Im sorry its a little late once again. Its starting to look like once a week for updating is my time schedule, I forgot how busy life gets. Im trying to bring that up to twice. Sorry for making you wait on a cliffhanger. But you need not wonder about Tyki's fate anymore! I hope you enjoy.
Road wanted to see Neah. She could feel him as she waited for Tyki to finish dealing with Allen. But she knew she had to wait here, boring as it was, to ensure none of the Order members would interrupt the family reunion. She concentrated on the dream world illusion she had trapped the entire Order in as she saw the edges waver as her emotions boiled up inside her. The excitement at the possibility of meeting Neah again made her dizzy. She whirled Lero round in her hands, feeling the impatience. Then she felt it. A sharp sudden jolt through her chest. Before Lero could complete another spin, the dream world cracked and dissapaited as Road shot through her door and opened another up onto a scene that had her excitment screaming.
Neah felt Tyki's blood slowly drip down his arm, as his brother gave him a look of opened mouth surprise. He closed his eyes as he felt his Noah genes rebelling against the slaughter of a family member as he readied himself to push the metal claw in and finish Tyki. He found it hard to deal with the look on his brothers face. He opened his eyes just in time to remove the claw from Tyki's chest to swipe the claw across his face, batting away the sharp ended candle that had been hurtling towards him. His golden eyes resting sharply on his sister as Tyki slumped to the floor gasping. He smiled gleefully at the sight of the blue haired girl and opened his mouth to talk. However as soon as he had dodged one of the projectiles, more appeared levitating around Road and the Noah hissed, sending them flying all at once. Neah thought dryly that Allen's body was definitely not prepared to deal with this as he felt the nerves in the body alight in pain as he pushed the broken innocence a step further, sweeping the projectiles out of the way with a flick of a white cowl that had managed to materialise on his wrist.
Road practically growled as she used the distraction to open a door underneath Tyki, who reappeared at her side. He grunted in pain as he made to kneel up straight, hate filled eyes glaring at his brother he had been talking to only moments ago. He could feel his old wounds ache something fierce as they resonated with the Innocence that had only moments ago, been thrust inside him. Any weakness he felt was replaced with anger.
"Why!" he hissed
Neah did not answer, just flashing a sneer in answer. Instead he focused on retreating into Allen's mind slowly, golden eyes hazy as he tried to find a balance. Ah there it was. Neah grinned as he felt the pain leave his body, successfully remaining in control whilst lowering the degree of body consciousness. He pushed the sweaty covers off him and barely felt his feet touch the floor as he started to walk towards his family. As he advanced on the two as Road materialized another dozen candles, all pointed at him and Tyki stretched open a palm, allowing a large purple butterfly to rest on it.
"Why? Because you are obstacles. In every sense of the word…" Neah said softly, his smile growing as he suddenly lunged forward and raced at the two, bright light emanating from his palm.
Road could hear her heart beating in her ears. She started at the man that she once loved as she watched him slowly descend towards them. Her thoughts were in chaos. Her eyes flicked down to her Uncle, one hand resting upon his wound where blood continued to flow down, the other curler around Tease ready to release him. His eyes were glowing with betrayal and hate. Road felt a similar hatred burn through her.
"Once a traitor always a traitor, huh brother?" Tyki snarled at the man who had just tried to kill his own kin as he released Tease in a swarm of fluttering wings. The excitement she felt at seeing Neah flared up again. The instinct to fight him had become unbearable as she waited. She remembered the pain and hatred from long ago, a maniacal smile coming to her face as she fantasised of all the ways she could hurt him. And now here he was. She hardly contain her happiness. Road filled the space with more candles, when suddenly Neah lit up, blinding both Noah's. She shied away from the light backing away until she hit something. Skinny arms surrounded her waist as a voice whispered in her ear
"Now now, aren't you glad to see me, my dear Road?"
She hit out as Neah's voice shivered through her, striking her brother with a sharpened candle as she spun to face him, grinning happily. She only managed to scratched his cheek.
"Ouch. Now that's not very nice. Some greeting" Neah chuckled darkly as he licked the blood that oozed down the side of his face, his eyes never leaving Road's. Road glanced around the room, seeing Tyki unconscious behind Neah. The hatred only burned stronger she felt a smile split her face, insanity filling up inside her a she looked on at the man she had once loved.
"Its not very nice to not bring gifts for family at a reunion, Uncle Neah. No sweets? How disappointing of you. I brought gifts"
Road flung a block of candles at Neah who dodged each one, using the flickering tip of the Crown Clown to help him out, before breaching the space between them to lash out at Road.
"I didn't expect it to be a long reunion, if you know what I mean"
She dodged too, springing off around the walls and landing behind Neah on a closed door she materialised behind Tyki, laughing hysterically.
"I have been waiting to see you again. So many things I wanted to tell you…and now here you are in a injured and broken body. Perfect" Road purred at the man who raised an eyebrow at her words. She could see that Neah was having trouble, and her eyes fell on Allen's left arm, the hand weakly gripping at the fabric of the hospital gown in an effort to not fall limply to the side. Neah was all but powerless, she could finish this quickly. She had to get Tyki back afterall.
"Is that so? What could it be you want to tell me… another confession" Neah jeered, smirking at the Noah, trying to distract her as he recognised the calculating look in her eyes. It worked. Roads eyes rolled back in pure insane rage, the smile widening impossibly far. How dare he mock her. The murderous traitor, she only wanted him to be alive to kill him herself. The idea pleasured her so much as she felt her control slipping. Suddenly candles filled the room, coming at Neah from every angle.
Neah could not help but tease her a bit. He could see the hatred swirl around Road, and felt his own dark emotions take control as he looked upon the girl that had tried to ruin things in the first place. If only she did not exist, perhaps Eve would never have… No matter what the past was hard to let go of. However Neah regretted baiting the crazy Noah so much as the lack of feeling in the body had started to make the task of dodging much more difficult, and Road had begun to attack with renewed effort. Neah swore as his eyes flashed bright gold. She had underestimated him. Although it was a risk, one that would cut short the amount of time he could stay in control but he pushed at the sensation in his left arm anyway. He did not know if it was because of the condition the limb was in, or because it was adverse to his very being, but his left arm ached with a constant throb, a pain made more intense the second he had activated it. As he pushed his energy down the arm he felt it flare sharply, and a green light pulsed out and shattering the candles that surrounded Neah in an ear-splitting crack, just as the infirmary door was flung open.
Kanda stood there, eyes ablaze and Mugen held high as he stopped for a second to take in the situation. He felt a jolt of shock go through him as he saw the Noah girl perched precariously on top of the door. She had froze, a wild look in her eye as she turned away from the beansprout that was miraculously standing, her mouth moving form a wide grin to a scowl at the sight of the exorcists filling the room. The beansprout was glowing with a strange green pulse. Behind him, Kanda heart the shocked gasp on the Head Nurse.
"Noah! How did they get in!"
How indeed. To be honest, Kanda couldn't give a fuck since they were going to get out. He shot forward and slashed out at the girl Noah, who had jumped down. The lithe body of the Noah cart wheeled gracefully to dodge, as a door appeared underneath the other Noah that Kanda has only just realised lay unconscious, and both disappeared within. It took a second to process the fact that the Noah had not stayed and fought against him, instead disappearing so quickly.
"Tyki was injured, I assume she thought it was best to leave considering I wasn't as easy to beat as she first thought, especially not surrounded by comrades"
Kanda froze as he heard the familiar and yet so very alien voice speak behind him. He turned around to see the beansprout leant against the bed frame panting heavily as his arm slumped onto the bed, leaving a wet bloody splatter where it fell. Kanda's icy gaze was met with golden eyes. With a whistle of air he brought Mugen up in front of him, falling himself fall into a familar stance. He leant forward on the balls of his feet when...
"Bastard"
The word was snarled from behind him and Kanda watched as Lavi flew past him and punched the Noah squarely on the jaw, sending him stumbling back but not to the ground. Lenalee gasped as she moved forward to help 'Allen' but Komui held her back.
Lavi watched as the Noah using Allen's body stumbled back into the bed. Curious gold eyes raised to meet a furious emerald one.
"Well now, what a greeti…"
He was silenced as Lavi grabbed the front of the hospital gown roughly and hauled the Noah up. In the back of his mind he recognised how light Allen's scrawny body was, and found his anger intensified as he remembered why.
"Shut up! What the fuck are you doing turning up now. Is this your idea of a sick joke?" Lavi all but growled at the Noah. Neah opened his mouth to reply.
"Stop this"
Link's authoritative order silenced any retort and Lavi whipped his head around to glare at the man who steadily walked towards them.
"Why should I? Its all this bastards fault" Lavi hissed venomously, shaking Neah. Link gave the Bookman Jr and appraising look
"For one, Bookman is here and I doubt he will take kindly to this…display, and secondly" Link fixed the Noah with a dark look "some questions need to be answered".
Lavi glared at Link but dropped Allen, albeit more gently remembering whose body is was, and made a sound that greatly imitated Kanda, as he stalked off to stand crossed arm next to Lenalee. Link glanced back, feeling the hard glare of everyone on his back as he came up to stand in front of the panting Noah who was sat bent over on the bed.
"There are a lot of things you need to tell us. Starting with where you have been all this time."
Neah looked up, a smile twisting his lips upwards, one that showed humour and not malice this time.
"This isn't a social chat then?"
Links eyes narrowed as he shot out a hand to curl around the Noahs neck. Neah blinked, surprised, recognise the act of controlled anger rather than outburst displayed a second ago by that delightful red head. Link was warning him. He wanted to laugh at the irony but found himself unable to do so, the edges of his vision were turning white, the small feelings he had of the body were vanishing. He knew the use of the Innocence would have a strong effect, he could not longer remain in control in this damaged body.
"Unfortunately…it will have… to wait…" Neah managed to wheeze out as he looked at the man in front, Link's expression clouding at his words.
"Until…next…time"
His eyes rolled back into his head, and Neah was gone, leaving Allen Walker to pitch forward into Link's surprised grasp.
"How is he?"
Lenalee shifted nervously outside of the infirmary, waiting for the Head Nurse and her brother to come out. Lavi stood quietly next to her, whilst Kanda leant with his eyes closed some distance away but still listening.
"Only a few wounds were reopened, which is good. However the use of his innocence means the fever is back in full force. It must have put a massive strain on his considering the condition it was in. I'm surprised the N..Noah was able to use it. In terms of strength, we're back to square one. Even if the wounds are healing, if his immune system isn't and the pain isn't, it makes things hard"
The Head Nurse shook her head worriedly as she spoke, but schooled her expression into one of warmth so as not to worry any of the others. Behind her Komui stared ahead, glasses flashing in a way that concealed his expression. He saw Lenalee nod at the Head Nurses words and then shift her eyes to him. He tightened his lips before smiling, walking forward to her.
"Do you want to see him? Link is waiting there. Also Kanda-kun and Lavi, I would appreciate it if you stayed. There is a lot to discuss in terms of why a Noah was able to get in, and I think it would take a lot off the science division mind to know Allen-kun is safe too"
Kanda grunted irritably, taking the request for what it was. Babysitting duty. Lavi merely nodded and followed Lenalee in who had pushed through the doors the second her brother has stopped speaking.
"Is he okay?" Lenalee stopped at Allen's head as she addressed Link who sat in the corner of the room. She gently stoked his hair.
"I guess. He might wake up soon, considering the painkillers burn out so quickly. We have some more to give him when he does"
Link sat stiffly, back straight as he watched the girl gently comb her hands through the soft strands of hair. Behind her the other two exorcists emerged, the Bookman Jr coming over and placing himself near Link.
"What do you think about today"
Link turned to look at the red head who was focused on him. He didn't quite know what to say, being addressed so straightforward.
"In what regards?"
Lavi rolled his eyes at the formality of the man.
"In the regards to the fact the Noah decided to make an appearance now, when the hard part is conveniently over. Why do you think he showed himself now?"
Link shook his head. He did not know. He couldn't understand what the Noah wanted at all. But he head seen it when Kanda had burst open the door. In that split second, the Noah had unleashed a burst of Innocence from his arm, not as a means of attack although it had proved quite effective, but as a means of protection. He did not understand. The Noah clearly felt no pain as Allen did, yet he did not allow the spikes to pierce the boy. Link tried to convince himself it was because the Noah needed Walkers body, what use would if be full of holes, but he had seen how the Noah had tried to control the Innocence. Instead of enlarging Crown Clown to fully invoke the arm, he had merely used the presence of the Innocence. From what Link understood from the Head Nurse, things would have been much worse (pain wise) had the Innocence been invoked. Why would a Noah who felt no pain, make an effort to spare it? Link's thoughts were interrupted by a small groan from the bed. Walker was waking up.
"Allen? Is it you? Can you hear me?" Lenalee backed off a bit as the boy rolled over, confused as he tried to sit up slightly and failed.
"Ma..n..a. Mana… where is Mana?" he mumbled, his voice weak
Lenalee looked to Link worriedly, who shrugged.
"Allen, Mana isn't here. Remember?"
"He was. I saw him. I have to get back to him .He's going to be mad I left him again."
Link frowned at this. What was Walker taking about. Clearly Lenalee felt the same way as blinked suprised at Allen's panicked tone of voice. She hesitated as she tried to answer Allen. Instead she asked a question, not really expecting an answer.
"Mad at you? What do you mean?"
And to her surprise she got one.
"Im not supposed to leave him. I'm his. He'll be mad if he knows I'm with others. He might do it again…I don't want that."
Lenalee frowned. His? Allen was not making any sense. She put it down to the fever as she moved her hand to gentle strong Allen's shoulder.
"Its okay, Mana won't…er… do anything. He isn't here right now"
Allen shook his head, swallowing loudly as he grasped at Lenalee's hand, desperate to make her understand
"He will. He did before. It was my fault though…because I went off. He got mad. Even though I'm not supposed to be, I was with other people. He got mad, but for me. Since other people will hurt me, he said. So he made them go away. I just need him, so I need to get back to him. Please, where is Mana…"
Lenalee couldn't respond. What was Allen saying? He had never spoke to any of them about Mana before. Not properly. She glanced behind her and saw her expression mirrored in everyone else. Their wide eyes showed that they too understood what the boy was perhpas saying. She turned back and spoke cautiously, eyes wary
"Allen…What do you mean Mana made them go away?"
Allen smiled hazily.
"He got rid of them. Because I didn't need them. I only needed him. Mana said so. That's why I need to find him. I need to get back to Mana"
Ooooh. Whats the truth about Mana?
Also what does Road have to do with Eve? Aside from that not a lot really happens I guess. But dont worry, there will be more Neah and more Noah. Questions will start to be answered!
I hope it was an okay chapter, it was hard to write as its one of those chapters that sort of bridge together parts of the story in a way :)
Please continue to review. thank you
