Return to the Cheagle Woods! Reacquainting with the forgetful Mieu!

Author's note: Alright! I apologize for taking so long to update. I'm getting some of the stories I create myself critiqued by a professional, so I'm going to be slow, but faster than this last update, so be ready for more chapters to come in! Also, right before I stopped writing a while back, I got a bit of tutoring lessons in writing, so now my fanfics will be longer and a little more… intense. Can't think of the word to use XD. Oh well. Like I said in the note, Mieu will randomly remember things then forget them again, so expect some random humor from him. I think that's it for now. Enjoy!

"Luke! Luke, wake up!"

Luke stirred, then opened his eyes, seeing Tear looking down at him. "what's up?" he asked groggily, sitting up.

"Ion is waiting for us outside! You overslept!"

"Huh?!" he stood up, "I did?! Shit!" he shook his head to wake himself up, then headed outside, Tear following close behind.

Ion was standing by the front entrance to Engeve. He didn't look too irritated over Luke being late. In fact, he looked a little more cheerful than usual.

"Ion! I'm so sorry for being late!" Luke said as he ran up to Ion.

"It's alright, Luke. I didn't mind waiting"

"So are we ready to go, Fonmaster?" Tear asked.

"Yes, and you don't have to be so formal Tear" Ion said with a light laugh.

"Alright then!" Luke said, heading out of Engeve, "Let's get going!"

They moved quickly, avoiding monsters so as not to waste time. Luke was oddly quiet, but Tear and Ion were talking about the hyperresonance that took them back in time.

"So you two… 'got close' and somehow activated the hyperresonance…." Ion repeated the situation, "then ended up back near Luke's mansion…. And no one else remembers?"

"No one that can't use the seventh fonon apparently…. I'm still trying to figure out how a hyperresonance can turn back time…."

"Well we know that there are other forms of hyperresonance, so that might explain that partially. But why did it activate when the two of you touched? I'm sure you both have had contact with each other before"

"That's another thing that confuses me. What do you think Luke?"

"Huh? I'm not really sure myself. Other than the fact that everyone who can use seventh fonons besides Van can remember what happened, nothing makes sense to me" Luke said, his tone irritant.

"Wait, doesn't that mean that Natalia would remember?" Ion suggested, silently laughing when Luke froze.

"You okay Luke?" Tear asked, also hiding a laugh, though knowing Luke's previous reactions, it wouldn't stay hidden for long.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine! When we get back to the mansion, we'll find out!" Luke said, obviously worried, 'and hopefully we'll be wrong…'

Ion moved close to Tear, "why wouldn't Luke want her to remember? If she remembered, she wouldn't bother him about her marrying him, right?" he said quietly."I know. And she'd also be able to help us talk to the king about Luke's plan"

"Luke's plan?"

"Oops. I forgot to tell you what Luke plans to do to stop the destruction of Akzeriuth. He-"

Luke leaned his head in close, grinning when Tear and Ion jumped back, "What's with the secrecy?"

"Oh, we were just talking about pointless gossip Luke!" Ion lied.

"I thought Tear usually wasn't interested in 'pointless' gossip" Luke crossed his arms over his chest.

"Eh… It's true, Luke. I just wanted to see what the recent rumors were around this area!" Tear tried to back up Ion.

"but that doesn't explain why you were being so quiet about it"

"uh…." Ion was tongue tied.

"ah forget it. We're getting close to the Cheagle Woods" he said, pointing toward the trees, though only their tops were visible, "I wonder if Mieu remembers us? He's a cheagle after all…"

"Maybe. I'm surprised you're concerned about him, Luke" Ion said.

"eh, the little guy grew on me right before we defeated Van…." He said, his pace picking up as the woods came more into view.

Tear and Ion also began walking faster, anticipation taking them and Luke.

The group wandered into the woods, looking around for Ligers. Oddly enough, there weren't any in sight. The woods were also eerily quiet, and none of the more common monsters were present.

Luke walked further inside, looking around, "there's… nothing here…?"

Tear walked up to Luke, "something doesn't seem right here…" she now looked like her usual serious self.

Ion silently walked past both of them, taking the path to the Cheagle's home.

Tear and Luke looked at each other, nodded, then followed Ion.

The entire forest was completely deserted, with no signs of life anywhere. Luke picked up his pace until he was running, leaving Tear and Ion behind. He couldn't figure out why, but he had the feeling the Cheagles were in danger, and with them Mieu.

Soon he came to the giant tree that the Cheagles resided in. As soon as he saw it he unsheathed his sword. In front of the tree there were about a dozen ligers, all of them blocking the entrance so the Cheagles couldn't escape, while a few others advanced into the tree. He tightened his grip on the hilt of his blade, then charged at the ligers.

Just as he was in range of the ligers, the ligers scattered, leaving only the ones inside. Luke hadn't expected this, but he was pleased that he at least got most of them away from the Cheagles. He charged at the remaining ligers, stabbing one through the back. As the liger fell to the ground, he removed his sword, watching the other ligers back away from him. There were four of them, but they were young, making Luke expect to have no problem with them. He began to advance on the ligers, but as soon as he moved, the ligers darted for the entrance of the tree, out of sight in seconds. Something didn't seem right about their cowardice, but he didn't really think too much of it. He looked around the tree, watching a few cheagles hop out into the open. They didn't look anything like they did the first time he had come here. Rather than trying to stop him from approaching the cheagle elder, they just looked at him curiously, as though they had expected him to come.

By this time Tear and Ion had caught up to him. They slowly advanced into the tree, but were immediately stopped by more cheagles. Ion looked at them, then at Luke, the back at the cheagles, "I am Fon Master Ion. I wish to speak with the elder cheagle"

Oddly, all the cheagles looked at Luke, as though wanting his permission, "uh… could you little guys let them through?" Luke was a little stunned that they wanted his permission rather than the elders.

The cheagles stared at him for a while longer, then moved away. As they did this, the Cheagle Elder revealed himself ((I don't think they ever said whether the elder was male or female….)) and walked forward, wearing the Sorcerer's Ring. But rather than greeting Ion, he turned to Luke, "We have been expecting a human named 'Luke' who looks very similar to you. Would you happen to be Luke?"

Luke's eyes widened, "yes… but, how did you know I was coming?"

"A cheagle by the name of Mieu sometimes mentions you and how you look and act, but soon after completely forgets you" the elder explained.

"Mieu remembers me…?" of all people, Mieu was the last person he would have expected to remember him.

"Mieu! Mieu mieu! Miiieu!!!" A blue cheagle hopped over to Luke and grabbed his right leg, "Mieu! Mieuuu!"

"Is this Mieu? What's he saying?" Luke asked, glancing over at Tear and Ion.

"He keeps saying master is back, Master Luke is back" the elder translated.

A/N: I'm sorry I'm cutting this short like this, but this ISN'T finished. I'm just giving you guys something to read for the moment.