Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Katsura Hoshino. Excerpts footnoted at the end.
Author's note: This chapter follows the Mater (Martel) arc. Future chapters will not follow this format and will instead see more original storylines. The focus of this chapter is more on the way Lavi acts and interacts with the happenings of this chapter so there won't be very much details about what is actually happening to the Exorcists themselves.
Destiny
Chapter 1: Nice ta meet'cha
"The ancient city of Mater. It is now an abandoned city where a ghost dwells. The ghost is a deceased citizen of Mater. It spited those who left the city, and as more left, its face became more and more ugly. And in order to escape loneliness, it kidnaps children who get near the city." (1).
Lavi read aloud from a piece of tattered and slightly blood splattered paper that moments ago belonged to a Finder of The Black Order.
"Oh~? So that's why they marked this place," Lavi said to no one in particular as he sat up to assess the current situation. Looking through a stolen Order golem Lavi saw a small horde of akuma surrounding a pack of Finders as they tried their best to sustain a talisman around the dolls that were suspected of being the carriers of the Innocence they were after.
"Strange that they sent only the Finders this time 'round. Where're the Exorcists?" Lavi pondered as he watched the akuma kill yet another of The Order's Finders, "this is boring…guess the Level two's a bit overkill…"
No sooner had he said those words, two black clad humans flew out of the sky and towards the heart of the battle. The smaller of the two crashing right into the level two akuma.
"Ah! There they are!" Lavi grew excited as he turned off the golem and moved from his spot to get a closer look. Mindful not to get too close, Lavi positioned himself high and far enough from the battle that he remained undetected. The Earl would have his head if he was found out before the scenario began, after all. The white-haired one interested him though, rushing the level two akuma without hesitation from what appeared to be rage. Rage for the akuma killing the finder perhaps?
"He looks like a fun brat! Road was right, someone interesting did show up," Lavi smiled joyfully as he watched, "the other one interests me too. That swordsman…unlike the white-haired kid, he's actually planning his moves…ah! This isn't good! The Level two's too distracted!"
Now frowning, Lavi watched as what he expected occurred. Taking advantage of the fact that the white-haired Exorcist had the level two akuma distracted, the swordsman released the talisman and ran off with the dolls. Lavi sighed as he shook his head and placed his hand on his forehead when the level two, noticing this, became confused and gave into his bloodlust rather than keep to its mission. The two Exorcists then split ways, one heading underground while the other remained to fight the now ability awakened level two akuma.
It was then that things finally started looking up for the level two. Having awakened its ability and used it to copy the white-haired Exorcist's Innocence, the akuma sent the boy flying while it celebrated its new toy with a jovial dance. Lavi suddenly had a brilliant idea that would turn this into a much more entertaining game. Silently approaching the akuma but staying out of sight, Lavi called out to the level two in a voice similar to the akuma's own.
"Oy! Hey! Snap outta your dancing and listen up!"
Looking startled, the clown-like level two akuma looked around for the source of the voice that sounded very much like its own.
"Where're you looking? I'm you. Thinking aloud. I have an idea~. Let's kill them both together in a really fun way!"
The akuma seemed to buy this as it nodded and began listening intently to what he believed was his own plan.
"We're like a mirror, see? But if we dress the Finder up as that white-haired Exorcist then disguise ourselves as the Finder, we can get them to kill the Finder then kill the Exorcists while they're distracted!"
"Heeeeehehehehehehe that sounds like great fun! I'm so smart!"
And with that, the akuma was gone.
Lavi laughed as he came out of his hiding place in slight disbelief that the akuma had bought it without so much as a second thought, "they're a step up on the Level ones but they're still not very bright."
Switching on the golem, Lavi decided to enjoy watching his game unfold. Things seemed to be going well until something unexpected occurred. The white-haired Exorcist correctly identified the akuma and saved the Finder as well as the other Exorcist.
Lavi's uncovered eye widened as he took in the words of the shorter Exorcist, "he…he can see the souls bound to the akuma?!"
Interest piqued, Lavi watched as the Exorcists, Finder in tow, ran from the scene of the fight. Sighing as he realized his plan to use the akuma to kill them had failed, Lavi decided that further contact wouldn't be worth the risk.
"Well," Lavi shrugged, "not much I can do about it, I'm not even supposed to be here."
As if on cue, a voice answered the youth, "yes, why are you here?"
Lavi physically jumped as he whirled around to face his visitor, anger mark evident as he realized who it was.
"Tyki! Don't scare me like that!"
"You're just far too easy to scare, Lavi," Tyki countered as he made his way to the edge of the building, "the Earl will have a fit if he finds out you've shown yourself to the Exorcists before the start of the scenario. Do they know you're here? Did you send these akuma?"
Lavi stuck out his tongue at the older male, "I know, I know! Man, you're starting to sound like Lero!"
"Ah, you wound me!" Tyki said as he put a hand to his chest in mock pretense, "but seriously Lavi, answer the questions."
"Nuh uh, wasn't me who sent them and of course they don't know I'm here! And its not like I don't know," Lavi said nonchalantly, "but we don't know when the scenario'll begin! And it was so boring! There was no one else around! You being gone, Sheryl taking Road and Tricia on vacation, Skinn's probably gone to candyland and the twins ran off somewhere on me! It was just me and the Earl and even he went and cooped himself up somewhere like an old man!"
"Lavi…" Tyki said, warning in his voice.
"Okay, okay! No calling the Earl an old man, it makes him upset. Well, since you're here why not join in on the fun?" Lavi asked, grinning, "the Exorcists just showed up and the akuma's ability this time's copy. Could make for a good show. Also, the 'interesting one' that Road was talking about showed up."
"Sounds like fun," Tyki said as he peered over the edge of the building, "…they've gone underground. How do you plan on following them without being seen?"
"With this!" Lavi said proudly as he produced the stolen golem.
"Is that…did you…?" Tyki asked half completed sentences as his jaw went slack from shock.
"You bet I did! Hacked into their system, easy job really, so now we can connect to any of their golems! Well, any within a reasonable distance."
Tyki sighed, "if The Order finds out and the Earl hears of this, I wasn't here."
"They won't find out, I'll just disconnect and destroy the golem if I need to. Not like they'll link golem theft to the Noahs anyways," Lavi shrugged as he once again turned the golem's projector on, "let's see what we missed!"
The golem flashed a scene of an underground cavern and two arguing Exorcists. What was thought to be two dolls was revealed to be a human and doll duo instead. They seemed to be arguing about whether or not to remove the Innocence from the doll. The golem picking up pieces of their conversation.
"Will it be enough if I am the sacrifice for these two? To make sacrifices all the time in order to win the war…it's pitiful!" (2).
Lavi gave a dry laugh at the statement, "so naïve. He does realize he's fighting a war…right?"
Tyki glanced over at the younger boy, noting a slight change in his demeanor. He wasn't as energetic nor as playful as he was just moments ago.
Screams. Curses. And more screams. Echoes resonating off the walls and the glass and every other thing in the room. The words became jumbled and unintelligible as the man in the white suit muttered more commands. A single question cuts through the room.
"Why are you doing this? There're just kids!"
The white man looks up at his new recruit. Naïve. Far too naïve.
"This is war. To gain something you must sacrifice something. If you would prefer to be the sacrifice then by all means trade places with this child."
The choice was obvious.
Again the white-haired Exorcist spoke, "because I am a small man, my heart is moved by what's in front of my eyes, not by what the whole world needs. I can't just abandon what's there in front of me. I want to protect everything I can!" (3).
Silence then suddenly fell on the usually jubilant red-head and Tyki notices the further change.
"Heh…he's such a kid isn't he, Tyki?" Lavi said, eye downcast, shadowed by his bangs, "first he talks about sacrificing himself then he talks about wanting to save everyone? He doesn't get this world. He doesn't understand it at all!"
The man in the white suit finished for the day. Not that that meant anything; there would be tomorrow and the day after and the day after that. A green eye stares back at the man in the semi-darkness. Silent questions being exchanged.
"No one will save you. You are only a single insignificant being within this vast world. If killing you would save even ten others, what do you think the world would choose?"
Again, the choice would be obvious.
Lavi's fist trembles as he clenches it almost hard enough to draw blood. Tyki reaches over to place a firm hand on the boy's shoulder, both as a gentle reprimand for his outburst as well as a means to stop him from hurting himself.
"Keep watching, I thought you came here to enjoy yourself? Don't let the Exorcist's words affect you so deeply," Tyki reminded, eyes scanning the boy whose eye had turned from vibrant to dead.
As if waking from a dream, Lavi blinks, shakes his head and grins, "right, right! Can't be getting' down now when we've got a show to watch!"
No sooner had they turned back to the golem's projection, did they see the akuma successfully obtain the Innocence.
"Ha…and he was so insistent on protecting them. So he really is all talk after all…" Lavi said almost sadly.
"Hm? You didn't think the boy'd actually be able to grant the doll's wish did you?" Tyki asked.
"Nah, they didn't stand much of a chance in their state. Though I didn't think it'd be this pathetic, letting the akuma get the Innocence while they argued about protecting it..."
Tyki and Lavi then suddenly tensed and drew back from the golem as they sensed an incrediblely murderous aura emanating nearby. Scanning their surroundings for new enemies, the two only relaxed when they realized the aura was coming from the white-haired Exorcist still underground. Curious of the development, the two drew back to the golem for a closer look.
"…the Innocence evolved?" Lavi asked, "with his rage?"
"Seems like it. What an unpredictable boy. Road was right, someone very interesting has appeared."
The two watched in awe as the tide of the battle turned and the Exorcist seemed to be on the winning side, until he suddenly ran out of power.
"WHAT?! He was soooooooooo close!" Lavi exclaimed, now gripping the golem and shaking it, "don't just show us something so incredible and then run out of steam!"
Tyki sweatdropped as he watched this development, "little rabbit, I think you're forgetting whose side you're on."
"Huh? Uh…right! Him running outta power's a good thing!" Lavi laughed nervously as he rubbed the back of his head, "sorry Tyki, forgot myself for a minute there."
Things wound down as the second blue-haired Exorcist saved the first and then combined their powers to finish the level two akuma and obtain the Innocence.
"Too bad, guess we didn't manage to destroy the Innocence this time 'round," Lavi said, arms folded behind his head, "not like it matters though. If he really wanted to, the Earl would've destroyed it long ago."
"He probably knew it was here. He always does like to keep things a secret until he feels he needs to say it," Tyki said as he lit a cigarette, "shall we get going then? I believe the Earl's calling a family dinner."
Following Tyki's lead and turning from the battlefield, Lavi took one last look back at the ancient city as he spoke.
"It was very nice ta meet'cha, Exorcists of The Order. I'll be seein' you all real soon."
-To be continued-
Hope you all enjoyed it! Please feel free to tell me how I did and where I can improve! I'm always looking for ideas too :)
Footnotes:
These excerpts were borrowed from the following chapters of D. Grayman.
Chapter 9
Chapter 14
Chapter 14
