Tales Of The Abyss Fan Fiction ❯ New Game Plus ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

“…and also, I promised someone.”

Luke could only smile as his friends reacted, all but Jade rushing to his side.

And then, nothingness. He blinked a few times, then looked around, unable to see anything other than a large, white void.

“Welcome to my shop, traveller,” a voice squeaked out from behind him. Luke spun around, and gripped the hilt of the Key in his hand. A small Katz sat before him, leaning forward against what seemed to be a lemonade stand, chin cupped in his paw. “You've had quite the journey to make it here, huh? Only true heroes can make it to this place.”

(What's this runt going on about?) Asch's voice echoed in Luke's head. Even though it was just his voice, Luke could imagine his original's frown and glare as he continued, (And where the hell are we, anyway?)

“My shop, as I said,” the Katz replied. “Yes, I can hear you in this place, boy. Don't look so surprised.”

“How did you hear him, uh…?” Luke asked.

“Katzby,” the Katz replied. “And that doesn't really matter, now does it? Now listen up, because I don't like giving explanations and I really don't like window shoppers.” Katzby spent a moment rummaging underneath his stand before presenting a ring to Luke. “Firstly, you will be needing this.”

“What is it?” Luke asked as he took the ring and examined it. It looked just like the Sorceror's Ring, but it had a blue gem laid into it.

“It'll allow you to somewhat alter the reality of your adventure,” Katzby said with a smile. “Now then, I've calculated the amount of Grade you've accumulated, and went ahead and picked some of the options for you.”

“Why don't I get to pick them?” Luke asked.

“Because it's written in Ancient Ispanian,” Katzy replied. “See you next playthrough, kiddo.” Before Luke could say anything, Katzby snapped his fingers, and the ground beneath Luke vanished. “Poor schmuck,” he chuckled as Luke's yells grew faint, and then disappeared altogether.

-== Capital of Light, Baticul==-

(Get the hell up, replica!) Asch's voice bellowed in his mind.

Luke groaned and placed a hand over his throbbing forehead. “What…what happened?”

(You fell and smacked your head into that shelf,) Asch answered. (Now get up and find out where the hell we are!)

“What do you care, anyway?” Luke asked as he pulled himself to his feet. As he glanced around his new surroundings, he quickly recognized it as his old room from the mansion. “What the…? How did I get back here?” Looking down, he realized that he was wearing his old outfit as well. “Ok, this is weird…”

(Will you stop talking to yourself?) Asch said angrily. (If we're back at the manor, go see if anything's changed.)

“You don't have to be so angry all the time, you know,” Luke stated, annoyed, as he took a seat on his bed. “If you're sharing brainspace with me, then you can at least stop being so damn annoying.”

“Luke, don't tell me you've started replying to those weird voices now,” a very familiar voice called from near the window. Luke looked up and saw Guy glancing over at him, a worried look on his face.

“Guy? You're here, too?”

“Why wouldn't I be?” he asked. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, fine,” Luke replied. He noticed that Guy was wearing his old uniform from his servant days at the manor, not the clothes he had donned when they met back up at Tataroo Valley.

Two quick knocks on his door interrupted the two friends. “Master Luke, may I come in?” a maid questioned from the other side of the door.

“Uh-oh. I can't let anyone see me here,” Guy said quietly as he climbed up onto the windowsill. “I'm out of here before I get caught. See you.”

Luke frowned as Guy jumped from the window. “This exact thing happened before…” he muttered.

“Master Luke?” the maid repeated.

“Come in,” he replied hesitantly.

The maid entered, and, after bowing her head slightly to the young noble, said, “His Grace requests your presence in the drawing room.”

Luke's frown intensified at the maid's words. “Thanks,” he said quietly, cupping his chin in one hand as he tried to remember what would happen next. “You can go,” he said as an afterthought.

(Stop dawdling,) Asch said.

“You don't understand,” Luke stated after the maid left. “All of this happened before I left the mansion with Tear.”

(What are you saying?)

“If I'm right, then father is meeting with M- Van right now,” Luke stated before gripping the doorknob in hand and opening the door.

Inside the drawing room, Luke's assumptions were verified. Duke Fabre and Van were deep in discussion. Luke felt his hand instinctively grab for his sword, and frowned when it gripped the hilt of his old practice sword.

(Replica, what is he doing here?) Asch demanded.

“It's like I thought,” Luke replied quietly. “After this meeting, Van and I will move out into the courtyard and be attacked by Tear.”

(Are you saying we've gone back in time?) Asch questioned. (If that's the case, kill him! You're more than capable if you get him in an ambush.)

“And then what? Get charged with murder by Uncle and Daath?” Luke asked as he shook his head. He crossed the room and took the seat next to Van, just as he had the first time. The meeting took place as he remembered, and the two moved to the courtyard for their practice match.

Luke noticed the odd looks Van was giving him, no doubt about how much he had improved in swordplay since the last time.

(Why aren't you stabbing him, Replica?!) Asch yelled.

“With a wooden sword, are you serious?” he retorted under his breath. “Just shut up, Tear will be here at any moment.”

And, just as he finished uttering the words, the familiar tune of Tear's Fonic Hymn reached his ears. He couldn't help but smile as his legs gave out beneath him. Though he would rather not have Tear go through the trauma of murdering her own brother alone, there was just no other way to undo all of the crimes Van had committed.

Unfortunately for Luke, Van raised his sword to block Tear's attack, and, with all the effort he could muster, swung his sword and flung Tear across the courtyard.

Right into Luke. Cue hyperressonance and teleportation.