Requiem of Time: Chapter Nine - Allen
Rhode's door disappeared behind her without notice. The Noah stumbled forward and finally collapsed onto her bed, more exhausted than she had been in years. She had no idea what the hell that black cloaked figure, the thing Allen Walker had called Crown Clown, had done to her. Her mind had blanked with pain when it first wrapped around her, yet she couldn't explain what else it was doing during that time.
Allen Walker himself, however, was the other mystery. Definitely different than what she expected, that was for sure. A fifteen year old Exorcist who could see the souls of Akuma, cursed by his own father-turned-Akuma, and fought them in pity - to save their souls. That was what she had heard from Duke Millennium. A small, ignorant boy with a heart bigger than his head was what she expected. A charming, enigmatic Marshal who let himself get captured to confront her before saving her of all people from whatever that black thing was definitely took her by surprise.
Her mind still felt foggy from whatever that damn cloak had done to her.
There was more to Allen, though. Saving her - despite how much she detested that concept she knew she could not deny that the black cloak had completely overwhelmed her in her own world - Allen had saved her, a Noah, knowing full well what she was and what she stood for and let her go free without a fight. Perhaps he knew more than he should, that he could not actually have defeated her in that world of her creation, but something about his stance and smile told Rhode that apprehending or even hurting her was not his intention... But he did want to play; Rhode could not forget that.
"Allen Walker," Rhode sighed out, one hand shading her from the light that blazed through her window. She felt ready to go to sleep, couldn't the sun understand that? Still, something about that name brought a smile to her lips.
The moment her mind had cleared again to think properly after the cloak was removed, Rhode felt a certain… longing for Allen, and for the immortal life of her Rhode couldn't figure out why. She felt it before she even saw that it was he who had removed the damn thing. It was strange.
There were other strange things as well, all including Allen. She had the faintest recollection of his face when he saw an Akuma self-destruct, a hazy image and only for a split second. Yet, Rhode knew that she never actually had an Akuma self-destruct. She wanted to, yes, but Allen had killed them before she could. So why did she know?
Then there was Allen's face after she kissed his cheek. Stunned, she knew, with his lips parted in shock. Why did she also have the image of him with the same expression, only with longer hair? A fragment of a fragment of memory told her that she had just kissed him on the lips, so faint yet undeniable. But she hadn't done that either.
Rhode frowned up at her ceiling. Of course that wasn't it, either. She rolled her shoulders in a way she knew would look strange to an onlooker. Why, just why did she know that if she did that while hugging Allen, his coat would slide off. Branching from that, why did she have the image of his muscled chest riddled with scars after doing so? From what she saw in the days before confronting the Exorcists, Allen's skin was flawless.
Hands now behind her head, Rhode continued pondering this. The more her mind cleared from whatever that cloak had done to her, the more little bits of information like that filtered through, of things involving her and Allen that never happened. She felt an attraction for him, of that she was certain, but since when did being attracted to someone give you images of things that never happened? Actually, Rhode felt the attraction had come with the images of memory-that-were-not.
Smiling now, Rhode couldn't wait to meet Allen again, to see what other strange things would arise. Playing with him sounded like it would be so much fun.
****
Allen didn't look up from his game of cards when he heard his door open. Ever since the chronic nightmares began it had almost been routine that she would come, though far be it from Allen or Cloud Nine to complain.
He was surprised, however, when instead of a bottle of her favorite wine, a thick book was suddenly slammed on the desk he was using, scattering the cards. He looked up at her curiously, yet Cloud Nine's gorgeous and scarred face was neutral, her purple eyes hard. One finger was left to point at the title of the book - a large notebook, really - which Allen read in stunned silence: Sorcery And My Experiments With It. Under that was "To Allen Walker, from Cross Marian."
So surprised was Allen that he barely noticed Cloud Nine about to exit his room. "You are not staying here tonight?"
The woman didn't turn her head. "I was told by Cross to give you that after I finished reading it. A detestable book, really." She opened the door. "You will not sleep tonight." And then she was gone.
Cards forgotten, Allen cautiously picked up the notebook and moved to his bed. Slowly, as if this small connection to his master would break if he wasn't careful, he opened the cover. A short note was scribbled onto the corner of the first page.
"My idiot apprentice, you better have realized by now that the Earl is little more than a master Sorcerer. With this, at least you may stand a better chance against him. Keep it hidden, the Dark Order forbids magic of this caliber."
-Cross Marian
That was it. Nothing hinted towards his disappearance, nothing mentioning the Fourteenth or Mana or anything that Allen wanted to hear. With a frown, Allen flipped to the next page.
Cloud Nine was right; Allen did not sleep that night.
****
"You've certainly changed since I first found you, idiot apprentice. You are no longer filthy; I may even allow you to be near me," Cross said as way of greeting, one hand reaching into his coat discretely. "I see that you are a Critical now."
Allen smiled back, an age old fear of the man barely restrained - that was half the reason his Innocence was activated. "It's been awhile, Master. I have order's to return you to Headquarters, by any means necessary." In a flash, both Allen's Innocence and Judgment were aimed at each other. Cross's smile didn't change, and neither did Allen's. Kevin stared at his superior in shock.
Barrel to barrel, Allen wondered who would win in a fight between the two of them. Judgment could exorcise where Crown Clown could not, Allen remembered (the first Level Four came to mind). However, Allen also knew that his Innocence was much stronger now, more in synch than they had been when Cross was still around. One of his light-bolts against Cross's shells, Allen was unsure and even curious of the outcome. His Innocence was itching to fire.
As it was, there was a flash of green light before the gun reverted back into the decaying red arm. Allen held his hand open in a gesture of being unarmed. "Fortunately, they never gave me a set time as to when you needed to be returned. I intend to accompany you to Japan, to the Ark, where I will assist you in destroying the Egg and commandeering the Ark itself."
Cross's eyes widened as his grip on Judgment slacked. When he recovered, he holstered the gun and grinned at his former pupil. "You certainly have changed. How much do you know?"
"More than I should," Allen shrugged, walking forward to close the gap between him and the other Marshal. "Certainly not enough." His silver eyes bore into Cross's one visible one. "We need to talk."
When Cross glanced around at the others, Allen cut in, "They already know. At least, everyone here but Finder Kevin does, as do two others at the Headquarters." Kevin shifted uncomfortably at that, not knowing how to respond.
With all eyes on him, Cross looked decidedly neutral. "You surprise me, idiot apprentice. I suppose 'everyone' includes Baron Aleister and the pretty woman over there." His glance over to her had Lenalee blush; Allen didn't understand how he did it.
When Allen nodded, Marshal Cross closed his eyes and exhaled. "Then let's talk."
****
"The future," Cross echoed, looking only mildly surprised with his boots up on the table. A cigarette burned away in one hand. "All three of you."
"And Miranda and Lavi, yes," Allen responded, hands folded before him as he stared straight across towards his master. "But that doesn't matter as much as what happened then. You, shot in the head with a lethal amount of blood lost before going missing. Marshal Yeeger, crucified. Half-Akuma being produced to fight normal Akuma. The Millennium Earl and his damn scenario. Headquarters, destroyed. Komui, dead. The Noah Awakened. Humanity at its brink. That's what matters. That's the kind of thing we can help prevent.
"Right now, however, I want to know the full truth on what happened between you, Mana, and the Fourteenth. I am the "Musician" reincarnated, I know that. What about Mana?" Crowley and Lenalee, the only other occupants in the room, watched as emotion took Allen and his voice grew thick. "How much did Mana know? Was I just an orphan he adopted, or did he know? Who did he see, Allen or the Fourteenth? Who did you see when you first saw me thirteen years ago? Five years ago?" Cross stared at Allen, silent as he took another drag. The youngest Marshal slapped the table. "Answer me, damn it!"
Allen opened his mouth again to yell but stopped when Cross held up his hand. The Marshal looked almost… sad. "Just give me a second, idiot apprentice. This is more to take in then you realize…" He pushed his cigarette into an ashtray despite the length remaining. Taking a deep breath he continued, "I don't know how much I told you in your so-called future or, it appears, how much the Fourteenth told you. I wasn't even certain that you were the Player until fifteen minutes ago."
Folding his hands behind his head, Cross stared up at the arched ceiling. "If what you say is true, then it appears you must travel with me to Edo. We will have plenty of time to speak of that then. Do not be so hasty, idiot apprentice. It appears that that trait doesn't go away in time. What really matters is what we are going to do now. There is a Finder outside that door without a clue as to what my mission is about or apparently who you are, along with an Akuma who has fallen for an Exorcist - without being modified to disobey the Earl of the Millennium. Not to mention if we are to travel to Japan with Noah on our trail, this is too large a group for Maria to hide safely."
"More like too many people to stop you from gambling away all the money," Allen grumbled to himself, a hint of despair reminded him as to what he was willing getting himself into. More seriously, he looked back up. "That is why only I will be accompanying you."
"Allen!" Lenalee said sharply, while Crowley didn't move an inch from his position of simply observing the proceedings. "I will-"
"You will head to Barcelona, Spain to help out the initial invasion, while I send Kevin back to Headquarters to inform them of my progress and warn them of the imminent. Master and I will head to Belgium so that we may assist Marshal Yeeger in his fight against the Noah and hopefully save him this time, before we go to straight to Japan. Crowley, you are free to do as you wish, but I figured that with Eliade…"
Crowley held up his hand, nodding. "We have decided not to enter this war, hopefully escaping both sides. Eliade tells me she can fight the Earl's control, and if the need for blood becomes too great for her I can stop her from harming anyone. We will manage, but we will do so alone."
Allen nodded his agreement, while Cross just watched the proceedings with a neutral expression. With a small smile, Allen said, "Then this will be fair well, old friend. I wish the best for the two of you; hopefully we will meet again." Crowley smiled back, while Lenalee was torn between glaring at Allen and muttering the same to Crowley.
"Perhaps not the best of plans, but this will have to do until we can find something better," Cross sighed, staring longingly at the wasted cigarette. "We should leave now; it appears time is not in our favor." Both he and Allen stood up, and Crowley moved to as well.
"Wait, Allen!" Lenalee cut in. "You are not going to just leave everyone behind while you go off to fight. You don't even have the completed Crown Clown."
"I'll complete it on the way," Allen shrugged. Lenalee gasped, while even Crowley looked taken aback at that.
"Allen, you don't mean…" By the look on his face, Lenalee knew he did. He was going to let Tyki eat a hole in his heart and destroy his Innocence. Desperate not to get left behind, Lenalee quickly threw in, "I don't have my crystal-type Innocence; I don't know if I can take on all the Akuma at Barcelona."
"Lenalee, you know you can drink your Innocence whenever you want. Please, we have too much to do and too little to help do it. Trust me to do what I have to," Allen turned to walk out the door.
Lenalee moved to speak again, but she stopped when she felt a hand on her arm. Looking, she saw Crowley shake his head. With a resigned sigh, she stayed silent.
Cross glanced at the duo before moving to walk with his former apprentice. "Allen, what exactly do you mean by 'drink your Innocence'?"
****
Finally, Cross and Allen headed out. Kevin had been stunned to hear of an Akuma invasion heading for Barcelona, and his reluctance to leave Marshal Walker was squashed by the need to help HQ. He did not question what could be more important than that for two Marshals to be headed away from the fight.
As Allen had expected and feared, the journey was Hell.
With a girl under each arm a bottle of Romanee Conti in his hand, Cross glared at his student. "Make your own money or sleep outside, I don't care which. You are old enough to make out on your own. Tonight I am sleeping with these two beauties."
I've had to "make out on my own" no matter how old I was, Allen groaned. He panicked when he noticed Cross walking away with his women. "Master, what about what we need to talk about?"
Cross stopped suddenly, turning his head with a serious expression on his face. "We will talk tomorrow, I promise." He then turned and continued walking. Waving a hand up, he added, "And watch Timcampy for me."
Allen sighed as the modified golem landed on his top hat, tail curling around it. "I suppose I always have you, Timcampy." Hearing the sound of rambunctious laughter, Allen grinned darkly and pulled out his deck of cards. My own way, huh? He chuckled as he walked through the door of the tavern.
****
With one hand blocking the sun from his eyes, Allen was not surprised to find the rest of his money missing the next morning. It was the consequence of bringing strange women into your room, but knowing he started with nothing in the first place, losing the 50 guineas was not a big loss. If it kept the nightmares away, it was worth every shilling.
And the look on her face when he said he'd pay just for sleeping next to him was priceless.
At least the buxom woman with a kind smile had left his coat, hat, and cards. Allen knew he could get by with those alone. After a wash and morning ritual, Allen was surprised to fish out a single remaining guinea. With it he was able to buy breakfast and a carriage ride to the train station.
Knowing it would be a time to come until Cross arrived, Allen immersed himself in a game of cards. Pity the fools who asked to join in.
Five guineas and three coats later, Allen noticed the undeniable form of his master approaching. It was obvious by the swooning woman he left in his wake. Allen swore it didn't make any sense. Returning the coats yet keeping claim on the money, Allen bid the relieved men goodbye and approached Cross.
"Now will you please answer my question?" Allen asked once he was close enough.
Cross stared at his apprentice before walking past him, onto the train. "Don't be so hasty, idiot apprentice. We can at least take a seat and enjoy a drink, like gentlemen, before having our discussion." Allen gritted his teeth in frustration but followed without another word.
Not surprisingly, Cross walked straight for the first-class compartments. Allen merely stared at Cross, unblinking, as the elder Marshal opened a new bottle of wine and poured himself a glass. Once a lit cigarette was between his teeth, Cross finally relaxed and met Allen's hard stare.
"Before we get into the business involving the Fourteenth, and I assure you we will afterwards, I want you to go over the future - from what happened when you first arrived at the Dark Order to the moment you were sent back to this time. Include as much as you can, and try to remember every single detail you can of the Noah."
Allen, sitting up straight with his open coat and matching top hat, had opened his mouth to argue, but he shut it again with great hesitation. The sooner it was over with the sooner he could get his answers, he supposed. Taking a deep breath, he removed his top hat with the ace of spades and blew out a long, weary sigh. "From the beginning? Man, that was a long time ago… Things were simpler then - now, really. It all started with the prophesy, I suppose, that Hevlaska gave after initially finding my synch rate to be in the eighties. My Innocence was destined to create "that which destroys Time…""
Cross was silence, only idly drinking and smoking as he listened. Allen felt a relief of sorts as he spoke, the words coming out to the best of his ability - Ghost of Martel, Rewinding town and Rhode, Crowley, Yeegar, ect. - until he was surprised to hear from Cross that they would be getting off the train. He wasn't even finished yet.
"I'm off to get a drink and find some beautiful women. Stay away from me until tomorrow; you can finish later," with that, Cross slipped back into the crowds where he disappeared almost immediately.
Allen removed his top hat only to scratch his head, taking a glance around at the town he was currently in. At least Cross still had money from Crowley, meaning Allen did not yet have to pay off the ridiculous debts his master seemed conjure by breathing. Pulling out his cards and the ace tucked away in his hat, Allen grinned at the coming slaughter. It would be glorious.
****
By the time the two Marshals were on the train the next day, Allen could barely recall the two women he had left in his hotel bed that morning. A blond and a brunette, one lithe the other curvaceous - they had been beautiful in their own rights, but they held naught a candle to the others he had been with like Lenalee, Cloud Nine, Lulubell, and especially not to his Rhode. Still, he had left all but five guineas of his winnings on the dresser for them to split.
This time Allen accepted the offered glass of wine and took the time to enjoy it before beginning. "After the Crowned Clown was formed, I took the left-over arc back to Japan…"
And so the pattern continued, with Allen explaining what's to come by day, the two living their own way at night. Finally, as they reached the western regions of Germany, one week from their start at Romania, Allen concluded his story.
The train ride was considerably smoother in this part of the country, so their car didn't sway or jerk as much as they chugged along steadily. The sun was waning, already the fiery orb beginning to look massive as it neared the horizon and tingeing the sky with the beginning of orange and pink.
Allen was quieter now than he had been while explaining his story, but with the current subject it was understandable. "Although my Innocence couldn't harm that black Crown Clown, I found that other things could. My fist made contact with the mask, and I was able to use Rhode's own candle to… defeat it, I suppose. Turning a cloak into rags doesn't seem like a victory, but it didn't rise again after that. Still, whatever it was was able to hurt Rhode in her own world. If you ever come across something that looks like this-" Allen again gestured to a quick freehand of a black version of his Innocence; luckily his ability in sketches had greatly approved, "-please be cautious. Maria and Judgment will be…" Allen trailed off as his eye activated, the whites turning black and the iris blood red.
Cross, head propped up with one hand and the other holding a glass of wine - he never seemed to run out - didn't even turn to look. "An Akuma? Anything worth keeping?"
Allen didn't need to glance twice to see that the soul was corrupted by only a little Dark Matter - when one saw the transformation of a Level Four into a Level Five, it was hard to find any amount more than 'a little.' "Just a Level One, a dozen or so kills from Leveling up." Nothing worth modifying, Allen thought to himself, picking up on what Cross had meant.
Cross drank the last of the crimson liquid and left the empty glass on the window sill, but he did not do anything else. Allen watched as the disguised Akuma continued on its way down the car, most likely to the front as to kill the conductor and thus everyone else onboard. He glanced at his master. "You could use Maria to disguise it so that I may free its soul without scaring anyo-"
A deafening bang cut him off, and dozens of other passengers gasped or screamed as the Akuma fell to its knees, a bullet hole in its head, before a white, heavenly seal appeared and the Akuma exploded. Then all hell broke loose among the other passengers.
Allen stared blandly at his master as he holstered Judgment, not even having looked before shooting with his head still propped up by one arm and his eyes looking out the window towards the sunset. The train lurched as news reached the conductor and they slowed down, the chaos and screaming not ending as people ran back and forth in a general direction away from Cross.
Grabbing his suitcase in one hand when the train finally came to a stop, Cross only said, "This seemed like a good place to stop for the night." Allen sweat-dropped but followed, as he always did.
As they stepped off the train, the other passengers not realizing the cause and thus not causing too much a panic at the sight of Cross, Allen said firmly, "I am finished with my story. Tonight you answer my questions."
Cross stopped at that, but when he turned he looked more sincere than any other time before. Allen was almost afraid when his master put one hand on his shoulder. "Thank you, Allen, for being patient and telling me what you did. I am truly glad to hear that your mind never eroded to the point where you became the Fourteenth, as am I glad you managed to resist killing someone you loved for the time being.
"I swear I will answer all of your questions tomorrow, on our last train ride until we reach Belgium and Marshal Yeeger. For tonight," Cross set a sack of a good portion of lei in Allen's hand, "enjoy yourself. Buy whatever you want, sleep wherever and with whoever you want, and do whatever you want, all on me. Tomorrow we will speak, I promise."
Allen didn't know what was scarier, his master using his name or him giving away money. Both together had him doubting his sanity more than waking up with bloody hands everyday, for two months in a row, did. With a slow nod, Allen accepted the money and watched with a feeling of resolved finality as Cross slipped away into the crowd. He had a feeling that this was the last time that would happen, that things would be different come tomorrow.
With a smile, Allen slipped the sack inside his coat and made his way to one of the taverns.
****
But as Allen mentioned earlier, the brief trip with his master was just as hellish as any other.
Currently, the young Marshal was up to his elbows in greasy pots, scalding water searing his hands and soap giving it a horrid dry feel. Prideful as he was, he was crying. The sack that his master had given him the previous night had not, in fact, been lei but instead was countless invoices, and the sharks had come to collect.
Cross had slipped away, of course, leaving Allen to his overwhelming amount of labor. They hadn't even allowed him a break long enough to gamble the needed amount. Behind him were the mistresses of two brothels, three bartenders, a gentleman's tailor, and the owner of the town's inn, of course known for being the most expensive.
Best of all, Allen knew, outside the door to the kitchens was a rather large group of German railroad workers, all out for his blood. Apparently Cross had left them a note that Allen was responsible for murdering a man on the train and causing a delay for the next tracks, and the description of a man with matching black and gold coat and hat fit the bill.
Trapped as he was, Allen knew it would take days to work all the debt off, and with the approaching threat of Marshal Yeeger's demise, Allen knew he had to press onward and leave his master to his own devices.
With a weary groan, he set the next batch of pots down. From the amount of debt Cross had worked out, Allen would bet his left arm that Cross hadn't spent a single lei of Crowley's money, opting instead to build up this (brilliant) escape. From the equally weary groan his stomach gave, Allen knew his eating habits alone would double it…
"Curse you, Master!"
AN: Damn it, this story is addicting to write. Fun, interesting, and easy make this too appealing over everything else I need to do. Hell, I still have another two chapters already written and waiting to be posted... Anyways, a single point I want to raise is that Allen didn't have sex with any of the girls he woke up with. He just slept, which was mentioned in previous chapters. He's only really been with Cloud Nine, Rhode, and Lulubell (in that order), all of which implied in the prologue and A:1.
Also, final call on voicing your thoughts on Lulubell being a part of the pairing. I'll be starting the interractions between the two of them before next chapter is posted.
Finally, there was a brief update (not change) in the listed pairing at the top of the prologue, for the purpose of better understanding what's happened.