Chapter Ten
Once everyone got their tickets and entered the amusement park with red entry stamps, they all grouped together a few feet away from the entrance. There seemed to be an invisible line between the Exorcists and the Soul Reapers and it quickly grew awkward. Ichigo and Allen were standing off to the side, watching their groups' (not) reactions to the other, and looked to each other in exasperation. Ichigo shrugged as Allen stepped forward.
"Okay, since we're all here, let's introduce ourselves…" Ichigo trailed off as Allen furiously shook his head, giving a sign of 'No! Don't do it!'. "Oookay, nevermind…just have fun!" The group dispersed but only their main groups stayed.
"Hey Allen? Rukia, Orihime, Rangiku, and I are going on our own. Have fun you guys~" Lenalee called out before scampering off with the three girls into the depths of the park. Kanda and Lavi stood awkwardly across from Renji and Tōshirō as Allen and Ichigo face-palmed at their actions.
"Let's go, I want some freakin' cotton candy," Allen blurted out, already heading towards a concession stand.
"Already hungry, Moyashi? Che, glutton." Kanda rolled his eyes while giving him a smirk. Allen blushed lightly and glared at the swordsman.
"Whatever, Kanda," he turned away and paid for his sweets. He picked at his blue cotton candy and stuck his tongue out. "Screw you and that stick up your ass!" Kanda looked irked and even more so when the other guys snickered behind his back. He whipped his head around to glare menacingly at the four, only scaring Lavi and Renji shitless while Ichigo looked slightly uncomfortable and Tōshirō gave his own piercing glare. He 'che-d' again and crossed his arms across his broad chest.
"So, what'd you want to do?" Ichigo asked, hands in his pockets. "Hey, where you going Tōshirō?" he called as the white-haired captain was walking away, slouched back with his hands in his pockets.
"Away from you idiots," he said matter-of-factly.
"Oh…well, be sure to have your phone with you, just in case!" Ichigo yelled, waving his arms above his head. Tōshirō turned sharply around and glared with his face beet red and fists clenched at his sides.
"I'm not a child, Kurosaki!" he yelled, causing many bystanders to turn and watch them, their heads swiveling back and forth. The whitette swiftly turned and stomped away, an embarrassed blush still painted across his face. Ichigo smirked and turned back to the others who were with an inquisitive expression which he only shrugged at.
"So, now what?" Lavi clasped his hands behind his head so he could have a pillow whilst standing. "'Cause, I was planning on going on some rides, actually doing something, catch some ladies, you know…the likes." Lavi winked and chuckled. Allen rolled his eyes, finishing his cotton candy.
"Well-" He was interrupted as a chorus of screams resounded through the park and they all looked up to see one of the tallest rides they've ever seen. It was at least more than a hundred feet tall and it had so many twists and turns that they couldn't even count by first glance. It even roved around the whole park. Another echoing scream and everyone, 'cept Kanda of course, looked to each other, deciding telepathically that they would ride that specific ride…and NOW.
They all rushed towards the ride, pushing through people in excitement and earning remarks about 'how rude they were'. Finally, they were in front of the long-ass line of people that led to the 'Apocalypse' rollercoaster (Don't know if that's actually real or not…doubt it though), panting from the run over. They headed into line and waited.
After what felt like eternity, they were almost at the front and were finally going to be seated. Luckily, Allen and Kanda snagged the two very front seats while Lavi and Renji were two behind and Ichigo behind them with a stranger. The ride operator came around to check their safety belts and then gave a lecture about 'no hands, arms, legs, feet, etc. out of the vehicle'. Finally, the man droned, "Have a nice ride."
Without warning, the ride shot forward with a hesitant lurch and across the railings. It was silent and then all of a sudden, a voice boomed through hidden speakers. A raspy, gargled masculine tone softly spoke, "What are you afraid of?" It trailed off and the rollercoaster car went into a tunnel. Allen could barely see since he wasn't in his other form but could faintly hear gears working. No one, though, noticed the car was gradually slowing. "Well, you should be!" the voice cackled as bright flashes of red and blinding white lights burst out and then the ride dropped. Screams filled the tunnel and then they started to grow when they went through twists and turns of various extremes. They went upside down and did numerous loopty-loops (Don't think that's how you spell it…what about you guys?) before weird grotesque (and real looking) zombies started popping out. There's one point where the ride slows to a snail's pace and it feels like time was slowing itself; the zombies kept getting closer and closer. Everyone, including Allen, was resisting the urge to break free and use their innocence or other means to destroy the undead. The zombies looked like they would touch you but the ride picked up its speed and more endless loops and deadly, extreme drops before the ride stopped right by the operator as before.
The passengers exited with disheveled hair and staggering steps. Allen had to help Kanda get out of the seat and not fall through the tracks below the car. He threw the long-haired's arm over his shoulders and practically dragged him away. They met up with the others to see that Ichigo and Lavi were just the same, Renji wasn't so much but Allen was completely fine.
"How are you okay…after that deathtrap?" Lavi gagged, leaning over Renji with a queasy expression and they almost all had green faces. Allen shrugged, rather hard since Kanda was smothering his body with just his upper body, and smirked.
"I guess I have a tolerance for these types of things. So…" Allen looked up at them, "Wanna do that again?" He ducked from three fists and one wavering slap to the head and chuckled. "Alright, alright, let's go rest for a bit." They walked down the steps and the rest collapsed down to the ground, nearly kissing the asphalt. "Dang, you guys suck at amusement parks…" He sat Kanda on a nearby bench and went to get four bottles of water. Once he came back, he handed them the water and watched as they guzzled the drink, their green coloring slowly fading away.
After that fiasco, the group went to play the games and try to win some stuff to pass the time. Lavi and Renji were head-to-head in a water-shooting game that you had to fill this clown's mouth with water. Allen thought it was way too creepy and decided to butt out. Meanwhile, he and Kanda were throwing basketballs in hoops, trying to best each other in the silly game. Eventually, it came to a tie and the overseer of the points warily gave them each a prize. Allen got a killer whale with big blue eyes and Kanda got a black cat with a jingly, yellow bell stitched to its neck. They went back to see that Lavi had won a Jamaican banana and now, to forget his earlier defeat, Renji was challenging Ichigo to a shooting game. In the end, Ichigo won and received a big polar bear with a top hat. Renji thumped his head against the counter where his gun was displayed and cried fake crocodile tears.
Allen sighed and walked up to Renji, patting his shoulder for comfort, "Come on, let's go on some rides, and then we can play some more." The red-haired shinigami nodded solemnly and stood up with the others once they figured what the whitette was trying to do. "Alright, what ride next?"
"Let's go on the merry-go-round!" Lavi threw his arms up to the air with a shout, his Jamaican banana in one hand. Kanda gave a 'what the fuck' look with Ichigo and Renji laughed.
"Allen! Kanda! Lavi!" The voice made all five boys turn to see Lenalee with the other girls rushing towards them. Even Tōshirō was with them, being dragged by Rangiku, but with a horrible scowl spread across his face.
"Hey Lenalady, what's up? You guys having fun?" Lavi grinned with an eye-smile. The girls giggled.
"Oh yeah, we went on almost all the rides, what about you?" Lenalee asked. Allen rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"We couldn't because of these lame-os couldn't handle the 'Apocalypse'. We've been playing the side games until now," he sighed exasperatedly, completely ignoring the glares his friends were giving him.
"Well, how 'bout we go on some rides together for the rest of the night? It'll be easier to regroup everyone else anyways," Rukia suggested. The boys shrugged and they all came together to decide which rides to go on next.
~Later on~ (I didn't feel like writing every little detail of stuff that's not important)
"Hey, we should go on the Ferris Wheel before we go home," Rangiku, ever the romantic type, recommended after they left a small rollercoaster (compared to the 'Apocalypse' it was). Everyone agreed and went in line. Not too long after, they were all eventually seated; Kanda, Allen, Lavi, and Lenalee were in one car. They felt that it would be fun to just talk with each other for a brief moment about anything that didn't revolve around the Black Order or the Soul Society.
"This was fun, don't you think, guys?" Lenalee asked, smiling at everyone fondly. Lavi slung his arm around her with a big grin, thankful that Komui wasn't allowed to come to beat the living tar out of anyone close to Lenalee that was male, and chuckled.
"Well, we don't usually have time for these things, considering our job and stuff."
"I wonder…if we'll ever have a normal life…" Lenalee gazed outside of the car. It was silent as they all pondered on different things. Lenalee looked up to see the gloomy atmosphere she created and frowned, "I'm sorry, I didn't me-" A rumble cut her off and they became silent as the rumbling continued. Allen looked outside with a grim expression and saw a large black portal open above the amusement park. Three figures came out and his eye started to throb and finally activated; he could see hundreds of Akuma swarming towards them as well. Then he could see smaller black portals around the area where Hollows started appearing left and right. 'Good thing the Soul Reapers are all here,' he thought. The others looked outside and towards Allen, waiting to see what he would do.
"Let's go," he said and invocated, the others following a second later. He swung open the door and leaped onto the circus canvas (which he didn't dare go into earlier). He jumped off and attached Crown Belt onto a Level Three Akuma, propelling himself upwards and towards the three figures. He cut down the tens of Akuma and Hollows that got in his way before he clashed with Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez.
"Oh? Who do we have here?" he playfully asked. Allen didn't reply but already knew who his opponent was. The Order knows of all the Arrancars and Espadas, which transform from Hollows eventually, of this timeline so he wasn't unknowledgeable of his opponents. The only things they don't know are their specific powers and how to defeat them successfully and efficiently. "Come on! Speak up, state your name, stranger!"
"Allen Walker of the Black Order," he said before applying extremely harsh pressure on his Exorcism sword. Grimmjow struggled to keep his balance but was pushed a few inches back. Allen suddenly pulled back and twirled, slamming his heel into the Espada's head.
~Allen's POV~
I watched as he skidded across the sky like a skipping stone and in that time I glanced around myself to check on the others. They had all teamed up with the top-notch Soul Reapers to battle the Espadas and Level Four Akuma but I of course went solo again. I sighed at myself in frustration but quickly regained my composure and adorned my silver mask once again as Grimmjow sped back towards me, laughing all the way.
He charged his way towards me as I braced for impact. As he pounded into my sword, I could feel my strength waver for a split-second but I pushed with all my might. I flicked my finger to silently send my Clown Belt to wrap around his arms and legs without warning but he didn't seem so worried. He struggled with his newly-acquired bonds and raised an eyebrow at me only slightly surprised.
Suddenly, he curled in and swiped his limbs out to tear through the seemingly-soft fabric. He jumped back a few feet and rubbed his arms and legs from the little cuts that adorned them from Clown Belt. He grinned devilishly at me and swung his sword over his shoulder, snickering.
"You're not so bad, even though you look particularly weaker than most of your comrades," he chuckled. "I wonder how carrot-head and them found you guys…No matter, we'll crush you all to dust," he said menacingly, his eyes glinting with barely contained hunger for blood. "Let's actually begin, Allen Walker of the Black Order."
I said nothing as he rambled on but contemplated on whether facing him as an equal force or stay as a mere Exorcist. I didn't want to transform in front of practically half of Soul Society and my comrades, that would raise questions and I would probably be on the run from Soul Reapers who thought I was a spy of some sort.
"You should pay attention to your own battle, you know," a voice whispered before I was harshly punched to the back of the head. My vision blacked out and I had to take a minute to regain comprehension of what actually happened. A blurry face popped up out of nowhere and I could hear Grimmjow's scraggly voice through the murkiness. "Come on, is that the best you got?!" He sounded angry. As my head pounded with my slow heartbeat and my eyesight was regaining normalcy, I grabbed his throat and rolled him over so that I was straddling him with a sword raised to his neck.
"A punch like that wouldn't have hurt a fly," I mocked before delivering a blow to his eye in payment for the punch to my head. I stepped back and waited for him to leap back onto his feet.
"Heh, well, maybe I shouldn't be half-assing this as I am, then," he said as he got back up gracefully. The teal-haired sonidoed in an instant and reappeared behind me, lunging with his sword towards my back. "You're dead, chibi!" I knew I had a noticeable tick mark on my forehead and gave a little pressure from my other powers to flip upwards and land on the sword, flicking Crown Belt at Grimmjow's neck. I then twirled acrobatically over his head and tugged on the fabric harshly to send him flying into a building (unintentionally).
"Honestly, if I knew you were this much of an amateur, I wouldn't have come to you at all. Maybe I should've gone to one of the others," I said absentmindedly, knowing Grimmjow heard me perfectly well. I saw him stand up and leap towards me in a fit of rage and bloodlust but I only dodged it easily. I kicked his back and mockingly yawned. "This is getting boring."
"Urgh, shut your mouth!" he growled, lunging towards me again. I stepped to the side but I failed to notice his hand stretching towards me. I could only watch as his fist collided with my jaw and sent me back a few yards. I skidded to a halt and rolled my jaw a few times, noting that nothing was broken or out of place. I sent a Cross Grave at him without warning but he only sonidoed not too far away. "You keep talkin' smack and you might find yourself worse for wear, kid." He smirked and twirled his sword with two fingers lazily.
~3rd POV~
Allen's mask lifted onto his face as he pulled his Exorcism Sword out and charged without another word. His steps were slightly boosted with his other powers and Grimmjow only had a few seconds to react to his sword's blunt force. He grunted under his breath and they were at a momentary standstill, staring at each other silently, the Exorcist's eyes staring through the eye holes of his mask as Grimmjow peered into the other's face. He sniffed suddenly and got a peculiar expression on his face, cerulean eyes narrowing into inquisitive slits.
"Why do you smell familiar, Chibi?" he abruptly asked, adding a lot more pressure on his zanpakuto. Allen was slightly shocked but reminded himself that this was Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, the feline Espada. The white-haired swiped the Espada's feet from under him and flipped back before a sword could make contact with his knees.
"What do I smell like exactly?" he asked nonchalantly, raising an eyebrow at him and cocking his head to the side almost innocently. Grimmjow seemed to be thinking over the delicious scent that wafted up his nose. He definitely smelled hints of Hollow, mainly Arrancar, but it also reminded him of the Vizards. Far in the dark depths of his mind, he distinguished that there was a smell of freshly bloomed white gardenias and roses as well.
"Like a Hollow," he gruffed out before slamming into the other's large sword. Allen growled and narrowed his silver eyes dangerously, daring him to say more. They didn't notice that a certain Hat-and-Clogs was listening intently off to the side, away from most of the battle for the time being.
"Interesting," he muttered before slashing down an unsuspecting Hollow and Level Three Akuma. He mentally took note that he would research into the odd case, namely of Allen Walker, and to contact this Bookman person afterwards.
Wolfy: Yeah, I know, a few months have gone by without me updating…even though I said I was going to do it shortly after the previous chapter.
Lilah: Then finals came up…and PSATs….and grades dropping because of a certain, retarded, shit-faced, Chemistry teacher who can't actually FUCKING TEACH!
Wolfy: O.O; anyway….yeah, it's Christmas break now, so I'm finishing up the next chapters yada yada yada….We were going to update during Thanksgiving but we went to London and had no time whatsoever, literally.
Lilah: Sorry for the incompetence of our idiocy u.u
Wolfy: Gomenasai…u.u
Both: R&R please~