Disclaimers: I don't own Tales of the Abyss…

Author's notes: Meh… I finally had the inspiration to start this. Actually, this fic has been bugging me for months now, but I have only decided to start this… What the heck is wrong with me? Or maybe I'm just too busy… xD

Title: Reversed Return

Summary: When Luke returned from the grave, though not at the same time as Asch did, who would have thought that he would appear in that manner? Was he really the same? Or was he an entirely different person? Wait a minute… he??

"I'm finished, Mother." Long deep red hair flowed by as he stood up, flexing his fingers as he glared at the garbage that he called paperwork sitting down innocently at his desk. The day's workload was done, and as the newly appointed Count of Baticul… of Kimlasca, he had to get his job done as perfectly as possibly. His mother ran through his papers quickly, giving out a smile of approval as she glanced proudly at her son.

"You did well, my son."

"You shouldn't tire yourself out, Mother." The red head stated. "Though you are now able to work, you shouldn't push yourself. Your body isn't used to such stress yet."

"Oh nonsense. I can do this… You don't have to worry about me." Asch gave a gentle look at his mother before nodding, knowing better than to argue with his mother over her health. His mother has a weak body, but a strong will. There was no talking sense to her. Thinking about it made him inwardly laugh. For some odd reason, he never really got that particular characteristic of his mother. He was strict, serious, and was always looking for results… Those were his father's characteristics. If anything, the one who inherited his mother's personality was…

A bitter smile appeared on his lips. That guy was always the one to take the spotlight, wasn't he? Even though he was gone, it was rather obvious that he was still regarded as a very important person for everyone who knew him. He weighed much more than he did to people, and that was pretty obvious seeing that even the city men and women who didn't really know anything about the two of them noticed the difference.

…His replica…

He had mixed feelings towards that guy. He hated him. He knew that much. He hated him so much that he wanted to kill him badly. His replica took everything away from him. That was a fact known to many people who knew them, and that was something that could not be changed. What changed was the fact that he was able to… give him back the life that he stole.

No… Seven years of his life was not something that could be returned to him, but that didn't mean that his damned replica had to die in order to atone. He was the one who died, not him. He was contented being dead, but then that damned replica had to resurrect him using his own life in exchange. What did he want to be? A hero?

But no matter how much Asch wanted to hate him…

…he couldn't change the fact that his replica saved him…

…and that he exchanged his own life for his.

Shaking his head, he left the room, murmuring a small goodbye to his mother before exiting the grounds. He had to clear his thoughts, or else all of those memories will continue to plague him the whole day… and that was clearly not something that he wanted. Giving the white knights a dismissive wave, he sat down on a large nearby stone as he glanced at the vast horizon. Looking at the seemingly endless world made him think of various things… like what could his life have been if Van never replicated him, how would he have lived his life if he merely stayed at Daath, how would his replica live if they never met, what could have happen if he won the duel between him and his replica… those sort of things.

But alas, thinking of such depressing matters was not something to continue doing, and that was what he was reminded of when a gentle hand patted his shoulder.

"Asch?"

He glanced behind him, giving a small smile as his eyes met hers. Natalia would never change. Though she was now the Queen of Kimlasca, the fact that she would always care for the wellbeing of others never changed… and though she was married to someone else, someone who was borne of Malkuth, she still saw him as a very precious childhood friend, someone who she had shared a promise that was not quite fulfilled. No… She was not married to Guy. Score knows what could have happened if they did.

But it didn't really matter. The part about marrying each other was never fulfilled and would never be, but the promise of rebuilding and ruling the country together had been kept. Though they were not married as king and queen, they ruled over the country in different little ways. Their roles were different, but their desires were the same. She gave him a small smile in return as she sat down beside him, looking at the same horizon that had captivated him.

"Asch, thank you for helping me take care of the kingdom." She said, her smile never changing. "Even though we are not together as we once hoped we would be, you still fulfilled your promise. I thank you."

The aristocrat shook his head, looking at the woman that he once loved. She need not thank him. A promise was a promise no matter what happened, and it was something that should be fulfilled. It was something that could be forgotten, but never broken. Unfortunately, some promises were never given the chance to be fulfilled, no matter how much the one who promised wished to. "You don't have to thank me." He answered. "It's the least that I could do… as your childhood friend."

"You… no longer love me, do you?"

He did not need to answer her question. The answer was quite obvious. Even she no longer loved him as much as she did in the past, but the fact that they will always be very close to each other will always remain. Though they were originally his replica's, Asch had earned so many things… Experience… Feelings… Friends… His replica once owed him, now he owed everything to his replica… to Luke. He knew that he could do nothing to repay him now… so the least that he could do… was give him the name that his replica grew to love. Asch was his name now, not Luke… and Luke had earned the right to keep that name… despite the fact that he was no longer alive…

"Don't worry, Asch." She spoke once again as if hearing his thoughts. "I'm sure that no matter where he is now, he is glad that everything turned out alright… and that… you have accepted him." A smile was sent his way. "You know… your acceptance was what Luke desired the most ever since finding out that he was your replica…"

Her dull eyes suddenly glistened with life as her feet finally touched the earthly ground… Looking around her, there was no doubt that she was back on Auldrant, and – how nostalgic – right in front of the fallen ruins of Eldrant. It was quite intriguing that even she didn't know why she was back, and she didn't even know what she was supposed to do. What was her reason for returning? Was it to check on the aftermath of the battle? To secure the now seemingly unused Sephiroth trees? To see if there were still any remnants of the battle that took place?

There were so many options to consider, and she was even willing to think that Lorelei let her return on a whim and that there was no real reason. Now if that was the case… that would be pretty annoying, because she was already getting rather comfortable with staying around the fonbelt while being able to watch over everyone at the same time.

And also – Score forbid, although there was a chance that the Score is no longer being used – what's up with this body? Did Lorelei secretly have this abnormality in him that made him want to let his poor tired scion experience becoming the opposite sex? Impossible, right? Lorelei was supposed to be the most sane mystical being there is. But what were the chances of Lorelei indeed having that side of his? There was a chance that being trapped and locked away for years made him bored, thus developing a new side… But that was rubbish…

She could now only wish that she was at least given instructions or a clue as to what to do… and… looking around, she realized… How was she going to leave without any mode of transportation? She held out her hand, watching the light glow of the seventh fonons around, but no luck. Fonons had begun dissipating after the battle and fonic arts could be starting to decline in use – at least that was what she was thinking – so were the chances of being able to use the seventh fonons to her aid?

Pretty low perhaps…

And right now, seeing that she was right in front of Eldrant's ruins, she was quite far away from Baticul, which was normally a place that she didn't mind visiting first. Now that left her wondering where exactly to go. She could always pass through Chesedonia to reach Baticul by foot, but she could also go to Malkuth instead by passing through Rotelo Bridge. Hopefully it was repaired by now. It would be nice to go and see if St. Binah and Engeve recovered well… and maybe drop by Grand Chokmah just to check on people and stuff. It wasn't as if she could be easily recognized now…

But at the same time, it would be nice to check on Baticul…

Hmm… Baticul was somewhat farther than Malkuth…

So…

…maybe…

"Acceptance? Hn. When did I ever accept him?" But he knew that they both knew better than that. Asch had accepted Luke… in many ways than one… and that if he could, he would bring him back to life to experience the world that they had worked so hard for… that he had worked so hard for… Another smirk… or was that a smile?... graced the red head's lips. Memories of hardships, but at the same time undeniable frustration and – dare say it – amusement filled his head. He never thought that he would be remembering these now, but… "It's… nice… to go through memories once in a while…"

"Yes… it is…"

I dropped a marble; when I chased after it, I dropped another

Only one remains in a single sunny spot

It was sudden…

"Asch?! What's wrong?! Asch?!"

"What the… After so many years… again…?!"

It has begun…

The moment their hearts begin to beat, like it or not, people claim their own place

They keep protecting it so that it isn't snatched away

End Chapter 1

Author's notes: I finally started this… and no… The "girl" up there in the bold and italics is not an OC… In fact, you should know who it is by now. I'll really smack you hard if you don't…! xD I hope that you like the first chapter… even thought it was kinda short… Haha…

Reviews are greatly appreciated!