August 29 - The aftertaste is gonna break your heart
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As it turns out, they're in the middle of battle when it happens.
Level 3 don't present much of a challenge to Allen and Linali anymore, but eleven of them are enough to keep them fighting hard. Lavi takes care of the foot soldiers while they deal with the big guns. They're good at this and the fight is going well; of course, this must mean something is about to go wrong. The only warning Lavi gets is a glimpse from the corner of his eye: Allen missing an easy strike and getting hit himself.
Lavi yells - the akuma roars and moves in for the kill. Dancing backwards, trying to keep the many Level 2 away and watch at the same time, Lavi misses the moment when Linali pulls Allen out of the way of the Level 3's strike. He doesn't, however, miss the moment when Crown Clown, white and gold against the dim trees, shudders, contracts on itself and flickers, reforming an arm, blood red -
Blood red, he realises, because it is covered in blood. An instant of distraction gets him a hit across the face and costs him a tooth; he spits it out, makes a face at the taste of blood, and a frantic swing takes care of the last Level 2s. He rushes to the others, fends off an attack that threatens to take out Linali as she crouches over Allen.
"Cover him!" Lavi yells. She looks up, nods and re-enters the fight, keeping Allen between them as he tries desperately to regain control of the innocence. Lavi sees the sword start to draw - re-bound - draw again, slow, slow, red and gold. The familiar cloak is also red, though the mask is the same. The eyes behind it, though -
Allen attacks. Lavi blinks, then blinks again when he realises the Level 3 are all defeated; It only took an instant, he thinks detachedly. Allen stands; Linali rushes to him. "Allen-kun! Are you alright?" she asks.
He doesn't reply. "Allen?" Lavi says, feeling sick.
"Allen-kun?" Linali asks again, worry evident on her face. She reaches out to touch his shoulder, but pulls back at the last instant as he looks up, wearing the saddest smile they've ever seen him wear.
"Not anymore," he says.
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