Alright, I don't mind if you yell at me for posting so late (entirely my fault, sorry bout that D:) but you've GOT to read this and tell me what you think. I had no clue how I was supposed to make this one initially, so I made 3 other versions before remembering that Lenalee asked Allen out for lunch (NOT a date) and finally got to making this one. I then, however, started to procrastinate in the past week or so, furiously reading other stories from (literally) dawn till dawn on the weekends. Anyway, it started out one way, went into another, and then ended with a completely unexpected plot bunny burrowing into my brain and not allowing me to do jack until I wrote it all.
Thank you for all the others who've reviewed so far, I greatly appreciate what you think about my story and will accept all constructive criticism. NO flame though.
Without further adieu, this chapter!
Victim of Fate Chapter 7 – Roller Coaster
At a nearby town…
Lenalee had a smile plastered on her face as she and Allen walked into town. She had forgotten how nice it was to spend some quality time with Allen. Even though she'd only known him for a short time, she had grown to become close friends with the white-haired exorcist. They chatted over small things, just enjoying the others company.
"Allen, do you want to see the new café they opened?" Lenalee asked, "I hear they make the best strawberry cake!"
Allen immediately brightened at the idea, agreeing to it with childish glee.
"You act so much like a child, Allen." Lenalee giggled at his overenthusiastic response. Allen gave her his signature smile, making her heart skip a beat, for whatever reason. He was just a friend to her… right? She shook her head; now was not the time to think of feelings like that! She just had to enjoy this rare outing.
"Lenalee, what do you think of Stefania? I never really got the chance to ask you about her…" Allen says, trailing off, "After what happened that one night…"
Lenalee stopped walking abruptly, keeping her gaze down at her feet. Allen stops with her, glancing at her worriedly.
"I'm not sure what to think of her. She... looked like a Noah with those eyes… that night." She says, wincing as she relived the memory, "It scared me… yet she's so happy when she acts normally. She's really nice too, but she's got a short temper. Everything about her makes you want to like her, want to protect her. She seems so innocent, like a child."
They continue to walk as Allen thinks over her answer. They arrive at the café, managing to get a seat outside.
"Hello! What may I get for the lovely couple today?" a young waitress asks when they sit down. Lenalee blushes furiously. She hears an angry snort from behind her, but when she turns all she sees are two people sitting, newspapers hiding their faces. She shrugs, returning her attention to the waitress.
"Um… we're not… well…" Allen sputters, trying to get out a logical answer as his ears turn red.
"Just kidding!" the waitress giggles, "So, what do you two want?"
"I'll have 3 of those strawberry cakes I've heard so much about please." Allen orders, finally recovering. He gives the waitress a wide smile.
"I'd like some jasmine tea please." Lenalee orders.
"It's so nice to see such polite people!" the waitress gushes, "I'll be sure to get your order in a few minutes!"
"Thank you very much." Allen said as the waitress skipped away. They sit quietly for half a minute before Allen speaks up.
"Lenalee, that night, I don't think Stefania was herself." Allen said quietly, fiddling his thumbs nervously. Lenalee immediately looked at him with a small frown on her face.
"What do you mean?" Lenalee asked just as quietly.
"Well… when my eye hurt, I don't believe I was thinking clearly." Allen confessed, "When she hummed that song… it definitely did something to both of us. I don't think I was myself either. The song stopped the pain in my eye. What scares me the most is who I thought she was…"
Lenalee pursed her lips, worried. Allen had the same golden eyes as Stefania, so it was possible.
"Who did you think she was?" Lenalee asked softly. Allen looked up at her with his stormy-gray eyes.
"Someone named Lale…" he whispered. The tension immediately leaves the two as the waitress comes back, Allen placing the wide smile on his face once more. She was carefully balancing two strawberry cakes while another coworker had the third cake and Lenalee's jasmine tea.
"Think you can handle all of this cake?" The waitress asks as she sets it down.
"Without a doubt." Allen says confidently, picking up a spoon. The waitress giggles as she sees Allen devouring the cake with pleasure.
"Come back for some cake anytime!" she said as she walked away, "I'll gladly get you some great deals if you come often."
"Thank you very much!" he said, swallowing his food.
Lenalee dropped the subject quickly; she didn't want to spend her time worrying. This was her special alone time with Allen-kun! She'd rather die than ruin it. She sipped at her jasmine tea as she watched Allen inhale all three cakes in less than 10 minutes.
A few tables over…
Stefania's mouth watered as she watched Allen eat the strawberry cakes. She hadn't heard the majority of the conversation, but she knew it was about her. She had never liked Lenalee in the first place, and it felt as if Lenalee was always wary around her, so it wouldn't have been a big surprise if she was warning Allen about something. Lenalee, however, wasn't the only source of her irritation. Oh no, not just Lenalee. Lenalee was bad enough, but even the waitress had her eyes on Allen!
This had to be some kind of joke.
It made her a bit sick, seeing all these girls preening over Allen. It also made her feel something else… she couldn't pin down the emotion, but it wasn't a pleasant one. It was an angry fire in the pit of her stomach, reddening her face every time she saw the waitress giggling with her friends inside the café.
She had almost gotten caught by Lenalee when the waitress had first said what a lovely couple the two were. The thought of Lenalee and Allen being a lovely couple made her snort quite loudly, making Lenalee turn around in suspicion before shrugging it off. Lavi had continued to tease her about it, her having a crush on Allen, but she continued to let the teasing slide off of her.
"Be quiet, you owe me." Stefania whispered to Lavi, readjusting her newspaper.
"Since when?" Lavi whined, pouting. She gave him a glare and he chuckled nervously again, "Right…"
Stefania shushed him, trying to hear more of the conversation.
Stefania… medical ward…
Her ears perked up at the sound and she leaned closer. They were talking about the one night she couldn't remember! Maybe she could extract some juicy information on what happened to her…
Song… cleanse… Noah…
…Noah? Where had that come from? Stefania shot a glance at Lavi, trying to see if he understood anything, but Lavi was staring intently at the other two exorcists. Lavi's face never changed as he continued to listen. Stefania didn't doubt for one that he heard every single word of the conversation, being the apprentice Bookman that he was.
Leaning in close once more, she strained her ears, trying to catch more of the conversation, but was stopped by something that shouldn't have been unexpected.
Grrr…
Her stomach growled softly, making her twitch slightly. All the food that was around her –that she wasn't eating- was starting to get to her. She clutched her stomach with one hand, careful to make sure the other had a firm grip on the newspaper, and prayed quietly for her stomach to quiet down.
Grrrrr…
Her stomach growled loudly, making some people from other tables glance around at the sudden sound. Lavi glanced at her momentarily with a smug smile on his face, an eyebrow raised. Stefania scowled at him before sending a death glare to her stomach in an attempt to quiet it down.
-Shutupshutupshutupshutup- she thought in a steady mantra. Her face brightened into a small smile when her stomach obeyed, quieting down. She gave a relieved sigh and then returned her attention to the conversation.
Shop… return… mission…
She scowled again. She had missed the good part! They were already back to the topic of returning to the Black Order. What a shame; she had wanted to know for herself, but she was just going to have to grill Lavi on the information later. Lenalee and Allen stood up, leaving money on the table and leaving.
Stefania sighed, leaning back.
GRRRRR…
"Someone's a bit hungry…" Lavi laughed.
"Shut up…" Stefania mumbled, going red in the face. She was certain that the growl could've been heard back at the Black Order, if not the entire country. The same peppy waitress that had served Allen and Lenalee pranced over.
"Would you like something to eat, miss?" she asked politely, getting out a notepad. Stefania grimaced but ordered some cake. The waitress skipped away –very annoyingly, Stefania might add-, leaving Lavi and Stefania alone.
"What did ya hear?" Stefania asked, bouncing a little in her seat. She leaned forward with wide eyes like an expectant child. Lavi chuckled.
"Finders keepers, losers weepers~" Lavi sang as he stood up and gave her a little finger wave as he walked away. Stefania sat there, chin threatening to touch the table. That wasn't fair! He owed her that information, and she'd be damned if she wouldn't get it! She was about to follow him and hit him upside the head for his stupidity when the waitress came back, carrying several cakes.
"Got ditched, huh?" the waitress asked, noticing her angry expression. Stefania couldn't respond, still fuming at Lavi's abrupt departure. The waitress took this as a yes.
"I'll give this to you on the house…" the waitress said, sighing heavily as she reminisced on the oh-too recent past, "I know how you feel sister." Stefania scowled before picking up the spoon and furiously digging into the cake.
Back at the Black Order…
Lenalee walked into Komui's office after returning from lunch to find Komui drooling at his desk in his sleep. Allen walked up to Komui and whispered a few choice words into his ear, making Komui jump up frantically.
"Lenalee! Why did you do this to me? You're only fifteen years old; you're too young for a boyfriend! Who is it? I bet it's that Lavi, isn't it? Those damn womanizing red-heads are going to run us into the-!" Komui shrieked, hugging Lenalee.
"Brother, Allen was kidding." Lenalee said, rolling her eyes. Komui immediately stopped, straightened himself, readjusted his glasses, and coughed lightly.
"I knew that…" he said.
"Brother, whenever I go out into town with friends, you always object and somehow interfere with the outing. But this time you were sleeping!" Lenalee exclaimed, a bit angry. Komui's face fell.
"My Lenalee is angry at me for not watching out for her myself?" he cried out, "I thought she was good enough protection!" Allen and Lenalee looked at Komui.
"Who is she?" Allen asks. Komui immediately does the zip my lips motion, throwing out the key.
"Komui!" A voice screamed from outside the door, which was flung open violently to reveal a very angry Stefania who stalked up to Komui, pointing an accusing finger, "The bastard walked away from me with all of the juicy details! I didn't hear jack shit of what they were talking about and the man just walks away! Next time tell that baka usagi to actually cooperate! Now if you excuse me I'm going to go see where All-,"
Stefania froze as she looked at Komui's frantic hand gestures.
"Damn you sister complex, say it out loud! I don't have time to play charades!" Stefania yelled at him, only causing him to shrink in fear.
"Stefania."
Stefania's face immediately transformed as she heard the voice. She stiffened, not turning around.
"Stefania."
A nervous chuckle escaped her lips as she reluctantly turned to see Lenalee tapping her foot, arms crossed, with a rare angry look on her face.
"Hey… Lenalee… how'ya doing?" she asked nervously, shifting her weight from one foot to another. Lenalee continued to look at her silently, her expression unchanging.
"Well, I've been… great… thanks for asking." Stefania said slowly, trying not to provoke the already fuming exorcist in front of her.
"You know, whatever you want to talk about, we can talk about later. I've got a, uh, very important appointment!" Stefania said enthusiastically, stepping around Lenalee with hands cupped behind her back and beginning to babble, "Yeah… that's it! Very important appointment can't miss it for the world, something to do with my health and possibly future health issues…"
"Stefania."
"See ya!" Stefania yelled, throwing open the door and dashing outside, only to run into a wall, bouncing back on her butt. Rubbing her sore buttocks, she slowly stands up.
"Owwieee…" she whined, looking up at the culprit. Her face lit up as she saw the older man in front of her.
"Ary-kun! You've come to save me!" she shrieked, hiding behind him. He looked down at her, confused.
"Save you?" he asked cautiously.
"Yes! Lenalee has got it in her head that I've done something wrong! I'm so scared, Ary-kun!" Stefania cried, hiding her head in his long cloak. Krory's heart immediately melted at the childishly innocent sight.
"Lenalee…" he said softly, "What wrong-doing do you believe Stefania has done?" Lenalee did not answer, only continuing to look at Stefania.
"She stalked us while we were out to lunch." Allen piped up from the corner, "But Komui asked her to, right Komui?" he turned to Komui, who was nervously fiddling his thumbs, contradicting Allen's last statement.
"She actually asked if she could come with me…" Komui mumbled. Krory looked down at Stefania in surprise.
"Is this true, Stefania?" Krory asked softly, stroking her hair.
"Of course not; do you honestly believe I would do something as childish as that?" Stefania said, looking up at Krory with a pout on her face. Everyone, including Ary-kun, gave her a disbelieving look.
"What? Don't you believe me?" she whined, "It hurts that you have such little trust in me!"
"Stefania, do you understand what you've done?" Lenalee asked quietly, bangs hiding her face.
"I see no reason for the overreaction, Lenalee." Stefania said seriously, frowning slightly, "It is not as if I interrupted you at all. Besides, it was only lunch. There is absolutely no reason for you to be so upset over such trivial things. Lenalee, do you understand what you've done?"
Stefania's voice had grown cold and sounded decades older. She narrowed her eyes at Lenalee as the flustered girl look up to meet the suddenly intimidating bright blue eyes.
"How does precious Lenalee understand what she's done?" Stefania spat out, "Why are you like this, why Lenalee? Here you are a friend to all, kind to all, no questions asked on your part. Kindness is a second nature to you. Please enlighten me as to why you are so angry towards me when anger is rarely shown to others. The only anger that we know is the kind you show towards our enemies, the Noah. The anger that you're showing me now is the same. Do you see me as an enemy, Lenalee? Am I not your friend? Your comrade? Do I look like a Noah to you?"
Stefania's voice grew louder and bitterer as she continued, the last question ended in a strangled shout. The others in the room stared at her in shock, eyes wide; for they knew the last question was meant for everyone.
"I know that you don't like me, Lenalee…" Stefania started, her voice dropping to a whisper, "but what exactly have I done to have you feel like that? What have I done wrong?"
Stefania's head drooped, brown bangs hiding her face. Krory stood, looking down on her, horrified. It looked like her. It sounded like her. It even smelt like her. But Krory was positive about one thing.
Those words were not Stefania's.
"I only wanted to help!" Stefania cried from across the room, "But I cannot without getting her angry!"
Allen shivered at those words. It sounded like she was trying to convince herself, even though it didn't sound like Stefania at all. None of it sounded like her. Could it possibly be the…
Lale. Lale. Lale. Lale. Lale. Lale. Lale. Lale. Lale. Lale. Lale. Lale. Lale. Lale.
The name was repeated in the back of his head, though they were not his thoughts. It sounded mournful and full of longing. Allen wanted so desperately to comfort her, but had no clue how.
Stefania blinked several times, her face growing a little confused before widening into a nervous smile and bouncing her weight from one foot to another.
"I guess now I'm the one who's overreacting, huh?" She said, looking down at the ground, "Heh… well… I'll uh, I'll be going now… to get my uniform."
"One moment, Stefania." Komui said, pushing his glasses up his nose, "Tomorrow you are to leave with Allen on a mission. I would like to brief you on it once you get your uniform, so if you wouldn't mind, please return once you've finished."
Stefania blinked several times as if she was trying to comprehend it.
"A… mission?" she said slowly, testing the words on her tongue, "You're sending me on a mission with Allen… alone?"
"Yes, that is correct." Komui said, smiling at her. She stood frozen for a few more moments before jumping in the air in childish glee.
"YAHOO! Finally! A mission!" she shrieked happily, both arms high in the air, "What are we going to do? Are we going to save a damsel in distress that happens to have Innocence? Are we going to kick akuma ass?"
Krory glared at her, making Stefania shrug and laugh nervously.
"Are we going to kick akuma butt?" she revised, making Komui raise an eyebrow and smile widely.
"You're going to be delivering a package to General Yeeger."
Stefania's happy face froze before twitching and falling to a scowl.
"Why me?" she groaned as she skulked out of the room, mumbling something akin to, "I'm not a damn delivery girl…"
Stefania took a small detour to her room before heading to find Johnny and get her uniform. She locked the door behind her and slid down it, setting her still sore buttocks on the ground. Placing a hand over her face, she tried to suppress the trembling that was started to overcome her, not succeeding.
What was she? The snippets of conversation she got from Lenalee and Allen suddenly made more sense. Why else would she be acting like this… acting unlike herself? Then again, the happy and always bubbly exterior wasn't her either. She had never had much interaction with other people around her age, so she stuck with the personality she had when she was younger because people seemed happier when she was happy. People meaning Allen. Stefania wasn't going to deny it, she felt something for Allen. To her it was as obvious as his white hair sticking out of a crowd. Not wanting Ary-kun to kill him back at the castle, sticking around him back here at the Order, becoming jealous when Komui said they were going on a… the d-word.
She chuckled softly. She couldn't even say the word! Sighing, she stood up, going to the bathroom. She washed her face with cold water, making it numb. Looking into the mirror, she gives a loud shriek, blue eyes growing unbelievably wide.
Behind her stood a tall woman with long wavy black hair, her bangs pulled into a small ponytail laying flat on the top of her head. She wore a magnificent yet plain blue dress, small ruffles on the ends of her large sleeves and ends of her hem. Over it she wore another simple yet elegant traveling cloak. Her eyes, though gold colored, looked at her warmly. She smiled, revealing glittering white teeth.
"Hello Stefania. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, the epitome of Innocence."
Oh, yes I did. I'm feeling all giddy now. Have no fucking clue what the name of the hairstyle was, but I always wear my hair like that...
Also, is this a new record? Let's count off the different things that happened in this chapter!
Stalking? CHECK
Ditching? CHECK
Extreme Anger x 2? CHECK
Incomprehensible Fear x2? CHECK
Causing General Confusion? CHECK
Overreaction x2? CHECK
Disappointment? CHECK
I'm getting bored with this list now, it's too much T_T.
Anyway, long footer short, it was fun. R&R is appreciated :D
