"You killed me."

As a Noah, Tyki felt the compulsory need to get rid of the small girl boring holes into his head. After all, she was just a human, not unlike many others he had annihilated in all of his lifetimes. The only visible difference was that many a man was an exorcist, while she was…actually, he couldn't exactly determine what she was except maybe for blind.

The Millennium Earl had instructed him- with the grace of a caring father- to sneak traces of his blood into every cup of tea that she drank. He wouldn't dislodge any reason, but Tyki deducted that his beloved Earl was conducting some freaky experiment.

Impressively, the girl was responding to the Noah gene in a way he hadn't seen before. The Earl had overseen many such investigations, but every human that tried Noah blood became addicted, and without another dose, they died. Early and pitifully so, too. The poignant leech currently trying to unclench his hand from around her trachea? She was very much alive, and just as irritating from when he first met her. Perhaps more now than ever.

Her nails dug into his wrist like small razors, causing him to wince momentarily. Thankfully she wasn't able to see that, or his reputation would have gone quite awry. Great, who was the incompetent underling that neglected cutting her claws? Tyki was going to drill his orders in their heads for good this time-

Hold on a minute…

His delicate brows furrowed in thought. How was a broken child able to hurt him? Him? Was this the effect of his blood working into her system? He was well aware of the strength it gave to people, but to a child to be able to draw blood when adults couldn't? His 'Refusal' ability hasn't worked to stop her either, which was incredibly odd. He felt rather humiliated.

No way in hell was he reporting to the Earl this time.

He put more force in his hold, relishing in the pained sounds coming from the little girl. He was so close to ending her life; just a little more force, a little longer. So close. But she had to start crying. That was actually new, Tyki thought. In a strained voice, she managed to rasp:

"I'll…behave…" The licorice skinned man's hold slackened in surprise.

"You will?" Doubt was evident in his voice. Judging by the way her neck strained she had tried to nod, but couldn't. It was really hard to see if she was lying or not, since the blindness actually served as a veil over her emotions. But what did he care? One flick of his wrist and she could be thrown in hell. "Well…" his grip on her neck disappeared, and her hands flew towards her chest, clutching her white nightgown in pain while she coughed. "For your sake I hope you will stay true to your word." Between shaky breaths and gasps, she smiled widely.

"I'll act accordingly, Tyki." Her tone was sweet and innocent, however too robotic for his taste. He had seen that expression in the past (minus the creepy blank stare than not even her eyebrows could give any expressivity to), so many times, before some unimportant human died.

He has certainly seen it. Mirrored in puddles and lakes and the polished metal of swords.

Right then, his mind reeled off to a seemingly impossible course. Cold sweat appeared on his back while every muscle in his body froze. He had never thought- never- never even dreaded that the Earl might consider replacing him. Right then, a heart-crushing theory had placed its roots inside his mind.

The blood, his inability to refuse her hopeless try of prying off his hand, the look on her face that resembled his so much…

Tyki raised from the bed and quickly disappeared through the door. Alone in the hallway, his face displayed the most impressive amount of fear ever seen on a Noah and treacherous tears of betrayal streamed down his face. Would that ever be true? Would his dear lord ever want him gone? That could pose as a reason as to why he hadn't bothered telling this moping Noah details or the true reason. The target could have been really him all along. His golden eyes drowned in misery and trembled in pain.

It was a great 'what if', that he knew, but he had lived too many lifetimes to know better than to trust so blindly. Paranoia, since many eons ago, was brandished on his very existence like a damned curse. For the many insecurities he had, he couldn't be the weak link. He wouldn't let himself be disposed of like that! He'd make his lord see, truly see him by proving who was the most useful. Placing his hand gloved in silk over his face, a crazed desperation made its way both on his features and his heart.

He was Tyki Mikk, Noah of Pleasure. He had obviously been too lenient and maybe too carefree, and so the Earl considered him unfit for the responsibilities that come with this title, he thought once more. Now the Earl had the perfect opportunity to create the perfect minion, and, like a fool, Tyki helped him wholeheartedly.

By any means or measures, he had to kill this girl and make it seem like an unfortunate accident.

Behind closed doors the little girl was lost in her own heap of tears. All for a different reason. She felt disgusted for promising the Noah sapience in exchange for her life, but mostly, she felt dirty; as if by being nice for such a monster she was lowering herself to another, stooping lower than a prostitute.

Little did she know the wreck train had just started moving.

A tiny, calloused hand that saw no breaks and only heavy rocks and needles, flew to her mouth to muffle the sobs. What would the boy she kept seeing in her dreams think of her now? Surely, it wouldn't even matter, even if his opinion and approval seemed to be kept in high and dear regards in her bleeding heart. To this point she knew she wasn't dead, although she was beginning to wish she was, but to the boy she lost her sight to save, she most probably was. The little girl was caught in a nightmare with no promise she was going to wake up tomorrow. There was no glowing hand to reach for her and save her from the dark abyss her captor had thrown her in. No one was coming to scoop this lost soul towards nirvana.

"I want to go home…" she cried. Her head raised towards the skies while fat tears smeared her rosy cheeks. "Please…" indelicate snorts accompanied her heartbreaking sobs and bawls. "Come take me home!" Ignoring the painful throb of her head and the hellacious ringing in her ears, she screamed for an answer until her voice turned hoarse, and even then the child didn't stop. She was hoping that by some ridiculous luck he would hear her, or feel the longing and woe and barge through the window to embrace her shaking form, although she wasn't sure if there even was a window.

"Take me home…"

Although, she was having trouble with that also. Her memory was blurred and she wasn't even sure if she has ever had a place to call home. All she could remember was a warm embrace, a safe haven between the arms of a person without a face.

It was warm enough for her to call it home, and so after god knows how much time had passed, she'd yet to stop yearning and screaming for it.

Wind rustled his long dark tresses, caressed his cheeks and carried the voice of nature. The trees of the forest seemed so alive at that moment, dancing to a silent rhythm. Kanda stopped walking; only the sounds of two sets of footsteps crushing snow remained. His breath sent tendrils of steam towards the sky, swirling and prancing in the air, adopting forms and faces until it disappeared. Froi Tiedoll and Noise Marie had also stopped to watch the youngest boy in confusion, while his eyes became jittery, his head turning in every possible direction, wanting to asses every detail in his surroundings.

The wind was calling him, whispering his name. He could feel it. It brushed over his cheeks again, and lingered, as if two heavenly hands were giving him the blessing of the skies. No enlightenment surged through his soul, however, but a tiny, tiny and melodious voice inside his head screamed at him to listen. Could he really ignore the sound of distant crying?

"Yuu-kun?" the warm voice of the marshal seemed far away, lost and drifting in an echo.

In a fit of bravery, Kanda rushed towards the sound. He sped determinedly through spiky bushes and leapt over hills and boulders, skillfully avoiding tricky branches, tired by the weight of snow and weakened by the cold. Trees turned scarce, and he could see the faraway lands pulling him closer, beyond the thick foliage of the mountain tundra. The voice of the wind carried his steps smoothly, pushing him to go further and faster. His sprint was brought to a screeching halt, however, when the hill ended abruptly with the masked fall towards a chasm. Tiny rocks and debris were severed from the safety of the earth and dropped towards the seemingly bottomless abyss. How far has he climbed in his wondering stupor?

His chest raised and fell with ragged breaths, sending more steam to kiss the skies. The run left him rather winded, and he peered curiously over the edge, sighing in relief at his quick reflexes. This was one rare occasion in which he was thankful for the monster strengths that came with his awakening. If only wisdom came with the package…

Yuu-kun

A whisper was again carried by the breeze, pushing him closer to the edge, or rather, closer to the valley beyond the mountains. His surroundings were filled with a multitude of breaths and intelligible murmurs, overwhelming his senses. He closed his eyes in an attempt to send them away, but the volume increased.

Forward

A strong breeze untied his long hair, and while he tried reaching for the thin material, bangs obscured his sight. He had to pry off the tuff of hair daring to enter his mouth to see that the silky blue linen was gliding through the air, over the chasm and farther, serving as a guide towards wherever this strange bodiless voice wanted him to go.

Frowning in determination, he backed away from the edge and took the fresh, cold air of late January in his lungs. As his feet began gliding over the snow, faster, each step sinking deeper as his force increased, he held it in. With a mighty roar, he jumped from the edge.

Kanda was soaring through the air, plummeting through the air currents like a bullet. He liked this freedom; it made it seem like fighting akuma could be the least of his concerns as weightlessness took over his body. Easy like a feather, he was approaching the other edge. It was an enchanting moment, just about the nicest feeling of adrenaline ever surging through him. It shattered, however, when he made contact with the other side.

Apparently, feathers don't make heavy thuds and certainly don't roll on the ground a few feet before stopping. Taking a few moments to breathe, Kanda rolled on his back and stared at the lazy clouds drifting past. The skies were gray, and he could hear a lone hawk cawing, flying in search for a prey. He could also see specks of green light appearing at the corners of his vision and he frowned, rubbing at his eyes. The light persisted, and he shot to his feet, confused. Now that he was climbing the mountain and reached the top, however, he knew why the light was there or why the wind was speaking to him.

Something shiny was glinting in the valley. In the valley full of spring and summer flowers. All around this beautiful sight a storm was raging, while rays of sunlight caressed petals and thick blades of lime grass. He was staring at a strange phenomenon, a dome of calm amidst a howling storm.

"Innocence…" he muttered. The longer he stared, the stranger he felt. As if this fragment of God's weapon wasn't the real reason he was there. He was certainly missing something. The wind was still frantically pushing him further, and by squinting through the blinding brightness of the dome, he could see his hair tie gliding beyond.

It was definitely strange still hearing the sound of distant crying.

A/N: Ayeee chappy 4 done. Tyki is crushed at this possible reality, while Kanda follows a voice that may not even be real, but are any of them even aware of the truth behind it all? We shall find out in the next chapters :D Thank you for reading~

-Virtual hugs~