-man and its characters belongs to Katsura Hoshino.
Why hello there. Come closer, soak in the warmth of the fire will provide. You're new here, I can tell by that curious look in your eyes.
May I ask why exactly you are here? Or perhaps I know what you are here for- a story, no? Yes, that is what you are here for. You are here for the story you heard about. You know the story of Allen Walker, do you not? Well, you must understand, EVERYTHING IS A LIE.
You see, the story you know is far different from the story I am going to tell you. The Noah's are not evil as you believe them to be. Instead it is the Exorcists fighting for the destruction of Mankind, and the Noah's are trying to save it. New Exorcist's minds were tainted to get them to join, and once the Order was sure they had them wrapped around their fingers they let them in on the brutal truth they were buried in. Interested?
Well then, allow me to be so kind as to give you the full story. Even though things aren't very different at the start, I must begin there. So think of this as a refresher, and enjoy the story. You see, it all started for Allen when Mana died.
-break-
He was mourning the loss of Mana when the Millennium Earl showed up, bearing a skull with which he told him would become Mana after he was to scream his name and take him back for his wretched God. And he had listened, watching as Mana's name became etched in the skeleton's visor. He had gotten his hopes up, ready to see his Mana again, only to be horrified when his arm that was the bane of his existence turned into a large white claw, coming down on Mana who barely managed to dodge. Then Mana screeched out those words, the words that tore apart his heart.
Mana had cursed him, bringing his arm down to slash Allen's eye before the arm struck Mana and forced him to leave as the skeleton deteriorated. When he looked up, the Earl was gone, and instead there was a red haired man he quickly learned to be the devil incarnate after becoming his apprentice.
-break-
Allen watched Timcampy flutter above his head for a moment before his head was onslaught by a sharp pain. The memory of Cross telling him to go to the Black Order HQ drifted lazily before another came making him realize why his head hurt. Cross had smacked him across the head with that damn mallet saying there was no way he was going back to that cursed place! He sighed, glancing up at Tim as the golem began flying erratically down the path. Allen simply pointed the way the golden golem was traveling. "Is the Black Order this way?"
-break-
"Are we really going in there, Moore?"
"Well, the citizens have been making complains about this church- about people having been disappearing and such," Moore answered, stopping to glance back at the officer. He asked her a stupid question of the place being cursed, and she replied saying superstition is superstition whilst putting on her cap- not believing in things like curses. Once inside they made idly chatter about the place being rather beaten up until her companion screeched, causing her to jump and turn to find the culprit to be a cat rubbing against his leg. She picked it up, giving it a little loving pat. "It's only a cat."
A strange noise echoed through the church, and bats came their way in a giant throng.
In the temporary darkness caused by the bats, Moore was grabbed by a strange gloved hand carried in the throng of bats, coming out of shock only to find a boy telling about finally getting her and not letting her get away. He then seemed confused that she was human, at which time she decided to curse him and demand he explain to her who he was and what he was doing here. He simply reacted by backing up midst apologizing, saying he was just trying to get the cat she was still holding and then explaining that he was simply a traveler. After cuffing him to a window pane with only enough room to sit on a nearby chair, he went into detail about the cat having eaten something valuable of his that he got from his master. When she asked where his master was he responded, "Somewhere in India."
So she examined the boy for a few spare moments before telling him to wait there while she collected the rest of his companions, not believing his story in the slightest. Just as she finished the command a loud voice thrashed around, coming from downstairs. She told him to stay there as she went to find out who was downstairs of the presumably abandoned church. Looking up she found her companion against a pillar with a horrible injury. "Charles!"
Stars took over his skin, and after they covered him completely he just crumbled apart, obviously dead now.
'The rumors were true,' was all she could think as she walked up to his empty clothes. She was oblivious to the gas that had started to encompass the room until she felt a rag against her mouth and nose.
"Be careful, the gas from the corpse is poisonous. He's getting killed by the Akuma," the kid told her, sounding older than he was. Black crept from the corners of her vision, and he noticed as he called out to her. "Officer?"
'Devil?'
-break -
She jolted awake, her mind still trying to grasp what had happened to her. One of the officers spouted some quick nonsense and before he could continue she asked where she was.
"The station," he answered her, continuing his earlier comment with something about being just in tie and then calling out to a detective in another room to tell him she was awake.
At the 'Come in' she walked in. Before entering she remembered what happened to Charles and turned to the officer as he was about to leave. "Charles-!"
"We know," he cut her off. "We're inspecting the suspect right now."
"What?" she asked, turning her head to find the boy from earlier sitting in a chair looking somewhat uncomfortable.
"His name is Allen Walker. Unknown address, underage, and unknown country," the detective firmly put. He then slammed his hands down on the tables. "You did it, didn't you?"
"I told you I didn't! Why are you so suspicious of me! All I did was carry the unconscious officer here," Allen argued. The detective retaliated, saying things about being in suspicious due to being in the church in the first place, and then went to his red hand. Saying it was covered in blood, although Allen was trying to get something in. He started saying something about his hand before the detective managed to tear of the glove and display a green cross embedded in his hand to everyone in the room. The detective was obviously frightened by the hand, calling the kid a psychopath- burning a cross into his hand.
She then decided to step up for the kid. "Um, sir, this boy was with me when the incident occurred."
An officer than explained to the detective that Allen was only armed with a cat when they showed up, and there was a large bullet hole at the scene. He then provided that they hadn't found any gun at the scene that could cause such damage, so the detective then turned on Moore, demanding to know how she passed out. He continued rambling on how she was at the scene and didn't even see the culprit when Allen lifted his hand.
"I know who the culprit is. I didn't see it, but I know what it is. Its nickname is 'Akuma', and it gains experience by killing. Once it gains enough experience it level up, and it won't stop killing. If we don't stop it soon, it'll get out of control," Allen then lifted his hand up, the cross turned to face them. "This cross is an anti-Akuma weapon. Do you know what 'Exorcists' are? They're members of an anti-Akuma group that consists of holy priests."
-break -
He had been brought back to her house after the detective decided to go back to the scene, having laughed at Allen's statement. Allen had just been telling Officer Moore that his Akuma was different from hers when her brother- Mark- opened the door to the room. Allen had turned, freezing momentarily in shock as Mark started mumbling nonsense about killing. Then, Mark shed his false skin- transforming into the Akuma he actually was.
-break-
She opened her eyes to find themselves in a different area. When she turned to Allen he explained that they were at the church after being blown away by the attack. He then explained the Akuma bullet, and what happened to Charles made sense as the cat shattered when millions of starts covered its body. Soon after the cat's deterioration the Akuma showed up, slaughtering the police forces and detective that were making their way to Moore and Allen after they tried shooting it with their own flimsy guns. Before she could run out yelling at Mark to stop Allen explained how the Akuma worked to her.
"May your soul be save, you poor Akuma."
His words brought her out of her flashback as she realized how Mark was driven to create an Akuma. She looked up to find Allen's left arm to be replaced with a large white claw that he dug through the Akuma, and watched as it fell, soul disconnected from body. She was pretty sure her sister was thanking Allen, finally being allowed to live peacefully in God's realm.
-break -
He was hitching a ride when he heard it.
"It's an Akuma!"
He jumped off his ride and ran over to where the noise came from. "Are you okay? The Akuma-?"
The group in front of him was certainly strange. One of them spoke up, telling him there was no Akuma amongst them. They then started talking to a kid who remained adamant about the Akuma truly being there, even going into crude detail of an Akuma being made recently. The man behind him who was being pointed at by the kid quickly pulled him into a rather forceful hug. He then explained to them all that he was playing a game with the kid- who got too into it. The people accepted the excuse and left, telling the kid, Jan, that they wouldn't come back if he screamed again.
Allen knew better, for his curse could not be deceived. His white claw ripped through the Akuma easily, and it withered away. He turned to the kid. "Your name is Jan, right? You seem to know a lot about Akuma."
Allen was caught off guard when the kid tackled him. Allen learned that Jan's dad worked for the Vatican, so it made sense he knew about Akuma. Once Jan started to ask questions Allen stopped him with a reprimand about catching the 'Creator's attention'. The kid responded with his own creation- the 'Onion Bomb'. He ran off as Allen recovered from the attack to his eyes.
-break-
He stood in front of the door, still worried about Jan. When the maid answered, Jan pushed her and Allen found himself bearing her weight while Jan proceeded in running off with Leo, who just so happened to catch Allen's eye.
-break -
"He's an Akuma, Jan," Allen said, standing on the side opposite the graveyard of the Earl.
"Who are you?" the Earl asked, his tone sickly sweet.
"Good evening, Earl. I'm your enemy," Allen greeted.
"An Exorcist?" the Earl asked, giving a little bow. "'Well then nice to meet you."
Allen dashed towards Leo, only to be stopped by Jan. Jan then began questioning Allen why Leo fell victim, his heart wrenched at the betrayal. Right when he demanded proof from Allen the Akuma decided it had a sense of irony, placing a barrel to Jan's head with all the proof the boy needed. Just as the Akuma shot, Allen jumped in front of the boy, and the Earl continued watching.
"Wow. He sure was courageous to take the bullet like that. How do you feel now, Jan?" the Earl paused. "You really piss me off, you know? You're a weakling, yet you talk about 'justice' al the time. You even said I was a bad person."
His sweet tone did not falter, and his smile only grew. "I'm creating Akuma for people's own sake."
Allen stood, and with his anti-Akuma weapon nullified the poison running through him. As he did so, both Jan and the Earl noticed his eye. With a brief summary on how he obtained it, the Earl's smile widened even farther. The Earl remembered the child, even going as far as to bring up Allen turning Mana into an Akuma. So, Allen only felt it right to tell Jan the story of that night, and how he wished to become an Exorcist because it was his destiny to destroy Akuma. The Earl brought up that he should have killed Allen that night, causing Allen to wonder exactly why he hadn't been killed.
The Earl summoned a large horde of Akuma, and Allen realized that Jan would be hit if they were all to shoot. "Run, Jan! I'll destroy them all!"
Jan obeyed, and Allen commenced in destroying Akuma after Akuma.
"DESTROY IT, ALLEN!"
With Jan's cry, Allen ended it. Using Cross Grave, the Akuma bodies all began falling- separated from the souls powering them. With the cover of the damage the attack caused, the Earl used his umbrella to float away, telling Allen that this wasn't the end.
After the Earl left, Allen collapsed onto the ground, asking Jan to call a doctor.
-break-
The sound of flapping wings echoed everywhere. Why-why the heck did they build this place all the way up here?" his hand clasped onto the edge of the cliff and dragged him onto the safety the top to the mountain provided. Allen heaved for a moment before grinning to himself. "I finally made it."
-break -
"Who is this kid?" chatter in the room was rather quiet as the group focused on the projection of Allen walking up to the gate. When the supervisor asked why he wasn't stopped from climbing the mountain, a girl pointed out that the boy was accompanied by Cross's golem. They stopped when they heard the 'Excuse me!' from the projection, and proceeded to listen as the kid stated he was sent y Cross and had beef with them. They discussed amongst their group that Cross was still alive and then went on to the boy who the supervisor confirmed he had no news about. So they told him to turn to the Gatekeeper behind him and take the examination. The child freaked when the Gatekeeper's face examined him closely. An X-ray Examination commenced, and soon the Gatekeeper was screaming loud enough for the whole Order to hear, "THIS GUY IS OUTTA HERE!"
The Gatekeeper informed them of him being an Akuma- having the Akuma's pentacle on his forehead. So they were beginning to discuss sending out an Exorcist when the girl by the monitor informed them Kanda was already there.
-break-
Allen turned to face the man standing on top of the Gatekeeper. The guy was talking about him being brave for coming there, so Allen tried explaining that it must have been some kind of mistake. When the man didn't listen and moved to attack Allen, he activated his Innocence, using it to take the brunt of the samurai's katana. Allen then noticed that the katana had cut through his arm- which could withstand Akuma bullets. The samurai then demanded to know about his arm, so Allen told him truthfully- it was his anti-Akuma weapon. Freaking him out, the samurai turned to the Gatekeeper with a 'What the hell?'
The Gatekeeper then started blabbering about not being sure since he couldn't see Alllen's insides, to which Allen frustratedly started pounding on the weird head, claiming he may be a tiny bit cursed but he was still a nice human. When the samurai rushed at him, ready to spill his insides so they could check them he began grasping at straws. "You should have gotten a letter of recommendation from Master Cross addressed to a person named Komui!"
A dreadfully long moment passed, and soon Allen turned his head when he heard the Gatekeeper ask uncertainly about opening the door, making Allen assume they had found the letter and were ordering for the door to open for him.
"We allow you to pass, Allen Walker."
-break-
Even though he was allowed in, a girl had to come out and hit the samurai on the head with her clipboard when Kanda was ready to skin him with no reason now. She had turned to him and firmly told them to enter. Whilst they were walking down to meet the supervisor he learned their names to be Kanda (the temperamental samurai), and Lenalee (the dangerous female). Deciding they had gotten off on the wrong foot, Allen had held his hand out to Kanda, only for it to be left there in the empty air as he received a piercing glare. Then, Kanda had the gall to ask why anyone would want to shake hands with a cursed person, shocking Allen to the core. When they had continued down the hall he heard others talking about how young he was. He could feel their stares directed at his hair. He had gotten distracted when Lenalee showed him the cafeteria, then the training room, lounge, and told him of the sanatorium, library, and individual rooms.
Allen had been completely surprised. "You get individual rooms?"
They walked past rooms that Lenalee told him he'd be better off not knowing. Finally, they came after the supervisor, who had asked how they were doing today as common courtesy before introducing himself as Komui Lee, the Scientific Group Supervisor. He welcomed Allen as he led them down a staircase down to a secluded room. He then had Allen show him his arm, both deactivated and activated. He had Lenalee fetch him anesthetic.
Allen learned all about Innocence types, knowing now that he was a Parasitic type. As Komui performed surgery on Allen (nearly killing him with pain), Lenalee had asked if they were taking Allen to check if he truly was human. Komui disregarded her, stating only humans were cursed. Allen made a promise as they went down the elevator to never hurt his arm again.
Komui was telling him something about being judged, and just after he finished arms lifted Allen up, allowing him to look up into a giant face with a humongous snakelike body. To say he was freaked was an understatement. He tried activating it as tendrils started latching onto his arm, but was reminded by Komui that his Innocence wouldn't be able to move due to the anesthetic.
"83%!" Helvaska stated, and at Allen's question of what a synchronization meant she went into depth, explaining lower synchronization levels meant a likelier chance that with Activation the Exorcist would become endangered. "Allen Walker… Sometime in the black future, your Innocence will create an extraordinary 'Destroyer of Time'."
Komui clapped his hands, congratulating him on his future. When Allen tried to punch him, the supervisor merely ducked behind his clipboard, and although aggravated, Allen questioned Komui on what exactly Innocence is- seeing as his Master didn't think it would be good to notify him.
"It all started nearly a century ago... One cube was found, and it began there."
-break-
To our descendants,
We won against the darkness, and some were destroyed. As you travel along, trouble will surely arise. To prevent this trouble, we leave you with this message.
-break-
"What was contained in the messaged was a saying from long ago. It was an instruction on how to use this substance. The cube itself was the substance, but- it was called 'God's Crystal', which possesses a special power. We call it 'Innocence'. It is the cross on your left hand. Anti-Akuma weapons possess the Innocence and turn it into weaponry. The maker of the cube is known to have used this Innocence. Facing off against evil, they fought the Millennium Earl and won. But in the end, the world was destroyed. It happened about 7000 years ago, and in the Old Testament, it was referred to as 'Noah's Great Flood'. However, the cube tells us that those were the 'Three Days of Darkness'. And according to the cube's prediction, the world is bound to meet its end at the hands of the Earl. The 'Three Days of Darkness' will come again."
"So far, the cube's prophecy is correct. The Earl has returned to this world. Due to the cube's prophecy coming true, the Vatican decided to follow the cube's message. This is the revival of the Innocence and the Black Priests. One Innocence brings forth one Apostle. An Apostle is a 'compatible person'. Without an Innocence-compatible person, the power cannot be used. The Innocence-compatible people are you Exorcists.
"But the Earl hasn't forgotten the past either. He has created armies to destroy God. Those are the Akuma. If Innocence is the White, the 'Dark Matter' is the Black. The more it evolves, the more it develops. The Earl wants to destroy the Innocence and stop the revival of it. Innocence has spread throughout the world, because of the Noah's Great Flood. There are 109 units in all. We are to wake up the people who contain the Innocence, and gather up an army to counter the Earl's army. The Earl is on the move to find the people with Innocence and destroy them. It's a race to obtain the Innocence. If we lose the race, the end will be just as the prophecy foretold.
"Well then, that's about it for the long explanation. Let's fight together, to save the world. You won't make a single dollar, though," Komui finally finished, holding out his hand.
Allen grasped the offered hand. "Sure."
"Welcome to the Black Priesthood. Right now with you in our group, we have found 19 Exorcists. Most are around the world working on different missions but you'll soon be able to meet them all. By the way, Helvaska is an Exorcist too."
"What?" Allen exclaimed, looking up to her.
"I am a different… type than you guys, but I am a compatible person for a cube. Ever since the Teaching started, I have been a Keeper of Innocence. I have… met with many Exorcists. Allen, may God be with you," Helvaska stated, trying to find the proper words for what she was trying to say without chasing Allen away.
-break-
Allen laid with his back against the bed. Timcampy had gone off somewhere, and Allen was thinking back to Mana. He was finally at the starting line, and honestly, he didn't care about fate. He had chosen the path himself. He sat up on the bed, placing a hand against the painting beside his bed of a clown carrying a coffin with a cross painted on it. "I promise, whatever the cost, I won't stop walking. I will keep walking until I die."
-break-
"298… 299… 300!" Allen lifted his head to face to the window, noting that it the sun had finally risen. He had been doing one arm pushups with his human arm, only he was straight up in the air, his hand resting on the back of a chair that he had tilted so it was only on two legs.
-break-
The kitchen was rather calm this morning. As Allen walked up to the flamboyant chef with pink locks the man started going on about he was a new recruit. He leaned out of his window, "What do you want to eat? I can make anything!"
Allen pondered this for a moment. "Ok then, I'll get… lasagna, potatoes, dry curry, Ma-Po tofu, beef stew, meat pie, calpaccho, nishigoren, chicken, potato salad, corn, a kuppa, tomyank, rice, and for desert I want a mango pudding and 20 Mitarashi dangos."
The man seemed flabbergasted. "You can eat all of that?"
"What did you say? You wanna say that again?"
"Stop it, Buzz!"
Allen turned around to face the people making a commotion behind him.
"Be quiet! My meal tastes bad when you talk about dead people." It was the temperamental samurai.
"Is that how you show respect for your comrades? We, the Finders, support you with our lives, and you, you… AND YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOUR MEAL TASTES BAD?"
A fist went flying towards Kanda, who deftly dodged it without standing up from his seat. The next thing the man who threw the punch knew, his throat was held in Kanda's hand. "'Support us'? All you can do is 'support us'. You guys are the ones who weren't chosen to carry the Innocence."
Allen's hand grabbed Kanda's arm, ready to stop him from choking the man if he didn't listen. "Stop it. I'm sorry to interrupt you when I have nothing to do with this, but, I don't think of this as a good way of resolving things."
Kanda glowered at him. "Back off, Moyashi."
'Beansprout?' Allen thought to himself, knowing Japanese due to his Master's habitual moving. "I'm Allen!"
"Heh, if you don't die within the next month, I'll remember your name. There are many that die here, like these guys," Kanda stated, smirking until Allen's red hand grasped his wrist, being non-to-gentle with it.
"As I said, that's not a good thing to say," Allen reprimanded.
Kanda glowered at him. "You're going to die soon. I hate your type."
Allen merely brushed it off. "Well, thank you."
(4,335 words)
A/N: Hello. I have started this story at the request of jameis. The story idea is all jameis, however I am the one writing this. Jameis came up with the idea of making the Noah the good guys, and the Exorcists the bad guys. I have free rein with what happens for the most part (and so far I'm just following the storyline until the point where things start getting different). I'll do my best in updating every 2-4 weeks, and each chapter shall be 9 pages. A note for future chapters, Road and Fou are male. That is extremely important to remember, and I will make a reminder later on when they start coming in. Leave a review telling me what you think!
If anyone wants to make some oneshot requests for –man or Naruto shoot me a mm.
Sayonara for now~