Authoress Notes » Thanks for the reviews. 3 It really pushes my moral, so I'm already writing, which is amazing for a slowpoke such as myself. :)
Disclaimer » I don't own Tales of the Abyss.
Notes » Major spoilers for the game. If you don't like spoilers, please go beat the game and then come back to read this; inspired by Apakoha's Promethes Mneme.
» Chapter 1: Within Oneself «
Her pale hand swiftly moved for another hit, but I caught it.
"Don't touch her." I hissed and she looked at me with a perplexed look.
"Luke…?" I glared at her with a deathly look. I could practically feel fear seeping out of those pathetic green eyes of hers.
"… You're right. I think I'll go back to Natalia." I replied calmly and Ramdas nodded, letting me go. I was starting to understand things now. How it happened is beyond me, but… the true Princess Natalia is alive. That made my Natalia back to Meryl. Guy wasn't here, so did that make him dead…? Or was he back in Hod? Wait, wasn't Hod destroyed? All these questions are making my head hurt. Maybe I can just ask Natalia… I went back into the garden and sat beside her.
"Sorry, I think I was feeling a bit off today." I replied, smiling sweetly.
"Oh, don't apologize. I'm happy to know you're back by my side." She replied as if we were lovers. We definitely didn't have that relationship. I flinched when she hugged my arm, and felt guilt shower above me. I didn't think of her that way; the only person for me was…
"Luke?" She suddenly asked and I cut off all train of thought and pushed all my attention on her.
"Yeah?" I asked and she smiled, knowing I was looking at her now. I took this chance to look at her a bit more. She had long, red hair with emerald green eyes. They feigned innocence; I could tell. I'm not as dumb as I used to be. I know I shouldn't have been angry about this, but I felt disgusted to see her wearing Natalia's green dress and her headband, adorned with a flower. Such a dress solely belonged to the true Princess Natalia.
"Do you think the peace meeting in Daath will be nice?" I gave her an odd look. Why would we need a peace meeting? Didn't they already hold one before we went the Tower of Rem…? I paused before answering, recalling my journey in Daath. It wasn't a good memory, but I couldn't not think about it, but I did my best to push the thought away.
"I'm sure Daath will be a great place," I replied and she smiled, "But haven't you been to Daath already?"
"What are you talking about, Luke? I've never left Baticul before." I paused. What the hell's she talking about? Before I could ask more, the door opened. It was…
"Ah, Meryl, you're here." Natalia piped up and my Natalia smiled.
"I've brought the drinks you requested, your highness." She replied and made her way over to us. I got up and walked towards her.
"I'll take that; it looks heavy." I replied, but Natalia stepped back.
"Oh, I can't make royalty such Young Master Luke to do my job." She replied kindly. It felt wrong… This wasn't Natalia. Usually, she'd say, "I'm perfectly capable of holding a platter, Luke, but thank you for your concern." Or something like that.
"Meryl." I looked back at the phony Natalia. Her voice was dark; I knew she was faking innocence.
"No, really, it's okay, Meryl! I'll take it!" I said, and grabbed the platter. I wasn't much adjusted to calling her Meryl. I almost called her Natalia. She unconsciously tightened her grip on the platter, pulling back, to which I lost my balance and she did too. We both lost our hold on the platter and fell, hitting the stone pathway. The glasses shattered and I winced, feeling a few fly across, scrapping my leg a little.
"Luke!" I listened as the fake princess ran to my side, while my Natalia, Meryl, picked up the pieces with her hands desperately. I waved off the fake princess and bent down, collecting the pieces as well with my gloved hands.
"Young Master Luke! You mustn't! You are a noble; such work isn't fit for someone of your status. Please, leave this kind of work to me." Meryl, no, Natalia told me and I smiled brightly at her.
"But I couldn't possibly let a woman's hands get cut from tedious work like this; especially yours. They're small and smooth, like a princess." I told her with a sweet voice. I saw a light blush align her face. I looked up to see the fake Natalia tower over me, and I felt something coming.
Meryl immediately rushed to collect the pieces, but it didn't change the situation.
"How dare you…" I watched in horror; that fake princess Natalia…
"I'm sorry, your highness…" She apologized weakly. I cringed; her voice was weak and meek. That girl… was different from my Natalia; proud and strong. I watched as Natalia motioned Meryl to stand, and the girl stood with immediacy. I watched as Natalia raised her hand and slapped her, her cheek turning red.
"Natalia!" I shouted, dropping the glass in my hand and standing up.
"I'm sorry Luke that you had to deal with someone so incompetent like Meryl." Natalia replied as if it were shameful. I felt rage filled my veins, and mentally, heard lightning crackle, representing my anger. Her pale hand swiftly moved for another hit, but I caught it.
"Don't touch her." I hissed and she looked at me with a perplexed look.
"Luke…?" I glared at her with a deathly look. I could practically feel fear seeping out of those pathetic green eyes of hers. Before I could go any further, I heard the White Knights storm in, and then I saw… Asch. I saw Asch with the White Knights.
"Asch!?" I shouted in shock, not considering the situation.
"Luke?!" I also heard the fake Natalia shout, and I cringed. If this was really right… could it be that Asch never became Asch?
"That's him!" The White Knights shouted, and with worry, I grabbed Meryl's hand and pulled her along the way, running as she desperately followed with me, lacking the physical strength she retained back when she was the Princess of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear.
"Y-Young Master Luke?!" She asked, although she was probably aware I wasn't really… well… the Luke she knew.
I panted, catching my breath. We ran quite a ways. We were in the Abandoned Factory now. I thought I was tired, but Meryl—no, Natalia, was against the wall, red from lack of breath.
"Young Master Luke, what was that…?" She asked, and I assumed she only called me Luke because she had nothing else to call me.
"Uh… N-nothing…" I stammered. Crap, I didn't know how to explain this. What was I supposed to say? Hey, I'm from another Auldrant just like this one, and in that Auldrant, everything was different! I was Luke fon Fabre, but I was really a replica of that Luke with the deep red hair you saw earlier! Back in my world, I was replicated from him, and I took on his name, while he ran off and became from crabby guy who was God-General Asch the Bloody! Oh, and in my world, Hod was gone, Malkuth and Kimlasca hated each other, and that princess you saw died, and you were the princess! Oh, and there was some guy trying to replicate the world, so we, and a bunch of other people, ran around the world, and stopped him!
Like hell I'd say that.
"For now, just call me Asch." I told her, and Meryl looked at me the curious eyes.
» Chapter 1: Within Oneself «
Authoress Notes » Eek. Short story? Sorry, I want to get to writing some other stories too. I'll make the next chapter soon though!
Ion, Sync, & Florian » Please review :)! /Review. :(