Disclaimer: I do not own or have privelege of claiming rights to anything involved with Tales of the Abyss. That's all Namco, and they do it well. I can only lay word that the way I choose to parody the story is my own idea influenced through situations I find lacking in the fandom available.

Key
Text Narration
"Text" Dialogue
'Text' Sarcasm, Saying's, and/or so-called... quotes
Text Character Thoughts, and/or Character Tittle
Text Sound Effects

Ch 7 - Mieu's Uncelebrated Entrance

Inside the patch of forest known as the Cheagle Woods with most of the small monsters known as Cheagle's staying inside or around the great tree, a lone young cheagle sat high up on one of the many branches as he sulked. His tribe did not always have to be near the large hollowed out tree for safety. There was a time that the Cheagle frolicked freely through the woods without fear. Unfortunately that all changed and it was all his fault. Mieu missed those days before the accident.

It wasn't even as if he had done it on purpose. Even now after things were over with it wasn't very clear on what happened. One minute he was sitting in the grass practicing his fire breathing and then suddenly the entire northern region was ablaze. It was a complete accident but all of his family treated him as it was done on purpose.

All of his brothers and sisters that he used to play with now shunned him. Mieu was ignored by everyone and the elder stripped him of his Cheagle name and gave him the new name Mieu. When the ligers started to demand that they raid the nearby human settlement for food or be eaten, he was sent on more missions than any of the other cheagle's. In his childish optimism he hoped that the elder had done it as a way for Mieu to make amends, but one day he overheard some of the older one's saying that it was in hopes of getting rid of Mieu. Things looked bleak as they stood.

Mieu didn't know it but his saving grace was fast approaching. He was feeling pretty sad and lonely when all of a sudden a great deal of excitement ran through the area. The last cheagle to get back was telling the elder about some humans that chased it through the woods and were now just outside the tree about to come in. In his haste the cheagle dropped the bulk of its supply of apples it was carrying.

Mieu watched the meeting take place from a distance so he didn't hear what the other cheagles were saying but he did hear the humans. He listened to how the one with the color of grass claimed relationship with Yulia. Their reactions to hearing 'monster's talk', as the one like an apple said, was funny. While the elder filled the humans in on the situation, through the power of the sorcerer's ring, how they were facing with the ligers, Mieu's curiosity got the better of him so he came closer.

He arrived in hearing distance just in time to learn that the elder was going to send the humans to the ligers for the grass one to try and make peace with them. Mieu was then called out and told to go with them after the elder told them how it was his fault. After wearing the ring around his waist like a belt so the humans could understand him he introduced himself. "My name's Mieu, pleased to meet you." Poor little Mieu was all set to be ignored by the humans just like his family did, but then amazingly enough it didn't happen.

Mieu had learned the other's names by now and the one with the really funny expressions called Luke had his face real close to him. Mieu smiled at him hoping for the best. Luke took one good look at him before he declared that. "Something about this thing is really annoying." Mieu didn't understand what he meant but he was happy to be included so he apologized but that only seemed to make Luke more agitated. Clearly Mieu had a lot to learn.

The elder cheagle could hardly believe the luck of this day. The little one who was the cause of all the tribe's recent hardships simply would not go away. Mieu did not take the hint that he was no longer wanted when everyone ignored him. He also wasn't captured or killed no matter how many times he was sent to the city to steal their crops. It was getting to the point where he contemplated more drastic measures, but then the humans showed up.

Taking in the the obvious armed group that entered he was afraid that they had come to exterminate them all, he thought the town had wised up and hired assassins. Under that assumption the elder signaled for all of the cheagles to surround the intruders and prepare to ambush them in hopes of overwhelming them. He was relieved when the humans not only didn't realize what he was trying, but also had radically different intentions for coming. The one that wore a white shirt had red hair and a sword seemed to be in charge, after some light prompting from the other two he agreed that they wanted to try and talk reason with the ligers. That was when the elder got a brilliant idea for a sure way of getting rid of Mieu.

It was a simple matter to arrange for Mieu to go along with the humans as a translator so they could speak to the ligers. All that was needed was the use of one of Yulia's many rings she left behind. Mieu was all too eager to join them like the young fool he was. The elder was sure that the group would be walking towards their own death at the claws of the liger queen, she would never negotiate. And on the off chance that they do succeed he would banish Mieu to join them anyway. If this event was any indication then there would be plenty of opportunities for that little trash to get offed.

As soon as the party left the tree the elder took it upon himself to spread the good news. That blue menace would trouble the cheagle's no more. The memory of smacking Mieu in the face with the ring and making it look like an accident would bring a smile to his face for years to come, he was sure.

On the way to the liger den Mieu soon found himself happier then he had been in awhile. Luke would constantly tell him to shoot fireballs at the other monsters or just for fun. With the help of the sorcerer's ring he didn't have any trouble breathing fire on command, it didn't tire him out at all and he got to be appreciated.

Every time Tear looked down at Mieu she would stare at him wordlessly for awhile before her face would start to turn red, immediately after she would look away. Ion didn't pay much attention to the newest group member, he spent most of his time talking to Luke.

Tear was really preoccupied with paying attention to Mieu. She couldn't get enough of his small furred body, long floppy ears, voice like a little girl, and the way he would hop around energetically ... he was just so cute. She had never told anyone before but she had a fetish for cute things. When she watched Mieu dawdle along on those short little legs of his she just wanted to pick him up and squeeze the little guy against her breasts and cuddle him all night long. These weren't good thoughts for her to be having while they were fighting monsters so she tried her best to keep it to herself and focus on supporting Luke with her artes and hymns.

Luke got a chance to display some ingenuity when the group ran into a dead end on the path. Mieu kept telling them that the liger nest was in the north eastern section of the forest, but there was always either a river or a rock cliff blocking the way. Tear suggested that they wade through the water but Luke wasn't keen on getting his clothes all wet. He wouldn't mind if it was just Tear that got wet, she would probably be really sexy. That wasn't happening though and Ion would probably look like a drowned rat because of his heavy robes ... he was so weak right now the current would probably carry him away.

Purposely not looking at the water like Tear wanted him to Luke cast his gaze on the far bank. There he saw a large tree trunk seemingly help up by vines alone. Thanks to his association with Mieu, Luke's pyrotechnic tendencies had awakened and the first thing he thought to do was have the little guy shoot a fireball at the vines. Things turned out exactly as he imagined they would. The vines burnt away and the log fell over the river creating a make shift bridge exactly as he envisioned it. Well there was one detail of difference, in his mind he pictured Tear jumping up and down topless ... but that wasn't about to happen.

Luke basked in the feeling of being right and started to get a big ahead about. Ion didn't help matters because he further complimented Luke that the tree's roots were weakened from rot and that it was a good idea. Of course the thought about the roots did not even enter into the young nobles thoughts, but he wasn't about to admit that to anyone.

Tear, always so quick to defend or speak up for something she found to be cute, admonished Luke. After he bragged about it being nothing she couldn't resist being snide to him. "You're right it was nothing, it was all thanks to Mieu, not you. Good job Mieu." When Mieu turned his wide eyes to her in response she had to look away fast as a flush started to form.

Mieu wasn't realizing any of the inner tensions or unspoken challenges that were being thrown back and forth between the humans. The only thing he was aware of was him and Luke being useful together and how the red haired boy would tell him to torch things so often. He was happy to be so involved. "Let's go!" He shouted, his cute voice drawing the attention of those around him.

Luke was not happy with having his thunder stolen by Mieu and being mocked by Tear, he was at least grateful Ion was on his side. He was slowly getting used to the green haired boys mannerisms. Still however, when Mieu called his attention to him his annoyance got the better of him and before he could stop himself he yelled at him. "Shut up Thing!" Then before anymore was said he grabbed Ion's hand and pulled him along across the trunk. "C'mon Ion."

Words of indifference to the Fon Master about the rude boy died on Tear's lips when she saw him gently guide Ion over the water. What the hell?" She thought to herself. With the way Luke was acting she thought he might be bi-polar. He was rude, selfish, and arrogant one minute and then suddenly all calm, kind and thoughtful the next. First impressions in this case seemed to be completely unreliable. "We must catch up." She said to Mieu who was watching the two walk away with an odd look. Giving no room to protest she picked him up and carrying him like a teddy bear followed.

After walking for a few minutes Luke realized that he was still holding Ion's hand. Surprised that the other boy didn't say anything about it he stopped walking and turned to him. Ion just looked back at him with that calm smile of his and gave no indication of wanting to let go. Seeing as how he had stopped and now had everyone's attention Luke's mind raced for something to say so he didn't look a fool. He remembered that impressive attack that Ion used earlier and decided now was the time to ask about it.

Carefully he pulled his hand from Ion's grip and stepped back a few steps saying. "Hey, Ion. I've been wondering about that really strong move you used earlier. Could I learn to do that too?"

Although disappointed that Luke stopped holding his hand Ion kept his smile on and answered easily. " That was a Daathic fonic arte, Luke. You see it's ... " Was as far as he got before Luke interrupted him.

Listening to a long lecture was not something Luke wanted to do, and he was sure that whatever else Ion was going to say was very complicated. He had already had tons of new terms thrown his way that everyone else appeared to take as casual knowledge. He'd be damned if he gave another Tear another reason to criticize his upbringing. " Wait a minute, I don't need a long explanation. I just want to know an easy way to get stronger. " He told Ion when he cut in. It didn't occur to him until he said that as the words just tumbled out.

Even despite Luke's best effort to be nice about it Tear had to be petty and called him 'unbelievable'. No matter how innocent a look he gave her she wouldn't take it back and seemed to be set on giving Luke a hard time. Mieu was being squished to the woman's large breasts and could barely breathe so there was no help from that quarter.

" Stop it, you two. Please don't fight. " Ion pleaded. " I'll tell you an easy way to get stronger, Luke. "

Now Luke's attention was on Ion fully. " Really, how? " He asked his new friend eagerly.

" What kind of capacity core do you use? " Ion asked.

Just when he thought it was safe for someone to explain something, there had to be another new word. Luke did his best to convey that he didn't know without having to say it, knowing how Tear was just waiting for the chance to pounce. Actually now that he looked at her again she didn't appear to be paying much attention. She was staring at nothing all glassy eyed while poor Mieu's legs could be seen poking from underneath her arms struggling wildly. He ignored that for the moment in favor of prompting Ion. " Capacity cores? "

" You don't know? " Ion asked in surprise. Luke didn't give himself off as being a very knowledgeable person, but he still liked him.

Luke was embarrassed to admit it, but at least his personal haranguer was occupied. " I've been somewhat isolated all my life. " He said, severely understating his predicament. Nice guy or not, Luke hadn't known these people long enough to share with them about his amnesia or anything else personal. " Many of these things are new to me. "

" Then take this, Luke. " Ion said. He walked up to the curious boy and took out something from his robes. It was a small colored object that people wear on themselves to increase abilities, a capacity core. His hands carefully placed it on to Luke's body, pinning it over his heart. Ion's hands lingered a couple seconds more then necessary before he returned to where he was standing. " It looks good on you, Luke. " Ion said admiringly.

" You think so? " Luke asked. He ran his fingers over his new accessory feeling the smooth texture of the core. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Tear still squishing Mieu and made a note to himself to rescue the little guy when he was done talking with Ion.

" Oh yes, Luke. Very dashing! " Enthused Ion as he ran his eyes over the young man's form appreciatively.

While Mieu was slowly being suffocated within Tear's over enthusiastic embrace, Ion was informing Luke of how capacity core's work. How they are like an accessory with a fonic arte applied to it, and how when a person equips it their body's abilities increase in accordance with how the verses inscribed dictate and learn special skills. To Luke's dismay, Ion informed him how only Fon Masters could use the Daathic fonic artes and no capacity core could help with that.

Finally deciding to take pity on Mieu before he passed away Luke ended the conversation with a poignant exclamation in regard to the exclusive artes. " That sucks. " He walked over to right in front of where Tear was looking but she didn't appear to notice. She was off in her own little world and he didn't have a clue what she was thinking. He needed the little cheagle alive though, Mieu had only been with them for a few hours and already he had proven useful. " Hey Tear. " He called trying to get her attention, but she didn't react.

Giving an apologetic look to Ion as if saying 'I tried doing it the nice way', Luke walked behind Tear. He had thought to shake her or pry open the arms holding Mieu captive, but when he got there a moment of deviousness hit. As he delighted in ogling her shapely rear he could not resist the urge to reach out and touch it. His hand slowly extended, and with a final glance to Ion who was beginning to look flustered at what he saw, Luke gave Tear a sharp pinch on her ass.

Tear jumped up startled from the sudden goose to her posterior, her zombie-like gaze immediately sharpening. She reflexively raised her arms out and held her weapon in a ready stance being completely unaware of dropping Mieu hard on to the ground where he stayed recovering from his ordeal. Bringing her fiery glare to bear on the offender she saw Luke standing there with his fingers still in the pinching position looking completely unrepentant. She was about to teach him a lesson when he said something that distracted her anger.

With such an exaggerrated reaction to his little wake up tactic Luke was alarmed to note that Tear now more resembled the assassin he first thought of her as and not the young woman with military training. His mind ran at lightning speed to grasp something that would save him from her retribution. Ion was standing still with a hand over his mouth in a shocked position, no doubt he didn't believe that Luke would actually have gone through with it. On the ground was Mieu, he was stumbling around having trouble standing up straight from the wooziness being smothered gave him. That was where the worried boy got struck with inspiration and ran with it, pointing his hand at the little guy he loudly said to Tear. " Look what you did to that cheagle Tear, he was having trouble breathing. You almost killed the thing! "

True to form of what Luke hoped for Tear's anger was immediately forgotten as she gasped in surprise to look at Mieu. When she got occupied with that Luke set up a fast pace to continue on their journey. " Come on everyone we've wasted enough time, let's go. " he said in a hurry. He walked stridently to where Ion was still standing and without thinking about it took his hand again. Ion, who was thinking how to suggest to Luke that he shouldn't do something like that again, dropped his train of thought and happily trailed along with his new protector.

" I'm sorry Mieu. " Tear said softly to the cheagle. Seeing Luke and Ion disappear around the corner she knew they had to catch up. She bent down to pick up Mieu again but he jumped to the side away from her grip

Mieu had no idea what was going on and it was a little upsetting. One moment he was bouncing along with Luke all worry free, he shot fire at whatever the boy human pointed at and was called thing in return, then suddenly he was picked up and stuffed someplace very warm and soft. He might have been able to enjoy it if there wasn't the problem that he had trouble breathing and no matter how much he wriggled he could not break free. Tear reaching out to him now made him feel really uncomfortable, he had an abrupt desire to be elsewhere and with a long drawn out whine he ran away from her to get to Luke.

Tear was left behind by everyone now. With the echoing "Mieuuuuuuuuu!", still resonating in the trees she ran after them vowing to make it up to the cute monster.

OMAKE -:- A Strange Divergence

Luke and Ion were walking ahead of Tear and Mieu on the path. The soft earthy moss below their shoes soon gave way to the sharp rocks of mountainous design. At one point their positions had become reversed and now the shorter boy was leading the taller onward. Luke was amazed at the frail one's sudden energy as he dragged him past the bushes and braches almost too fast to get a good look at anything. After several more snap changes in direction Ion slowed down as they reached the end of whatever strange trail he had decided to follow.

"Where are we?" Luke asked. As he looked around all he could see was high overgrown trees blocking out the sunlight and a dark cave in the rock wall. He didn't hear Tear at all and worried for a minute that they lost her before reminding himself that it was just as good that he's not near her at the moment or a certain incident involving her butt might be remembered.

"This cave will take us to the Liger's Den, Luke. I can feel the seventh fonon leading me." Ion told Luke. He was betting on the ignorance that the novice swordsman exhibited to not realize that what he said was impossible. Sure enough, the only reaction the other boy gave was to dutifully stand up beside Ion and gaze distrustfully into the lightless cavern.

"How are we supposed to see?" asked Luke sensibly.

Ion smiled his happy smile. "That's not a problem, see?" He said. Holding out his left arm he closed his eyes in concentration for a moment and a glowing light formed in his palm. He then opened his eyes and gripped the shimmer tightly causing it to rapidly expand outwards shooting out longways until he was holding a golden staff close to a foot shorter then his height with an elongated tuning fork attatchment on the end. His smile widened from his audience's reaction.

"Wow, that was so cool. Can you fight with that?" Luke asked. Suddenly the once frail Ion wasn't looking so weak anymore.

He was glad that Luke got such a delight from such a simple little trick, it was much better then the sneers that others would hide from him at the Cathedral because he was too flashy. He couldn't be solemn and tranquil all the time damnit. Sometimes he just wanted to have fun. Anise used to help him with that but she was acting more distant lately and he sometimes saw her in discussion with Mohs, and usually nothing good came from that.

"I can't fight monsters like you can, but I can do this." Ion said. He brought his staff into the cave and tapped the end against the rock. The echoing ring sounded deep into the hole showing just how far in it went. With the aid of his staff he changed the fonon's given off from the ring into the sixth fonon. A bright light formed on top of his staff's head and with a small use of force he arranged for it to remain indefinitely. "This staff aids me in manipulating the surrounding fonons." He explained for Luke's benefit.

"I wish I could do that." Luke lamented in a rare opening of himself. Sure he could swing a sword and throw around some killer artes, but he found himself jealous of Ion's ease in performing of the more esoteric.

"Don't worry, Luke. I'm sure you can learn to, all you have to do is practice." Ion said trying to cheer him up. "Here." He said handing to Luke his staff. "You lead the way."

It was a small concilation to hold the wondrous orb but he took it graciously. With a nod of thanks Luke recieved Ion's staff and ventured into the cave. Ion took the opportunity to get in nice and close to Luke standing almost on top of him. When Luke looked at him Ion said. "It's so dark in here still that I should stay close to my protector." Ion's inflection when he said 'my protector' was a little strange to Luke but he couldn't quite place where he had heard that tone before.

Together they traveled into the cave side by side. Luke lighting the way with Ion's staff and Ion clinging to him so tightly that he had to put his arm around him or risk falling over.

Review Replies - I'm relieved that I finally got some feedback again since I was worried that no one liked it anymore.

Ariel: I hope you like this new chapter, I could use some nice feedback.

Ana Paula: Here's to hoping I do a good job on that tightrope balancing between the extremes of too little detail and too much. Thanks for reviewing again. I truly hope this gets some more buzz, heh.