Heartwarming / Reflections

• In general, Luke and Asch's relationship especially when you compare it to canon. They are each others most important person and though they can clash at times, they tend to be quick to make up. Their entire relationship in fact forms the backbone of the personal dramas that happen throughout the story. And together they are The Heart of not only the team but the very story.
  • To elaborate on this, though Asch is still rather stand-offish to the rest of the group (outside of Luke and Natalia) he's fully capable of smiling, cracks a few jokes, and participates in Snark-to-Snark Combat with Jade. Asch is much happier and, overall, in a healthier state of mind than in canon.
  • Luke as well. While in canon he was a Spoiled Brat who was severely frustrated by his Gilded Cage and how others treated him and the pressure to be more mature than he actually is, here he starts off nice though Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life, he's much happier and more socially adept thanks to everyone properly raising him and Asch's influence.
• Related to the above, the whole group gives off the True Companions vibe much earlier than in canon; the most dysfuctional of the Tales Series teams is, here, actually functional.
• The very first chapter; Luke manages to get home after a kidnapping, but stops to find someone else that looks like him being called Luke and treated as their son. He's about to leave, even after the replica finds him and makes a connection. He ultimately stays because while his family didn't need him anymore, his replica, "Luke", needed him. He even lets the new Luke give him the name "Asch" and sticks with it.
• Asch making a mad cross-country run (on some horses) to reach Luke. Takes him two days to do it, by the time Luke finished business with the Cheagles.
• Asch helping Luke with him struggling with killing humans, revealing his own experience in regards to his first kill. This support pays off in a big way; unlike in canon Luke manages to cope better with having to kill people to protect others and himself.
• Anise of all people noting the sad part of Luke and Asch being incapable of being told apart. This is Pre-Character Development as well.
• The side story "Doctor's Appointment" ends with this: Spinoza meets Asch and Luke when they are young, causing him to do a Heel–Face Turn back then as Luke, much like with Asch, charms him nigh instantly into changing his tune about all of this.
• Luke's First Christmas is pretty much just heartwarming, with funny moments sprinkled in.
• Ch32 has Anise deliberately seek out Luke to apologize to him and realizes how she was so cruel to someone as nice as Luke (something he wouldn't have done if he was in her position). Pure Friendship Moment (with a hug and tears) is the result.
• The group has to head to Engeve to evacuate it before the lands fall. To everyone's surprise, thanks to Luke having wandered around the village and talking to everyone there, they all recognize Luke and are happy to meet him. Says a lot about Luke's status as a Magnetic Hero if he's remembered for being in Engeve for only a day in such a positive manner.
• Unlike in canon, Ingobert doesn't even blink in regards to Natalia not being his daughter by blood. He's just disappointed to have an important secret kept from him for so long. And then he turns to Luke as why he's so accepting of this.
  "Natalia," Ingobert looked her in the eye and cut off any protests. "Royal blood or not, you are this country's princess and you are still my daughter. Eighteen years of working to build this country does not mean nothing, eighteen years of memories are not lies; regardless of whether you are a 'real' princess or not. Right, Luke?"
  Luke smiled, "That's right."
• In canon Luke stays (standing facing away) as Tear cries after finding out she's going to die from miasma poisoning. Here, it's done in a more intimate fashion that tugs the heartstrings more, both in a sad fashion as much as being just that sweet.
  "Luke," Tear noticed the redhead still standing there, staring at her. She looked away again, she couldn't take the hurt look he was giving her. "Please go."
  "No," Luke refused. "You know, it's okay to show how you're feeling. No one is going to think any less of you if you show some emotion. Having feelings isn't a weakness!"
  "Luke please!" Tear's voice broke, and even Luke could tell she was trying not to cry. "I... I don't want you to see me like this."
  Tear felt a wave of relief when she heard Luke's footsteps, but rather than make their way to the door, Luke came around the other side of the bed and sat down. He leaned gently against her back, providing a comforting weight and surprising amount of warmth.
  "Then I won't look," Luke said softly. He set his hand gently down over Tear's and was more than surprised when rather than push him away, she clutched his hand in return.
  "You're... such an idiot."
• In Ch56 Natalia goes to Luke and comforts him, getting him out of his funk brought on by Asch leaving without telling anyone and him feeling guilty about not getting the Jewel of Lorelei. Considering their previous relationship, and how Natalia used to let her jealousy of Luke colour her opinion of him, it's an incredibly sweet scene.
  "Ugh," Natalia heard Luke wearily flop down on the bed. "Big sisters are such a pain." A warm smile rose up from within the Princess and she closed the door all the way.
  "Still..." Luke mumbled as he drifted off to sleep. "It's kind of nice too..."
• At one point Peony and Asch have a late night conversation about the Score. Peony reveals why he's so willing to defy it; that it broke up him and Nephry. Better? Asch remembers this and come Ch79 he sets them up on on a date.
• Ch74 has Asch and Natalia finally make up and talk properly about their problems and bad decisions.
• Luke takes Anise to a location in Grand Chokmah as he promised to do so for Ion as a last request. It's a small shop...where her parents, that she thought dead due to being removed from Daath after she was outed as The Mole, have been working all this time. Ion essentially did a variation of witness protection for them, hiding them from even Anise to protect her as much as them. Best of all, in this verse they lost the worst of their Stupid Good status compared to canon and now are putting actual effort into survival instead of just relying on the Score.
• Ch75 lives up to the title "Confessions" Luke confesses his love for Tear. The narration, Tear's reaction, and Luke's words hit you like a sledgehammer of feels. And then Tear finally admits she loves him back.
• Ch79 is mostly hilarious, but there's a scene at the end where Peony and Nephry honestly talk about their feelings and Peony tells her I Will Wait for You. Awwwww...
• The final chapter. "All this time, and you still can't tell us apart?" Fuck that Gainax Ending, they earned their happy ending!
• The epilogue. Just...the epilogue, showing how things are now and that not only are things good...the future is open and free.