Blue: Lookie lookie, it's Thief of Broken Hearts! Hey people! If you like Luther pairs then check out Thief's fic 'Death Becomes Her'. It's great and I don't care for Maria so you know it's good!

Dragon: Um, I thought you were going to do the disclaimer. If not then I already have a good one.

Blue: And to everyone else who reviewed…Thanks bunches. Oh yeah, you know it CAT…if I have a say then there will be a bit of Clirage! –looks around with shifty eyes- I know Alnel is only implied with no certainties but hey right now I'm just really getting into my Clirage fic.

Dragon: Um, Blue…

Blue: Oh, and I just loved that one review… MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH! And yes, Sophia is flexible, she doesn't get enough attention. Well, neither does Luther or Mirage… Oh, speaking about Mirage I really want updates from certain people out there –coughCATcoughallmysensesfailcough-

Dragon: -sigh- We do not own Star Ocean or its Characters.

Blue: O.o you didn't just do the disclaimer… I know you didn't just do that…

Dragon: You really do talk a lot. You were taking too long.

Blue: -sticks tongue out at Dragon- Humph, there's always next time.

Dragon: -hides all the sugar in the house- She'll be up all night…again.

Blue: Whatever, just remember that while reading this there will be serious OOCness because a lot of them are 4D natives just dressed like Fayt n' crew. It's actually fun to write them.

Tender Kisses on a Blackened Heart

Chapter 2: Rational Fears

She was numb. Vivid memories from a year ago flashed in her head. Her memories kept a picture perfect image from a time she wished she could forget.

"I-I don't believe it!" He was kneeling on the floor. He held is hands up to his face. "Data! They're nothing but data!" His eyes wandered over the group. He scanned through them, his cold stare freezing on her. "Why am I-I being deleted? Destroyed! Why?"

She watched his face wither in agony. She was unable to move. Was it right to kill? Even if he was going to kill them? Even if he was going to delete everything they knew? Did that make it right?

No. That made it self defense. Self preservation. But it was still wrong.

His cold stare penetrated her. His last moments were spent in a silent dialogue with her and her alone. He asked his one question again with unspoken words.

Why?

A single tear fled her eye. He asked why but the answer was obvious. Survival is the most primitive of instincts whether you're data or not. But she wasn't just data any more. None of them were. They had just won their freedom.

But at what cost?

As she faded away she couldn't help but to wonder if she was any better then him. He fought for what he believed in. He saw it to the end. By her standards he was a mad man. By his standards he was justified. In truth she knew he was scared. He had lost control. Something that had been predictable to him became unknown. Humans fear the unknown. Therefore he was as human as she was - and she as human as he.

As her world slipped from her, she felt herself fall. Even in the dark she could still see his wild blue eyes. Then instinct kicked in. Her thoughts left him behind and focused on living. She became selfish with only the want to live. What was done was done. It was time to move on.

"Hey there beautiful."

Sophia snapped out of her daze. Looking up she came face to face with 'Fayt'. "Huh?"

"Hey, you got the act down girl. You know," his voice softened as he sat on the arm of the chair, "I've heard that we know each other quite well."

She became uncomfortable when he draped his arm over the back of the chair behind her head. She leaned away as he leaned in. "How about a kiss between 'friends'. Come on, you got the act down. Now let's see just how well we can get to know each other." He leaned toward her; his eyes half closed.

SMACK!

Sophia watched as he fell back in slow motion. She couldn't believe she had just smacked him. Her hand throbbed with the pain of hundreds of tiny needles burying into her flesh. He didn't fall off the chair's arm, to her disappointment. He blinked at her a few times as he massaged his cheek.

"Why you little bitc…"

Before he could finish his rant, another hand came at his other cheek. This time he was successfully hit off the chair. Sophia darted her attention from 'Fayt' to the source of the force that knocked him down. 'Luther' stood by her chair giving 'Fayt' a cold stare.

'Fayt' got to his feet slowly. His eyes darted between 'Luther' and Sophia. "What the hell was all that for?"

'Luther' chuckled. "Oh, I'm sorry. I thought we were striving to stay in character. If that is the case then it's only natural I should look for a good opportunity to hit you."

'Fayt' stepped forward and balled his fists. "Oh yeah! Well then if you want it that way I can just kill you now!"

'Luther' shooed him with one hand in a lazy nonessential fashion. "Really now, you have no chance at killing me."

'Fayt' bowed his chest out slightly. "Fayt killed Luther once before and he can do it again!"

"No he didn't!" Sophia responded as she stood. Realizing her words she covered her mouth and took a timid step away from the two.

'Luther' chuckled. "See, she's done her research. You really should have your facts straight before you try to talk big."

"Whoa there," 'Cliff' interrupted. "Let's not fight guys."

Sophia looked around. The little incident had gotten the attention of all of the winners and they were gathered around the two locked in a stare-down.

"That will be quite enough," a man with the word SECURITY printed on his shirt said as he pushed through the crowd. "Now, if we can move on there's a set of instructions you are all to follow."

The group quieted down. 'Luther' stepped back smirking. 'Fayt' shifted unsteadily and darted his glare from 'Luther' to Sophia.

The security man nodded his approval. "Alright, at the door you will all be given an envelope. Inside you will find the key to your room. You will load the shuttle and from here be taken to the hotel. There you will be served dinner and be given instructions for tomorrow."

Sophia watched as everyone walked to the door. She followed wondering what she was doing. Tomorrow she was supposed to meet Fayt at the workshop. She had wanted to see Blair and was surprised she had even gotten to 4D space. Now she was in a line headed to a hotel instead of an inn. Her year reunion had suddenly taken an unexpected twist.

She didn't pay much attention to anything as she boarded the shuttle. She sat by the window and watched as Gemity fade into the distance. She watched her way back home fade. She didn't even know why she had boarded the shuttle. For some reason she didn't want to go home just yet. Things were definitely more interesting here. At least for the time being.

"This is great isn't it?"

Sophia fell back at the intruding voice. 'Maria' looked at her and smiled. She had been looking out of the window over her shoulder.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

"No, that's okay," Sophia replied. "I wasn't really paying attention."

'Maria' gave her a Peppita trademark smile. Sophia almost laughed at the sight. She never imagined she'd ever see Maria smile like that. Well, she wasn't the real Maria but she looked like her. The only things that marked her for a fake were the shade of her blue eyes and her voice.

"What room are you in?"

Sophia pulled the card key from her pocket. "I'm in room seven."

'Maria's' smile widened. "I'm in eight. Looks like we're neighbors."

Sophia couldn't help but to smile back. 'Maria' sat up and hung on the seat in front of her. "Who's got room nine?"

"I do," 'Mirage' replied.

"Alright! My neighbors are known. Humm. Who's got six?"

Everyone exchanged glances but no one answered.

"Aw come on people," 'Maria' antagonized. "Who is Sophia's other neighbor?"

'Maria' sighed at the silence and sat back down. "Guess we'll see when we get there."

For the rest of the trip Sophia chatted with 'Maria'. As awkward as it was, Sophia enjoyed it. She had to keep reminding herself that no matter how much the people she was around looked like people she knew, they weren't. They were strangers.

When they arrived and exited the shuttle Sophia felt out of place. It wasn't the fact that she was once 'data' that got to her; it was the feeling that she didn't belong. For the first time she felt just how far from home she really was.

When they entered the hotel, Sophia had to do all she could to contain her awe. The lobby was magnificent. There was no other word for it. Attached to the lobby was a bar on one side and a restaurant on the other. She only had a few minutes to take in her new surroundings before they were ushered upstairs.

They were taken to the top floor by a private elevator. The doors opened to a large lounge complete with sitting area and many forms of entertainment. Along the left wall were seven doors. The first was labeled Bath, the second was labeled Toilet, and the last five were numbered one through five. On the wall straight across the lounge were two doors labeled six and seven. Continuing from the back of the right wall were the numbers eight through eleven. Back near the elevator on the right side was a large kitchen.

She didn't need to be told that the numbered rooms were the rooms they were staying in. As for the bath, toilet and kitchen, those rooms were shared. This was definitely going to be an interesting stay in 4D space. She looked across at the door with her room number on it. It would seem that she only had one neighbor right beside of her. Who ever was roomed in six would be the only one she would share a wall with.

"If everyone is ready I would like to go over the rules," the usher said standing at the elevator.

When all eyes were on him he nodded. "Rule one: No one is to leave the hotel. Sphere does not need to publicity should one of you decided to cause trouble. Anyone found doing so will be dismissed and the runner up will take their place."

"Rule two: You will refer to each other by your stage names. You can share your real names if you wish but for the remainder of the time here you are to go strictly by the name of your Eternal Sphere counter part."

"Rule three: In your envelopes you will find a pass. Keep this on you at all times so we can quickly identify the winners from anyone else who is dressed up for this event."

"And you final instructions. Tomorrow morning we will send an escort to carry you all back to the convention. Tomorrow at noon there will be a parade and you are all in it. Do not be late. Within the hour someone will be up to escort you to dinner. You will sit at the table according to room number. Anyone found fighting will be dismissed. Try to get along."

He left them before anyone was able to issue any questions. The group dispersed quickly. Some headed to their rooms while others chose to rest in the lounge. Sophia glanced at the few who had chosen to sit and wait. Among the four 'Luther' was one of them. He sat alone on the far couch with a bored look.

The one thing that Sophia found the most unsettling about him was that there was nothing that marked him for a fake. She had caught small things about everyone else that would prove they were not who the appeared to be. Everyone else but him.

She walked to her door aware that he was watching her from the corner of his eye. She was also sure this was the same 'Luther' she had spoken to earlier. He knew something and she didn't want to dwell on it. He was eerie enough without her imagination adding to it.

She entered her room and was happy at the simplicity of it. The room consisted of a bed, a dresser and a small closet. What really got her attention was the door opposite from the door she had entered. She opened the door and was led out onto a balcony.

Her room was one of two that was on the corner so her balcony was only shared with one other person. 'Maria' would have to share her balcony with the others in rooms eight through eleven. She only had to share her's with the occupant in room six. She had watched as some entered their rooms trying to figure out who her neighbor was. No one had entered room six.

It was one of the four sitting in the lounge area. That meant that any one of them could be it. She left her room and glanced over the four. 'Fayt' sat in one chair on the computer. She hoped it wasn't him. She didn't need to run into him if she was out on the balcony. 'Peppita' was talking to 'Nel'. Either of them would be fine. They both seemed nice from what she could tell. That left 'Luther'. She didn't even want to think further on that.

The time passed quickly and the escort came to seat them for dinner. As she approached the dinner table she realized that now she would learn who was in the room beside hers. There were eleven winners and a large table was set out for them. To even the scales five would sit on each side, meaning that the occupant of room six would be on the corner.

Sophia sat beside 'Maria' and watched as everyone took their seats. Sophia watched the females of the group. All of them took a place on the same side as Sophia which meant her neighbor was one of the guys.

Sophia only had a second to ponder on which would be worse. 'Fayt' or 'Luther'? She clearly did not like 4D 'Fayt'. He was not at all anything like the boy she had grown up with. And as for 'Luther', he just sent her into chills. He was too much like Luther himself.

She looked at her silverware. The reflective surface did little to ease her mind which raced in a hundred directions. Was it even possible that 'Luther' was Luther? That in itself was illogical. Still, the events of last year made logic to be a thing of fantasy.

When he had talked to her earlier he had called her 'the authentic data'. At the time she hadn't even argued about it. Somehow she knew that he knew. Things were getting strange and she felt that stranger things were to come.

"This should be interesting."

Her attention left the silverware to look up. 'Luther' gave her a quick smirk.

"What will be interesting?" She matched his low tone.

"To see if data can consume real food."

"A-and what makes you think I'm data?" She tried to sound defiant but her voice came out meek and shallow.

He didn't smile as he stared at her. "We have already been over this. You can not fool me as you have the other simpletons here. I know who you are, though I have to wonder how you got here. All ways in and out of the Eternal Sphere were blocked off."

Blocked off? She had known the portals on her side were blocked or destroyed but she didn't know they were closed on this end also. That might be the reason she came to Gemity by the shop and not where she always had in the past.

She squinted at him and did her best to look as though she were scrutinizing him. "And you know they are blocked off how? Been trying to get in or something?"

He flashed her a quick smile but was interrupted from further discussion when the meal was served. She watched as he turned his whole attention to his food.

She looked at her own meal. It looked harmless enough but his words weighed heavily on her. He didn't know or else he wouldn't have said what he did. A year ago she had passed into 4D space and had eaten there. She remembered stocking up on the enhancers at the shops. Thanks to the alterations Maria had made on them they were able to do anything a normal native from 4D space could do; and that included consuming food.

As she ate she couldn't help but to feel his sideways glances. Maybe seeing her eat would turn his suspicions away from her. Then again she wasn't sure he hadn't just said what he did to taunt her. When she was done she excused herself from the table and left to return to her room.

She passed through the lobby and stopped halfway to the elevator. The doors leading out were made of glass and the night peered in at her. She thought about leaving and going home. She never should have let herself get this caught up in the first place. For a trip that started out fun, the fun had died.

"Not thinking of leaving are you?"

Sophia quickly turned, almost loosing her balance. 'Maria' jogged up to her.

"Oh, no…not really."

"Good, you wouldn't want to be disqualified. Anyway, you were headed back upstairs right?"

Sophia nodded.

'Maria' motioned her into the elevator. The doors closed and the elevator took an upward momentum. "I saw Luther talking to you. You know, he's cute. Was he flirting?"

Sophia blushed uncontrollably. "Not really. I think he likes tormenting me."

"Torment? Yeah, whatever you say. I think he's got an interest in you. I've been watching since he stepped in after you slapped Fayt. He's been watching you. Oh, that reminds me…I meant to ask why you did slap Fayt."

Sophia chuckled lightly. "He wanted to kiss me and he wasn't too nice about it."

"Oh, I guess I would slap him too."

When the doors opened Sophia couldn't help but to feel a little homesick. She told 'Maria' that she was headed to bed and would see her in the morning. Before she had made it to her door a few of the others had found their way upstairs.

She gave then a quick glance and was relieved that 'Luther' wasn't among them. She shook her head and entered her room; locking the door behind her. For a moment she just stood and stared at the bed. She wasn't as tired as she had let on. There was too much on her mind to sleep. Sighing she walked to the balcony and leaned on the rail overlooking the dark city.

She didn't know where she was and even if she had left the hotel she wouldn't know her way back to Gemity. She would have to wait until tomorrow to return.

A breeze brushed against her cheek. It was amazing how much 4D space was like her own dimension. Of course her home was made to mimic theirs. The concepts of science and math and even things like emotions and intuition were the same in both places.

In essence they really weren't that different from one another. Blair seemed to understand that. She treated them like a friend; or more like a mother trying to be a friend. If anyone from 4D space should be looked at as a 'god' then it should be her. She was more like a benevolent creator where Luther was more like a devil.

He had lost control over his creation and couldn't turn his back. He wouldn't let them go on their own. If he couldn't control it then it would be destroyed. Would it have really hurt him to leave them alone? He could have just started over on something else and let them be.

The more she tried to understand him the more lost she felt.

"Your act at dinner didn't fool me."

She didn't move when she heard his voice. She was frozen in place mentally chastising herself for coming out on the balcony in the first place. When he sat beside her at dinner it was evident he was the occupant of room six. She had just found out she shared the balcony with him. She had all but welcomed another encounter.

She heard him move behind her. Fear gripped her with unexplained force.

"What do you want?" she asked finding her voice.

"Now there's a thing I doubt anyone will ask me in sincerity. You don't really care what I want. You only care about my motivations."

She cringed. Biting her lip she suppressed the instinct to run. He couldn't be who he pretended to be. Was it even possible to think that what had happened a year ago was a dream? She saw him die. The memories were too vivid to be fake. He was the fake. No matter how he acted there was no way he was Luther.

"You still don't believe me do you?"

"Huh?"

He chuckled revealing his position beside her. Her eyes refused to look his way as her grip on the rail tightened.

"I assure you that I am your creator. As much as you may wish otherwise I am not dead."

"I don't wish for anyone to die!" she blurted in anger. "You don't know me or anything about me."

"Your actions a year ago would tell another story."

She forced herself to look at him. In his eyes she was abruptly brought to the full truth. Somehow he had escaped death. The man before her was Luther and not an imposter. She swallowed hard. Luther was alive and right in front of her. The worse part about it was - she was alone.

"I didn't kill you," she whispered nearly losing her voice.

"And neither did Fayt but you both aided in the fight. One could consider the act of contributing to be the same as performing the act. You aided them and therefore had a hand in it."

Her breath became heavy under his stare. "If you were killed then how are you here now?"

"Killed? Oh no my dear. You say kill, but there was no death in that battle. I never accused anyone of killing me, simply of causing my downfall."

She couldn't stop her expression from becoming confused. A year ago she had seen him defeated. He had been in pain and on the brink of death. "I don't understand."

He broke his stare and looked up at the sky. "I don't expect you to understand. As advanced as your programming is you will never able to conceive what I know. The thought process of a real mind can never be replaced by something artificial. Such a thing is not possible."

"We beat you! I was there and I saw it…you were in pain." She paused and turned back to the rail. Her eyes stared hopelessly across the city for answers. "How can this be happening? I don't understand how you can be here at all."

"Tell me something," he said scuffing his feet. "Do you always believe what you see? When you saw your world disappear around you did you believe it, or did you overcome that? True intelligence doesn't come from things we know, but how to apply that knowledge in ways to exceed limitations."

She didn't look at him. She couldn't. "There's a lot I don't see that I believe in. That doesn't explain how you are still here."

"Then that is something you will have to figure out now isn't it? Provided that you have time to do so."

Silence fell between them. Her heart beat fast and hard. She could detect the threat he held in his voice. If he held any animosity for what had transpired a year ago, it was evident in his voice and yet he was content with the simple act of tormenting her. What she feared was when that contentment faded. When he was done having his fun with mind games would he try to do more? How much danger was she really in?

"Why did you come back?"

Her hands knotted together on the rail. "I came to see Blair."

A dark laugh rang from his throat. "Oh, and why would you go through all this trouble just to see her?"

Sophia turned to look at him again. His eyes stared at her like ice. She couldn't suppress the chill that ran down her spine. She opened her mouth to respond but her voice abandoned her. She shifted nervously.

He mimicked her stance at the rails; only his hands rested independent of each other. He spoke looking straight across the dark city. "Confusing isn't it? You were programmed to copy human emotions and are curious in your artificial nature."

"I'm as human as you are," she blurted in a soft voice. She continued to look at his profile. His face was lax and showed no hint of any emotion he may be feeling. She had to wonder if it wasn't him who was artificial.

He turned to look her in the eyes. "You? Human? No, see you have it all wrong. You are nothing more then a series of digital code. Thanks to me your programming is advanced. You were made in my image and therefore belong to me."

She took a step back; holding the rail with one hand for support. "I don't belong to anyone. We – we won remember. You have no control over us."

He frowned in such a manner that it almost seemed he was smiling. "If you have a virus but only take medication to relieve the pain you may feel better but the virus remains. If the source isn't dealt with then you will continue to grow sick. That is not a solution. That is only a way to buy time."

He spoke with such calmness it was eerie. She wished she was anywhere but there with him. She should have left the balcony as soon as he had appeared.

"Buy time?" She had to wonder if he was talking about her or himself.

"A years worth of time to be precise."

She felt her knees shake and threaten to drop her. "Who?"

He cocked his head to the side and gave her a smirk to put all smirks to shame. "Who do you think?"

"I don't know," she whispered.

He laughed almost mechanically and tossed his hair from his face with a quick shake of his head. He turned back to his room; leaving her with three words. Three words that left her more confused then ever.

"Neither do I."

He entered his room. A blanket of silence fell on her. In the distant background the hums of a city on the brink of sleep seeped into the silence. She came out of her daze so casually she missed entering her own room and lying down on the bed. She stared at the ceiling; unable to wrap her mind on any one thought at a time.

Then a realization hit her with such force she gasped and sat straight up. In two days they were to enter the Eternal Sphere. In two days he would be in her world. Two days marked the beginning of the end.

She had to do something. Tomorrow she was returning to Gemity for the parade. Sometime during everything she had planned to try and visit Blair. Her plans changed as she thought through her last encounter with him. She needed to return to Elicoor and warn the others.

(A/N) I should mention that the closing notes are from Dragon. This way no one is confused. Blue and I write on different scales: She's more of a mystery/suspense/action person where I'm more the drama/adventure type. So this should be interesting to see if we can combine all this together and come out with something decent. I'll give her credit; she's come up with a good way to 'reincarnate' Luther. Some of you out there have read her fic 'Inside My Heart' where she brought him back once…well she's done it again (only different this time). Oh, and if you haven't read that fic then you should. That's what got me into the Cliff/Mirage pairing.

Final note from Blue: Sorry, couldn't help this and it's really not important but I'm going to do this anyway. First I just wanted to say that the line: "True intelligence doesn't come from things we know, but how to apply that knowledge in ways to exceed limitations." was Dragon's. I just thought it was soooo insightful! And the line: "You have no control over us." That was mine – and yes, after coming up with that one all I could do was think about The Labyrinth…which I might have to go watch again…