It was the same mist-covered clearing again, always so unwelcoming yet inviting at the same time. Swirling and twisting like it was a living breathing entity never was a comforting thought.
Sometimes, she just wished that she wouldn't have to see this place every time she closed her eyes. It kept coming back to remind her of those little perilous things she staved from her mind.
'Neil…' she murmured the name aloud without meaning to. Wallowing in despair and racked with grief, just saying her lost child's name did little to ease her aching heart. It was like Kris' death had not been cruel enough; Neil just had to be taken as well! Her heart could only throb painfully. Why must the pain remain so raw even after so long?
No matter who the father was, they were still her children and Neil; her only surviving child and that small happiness had been taken from her as eruptly as Mana had been. It was crueler than fate making her the host of an unknown Noah who still plays his mocking little games with her.
Allen brought her hands to her face, racking her fingernails down her face. She couldn't feel the physical pain, just a strange numbness against her skin because this was still a dream. It had been eight years… eight years! The thought that he could still be alive after all this time brought her little comfort.
Her eyes stung with unshed tears before something distracted her and Allen glanced up. It was the little orb of blue light floating lazily about her. Somehow she felt content whenever it was around, keeping her accompany in this dismal place. She was grateful for that small flicker of light.
It had been her only true companion in her spiraling world of torment and sorrow. It was a way for her mind to shut away all those hurtful memories that would plague her endlessly. Coming and going as it pleased, its presence something that Allen could look forward to in this eternal nightmare.
Reaching out towards it, her fingertips barely brushed against the warmth of its small light before it suddenly darted away in a hurry. That was all the warning Allen needed to know that he was here.
'It still doesn't like me it seems…' a voice broke through the heaviness that she only met with a cold stare. He was here again; she need not turn around to see that. His soft voice barely hid the mocking tone underneath.
'Go away Neah,' she muttered back and finally threw an irritable glare over her shoulder at the grey-skinned young man. His tan coat rustling about him as he slowly approached her. He simply shrugged with a wry smile.
'Ouch, why'd you have to be so cold? This is merely a greeting,' Neah grinned but his eyes didn't carry the mirth. Somehow he seemed, if she dare say, saddened though Allen was not in the mood for his tedious games.
'Anything is more than a greeting when it comes to you,' she scowled and the Fourteenth chuckled.
'What comes goes huh? Oh well… Ellie, you might want to be prepared…" Allen turned to look at him fully, a frown ever present on her face. Neah looked back at her, his expression solemn yet serious. That was all she needed to see to know that he wasn't mucking around.
'Prepare for what?' She asked cautiously. His mouth moved to answer but the words could not reach her.
'…'
Her mind slowly awoke to the same grey ceiling she had come to know over the last eight years. Allen sighed in frustration as she rubbed her face tiredly. What was it that Neah was trying to tell her? It sounded almost important unlike his usual banter and that left her with a dreaded feeling she absolutely hated.
Sitting up, she got out of bed and hurriedly got dress in slim black pants, a white dress shirt and grey vest. She knew the moment she stepped out the door, Link would be standing outside with his uncomforting scowl upon his face. Honestly, she already had to deal with the almost constant presence of Rouvelier that one distrustful glare was more than enough.
Pulling on her boots, Allen got up and made her way over to the mantle while slipping her hands into her white gloves. On it was a small vase of dying roses. Then next to that was a fuzzy brown teddy bear and Kristopher's box with his misspelled name.
She hadn't the heart to throw them out and traced her gloved hand over the golden letters covered in a light sheen of dust. If anything, they served as a reminder of those that had been forcefully taken from her. Of the things she could not ever have.
A polite yet demanding knock echoed from her bedroom door and Allen exhaled an irritable groan. But she was in no rush and grabbed a red ribbon sitting upon the mantle. She then swept her long white hair over her shoulder and tied it with the ribbon into a small bow.
Satisfied, she walked across the woven carpet and opened the door. Standing outside in the hallway was none other than her assigned bodyguard, Howard Link. To be frank, he was the bane of her existence. He was never too far behind and always with a notebook close at hand to jot down nearly everything she did.
For the eight long years he had supervised her, Allen was surprised that his presence hadn't driven her mad. Frustrated, yes but strangely enough she was not insane… yet.
'You have already overslept by two hours, shouldn't you be eating by now,' Allen scowled at the blunt comment but saw it best to ignore it for the time being. She was indeed hungry and began tracing her steps towards the cafeteria. Though she did need to redirect her travels once Link bluntly pointed out that she was heading the wrong way!
Nothing much had change, to her at least. Headquarters was still a dim almost unwelcoming place sitting upon a desolate island in the middle of nowhere. Allen had only enjoyed a few pleasant conversations with her fellow exorcists every now and then. Some would last for five or ten minutes at best.
Passing by were the dead-looking scientists whom have once again pulling late nights trying to do something about their ever-growing piles of work. Unfortunately, Komui always seemed to be one of the reasons why the workload never lessens. Or so the eccentric man's underlings would complain anways.
Eventually enough though, she and Link arrived in the large hall were the cafeteria was stationed. The great many tables that filled the room already had numerous groups of finders and Black Order members that Allen had trouble finding the only few tables occupied by the exorcists. The only give away was the red-grey uniform that had now been issued as their standard uniform.
Amongst the few exorcists there, Allen easily spotted Lenalee talking quietly with a rather sleepy-looking Lavi. No doubt Bookman had pressed him with his studies again. But there was one person she truly wanted to see and he didn't seem to be there at all. Of course, she had to reason that he was still out on a mission but even that did little to ease her frustration.
Fighting the urge to sigh, Allen walked over to Jerry and kindly ordered her brunch. When it had been cooked, she wheeled the cart over to the table. Once there, Lenalee and Lavi glanced up from their conversation and the redhead flashed her a tried grin.
'Yo moyashi-chan, I see that you slept in again," he said with a light mocking tone. Allen smiled though her eye twitched at the horrid nickname.
'It looks that way, baka usagi,' she replied boorishly and sat down to enjoy her rather large meal. Her eyes would glance around the room every now and then. She was hoping beyond anything to spot a flash of dark blue.
'How was the mission in France, Lenalee?' The young Chinese woman glanced up from a plate of half-eaten chocolate torte. Her purple eyes dulled as she expressed a sigh.
'We couldn't find any innocence there, just a large swarm of akuma," she said gravely while prodding the torte with her fork. Allen grimaced, knowing that their current situation was looking awfully bleak.
Recently, the recovery of innocence had dramatically declined and now they were lucky enough to even find one piece of innocence in a whole year. To make matters worse, she had already heard rumors beginning to spread about the Noah beginning responsible for this. There just wasn't any other reason why they couldn't find any more.
'That isn't good," Allen murmured quietly, lowering her half eaten plate and found herself a little disagreeable with her appetite. Most of her missions to retrieve the innocence hadn't ended well either. Somewhere behind her, she heard Link begin to scribble something into his notes.
Then from the corner of her eye she spotted the familiar grey coat with red trimming amongst the crowd of tan. Allen snapped her head quickly in its direction and smiled with relief.
Strolling through an ever-parting crowd was a not so pleased Japanese man with long midnight blue hair held high in a ponytail. He looked handsome if Allen could say so with his long grey coat and his katana hanging securely from his waist. It was just the scowl that bothered her somewhat. Then again, Allen could easily guess why he frowned; there was no other explanation except that his mission had not gone well.
'Welcome back Kanda,' she greeted softly as Kanda paused. His expression softening only slightly before he continued on to order his usual soba. By the time he came back, Allen had all but finished her meal and stacked the empty plates back onto the cart.
'Another false lead huh?' Lavi offered from across the table as Kanda sat down beside Allen.
'If the Order sends me on another wild fucking goose chase, I'll be having a personal word with Komui,' Kanda snarled while Lenalee threw him a glare.
'Brother and everyone in the department are trying their hardest to verify all reports and sightings. Can't you give them a little break Kanda?' She retorted back; clearly she wasn't okay with having her brother blamed for just about everything these days. Though Allen was most certain that Komui was liable for some things.
'With everything that's been going on lately, can you blame anyone for being tense?' Allen implied carefully, earning a wistful hum from Lavi and a low growl from Kanda.
'That's no excuse for not checking thoroughly!' Kanda exasperated and picked up his chopsticks to begin eating.
'If I didn't know any better Yuu, I'd think you've gone a wee bit soft,' Lavi half-heartedly chuckled and Allen noticed Kanda's eye twitch.
'Now you're pushing it baka usagi,' he growled in a low threatening tone. His hand grasped the hilt of his katana with the intention of drawing it if Lavi made one more sly comment.
'Being soft isn't such a bad thing Kanda,' Allen murmured wrapping her hand over his in hopes of persuading him otherwise. Kanda snorted in response.
'Fuck no, I'll leave that mushy business to you, moyashi,' he muttered back before glaring at Lavi who seemed to have recovered his knack for causing mischief and was making rather annoying kissing sounds. This time, Allen didn't hold Kanda back as her lover lunged across the table, innocence drawn.
He barely missed Lavi's collar as the redhead fell back off the chair and scrambled away. Half the people in the cafeteria had paused and were now snickering at the scene, the atmosphere almost seem to ease. Allen glanced at Lenalee whom was chuckling into her hand and showing a small smile as well.
Small moments like this were truly something to treasure nowadays.
'Are they at it again?' Allen heard an exhausted voice behind her and she glanced back to see Reever running a hand through his blonde hair. There were dark bags visibly seen underneath his eyes.
'Just Lavi being Lavi I suppose. Is something up Reever?' She wondered politely, knowing that Reever had no doubt pulled yet another late night. The scientist nodded grimly and jabbed his thumb over his shoulder.
'Komui wants to see both you and Kanda in his office. Another mission has come up and he wants you to join Noise,' Allen nodded and stood up from the table. She looked over to where both Lavi and Kanda had brandished their innocence. The redhead's hammer-like innocence had taken the brunt of the samurai's sword upon its handle. Lavi looked desperate not to lose his head to the glistening red katana.
'That's enough Bakanda! Komui wants us in his office now!' Allen shouted over to the samurai whose cobalt blue-eyes glanced back at her. He grunted apathetically and shoved the annoying rabbit onto the ground.
'Whatever.'
….
After so much planning and a long break, I've finally become satisfied with the sequel to Falling Angel! It definitely took a long time but now its here so thank you for your patience.
Now I've only thought about this so far and I have plans on trying to do weekly updates on this story but I cannot make any promises! Besides, by the time this goes up, I should have a few chapters already written.
And sorry if the beginning is a little slow, hopefully this only occurs at first. Just need to get everything set up not only so that you guys aren't confused but also I know what needs to be done.
So anyway, I hope you enjoyed this and please leave a review!