The dungeons in the lowest levels of the Black Order were cold, dark, and dank. Allen had never thought much of the conditions of the holding cells before, but now that he was inhabiting one, he gained a new sort of appreciation for just how miserable they really were.
In retrospect, he supposed he should have seen this coming since he Levelier began showing such interest in him – no, before that even; he should have seen this coming since he first met the 14th Noah by that lake, the lake with the inverted moon.
Tim shifted next to him restlessly. He had grown tremendously over the past week they had been imprisoned. Allen was grateful for the comfort the larger mass provided; however, it was now impossible for the golem to stretch its wings even half way.
"Walker."
Allen didn't respond immediately. He may be desperate to prove his innocence, but that didn't mean he was about to jump at the chance to please the ones who had beaten him into the sorry state he was in now.
With a sigh, Allen slowly raised his gaze up to the bars of his cell and met Link's eyes through them.
"What it is?"
"Inspector Levelier would like to question you again today. He asked me to tell you in advance in order to allow you to… think over your options carefully, before he meets with you," Link said indifferently.
Allen suppressed a snort of disbelief. What a gentle way to convey the Inspector's threat: that if he refused to talk this time, he wouldn't be getting another chance.
"Got it. Thanks, Link," Allen said, effortlessly concealing his bitter thoughts behind his usual, albeit slightly more weary, smile.
Link sighed, now. "Please be reasonable, Walker," he said before marching back up the stairs to the main levels.
Allen's head dropped back down against his chest again as he heard the door close at the top of the steps.
Alone, again… Allen thought to himself, wistfully.
Not quite… A soft whisper caressed the back of his mind. The white-haired boy shook his head violently at the words that were not his.
Get out of my head!
How very rude, nephew. Didn't Mana teach you any manners?
Shut up.
No need to be nasty with me, Allen. I am only concerned with your welfare.
Yeah, right. You're only concerned with how my welfare will affect your own.
That stings me, Allen. Really, can't an uncle worry about his poor nephew under such conditions as these? You aren't doing very well, are you, Allen?
I'm fine, Allen thought back sharply. Conversations like these had been growing more and more frequent as of late, particularly the past week while he was trapped alone – not counting Tim – in the dark, both physically and mentally. Neah had taken to showing himself, tormenting Allen with idle chat of his impending and inevitable demise. Allen considered himself fairly strong, mentally, but he wasn't sure how many more pitch black nights he could handle, with only the echoing voice of the Fourteenth Noah to entertain his increasingly bitter thoughts.
Of course you are, Allen, Neah chuckled. There's no reason to be lonely though. I'm not going anywhere.
Allen could almost feel Neah smirking.
Shut up.
I wonder what your comrades are up to. While you rot down here is this sorry excuse for a prison, I mean. They haven't visited you. That's awfully cold of them, don't you think?
Shut up. Allen clenched his fists in the lap and Timcanpy nudged at his back soothingly. Lenalee, Lavi, Miranda, Johnny, Komui… Allen had not seen any of them since Levelier had thrown him into the dungeons. Allen was sure they must have had a good reason. They wouldn't just abandon him so easily… would they?
Aw… don't be sad, nephew. Who really needs them anyways, when you have me – Oh, and Tim, too! Right, Timcanpy?
To the best of his abilities in the cramped space, Tim fluttered his wings eagerly.
I don't need or want your company.
That's really too bad, considering it seems all other company has left you for dead… or a traitor.
Shut up.
It's kind of funny, isn't it? The organization you held in such high regards, that you entrusted your life and power, betrays you; while the people you were so certain were the, ah, 'bad guys' are the ones who are too sympathetic to even say we told you so. Face it, Allen, the Noah clan your last chance at a real life, with a real family.
"SHUT UP!" Allen shouted out loud. His voice echoed and reverberated throughout the dungeons, fading much slower than seemed possible.
Neah was laughing now, louder than Allen had ever heard before.
Really, now Allen, be mature. Your friends are gone. They have given up on you. You have been tossed aside like garbage by the people you swore to protect. You are no longer able to destroy the akuma you vowed to save. You are a failure, Allen Walker. A failure as an Exorcist. That's why you must give in to me. There is no point for you to inhabit this body of yours while you are so utterly helpless and unable to use it. Give it to me, nephew. I will take away your helplessness.
"Be quiet… be quiet…" Allen pressed his hands against the sides of his head. Neah's voice had grown steadily louder with each word until his head was so full of the Noah's voice that his vision went blurry.
You have failed, Allen. You are useless, helpless, pathetic. Give in to me, and I will take it all away. I will let you rest. You can stop fighting, Allen.
"No… I… promised to never… stop… I can't… stop… walking… I won't…"
"But you won't, Allen. I will keep walking for you, and I promise I will never stop." Neah's voice was somehow louder than ever, but also softer. The sharp, burning pain in his head subsided and his vision cleared. The room echoed with his last words…
Allen inhaled sharply and chuckled. That is to say, Allen's mouth chuckled.
"Your words were big, but it seems your heart knows best."
"No… you can't be-!"
"But I am."
Allen pressed his forehead against Timcanpy's cool metal side. His vision was blurring again, but without the pain this time. He felt unsteady and nauseous, but he refused to lose consciousness.
The door creaked open and the dungeon was flooded with light, for a brief moment.
… And in the moment, Allen saw his reflection in Timcanpy's shiny, metal hide. His skin was an ashen gray, his eyes molten gold, and seven bloody stigmata branded across his forehead.
"Ne…ah…"
-ooooooooooooooooooooooooo-
"As Link informed you, I am here to continue your questioning, Walker. It would be in your best interest to be honest, this time."
Levelier stopped outside Allen Walker's cell. The boy's silhouette was dark and shadowed against the faint gleam of Cross's golem.
The guard turned the key to Walker's door and held it open for the Inspector. As he stepped closer to the boy, he said that he was trembling, his hand covering his face. Levelier scowled exasperatedly at the child. How pathetic.
"Come, Walker. Don't be difficult." Levelier took another step forward and heard muffled noises coming from behind his hadn. Had the boy really been reduced to tears just by being left alone for a bit. If this is what Exorcists were made of here at Headquarters, Levelier decided he may need to… check on all the Exorcists here…
"Hurry up boy, we've no time to waste."
"I'm sorry," Walker said suddenly, and Levelier was suddenly very aware that he had not been crying, after all. "It's just… so very hard to contain my excitement." He removed his hand from his face and stared up at the Inspector with a look of grotesque glee. "You see, it's been quite a while since I last had a body," Neah laughed.
As Levelier slowly began backing away, he kept his eyes trained on the Noah, tracking every temor of delight.
The Inspector's back hit the bars of the cage and he searched the Fourteenth's face. The newly scarred stimata were inflamed and bloody, yet clearly were not painful enough to dampen Neah's mood.
But just for a moment, as Levelier memorized the Noah's face, his gold eyes almost appeared to flicker silver and at that same moment, a trail of blood from the fresh markings trickled down his left cheek.
Neah's laughter echoed even louder.
-ooooooooooooooooooooo-
A/N: Sorry for the lame ending. I couldn't think of a better one and I am tired, so… yeah. For now this is just a oneshot, but I might continue it or add something to it if anyone requests it. I am sure there are a ton of plot holes and typos. Sorry about that, I am really tired and my spell check is broken.. bad combination for writing… Anyways, thanks for reading & please review!~