Before the Last Petal Falls…
Hey everyone! This is my first D-Grayman one-shot story posted up even though I wrote other ones before this, but didn't post them up yet. After reading the manga chapters with Alma and Kanda's backstory, I wanted to write how the previous incarnations died and here it is!
Hope you enjoy reading this as much as I wrote and edited!
Disclaimer: Dark-Flame Alchemist doesn't own D-Grayman.
In a marshy field of withering, dried up lotus flowers stood a young Asian woman in the dry area of the ground. She possessed long hair held up by a ponytail and wore a long dress along with a waist length jacket. Alone at the moment, she had her eyes closed and hands pressed together, lost in thought.
Soon, her body was engulfed in an embrace, with a small pressure leaning into the side of her head. A low, soft breathing tickled her ear as a deep, yet caring voice whispered, "So you were here the whole time?"
She let out a small smile, recognizing the voice as her fellow exorcist and lover, before slowly opening her eyes and positioning her hands so that they were resting on the top of the man's arms, not saying a word.
"Are you all right? It's not like you to be this silent. Where's the happy, high-spirited woman who helped me kill some akumas not too long ago?" he asked while also trying to cheer her up.
The quiet woman sighed, turning herself around while still in his arms so that she could gaze upon the dark eyes looking down into her own.
The man with long black hair looked at her with worry now, moving some of her hair aside to allow him to cup one of her cheeks with his gloved hand, "What's wrong, my love?"
She rested her hand on top of his for a moment before removing herself from him. She spun around, walking a few steps forward before looking back at the sad, depressing field, "I was told that a beautiful patch of lotus flowers were here… and since I've never seen one before, I wanted to go check for myself. The flower that resembles the destiny of an exorcist," she replied with interest and excitement in her tone, but disappointment soon followed, "Sadly, this is what I came across. Someone passing by informed me that this field has been dead for a while and hasn't bloomed for a long time already, saying the villagers wouldn't know since nobody comes around here anymore. I would be lucky just to even see one, he said."
The young man approached his lover, standing right next to her. He took in the scenery in front of them before looking up at the blazing sun, using his arm as a shield to protect his eyes, "Man, I'd like to see that… the whole field in full bloom… that would definitely be nice."
Surprised by what he said, the woman stared back at her partner who smiled at her, "Someday the two of us could see it together," he declared with a grin on his face.
She tucked some hair behind her ear as a huge smile formed on her blushing face, "Really? Even if we're both old and gray?"
He chuckled before pulling her towards him into a loving, tender kiss. With their faces inches away from each other, he held her chin up and smiled, "Even then… just you wait."
Feeling happy inside, she wrapped her arms around his neck with her face hidden in the crook of his neck, "I'll wait forever… before the last petal falls."
After a few minutes of silence, just being content in each other's arms, the couple released and faced each other with their hands still together.
"We better head back already. The damn finder is probably looking for us since I didn't tell him our whereabouts," he informed her with annoyance.
The young woman rolled her eyes, taking her hands back and placing them on her hips, "He has a name, you know! It's Takashi!"
"Che… like I care…," he retorted before spinning himself around and walking off. Not hearing another set of footsteps following him, the man stopped and turned around to see her still standing there, but in the same position where he found her, "You coming back or what?"
She slightly turned herself so that she was facing him, shaking her head, "I'll be there shortly."
Knowing how stubborn she was, he put his hands up in defeat, "If that's what you want." He turned back and continued on.
"Hey!"
Once again, he stopped, but didn't turn around this time, just yelling, "What?"
"I love you, Yu…"
Struck by what she said, he chuckled and turned himself around to respond, but the sight that he just saw astonished him – a shadow came out of nowhere in the sky, heading straight down like a bullet, towards his soul mate.
"Look out!" he tried to warn her, but it was too late. The moment the confused woman spun around to see what was the problem, a giant, clawed hand went through the front of her chest, causing blood to splatter everywhere.
No scream came out, but her eyes widened at the unexpected attack, looking up at the ugly, frightening clown-like appearance of a level 2 akuma that was smirking down at her, "Pathetic exorcist! This is for killing all my friends earlier!" The demon ripped his bloodied hand from her flesh and threw her into the soaked field. Once she ungracefully landed, she laid still on her side, unconscious, with the water around her staining red.
Yu was furious at himself, but mostly worried for her. It took him a few minutes to grasp the situation, but as soon as he watched the akuma throw his lover like she was nothing, he ran as fast as he could to get to her, but his task was intervened when the akuma appeared in front of him, "Uh uh! I don't think so!"
He jumped back a few feet to avoid a slash, glaring daggers at the evil creature standing before him, "How dare you injure her."
The akuma just laughed hysterically, "You seriously think I care? I'm going to enjoy tearing you to shreds before I finish off the woman!"
"You're going to pay for what you've done," the pissed off exorcist coldly replied before unsheathing his weapon. He didn't care that he was already tired from the previous battle with the other akuma. Nobody hurts his precious person and gets away with it. Nobody.
He then held the object in front of him before running his middle and index finger along the back of his blade, shouting "Mugen unsheathe! Innocence activate!" As soon as the blade immediately turned silver, he charged towards the akuma, "First illusion!" he screamed while simultaneously swinging his sword, releasing insects that went straight for the creature.
The akuma dodged the attack quickly before trying to claw the exorcist with a number of strikes. Yu did his best to avoid them all, but wasn't able to dodge one, getting a gash on his backside. He staggered forward from the impact before rotating himself to send another set of insects at the demon, but it got out of the away again.
The dark-haired man took a breather afterwards, panting from exhaustion, not able to think straight from worrying too much for the woman he loved. He even had to take a glimpse at her to make sure she was still breathing which, thankfully, she was.
The akuma laughed once again, teasing him, "It'll take much more damage to take me down so give up! After I kill the two of you, I'll evolve into a level 3 for sure!"
"Che… not before I kill you first!" Yu scowled before attempting another attack. This went on and on before the akuma started to get aggravated.
"You're trying my patience! Just stand still so I can chop you up already!" the demon ordered the stubborn man standing several feet from him.
The dark-haired exorcist smirked this time, "It'll take even much more damage to take me down!"
The akuma sneered from the mockery before setting its eyes on the unconscious woman and smiling evilly, "Maybe not physical, but how about EMOTIONAL!" The demon went straight for her this time, ready to strike the rest of her life away.
The akuma was so close and once it was inches away from her, it thrusted its hand forward into something. Blood spewed. Smirking from satisfaction at getting its target, the akuma let out a menacing laugh, "I knew it! HAHAHA! You humans are so weak!"
Yu coughed up blood after his midsection was punctured. He was in incredible pain, but he was fine with it since he blocked the one he was protecting from getting hurt even more than she already had.
Unexpectedly, the akuma heaved the man over its shoulder, causing him to be painfully released from its hand and fly back into the spot where he and his lover were once standing before the akuma ambushed them.
Gripping Mugen in his hand, he tried to push himself up, but it was useless – he was now extremely weak from the amount of blood that he lost. The exhausted exorcist held his wound, not sure if he could keep on going any longer.
A shadow loomed over him, causing Yu to look up to see the akuma with a huge grin plastered on his face, "Have a good eternal sleep, exorcist. I'll make sure that your woman dies as quick as possible."
Not having any more strength, the injured man could only watch and wait for his demise.
With sharpened claws ready to commence the final blow, the akuma started to bring his hand down when, out of nowhere, a staff-like weapon lodged itself through the demon's head.
The akuma's eyes rolled to the back of its head before the creature itself disintegrated and its soul was released, revealing the human soul of a man who gave an apologetic look for what he did before disappearing into the sky. The staff-like weapon was now on the ground in front of Yu.
Surprised at what just happened, he looked straight ahead to see his awakened partner standing up from where she was, holding a hand to her injured chest as she panted. She had a pained, yet grinning expression, pleased with what she did before she slowly began to drag herself in his direction.
He smiled in relief, releasing his grip on Mugen that fell on top of the other weapon before collapsing onto his back. Soon after, he felt her topple right beside him, lying on her stomach.
His right hand and her left hand searched a bit before finding one another, lacing together as the couple looked up into the sky, waiting for their inevitable deaths.
Yu let out a sad sigh, holding out his arm above him towards the heavens, "This is the end… isn't it?"
He then heard his significant other chuckle, causing him to look at her now pale, but still beautiful countenance. Tears fell down her eyes, but a strong smile was kept up, "Even if it were the end, I'm not going back on my word. I meant it when I said I'll wait for you forever… and I will."
The dying man smiled, scooting himself closer to give her one last, heart-warming kiss.
Pulling back and seeing her continue to smile, Yu stroked her soft, smooth cheek. Before long, he watched as the woman he loved took her last deep breath and slowly closed her eyes, never to open again.
And finally, her grip on their hands loosened, giving him enough proof that his love had already passed on.
Shedding tears, he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, cradling her lifeless body as he whispered his last words to her, "I love you too… Alma."
Eventually, he felt his heart beat slowing down and his vision becoming blurry.
As he was dying, a small, fragile object blew around from the sudden wind gust, fluttering about before landing on Alma's body.
Before Yu was fully consumed by darkness, the last thing he witnessed was the thing that rested itself on top of his love. He smiled, happy that he saw it, before his eyes grew heavy and started to close. Then, he was no more.
The moment before he died alongside his beloved, he only wished that she could have seen it…
The fully bloomed lotus flower.
~…~
A figure inside a birthing chamber started to twitch, gaining consciousness for the first time, but still not fully awake. Eyes slightly opened, but soon reclosed.
What's going on? Where am I? More importantly, who am I?
"Hey, are you awake?"
Whoever that is… the person sounds annoying.
"Perhaps, you are awake? Hey!"
Why won't the person just go away?
"Raise your hand if you're awake!"
Like I'm actually going to do that…
"Wake up…"
That voice…
"It's time to wake up…"
I recognize that voice…
"Yay! I thought I was going to be alone!"
There goes that annoying one again…
"You know what? They call you Yu!"
Yu? Is that really my name?
"Mine is embarrassing though… they call me Alma."
Alma…
Hearing that name, the boy's eyes opened abruptly, taking in the small area around him before realizing that he was nude and surrounded by water. He wasn't even sure how he had been breathing in the tank that whole time, but he didn't question it.
He looked up at the surface of the water and saw the blurry figure of a beautiful, young woman smiling down at him. She held out a hand in front of her, inviting him to take it, "It's all right…"
Curious, he reached out to her, intending to find out who she was, but as his hand broke through the surface, desiring to get a hold of her, he was suddenly pulled out of his resting place and the familiar, yet distant image faded and was replaced by a boy that had short black hair with two clumps framing his face and a scar on the bridge of his nose who was looking dumb happy to see him, "Happy birthday, Yu!"
After pulling him out of the birthing chamber, the boy named "Alma" let his grip go on the hand of Yu who sat himself on the floor. Frowning and dripping wet, the confused boy searched around the room, looking for the woman that disappeared from his view.
"Hey Yu! Hello? You there? Answer me!"
"Would you just shut up? You're so aggravating!" he shouted, getting peeved over the bubbly boy who prevented his chance of seeing the mysterious woman.
Alma started to sniffle until strange people in white lab coats came in with towels and clothes, most likely for Yu. Once seeing them, he turned all happy again and chatted with them, exclaiming how he finally had a companion with him.
Yu just scowled, looking down at his hands, wondering what was going on with him.
"I'll wait for you… forever."
He looked up quickly, frantically turning his eyes in every direction to find the voice, to find the woman who was messing with his head, but all he saw was Alma in front of him, grinning.
A "staff member," as Alma called the people in coats, soon approached him, placing a towel around his body to cover his bare skin. Looking down again, Yu was disappointed, but he shook it off, thinking that she was just an illusion and will go away in time.
"Yu! Isn't this great? We'll always be together now!" Alma excitedly said with a huge smile on his face.
"Before the last petals fall."
He shook his head before glaring at Alma, "Don't talk to me… you're weird," he retorted in a foul mood before being led away by one of the staff members, with Alma tagging along, awaiting to find out what his purpose was.
"I love you."
Again, he just tried ignoring the voice, telling himself that he was just imagining things.
He'll soon find out that the so-called hallucinations won't stop and eventually, he'll keep searching for the familiar woman, the one that would haunt his every waking moment, not knowing that she had been in front of him the whole time, in the guise of the seemingly cheerful boy who irritated him to no end.
It will take Kanda Yu years for him to go beyond a field of withering, dried up plants and find his fully bloomed lotus flower.
Like I said in the beginning, I hope you enjoyed this! Watch out for any more D-Grayman one-shots I might post up (with LavixOC) and check out my other stories if you are interested in Kaze no Stigma and Tales of Symphonia!
Please review and tell me what you think! :3