I'd like to take a brief moment and thank those who have reviewed, favorited, and/or alerted this little piece of madness. Constructive criticism is more than welcome, and I hope you all enjoy.
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Part II: Dealing with It
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Luke fon Fabre
After several moments of indecision, Luke decided it would be best if she acted as if she were unconscious the entire time. Hopefully, that would be enough to prevent her from having to lie. Guy would see right through any lie she tried to make, saying nothing of Jade who was downright intimidating.
'Don't think about it, imagining Jade roasting me over a pit for daring to try to deceive him won't help at all.'
So Luke made herself go limp and closed her eyes. Lorelei, well, it wasn't quite Lorelei anymore, hummed in the back of her mind. With her fonslots finally open, energy ran freely within in her and around her. She had no idea just how crippled she was until now. Now, at least, she knew what Tear and Jade were talking about when they mentioned being able to feel fonons; before, they may as well have been trying to explain the color red to someone blind from birth. It made her very excited—it was another way she was useful.
Even with her eyes closed, she could feel everyone's unique fonon frequency. Luke wasn't all that sure how it worked, she just knew that it did. Could Jade and everyone else do the same? Guy, unsurprisingly, was the easiest to pick up. She could even follow his movements as he came leaping to her rescue (she didn't care what Asch thought, Guy was...was awesomer than awesome so there). He hadn't examined her too closely yet, but she wasn't looking forward to when he found out what happened. His intense gynophobia ensured Luke wouldn't be able to touch him again, which was depressing.
Luke felt Asch's glee at that thought. She grumbled at him and mentally shooed him off. It wasn't fair, Guy smelled nice and he was comfortable...she hadn't wanted to admit it before when she was the former Luke, but she liked touching him.
Anise's shriek brought Luke back to the present. It was about time—her shirt didn't fit anymore and it was pulling uncomfortably at her new parts. Luke made a show of opening her eyes and coming to, painfully aware that not only could she not lie, she also couldn't act worth a damn. Fortunately, that was the last thing on their minds.
"Luke? Luke?? Are you okay?" Tear was just above her, kneeling over her and checking for any injuries. Anise was too busy gaping at her in horror.
"Oh, Tear..." Luke trailed off, wincing internally at the sound of her voice. It was one thing to know she was female—it was quite another to experience it. Luke never had the deepest or manliest of voices (Asch snapped at her for that one), but she would have had to have been hard of hearing to miss it moving higher in pitch.
More importantly, how the hell did Tear move with these things anyway? Were they supposed to flop like that?
"Are you hurt?" Tear continued. Luke didn't have a lot of experience with human expressions (Lorelei didn't either, and all of this was ridiculously fascinating), but she got the feeling that Tear was trying not to alarm her.
Luke attempted to sit up, and if it wasn't for Tear supporting her shoulders she would have tipped over onto the floor. Jade finished whatever he was doing by what was left of the terminal and approached them, his face totally unreadable. He examined her closely, never touching her but still making her squirm uncomfortably. He was so scary! How could she lie convincingly to him? Asch said she had to, so she'll just have to do her best.
"Luke, what happened?" Jade wasted no time in starting his interrogation. Luke opened her mouth and closed it. Nothing was coming to mind—nothing useful.
She settled for half truths.
"I was hooked to this machine...and...it's hard to describe." It definitely was. "My head hurt very badly, and I felt something in me move."
"Explain."
'I'm not fooling him at all what do I do?'
"It just...it felt good. It felt very nice and then I was like this." True enough. Jade slowly blinked, clearly noticing the lack of detail. Luke gave him a helpless look and rubbed her face, as if to say she just as perplexed as he was. Her reputation for ignorance was actually coming in handy, here. They knew not to expect much from her.
"That's all? Did you hear anything? See anything?"
"I only heard something about synchronization and fonslots before I passed out." Again, technically true. "Do you know, Jade? How I changed into this?"
Luke half wondered if he would tell her that she was a replica; instead, he shook his head and turned away, frowning thoughtfully. Anise finally managed to shake herself out of her stupor.
"You have boobs!" Anise dashed up and peered closer, as if it were all some optical illusion. Guy choked from his position on the other side of the walkway.
"Yes...I'm...I don't think it's sunk yet." Luke cocked her head to the side when Anise hesitantly poked one.
"Don't invade his personal space like that, Anise!" scolded Tear, looking slightly appalled. Anise huffed.
"Well, I had to make sure they were real! I mean, look at them! They're a pretty good size—and oh gosh! Luke! Did you also lose your--"
"Anise!!"
Luke blinked before gasping in comprehension. It occurred to her that she had never seen girl parts before.
So she promptly tugged on the waist band of her pants and peered down.
"Oh, yes, it's gone."
"Luke!"
Guy was having a fit (poor thing), and Ion was respectfully looking off to the side, face a deep red.
'I told you to act your age, Dreck!' Asch sounded torn between fury and embarrassment.
'I was just curious! I've never seen a girl's thing, don't be silly.' Luke paused. 'Have you ever seen one? If you haven't, you can look at mine--'
'You're seven! Stop that!'
Luke sighed and took a second look. She was dying of curiosity, but she couldn't really see and she wasn't so brazen as to rip her pants off. She had more class than that, thank you.
"Um, is it supposed to look like that, though?"
"Like what, Master?" Mieu asked, not seeing the big deal.
"Well, it's hard to describe--"
"Don't describe it, Luke." Guy sounded pained. He stepped closer, but still stood a fair distance away—farther than he usually did. Luke could see the faint tremors in his hands.
'Guy...'
"Wow..." Anise put her hands on her hips. "This must have been some kind of machine. But why would your family have something like this here? I don't really see the point."
Luke shrugged, running her fingers across the slab she sat on. The fon machine had originally spanned two floors in height; now, it, along with a nice chunk of the adjacent walkways, lay scattered around the chamber. She could still feel the remnants of seventh fonons on the metal.
"I don't really know all that technical stuff, but I don't think the machine was supposed to do this," Luke commented, carefully standing on her feet. It took her a moment, but she managed to adjust somewhat to her new center of gravity. Her sword, however, hung uncomfortably on her hips. And she didn't remember it being that heavy. That didn't bode well at all.
"You're probably right. Aww, but this means we can't get married."
Luke looked confused. "Oh? Why not?"
"Oh, Luke! So it's like that, huh?"
"Wait, what? Like what?"
"Hmm...well, there's nothing to be done for now. If Luke is unharmed and able to walk, we should get back to the roof. I hate running around like this but we have no choice." Jade may as well have been making note of the weather.
"Yes, you're right." Guy hesitated and made as if to say something to her, but in the end he headed for the stairs toward the cliffs outside. Luke sighed, already upset.
It would be easy, she thought, to access some of the memory particles that made up Lorelei and find out the source of Guy's pain. With a bit of time she could...
But was it the right thing to do? There was a line between wanting to help and just invading someone's privacy without them knowing.
"Are you sure you're well, Luke?" Ion asked. He had noticed her unsteady gait as she tried to adjust to a new form. He was even keeping pace with her to help her in case she fell (which was nice of him, although it wasn't as if he would have the strength to catch her).
Luke grinned weakly and nodded.
"I'm okay, I don't hurt, it's just...weird."
"I imagine so. I'm sorry, all of this happened because--"
"It's okay." Luke didn't want Ion to worry or feel bad. "I don't mind. It's weird, but I don't mind."
"Is that so?" asked Jade. He looked over his shoulder and Luke got the impression he figured something out. What it was and how, she had no idea, but Jade simply made her that paranoid. Luke gave him a stern look.
"That is so." She tugged her pants up as they were trying to slide right off her hips. Her belt was more for decorative purposes than practical, so it wasn't that much help.
And it was so strange, not to have something hanging down there anymore. Luke couldn't stop rubbing her thighs together because she couldn't stop thinking something should be there. To make it worse she couldn't even button up her coat anymore. Damn shame, she really liked it.
But the difference between her old body and this one became very apparent by the next monster attack.
There wasn't an issue in the beginning; Luke unsheathed her sword with relatively the same ease as before. She didn't have the same amount of power, but she could still attack even with her pants trying to fall down and her boots flopping a bit on her feet (but how the hell did Tear manage to fight without her things going every which way? It was painful! Was there some secret to it? Secrets of the Breasts that she was unaware of?). However, the difference in upper body strength was too much for her, and she was forced to retreat and let Guy take care of the rest. She rubbed her aching wrist, frustrated. Her sword of choice was around three and a half pounds, but now the balance felt wrong and her stature had changed, making it seem clumsy and heavy in her grip. Luke had only begun instruction in swordplay three years ago; it was difficult enough switching to a metal blade when she had only used wooden swords before, but this was just plain irritating! She was going to have to train her body all over again. Tear attended to her immediately after the battle before the sprain could get worse. Luke sourly noted that her chest was behaving itself.
"You okay, Luke?" Guy asked. Luke perked up immediately and nodded.
"I am! Um..." She trailed off and gave him an uncertain look.
Guy scratched his head, looking just as unsure as she felt. He was now somewhat within arms' reach. It made her feel a lot better to see that he was willing to try to get close despite his phobia. If she didn't startle him, maybe everything will work out.
"Yeah...sorry. Just...oh man, what will your father say?"
'Oh...never considered that.'
"He'll be okay." He was going to let her go to Akzeriuth regardless.
Guy blinked in surprise and nodded.
"Alright. It'll just take some time getting used to." He wasn't quite able to help her up, but he did hover a bit when Tear finished with her.
"I know. I'm glad you want to."
Guy was now gaping at her, and the others were obviously trying to figure out if the machine also gave her a personality transplant as well.
'Is it really so surprising? Man, everyone's being so unfair! Well, except for Ion...he looks pretty out of it as usual.'
Old habits died hard, but Luke had resolved to improve herself. There was no way she could continue acting the way she did after what she'd seen and experienced, if only secondhand. It would bring up a lot of questions, but Luke just didn't have it in her to be that way anymore. Besides, she also owed Guy for being such a wonderful friend. He put up with a lot from her; he deserved better, so she was going to give it to him come hell or high water.
Still, dammit, did they have to look at her as if she was about to grow horns or something?
Guy cleared his throat. "Well, it's nothing. We're going to have to get you a lighter class of sword. I'll take point for now, okay?"
"Okay, that's fine. It's a good idea."
"...Right."
'He'll get used to it eventually.'
Luke carefully turned her wrist, pleased that it was no longer bothering her.
"Thank you for healing me, Tear."
"I...you're welcome."
"And I'm sorry I've been so mean before. With what happened so far, I was just angry at you for breaking into my father's home and trying to assassinate Master Van. Getting blasted into Malkuth territory didn't help much, either."
Tear looked vaguely embarrassed, and nodded.
"It's fine, I understand. I can see that it would be hard to trust someone after that."
"Oh, but I do trust you now." Luke was determined to make her see it. "You're a competent soldier, for one thing, so I know I'm in good hands." Now Tear was turning a bright shade of pink. Before Luke could ask why that was, Anise interrupted them.
"Ooh, ooh, what about me, Luke? Since you're being so nice and all." Anise hopped forward and put on her best smile. Luke deliberately paused and looked thoughtful.
"Oh, well, Anise...you're...perky?"
Anise pouted. "Boo, Luke, that's not funny."
"And Ion's very reliable. And Jade is--"
"Yes?" Jade interrupted, sounding much too cheerful for her comfort.
"Frightening." He did it on purpose, she was positive about that.
"Frightening, Luke? Not at all. But we're going to have to cut this short." They had paused on the last flight of stairs that led to the roof. Guy stepped forward, his hand on the hilt of his sword.
"Okay, she'll probably use that flying monster to attack again. After that, I want you to stay with Ion, Luke."
Luke grumbled before she could stop herself. Sure, it was the practical thing to do, since she didn't know any fonic artes at the moment and her weapon was simply too heavy for her. Still, she wanted to be useful! She spent her entire damn life doing nothing more than disappoint people.
"Okay, Guy. Please be careful."
Guy shook his head. "We're going to have to have a talk later, Luke."
'What does that mean? Am I still doing something wrong?'
Guy dashed up the steps, and as he predicted, the monster bird was waiting for them. He gave two quick slashes with his blade, cutting into the scaly flesh on the bird's feet and driving it backwards. The group took that opportunity to advance as well.
"You...you cut my friend! I'm really gonna make you pay, now!" Arietta placed a hand on the bird's feet; Guy hadn't managed to get through the tough skin, but Arietta still looked dismayed at the damage.
Anise scoffed. "Do you think we're scared? There's more than that came from! Don't you know how much trouble you caused?"
"I don't care! I'm going to kill you all and take back Ion! You killed Mommy! Now, you die!"
"She would have killed us otherwise!" Luke hoped she could reason with her, although it was very unlikely.
"So???" Oh, well, that was that, then.
"Don't bother, she's going to be stubborn." Anise enlarged Tokunaga and charged forward with a battle cry.
"Oh damn...Ion, come over here." Luke carefully took his arm; she was half afraid of accidentally breaking him. Ion nodded in agreement and allowed himself to be tugged to the side.
"What Arietta did was horrible, but still..."
"What? Did something happen to her?" asked Luke.
Ion bit his lip and nervously wrung his hands. He seemed to be debating over something.
"Well, it's very complicated."
"Oh. I understand."
Something in her tone made him wince slightly.
"I do want to tell you, but it's confidential and it has to do with..." Ion trailed off, and Luke idly noted that part of her still wanted to throw a tantrum over not being told something. She struggled a bit to control herself.
'I guess it was stupid to think that absorbing Lorelei would be easy. How could Lorelei deal with so many conflicting forces?' Luke pressed a hand to her temple, trying to reconcile the memory of her past self with her new identity, on top of all the things the Sentience had been composed of. The frequencies of the others were also interfering, probably since they were now in the heat of battle.
For a moment, she forgot that she was on top of the roof of Choral Castle, even with a fierce battle only meters away. She forgot that she was Luke and what she was doing and that she had a body to begin with--
'Dammit, Dreck! Wake up!' Asch's voice brought her back into herself.
'Oh, Asch! Are you okay?'
'Moron, asking me if I'm okay.' Judging from his grumpiness he must have been fine. 'I told you to have some self control. It's imperative that you do...you're no longer dealing with yourself.'
'I know, it's just hard to--'
'Pay attention!!!'
"Luke, move!" The liger had somehow managed to break through the others, pushed forward from the momentum of Anise's fonic artes. It recovered much faster than anyone expected and charged right at the distracted Luke. Guy attempted to come to her aid, but was intercepted by the flying monster. The liger would be on her before Jade would be able to finish his incantation.
'Oh you have to be kidding me!' Ion would fine, no monster of Arietta's would lay a paw or talon on him. They'd rip her throat out in a heartbeat, of course.
She gripped her sword and wrenched it from its sheath. Her arm ached but she didn't have a choice. She should be able to hold on long enough until one of the others could help.
'I can't leave you alone for a second, can I??' Asch suddenly surged into her, much like Lorelei did earlier. The feeling of completion was wonderful, amazing, but Asch ignored it and he threw her body to the side just as a massive paw swiped the air where her head was seconds previously. As Luke thought, the liger followed her and ignored Ion completely. The evasion gave Jade's Splash enough time to form and slam into the liger's body, but it managed to shake off the weakened arte and simply continued to advance, relentless.
Then she felt Asch draw the fifth fonons from the air around them.
It was just like Tear said earlier, even though Luke hadn't understood at the time.
'Open your body's fon slots...draw in fonons and join them together with your fonon frequency by using a verse...'
'Speak.' The order was harsh and Asch didn't bother elaborating. Regardless, she still knew what to do. She raised her arm and Asch helped her direct the fonons to converge on the area before her.
"Bring all to ashen ruin..." His murderous intent suddenly spiked and, alarmed, Luke pulled back at the last moment. "Explosion!!" The resulting arte was more powerful than either expected. The area was bathed in light and Luke cringed as the heat washed over her. The liger let out a piercing cry and collapsed, burned black. It's fur was smoking and a good portion had melted into its skin. Asch was still poised in her mind, ready to strike again even when it was clear that the liger wasn't going to attack anything soon. Luke gagged a bit from the awful smell and turned away.
'If you didn't interfere we could have killed it. Will you not kill even a monster, now? Think, Dreck....when will you finally learn your lesson? When one of your friends gets mauled? When a soldier stabs you in the back because you showed mercy? You heal, yes, but death is also a part of life. Don't act so pathetic and deal with it.' Luke flinched, and she could feel a part of her protest that she had felt too much death already, but Asch plowed on, determined. 'I am your sword, true, but a sword is useless if the wielder doesn't even try to protect their own life! Don't bother having one if you're afraid to use it and let it be used. Even a Sentience can die, remember that.' Then he seemed to take a deep breath and she felt him rub his fingers through her hair. It wasn't an apology, but he was trying to lessen the sting. It was a vast improvement as far as Asch was concerned.
'I'm sorry.'
'Don't. You can say your apologizes until you're blue in the face and still keep doing the exact same thing. Show me instead.'
'I will.'
"Luke are you okay?" Ion gently shook her arm.
"I...I'm fine."
Arietta gave a pained shriek. It must have looked awful to her, having her friends and family cut down one by one. Luke couldn't help but feel guilty.
"No! How dare you do that to him?? I'll kill you!"
Jade, however, wasn't inclined to pity. He used his spear to sweep her legs out from under her, sending her crashing onto the stone.
"I knew letting her live would come back to haunt us." He raised the point of his spear, only to stop when Ion rushed forward and put himself between them.
"Wait! I'll take Arietta back for an inquiry before the Order of Lorelei. So, please, don't take her life..."
"Yes." They all turned at the sound of Van's voice. "That would be best."
"Master Van!" Luke greeted cheerfully. Despite everything, she was so happy to see him she could barely contain herself.
'Even when we share a soul I don't understand you.'
'He raised me and taught me. I'll never stop respecting him, if nothing else.'
'Fine, just don't forget what he wants to do.'
'Of course I won't.'
"Luke...what on earth??" The usually unflappable Van looked downright flummoxed. His eyes were wide and seconds away from popping right out of his head. It was so comical Luke had to block Asch's cackling from her mind before she dissolved into laughter herself.
"Er, something happened."
"I can see that! I can only imagine--are you well, Luke?"
"Mmhmm! I'm fine, just...well, I'm fine." She beamed at him and held up an arm. Van stared at her for a moment longer before shaking his head.
"If you say so. I'll drop it for now, but I can't help but think how upset your father is going to be." He sighed and briefly pinched the bridge of his nose. "In any event, there was no word of the Fon Master's arrival in Kaitzur, so I came here just in case."
Ion's face fell. "I'm sorry Van."
"Well, there's no point in dwelling on what's already been done. I'll take Arietta into my custody, is that all right with you?"
"Yes, please do. And please treat her wounds." Van nodded and walked past Jade to where Arietta lay on the ground. He picked her up with ease, making sure to support her head.
Guy spoke up then. "How do you plan to explain her crimes to His Majesty and the military?"
"We will follow proper Order procedure, punish her, and issue a report. That's how lawful society operates," Ion stated, voice firm.
'Nothing good would come of outright killing her, and I'm glad we're not...' Luke glanced at Jade. It didn't help, he was once again unreadable. Was he upset? After all, those were his soldiers that got eaten by monsters. 'Asch was there, too...he's killed a lot, hasn't he?' She already knew the answer to that.
"I have soldiers and a coach from Count Almandine, the Kaitzur commander. I'll escort the maintenance chief home as well." Van turned to Ion. "What will you do, Ion? I'd prefer you to come with me, but..."
Ion lightly tapped his chin. Luke was surprised when he looked at her for guidance.
"It seems some of us are interested in this castle..."
"Well, personally, I kind of want to walk back. Once we get on the ship, we'll be in Baticul in no time anyway, right? Besides, there are some...things I want to try. But it's not fair for me to decide alone, so..." Luke trailed off to look at the others for their opinions.
Van slowly blinked, once more showing his surprise. He looked at Guy who shrugged in response.
'Oh come on, was I really that bad?'
'You know you were. Still, it can't be helped. I have to go, don't make me have to come back to save your hide. You're getting in my way and if you keep it up I'll strike you myself.' Asch gave her a mental nudge before leaving.
'He's so kind.' Luke thought happily.
"Well, the route does have us stopping in Chesedonia along the way," Guy commented.
"I don't mind walking! It'll be better than a stuffy carriage," Anise said, bouncing a bit on her heels. Tear shrugged, showing that she was also neutral, while Jade didn't even do that much. Luke wasn't crazy enough to call his attention onto herself by pressing him, though.
"...It seems we would prefer walking. We'll catch up to you later." Ion smiled gently at Van, as if to apologize for going against his preferences.
If Van was upset, he didn't show it. "Understood. Please take care." He began to walk to the exit, with Arietta's monsters painfully following. Luke was surprised to see that the liger still had enough life in it to hobble after its master.
"I'm glad that's over," she sighed, rubbing her cheek. Now that everyone's frequencies weren't actively colliding with the fonons in the air she could think more easily.
"Mm. By the way, Luke, I didn't know you could use fonic artes." Jade gave her a sidelong glance, sounding almost excessively casual. "And that was a powerful one as well..."
'Oh crud. And Asch complains about me not thinking.'
"Yeah, that's right." Guy also decided to make things difficult for her. "I know you never learned that back in the manor, and it takes a while to get the hang of it."
"I just...did it." Luke waved her arms, trying to hold off their queries. Not that that helped.
Jade crossed his arms. "Is that so? I might have been able to accept that explanation if you had actually used a fon verse you're familiar with, but I don't recall ever using that arte around you."
"Luke didn't have experience with it, no." Tear added.
'First they think I'm crazy and now they're ganging up on me. With friends like these...' Luke sighed, not that upset but wondering how she was going to do what Asch said when he himself forced her hand. 'And he's conveniently gone when I'm dealing with the mess. He better be glad I like him.'
Finally, Luke had to say something to get them off her back.
"It just came to me, okay? I remembered what Tear said on the Tartarus on opening fon slots and gathering fonons and stuff, and so the verse sort of...entered my head." Silence prevailed for several long moments, long enough for Luke to want to hide her face from shame. She knew she couldn't lie, Asch told her she couldn't lie, but even she was surprised just how hopeless she was at it!
"It entered your head?" Anise gave her a dubious look.
Well, she couldn't take it back now.
"Yeah!...The words just came out and then I used it." Jade was once again examining her like she was something under a microscope. With what he knew about replication and hearing about her synchronized fon slots, Luke was hoping he'd draw his own conclusions and leave her alone.
"We probably won't figure out more than that," Jade said, adjusting his glasses, "as for now, let's head back. I do hope that convenient ability of yours continues, Luke."
'He's filed it away for later. He'll be watching me...'
Damn, Jade made her really paranoid.
*
Technically, there were no real "parts" to Luke's identity. It wasn't so simple as to say, oh, fifty percent was Luke and the other was what made up Lorelei. What was once a fragment now housed the entirety of the greater soul itself. She couldn't really hear Lorelei anymore, not the way she used to; all she received now were general impressions and feelings because, well, they were now hers.
And they often conflicted.
As the group headed down the dirt road back to the Kaitzur Naval Port, Luke examined the world around her with fresh eyes. She took deep breaths just to feel the air fill her lungs and ran her fingers along the grass as if she was seeing it for the first time. Luke was torn between her mild case of agoraphobia and wanting to shoot off somewhere, anywhere, because it's been so long.
She even wanted to rip her clothes off; she nearly did, fortunately stopping when Mieu asked what she was doing.
'I'm going to go crazy if this keeps up!' The others had pretty much ignored her odd behavior, apparently giving up on figuring her out for now. Anise, Ion and Mieu were more than happy to indulge her, though, and they had quite the time running about. Even Guy could be coaxed into joining in occasionally, although Anise's teasing quickly had him cowering by Jade when it came to be too much.
Luke hadn't really appreciated the world before. She had simply been too selfish to care about things that didn't affect her. Now, she wanted to see things, try things, feel things. It was really something to look forward to, something both she and Lorelei shared, which made existing a lot easier.
It was starting to get late in the afternoon by the time they reached the Kimlascan Base at Kaitzur. The ship was already undergoing repairs, thanks to the maintenance chief, but they wouldn't be able to leave right away. Instead, they were directed to Count Almandine's quarters where Master Van awaited them.
"Fon Master." Van greeted them in his usual solemn manner. The other man present, presumably the Lieutenant General Count Almandine, was staring at her with ill disguised shock. He was a distinguished middle aged man, a little on the stocky side with graying hair fashioned into a military buzz cut. Luke sensed faint recognition from Asch: Almandine had apparently visited the manor when he was young. He was a consummate military man, spending his entire adult career in the military, working his way up with nothing more than fierce loyalty and merit. He had learned the mannerisms of court well, but his blatant gaping seemed to undo all that hard work. Then again, his breach of etiquette could be excused given the situation. After a moment, Asch hummed his approval. Almandine was competent and loyal—he could be used.
Van continued on as if there was nothing out of the ordinary.
"I have already informed Count Almandine about the incident with Arietta...as well as Luke's unfortunate...accident."
Almandine cleared his throat and shook his head.
"I apologize. Van had told me about what happened but to see it...well, Fon Master, I hope I can expect Daath to deal with the matter in good faith."
Ion nodded. "Please forgive my servant's mistakes." It said a lot about Ion's influence that Count Almandine was willing to leave the matter at that. He nodded, looking fairly satisfied.
Watching Ion flex his political muscles (the only ones he had, really) was pretty boring, and Luke once again found her attention wavering. She had enough trouble with her attention span without the addition of Lorelei into her being. Van saw that she was quickly losing interest and carefully touched her shoulder, always mindful of physical boundaries.
"I noticed at Choral Castle that your new form was," he paused, trying to find a tactful way to say that her clothes had become borderline indecent, "causing some issues with your wardrobe."
"I'll say. Jade said I wasn't allowed to swing my sword anymore until I got a bigger shirt...not that I could swing it for very long anyway." Luke blinked when Guy groaned and Jade and Tear gave her that look, the one she noticed would appear when she said or did something stupid.
She got it a lot.
Luke pouted slightly, a little offended at the way Anise was snickering at her while Count Almandine gave a slight cough.
"I can see how that could be a problem." Van actually looked faintly amused. "I had someone look for a suitable alternative, and this is the best we could find." He picked up a bundle off a nearby chair and handed it to her. It was a steel gray jumpsuit, made of thick, rough fabric. She had seen a couple of engineers wearing it when they passed by the dock. It probably was the only thing they had around here; it was either this or a spare uniform.
Almandine smiled kindly at her.
"You can change in the bathroom at the inn. As a matter of fact, the ship will be leaving tomorrow, so please get some rest here in port tonight."
"Thank you," Ion said.
"I'll go get changed." Luke tucked the jumpsuit under her arm and escaped outside before anyone could stop her. She knew it was rude, but...
Luke slipped into the inn bathroom a minute later and locked the door behind her. She gave a sigh and placed the clothing on the sink. She kicked off her boots and with a slight tug her pants and boxers fell to her ankles. Her beloved coat was next, followed by the black belly shirt. Luke took a deep breath to steel herself and looked in the mirror.
The inn bathroom mirror wasn't all that great, and it only showed her body from the breasts up. Luke tilted her head to the side, examining herself with a critical eye. She, personally, had never seen a nude female body before, so she wasn't all that sure what was good or not. She raised her hands and hesitantly cupped her breasts. Warm (obviously) and a lot softer than she thought. Luke didn't think she was big as Tear, but it was difficult to figure out since she was still taller and heavier. Were bigger ones better? It seemed that way, judging from what she overheard some of the guards back home say when they were on their break. Smaller ones seemed to be better for battle though. Still, Tear didn't seem to have half the problems she did! Luke was really going to have to ask about those secrets later.
Luke pressed her hands against her hips, noting the difference there, before frowning when her eyes landed on the area between her legs. She hummed slightly, trying to figure out the best way to do this in a cramped bathroom.
Speaking of bathrooms, what was she going to do when she finally had to use it?
Luke sighed and rubbed her face. She ought to be upset.
'But this is the body Lorelei gave me. This is the body I need to compliment Asch.' Luke reached forward and pressed her fingers to the mirror. 'How can I be angry when this is what Lorelei, no, I need? It's hard to wrap my head around, but at the same time it fits. I am Lorelei now, and Asch is mine.' Luke felt a surge of warmth with that thought. Asch was hers.
Best to keep that to herself for the time being, though.
This wouldn't be so bad. She had started out an ignorant copy, an inferior imitation of the real thing. What was a little sex change in the face of finding a purpose? Of being needed? Now if only she and Guy could have that closeness again everything would be fine, really.
'Well, not fine, not until I stop being one step away from forgetting who I am...I'll have to get the hang of it, though, I can't be a burden anymore.' With that Luke pressed her hands to her thighs and looked down at herself. 'Oh, wow, it really is different down there!' Lorelei (herself? Lorelei? Argh, whatever!) was amused at her behavior. It was weird, different, but not in a bad way.
"Luke, are you okay?" called Tear from the room beyond. She knocked politely on the thick wooden door.
"Oh, I'm fine! One second!" Luke tugged her boxers back on and stepped into the jumpsuit. The length was fine, as she made for a tall woman, but the shoulders and waist were too broad. There was enough room in the fabric for her assets, so Luke was content with that.
She opened the door and peeked out. The others were all there, lounging around the small room. Ion was already in bed, being fussed over by Anise. Jade was deep in thought and looked completely unapproachable. Guy was right beside him, as if the Colonel were some kind of buffer against the group of women on the other side of the room.
'Wow...every day must be an experience for him.'
"Oh, Luke, that won't do at all!" Anise cried. Once she got over her initial shock, she treated her just the same as ever, without the excess flirting.
For now. You never really knew with Anise. Still, aside from Mieu, she was probably the one least bothered by the strange turn of events.
Luke looked perplexed. "What won't?"
"That outfit. Look at you!"
Luke crossed her arms, feeling a little self-conscious.
"Well, it's not the most stylish thing, I know--"
"I can't wait to get to Chesedonia." Anise bounced on the bed and beamed mischievously. "We're going to have to get you some proper clothes, aren't we?"
Dread filled Luke then, and she looked around for help.
"Th-That won't...I can wait until Baticul. There's plenty of money there and--"
"Luke, this may have escaped your notice, but you can't go without the essentials much longer."
'So there are secrets! I knew it!' Luke felt a little proud of herself before she remembered that Anise was plotting on her.
Anise shook her head. "I mean, how are we going to explain it to your parents? Not only were you woman-ified on our watch, but you went poked your eye out with your own brea--"
"Anise." Tear sent her a stern look. "What she means to say is that it would be better if we took care of this as quickly as possible. If something else happens we need to be prepared. Don't worry, it's painless."
"Oh...well, that's good, then. I can sell my clothes for the money we'll need. The fabric is expensive and they're not that damaged." Luke folded them up as best she could before setting them aside on a table. She'd have to make sure they didn't get any worse if she wanted them to get sold. She needed a new sword, too.
'And soon we'll be in Baticul...Asch is right, there really is no time!' Luke must have been frowning, as Mieu nudged her leg.
"Are you okay, Master?"
"Y-Yeah...hey, what do they have for food around here?"
"There's a cafeteria in the next building. We should get some dinner. Ion, I'll bring something back for you, stay here, okay? " Anise ordered. Ion smiled and settled further into the sheets.
"If you say so, Anise."
"Come on, Colonel, a lady needs an escort, doesn't she?"
"True enough, but Tear seems to be capable of looking after herself and I'm sure Guy won't let Luke walk around unsupervised--"
"Boo! You can be so mean, you know." Despite his teasing, Jade followed Anise out the door, putting whatever thoughts he was stewing over on hold for the time being.
'Thanks a lot, Jade.'
"I'm heading out as well. Keep Ion company, Mieu." Luke didn't even bother taking her sword with her. Mieu nodded and hopped onto the bed beside Ion.
"Yes, Master!"
"Before that, Luke, can you follow me for a bit?" Guy was smiling at her, but Luke knew him long enough to know that he was treating the situation very seriously. Luke nodded and trailed after him, making sure not to come too close. The distance wasn't all that large, but there may as well have been a chasm between them.
They didn't leave the base entirely, but they managed to find a private spot by the barracks. It was later than Luke thought, with the sun mostly set behind the horizon and a few stars were already making an appearance in the sky. Guy leaned against the wall, his arms crossed as he studied her silently. Luke felt a little self-conscious as she sat on a small crate. She leaned her elbows against her knees and waited.
"You know, a part of me feels pretty ashamed right now. I can't even tell if you're suffering or not, but...I know I'm making you upset by keeping away. Despite that, I can't get close to you." Guy paused, trying to find the right words. He ended up shrugging and he gave her a soft look. It was just like before in Baticul, before this entire mess started. She could almost see the walls of her bedroom around her, bright in the daylight, and Guy would be there on his usual perch on her window. If she concentrated hard enough, she could even feel the comforter beneath her hands and--
"Luke, Luke!!" She snapped back to the present, gasping for breath and her head throbbing. Guy had managed to get closer than ever, his hands poised just above her head.
"Um, what happened?" Luke asked. Guy pressed his lips together, looking tense.
"My mind must have been playing tricks on me...that's all." Then he realized just how close he was and jumped back with a yelp. Luke couldn't help but laugh at him, forgetting about the tense atmosphere that was pressing on them a second ago.
Guy took a deep breath. "Yeah, laugh it up...anyway, I just want to know what's going on with you, Luke. You're not acting like yourself."
"Do you...not like it?" Luke never even considered that, but surely that couldn't be the case? She didn't have the best of attitudes.
"No, it's not that. As a matter of fact, I'm impressed. You're acting a lot better than I would have, that's for certain." He paused and gave a pronounced shudder. "I'm just trying to figure out how you can change so much in the fifteen minutes you were gone. At first, I thought you were some kind of impostor or something."
'Some would say you aren't far off the mark.'
"Really, Guy?"
"For a bit. But after watching you for the past seven years of your life--"
'My entire life...'
"--and there are a lot of little things you do that can't be copied. While your new maturity isn't a bad thing, it just came out of nowhere. You're still you, but...something's just different, and I can't put my finger on it."
For a long moment, Luke seriously considered disregarding what Asch said and telling Guy everything. She certainly trusted him with her life, why couldn't she trust him with this? It was right on the tip of her tongue to spill it all to him. Asch would have none of that, however, and forcefully stopped her. He was practically oozing distrust. Luke sighed sadly and edited her answer. She'd be able to tell him one day.
"It's partly because of you, you know."
Guy's eyes widened and he scratched the back of his neck.
"I'm not following."
Luke blushed, trying to find a way to say this without sounding...cheezy.
"Er, well, I realized something when I was kidnapped again. You're a wonderful person, Guy, and I'm very lucky to have you. I...I can always count on you, you know. You've never let me down, not once and...I realized that I didn't deserve it."
"Luke..."
"I know I was an awful brat. I still sort of am if I don't watch myself. I guess I wanted to show you that you aren't wasting your time. And, well, I want to be there for you, too. No matter what."
Luke didn't expect Guy to wince and grit his teeth.
"Luke, I—oh man, I really didn't deserve that."
'Damn right you don't.' Asch wouldn't be swayed.
Luke gave him a look. "Yes, you do."
"No, I don't."
"You do, so there. You're not telling me anything different."
"Luke--"
"Guy. Shut up."
Guy chuckled and shook his head.
"I see that stubbornness hasn't changed one bit." He gave her a bright smile. Luke was practically beaming at him.
'Oh stop that before I throw up.'
'For someone who says not to bother him, you sure are providing a lot of running commentary. And it's what you get if you're going to eavesdrop.'
"You're probably hungry, right?" Guy's voice interrupted their conversation. "Let's get you something to eat."
"Thanks, Guy."
Guy nodded. "No matter what happens, I'll be here, okay?"
"I know."
The rest of the night had passed uneventfully, and when Luke woke up the next morning the others were already up and out of the room. She huffed in irritation and kicked the covers off her legs. Why didn't anyone wait for her? Not even Guy waited! He can't touch her or stand too close, but still--
No, she should stop expecting Guy to adjust his life to suit her wants. She was going to get this down eventually, dammit.
The Katsbert Ferry was already stocked and ready to go by the time Luke stumbled down to the port. She rubbed her eyes and stifled a whine. By Rem, the sun wasn't even completely up! Once this was all over (and by over she meant fixing Auldrant, not apocalypse over), she wasn't going to miss getting up at the crack of dawn.
"There you are, sleepy head! We can't leave without you, you know!" Anise looked a little too energetic so early in the morning. Luke rubbed her eyes and yawned.
"Sorry, I'm used to Guy getting me up..." She tried not to sound whiny, but it came out anyway.
"Well, he did try." Anise gleefully pointed to Guy, who was leaning against a crate and muttering under his breath. "He said he was going to get over his phobia even if it killed him. He actually managed to put a finger on your shoulder."
Luke tried not to look too pleased. "He did? That's great!...but, I still didn't wake up."
"Oh, once you hear what happened next--"
"Now, now, Anise, the poor boy has suffered enough." Jade's eyes were impossible to see through the glare on his glasses, but Luke really didn't think she'd have liked to see them anyway. Luke idly wondered just how much Guy suffered until Jade said it was enough.
"Hey, don't pick on Guy!" Whatever it was, Luke wasn't going to leave him hanging. But why did he look so frazzled?
'Anise. It's probably Anise.'
"Thanks..." Guy managed to stumble up the gangplank, trying his hardest not to look at her. What the hell just happened?
"There you are, Luke," Van greeted as he approached the group, accompanied by Count Almandine.
Luke smiled widely. "Good morning, Master Van, Count Almandine."
"I see we're just about ready to depart. Again, I apologize for the trouble we have caused you, Count Almandine."
The Count waved his hand dismissively and tucked it behind his back, automatically slipping into parade rest. Ion slipped past Luke to face him.
"I thank you for your assistance."
"Please, have a safe journey." Almandine turned his attention to Luke. "I sent a carrier pigeon ahead alerting your father and the King that you are on your way home. I did mention your...condition, but I also let them know that you are healthy. Also, I told them to expect the Fon Master and a Malkuth soldier. I felt uncomfortable not giving them a report of what was going on, just in case you were delayed."
"Oh, that's not a bad idea! Thanks." Luke carefully placed a hand on Ion's shoulder and they followed Van onto the ship. The moment they were onboard the gangplank retracted and the ship's horn gave out a loud bellow as they started moving away from the dock. Luke looked around eagerly; she'd never been on a ship before. She felt a bit of bitterness at her seven year captivity, but pushed it away. That was in the past now; not to mention it paled in comparison to Lorelei's imprisonment.
"I need to speak with you later on, Luke. Can you meet me on the deck in a while? I must check on some things below, first." Van was most likely referring to Arietta. She was being contained in a holding cell under heavy guard.
"Okay, I don't mind."
Ion left her soon after, saying he was going to look for Anise. Luke scratched her head, very much alone.
'I wonder what I should do? Talk to Guy and see what's bothering him? I don't know...'
Luke began to make her way to the bridge, watching as the crew members darted to and fro around her. They gave her a respectful nod as she passed—if they were confused by her appearance they didn't give any indication. Some of them even smiled at her.
The first person of their party that she ran into was Jade. He was on the bridge, by the helm, and looked incredibly pensive. Luke had never spent much time thinking in her life, so she found Jade's ability to multitask while deep in thought to be pretty impressive. She was trying to determine if it would be worth it to interrupt him, but he ended up taking the issue right out of her hands.
"What would you do if you weren't really you?" he asked, keeping his gaze on the large windows before him. Luke didn't even bother trying to figure out how he knew she was standing behind him and chose to focus on his question instead. She knew what he was getting at, but he didn't know that she knew.
Well, she thought.
Luke crossed her arms and tapped her foot against the wooden planks on the floor. The question took on another layer if she counted Lorelei merging into her. For all intents and purposes she was the Seventh Sentience. Did that mean she was no longer Luke? Not exactly. From the moment she was "born" she was a fragment of Lorelei's soul, more so than even her original. Simply being composed of nothing but seventh fonons made all the difference.
Realizing she was taking too long, Luke decided to just go with her gut feeling.
"I don't know, Jade. I guess I'd work hard on redefining myself. Besides, even if I wasn't Luke, I still existed. I still did things around the manor, even though it wasn't much. I...I watched Pere garden and went on walks with my mother and made mud pies for Guy's birthday--" Luke coughed and turned a little red in embarrassment. She hadn't meant to go that far.
"...Mud pies."
"He said he liked them!" exclaimed Luke, sounding defensive.
"I'm sure. I wonder, did you also make him a necklace out of macaroni?"
"So what if I did? Stop laughing at me!"
"I would never."
Luke sighed and glared at him; although, if she wanted to be honest it probably was more of a pout.
"Anyway, I'm more than my name. Does that help?"
"More than your name, hm? I see..."
"Anything else?"
"No, no. I confess that I was a little curious." For a moment, Luke thought she saw his hands clench.
Luke tilted her head to the side. "You're hard to figure out, you know. What's that saying? About still waters?"
"I wouldn't really attribute that to me. I'm just a tottering old man, Luke, pay me no mind."
"If this is how you act when you're 'old,' you must have been really something when you were young."
"That would be an understatement." Jade didn't speak for a while and Luke shifted nervously, wondering if she said something. Then he startled her by turning around to face her. His red eyes were sharp.
"You know, Luke...someday you may hate me enough to want to kill me...or perhaps you already do."
Luke gaped at him.
"I don't get it. I could never hate you."
An unidentifiable emotion flickered on Jade's face before he sighed, probably exasperated in the face of her naivete. It didn't matter what he thought—she knew she wouldn't. She didn't know how she was certain, but it didn't make it any less true.
"Never is quite a long time, Luke."
"Oh my—you aren't planning something, are you?" Luke was once again startled when he began laughing. Well, it wasn't normal laughter—more like a dry chuckle.
"You must have lived quite the simple life."
"Yeah, you could say that," Luke agreed, not even bothering to waste her energy rising to his bait. He'd outwit her anyway, Fonon Sentience or no. "But is that really so bad? Life's hard enough without making things difficult for myself. Look at me. Besides, you seem to hate yourself more than enough for the both of us."
"Hm."
Luke brightened. "Oh, this is the first time we've really talked to each other."
"Indeed. Does this mean I also get a macaroni necklace?" Whatever mood had fallen upon him earlier was swept away by his mocking tone. Luke grumbled and headed back down the stairs.
"You'll get no macaroni necklace from me, pal."
"I'm heartbroken."
'That would require a heart. He's unbelievable.' But she still found herself stifling a chuckle when she emerged back on deck. Ion had found Anise, and the two of them were looking out at the horizon, enjoying the view. Mieu was there as well, also staring out at the deep blue waters. He hadn't been on a ship before, either.
Ion turned when he heard her approach and smiled.
"Hello, Luke."
"Good morning, Master! I'm sorry I left you behind, but the others said it would be better to let you sleep after yesterday." Mieu looked up pleadingly, asking for forgiveness. Luke shook her head.
"It's fine."
"I hope what's happened won't incur King Ingobert's disfavor and cause negotiations to fall through," Ion said, looking worried.
"Don't worry. I'll explain everything to my uncle. I'll ask Father and Mother to help, too." Luke joined them by the railing and leaned on it. The sea air was refreshing, and the water was lovely. So far, riding by ship was pretty nice.
"That's right. Your mother is His Majesty's younger sister."
"Yep, so relax."
"You're right, I suppose I should." He sighed. "So much has happened, though. I can't help but feel sorry for what we did to Arietta."
"Yeah...I thought the same thing." Considering Asch blatantly and unapologetically manipulated her. Luke had a feeling it wouldn't be the last time he used such methods as well.
'I guess that's his purpose, though. Sometimes bad things have to be done. He didn't get the name 'Bloody' by being pleasant, that's for sure.'
"Enough about Gloomietta. Luke, can I ask you a weird question?" Anise affected an innocent look. Luke may not have been the sharpest knife in the drawer, but she definitely wasn't falling for that.
"What?"
"What do you think about Tear?"
Luke blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"I mean what I asked. What do you think about Tear?"
"Well...I think she takes some getting used to, and she used to annoy me a lot more before...but, well, she's very pretty."
"You think she's pretty? Like that?"
"Er, just because I'm a girl now doesn't mean I suddenly won't find Tear attractive."
Anise looked thoughtful before nodding.
"Yeah, that does make sense...oh Luke, you're so cute!" Luke promptly turned red. "Oh, I can't wait until we get to Chesedonia! It's going to be great! I always wanted to fight in a costume--"
"Ah...I need to find Tear. See you." Before Anise could stop her, Luke power walked to safety. Just what was Anise planning anyway?? Luke could only imagine what she would try to put her in.
She actually hadn't been serious about finding Tear, but she ended up stumbling across her anyway by the bow of the ferry. Tear nodded when she saw her approach.
"How are you feeling? Any complications?"
"Complications?"
"With your new form, of course."
"No, not really...I'm still trying to get used to it."
Tear nodded as if she was expecting the answer.
"We'll have to keep an eye on you. Since we don't know what exactly caused you to change, it could be dangerous to just assume everything will work out."
"U-Um, you're making me a little paranoid."
"I'm sorry, but you should know." Tear mercifully changed the subject. "It seems you weren't actually a Seventh Fonist after all; although, judging from the way you performed that fonic arte earlier you certainly have the capability of learning."
"Oh, that..." Luke was half-hoping they would forget, but it was just wishful thinking.
"The ability to use the Seventh Fonon is something you are born with, and they are very few in number. You should consider learning some healing artes at least." It was a good idea, certainly. Maybe she'll ask Tear for lessons later on; there was also Natalia back home who could help her with that.
'Or, considering that I'm Lorelei now, I can simply try it out myself. I can't believe I actually forgot that for a second!'
Luke spoke, "Yeah, I should...hey, why are there so few?"
"You could say it's because the seventh fonon was a mutation."
"Oh, really?"
Tear appeared to have taken on the role of instructor, as she quickly settled into lecture mode.
"A device called the Planet Storm was created as a way to cycle the planet's memory particles through the fonon belt. This created a mutation in the six fonon elements and the memory particles."
Luke looked thoughtful as she stared at her hands. She felt her mind wander as images flowed behind her eyes. Lorelei was memory, and he/she/it could remember the time when he/she/it first became aware, bursting forth in a flurry of song. How that meshed into human history wasn't all that easy to determine. Lorelei remembered walking upon the earth with Gnome and spending a lot of time by the sea with Undine. Sylph sent pleasing winds to flow through her hair, and Shadow and Rem watched over her from afar while Efreet kept her warm at night. The cities back then were much, much larger and more advanced; the gap between rich and poor was also incredibly steep. If you weren't in a city, then you scraped by in a farming village. Lorelei had little use for sprawling metropolises, instead spending time in the villages to heal and foster life. They loved Lorelei for itself then, not the Score; although, that was mostly because they simply hadn't known what they were dealing with, yet. Things changed the moment they realized the future was in reach.
Lorelei was a combination of six elements and memory particles, but that would be the same as saying the human body was composed of specialized cells that came together to form organs and bones and flesh. It was true, but that was hardly the end of it.
"I wonder, Tear."
"What?"
"Um, it's nothing."
Tear didn't look convinced, but she didn't press.
'What is Lorelei, exactly? Not even I really know. Lorelei never really thought about it, either. It just was. Do the other Sentiences have this problem? Or do they just not care? They must be somewhere, right?'
"Something else, Tear."
"Yes? You're being unusually thoughtful today. You never seemed to be all that curious before."
Luke nodded in response to the gentle rebuke. Tear typically called it like she saw it.
"I know."
"Still, haven't your tutors taught you any of this?"
"It's complicated. When I first came to the manor, I had to learn everything from scratch. I learned my parents' faces, first, and then I had to learn how to walk and talk...um, that took about a year. Writing was such a pain, too, and it's still giving me trouble. But, I'm trying to fix that, now." Luke trailed off when Tear briefly turned away from her. Did she make her upset, somehow?
"...I see. What's your question?"
"It's just...do you know anything about the other Sentiences?"
"Sentiences only form when there is a large concentration of a particular fonon. That's all, really."
"Oh...well, thank you, Tear."
"Don't mention it," replied Tear. Her face then seemed to soften from its usual stoic expression. "I'm sorry."
"Um, what? What for?"
"I don't think I've been taking your memory loss very seriously. I've been unkind to you this whole time. I'm ashamed of myself."
Luke smiled and held out her hand.
"Don't worry about it. I wasn't making things very pleasant, either. Truce?"
Tear grasped her hand and shook it firmly.
"Truce. I promise I'll get you home safely."
"I know you will," Luke said, "oh, I better go. I'm supposed to meet Master Van."
Tear's eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of her brother's name.
"I still don't trust him. He's up to something."
"He's hiding something, yeah...but aren't you as well?"
Tear fell silent. She couldn't argue with that.
"I'll see you later, okay? I don't think Master Van's planning to do anything to me right now anyway."
"I suppose. It wouldn't be prudent to do anything right now in such close quarters."
"If it makes you feel any better, I'll be right over there."
Luke left Tear to her thoughts and walked around the--what did they call it--port side of the deck. She spotted Van standing near the rear of the ferry. She could really see the resemblance between the two siblings, now, as he had the same thoughtful expression on his face. Luke decided to watch him for a moment, knowing full well he knew she was there.
'I hope we can do something about Akzeriuth when the time comes...Master Van, are you really that far gone?'
Luke loved Van—when her own father pushed her away from grief, Van had stepped right in to take his place. She still loved him even with the knowledge she possessed now. Asch didn't understand it (not like she understood it any better), but she couldn't forget seven years of kindness. Van never lost patience with her, he never made her feel stupid nor worthless. He never compared her to the Luke before the kidnapping, although that was because he knew she wasn't that Luke. Van's sword lessons were a breath of fresh air in the stagnant manor, when she couldn't even walk around Baticul for a change of scenery.
Still, times were dangerous now and she had to set that same love aside. Neither Luke nor Asch knew enough or were powerful enough to openly oppose the man. Lorelei was largely cut off from its own power trapped in the Core and Score due to the Pact, and even then, Lorelei could only do so much about averting the impending disaster when it was written by Auldrant's own memory particles. There was also the not-so-minor matter of weaning the world off the Score itself.
'Listen to what Van has to say, but be careful. After all, it is true that the Score ultimately brings little but suffering, and it is also true something drastic will have to be done to free the world from its clutches.' Asch, himself, didn't necessarily disagree with Van's philosophy. His primary issue lay with the man's radical methods. 'He probably won't tell you anything too important, but it would be best if we can try to figure out his exact plans. Right now, all we know is what is written in the Score; it would be helpful if it had specifics, but...'
'I know, Asch.'
'Don't act as if I should have assumed you knew all that. Just be yourself and he won't suspect a thing.'
'I'm getting the feeling you're calling me simpleminded.'
'Hurry up, Dreck.'
Luke fixed a happy smile on her face and approached her master. He nodded at her when she stopped beside him and turned his gaze back out to sea.
"I was wondering what you were doing."
"Just watching you and thinking, Master Van."
"Oh? About what?"
"A couple of things...what did you want to talk to me about?"
"What can you tell me about what happened? I admit I'm at a loss concerning your change."
"There isn't a lot to tell, Master Van. I was strapped to a fon machine in our castle, and then I was like this. I don't think Jade even really knows."
"Hm, if he doesn't then..." Van trailed off, frowning thoughtfully. Luke assumed that while her sudden change had thrown him for a loop, it probably wouldn't throw too big a wrench in his plans.
"Don't worry, Master Van, it will all work out." Even if he didn't really care.
"Well, there are doctors in Baticul. I'm sure your family will insist they take a look at you first thing."
"Yes, they probably will."
The conversation fell into a comfortable lull. When Van spoke again, Luke knew there was no going back.
"I suppose I should get straight to the point; these recent events have convinced me more than ever. Luke, haven't you ever wondered about your kidnapping and the way you've been forbidden to leave the mansion?"
'I was hoping he wouldn't go through with it—stupid, I know.'
"I'm guessing it's not because of my father is worried about me, is it?"
Van gave her a grim smile. "Indeed not. It's to keep you—the only person in the world capable of causing a hyperresonance on their own—on a short leash here in Kimlasca."
'If I hadn't known about his plans, he would have had me completely fooled because...he really isn't lying, is he? After Asch got taken away, they must have panicked that their key to prosperity might be targeted again. They'd be unwilling to take the chance, Score or not.'
"Didn't Tear say it happens when two Seventh Fonists interact?"
"Usually, yes. Hyperresonance is a power that occurs when two Seventh Fonons interact. It can destroy and reform any matter under special conditions."
"But you're saying I can cause it by myself."
"Yes." Van began to pace. "With training, you could control it at will. It could be useful in war. Your father and uncle both know that. That's why Malkuth wanted you."
"So I've been held captive in my own home as a weapon."
Van frowned slightly; he must have expected her to be more upset. Luke would have tried if she thought she'd fool him any. After a few moments, he decided to disregard her odd reaction and continued.
"I'm sorry to put this on you, especially considering the recent events. But I felt that you deserved to know. Now that we're out of the mansion, I can speak more freely. I don't want to see you used as a weapon, Luke, I especially don't want there to be a war."
"Well, I'd rather not be in a war, either. Do you have a plan?"
"An idea, yes. With your hyperresonance, it's possible you can become a hero, known for keeping the peace."
'Van actually has a point. If worse comes to worse, we're going to have to do something drastic like that.'
'A hero? I don't know...'
'You might not have a choice.'
The horn bellowed just then, cutting their talk short. Van sighed.
"Looks like we've arrived."
Luke could make out a large city in the distance. The ferry was heading straight into the harbor, one of the many ships and boats of all shapes and sizes sailing around the city. Chesedonia was located on a narrow strip of land at the mouth of a large desert. She swore she could see the sand from here, and the buildings appeared to be made of a stone the same color as the earth. Not just the buildings, but everything seemed to be some shade of brown. However, there was a variety of colorful flags and banners hung around the city, as if to compensate for the lack of color. It was noting like Luke had seen before, not that that was saying much.
"So this is Chesedonia..."
"Yes. Here we'll change ships for one headed to Baticul. I have to go see to Arietta. Stay close to your group."
"Yes, sir."
"Ready to go, Luke?" Guy seemed to have recovered from whatever happened to him this morning. Luke briefly weighed her chances of getting him to come clean; they weren't looking too good. The others began to emerge from their spots as well, gathering at the port side so they could disembark. Anise, Ion, and Mieu greeted her cheerfully, as if they had been apart for days instead of an hour, while Tear and Jade were far more reserved.
"Are you okay, Guy?" Luke asked, deciding to take a chance.
Guy looked sheepish. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just...suffered from a shock--"
"He touched your boob, it was hilarious." Anise couldn't hold it back any longer. Luke stared in shock while Guy tried his hardest to imitate a man suffering from a heart attack.
He should get an award—it was a very realistic performance.
"Th-That's your fault, Anise! You grabbed my arm!"
Anise sent him a half lidded look. "I was only trying to help, Guy. Your hand slipped down there by itself."
'Poor Guy...well, it was an accident, and he is very sorry. I don't want him to think I'm angry or feel ashamed of himself, especially since I want him to get over his phobia...'
"It's okay, Guy. I don't mind if it's you." And...now they were staring at her. Anise squealed, Tear blushed, and Guy went right back to not looking at her! Jade—better not look at Jade, he was the sort of person you tried not to make eye contact with.
'What did I say? Asch, Asch, what did I say??'
Asch never replied; she did hear him sigh, however.
'And these are my friends.'
**********
To be continued.