[DISCLAIMER: I do not own DGM.]
[NOTE: 'thoughts' 'Neah talking to Allen in his mind' "talking"]
The winter was cold. Grey clouds gathered beyond hill with a single grave.
"Just like that fateful night right, Mana?" A soft whisper left pale lips.
He was looking like 15 years old at most. He had white hair, pale skin and grey, almost silver eyes. Someone who believed that angels were walking on Earth he would certainly thought that he was one if it weren't for the red scar at left side on his face and gruesome black arm possessing Innocence hidden under thick jacket and pair of gloves. Crown Clown as he named it.
He didn't really know why he named this hideous thing but somehow it seemed for him… Right so he didn't bothered about it longer that few seconds.
Boy who was earlier carrying bouquet of beautiful flowers left them on ground and patiently started clearing tombstone as tears left his eyes without realising it until they fell on snow.
"It has been four years and I am still such a crybaby" he sighed wiping tears away.
His lips formed a shadowy smile.
"This year was interesting" he stated. "And your brother inside me is fine. He is even more talkative than last year" at that words albino made an unhappy expression. "Uncle likes to make unnecessary comments and is really bothersome but I guess it's not so strange. Everyone would get bored if they were forced to live in someone else head still I can't help but thinks he is annoying" white head laughed. It was beautiful and melodic sound.
'I am not annoying' he heard an offended voice in his head.
'You were listening? You were so quiet. I thought you were dreaming or something.'
'And you thought it was fine to badmouth me behind my back with my brother'
'Sorry uncle. I was only telling truth. Mana taught me that I shouldn't lie'
'Whatever Allen, now continue' responded voice.
'No way. I can't badmouth you knowing that you're listening'
One would think that Allen was crazy upon stating that he hears someone voice in his head. He thought so too at first. He even still considered it from time to time but every time he did Neah was even more unbearable than he is everyday so Allen just given up on that matter and accepted existence of his self-proclaimed uncle. Besides fact that he managed to learn how to play piano despite being complete amateur from him was a prove that Neah Walker wasn't his imaginary persona.
He was talking to the grave for about three hours. Certainly weird way to spend Christmas for most of people who would rather stay inside warm building with their families. Well… Technically he was spending time with his family. After all Mana was his foster father and besides him there was no one for white haired boy.
"So… Blizzard is coming so I have to go, father" Allen smiled sadly. "I will be back in few months probably besides Johnny, Rebecca and Loue will be worried if I stay outside in this weather" he took a suitcase and started walking.
'That's right' he reassured himself. 'Everything will be fine as long as I will keep walking.'
And that's what he has been doing for last four years. He was walking from state to state. From city to city. From inn to inn. Never staying longer than month. If he stayed week he thought it was long. Usually it was only two days at most.
At first it was hard for him without a home. Not that he had one earlier but child who travels alone has it rather hard to survive.
Now he was managing perfectly. Most of his money was earned by gambling. Poker especially but he was cheating master at every game when it came to cards. Rest of them he was earning by giving performances as a clown and if he had luck he was playing at evenings on piano if inn had one while singing to the melody.
His left eye, earlier left, now was red and black. It was sign of a curse that activated whenever Akuma was around. It caused Allen to see this souls in agony. He hated it. He couldn't help but pity them. He wanted to save them as he heard their painful pleads. It was really hard to ignore them.
At first boy attempted to save every single one of this souls and became quiet a good fighter but he learned about people who were doing the same thing as him. They called themselves Exorcist. Apparently they belonged to some organization called Black Order. If he identified Akuma and saw Exorcist earlier he just left the scene and walked somewhere else hoping that pitiful soul will be released. At one point he even thought about joining them in their fight but idea of his freedom being taken away, him being forced to walk down the road they will point… He didn't like it.
He sighed. No one would see him in that blizzard anyway and from what he knew there wasn't even single Exorcist nearby and even if one was he probably was hiding in some warm building.
'I might as well as do it' he decided removing white glove from his left hand.
"Crown Clown" he calmly said.
A white cloak wrapped around him tightly. It gave nice, worm feeling that made owner think of being embraced by someone close. A silver mask covered his face.
'You better do it fast' a grumpy voice said. 'I'm cold. I want some coffee when we're back.'
'Coffee sounds nice' Allen agreed. 'But I prefer tea.'
'Coffee'
'Tea.'
'Coffee.'
'Fine.'
Allen looked at his left hands. His nails now were extended into sharp claws. He attacked Akuma. Level 2 and after a moment he was the only one left. Defeated machine turned into sand and he observed as soul is finally free of it shackles.
Seeing as he had nothing more to do he just walked to the familiar inn. If he stopped at this town he was always staying in this one. Inn keepers – Johnny and Rebecca were his good friends and he knew that they had one free room for him at Christmas Night.
'But that reminded me of something' he took an eye patch of his pocket and placed it on his left eye. 'It would be troublesome if it activated in crowd.'
/As a Noah/
Two teens in black uniforms with crosses were shivering. Girl, Lenalee Lee with green pigtails about 16 years old and kind smile. Second one was Lavi, red head with eye patch on his right eye and a little tattered orange scarf about 18 years old. There was also a third one but he only looked grumpy. Tall, also 18 years old male with long raven hair. They were Exorcist from organisation called Black Order.
The reason of their presence in there was that there were apparently some Akuma lurking and killing people so their mission was to put an end to it.
"I don't think we would be able to do anything soon. The blizzard is coming" Lenalee frowned.
"Right. Akuma must wait" Lavi sighed. The problem was that even despite two hours of searching they haven't been a single empty room for them and spending night outside in this extreme weather conditions was out of way. "Missions at Christmas Eve sucks. S...So cold. Yuu, I am cold."
"Shut up, Baka Usagi. We know it without your complaining" Kanda hissed. "And don't use my first name. I kill you."
"Yuu. That was cold!"
Normally he would already be pointing his beloved sword, Mugen at him but even for him it was too cold to do so. He only muttered under something about killing stupid rabbits.
"Kanda. Lavi. I think that we should try this one" Lenalee pointed a medium size building that was apparently an inn.
"Che. It's probably full too" Kanda voiced his opinion but since they had no alternative at the moment they still went inside.
"I am sorry, sir. Do you happen to own some empty room to rent?" Lenalee asked kindly.
Behind the counter was man in his earlies 40ties with brown hair and blue eyes. He had some wrinkles because he was usually smiling.
"Well… We do have one unused room at the moment" he was too kind to be able to send them outside in snowstorm.
"Dad! It's Allen room!" A young girl about 12 years old entered room. "You can't rent them his room!" She had hair and eyes the same colour as her father.
"Loue is right, honey" a woman behind child sighed. She was in mid thirties and looked a little tired but her smile was still charming at the moment despite all this years.
"But he still isn't here" man frowned worriedly. "I can let him sleep in Loue room later."
"He's probably at that place. He will be back soon" she reassured him.
"I know it's just that he's usually back at this hour" he smiled weakly and than looked at trio. "I can't let them wander in blizzard outside."
"Then maybe Allen could agree to share room with them?" Woman asked. "It's big enough for four people" she turned towards teen. "Is it okay for you this way?"
"That would be fine with us. Thank you" girl smiled happily.
"So where could we find that Allen person?" Lavi asked.
Suddenly all of them shivered as cold air found it's way inside with opened door.
The guests looked at new figure. Some of them were shocked by his looks but some of them were smiling friendly.
"So you're back Walker" some man said.
"Of course I am" white haired teen.
"You're late."
"Sorry."
"Would you play for us toady?" Another person asked.
"I will. I will. But first I need to ask for permission owners" he winked with his one eye [A/N: Allen is wearing eye patch to hide his cursed eye].
Half of them laughed and other half remained silent. The second one mostly contained travellers that hadn't chance to meet Allen. He was really popular with the ones who knew him because of kindness that he showed to everyone in town.
A small figure crashed in teen causing him to loose balance and as a result both of them crashed on the floor.
"Long time no see, Loue."
She slapped him. Allen like the rest was completely surprised to react.
"How could you left without a word!" She shouted at him.
"Loue..." he chocked.
"I missed you!" Girl started hugging him and crying. "Why are you always disappearing without a word again. You're left us for a full year without a single visit. I missed you, Allen."
"Sorry, Loue. I was pretty far away this time so I couldn't make it to meet you within last year" he hugged her back.
"I can't believe that you made a girl cry, Walker" someone laughed and relived tension.
"I can't forgive you for that" she pouted her checks.
"Well… If you can't forgive me that means you are too angry at me to get your share of souvenirs from me since you're too upset to do so" he smiled slyly.
"No!" She was terrified. "I forgive you. I forgive you! It's okay! I am not angry any more."
"Besides Loue. You know I am always back here at Christmas."
Teen and people at neighbouring tables laughed.
He stood up from the floor and offered hand for little girl and than both of them walked to the counter.
"Long time no see Johnny, Rebecca" he politely smiled towards them. "I see it's still lively in here as always" he grinned.
"It's always like this around you. It's good to see you again, Allen" woman smiled.
"Though it's been too long since your last visit" father agreed with his daughter.
"I was little busy" he sighed. "Anyway I think I heard my name when I walked inside… So who are day?"
He finally looked towards trio. He frowned with a glint of recognition at sight of silver crosses but it quickly was replaced by curious expression. The only one who noticed it was Lavi.
"They're guests who want to rent the room but everything is already taken."
"Is that so? They can stay with me then. They doesn't seem suspicious so I don't have anything against it" he smiled. "The room is big enough for four people and I like having company. The more the merrier as they say after all.
"I am Lavi Bookman" read head said. "This beautiful lady here is Lenalee Lee."
"It's nice to meet you."
"Pleasure is all mine, Miss Lee."
"So you're posing as a gentleman as always Allen" Rebecca laughed seeing girl blushing. "No wonder that you managed to charm so many girls."
"I am not posing. I am gentleman and I don't know anything about charming girl" he blushed when he realised what he said. "I mean… I..." he shut himself before he said more awkward stuff about his lack of experience in certain areas."
His face was completely red causing and pair as well as Lavi and Lenalee laughed.
"And the grumpy samurai over there is Kanda Yuu, though you shouldn't be calling him by first name. He kill you if you do.
"I will keep that in mind. I am Allen Walker. It's nice to meet all of you."
"Whatever. Take us to the room, Moyashi" Kanda shrugged.
"Name is A-l-l-e-n and I am not a Bean Sprout!" he glared toward him. "You sure seem stupid if you can't remember a single name BAKA-NDA!
"Wow. Someone personality just changed 180 degrees" Lavi whispered comment.
"It's his sensitive point" Rebecca silently explained. "He's a little obsessed about his height."
"It seems like some MOYASHI has a death wish" Kanda hand slipped to the Mugen.
"No! Yuu don't kill anyone!" Lavi yelled.
"Don't use my first name, Baka Usagi" Kanda twitched.
"Kanda! Lavi!" Lenalee looked angrily at them.
"Sorry" muttered red had.
"Che" was only response from Kanda.
"Well… I take them to my room" Allen took key from the counter. "Wait a moment for me with a dinner."
"Allen..." Rebecca looked at him deadly serious. "We're already after dinner. There is nothing left for you.
"What!? Wait!? No!" He cried as his stomach growled. "I am huuungryyyy" he whined.
Seeing his reaction pair laughed.
"I was joking Allen. Of course we waited for you" woman grinned.
"It wasn't funny" boy muttered under his breath. "You shouldn't be joking about food" he added louder.
"Yes. Yes" she nodded.
Allen walked upstairs and showed them way to room number 14th.
"As you see room is big so you should just make yourself at home" he smiled "there is one problem though" he pointed towards bed. "The three of us must sleep on the floor while Miss Lee will take the bed.
"It's your room. I can't..."
"It's fine Mrs. Lee" he interrupted her with a polite smile. "I spent most of my life sleeping on the floor so it's more than enough for me."
"Lenalee."
"Pardon me?"
"Call me Lenalee. And thank you for the bed."
"As you wish Lenalee. Now I have to go since they are waiting for me with dinner" he excused himself.
They went inside.
"Allen sure is nice" Lenalee smiled. "And well-mannered" she looked at raven hair samurai. "I think you should be nicer to him, Kanda."
"Che. Why should I be nice to that suspicious freak?" It was a rhetorical question. Without or with response he didn't planned to be nice to some freakin' Moyashi.
"Yuu, that was rude, you know" Lavi wanted tease him a bit.
"I've had it enough, Baka Usagi!" Kanda pointed Mugen towards red head neck.
"Kanda!"
"Che" after few seconds he hidden his precious Mugen.
They were silent for next 5 minutes.
"But Yuu" a death glare was sent in his direction." Ehem! Kanda is right… Allen looks… Strange at least" young Bookman said.
Perfectly white hair reaching his shoulders tied in small ponytail and bangs of hair that just didn't want to fit into it and liked sticking to his face. Strange looking red scar on face with a pentacle. Eye patch on left eye. His behaviour which seemed to ideal to be real.
All of this was nagging red head. He just knew that something was wrong with that kid. There was something abnormal about him. Though he just couldn't tell what it was.
I wanted to create a story in which Allen in neither picked by Cross or Earl so I decided to write this oneshot. Well… It was supposed to be a longer oneshot but I decided to make it into series. Why? I don't really know I just think that original plot (in which Allen met Earl) was lacking something and decided to rewrite and post it here. I hadn't really thought what should I do from now on though. In which curse should the story go [gonna figure it out later] but I am thinking about Allen encounter will Earl or Noahs [not in the next chapter but still I'd like to write it at some point].
At first it shocked me how polite Allen is in that story. He seems like a fake to me from time to time but I think that Allen tries to be as nice as he could because it was Mana who taught him to be polite and Allen after his death decided that he would live and behave like Mana taught him.
I am already writing another chapter so I think it should be posted around this weekend...
