Chapter 2: Second Chance
"Huh?" Allen questioned, a confused expression on his face.
"Do you want a second chance?" Reever repeated, trying not to burst out laughing at Allen's priceless expression.
It bore quite a resemblance to a frog.
Allen let his jaw drop slightly and Reever wasn't able to hold in the laughter any longer. He collapsed in a fit of giggles, startling the poor boy who looked innocently up at him. He looked quite stupid, yet somehow cute with the still very confused look on his face.
Figures.
Stilling from his outburst, Reever turned to look at the poor, pitiful boy who was currently residing in a state of shock over Reever's unexpected statement.
Or his Komui-like maniac episode, which must have scared the boy shitless
Either one.
Reever sighed and ruffled his hair. It seemed like the boy still didn't get it…unsurprisingly. He was dense. Looks like Reever would have to rephrase his question…
"Do you want to come back to life?" Reever deadpanned, his eyes blank and voice hollow.
To Allen, the question had come out of nowhere, even though it had been rephrased several times already for his convenience. Not knowing how to react to the question Allen stuttered out a hesitant reply.
"Wha…how…who…w-why?" Allen mumbled shakily, talking to the floor, which Allen had noticed by the way, was white. His voice trembled with anxiety and question. Reever sighed, annoyance starting to itch his mind.
"Humans, why were they always like this?" Reever thought while shaking his head in irritation, glancing at Allen who was gawking at him is a rather fish-like way. "Komui's God, he can do those things." he reminded Allen with a raised eyebrow.
Oh yeah.
Komui was God. Allen mentally slapping himself, still skeptical that such a man could be such an important figure.
"Yeah, crazy I know" Reever sighed, walking over to the limp body and kicking it. Hard.
Allen winced at Reever's lack of mercy. Scarily, it reminded him of his uncle Cross. He shivered and shook himself of the unpleasant memories invading his brain. That man had long gone to who knows where. Wherever he was he was probably enjoying himself, Allen thought irritably.
The body stirred, distracting Allen from his memory recall.
Komui raised his head wearily, glancing at Reever he mumbled something irritably. Allen caught the words "mean" and "destroyed robot."
Reever just rolled his eyes
"We need to get Allen back on earth, I'd be a good opportunity to test out the new model."
"We're using the 14th on him?" Komui asked tiredly. Reever nodded in confirmation.
The 14th?
What was that? And they were using it on him? This idea didn't seem appealing at all to Allen, especially when Komui instantly brightened up, his mad grin lighting up his face once more.
Oh shit.
This can't be good. Allen inched away from the imposing threat slowly, gaining distance from the monster known as God with every cautious step. Noticing Allen's retreat Reever called out to the younger boy.
"Don't worry, we'll bring you back." The last bit was mumbled in a deathly quiet whisper, almost inaudibly so that Allen had to strain his ears to hear Reever's words.
"You can really do that?" Allen asked cautiously, as if he asked the wrong way, the opportunity would be taken from him.
"Yeah." Reever stated simply, his voice light hearted and casual.
"But," Reever's voice turned serious and strained. With a sinking feeling, Allen suddenly wasn't sure if he wanted to do carry out this plan anymore.
"There's a catch," he finished.
Of course, Allen thought bitterly. There's always a catch.
Always.
Before Allen's mind could drift any further the room suddenly erupted in another explosion of smoke. Allen yelped in surprise and tripped, stumbling a few steps before studying himself on a strong hand.
It was neither Reever's nor Komui's.
Regaining his balance Allen turned to address the new presence. His eyes widening in shock as he saw the other person.
It was himself.
It was as if he was looking into a mirror, everything, from clothes to appearance, was reflected onto the other figure.
"This, Allen, is the 14th." Komui stated solemnly, "It's you"
Allen whipped around to face Komui, his heart hammering in his chest. When did he get behind him?
The 14th gave Allen a lopsided grin in greeting. Allen shivered, there was something sinister, maybe even evil, about that smile.
Allen didn't like it. Not one bit.
Walking beside Komui, Reever gestured at the other Allen who was still clinging to the original Allen's arm in an iron grip.
In short, it freaked him out.
"Since your existence on the earth has already been erased we need to replace it with another one." Reever explained. "We'll fuse the two of you together."
Allen stiffened and turned towards his counterpart who was still grinning creepily at him. The smile stretched from ear to ear and sent shivers down his spine. Fuse him that thing? Allen's body convulsed, completely disgusted by the idea.
"Coincidentally we needed to test out the effects of a paradox on Earth," Komui continued, "an existence that contradicts itself so it cannot possibly exist but does. That'd be you." Komui stated matter-of-factly.
Coincidence.
So this was all it was about, not that had expected any kindness from the beginning. Allen chuckled bitterly.
Reever coughed, uncomfortable with the thoughts in Allen's head. "As I was telling you before the uh, eruption…" Reever trailed off, staring thoughtfully at Allen and his copy. "There's a catch."
Allen waited, bored. Things were turning out just as he'd expected them. It was all for their gain, nobody would help him without a reward after all.
"You have to forget everything...including him"
Allen's breath hitched and he gagged. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw his clone's eyes widen manically and grin stretch wider. Chocking on his own spit Allen twitched violently, jerking and flailing around from the lack of air.
Still that ice-cold hand held him captive, even as he thrashed out viciously, his limbs flailing in all directions. He would have to forget about everything.
His face.
His identity.
They were asking him to forget the reason behind all this turmoil.
"It's so it won't interfere with your transfer to earth!" Reever explained quickly.
Allen's breath was coming out in short gasps. "Allen!" A strong hand connected to small of his back, slamming him forward and allowing him to breathe again.
He stilled, mind blanking as his the words echoed in his head
"You have to forget."
"Everything," the voice whispered.
"Well?" Reever asked cautiously. His voice was uncertain and lowered to a whisper.
Silence.
And then finally, no more than a faint whisper carried to be away by the wind
"I'll do it."
***
I always thought….
Allen's hand tightened around the seal he gripped in his hands, sensing his counterpart do the same. His eyes were so blank you could loose yourself in their dark pools of emptiness
That there was no second chance…
Komui started up the contraption, the machine revving into gear. Reever stood beside the man, staring at Allen. You could see it in his eyes, he man was worried for the little white-haired boy.
That once it was "game over" there was no returning…
Komui flicked on various switches, his hands moving in a blur over the instruments. The machine started to purr, increasing in volume at Komui's ministrations, the lights blinking on and off at different intervals
Faster and faster…
Faster and faster…
I was wrong…
The machine rose up to a deafening roar in a burst of light brighter than the sun, all the lights flashing on at the same time. The light ate the surrounding darkness away. Everything was consumed, and the suddenly, everything was gone.
Komui.
Reever.
Allen even lost himself in the white glow. He closed his eyes and let him sink into the pool of nothingness, oblivion
So please…
He breathed out a sigh, he could feel his heartbeats fluttering, coming in sink with his counterparts
His other self.
Ba-dump, ba-dump.
He was close.
He gripped the seal tighter in his palm, feeling it glow hot against the walls of his fist. Feeling it pull him through the white mass, towards his other half. Feeling it connect with its skin and slowly, slowly merge together at the fingertips, the skin melting when coming in contact with its counterpart to mould itself into a new shape.
Please…
The downloading process was nearly complete. Soon, soon he would be back on Earth where, er, the person, was occupying.
Already he'd forgotten his name.
Give me a second chance.
Suddenly his right eye opened by itself, he felt his hand being tugged upwards against his will, jerked up in stiff, robotic motions.
"It's him!" Allen screamed, trying to regain control of his body. The right side of Allen's face twitched upwards in a maniacal smile, right eye bulging madly.
"Surpriiissseee!!!" Allen found to his horror that his lips were moving by themselves. The voice was slurred and filled with malice. "Happy Birthday!" it screamed in a shrill singsong voice before slamming the seal to his right eye.
Allen screamed as the contact burnt his eye. High pitched shrieks of laughter filled the air. Somewhere in the distance a timer beeped.
Transfer complete
With another bright flash of light Allen disappeared, still clutching his burnt eye. His fading screams carried away by the vortex.
"Second chance…" the whisper echoed in the wind
And then,
Silence
X~xx~X X~xx~X X~xx~X X~xx~X X~xx~X X~xx~X X~xx~X X~xx~X X~xx~X
DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!! 8DDD
I had so much fun writing this chapter as it practically wrote itself XDDD
The editing however…
…
V.V;;;
"Winces"
Ouch! The facepalm I made Allen do at the end looked awfully painful…. D;
Allen: "pops out of nowhere"
Damn straight bitch! -_-
Me: o.O
…Speaking of awful 8D
That REVIEW button looks AWFULLY tempting doesn't it? 8DDD
Allen: REVIEW! XD