We might not have new DGM chapter for now and a while but don't worry, I've got you, here, suffer some.
Allen will learn a lot of painful stuff. Sheryl is even more of an ass and jabs Allen's weaknesses. More characters descend the bus. More Timothy comfort, because someone needs to protect that child from all the horrors I have in store.
Guess: Yeah, you should, I miss Road a lot. But seriously, this is not the way to ask for updates, pal. I do my best to update as regularly as my free time allows me to. Please have patience.
Lena-luvs-cats, liketolaugh, readwithcats, Kosho-rinnnn, snkannie, Ryuakilover, Ominous Brain,MaskedPyro, aquavenn, nessa119997 thank you very much for the reviews.
Chapter 7 - A Nightmare You Can't Wake Up From
Allen stood in the desolate land with legs rooted to the ground. He was surrounded by several Noahs but seeing what's left of his friend he couldn't bring himself to care.
I told you this would happen.
Allen registered that someone was talking to him but it didn't get to his brain who it was or what they said, his mind was in disarray. He couldn't tear his eyes away from that empty green one.
"Lavi," Allen shook his head in disbelief as his eyes roamed over the familiar stranger "What are you doing here? Aren't you and Bookman supposed to be at the Order?"
Seeing an almost malicious glint in the Bookman Junior's eye a shiver ran down on Allen's spine.
"He's already gone" he replied, making Allen jolt just how detached he sounded, as if he was just some curious onlooker reading from a script. The smile he wore squeezed Allen's heart painfully. "And 'Lavi' is looong gone as well. The only one left here is me."
When he looked this person in the eye he knew it didn't belong to his friend anymore, but hearing it said out loud… it was agonising. Devastating.
His eyes burned from the tears he just couldn't shed anymore. Lavi disappeared. He was gone. Erased. Destroyed. Devoured by another person. He died on his own without anyone knowing a thing.
Would he die like this too?
What a nice friend you are, worrying about yourself when you just heard your friend died.
Allen physically flinched Neah's mocking voice echo like a tower's deafening bells in his head.
I wonder if you truly love him… if you truly love your friends at all.
Allen had to force himself to regulate his breathing to push off Neah's oppressive presence and his hurtful words. In a part of him he did think Neah was right, his guilt clawed at him viciously for that passing thought. He did feel awful, like a coward, a traitor he was accused of being but he couldn't succumb to his grief.
His loose fist clenched tight. It was painful, not being able to properly mourn Lavi, but he had to continue walking forward or else they were all doomed.
He took a deep breath then looked back in the cold emerald iris, ignoring Sheryl's smug look over his crisis. "If you're not 'Lavi' anymore… then who are you?"
He suppressed another shiver at the way Lavi's eyes narrowed. His whole demeanour was so wrong. "I haven't thought of a name," he replied honestly. "Not that it matters, I don't need it anyway. My predecessor didn't promote me before he left, so I guess I'm not a proper Bookman yet. Meh, it's not like he will, just call me Junior."
Predecessor. Not Gramps, not old man, not Panda. Predecessor.
Allen's chest felt incredibly cold at the insensitive manner. Even his few, but so, so guarded and precious attachments were ripped apart.
"Junior," he repeated, doing his best not to choke on the name that just didn't fit the person standing in front of him, his whole being wanted to call him as-
But they weren't the same. Junior was a whole world different from 'Lavi'. 'Lavi' was an obnoxious, lovely idiot who was too smart for his own good and despite being guarded he was never malicious. This person's behaviour however just put him on the edge, he reminded him of some coiling snake that was ready to pounce on any given moment. Even his face looked different. The formerly warm eyes now penetrated his whole being like ice cold daggers, taking him apart and analysing every single detail to map out his weaknesses.
The problem was that he already knew them. And if he knew them the Noah knew them too, which explained why Sheryl knew where to prod.
Sheryl. Merely thinking about the man created an uncomfortable twist in his gut. Similar to what he was feeling when he looked at the person who used to be Lavi.
Similar. Sheryl. Lavi. Junior.
As if he mirrored the Noah's personality. But why would-?
No. It can't be.
Pure fury bubbled up, boiling as it spread in his body. He didn't think when he stepped past Junior and flung his left fist towards Sheryl's face, only to be stopped by the Noah's ability. Allen struggled to shake off the invisible strings but he was still too weak to do so; Neah's closeness made his strength wane dangerously. "You bastard!" He snarled, he just couldn't stay calm near this Noah.
"Your guess is right," Sheryl said, smiling at him with an air of authority around him. "I did play with your friend- oh I'm so sorry, once friend here." He sighed dramatically, shrugging, completely ignoring Allen's wrathful glare. "I didn't mean to make him snap, thinking that my beloved Road might feel like playing with him, but in my worry for her I might have gone a bit overboard."
Allen expected no warm treatment from the Noah, but for them to torture 'Lavi' until he broke was not something he expected. Poor Junior rather left behind 'Lavi' because he couldn't handle it and created a new persona that mimicked his abuser's - this was a typical way of coping. Become like the one who was strong enough to destroy you, that way you can become stronger. The only way Junior could preserve was to discard 'Lavi'.
Relishing Allen's hatred and therefore his absolute attention dedicated to him, Sheryl carried on. "Well, if he was this weak to begin with he wouldn't have stood a chance against my lovely daughter again. Last time he only won because Road underestimated him. Speaking of her, I really don't want you to use that kind of language near her, so I'll punish you."
The sickening sound of bone smashing hit Allen's eardrums as his flexed right arm suddenly twisted to an impossible degree until his veins tore and bone slid out of the confines of his flesh. He couldn't suppress a scream at the pain, neither could he stop himself from collapsing to half-kneeling position, blood flowing out from him into a dark pool.
Sheryl watched in satisfaction how the Fake God's Disciple slash traitor kneeled like the worm he was. "You know, this doesn't even come close to what I did to this guy over here. I really did a number on him," he boasted laughing as he clasped his palm on Junior's shoulder. "He's always been fucked up in the head but he ended up so bad, Wisely doesn't even feel like looking into him anymore."
"You!" Allen grunted as another wave of pain rushed through him, accompanied by dizziness. No, he couldn't pass out, if he did he'd never wake up again.
Sheryl shook his head with a dismissive look. "No cursing, remember? You don't want me to punish you again do you? Or is it that mere physical torture won't be effective? As a Parasitic user you're bound to have a generally higher pain tolerance, but you do have other weaknesses don't you?" Allen's breath caught in his throat when Sheryl's grip tightened around Junior's shoulder. Seeing that Allen understood the implication the Noah smirked. "Now that's a good boy."
Allen didn't object but his jaw tensed as he tried to regulate his breathing. Sheryl won this round but Allen is not the one to accept defeat. He was worried for ruining Tyki's life but he had nothing against spoiling Sheryl's. Sheryl will pay.
As if sensing his thoughts the Noah spoke up again, the Ark opening up to his right. "If you're thinking about using the 14th's power once you obtained it to attack me..." Allen's eyes widened when four human forms entered, one of them dragged and pushed to the ground. Grey eyes met equally shocked maroon. "Remember that I still have backup plan."
Allen was so surprised seeing the blond hostage, he didn't even notice the shame as he averted his gaze. "Link?" Allen shook his head in disbelief. "You're alive? But… Kanda said you were killed." His mind flashed back to the fateful night Link provided him leeway from Apocryphos. So it didn't kill Link in the end? But then why was Link declared dead?
It couldn't be… "Did you… follow me because you wanted to save me?"
A shrill laughter exploding from Sheryl and the way Link basically dug his anguished face into the ground betrayed the ugly truth.
"Save you?" Sheryl laughed wiping his tears from his eyes, very much aware just how hurtful his words would be to the boy he despised so much. "He's not here for you, he's here because Leverrier wants the 14th! Who on earth would want you?"
A hand settled on Allen's left shoulder, though not as heavy as the weight in his chest. Tyki leaned down to purr poisonous words in his ear. "As you can see, he betrayed you. Or he never even cared for you in the first place. The fact that he's ready to leave you behind is proof of this. You haven't noticed it, but he's been watching you all this time while you tore up yourself worrying over him. He's been following you, lying in wait for the 14th to kill you. He doesn't care for you. He's the same as those friends of yours, he didn't even try to save you. You have no place among them anymore." His grip tightened in what Allen couldn't decide if it was mocking or genuine empathy. "But you do have a place here. You are one of us. You will be. Soon. Come and take your place as the 14th, Allen."
The three figures kneeling on the ground beside him raised their heads, their hood falling back to reveal their faces. Allen choked back a gasp when he met the red eyes of the remaining Thirds.
"Master Noah," Tokusa addressed him with a longing look in his eyes, "Please, wake up soon."
Allen could barely control the tremors running amok in him. That look, that yearning. It was the same as Mana often gazed at him.
They were looking at him but it wasn't him who they saw.
Neah sneered at is thought and to Allen's utter mortification the parasite had the nerve to give him the sensation of someone patting his head.
Allen never felt so alone and unwanted in his whole miserable existence. He was thoroughly cornered this time.
In the end that's all he was in the end wasn't he? Just a replacement, a stepping stone for someone else. Even to have this many people to even look at him was because…
"You seem to forget that the ones making then turn on me was you," he replied, his voice trembling, but his heart still unwilling to give in. He glared right back into Sheryl's surprised expression. "I will never forget what you did to me and my friends. It doesn't matter if they already let go of me, they knew sooner or later this day would come. They're just keeping my request so I can't give in to your petty bullying and break my promise. I will defeat the 14th and none of you will stop me." He shook off Tyki's hand off his shoulder but from the light chuckle he heard by his side he concluded that Tyki didn't feel offended by it at all.
"So how are we doing this?" Allen asked glancing at Wisely and Tyki instead as he was sure he couldn't handle anymore of Sheryl.
Wisely flashed an all too cheerful smile at him. "Just stay where you are, I will crack your repressed memories open and let you have a lovely time. You're quite in a progressed state, you're really close to fully turning, your healing arm is a proof of that."
Glancing down in utter shock, Allen could confirm that this was true, the arm Sheryl shattered was almost back to normal, it had significantly less twists and his veins have closed up, he could see his own bones retreat into his flesh then the skin sealed it away without leaving a scar. It was as if Sheryl never broke his arm, the only indication that something happened was that his arm was coloured by the typical Noah tan and it slowly crawled upwards.
"You gave him blood," Sheryl's ask sounded like a statement, he knew what happened.
Tyki shrugged nonchalantly, his normally sharp instincts dismissing Sheryl's dangerous look, knowing that his brother would never hurt him. "He's turning anyway, so why not speed up the process?"
"You never give blood to anyone," his brother pointed out.
Tyki frowned a bit confused where his conversation was going. "Well, you have no need for it? We can regenerate in a matter of seconds, but he's still a fledgling, he still needs to be looked after."
Tyki probably meant to fluster him but instead he unintentionally gave away Allen what Sheryl's weakness was. It seems that the Noah of Desires felt some deep connection slash obsession for the hosts of Pleasure and Dreams. It was understandable really, Dreams, Desires and Pleasure are closely tied aspects. But that wasn't the point, what mattered that they gave away the important chunk of information that he carved.
If Sheryl wanted to play then he wouldn't back down, Allen was going to use his weaknesses ruthlessly as well. For now he'll just store away this fact in his brain and let Sheryl savour his victory, until he thought of a proper way to give back what he gave - with interest. He wasn't a great schemer, but he wanted to see Sheryl's reaction at all cost - of course, only after he was sure that Link and Junior were in safety.
"So, how are we doing this?" he asked turning to Tyki and Wisely.
Wisely took the initiative. "It's simple really. You will stay right where you are, I'm going to crack your repressed memories open and hope the best while these previously comrades of yours will hold you down."
"Ah. Lovely," Allen replied dryly. He really wasn't looking forward to this, but it needed to be done. "Then," he glanced up to meet Tyki's eye, aiming to look as a flustered individual who attempted hiding their insecurities behind a forced confidence, "you should go as far away from me as possible, I might end up hurting you."
Tyki blinked owlishly before he burst out laughing. "Oh boy," he reached out to tousle Allen's hair playfully, "you'll need much practice before you could hurt someone, especially me. As long as it's not Innocence it cannot hurt me. Speaking of which, we should remove the damn thing before we start." He reached for Allen's left arm, only to be stopped by the Noah of Wisdom.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! I totally get how you feel Joyd, but if you remove the Innocence that's the exact same as defusing a bomb. Wait until the barrier is done." He made shooing moves, moving away from Allen what he judged to be a safe distance, while the Thirds moved to surround him in a triangle.
"Will the barrier be fine this way?" Lulu Belle asked, eyeing the three. "Only three won't be enough to contain a Noah."
"That's a good point," Sheryl hummed in agreement as he glanced down to meet the eyes of Link. "You," he addressed the former Crow, "you can do barriers. You were the one to actually capture the 14th. Hey you," he called out to the closest of the Thirds, who happened to be Tevak. "Undo his binds, he's going to help you with the barrier."
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Lulu Belle inquired eyeing the former Crow in disdain. "He might not be an Exorcist, but he's still a formidable opponent."
"Nonsense," Sheryl shook it off, "even if he had the motivation to and was powerful enough to defeat the Thirds, I'm still here. He has nowhere to run. Besides presently his interest is the same as ours, awakening the 14th."
The girl bowed her head, then released her captive from the Binding Wings. Link slowly rose to his feet, his head casted down, not even daring to look at his charge, he just silently followed Tevak and surrounded Allen with the Thirds.
The four of them summoned the seals with practiced ease as they did countless times before, when the six of them were still together. The paper slips swished through the air, forming a cubicle around the boy in the middle.
Allen let out a shaky exhale when Tyki stepped up to him, smirking that he finally gets to slice off the pesky Innocence from his soon-to-be brother. Allen closed his eye and braced himself for the disconnection with his Innocence and the connection with his Noah.
I'm sorry, I promised you to never leave you again… but if I don't you're going to be destroyed with me. I have to do it to save you… My friends… Ourselves. To keep walking forward. If I don't make it please escape.
Allen could feel Crowned Clown object to the idea, but Allen didn't care. He danced around this problem for too long already, it even costed the life of a fellow Exorcist and many other comrades. Those deaths; they couldn't be for nothing.
He spared a final glance to Lavi then Link and his siblings, his determination to save them strengthened, but the same could be told for his anxiousness and despair. He was scared. Terrified. What if he failed? What if he did end up devoured? What would happen to them? He was tempted to ask Link to finish him off in case the 14th won, but he knew that it wouldn't happen, Link made his decision to win the war, even if it costed Allen's existence. Besides, if he did get out of control, he doubted he'd be left alive long enough to hurt anyone. Sheryl wouldn't let him pass easily... Strangely enough, this also filled him with a strange sense of comfort, his way his friends wouldn't be forced to kill him with their own hands.
He was scared more than ever, but if it meant he could protect them, Allen was ready to lay down his life.
He turned his head to meet Wisely's gaze and the next second he was already standing in that desolate inner world. The ground was covered by cobblestone and the earth that remained uncovered sprouted dead trees; a pond opened in the middle of the path, but its murky darkness appeared to be poisoned. As usual it was terrifyingly empty and reeked of death. Something that appeared to be snow fell from the sky, but it wasn't cold. Allen reached out to catch one flake and rubbed it between his fingers. To his utter surprise the substance crumbled into what appeared to be dust. It was ash.
Glancing up, Allen saw the Noah of Wisdom from a safe distance from him as he inspected the scenery with his sharp, suspicious and maybe a bit intimidated gaze.
"Is something wrong?" Allen asked the visibly disturbed Noah.
The fellow Brit shook his head. "I didn't exactly expect sunshine and rainbows but… well, whatever. It seems I don't even need to do anything, the stage is set. What matters is that body of water over there. That's the Memory. It was supposed to slowly rise and suffocate you."
"So you say if I submerge there I will turn," Allen concluded, which Wisely confirmed with a nod. He let out a quick exhale, suppressing his fear.
"What in the-?" Hearing Wisely's startled voice and an all too familiar presence Allen glanced to his left, closing in at an insane speed. Crowned Clown approached them in its pristine white brilliance; for Allen it looked like an Angel of Salvation, though Wisely probably saw it as some White Grim Reaper; the Noah practically hid behind the Exorcist as the entity headed for them, knowing that right now his own psyche was vulnerable to the Innocence. He stole nervous glances at Allen with a growing sense of urgency as the threat came closer and closer, while Allen just stood there with what seemed to be disbelief.
A wry smile quirked on Allen's face. "You came to see me off? ...Thank you, that's really kind. But I'm afraid our paths must part here. Goodbye, Crowned Clown."
Just as the Crystal of God was about to reach Allen, it abruptly exploded into fine dust, the only thing that reached its Accommodator was a soft breeze before it died away.
Heavy seconds ticked by until Wisely finally dared to poke his head over Allen's shoulder, relieved to see the monster gone. He glanced around in the macabre land again then stepped away from the fellow white head, embarrassed to be seen by the enemy - once enemy, he reminded himself, soon they're going to be brothers - but also grateful to have been protected.
Wisely cleared his throat before meeting Allen's eyes. "No need to rush, just nice and easy."
Allen spared him a glance, surprised that the Noah sounded almost concerned, seeing how he eagerly bullied him.
"No rush, huh," he repeated eyeing the thick, black substance; he could swear it was beckoning him to come. With a large inhale Allen jumped. The darkness welcomed him with open arms and victorious cackle.
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On the outside Wisely let out a weary sigh at Allen's recklessness. "He's engulfed."
Tyki nodded, confidently approaching the unconscious boy kneeling on the ground, the annoying left arm secured by the former Crows. They all saw the demonstration how Walker's Innocence attacked on its own - a comrade at that - because it judged that its Host was in danger. Wisely reasoned that it would be for the best if he was cautious and for once Tyki agreed. Don't misunderstand, his whole being was trembling in excitement at the notion that he could fight an intelligent Innocence, the closest thing that was to Apocryphos; however, that would endanger their new family member and that was a huge no-no.
Pushing aside his musings, Tyki kneeled behind to the boy and let himself sneer - finally that damned obstacle would be gone. His claws extended in anticipation, tips burning from Dark Matter, with one hand he grabbed a hold of the heavily bound arm, then with a swift move he slashed it off. Tyki had no time to relish the limp arm and all the blood splattering as suddenly a malicious, oppressive aura flared up in front of him and lashed out. The Noah of Pleasure parted with a few strands of his curly hair as he leapt away with all his speed, out of the barrier where the danger couldn't follow him.
Allen was wearing an uncharacteristic, insane grin and giving disturbing snickers, while his eyeballs were slowly dyed black while his skin took on their typical tan. His irises were rolled back into his skull as there was no consciousness ruling the body, merely the raw instincts of Destruction. The ground trembled as he hovered above it, his bleeding stopping, the previously shed blood reconnected with the stream and formed a weapon that seemed to be a crossing between a whip and a mace. The item experimentally slammed to the ground, creating a powerful shockwave, which was only a secondary effect to the earth that took on a greyish hue - it lost its life.
Tyki eyed the reborning Noah with interest. "Isn't his bloodlust only supposed to develop once the transformation is over?"
Wisely shrugged. "Maybe it's because he's Destruction. Slaughter makes him stronger. Perhaps killing helps alleviating the pain. Or merely he yearns chaos as that's his nature. Oh, and don't destroy his arm just yet, we might need it to suppress him in case things get out of hand."
"Well, it doesn't really matter," Tyki decided, throwing the Innocence arm to Wisely, who flinched violently at the unexpected action. It was an unspoken rule that the winner will get to destroy it; as Tyki readied himself to engage in a deadly game with his newly awakening brother. "This is going to be a lots of fun."
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Klaud watched as Timothy consumed his breakfast at a sluggish pace. He could sleep better thanks to Marie's soothing presence, but the lack of sleep was still taking toll on him.
She let out a weary sigh. "I see, so that's what happened."
Kanda didn't reply, but the look in his eye betrayed everything.
Klaud rubbed the skin of the bridge of her nose, cursing the fact that she was too far to hear her student's desperate cries. "Thanks for looking after him."
Kanda just shrugged. "Maybe it would be for the better if he were to train with Marie, he's calm in his presence."
Klaud eyed Kanda with an unreadable expression before nodding. "Alright. Let's throw Miranda and Arystar in the mix, it's better to let them train together until Komui decides which one of us should take them as Apprentice." Sokalo dying on them was a huge blow, the man was a sadistic lunatic, but he was one of their best. Klaud did not approve of his ways but she respected the man as her coworker. She could tell Sokalo felt for her the same.
"Alright, then-" She couldn't finish her sentence because the noise of static from her golem overlapping her voice.
"General Nine, please come to my office along with Marie, you to have to dispatch for a mission ASAP."
The woman frowned, but obeyed, knowing that Komui had these things out of his reigns. Since the last failed mission Central grew stronger which is why Komui lost more of his control.
"Go, I'll take care of him," Kanda promised as he took a sip of his tea.
Klaud shot him a look of surprise, that quickly melted to gratitude. Without a word she stood up, nodded to the fellow General and left.
Kanda watched her leave then glanced at a heartbroken looking Timothy.
"Eat up, you might be a kid but I'm not going easy on you. That applies to you too as well," he said to Krory and Miranda, who had Timothy sandwiched between them.
Miranda let out a whimper, the nodded feverishly, no doubt Kanda snapping at him still fresh in her mind (though for Kanda it felt like forever).
Kanda sighed inaudibly, aware that he's in for a ride.
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Several hours later the three Exorcists were sprawled out on the ground, fighting to catch their breaths. Kanda too was slightly panting when Chaoji approached him.
"I… Congratulations on becoming a General," he stuttered nervously, glancing at the three on the ground. "Are you taking Miss Miranda and Krory as your apprentices?"
Kanda eyed the newbie with an unreadable expression then shrugged. "Komui still hasn't decided on it. It's not if they would get any to be honest, Lenalee wasn't given a new master after hers died."
"Ah, I see," Chaoji retored glancing around uncomfortably before glancing back to Kanda. "Um, Komui said he wanted to talk to you, but I don't get it why he didn't just call you on your golem- hey!" He cried in indignation as Kanda walked past him, aiming at Komui's office, not even taking note how people practically jumped out of his way, as if he was a dangerous vehicle that would run them over.
He flung Komui's door open with the same temperament as usual, his glare chasing away all the scientists who lined up for whatever that needed to be signed.
Komui wanted to cheer and jump at Kanda, thanking him for saving him from the paperwork hell, but sobered when he saw Kanda's expression.
"How is Tim?" he asked with a strong sense of urgency.
Komui pressed his lips in a thin line as he pulled out his top drawer and presented him a half-fixed Tim. "I'm doing my best to pull him together, but his consciousness won't return. His reflexes are working but that's all. Sadly, his memory bank has been damaged as well. I think we can replay the events, but they're disoriented, and possibly not in chronological order. It would be for the best if we called over everyone and-"
"There's no time for that," Kanda interrupted him. "Also, Central would be suspicious and would want to use it against him. And then…" Komui's look of surprise melted into one of understanding. "I doubt he'd want anyone to know."
The Supervisor nodded. "Very well. Kanda, your first mission as a General is to find out about Allen and his connection to the 14th. Tim might be reduced to this state, which means his memories will be in disarray and missing, but also, he won't be able to hide anything. I'll cover for you, saying that you're working on a plan to exterminate the Noah Allen Walker, as you were the one who already finished off a Noah and- you know." He finished, referring to the stab what he inflicted on Allen. How ironic that he, a comrade was closest to killing that boy.
What a luck, to endure being betrayed by everyone.
"I already copied Tim's memory bank, so I could work on him while you watch the memories. Give me your golem," he requested. Kanda complied, handing his little golem over.
Komui opened the sentient device up and fumbled around with it a bit, then closed it shut and let it flutter back to its owner. Kanda nodded, then turned on his heel, his hair swishing in the air as he left.
He ignored everyone on the hallway as he headed back to his room and locked it shut behind him. People would probably think that- well who the fuck cared, if they tried to take a step in Kanda would keep whichever body part that dared to venture in his sanctuary.
Undoing his shirt he plopped down on the bed, moving to sit comfortable while his golem projected out Tim's memories. It was going to be a long night.
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Ah, a parallel between Allen getting mad at Sheryl for "killing" Lavi like Lavi getting mad at Tyki for "killing" Allen.
Also, I know there's no canon evidence that golems other than Tim can project stuff, but let's say that Komui works to improve them for the sake of efficiency.