To Be With You Once Again Chapter 6: Verse 6: Parents and Children, a tales of the abyss fanfic

Tales of the Abyss

Sixth chapter!

Sorry for the drag!

Go on with the story!

Tears fell from his eyes as Asch finish recalling the memory.

"Luke…"

To Be With You Once Again

By kiralacusforever

The next morning, Asch and company decide to take a trip to Grand Chokmah for the search of Dist. They arrive at the throne hall as Emperor Peony grins at them.

"Well, if it isn't Jade and Asch company! It's been a while, ladies!" All of them take a light bow except Lexuk, which Peony notices. "You are…Luke?"

Everyone look at Lexuk as he steps forth a little and takes a light bow. "Nice to meet you, your Majesty."

Jade smirks at this gesture, "My my, how surprisingly good mannered…"

Lexuk glares at him and looks back at Peony. "My name is Lexuk. I am Luke's replica." Peony raises an eyebrow on this. "We came here today to ask you for Dist's whereabouts. Do you have any ideas?"

Peony rubs his chin. "Hmm…I heard about Dist's disappearance but I'm afraid I am clueless about his whereabouts…" Everyone frowns as Peony looks at Lexuk. "You said that you are Luke's replica, didn't you?" Lexuk nods. "Just how many replicas of Luke have been created anyway?"

Everyone gasp at this as Jade turns to Peony. "Your Majesty, what do you mean?"

Peony rises from his throne. "Come with me."

Verse 6:

Parents and Children

They arrive in front of a chamber that is guarded by two Malkuth soldier, they salute to Peony as they open the door for them. All of them step in with Peony in the lead. A maid that is sitting by the bed that has a curtain surrounding it, notices their entrance stands up and bows to Peony. "Your Majesty."

"How is he?"

"Still the same, he was moaning in pain a while ago. But he has settled back down again."

"Alright, thank you. Mind if you leave this room for a while?" The maid bows as she walks pass the group and close the door as she exits. Anise tries to see who is lying on the bed but the curtain is making it hard. "Your Majesty, who's lying on that bed?"

Peony walks towards the bed and pull the curtain aside as everyone step forth. Everyone, especially Asch and Lexuk, gasp. The person lying on the bed is Luke, with his long hair spreading aside him, dressed in white clothing sleeping soundly.

"Luke?!" Asch and Lexuk rush towards the bed side as Asch reaches out to touch the hand, and closes his eyes. Everyone wait until Asch lets go of the hand and shakes his head. "No…he's not Luke."

Lexuk touches the hand as well and letting it go after a while. "Yeah…He's not Luke…He's the same as me, a replica. But, why is he here?" They look towards Peony.

"Some commoners found him lying near the entrance of Grand Chokmah a few days ago, so the soldier brought him to me. I was shock at first as well when I saw him, I thought for sure that he is Luke. So I place him in care over here. As you can see, he's weak. Every once in a while, he will have this attack. At first it was just twice a day, but lately, it's getting more frequent."

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Jade sighs as he approaches the bedside as Peony scowls. "I was planning to!" Jade places his hand on the replica's wrist. "Hmm…his fonons are low…"

"He won't last long." They turn to Lexuk, who has his arms folds across his chest as he leans against the wall. "His fonons are decreasing rapidly in his body."

"Lexuk's right. But there is something strange flowing in his fonons…Jade." Jade turns to Asch. "Do you sense anything unusual?"

"Well…His fonon frequency sure is weird. It's a little mess up."

"It must be the 'Key of Lorelei'." Everyone, including Lexuk look at him. "Lexuk might not notice this because he did not touch the 'key' before. But through the fonons of this replica, I sensed the seventh fonons that the 'key' used to have."

Tear steps forth, "But could it be that…since he is Luke's replica, he must have the hyperresonance right? Maybe that is what you sensed?"

"No. He does not possess the hyperresonance. He…He is a failure…" Everyone looks towards the replica on the bed and back to Asch. "Remember when the soldier guarding the 'key' said that they seen Luke? It must be him. Dist used him to steal the 'key'."

Jade adjusts his spectacle. "I admit that this time, he is getting a little smarter."

Natalia looks at the replica. "But he…he just abandoned him…Why did they always treat replicas like that? Like a tool? How cruel…"

"Replicas who couldn't even fit to become replacement are garbage. That's how it works." Lexuk says as Anise remembers Sync said the same words. Lexuk snorts. "Now what?"

"We are now more certain that the 'key' is with Dist. We just need to find where he is. Your Majesty." Asch looks at Peony. "If your soldiers find out about anything, please inform us."

"You have my words. Oh, by the way, I like to ask you a favour, Asch."

"What is it?"

"Well, you see…" Suddenly they hear the maids screaming as Guy opens the door, when a flash of light pink-brown dashes in and pounces onto Asch. Everyone sweatdrop as Asch rubs the back of his head at the sudden impact as he tries to sit up, but he notices the slight weight on top of him. A small baby rappig is snuggling onto Asch's chest.

"What the…?"

Tear squats down beside Asch and strokes the rappig. 'So cute…'

Two maids rush into the room and bow. "We are so sorry, Your Majesty. He runs off when we are trying to give him a shower."

"It's alright, Master Asch here will take care of it. You two may leave." Peony grins as the maids look towards Asch, who is still on the floor. They giggles and exit the room as Asch sits up while holding the baby rappig in one of his arms, as he glares at Peony.

"What do you mean by that? Your Majesty."

Peony squats down and pats the baby rappig. "Well, you see. This baby is a newborn, about two months old. I said that I have a favour for you right? I want you to help me name this little one."

Asch looks from the baby rappig to the Malkuth Emperor. "But why me?"

"Because he's Luke's child."

"WHAT???!!!!" All of them shout, especially Asch and Lexuk, but except Jade of course. Peony motions his hand to the replica who is still resting on the bed as they all immediately quieten down. They exit the room as they head towards Peony's room where his other rappigs are. The moment they step in, two adult rappigs come forth to Asch as he squats down and places the baby in front of them. They nuzzle against each other as Asch smiles at the scene.

"So…that baby rappig is Luke's child? Why didn't I know?" Guy looks at Peony. "You were on an errand with Jade for a long period, and you don't even have time to take care of the rappigs when you return."

Natalia squats down with Tear to touch the animals. "Erm…So…Luke and whose child is he?" Natalia looks at the two adult rappigs.

"Asch's."

Another loud shout echoes through the castle as Peony covers his ears. Asch's face is almost as red as his hair now as he looks at the little rappig family of three in front of him. Jade sighs. "That is why I told you to not name your rappigs like that."

"Why? I don't see anything wrong with it. So, Asch? What do you think?"

"A name…" Asch steals a glance at Lexuk, who is looking at the other rappigs. Peony notices this and grins.

"Alright! I get it! Thank you, Asch!"

"Wh..What? I didn't say anything yet…"

"You just gave me the idea of the name." Peony bents down to pick up the baby rappig and walks towards Lexuk. He handles the baby to Lexuk, who look at him in puzzled. "I shall call this little guy 'Lexuk'!!"

"WHAT?!" Asch and Lexus shouts in union as they both blush madly. Lexuk glares at Peony. "Wh..Why must you use my name?!"

"Well, you are Luke's replica, so you are somehow related to Luke."

Lexuk remains silent as he strokes the baby in his arms. "Fine."

It is then, they hear knocking follow by a maid entering the room panting. "Your Majesty! Please come quick!"

"What happened?"

"The person in the chamber is having a attack again! And he is calling for…" She looks towards Asch. "He's calling for you, Master Asch."

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The group rushes to the room with Asch in the lead. The replica Luke is rolling from side to side in agony, as Asch reaches out to grab hold of the shoulder. The thrashing stops as the replica looks up at Asch.

"Asch fon..Fabre…the origin of our origin…"

"What happened?"

The replica raises his hand and grabs hold of Asch's arm. "Please…save the rest…of us…Get the key…and protect…our original from…the dark…" The replica coughs out blood suddenly as he groans in pain and tightens his hold on Asch's arm.

"Rest of us? You mean there are more replicas like you? Original? Do you mean Luke? Hey! Hand in there!"

The replica opens his eyes again and shifts his gaze towards Lexuk. "Lexuk…don't listen to her…She…the counterpart of…the origins' Isofone…" He turns back to Asch. "The charred remains…of the Sacred Flame…Asch…Find the Sacred Flame…our origin, Luke…and prevent…the catastrophe…"

With that, the replica glows and changes into a faint golden-orange light globe. It floats in front of Asch and enters his body. Asch winces as the warmth and strong wave of fonons flows into his body. The last thing Asch hears is his name being shouted as his vision is clouded by darkness.

"…sch…"

What…?

"Asch!"

Opening his eyes, Asch comes face to face with Luke, who is smiling down at him. "Luke?"

Luke chuckles. "Yeah, it's me. How are you feeling?" Asch sits up and looks around. He is back in the dimension he met Luke previously. He turns to his counterpart who is still smiling softy at him, before pulling the other into his arms. Luke runs his hands along Asch's back. "Asch…"

They pull apart as Asch leans in to kiss Luke, devouring the taste as much as possible.

"I miss you so much..."

"Me too, Asch."

They breaks off, drawing breaths as Luke leans into his origin's arms while Asch tightens his hold around him. "What just happened to me, Luke?"

"You just absorbed a certain amount of seventh fonons into your body, you past out after that."

"But why…?"

Luke sits up as he faces Asch. "After our previous meeting, I found out that Dist did not just create Lexuk, but many more of my replicas. He used one of them to steal the 'key', which is the one you met at Grand Chokmah."

Asch's eyes widen. "Luke, how did you know all of this…?"

Luke smiles sadly at him. "I know things more than any other people do." Asch tries to ask again but Luke silences him with a finger. "I know what you want to ask, but I will tell you some other days. Right now, I do not have much time left. So please don't talk and listen to me." Asch nods. "I was the one who tell the replica to go to Grand Chokmah, knowing that you all will be heading there if you are searching for Dist. But in order to do so…he is risking his own life…Unlike Lexuk, the rest of the replicas do not possess the hyperresonance, through they contain a certain amount of seventh fonons in their body. So naturally, their bodies are weak. They rely on a kind of medicine that Dist provided them in order to survive. However that replica…wasn't given any medicine since the day Dist used him to steal the 'key'…and he is being discarded at the desert. After my meeting with him, he manages to travel all the way to Grand Chokah….But his life force…"

Luke lowers his head as his bangs cover his face, Asch knows that he is fighting back his tears as he pulls Luke back into his arms. Luke trembles as he weeps. "Asch…Please…save them…save the replicas…They are like a part of me…like my children…"

"I will. I promise. But Luke…why did the fonons go inside my body?"

"Because it's going back to where it supposed to be, where it belongs. They are my replicas, but I'm your replica. You are the origin of the origin, thus when we, the replicas die…We will come back to you, in order to become one again."

Asch immediately pulls Luke from his arms and looks at him. "Then..you…now…"

Luke chuckles and touches Asch's face. "I am only here because I inserted some of my fonons into the replica, allowing me now to talk to you when you absorbed his fonons."

"Luke…Where are you right now? I can't take this any more! Why must we meet like this? Why are we only allowed to meet each other like this?"

"Asch…we are not meant to meet each other ever since the day I gave my life to you. Not until the 'key' is stolen…I won't have meet you at all."

"But you are here now right?! That means you are alive somewhere right?"

"Asch…" Suddenly, Luke's body is glowing again like the previous time. "I've to go…Lorelei is calling me."

"Luke!!"

"Asch! Find the 'key'! It's no longer with Dist, the replicas are keeping it away from him now, but hurry, they don't have much time left. Promise me you will save them!" Luke's body is vanishing.

"I will!"

"And beware of the counterpart! The counterpart of our Isofones!!" Luke disappears completely as Asch remains sitting on the flower field.

"One last thing, Asch..."

Asch feels the gentle wind blowing against his face, like giving him a light kiss.

"I love you..."

Cracking his eyes open, Asch looks around him. He seems to be back in his room and it is night time now. He tries to sit up but his body is still weak and heavy from the absorption of seventh fonons, so he lies back down until he notices something is grabbing hold of his right hand. He looks to his side, to see a hair of orange-red.

It's Lexuk. And it is his hand that is holding onto his.

Asch blushes slightly as he tries to take his hand back, but Lexuk had it in a firm yet gentle grip. Lexuk is sitting on a chair with his upper body bending forth to rest on the bedside. The young Fabre watches as the back of the replica rises and lowers in a smoothing rhythm. The usual frowning face is now being replaced with an innocent child-like expression.

"Asch…Please…save them…save the replicas…They are like a part of me…like my children…"

'I will, Luke…I will save them. They are my children as well…'

The End

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Hai!! That's all for this chapter!!!

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