And chapter 4.
On with the story.
Edward scanned the crowed of people gathering around the circus tent. Allen was balancing on top of a ball with a pumpkin on his head while juggling. He had to hand it to him, he had some skills.
It had been discovered that there was something rewinding the town back twenty four hours every day for the past month. This woman, Miranda, was apparently the only person who lived each day separately from everyone else. Hence her knifes edge of insanity state. Ed wasn't sure, but he thought he remembered her saying something about living each day meant dodging the snake.
Yes, she might be too far gone.
So, Allen and Edward decided that they would help Lenalee out with her search for this 'innocence.' Ed's initial assumption was that Miranda might have something to do with it. So they decided to boost her self confidence by helping her land a job. Apparently the owner of the circus had already fired her 28 times. Yikes.
Edward turned his head after hearing a "AHHHHH!" from one Miranda Lotto. She was on her knees, the circus owner yelling at her for being stupid.
"You need eyes in the back of your head! And there you let the money get stolen. Get out of my sight," raged the owner. Ed frowned. This probably wasn't great for her self esteem. Ed noticed someone running away from the scene, a basket clutched in his hand.
"Really? Petty thievery? It's sad what people resort to for a few bucks." With that he gave chase, Allen and Lenalee following close behind.
Ed didn't use his alchemy to gain an advantage, since he wasn't sure how people would take the earth moving against them.
They chased the man down an alley, it ending in a high brick wall.
"Alright, just hand over the basket and we won't cause you undue necessary pain," commanded Ed.
"Edward," asked Allen.
"Yes? Something wrong?"
"He's a soul bond." Ed looked at Allen, seeing his eye. He looked over to the man. As if on cue, he began transforming into the giant freeze.
"Ah," was all Ed said. The demon, or 'Akuma' as was known by Lenalee, breathed vold air over everything, making everything covered in a thick sheet of ice. That was going to be a problem. At the same time, it placed its hands over the ice, two glowing pictures taking form. Ed recognized it as an 8 point transmutation circle. He didn't have time to observe it, for the other two 'Akuma' rose out. Ed recognized them as peppershaker and pumpkin head.
"PANG VOICE!" screamed the pumpkin head Akuma.
"FLYING SYCKLES!" shouted peppershaker. High intensity sound waves blared forth, shattering the ice beneath Ed, Allen and Lenalee, while the attack from the peppershaker knocked knocked Edward off his feet while he clutched his ears. He flew backwards, slamming the back of his head on the ice and concrete. His world went dark.
When he woke up, he was in something other than the alley.
It was a mix of dark purple and black, with floating candles everywhere. Looking around, he gasped. Allen was lying against a wall. His arm was activated, but huge, thick bolts were drilled through it into the wall. Ed felt the blood leave his face at the sight of the bolts. They weren't exactly surgically drilled into place. Looking at himself, he saw his predicament. He was chained to a wall, hands clamped above him to thick manacles. A quick check proved them to be titanium. Nothing he couldn't handle. But he should hold off for a second until the whole situation was resolved.
He noticed Allen groaned, signalling him waking up.
"What happened?" he groaned, currently oblivious to his arm. "Miranda!" he exclaimed.
Ed followed his gaze, landing on Miranda, tied to her clock. Weird.
Allen then noticed the condition he was in.
"Your awake!" announced a voice. Ed followed it, as did Allen.
"Hey, aren't you the girl from the tent?" asked Ed. The girl looked at Ed. She had blue spiky hair with similar coloured eyes. Her skin was a pale white. Ed noticed that she was wearing Allen's jacket.
"Why yes, yes I am. Road Kamelot, pleasure to meet you," she said, doing a little curtsy.
Ed noticed there was a person in a chair next to Road.
"Lenalee!" exclaimed Allen. Said girl was very different from before. She had a wine coloured dress on with straps that went around her neck. Her hair was now done in some sort of duel curl that dwarfed her head. Her eyes though, were clouded, almost distant. Ed recognized the look. It might have been brought on differently, but he knew it all the same.
Out of nowhere, Freeze popped out from nowhere. "Watch your tongue! She's Mistress Road's doll now!"
Ed frowned. He was getting a weird feeling from the girl. Something familiar, but he couldn't place it. "She's not a Demon," stated Allen.
"No, she isn't. She's something else, something that I know," muttered Ed.
"Well of course silly! You're a Noah, just like me!" exclaimed the girl. Ed frowned. "A Noah?" he asked, confused.
"Yup! Only we have gold eyes like yours!" she exclaimed. Ed thought. Memories flashed across is mind from the gate.
The Noah, originally a being that earned the right to be separate from the gate, to never be under it's influence. But it rebelled against Truth, so Truth punished. Let it live, but in pieces. Hence, the Noah, plural, were born. Another punishment was to never stay in the same body. Their memories and souls would move from person to person, only taking over if they were compatible. Truth marked them with gold eyes and black skin, but they developed the ability to hide in normal public. Truth didn't care about them anymore.
Now, Ed had a choice. He could go along with this accusation, pretending to be a Noah, or he could stick faithfully with the situation.
He made a quick glance to Allen, who was looking at him, confused. Edward grinned. With a red flash, the manacles exploded, letting him drop a foot onto the ground. More red lightning arced around him, his flesh turning into black rock.
"Now I remember, the memories were just backed up. Pleasure to meet you Noah of Dreams, call me Edward, Noah of Truth."
Road stared at this Noah. He was now bald, thin red lines traced over his face. His teeth were pronounced, large canine like ones jutting from beneath upwards. His eyes were black voices with a small pinprick of white in each.
"Nice to meet you, Lord Millenium will be pleased to meet you," she said, smiling. Ed gave a small bow, hard black skin still covering him.
Allen... he wasn't sure how he felt. When Mana died, Edward was there, helping pick him up. With no understanding of how his innocence worked, he helped Allen expand his knowledge with it. Throughout his whole life it was filled with abandonment. First his real parent, but he was too young to remember, then with Mana and any friends he knew that were his age, either died or avoided him for his deformity. And now Ed, Edward was apparently a Noah. He wasn't sure what that was, but it sounded bad.
"So, since you found the new Noah, why don't we go greet the Earl? Get to know him?" asked Ed. He was trying to get Allen, Miranda and Lenalee out of here. All part of the plan.
"Well, we should, but we have to destroy this Innocence and his. Lord Millenies orders," drawled Road. Ed frowned, not that you would know what with his face in a stony mask.
"How about this, I'll take care of these three while you head on over?" asked Road. Ed placed his hand on his chin in thought. "Sure, I've just got to go get something. Find me when you're done here." With that, Ed waved his hand.
Red sparks flew everywhere, centering onto an electric rectangle. Slowly, it rose into the air. Beneath it, stone followed. It rose slowly, forming into a set of double doors without frame. When it stopped, it was 10 feet high with a picture of a tree on it with writing in unfamiliar script to everyone but Edward. The groaned open, only Ed not flinching backwards from the feeling of wrongness coming off the doors in waves. Edward stepped through, small black hands coming out and wrapping around his limbs in an almost familiarity. When he disappeared in the inky blackness, Road didn't notice a small stray spark running over to Allen, running along his arm and putting fractures in the bolts.
[A.N.] There you go, chapter 4 I think. Hope you had fun.