Disclaimer: I do not own No.6 or -Man. Those rights go to Asano Atsuko and Katsura Hoshino.
Reviews:
From Guest: I'm so glad that you love the story!But no, unfortunately I do not speak French. Wish I could, though!
Shout out to 7sheryl7 for reviewing 2 chapters-Thank you! :)
As May approached, the frequency of rainfall and storms decreased. It was a small change, but a good one nonetheless. Rain and thunderstorms were hardly ever pleasant. Even less so for Nezumi and Shion, who were reminded of their time spent in the Correctional Facility every time they had to go out into the pouring rain.
On one of the drier days, Shion invited Allen out to his mother's bakery. Considering it was a Saturday, and it was nice and warm outside, Shion thought it would be a great idea to go, especially since Allen would eat anything but soba, and they didn't serve soba, considering it was a bakery, so there was no chance of him not liking the food.
As Allen reached the bottom of the stairs, Shion called out to him from his favorite chair, where he had been reading.
"Hey Allen! Do you want to come with me to my mother's bakery?" He asked.
"Yes!" Allen replied, with no hesitation whatsoever. The only thoughts going through his mind were bakery?, food!, and SWEETS!
Shion jumped slightly in reaction to Allen's enthusiastic response. It was a stark contrast to how he had been practically stumbling down the stairs. Did Allen really want to meet his mom that much?
No, he did not. But, Allen did remember Shion's mother's cherry cake. And he couldn't wait to try more food of that caliber.
"Okay. Um. Are you ready to head out now?" Shion asked.
"Yes! I'm ready when you are!" Allen grinned happily.
They didn't discuss inviting Kanda or Nezumi, because Nezumi was absent from the house at the moment, and Kanda was doing his morning meditation. It was best to leave him alone while he was meditating. Unless you wanted to get sliced to pieces.
Plus, Shion and Allen didn't want those two ruining their visit to the bakery. Because, really, everyone knew that if they came along, one of them would end up starting a fight with somebody. Whether it be each other, or some random civilian. But it would happen.
"Uh, Allen? Are you sure you're ready? You're still in your nightclothes…." Shion said, standing up and eyeing Allen's outfit in suspicion.
"Huh? Oh. Well I suppose I better go get changed then!" Allen looked down at his rumpled and striped pajamas. Then, he ran back up the stairs.
Shion jumped again at Allen's eagerness. He didn't think he'd ever get used to all that energy. Although, Shion thought, I'm the same anytime I see something scientific. As I've been told. I don't believe it though. I mean, I don't act like that. Right?
Once Allen was properly dressed, he and Shion made their way to the bakery.
Allen looked at the hand-painted sign above him and smiled gleefully. He couldn't wait to go inside.
"After you, Allen." Shion said, opening the door for him.
"Thanks!" A bell jingled above Allen's head. He didn't notice, because he was immediately and completely entranced by the wonderful smells surrounding him. Strawberry, sugar, warm bread, and cinnamon were the most prominent of fragrances.
"Hello! Welcome to Karan's!" called a voice from somewhere behind the counter. The person was hidden by the counter, but Shion still knew his mother's voice anywhere.
"Hi Mom." Shion said, making his way over to the counter where he knew his mother was crouched.
"Shion!" Karan exclaimed. She stood up, holding two boxes of tissues.
She set them down and went around the counter to hug her son. Shion returned the hug, smiling.
"And who is this? Your friend?" Karan let go of Shion and turned to the other white haired boy, smiling warmly.
"Yes! This is Allen. He's living with Nezumi and I for the time being." Karan and Allen shook hands.
"Ah! It's nice to meet you Allen." She said.
"It's nice to meet you too ma'am." Allen smiled.
"Oh, so polite! Please, call me Karan."
"Alright. Thank you for the cherry cake you sent, Karan."
"You're welcome! I'm glad you boys enjoyed it! Now, where would you like to sit?" Karan asked, plucking two menus from a basket.
Shion and Allen looked at each other.
"Window?" Allen asked, raising his eyebrows.
Shion nodded. He made his over to a table that was under a tall, rectangular window.
They sat down, and Allen immediately admired how comfortable the chair's cushions were. The pastel curtains were a nice touch as well. They gave the bakery a very relaxed aura.
"What would you two like to drink?" Karan asked, handing Allen and Shion their menus. Then, she pulled a pen and notepad out of her apron. Those black waitstaff aprons always reminded Allen of kangaroos for some reason.
"Coffee." Shion didn't even glance at the menu. Allen, on the other hand, was having trouble finding the section for drinks.
"What? You're still far too young to be drinking coffee, young man!" Karan exclaimed teasingly.
"No way! I'm 22 you know, Mom." Shion replied, not noticing the small, sly smile Karan wore. He was also too preoccupied with speaking to his mother to notice the struggle between Allen, and the laminated sheet of paper across from him.
"Well, I think you're still far too young to be drinking coffee."
Whatever Shion was going to say next was interrupted, by Allen sighing in defeat, and dropping his menu on the table.
"Uh….do you have tea?" Allen asked Karan, seeing how the menu wasn't going to
relinquish any answers.
"Yes we do! Do you want it hot or iced?"
"Hot, please. Thank you."
"Okay! Coming right up, boys!" Karan walked away from their table towards the counter.
Allen looked back at his menu. Once, an ally. Now, a cursed foe. He cautiously opened it once again, and spotted a drawing of Karan's famous cherry cake right away. It was one of the featured items. Along with a peanut butter banana muffin and strawberry pie.
Shion too, opened the menu. Just, not as suspiciously as Allen did. Shion had been in his mom's shop enough times to have memorized the menu, but his mother occasionally put out new items. So, he was just seeing if that was the case today.
"Any idea what you want, Allen?" Shion asked after a couple minutes had passed.
When Allen didn't respond, Shion looked up from his menu, wondering if Allen had heard him or not. Only to be faced with Allen frantically whipping his gaze across the menu, looking like a starved animal. He was muttering something to himself, and Shion wasn't sure he wanted to know what it was. This had to be the first time his curiosity had lost the fight with fear and apprehension.
"Uh...Allen? Are you okay?" Shion asked.
Allen's head snapped up and Shion barely held back a shriek.
"What? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah I'm okay. There's just- there are so many choices." The end of his sentence went into a whisper, and Shion almost didn't hear all of it, for he jerked in fear when Allen interrupted himself.
"Well, you know, we could take something to go? And we can come back another time." Shion reassured him.
"Yes….yes you're right!" Allen started nodding his head, and, out of some strange reflex, Shion nodded with him.
"Uh-huh. Now do you know what you want?" Shion ceased nodding first, and Allen shook himself a few times.
"Yes, I know what I want. Oh, and thank you for bringing me, Shion!" Allen beamed and set down his menu.
"One tea, one coffee." Karan said as she set down the drinks on their table. Shion again, barely held back a shriek. He had not seen his mother coming, at all.
As Shion worked on getting his heartbeat and breathing under control, Allen thanked her politely, as if her son wasn't hyperventilating on the other side of the table.
"Are you ready to order now?" She asked. Then, she looked at Shion and laughed lightly.
"I'm sorry sweetie, but it's never not funny how easily surprised you are." She said.
Allen strained his face, trying not to laugh at Shion's glum expression.
"You say you're sorry, but you laugh anyway…..Can I have a slice of cherry cake?" Shion shook his head in mock disappointment.
Karan wrote it down and looked to Allen.
"And for you, Allen?"
"Can I have a Triple Chocolate Mousse cake?"
"Sure thing. But, you do mean a slice, right? Not the entire thing?"
"Right." If only… He thought. Allen actually would've liked an entire cake, but he was pretty sure that Shion would not buy him an entire cake.
They all laughed, as if it was absurd that Allen would eat an entire cake by himself, but they didn't know him. They didn't know his life. Well, Shion did but, that was the one thing Allen had failed to explain when he had talked to Shion about his past. He had not mentioned his appetite. He had forgotten, because, well, Shion had completely commandeered that conversation with all his questions so there wasn't time for him to explain.
"I'll be right back with your cakes then." Karan smiled and walked away.
Shion raised his eyebrows at Allen.
"So, the Triple Chocolate Mousse cake? Are you sure you can handle it?"
"Why wouldn't I be able to handle it?"
"Well, it's pretty weighed down with sugar….and it's a lot of chocolate….."
"The sweeter the better!"
"...If you say so. Just, be careful not to make yourself sick."
"Thank you for your concern, but I'm sure I'll be totally fine." And Allen really did appreciate his concern, but it was just cake! Cake never hurt anybody! Right?
Wrong.
When Karan came back with their cakes, Allen knew Shion wasn't kidding about it being a lot of chocolate. Although, he really should have expected it, since it was called the Triple Chocolate Mousse cake. Not chocolate, not even double chocolate. No. This thing was the Triple Chocolate Mousse cake.
"Here you are. Enjoy your cakes, boys!"
"We will. Thanks Mom." Shion said, smiling up at Karan.
"You're welcome." She smiled and left to tend to other customers.
Allen was left gaping at the beautiful chocolate monstrosity on his plate. Shion was already digging in to his cherry cake.
Wow. I bet it's gonna be delicious. Allen stared at the chocolate death on his plate a few seconds more, and then, he too dug in.
"What do you think?" Shion was curious about how Allen would react to his mom's famous Triple Chocolate Mousse cake. Allen had said the sweeter the better and, I'm sure I'll be totally fine! after all, but Shion had tried it himself, before. It was definitely delicious, but he'd felt sick after he'd finished it. It had been a bit too much chocolatey sweetness for him. So, he wasn't sure whether it would be too much, just enough, or not enough chocolatey sweetness for Allen.
"This is delicious!" Allen exclaimed, breaking his train of thought.
"Good!" The first bite is always good. But it's once you get to the 6th, the 7th, the 8th….That's when it all starts going to shit. Be careful, Allen.
Allen meanwhile, was totally lost in his thoughts, praising Karan's cake like a pro.
It's so chocolatey! And it's cold too! I loooove cold cake. It's definitely the best kind, in my opinion. So many flavors of chocolate too! Well, actually it's only three….But still! It tastes like a whole bunch of different flavors. And the layers are so precise….This has got to be the most beautiful and perfect cake I've ever seen!
Allen swallowed his first bite and sighed in contentment.
Then he took another bite.
And another.
And another.
And another.
Shion had several sips of his coffee.
And once Allen was on his 7th bite, he felt that the chocolate was just a little too overpowering, that the cake was just a little too sweet. But he did not stop. No. He continued.
"You don't have to force yourself to eat it, Allen."
"I'm not. It's still just as delicious as when I started." And it was. It was just a bit too sweet, and a bit too chocolatey. But Allen was going to finish it! He had ordered the damn thing, and he was going to finish it!
"If you think so. But, don't let it incapacitate you. I don't think I'm strong enough to carry you back home. Especially not with this weather that it looks like we're going to have." Shion said. He had eaten all of his cake, so now he was just finishing off his - now lukewarm - coffee.
"But, wasn't today supposed to be completely clear? As in, no clouds at all?" Allen ceased his struggle with the Triple Chocolate Mousse cake for a couple seconds to look at Shion in confusion.
"Yes it was, but take a look at these clouds." Shion pointed out the window, presumably at the clouds, but Allen couldn't see them from where he was sitting.
He stood up and quickly walked around the table. He stood behind Shion and looked out the window.
Immediately, Allen's left eye activated. Unfortunately, that bad feeling he'd had was correct. It was a swarm of Akuma.
"Allen? What is it? What's wrong?" Shion asked.
"It's Akuma. We need to leave. Now."
Shion nodded.
He set $20 under his plate, so that only one edge of it was peeking out. He didn't want to leave without paying, even if it was his mother's store.
Allen was already at the door, and Shion half-jogged to catch up with him. He definitely didn't want to get left behind now.
"Good. It's still pretty far off." They made it out the door and Allen started running. Towards the dangerous cloud of Akuma. Needless to say, this confused Shion quite a bit.
"Um...Why exactly are we running towards the dangerous Akuma cloud?" Shion asked.
"I need to make sure there aren't civilian casualties. So I'm going to lead them away. There's an abandoned building around here somewhere right?" Allen veered off into an alley, Shion following him cautiously. Even though this town wasn't the place it used to be, Shion was still wary of the alleys.
They turned a several more corners and went farther and farther from the heart of the city. And just when Shion started feeling weary, Allen stopped and looked around.
"Yeah. This should be plenty out of the way. I'm going to call Kanda. Timcanpy? You can come out now." Allen said.
A little golden ball appeared from Allen's coat. A golden ball with wings. And, was that a tail?
Shion gaped at it. He wanted to examine it right now, but he knew that probably wasn't a good idea.
"Can you call Kanda's golem for me?" Allen asked.
The golden ball, Timcanpy, Shion remembered, growled and flashed its' shark-like teeth when Allen mentioned Kanda's golem, but it bobbed and flew in a circle around him.
"What is it? This had better be important." Kanda's voice was now coming from Timcanpy, and Shion was even more fascinated with it.
"There's an Akuma swarm on the move. I need you to come here to the ruins of the….Correctional Facility! That's right! That's what it was called. But, anyway, hurry." Allen said.
"Okay, whatever. Don't do anything stupid. And try not to get yourself killed before I get there." Kanda ended the call.
"Tch. So rude. Shion, you need to get out of here…Are you alright?!"
At the words 'Correctional Facility', Shion had torn his attention away from the 'Timcanpy' creature, and he'd taken a good look around the ruins they were in.
Correctional Facility? But, it can't be...although we are pretty far away from town aren't we? Right around the area where the West Block used to be. So, does that mean...this must be the Correctional Facility then. The place… the place Safu died...and where I...where I...No! We're in danger right now. I can't let these thoughts grab hold of me. I have to stay calm.
Unknowingly, Shion had fallen to his knees, and Allen was beginning to get very worried.
"Shion? Can you hear me? Say something!" Allen crouched next to him, and Timcanpy flew around in circles.
"Allen? Yes, yes. I'm…" He couldn't say he was fine, because he wasn't.
"What's wrong? Why did you collapse?"
"It's...the Correctional Facility. I never expected that I would end up back here. But, that doesn't matter now."
"Back? Nevermind. If you say so. Right now, you need to get somewhere safe. Can you stand up?" Allen helped Shion to his feet.
"Yeah. I'll be fi-" He stumbled a little, and images started going through his mind. Safu, in her old sweater. Rashi, as he was about to kill them. Rashi, dead. Himself, with a gun. The metallic smell of blood. The coldness of the water. Nezumi crying. The mountain of bodies. The malicious heat of the fire. Everything he had never wanted to remember, all of it was rushing back to him.
Shion's face went slack, and tears started running down his face.
"Shion?" Allen wondered what he was supposed to do now. He could try to carry Shion somewhere safe, considering the man was in no state to walk. But he couldn't see any safe hiding places in the immediate vicinity. Kanda would hopefully be there soon to offer assistance, but would he get here before the Akuma?
Shion was mumbling something under his breath, but Allen couldn't tell exactly what he was saying.
Although, he did catch a few words here and there, like, "Fifteen steps right...45 degrees...2nd step...11th step...60 degrees…sensors…Safu...I couldn't save anyone..."
Allen had no idea what he was talking about, but he was getting very worried. He just hoped that Kanda could get here, and that they could get rid of the Akuma before anything else happened to worsen their situation.
Allen heard heavy footsteps coming from behind him.
He turned around. In his mind, he could already imagine the look on Kanda's face. Mild irritation, and grim determination. They were going to defeat the Akuma.
"What's wrong with him?" He would say, just as blunt and rude as ever. And then, they would find somewhere for Shion to hide while they fought. Then, they could go back home.
But, Allen's vision of the future was shattered when he saw who was standing before him.
"You…!" Allen spat the word out like it was a poison.
"Quite glad to see that I left an impression, boy."
Standing there smugly, was none other than the Noah of Pleasure, Tyki Mikk. One of the last people Allen had hoped to see.
"Oh?" Tyki smirked and raised one eyebrow suggestively. "And who have you got there, boy?"
Shit! Allen had hoped that Tyki wouldn't see Shion on the ground behind him. Looks like his luck had finally run out.
A/N- You know that Triple Chocolate Mousse cake that Allen ordered? That's a legit Olive Garden item. The tastiest thing ever. But, it does start getting to you on the last couple bites. I really, really, wanted a piece while I was writing this...I still do. And now I'm hungry. Anyway, next week I'm going to my uncle's house to help with a play that he's doing. They're having tech week and then the performances, so I'm going to go help out with that and get some more theatre experience. I'm probably going to be at the theater for about 14 hours a day, so I doubt I'll be able to write much, if at all. But, I'll do my best! Thank you so much for reading!