stories at his grave. But I won't be joining them!" they all looked at the moon high up at the sky. Finally, Jade spoke "We should be heading back soon. The valley's dangerous at night." With this thought, Tear looked down and slowly turned around to join the others. The others also turned around to walk away. Suddenly, Tear stopped when she heard something from the bushes. She turned to look and saw a long-haired, tall figure standing there. She took a deep breath and stood up. The others were obviously shocked as well. She took a few steps towards the person and stopped "Why are… you here?" Luke's face turned sideways, his bangs covering his eyes, and said "This place has… a nice view of Hod. And also-" he once again faced Tear and continued "-I promised someone." Tear felt as if her life has once again been complete. She let out a low gasp, as a barely noticed tear trickled down her face. She slowly walked towards Luke. Anise, Natalia and Guy approached Luke, while Jade stood there. Jade smiled as Luke's cape was blown by the wind, revealing his white robe and the Key of Lorelei, sheathed horizontally across Luke's back, as it has always been.
Tear walked up to Luke and anxiously said "Luke… You- you came back for us… I--We waited so long for you…" Luke smiled at this thought. Guy, trying to avoid the three girls around Luke, punched him on the shoulder "You shouldn't have gone to wherever you went, Luke. You had us all worried!" but to make Luke feel better, Guy smiled at him and calmly said "But what's important now is that you're back." Luke felt overwhelmed, all of a sudden, for all the unexpected attention he was receiving. Jade, on the other hand, felt the tension in the air. He knew he had to do something himself to at least allow the two lovers to have their time alone. He felt that if he didn't do it, no one would.
"Ah, eghm… I hate to interrupt our little reunion, but I'd prefer that the four-" he suddenly glanced at Mieu and realized that he forgot to count Mieu in "-I mean five of us would go on ahead." He motioned for Natalia and Anise to approach him. Natalia reluctantly moved away from Luke, for a different reason. She walked towards Jade and asked "Jade? Luke's finally back and-" but Jade just looked at her in a way that Natalia easily got the message. Anise stayed by Natalia and Guy, still standing by Luke, whispered to him "What are you doing in Asch's clothes? Whatever… Luke, Tear cares for you so much. Don't make her cry again." Luke was shocked at what Guy just said. Again? When was the first time Luke ever made her cry? Thoughts ran through Luke's mind, but he ignored them. "Well, we'll go ahead of you. We might wait for you by the pathway to your room, Luke…" Luke just glanced at Jade and the others, nodding slightly.
Once the four disappeared through the dark shadows of the trees, Luke sighed and looked at Tear, who focused her eyes on the flowers on the ground. "This place brings back memories, to me, at least… What about you?" Tear nodded, with her face still down. "Luke, I-I'm sorry." Now Luke was just very curious. Luke had no idea related to what was happening. "Sorry? Sorry about what? I don't see a reason for you to be sorry, Tear." He held her chin and raised her head. She was crying. This was the first time he ever saw her cry. Then he remembered what Guy had just told him. "Don't make her cry again." The thoughts which troubled Luke earlier confused him even more. "Tear, I… Did I say something to make you cry?" She wiped the tears of her face and said "No… I'm just happy you're back… Luke…" she paused nervously, her voice shaking. Luke gazed at her in the eye, while Tear tried avoiding eye contact as much as possible. "Don't leave ever again." Luke smiled at her, while Tear smiled back. They both slightly laughed at this, but Tear, for some reason, cried.
"Shhh, shhh… Tear, stop…" he tightly hugged Tear, resting her head on his chest. "There's no reason for you to cry…"
"Luke, I'm just… I'm so sorry…"
"For what, Tear?"
"For everything… Since the first time we've met, I've been making you feel horrible about yourself… I think, I feel, no… I know it's my fault…" he hugged Tear even tighter then spoke "Tear, don't feel that way. You're making me feel worse because of that… I accept everything that happened to me before, Tear… I was this obnoxious, stuck-up, spoiled, naïve guy… I deserved everything I received. And there's also something I have to tell you… I have to tell everyone about this." Tear calmed down a bit and moved away from Luke. She grew curious of what important thing Luke would tell them. "Everyone wants Asch back badly. No one even wanted him gone… I'm sure everyone will be happy about my news…"
"Luke…"
"Tear, I'm Asch now…" Tear was shocked at what Luke had just said. "Yeah, sure, I'm still Luke, this is my body, and, well, me… But Asch is a part of me now. I'm Asch now in the sense that his memories are with me now, and because I can be considered the original, too. Asch's body may not have survived, but his soul remained in the last object he—" he let out a long sigh and realized that he was talking about things out of the situation. Tear put her arms around Luke and, without Luke noticing, tears ran down her cheeks. "No, Luke… That annoying Luke was the Luke we all met and liked. Asch remained in our memories, but it doesn't mean that we want him to live in you. You're still Luke, and Asch is Asch. We want to believe that Asch is dead, and no matter what happens, Asch IS dead. Stop talking nonsense, Luke." Luke shuddered a bit and realized that he had to answer, or at least react.
"Come to think of it, I should be the one dead. First off, I'm the replica. I'm only going to become the original because Asch is in me, so I AM Asch now… Back there in the Absorption Gate, my body was slowly disappearing, remember. That process never stopped. When you guys left, my body was already floating, but Asch fell into my hands. The next thing I know was that Ion was standing in front of us. He told us that we were both dead." Luke felt Tear hold back her tears, but he knew he had to tell her. "I saw Asch beside me, that is, until I realized that there was a mirror beside me… Ion told me that my body vaporized due to the untimely use of my hyperresonance. But Ion told me that I didn't belong in Asch's body, so since he was already dead, there was no risk. Tear, he revived my body, and Asch's memories. He gave me Asch's memories, his childhood and the latest ones. That makes me the original. But whatever I do, I know that I'm just a replica…"
----------------------------------
Phew! That was kinda long, huh? I'll try my best to explain again, next time. If you have questions, just ask… Thanks!
RicoReto: Hm... It's kinda confusing for me to hear Luke said that he was Asch, and that he still knows that he's a replica, I kinda don't get it... But don't stop writing just because of this, kay?
Answer: "Tear, I'm Asch now…" Tear was shocked at what Luke had just said. "Yeah, sure, I'm still Luke, this is my body, and, well, me… But Asch is a part of me now. I'm Asch now in the sense that his memories are with me now, and because I can be considered the original, too."
That's technically what Luke said… So, it means he's Asch in the sense that he carries both of their memories… If you need it elaborated, ask me again. Thanks!!