ALLEN 13
LAVI 17
LENALEE 15
KANDA 18
—
"Hey!"
Allen and Lenalee look up to see Lavi and Kanda standing at the gate.
"I thought you'd already left." Allen heads over.
"This idiot decided he needed to fall asleep for an hour." Kanda growls, glaring at Lavi.
"I was up late." Lavi shrugs.
"You're ridiculous." Kanda mutters.
"You should get going." Lenalee says.
"Yes, we should." Kanda turns to the gate. "We're already late."
—
"Good morning." Bailey greets the younger teens. "Are you ready to leave?"
"Should be." Allen nods.
"Well, I'll introduce you to your chaperones." Bailey gestures to two Finders and another man in red.
"A CROW?" Lenalee whispers apprehensively as the three come over.
"This man will be recording the test." Bailey explains. "He'll accompany you today."
"Great." Allen can't help but mutter.
"It'll be fine." Lenalee takes Allen's hand, giving it a short squeeze.
"Hello Master and Miss exorcists." The first Finder holds out his hand and speaks in an unrecognisable accent. "My name is Presley and this is Zara." The other Finder nods at her name. "I hope we work well together."
"Ah, me too, thank you." Allen nods and shakes Presley's hand.
"We'll be leaving for Visby in ten minutes." Zara says. "Are you both prepared?"
"Yes." Lenalee grins.
"Then, you can head off a little early." Bailey says. "Presley, did you check for the gate?"
"Yes." Presley nods before turning to the exorcists. "I will guide you through the Ark."
—
FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER.
"Are we going the right way?" Lenalee whispers to Allen.
"…I think so." Allen looks around thoughtfully. "We're going to long way round, but we'll get there soon."
"…Do you think Presley knows that?" Lenalee wonders.
"Probably not."
—
"Here we are." Presley stops in front of a wooden door with a small plaque. "Visby, Sweden."
Zara silently pushes the door open and steps inside.
"After you, exorcists." Presley steps aside.
"Ready?" Lenalee takes Allen's hand again as they move closer.
"Anytime."
—
The two exit in a large room. A mix of candles and lamps illuminate the wooden walls. The floors covered in a red, shag carpet and all the furniture has been pushed to the walls.
"Welcome to Visby." A well dressed woman greets the group. "My name is Jennie Bathsheba."
"It's nice to meet you." Lenalee bows slightly. "My name is Mei Myong and this is Ray Martin."
"Good morning, Miss Myong, Mister Martin." Jennie bows in return.
"Where are we, exactly?" Lenalee wanders, looking around the room.
"We're in the back room of my hotel." Jennie explains with a smile. "I've already reserved some rooms for you."
—
TEN MINUTES LATER.
"So, where are we headed?" Lenalee asks as the five step out into the street after saying goodbye to Jennie.
"There is a concentration of Akuma in the south of the city." Presley explains. "You'll be clearing out the area."
"How big of an area are we talking?" Allen asks.
"Just a few blocks." Zara answers. "There shouldn't be more than ten Akuma there."
"We should get going." The CROW suddenly speaks, their face still obscured by a red mask. "We have very strict time restraints."
As the group head down the street, Lenalee makes her way towards Allen.
"That was weird." Lenalee mutters, glancing back at the CROW.
"I didn't think he'd speak." Allen admits with a sigh. "The old ones only every spoke the the higher-ups."
"…I suppose this counts as a good thing, right?" Lenalee wonders.
"I suppose."
—
TWENTY-FIVE MINUTES LATER.
"We're here." Presley stops at a line of police tape. The yellow and black stripes seal off the entire street, from building to building and across the road.
A few policemen stand tall, keeping the civilians at a distance. A few chattering people loiter a few meters down the street, apprehensively looking into the sealed off blocks.
"Are you ready?" Zara turns to the exorcists. "We'll need to head in soon."
"…Ready?" Allen grins at Lenalee.
"Ready."
—
The buildings are stained with ash, painting the walls and roads black. Rubble lies in the street, falling off buildings and caving in the red-brick rooms.
"What happened here?" Lenalee stares up at the decrepit street.
"A few Akuma went wild." Presley explains. "There're some fields around the area, so they can't leave."
"What about the people who lived here?"
"Do not look so distressed, Miss Exorcist." Zara answers with a smile. "The are was being evacuated abandoned for construction at the time of the attack. There was only one fatality."
"Good." Lenalee sighs in relief.
"Be on your guard." Presley adds. "The Akuma could appear at anytime."
Lenalee nods seriously. "Of course."
—
TEN MINUTES LATER.
"Lenalee." Allen whispers as he feels a familiar pulse in his eye.
"Where?" Lenalee whispers back as Allen pulls his violet bandana further down.
"Three, straight ahead." Allen points to a building. "In there."
"Let's go." Lenalee steps forward.
"Hm?" Zara spots them heading forward. "Has something happened?"
"…I saw something move." Allen explains. "In that building."
—
"It's blocked." Allen scowls as he steps away from the door. "We need to find another way in."
"Let's try around the back." Lenalee suggests before whispering. "Are they still there?"
"..Yeah." Allen answers after looking upwards. "But they're moving around a bit."
The two head around the left side, aware of the CROW and Finders trailing behind.
"Here." Lenalee grins as she spots a small door labelled 'Fire Exit'. "This should lead inside."
"Try it." Allen nods.
Lenalee grabs the door handle and pushes. A click sounds and the door swings open with a loud creak.
"Bingo." Allen grins and the duo step inside.
—
"This place is filthy." Allen scrunches his nose at the damp smell.
"It's been here a while." Lenalee says. "But there were gaps in the walls higher up…"
"The Akuma are still there." Allen adds. "Just two floors up."
The fire stairs are steep and damp, dripping and slightly sticky with who-knows-what. Allen avoids touching the walls or handrail as the group head upwards.
The walls are cracked and stained black in more than a few places, like a fire had passed through.
Their footsteps echo loudly, even as they try to muffle the sounds. Luckily, the Akuma haven't heard them yet, they're likely conversing among themselves.
"Here?" Lenalee stops in front of a narrow door at a small break in the steps.
"…Yeah." Allen whispers in confirmation.
Lenalee pushes the door, which easily swings open.
—
"Hey!"
The nearest Akuma cries out as Lenalee steps out of the stairway. All three are only Level 1s, so they point their large cannons in the exorcist's direction.
"Mei!" Allen cries out in warning as Lenalee bends her knees slightly in anticipation.
"Innocence, activate."
—
Allen stays back, knowing that he isn't needed.
Lenalee's bright glowing boots slams furiously into the Akuma, smashing them into dust before they have time to fall.
Once cannon barely has time to fire, the bullet flying far off course as Lenalee slams into the responsible Akuma.
She lands gracefully in the middle of the floor, her clothes and hair still unmarred.
She turns to grin at Allen who gives her a congratulatory thumbs-up.
—
FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER.
"Are you sure there's more?" Lenalee looks at Zara and Presley. "Surely we'd've spotted them by now."
"This place is empty." Allen mutters.
"…I'm not sure." Zara sighs. "But there should at least be more than three-"
The bang echoes loudly through the empty streets.
Zara's eyes widen as she stumbles forward.
"Zara!" Lenalee cries out as the Finder crumples to the floor.
"An Akuma?" Allen looks around desperately.
"Zara…" Lenalee can't help but sob as the woman's skin stains black.
Cracks run up her skin as the stars merge into each other.
It only took a second for her body to crumble.
"Where is it?" Allen scowls as the area appears empty.
"Let's head that way." Presley looks pale, but still regains some composure. "T-To where it came from."
—
FIVE MINUTES LATER.
"There's nothing here." Allen murmurs. "I don't understand."
The four head down the street at a quick pace, all scanning the buildings for signs of the Akuma.
"It must be here somewhere." Lenalee shakes her head. "We have to find it."
"…Maybe it's not alone." Allen comes to a sudden stop. "We…How long have we been here?"
"What do you mean?" Presley looks at Allen curiously. "We arrived in this area about twenty-five minutes ago."
"How long since we got here, to the city?" Allen looks thoughtful.
"…just over an hour." Presley answers. "Why?"
"Maybe it's nothing." Allen shakes his head. "But, it's a little strange that…after exactly an hour…" He glances back in the direction where Zara's coat lies.
"You're right." The CROW interjects. "It's likely nothing. Now, keep moving."
—
FIVE MINUTES LATER.
"What are you thinking?" Lenalee asks.
"…A Noah? Maybe." Allen sighs. "We'll have to wait and see, I guess."
"This area is larger than I remember." Presley notes, staring up at the buildings. "It shouldn't take this long to walk through."
"Really?" Lenalee asks. "Are you sure?"
"Last time, when we circled the perimeter…" Presley counts on his fingers slowly. "We made it in twenty minutes."
"That does sound weird." Allen nods. "We're still in the right place, right?"
"We would've past more tape if we'd left." Presley says.
"….Let's keep going." Allen decides. "But keep an eye out for anything else weird."
—
TEN MINUTES LATER.
"Anything?" Lenalee watches Presley fiddle with his golem.
"…Nothing." Presley scowls. "I can't even connect the signal…"
"…Maybe we should backtrack." Lenalee suggests, looking behind them. "We should be able to get back that way."
"It's an idea." Allen nods. "Let's just hope we can get back."
—
FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER.
"This is getting ridiculous." Allen sighs. "We should have definitely… seen Zara's coat by now."
"Try your golem again." The CROW speaks up. "And I can try this." He pulls out something akin to a phone, it's golden surface covered in odd patterns.
The CROW holds it to his ear as Presley retrieves his golem.
"…This can't be good." Lenalee mutters.
"It must be a Noah." Allen adds. "It's definitely not an Akuma."
"Who do you think it is?" Lenalee looks nervous.
"Best case? Wisely." Allen scowls. "But it's far more likely to be Road again."
—
"At this point, it's pointless to keep moving." The CROW decides. "This situation is out of our hands. Our new priority is to return to the gate."
"So, what should we do?" Presley asks.
"The enemy is not appearing as me move." The CROW explains. "So we should stay put and let them come to us."
—
FIVE MINUTES LATER.
The bang echoes loudly, just like it had an hour ago.
Presley's body hits the group with a loud thump, his golem rolling out of his hand.
The body doesn't disintegrate, instead, it just lies there with the oversized bullet piercing through its back.
"Presley…" Lenalee holds back tears of grief and shock as the remaining three stare at the body.
"Half an hour." Allen notes after checking his watch. "Exactly."
You're all surprisingly slow.
"Road…" Allen growls.
Well, it doesn't matter. You'll be dead soon.
"Noah." The CROW stares up at the sky.
You have fifteen minutes before someone else dies. I'd get going if I were you.
"What do you mean!?" Lenalee demands.
Try and find me. I'm close by. If you find me before you all die, then maybe I'll let you leave~.
—
"Well that was fun." Allen mutters.
"What should we do?" Lenalee looks around at the buildings. "Where do we start looking?"
"First off, we need to stick together." The CROW says. "We'll check the nearest buildings first."
"Are you sure?" Lenalee looks unsure. "What if she's father away?"
"I don't think… she'd make it this unfair." Allen decides. "She wouldn't be too far. She wants to be found."
"…Yeah, right." Lenalee nods.
"Well then." Allen grins. "Let's start looking."
its a little short but i wanted to get it out to you guys asap. Next chap will have a little Lavi and Kanda so do not fret.
thanks for reading!
-Cheese Wizzard ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ
