Echo's Destiny (Edited/Rewritten Version)

Seven - The Last Pawn

The press conference was starting to get boring, all Luke had to do was sit there and look pretty. While his lawyer answered questions about his latest gig. What was the monster? How did it get there? He had no idea how to answer those questions so he just left it to the experts. All he knew was that his coming home gig was a disaster.

As the conference progressed it left him with plenty of time to reflect on that night. Stood on the stage he felt such a thrill, then the thing roared. It replaced the thrill with sheer panic. People kept ushering him through various corridors. At some point he was joined by Seth, his manager, who looked rather smug. Luke had no time to question the look at the time and he hadn't seen him since.

After they had escaped they had forced him into house confinement. This conference was the first time he was able to leave his house in several days. He didn't think he would really miss being outside for a few days but he did. The one thing Luke wanted to do most of all was to talk to his best friend, Ashton.

A sharp nudge brings him out of his thoughts. Everyone was staring expectantly at him. He grins sheepishly at the crowd of faces looking at him. "Can you repeat the question please?"

The reporter, a woman in her mid 30's with short blonde hair, nods. "I just want to know how you are coping through all of this. It must have been such a shock. And do you have a message for your fans?"

"Uh... yeah it definitely was a big shock. For something like this to happen at my home-coming show is really unfortunate. I would like to let my fans know that I am okay, and I feel better in the knowledge that none of you were hurt in the incident. Also I am planning to do another hometown show soon with everyone who was at my previous show invited for free as an apology for ruining their night." The reporter smiles knowingly, her blonde fringe falling into her eyes as she takes her seat again.

Another reporter, this time a balding, bespectacled male, stands  up almost the instant the woman's bottom had touched the seat. It surprised Luke just how fast he was. "This question is also for you Luke. There are rumours flying around about how this beast was part of the show and something went wrong, the beast got loose or it wasn't trained properly. Can you confirm these rumours? Was you just trying to impress the ladies at your homecoming with this terrible beast?" More and more accusations fly out of the man's mouth. Each one even worse than the one before it, all of them blaming Luke in some way. 

As he sits there listening to the mans claims he prays that a hole will appear and swallow him whole. Nothing appears. Luke gulps. By the time the man finishes Luke and his team are speechless. There is nothing that they could even say to this man to make him believe that they had nothing to with the events that ruined the home coming gig. 

Instead Luke's lawyer nervously laughs making his moustache jump up and down. It would have been funny if the situation had not been quite so serious. "I... I can assure you that we have no knowledge of these accusations. They are nothing but rumours and none of them are true. Now if you excuse me, my client is getting tired. If you have any more questions please send them to my office and we will answer them promptly. I thank you for your time." With that Luke is swiftly rushed off the stage and ushered into his prep room.

After an hour some woman comes into the room to assure them that all of the reporters have gone home and that the coast is clear for them to go. Luke smiles in relief. "Okay then see you tomorrow. I'm gonna walk home." He turns to leave and starts to head out of the room.

Luke almost smiles at his lawyer's red face. "You should not walk alone. At least let me take you home." His lawyer argues.

"Nah, it's cool. I can walk. It's not that far." Luke say smiling reassuringly over his shoulder at his lawyer. His lawyer shakes his head but reluctantly agrees anyway. Not that he had much choice. Luke was already walking out of the building.

Finally alone, Luke lets out a loud sigh. The past few days have been chaotic and all Luke wants is to spend some time thinking about something other than the beast. As he walks he finds his thoughts drifting to Ashton. They were as close as brothers, no matter how long Luke spent on tour he would always come back and Ashton would always be there waiting with open arms. He remembers the time he came home from his first ever tour. He was 16 and nervous, unsure about who would be there for him as he stepped off the plane. Of course his parents were there, there was never any doubt they they wouldn't be. Yet he was surprised that Ashton was also stood there waiting. It was the first time that he realised how close he and Ashton had become and it astounded him.

Now he probably thinks Luke is ignoring him. He's not, they just won't let him talk to anyone. Luke turns right into a junkyard. It is a shortcut to his apartment. He and Ashton used to use it all the time when they walked back from school. It is a unique junkyard as it is home to a dormant fal'cie. Slowly the blue haired boy makes his way past the piles of rusty scrap metal to face the giant floating mechanical creature. It's square shape moves and distorts as Luke gets closer to it. Luke's last thoughts before he blacks out are of Ashton.