Here is your chapter. It was way too long, so I split it in thirds. The second and third parts will be up soon. Now on with the chow, I mean show, I mean chapter, I cannot type today. -_- Anyway, enjoy the chapter, ok? :D
Chapter 2
~Lenalee~
She continued on and found the village. She went up to a person selling apples from a cart.
"Excuse me, have you seen a boy with white hair wearing the same kind of cloak as me?" Lenalee asked.
"No. I would have seen him since this is the only main road in the village. No branching roads." The Vendor man said.
"Oh." Lenalee said disheartened.
"If he was a boy and he'd been coming in from the forest, he's probably long gone. I've heard rumors that boys have been disappearing for five years in that forest. They go in, but never come out again." The Vendor said.
"I see." She was starting to lose hope that her friend was alive. The man noticed how disheartened and sad she looked and thought of something that may help.
"There is someone you can talk to if she'd seen your friend. She lives down the road and knows every face. Never forgets one." He said.
"Where?" She asked, a little bit of hope was still with her.
"All the way at the end of this road. Very nice old lady. She'd probably bake you some nice sweet cookies." The man said. Suddenly, tons of apples fell to the ground as a black and white dog appeared in the center of the apples. It held an apple in its mouth and looked to be a puppy. "Again, come here you little." The dog leaped out and ran toward the forest. "That dog had been stealing from my cart and running off every day for the past three days, three times a day. She'd run off in the forest. Little rascal, one day I'll catch that pup."
"What kind of dog is it?" Lenalee asked.
"No idea, I'd never seen that dog before." The vexed vendor said.
"Maybe I can help you catch her." Lenalee offered.
"If you could catch her, that'd be a blessing. Come around here around in a little bit and help if you wish. The pup tends to come back for another heist after the first one of the evening."
"I'll be sure to do that. Goodbye." She said.
"Goodbye little lady." The vendor said. Lenalee walked down the street until she saw a small house at the end. She knocked on the door. A nice looking old lady opened the door.
"I knew someone would come today. Would you like to come in?" The old lady asked.
"That may not be necessary." Lenalee said.
"Oh, I insist, not often I get visitors." She insisted.
"Ok." Lenalee entered the old lady's house.
"What is your name, child?"
"Lenalee."
"Oh, Lenalee, what a beautiful name. I had just baked some cookies, feel free to have some." The old Lady offered.
"Thank you, ma'am."
"It's my pleasure, why don't you sit at the table. Oh, you may call me Grandmother if you like. That's what I like to be known as."
"Ok." She sat down. "Grandmother, I was wondering if you could tell me if my friend came to this village. He wears the same robe as me and has pure white hair." Lenalee described.
"Oh, out of all the faces I've seen, I don't think I have seen your friend." Grandmother said sadly.
"Oh, I see." Lena lowered her head. There was still a small spark of hope, but will that spark die out?
"I can sense there's something else troubling you besides your lost friend." Grandmother said.
"Oh, yes, this little girl. She has black hair and blond eye brows. Looks to be 5 or 6." Lenalee told her.
"I know of that little girl. A nice gentleman would come around here with her five years ago, but the man had been murdered. Nobody had seen or heard from the sweet little girl since then. Her name was Dolly and she was just the most adorable little thing I'd ever seen. Where did you see her?" She asked.
"In the forest, before I arrived. She had warned me and another friend of mine not to allow him to go further. Saying he'd die within a day." Lenalee said.
"There's an old legend about that forest." Grandmother began, "The legend was that a never ending waterfall of crystal clear water was in the midst of the forest. The legend was that the water was so pure that it could cure any illness. However, five years ago, there had been a murder of someone being drowned in the water. Since then, all boys had been disappearing each time they'd go into the forest. It is unknown why. I believe, the one who murdered someone else, had been male. The victim had been the old man. He had his hunting rifle on him, but wasn't fired. I'm sure that the power of the water fall had casted a spell of some kind somehow to protect itself from being tainted. The waters became pure again after some time, but no man could come near it."
"I wonder why?" Lenalee thought a loud.
"I'm not sure. Ever since the murder, boys disappear. I hope your friend is alright. I'm sorry to say that he may have disappeared as well." Grandmother said.
"Thank you for telling me. I'm sure he's ok. I can feel it."
"When there's a strong bond between you and your friends, you can tell everything about them, if they're in trouble, or if they're hurt, or if they're happy. It's like the heart knows. What does your heart tell you?"
"That he'll be ok."
"Then, it must be true."
"Thank you. I best be going. The man at the apple cart needs my help to catch a puppy that's been stealing from his cart."
"I wish you luck. Goodbye."
"Bye." Lenalee left the house of the sweet old lady and went back to the cart.
"I see your back. Has she seen your friend?" The Vendor asked.
"No, but she gave me some great advice." Lenalee said, smiling. The spark of hope had grown to a small flame.
"She's good at that. Anyway, this is around the time the puppy makes her heist."
"Ok. I'll be able to catch her."
"Thank you for this."
"No problem." Just after she said that, she saw the puppy come out of nowhere and take an apple. It started to run, but Lenalee chased her. The puppy had no idea she was following. The puppy ran into a dog door of a small cabin. She listened in, unable to fit in the dog door.
"I'm back, stranger. I'll go get you some water, ok, stranger boy? I'll be back." Lenalee hid as the puppy came out of the cabin. The puppy started running with a rag in its mouth and a bucket on its head. Lenalee followed her and found a spring with a waterfall falling down to it.
"That must be the crystal watered spring from the woman's story." Lenalee thought. The dog shook the bucket off her head, grabbed the handle and dipped the bucket in the water. She pulled it out then place the rag in the bucket and carried the bucket, struggling a bit. Lenalee stepped out. "Looks like you need help there puppy." Lenalee walked forward. The puppy growled at her even though she held the bucket in her mouth. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just going to carry the bucket for you because it looks heavy." The puppy set the bucket down and Lenalee picked it up. "Lead the way." The puppy started to walk and Lenalee followed. They went back to the cabin. The puppy changed into the form of the little girl she met earlier. "You're that girl."
"Yes, I am. I had to be in disguise so the old lady wouldn't recognize me and ask where the old man is. Because I don't know and I don't want her to be sad." The girl said.
"I see. So, why have you been stealing food recently?" Lenalee asked. She didn't want to tell the little girl about the old man, she wanted the one closer to her to tell her.
"Well, I'll show you." The girl opened the door. "Stranger boy, I'm back." There was a bed and someone had been occupying it. The boy had a very pale face, so pale it was almost as white as the hair on his head, making the red scar on the left side of his face more prominent.
"Allen?" Lenalee said in shock. She had not expected to see Allen lying in the bed. She thought it'd be some other person.
"You know this stranger boy?" The girl asked.
"Yes, he's my friend that went missing." Lenalee said. She went to Allen's side. His eyes were slightly open.
"Oh, I had no idea. I'd been taking care of him for the past few day. He's really sick. So sick that he barely knows what's going on. He can't even speak. See the look in his eyes. They're practically empty. I'd been trying my best to keep him alive, but I'm afraid he'll die. He's the longest lasting one so far, so I still have hope." The girl said.
"He'll make it. I know it." The girl grabbed the rag and rung it of the water, then placed it on his forehead.
"His fever is so high. It doesn't take long until the rag is warm, see?" She took the rag off his head and held it up to Lenalee, she felt it and it was pretty warm.
"The old lady had said that the water was able to heal people. Have you tried giving him any?" Lenalee asked.
"I tried, but I can't get him to drink it." Allen's eyes drifted closed as he fell asleep.
"Is this shelter near the barrier?" Lenalee asked.
"No, it's closer to the safe village." The girl said.
"I see. Can I call my friend that was with me earlier?"
"Oh, that Lavi boy?" Lenalee was surprised the girl knew.
"You know him?"
"Yes, he continued to talk to me after you left."
"Hmm. Here, I'll call him." She pulled out her little golem. "Lavi, can you hear me?"
"Lenalee, are you alright?" Lavi's voice came through.
"Yes, I'm fine. Remember that little girl we met earlier?" Lenalee asked.
"Yea, she warned me not to go forward."
"Yes, and I found her. I also found Allen."
"Is he ok? Where are you? How is he? Is he alright?!" Lavi sounded surprised.
"Calm down Lavi. I'm coming to get you, so I can take you to him."
"Ok. I'm at the Inn of the village we were in. I'll see you soon."
"See you soon." The connections broke. "I'll be back with my friend. He's a bookman, he'll be able to help."
"Ok. Be safe. I'll try to keep Allen comfortable." The girl said.
"Thank you." Lenalee left the shed and activated her Dark Boots to get to Lavi faster. She made it to the village and looked for the Inn. Lavi was sitting outside. "Lavi." Lavi looked up and smiled. "Ready to go?"
"Yea." He stood up and Lenalee grabbed his hand.
"Be sure not to let go."
"Ok." Lenalee flew up into the sky and flew toward the shed. They landed safely and both entered the shed. "Allen." Lavi went to his side. He put a hand on his forehead and immediately pulled away. "Wow, he's burning up so bad." Allen's eyes were open, but he could read no emotions almost like his soul was dead. "He's so sick, this is one of the worst cases I've seen. He's lucky to even be holding on at all. We need to get him somewhere that can help him."
"Grandmother, she might be able to help." Lenalee suggested.
"Grandmother?" Lavi asked.
"I met an old lady in the other village, she told me to call her Grandmother." Lena explained.
"Oh, I see. Hmm, I might have thought of a plan. I want to go there too, but I can't because of the barrier. Can I get there by train, Doll Face?" Lavi asked.
"Yes, but only on the furthest side. I can help you. I can see the barrier." The girl, Doll Face as Lavi called her, said.
"Ok. How high does the barrier go?" Lenalee asked.
"I'd say about 30 feet." Doll Face said.
"That, Lenalee can manage. She can fly. It will be fast to get Allen there by her instead of train. He can't be outside long." Lavi said.
"Ok, let's hurry. Follow me, Lavi. Miss Lenalee, can you get there safely?" Doll Face asked.
"Yes, I will." Lenalee said.
"Good. We'll see you two soon." Lavi and Doll Face left the shed. Lenalee got Allen onto her back.
"Everything will be ok, Allen. You'll get better soon." She opened the door and flew up, making sure to hold tightly onto Allen and flew to the village.
Will Allen be alright? We may find out in the next chapter
See ya,
HB713 :D