Resonance

Aftermath

Trapped for the past few hours locked inside his Original's mind, Luke finally slowly awoke to the sound of irritated mumbling.

"…bloody…difficult…almost…not done…"

"Ugh…my head…"

"Eh?"

"Master, you're awake!"

"Mieu?"

"So, I take it you saw how he works. I do hope you won."

"Zero?"

"Yeah. So, did you?"

"Did I…oh…you mean the fight…yeah…I won…thanks to you actually."

Zero looked up from his cross-legged position on the floor, where he was tinkering with a few small objects, hands aglow.

"Oh?"

"Flash Step…I…we were evenly matched…just like you said we'd be…until he started using the advanced forms."

"I'd have thought it be his castings that did you in."

"He didn't bother…I think…my existence pissed him off enough for him to forget to…"

"Hah…dumbass. But you understand now, why I've been teaching you that."

"Yeah…thanks…"

"Master, Zero's been here the entire time you were unconscious!"

"Oi! Bloody mouse, don't go filling his head with shit."

"I'm…surprised. After what I did…"

"Oi, we've been over that."

"Wh-why's everyone staring at me?! It's not my fault!"

"Damn right it's not."

Everyone's gaze shot to just above Luke, where Zero perched on top of the Tartarus.

(BGM: No More Heroes - Season of the Samurai)

Angrily, Anise yelled at him. "What the hell do you mean it's not his fault?!"

"Keep your mouth shut long enough and maybe you'll learn something." The wandering youth snapped back as he hopped down from his position, landing in-between the group and Luke.

"If there's one thing I can't stand, it's idiots who blind themselves to all other possibility when there's a convenient scapegoat standing in front of them."

That riled Anise, and subsequently, the others, up. "You little-

Ion placed a hand on her shoulder. "Please, Sir Zero…"

He just shook his head. "None of you know what was going on behind the scenes…but I do."

Jade leveled a dark stare at the youth. "Ahh, yes, your claims to know exactly what happens within Luke's life."

And Zero retorted. "And subsequently what happens to you all, when your life paths intersect and run alongside his. I would stay my tongue if I were you Necromancer, unless you want it public knowledge of your youth."

While normally such a line would not phase the man, Jade froze when he understood exactly what it was the youth was threatening to do.

"Tell me. A man lashes out, blade in hand. A child is impaled. Who do you blame?"

Natalia responded. "The man holding the sword, obviously!"

"Really? Is it that obvious? Why not blame the sword? The blade itself is the reason why the child was injured. The man just happened to swing his arm in that direction. Or better yet, why not blame the child for being in the path of the sword in the first place? Or do you even know what's going on, that would cause said man to lash out at the child? Perhaps he was aiming at a specific point on the child's body, to kill a dangerous creature that had latched on, and it jumped aside just as the man struck out?"

"What the hell are you on about?!" Guy yelled.

"I'm giving you an example of a situation that may not be what it seems. But to explain that would be to get off track, I take it you all agree, the man is at fault?"

Nods…save for Ion. He stayed still, silently playing the words over in his mind.

"Why?"

"Because he is sentient, unlike the blade. He is in control of where the blade goes, and what it does."

"Indeed. A pair of trusted knights are instructed by their king to deliver a package to a village just outside their country's borders. They make their journey, and safely complete the delivery. Minutes after they leave, the package explodes, leveling the entire village. Who is at fault?"

"The king." Jade answered.

"Why? Why not the knights for bringing the package in the first place? Why not blame them for not opening the package, or asking what was inside? Why not bring judgment upon them for not gathering further information on the village, its relations with their kingdom, and why their king would suddenly want a parcel delivered? Or perhaps blame the explosive itself, for being what it was?"

"They're knights. Knights, at least the Loyal ones, wont question what their leader does. They just follow orders."

"Once again, you are all in agreement?"

Nods. Ion refrained again, running this through his head…and realizing what it was Zero was saying.

"I get it."

"Of course you do. I expected you to be the first, and I wasn't disappointed."

"Ion? What's he talking about?"

The Fon Master was about to answer when Zero cut in. "A question posed to a student, and answered by another, is not a lesson learned."

Ion looked at Zero for a moment…and then nodded. "Sorry Anise, you have to figure this one out yourself."

"Oh I intend on drilling the answer into their heads."

The entire time, Luke listened with rapt attention. Again…he's helping me. Why?

"Why are you helping me?"

Zero sighed and looked back. "To prevent an injustice from being done."

"Injustice?! But it's his-

"SILENCE!"

That made everyone jump. "Luke was a tool! A tool has no sentience, a tool cannot control its own actions, a tool is wielded by those who seek an event to occur!"

"It's his own fault for trusting Van!"

"You damn right he's gonna trust Van over you people! Van's the only one who treated him like a goddamn equal his entirelife! From day one he was told who he should be, what he should remember! Questioned, pitied, treated like a lab-rat and imprisoned within his own home! Van was the one who brought him normalcy, Van was the one who brought him an escape from the monotony, Van was the one who treated him like an actual person instead of a simple shell like everyone else did! You think just because you spend a month or so with him, you have right to classify yourself more trustworthy than a man who spent days upon days teaching him how to wield a blade, enthralling him with stories of the outside world, the man who promised him freedom?!"

Guy immediately felt some of his anger fade. "I've known him for just as long."

"True, but Van was the one who did the most. Every step of the way, Van was there, coaching, teaching, simply doing things that earned Luke's trust. Other than him, you are the only one who earned his full trust Guy."

"What about us?!"

"What about you?! Natalia is a whiny over-bearing idiotic princess who constantly puts down the second person in the entire world that her supposed Fiancé considers a friend, manhandled her way into the group because she wasn't satisfied with sitting on the sidelines by blackmailing Luke into letting her join, and constantly bitched about how different he was, never giving Luke the respect of backing the fuck off and letting shit come to him!

Anise is a loudmouthed brat-slut trying to worm her underage way into peoples pants and lives so she can get rich quick for YULIA only knows what reason, keeping a secret SO big from people that it's tearing up the very heart of the one person that deserves to know the truth!"

Natalia gasped and stepped back as Anise froze. He knows?!

"Jade's a massive douche-pocket who hoards information to himself, bullshitting everyone around him to believe that he says nothing because he is unsure when it's DAMN obvious he fucking knows something about what's going on, fuck you should be blaming HIM for not confronting Luke about his quite apparent ability to summon forth a hyperresonance by himself, OR the other thing that even GUY seems to have figured out."

"And Tear…don't even get me started on Tear. You think you deserve his trust after the shit you've pulled?! You fucking let him get arrested by those idiots in Engave because you 'thought he could use the lesson!' What kind of HORSE SHIT have you been sleeping in?! Who gave you the right to dictate what Luke needs to learn?! Rather than doing what a soldier is supposed to do and ask questions about their new charge to find out their reliability, what they can and cannot do, and how to handle them, you simply let him go through a bunch of bullshit just cause he's a noble. The SECOND he said he didn't know he'd have to pay should have sent fucking SIRENS through your head! NOT only that, but as far as he knew you were just some crazy big titted bitch who was trying to kill his teacher, the sole man on the entire planet to give him the respect of a human being!

And AGAIN, you deflect and outright IGNORE any suggestion of Mohs wanting to start a war, claiming all he wants is fulfillment of the score…WHEN IT SAYS IN THE GODDAMN SCORE THAT THERE IS MEANT TO BE A DAMN WAR YOU FUCKING TWAT!"

As the youth ranted, a near solid spiral of energy started swirling around him. His anger became palpable.

"I mean my GODS! I'm better off just Wiping the lot of you off the face of the planet and sparing the world your idiocy! How DARE you blame him for trusting a man who's been more like a father to him than his own?! What RIGHT have you to lay judgment upon a person who has a power he didn't even know he could use?! Luke. Was. A. TOOL! Van implanted a goddamn trigger in the poor kid's mind to activate his power whenever the bastard wanted! And you know HOW he did it?! BY GIVING A SHIT! When Luke's power triggered on the damn ship, you know who it was that saw, and helped reign it in? FUCKING VAN! You know who it was that promised Luke freedom from being imprisoned in his home? The one thing that Luke wanted more than anything else, more than his 'lost memories' more than knowledge of what those headaches are about? VAN! Luke was given EVERY reason to trust Van over the lot of you!"

It was then that the storm seemed to stop as the youth suddenly was instantly calm.

"And you know the most fucked up thing about you people?" He gave them a sad, pitying look. "You don't even realize that out of all those present, and all those dead…Luke was the one who got off the worst. Hell, he damn near did a favor to those people by being the one used to wipe them out. They were suffering and at the verge of death anyway…and his power gave them a swift, painless end. Perhaps not the preferred end, but their pain is over…they can be with the ones they love. But Luke…"

Zero shook his head.

"Luke was the one used to do it all. A power Luke knew nothing about, ripped out from his body, wielded by a man he would have willingly called 'father'. His mind…his soul, basically raped by the one he trusted the most, as his body moved against his will to summon forth strength he didn't even know he had. You think you're angry? You think you have RIGHT to be angry?! No. The only one with right to be ANYTHING right now is Luke himself."

Zero turned away from the others and placed a hand on a tearing Luke's shoulder.

"Did you know that this, or an event like this, was foretold in the score?"

"What?!" Everyone stared.

"Yep. The closed Score. The one that only Ion, or a Fon Master, can read."

Jade was suspicious. "Then how, pray tell, do you know about it?"

"I know because it my duty to know. It is my purpose."

"Because you know everything about my life…right?"

"Right in one. I can't remember the exact wording, just something about the Light of the Sacred Flame bringing Power to Calamity in a Mining Town…or something. It's really vague. But all in all, Van knew this, and used you, Luke, to prove his thoughts right…come on. We have more important things to do than be around them right now. You're tired, I know, but you've still got a couple more things to do before you can wield Shunpo correctly."

He gently steered Luke past the silent and contemplatory group.

"…excuse me…may I…join you?"

Zero turned to Ion for a moment, then back to Luke. "Your call bro. I'm fine with it…"

"Yeah…it's ok. Just don't do too much alright? You still look tired from doing that thing to open the door."

"Yes…thank you."

"…yeah…we have. But I still don't get it."

Zero stayed silent for a moment.

"…I'll be honest with you Luke."

He looked out the nearby window. As he began to speak, Tear slowly walked up the stairs, stopping when she heard his voice.

"…technically I'm using you as well."

Luke just stared at him. "…what do you mean?"

"…there is someone…someone in this world. I know who she is…I know her life…her dreams…and her future. She is…to die."

"…do…do I kill her?"

"Not…so much you…but yes, your group confronts her, and the encounter ends with her death…or at least…it's heavily implied she dies…"

"…does she know you?"

"No. I doubt she even senses my existence…but…I'm not supposed to be here Luke. This…this is your story, and I'm not meant to have a part in it…but…I don't like how it played out. It sounds like I'm playing god, but you're meant to go through a bunch of bullshit…and some of it really doesn't need to happen, and if it does, it doesn't need to fuck you over as badly as it's supposed to."

"I don't understand."

"Every action we take, be it pre-mandated or our own choice, creates an echo. Each echo bounces off the people and things we interact with, like ripples in a pond. My very presence creates one of these echoes…one that didn't exist originally."

"Well…if she's going to die…why not just take her now?"

"No point in saving her life if the world is going to end anyway…"

"huh?"

"Let's just say, if I did it now…things that need to happen for this world to grow and change, wouldn't."

"Like Akzeriuth…you could have stopped it couldn't you?"

"Yes…in multiple ways. Be it by killing you, killing Van, delaying Van…so many possibilities…but it needed to happen. One so you could finally understand that the headaches you've been getting, and that power of yours are completely intertwined…and also so you could truly understand that Van isn't who you thought he was. I wasn't kidding when I said you were probably doing those sick and dying people a favor when you wiped them out though…the loss of life is regrettable, but…at the same time, you did help them…in some backwards way."

"…I guess…"

"Luke…I'm trying to say…we follow the same path right now…but at some point…our paths may diverge, hell they may even intersect one another in a manner that puts on opposing sides…I just…I wanted to let you know…"

"Do you love her?"

"I…I don't know. I wont say yes…I wont say no. I just know…I don't want her to die."

"…well don't worry about it. You've helped me a lot so far, so I'll help you out."

"Help yourself first Luke. As long as I do things right, the event is still far off yet. Trust me, there's a lot that's going to happen that's gonna make your head spin…but…you might just have fun."

"…I don't think they trust me…"

"Well…do you trust them?"

"…I don't know…but…you do. Who should I trust?"

"I wouldn't go as far as to tell you who and who not to trust Luke. It wouldn't be right."

"…then who do you suggest I trust?"

"…damn…using my own logic against me…you play dirty Luke…Ion. First and foremost…he is worthy of your trust and respect."

"Why?"

"Shhh…spoilers."

"…huh?"

"Can't say without messing things up."

"Oh. Ok."

"then…there's Guy. He's got his own agenda…much like almost everyone else around you, but one of his top priorities is keeping you safe…and being your friend. He does genuinely care about you, you're like a brother to him…as you no doubt saw."

"Yeah…he said he'd be waiting for me…"

"And then…there's Mieu."

"Me?"

"Him?"

"He stayed by your side even longer than I did. I don't know the physiology of Cheagles but he didn't even leave to go to the bathroom at all…or even eat. I mean hell at least I got up and stretched my legs a bit."

"…I see…"

"To be honest those are the only ones I myself would trust, if I were in your position. The others…they have too much baggage…"

"Even Tear?"

"Tear…if you can shatter that soldier persona of hers, then maybe. I mean…in the end…well…spoilers."

"Damn…I was hoping you'd tell me."

"Well…if she'd stop being an eavesdropping twat I'd be able to give you a proper assessment."

"Huh?"

Tear winced for a moment as a heavy blush grew on her face. She steeled her emotions and finished climbing the stairs.

"Well, it's not my fault you were holding the conversation in the middle of my room."

"Hmph…nice. Just be glad this isn't a sudden frat party or you'd be hunting for your panties in the middle of the city."

Another heavy blush. Zero turned to Luke.

"She's got good battle advice, though I'd take it all with a grain of salt seeing as she's a soldier, and a Caster first. Guy, hell even King of Emo Douchebaggery Sir Asch can give you better fighting advice than her, mostly because they get right up in people's faces. But…she's good at giving sneak attack advice, how to take someone down swiftly, and silently. So pay attention for if you find yourself having to go stealthy."

"Yes master."

"Mas-…ok no, if you're gonna call me anything, it's Sensei, got it? Sen-sei. Master…sounds like a term for a bondage slave to be using, and no offence Luke but I prefer women."

Both Luke and Tear flushed. "W-what the hell man?! Stop talking about stupid crap!"

"There we go, the fun Luke is back. Anyway, I'll leave you two to work some things out for a bit…I gotta get a couple more things before these damn pins'll be done…"

"Pins?"

"I'll explain later, till I get back, don't touch my stuff, it's kinda unstable right now."

An hour later, he returned to a resolved looking Luke and a slightly off looking Tear…although his reaction…

"NUUUUUUUU!"

The two of them and Mieu looked at him confused.

"Why?! You cut…DAMMIT you looked BADASS with it long!"

Luke flushed slightly. "Wh-what the hell are you talking about?"

"Gah craaaaaap I was hoping to avoid this…" Zero glared heatedly at the redhead. "you WILL grow it back. I don't care how long it takes. You looked AWESOME with long-ass hair, and now you just look like an emofag."

"I-I…what?"

He sighed. "Never mind…"

After encountering Guy on the way back from the Spring, Zero suddenly turned to Luke.

"This is where we part ways."

"What? Why?"

"Jade's gonna show up soon, and he's gonna talk, and I'm gonna be hard pressed not to kill him. So I'd rather avoid the situation entirely." He handed Luke a weird leather wristband.

"What's this?"

"I finished up the pins. They're charged with fonons for all seven elements. When you put that thing on, the pins will synch up with your fonic signature, and you'll be able to wield elements like Jade."

"Really?!"

"Hahaha, don't get too happy about it. These only allow for the basest of the base. They're meant to help you understand how each particular fonon feels. They've got a limited amount of uses before you have to let them recharge though. You'll know when they're charging. Just focus on a pin, let the fonons flow through you and poof, there's a spell. Once you get used to the feeling of the fonon you particularly wanna cast, you need to try channeling it without activating the pin. The whole point of this exercise is to get you to be able to cast at least the basest spells of each element without needing the pins. Once you reach that point, it'll be up to you to refine those skills…I mean, you don't want bloody frikkin Emo Pansy Asch to have one up on you do you?"

"Hell no!"

"Exactly. I'll pop back around when you meet up with Anise and the Trap. Remember Luke. Practice hard. I'll be testing you when we meet up again."

"Yes sir Sensei!"

"Good. Now get going."

Not too long now…just a couple more months…

Yes I played a lot of TWEWY before writing this. What of it?

As stated before, things are gonna jump around a bit. There's a specific chapter dedicated to covering (at least somewhat) what happened in the between times. Said chapter has a rather major cliché in it, but hopefully you readers will be able to look past it. Said chapter ALSO has pretty interesting explanations as to how certain spells are cast. This fic is gonna get pretty descriptive and wordy at parts, just to warn you.

If you like mechanic breakdowns for the casting of magics in games, this is perfect for you. If you don't…well, you can always skip the wordy bits, but I advise against it, there's some useful information there, especially as to why not only Zero, but eventually others, will be able to do the things they can do.