Author's Notes

This fanfic is my first, inspired by a two-second scene from one of the two episodes from the OVA. I had fun envisioning what these two would be like as children and I thought it would be fun to attempt to create a heartwarming fanfic with Asch's proposal to Natalia. If you already knew that, this is pretty much spoiler free. Oneshot, AschxNatalia.

Note: In this fanfic Asch is referred to as Luke. This fanfic takes place from the time when Asch and Natalia were seven, therefore Asch was still Luke because the replica Luke didn't exist yet.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tales Namco, Tales of the Abyss, of any of the characters. All rights go to their respective owners (although I do wish I owned Asch and Natalia ;;)

"Luke, wait up!"

Natalia ran after her dear friend, stopping only once she had crested the top of the hill to catch her breath. The seven year old blond-haired princess bent over, panting heavily until she was able to speak again. "Do you... really have to... run so fast?" she asked exasperatedly.

Luke laughed lightly, though it was more for joy at their temporary freedom than anything else. His hands were behind his head as he faced the sun, a pleased grin plastered all over his young face. "I wasn't going that fast," he replied, turning to face her. His blue eyes sparkled with ecstatic energy. "Besides, we don't have much time before we have to be back home." Luke frowned at this thought, suddenly pouting and kicking sullenly at the grass. The time they were permitted to play together in Baticul, away from the servant's constant observing stares, were always much too short for him.

"I suppose you're right," Natalia replied, moving to stand next to him. The hill they had just climbed sloped gently down, covered in grass, the occasional flower and a few well-disguised gopher holes. A few feet down the hill tapered off to even ground and below it was a perfect view of the entire city. Steep walls rose steadily toward the spotless sky, shielding Baticul from the danger of any air attacks and despite the rather tall obtrusion the sun still warmed Baticul's inhabitants.

"You know Father is only concerned for our safety," she pointed out softly after a short moment of silence. Luke frowned and suppressed a sigh. "Yeah, I guess so." He couldn't say much more than that, especially since he knew Natalia was right. After a moment of thought he grinned again, casting the less pleasant ones aside. "Now come on! Let's go do something fun!"

An hour and a half later the two childhood friends were in the depths of Baticul, exploring every nook and cranny they came across. Even as two nobles the city was a deep-seated mystery, with secrets just waiting to be discovered. With how easily the two were distracted and the vastness of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear's capital city, it was impossible to explore everything in the course of a single expedition. Today the city was bustling with activity. The streets were filled with calls of merchants advertising their products and Luke and Natalia could hardly get three minutes with each other before being greeted eagerly by the townspeople.

The ruckus had died down considerably when the sun began to set in the western skies. Their shadows stalked them incessantly as Luke and Natalia walked along the marketplace, hugging the line that separated Baticul's main area and the slums. It was the only area that, by order of both the King and Duke, they were forbidden to explore. They had been told the people there were filthy, and the men would kidnap them for ransom if they got the chance. That people in the slums had been corrupted in their struggle to survive. In some ways it was the place that held the most mysteries.

Instead of following normal procedure and walking hurriedly past it Luke stopped, staring at something in the alley. The pungent odor made his nose wrinkle and threatened to cling to his clothing but he stopped nonetheless. Natalia stopped and tugged impatiently on his arm. "Luke, let's go... Father said we aren't allowed--"

"In a minute," he replied, and he said it in such a way that she stopped to stare in the same general direction. An old man was standing at the mouth, hunched over and supported by a cane that was nothing more than a knobbly tree branch. Cotton wisps covered his otherwise bald head and the wrinkles only accentuated his age. He was dressed simply in rags, some torn and obviously saved from the garbage can after much abuse. The skin on the old man's face was weathered and worn, his scrawny form screaming of malnourishment. His weary blue eyes were filled with a kind of determined hope. As people passed by he would beg for Gald, only to be snubbed or turned away with a shaking of heads. His form would sag visibly at this before perking up as another person approached. They watched the process being repeated several times.

By the end of it Natalia was in tears and Luke was biting his lip, full of sudden resentful thoughts. Hesitantly Natalia stepped toward the old man but hadn't managed to get very far before Luke grabbed her hand and shook his head silently, his face carefully composed. "But Luke--" her voice was thick with tears, her blue eyes swimming. He shook his head again, slightly more irritably this time, and dragged her away. If they had stayed another second he would become beholden to his own tears.

--

The two were on the hill again, though the mood was decidedly different. Natalia had stopped crying, the tear trails on her face glinting in the subtle light. She sat with her knees drawn to her chest. The skies were a mixture of angry reds, golden yellows and peaceful oranges. Luke was standing beside her. He hadn't said a word since arriving here, but had stared into Baticul, lost in a train of deep thought. Although Luke was only seven years old both he and Natalia were still of royal descent, and took the matters of their country more seriously than most other children. Among the games they played they understood the burden of responsibility that would soon be placed on their shoulders.

A few awkward minutes passed, and Luke seemed no closer to wanting to talk than he had before. Natalia stood up. "We should be heading back soon," she mumbled quietly. He didn't reply. "Luke?..."

"Some day when we're grown up, let's change this country."

"What?"

He finally looked at her. His young face was filled with solemn compassion and a burning desire, an expression that was usually reserved for talk about the Oracle Knights or Master Van or sword-fighting. The image of the hobbling old man, helpless and dejected, had made him realize more than ever what he - what they - must do. What had to be done for their country. At that moment he seemed more like a member of House Fabre than ever before.

"Change it so that no one has to be poor. Change it so that war never happens. Let's work to change our country. For the rest of our lives. Together."

Natalia grew wide-eyed, her heart skipping a few beats in her chest. Was he...? But suddenly it didn't matter. They both cared deeply for Kimlasca-Lanvaldear and their people. The fact that they were of royal descent was irrelevant. The fact that they had enough influence to initiate some kind of change didn't matter. Regardless of all of that, they still would have tried their hardest to make a smidgen of difference. With a tiny smile she nodded. "Yes."

Luke returned the smile warmly and stepped toward her, closing what small distance remained between them. Slowly he took her hand in his, gently entwining their fingers together in the light of the setting sun.

Well, that's it. Hopefully it was enjoyable. There are cookies for people who are kind enough to leave reviews, comments, or constructive criticism and poisoned ones for people who are just plain douchebags and are here to flame it without telling me why it's so terrible.