Author's Note: This is the sequal series to The Times That Try Men's Souls (Part One). Part Two, Your Happiness Will Be Waiting, is thanks to all you crazy folks that told me to keep on with the series. ^^ What a bunch of loonies...haha! The title was inspired by none other than a -Man quote which starts this story. ^^ yaay! ANYWAYS, this story takes place after Kanda and Allen regroup (followed by coughuberlemoncough) and decide that heading to the Order and warning their friends of Apocryphos takes priority to them over finding Cross. What shall happen? Who knows? I don't but I will after a type it. ;) You all have the luxury of simply continuing on reading. D: lucky. haha anways, rated M for DUH reasons. Yullen is more than implied. You don't know what that is then you shouldn't even be reading this because you obviously didn't read part one to this series. ^^ major spoilers but this is after the chapters so yea, enjoy. ^^ P.S. If i get too OOC with Allen and Kanda slap me in your reviews :'(
FLASHBACK
"The pope said that it was overheard that Yu Kanda was sent to the place of his and Allen Walker's first mission..."
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"Our only order is to kill Alma, retrieve Yu Kanda, and bring him back for the Order to imprision and question on Walker's whereabouts."
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I was frozen, a whole new side of the exorcists shining out at me.
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"We need to reveal Apocryphos somehow. Master will be fine so long as he is alive, but with the entire Order at its knees to something like that, even if it's some large form of Innocence, it's dangerous. And they need to know that at least."
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"If we could just contact Lenalee or Lavi or Bookman or Krory or anyone, then I'm sure we could still make it through this without even risking getting captured."
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So we were heading back to the Order then? This surely was going to try both Kanda and my own's will. And the entire world's for that matter. These, truely would be the times that would try men's souls...
START OF STORY- Allen
Even while you are in doubt, there will be an answer you will arrive to.
Even while you are in pain, your happiness will be waiting...
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The Order loomed over us, glaring down at us as if we were imposters trying to evade a precious museam, as if we were theives. The Order...I didn't dream I would be back so soon. Kanda and myself decided that it would be best to try and find Lavi or Bookman first, since they were considered "neutral" in this whole ordeal and weren't bound by orders to contain Kanda or me on sight. I only hope that that would be the case here...
"How do you expect we'll enter? Can't just stroll in through the front gate..." I muttered irritated. There was no way this could work with just the two of us. I continued to peer into the distance, the Order sitting high up out of our each, but the same vice versa. We were barely out of range from the tall dark building, and yet lonliness struck. My home...I promised Lenalee I would return home as an exorcist yet but, it was too soon. I couldn't come home yet, I still needed to-
"Idiot. We don't go in. We lure them out," he growled. I looked back at him as he followed me. His face was contorted with anger and a sharp pang hit my chest. I stopped walking along the small ravine that lie in the woods we were trailing in. He looked over at me unexpectedly.
"What is it beansprout?" I wanted to reach out to him, touch him, find a way to escape from this madness. But, my head felt so dizzy. What was happening? I felt myself reach out to him as my world started to blur, to twist, to spin out of control. Kanda, tree, water, tree, Kanda, tree, water, Kanda, water, tree? Everything, too fast, I couldn't process it. My head was expanding, growing, it was going to explode! I could feel it! Ah- there, a flash of yellow! And over there? Were there really four of Timcanpy? Pain, searing pain, a flash of white, and then darkness. The last thing I heard before I fell deep into unconciousness was Kanda yelling something, but I couldn't quite place what. Was it my name? Really my name? I would pretend it was...it gave me a nice, warm, feeling inside...
Darkness. Nothing. Not even darkness. An undescribable place that existed and yet did not. Could a lack of existance exist? And then, a voice. Neah...
You really think you can do it? I felt him last time he almost got you, he was so close, I almost stepped in. I almost won. I almost broke through and killed everyone there.
Yes...I can do this. I'm not alone, I'll never be alone. I won't let Apocryphos win. There was another side to this war Master had said, was this it?
...You really are a fool child. You think your pathetic lover can save you? He doesn't even have his Innocence anymore. The guardian of the Heart has it. It's too late for you. It's my turn. Just give it up already, your Master is dead. You saw it. He saw that side of the war, and it got him killed. He was weak. Stronger than you, but still so weak. You're worse. I'm not. I'm better. So much stronger...and I can win this all, if only you let go.
Let go? Why would I let go? I felt so warm, my blood flooding me, my heart pumping so loudly, and thump-thump-thumping sound sounding endlessly in my ears. I was ready for this, there wasn't anything else for me. This was it. I had to do this. And, I wasn't alone...
You'll only get him killed. And you too. But I can't have you die, I just need you subdeued...
Kanda?
Are you listening fool? Do as your uncle demands and just give it up already!
Where are you?
IDIOT! REMEMBER WHAT THAT DAMNED CROSS SAID! YOU'RE ONLY MAKING YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE A REALITY!
It's okay, I'm coming...
FOOL!
I will never stop walking...
NEW SCENE- Kanda
I held Allen tightly in my arms as I jumped to the side as the damned Noah appeared. What the hell were they doing here? Che! Allen you idiot WAKE UP! I looked up to see Tyki and those twin Noahs standing not 30 yards away. The two were giggling erratically, their guns pointed at the other's heads. Tyki was smiling cooly, his entire demeanor calm besides the irritance over the two children that sat hunched over beside him. I felt Allen stirr slightly as I held him closely to me. Hurry up and wake up you idiot!
"hehehe! Hold ME hold MEEE! HEHEHEHEHE!" the blond laughed wildly as he leaped into the darker boy's arms, their guns somehow still pointed at one another. They laughed wildly at their mock as I grit my teeth together angrily. Allen's eyes fluttered open slowly.
"Kanda?" he finally drawled, my eyes set on Tyki. That damned asshole, he'd done so much damage in the past, I could even laugh if I wanted while killing him...
"Took you long enough to wake up beansprout," I growled as I dropped him. He yelled for a moment before he got his bearings together but I already had my new blade drawn and was feet from Tyki now. He evaded me evenly but I turned on my heel the same instant to fly backwards to him again. The giggling increased irritably.
"Kanda! What's going on!" I heard Allen yell somewhere behind me. I ground my teeth together irritably as the blade collided with the damned Noah's hand only to be clutched easily, tightly. Like HELL if I knew, fucking Noah don't need reasons! Tyki's eyebrows rose lightly at me which pissed me off even more. I swung my left arm straight into his face, his amused expression replaced with shock.
"Idiot! We just want to team up!" he shouted, his fist grabbing onto my sword harshly as his blood seeped though from the ground where he lie. I glared down at him, sick to my stomach.
"Why the HELL would we team up with a fucking Noah!" I shouted. Tyki smiled looking beyond me.
"You're fine around him though?" he asked lightly. I punched him again, only this one sent him flying into the nearby tree. I felt hands tighten around my shoulders to hold me back.
"Are you saying he's one of you! He might have that asshole's memory in him but he isn't a mother fucking NOAH! He's an exorcist so get used to it because he's not joining YOU!" I shouted infuriated, my emotions getting the better of me for once.
"Kanda..." Allen said softly from behind me. I turned to see that it was his hands that were holding be back. A stab of betrayal hit me like a thousand bricks, my bosy suddenly unbearably heavy. He looked up at me sadly, the pain evident on his weary face.
"The Noah...Apocryphos is their sure death. Without us, they can't beat him. But without them, we might not be able to save everyone from him either. They know more about him than we do and I hate it as much as you do, but please believe me when I say that we should at least consider-" I ripped my arms from him. Of course it made sense! Any idiot would see that! But I hated it! And I wasn't going to go along with the enemy!
"I'm not on the same side as those damned Noah." I growled and I stalked past Allen darkly, his head hung low.
"At least hear us out with all we know of our similar enemy?" Tyki as bemused. I continued walking away, my anger increasing with each word he said...
"All we want is him dead!" he shouted after me. Why wasn't Allen following me? Was he really considering this as an option?
"hehehe! BANG, DEAD!" I heard one of the twins cry as giddy as could be despite the seriousness of the situation. Was I really going to be left alone on this one? Allen? I felt my lips warm slightly at the memories of his touch, and my heart beat slightly faster. Why? You're such an idiot! Don't listen to them! Why can't you see that they're only trying to use you idiot! I felt his arms envelop me from behind, circling around my waist as his head hung low into my back.
"Please...don't leave me with them alone. I can't do it alone," he pleaded. If I left you to them, would they try and steal you? Would they take you from me? Turn you into one of them? But why? Why stay? Just follow me...I won't let them touch you, why don't you follow? You say you hate them, but is it really you that wants to hear them out? Or is just being by them stirring the memory of the 14th inside of you? His hand clung at my ribs desperatly, he wasn't normally so...vulnerable, so...childish. But he was desperate...didn't he know how strong he really was? He made it this far, after loosing so much. And still... The feeling of his need for me stirred me deeper until I had to swallow my emotions entirely. I turned around curtly.
"Che, I'll listen but I won't cooperate with them." I growled. He smiled up at me sadly only to have me stalk past him angrily. I didn't mean to seem so cruel. I didn't mean to make him have that face. I didn't mean for him to look so sad and alone just then. But either way I guess I deserved that dagger to my chest...
NEW SCENE- Allen
I didn't mean to hurt him. I didn't mean to make him mad at me. I knew how he felt about the Noah, but Apocryphos? I'd already been up against him. I know what he's like. Even if we manage to get to Lavi or Bookman, there's still no way we could take him on with just us. Think about it Kanda, it makes sense doesn't it? I know it does, and I know you know it too. So why do you refuse to at least hear what they have to say? I hate it as much as you do, really. I'm not being influenced by the 14th's memory at all here, and I won't let them try to use me to bring him out. Please don't walk away from me... Please don't hate me... You doing that, it's like a dagger to my chest... I looked up pathetically to see Tyki eyeing us curiously. I stood up straight and walked up to Kanda's side.
"What do you know?" Kanda started, glaring straight at the Noah of Pleasure. He smiled slightly and waved his arms outward.
"Come with us, and we will explain it all!" he sang. I felt my body stiffen as Kanda quickly drew his sword.
"I'M/HE'S NOT GOING WITH YOU!" Kanda and myself shouted in unison. Was this all this was! Just some plan to get me to go with the clan of Noah? I'm not the 14th dammit! When would they get that! And then- everything froze. A loud explosion erupted from overhead, at the Order. The deafening sound rang out in my ears. And then screams, more explosions. I turned around just fast enough to three finders fly out in the night, backwards, backwards, their corpses rolling down the cliff as they were torn apart mercilessly but the rugged terrain. I froze as the truth came to mind. There's another side to this war... To become one with you... He's our grim reaper... The truth hit me like thunder to the lonely child. The hoplessness of it all seeped into my skin deeper and deeper like poison. The cruel reality of it all planting a seed of doubt deep in my heart. The pain I felt was building steadily, my heart ripping open, exposed to the world. The hurt, the pain, it was all coming back to me. Just let go...
NEW SCENE- Kanda
I looked at Allen. His face was pale, his body shook, and his eyes looked glazed over... I grabbed his shoulder roughly.
"Allen! Allen snap out of it!" I shouted loudly over the roar of explosions. Tyki took a step closer to me but my glare made him stop.
"It's too late..." he said cooly, his smile a stab to my chest. The blond and raven-haired boy laughed wildly as their frightened faces started up at the Order magically.
"It's time!" they sang in unison...
NEW SCENE- Allen
A slurr of clouded words shout out quietly against the roar of explosions. The truth engulfed me as suddenly as I felt myself sink deeper into darkness. Just let go, and I can save them all.I saw Lenalee fly backwards from a top story window, and then- all sounds ceased. It sounded as if I was underwater. The gurggling of bubbles rising far overheard mesmerized me. The Order...was under attack...
Even while you are in doubt, there will be an answer you will arrive to.
Even while you are in pain, your happiness will be waiting...
End Note: It's short because it's introducing the second part to my series The Times That Try Men's Souls. If you didn't read it, then don't read this. It's a continuation of that story. I would have had this up a lot sooner and will try to get Chapter two up also here, but my internet connection has been the ultimate poop lately and I can barely get on for more than three minutes at a time it seems...but I shall continue on as best I can! ^^ Let's only hope that my internet decides to play nice... :'( PLEASE REVIEW! ^^ Reviews are made of love and love makes the world (and neenea's internet?) go round! 3