When I first listened to AmaLee's Synchronicity, I was pretty much blown away. It's beautiful in every aspect and it reminded me a lot of Alma, Kanda and Qin. The epigraph in the beginning of the chapter is the verse in the song that hits me the hardest. It perfectly describes the three of them and their relationship to each other. Needless to say, I listened to it to get in the grove of writing.
An Announcement, I have a new tumblr page called WinterYule where I will be posting my writing progress and when I'm about to update as well as bits and pieces of stories that didn't make it in and even a bit of art.
Important question, would you guys be interested in having a discord server? It would also be a good way for me to interact with you guys. I'm actually thinking of co-hosting one with Cheshire's Mayhem who wrote Veils of Ink and Gold that features very interesting OC x Tyki fic. You should check out her story, it's really good.
Okay, let's get into the reviews
(xenocanaan) Thank you. I hope that you like this chapter too.
(Savage Kill) Yep, I've been trying to get here but there was lots of ground to cover before this. I have lots of fun writing their little adventures but it's time for the story to move forward.
(Adripadher) Go you! Go do the thing that we always want to do! We will cheer you on and support you. Cross, you better protect our hero!
(pendora59) Thank you. I'm sorry I haven't picked up French and I don't really want to butcher your language so I hope you don't mind if I reply in English. Being a Second Exorcist will definitely give you an advantage and you can just knock Alma and Yu out and drag them to the exit and then everything will be less depressive. I mean learn from Qin's mistake and just get them out of there.
(ADDBaby) Both are equally sad but don't be sad 😞 Thank you, it really makes me happy that you think so. And it also makes me giddy that you picked up on the fact. It's true that even though Qin is very dear to Alma but Alma and Yu have a special bond. Ooh, I would give you a bunch of tissues and hand you a kitty to cheer you up. And all the strays you meet will definitely love you.
(tyesedon) Thank you, I'm enjoying my holidays quite a bit even though it involves lots of cleaning. Kanda would probably forget but it would be at the back of his mind tickling until it finally clicks (maybe when Lavi make a dirty joke or something) and he would jolt up his seat, face burning red with embarrassment. XD It would probably be very funny since he would be super sensitive to any innuendo after that realisation.
Ooh brave one! Go meet Allen and the others and have the adventure of a lifetime.
(dizzydaz97) Thank you? *pats head*
(Cheshire Mayhem) Haha, now only I noticed the other half of the review. I'm still giddy that you picked up that Twi is pregnant and yes, if Bak had a little brother he and Fou would bully Bak endlessly but he loves them anyways.
(Guest) Thank you. And yes, I love that scene a lot. Yu's face is always scary even when he's trying to comfort someone. Which makes me wonder how he tries to comfort a crying Lenalee? He's going to have to practice, must as well start now.
(Crystal Blue Butterfly) Ooh, Hello! Thank you for checking out my story and I'm glad you like it. :)
14th Night
Hear Our Prayer
"As we drift into the world of night,
We huddle close together, wings tucked in tight,
Like little birds that can't find the strength to fly,
We dream about a wide open sky."
-Amalee, Synchronicity
Inevitability, I never thought I would hate a word more than now.
Breathing, I pushed open the heavy wooden doors, cold mists enveloped me, blinding my vision for a second before fading away, leaving me alone to face this cold reality. I looked down.
Blood. Blood was everywhere.
I could barely keep myself from balking as I took a step into the Cold Containment Chamber, red engulfing the white that usually pervades the room. I tightened my gripped on the CROW'S needle, keeping my eyes away from the ground and the pods glowing crimson. Every part of me was screaming at me to run away and make a break for it…but I couldn't do that. Didn't want to do that.
Taking a breath, I pushed myself forward. A body hurled at me and I leapt to the side, turning to see the bloodied body of a CROW cracked with a sickening crunch as it splattered to the ground, red spilling everywhere, rushing towards me and pooling around my feet. My breath quivered. I'm so scared. I'm so scared. The blood sticks to my feet, as if begging for me to save them. I closed my eyes, taking one breath after another, trying my best to calm down.
"Alma, don't do this…"
My eyes snapped open. That's Edgar's voice. Whipping my head left and right, I struggled to find the source of the voice. There! I could barely make out the figures in the fog but it was enough. Pushing myself forward, I ran off, leaving bloody footprints on the floor, nearly slipping and falling into the pit if I hadn't caught myself in time. No time. I have to hurry! Bursting through the fog I met Edgar's alarmed eyes.
"Qin, get away!" He pulled a heavily bleeding Twi Chang behind him.
I couldn't.
Breathing heavily, so heavily that I could swear that I could smell the stench of fear and death in the air. The fear grows sinisterly as Alma turned to look at me, a smile stretched across his face but there was no warmth. This wasn't the Alma that I had gotten to know…this wasn't my friend anymore. The winged Innocence flexed and stretched, an in an instant, shot towards Edgar, stabbing him through the chest. Stumbling back, I fell to ground, blood, Edgar's blood splattering onto my face.
"Qin, you're here," His eyes were chilling, "I was waiting for you…"
As I stared into his eyes, I couldn't help but to think; Is this how everything was going to end? Wasn't there something I could've done to stop this? Wasn't my existence enough to change this? I closed my eyes, mind racing through every possibilities that I could've taken.
What could I have done differently?
Forty-eight hours. That's all it took for everything to turn to hell.
And I was none the wiser. I though that everything would be fine, that time was on our side, that it wouldn't be long before we left this hell hole of a place. And everything would be fine. But time and winter has a way of creeping up on us, snaring us in a sinister play of inevitability.
And on that cold morning, while the three of us were up in our own little worlds, no idea that our roles written in inks of black and white slowly came to life. It was the beginning of an end.
"Qin?" A voice called out to me in the darkness.
Gentle hands gripped my shoulders, shaking me and with great reluctance, my eyes fluttered open, a warm tear dripped down my cheek. I wiped it away in an instant but felt unsettled. Why was I crying? Before I could even grasp at the reason, memories of the dream faded, out of my reach.
"Were you even listening to me?" Alma pouted, eyebrow quirking up, eyes mixed with annoyance and concern at the same time.
He had been rather careful with me ever since our fight. And it felt unnaturally unnatural at times. And I have no idea how to react to it. So I do what I always did, I play along, pretending that nothing was wrong.
I yawned and grinned, "Yep, been listening this whole time."
Relaxing onto the pillar of the Cold Containment Chamber, my eyes wandered, briefly spotting Kanda sitting at the other corner, quiet and staring off into the distance. It looks like I wasn't the only one getting tired of Alma and his long ass ramblings.
"Argh, this is so hard? Why is writing a letter so hard?" Alma crumbled the paper into a ball and tossed it a little too vehemently.
I eyes at the growing pile, keeping a note at the back of my mind to get rid of it. But procrastination is no virtue. Sighing, I bent down and picked it up, ball by ball and tossed it on the blanket that he had sat on that now laid empty as he paced back and forth with a pile of messy parchments in his arms. If he keeps this up, he's going to wear a hole into the ground. And that means someone's (read: most probably me) going to trip and it's not going to be pretty. But after hearing him ramble on and on for almost two days about what to write and dealing with hundreds of discarded 'Dear friends' letters, tripping would be a welcome distraction.
"How long should I make it? What words should I use? What if they can't understand what I'm trying to say?" He threw his hands up in defeat and walk circles around the sleeping pit and me being me, I was half-hoping that he would fall in and make a splash.
"Maybe a swim will keep your brain juice flowing?" I picked at a thread at the hem of my shirt.
His head snapped towards me, eyes wide, "You want me to freeze to death?"
At this point, maybe. "Ugh, just write that damn letter already!"
"It's not that easy!" He folded his arms and pouted defensively, "What would you write anyways?"
"This way to exit?" I shrugged, "Fight for your freedom? Follow the water and swim like a fish? A map, perhaps?"
"But what if they can't figure it out?" And he started pacing again, carrying into another rant which I quickly tune out.
"Well, they're sleepy, not dopey," I flicked the thread, watching in fascination as it fluttered to the ground, "Don't treat them like they don't know how to think or figure stuff out. Give them some credit."
To be honest, I don't think that leaving a letter would make much of a difference. Even if they do wake up, which was a stretch, there's no guarantee that they would even find it and even if they find it, there's no guarantee they would even want to leave. But either ways, they would definitely be better off (though I'm also not so sure about that) if we just left.
Not that I'm going to say that to his face. The incident from two days ago still fresh on my mind. My smile soured a little at the thought. No point picking at a scabbing wound that's starting to heal.
"I don't know…" Alma scratched his head with the butt of his pen.
I gave him a blunt stare, "Are you calling them brainless?" I crouched down and whispered into the pit, "Psst, hey, did you hear that? Your friend here thinks you guys are brainless."
"Hey!" He looked insulted, "That's not what I meant at all and shh! Don't say it so loud, you're going to hurt their feelings!"
"They're asleep, Alma," I deadpanned.
"Even so!" His voice dropped to a whisper and grumbled to himself, "…they're going to be our friends too…I like to think they're listening when I'm talking to them anyways."
I rolled my eyes, of course he I have a feeling that he likes the sound of his voice, a lot.
But if I squint a bit deeper, I could really see that wasn't really the case. He talks a lot to fill in the quite spaces in between conversations and lengths of silence. It sometimes feels like he's afraid of silence. Maybe it reminded him how lonely it was for him when he first woken up?
Must be why they meant so much to him. I peeked at the sleeping pits, blowing hot breaths onto my hands and rubbing them together for warmth. They must've represented some kind of hope for him at that time.
Which makes everything feels all kinds of twisted poetic-nes, knowing what might happen in the end.
"Dear…." I watch in fascination as Alma started listing out and jotting out the names of the second exorcist. You're joking. It's never going to end anytime soon if he keeps this up.
"That's a long opening for your long list of lovers," I whistled, "Writing a love letter, are we?"
"Not helping, Qin," He turned away from me, holding it closer to his body and I rolled my eyes, "I saw that."
"No you didn't," I kept a straight face as he peeked back at me.
"Yes I did," He shot back, "Yu, tell her you saw that too."
There was silence.
"Yu?"
"What do you want with me?"
I snapped my head to the side and Alma spun around, watching in horror as Kanda crumbled to the ground, fingers caging around his head, face pinched in agony. My heart hammered and stopped. I know this…Realisation came to me, drying up all moisture in my throat. My body trembled, screaming at me to do something.
No, no, no, no, no. This can't be happening. I thought we have more time.
"Yu? What's wrong?" Alma ran forward. I reached out to grab him but missed, finger brushing past his wrist.
I watched, still unable to break free of the fear and dread clamping onto me as Alma dropped to his knees, throwing his arms around Kanda, muttering words that swung between panic and comfort. Nothing seem to work. My eyes darted around the Cold Containment Chamber. No one, perfect. If we want to leave, it has to be now. Gritting my teeth together, I pushed myself forward, dragging Kanda and throwing his arm around my shoulders, ignoring Alma's protests.
"We need to go, now," Without waiting for him, I started dragging Kanda painfully slowly towards the door.
Why is he so heavy? What had he been eating? Alma's secret stash of mayonnaise?
Alma followed after me, confusion clear on his face as he dragged Kanda's other arm over his shoulders.
"What are you doing, Qin? Yu's in pain, he needs help," He glanced at me but his gaze always drifted back to Kanda, "We should call Doctor Edgar and the others."
"No!" I yelled and came to a stop before resuming my steps and dropping down to a hissed whisper, "If we want to help him, we need to leave now."
He didn't look good. Kanda's eyes were open but they were glassy as if they weren't really seeing at all. And with each step forward, he muttered jumbled words under his breath, making me feel a sense of unease. Alma's right. He's definitely in pain and he needs help. But they won't be able to help him. He groaned, fingers tightening around my upper arm and sunk his nails into my skin. It's getting worse. But I can't stop. If we stop now, it's over. Pressing on, I tried to move faster despite the weight, pain and pressure. Alma's eyes keep darting towards Kanda, the creases of worry between his brow growing deeper.
"Qin, I think we really should-"
"Damn it, Alma, will you just trust me for once!"
He stopped, abruptly. I pitched forward and stumbled before catching myself. Confused, I swivelled back and met his eyes. There were doubt in them. I sighed. Of course he would have doubts, he had no idea what's going to happen. Yu, Edgar, Twi, the scientists, everyone here is a part of his big dysfunctional family. Of course he would think they would have the best of intentions. Why does everything have to be so complicated?
"Alma?"
"He's in pain. He needs help, Qin," He was earnest and that made it even more frustrating.
I had so much to say. Words bubbled up in my throat, threatening to spill out. I wanted to say something, anything, that could make him see it my way. But the words jumbled in my mind and couldn't come fast enough. As I opened my mouth, a Golem shot through from the corner, glassy eyes wide and unblinking. Shit. It's too late. Crackling voices broke through and footsteps pounded, growing louder. Edgar burst through the door, Rikki and the others following close behind and their eyes fell onto the boys, yelling orders to the staff behind them.
I froze.
What should I do?
Everything happened in an instant, the scientists, pulling Kanda away from Alma. What can I do? Alma reached out towards Edgar, voice frantic and Edgar muttered comforting words to Alma, assuring him that everything was going to be alright. All lies, I knew better. But I couldn't do a damn thing.
Holding my breath, bottling up my every concern, my every panic and anxiety that threatened to crack the already full bottle, I watched helplessly as they took Kanda and exited the door. Watch as Alma called out after them, watch as the door closed, leaving the two of us alone. And everything was silent once more. The seconds ticked by and the atmosphere grew heavier…almost choking and I remembered I was holding my breath.
I breathed out, but didn't feel any better.
Glaring at the offending spot on the ground, my jaw tightened and my hands balled into shaking fists. There's a heavy, intense feeling burning in my chest but I wasn't sad, I'm angry. And I want to hit something. It better be something good before I bury my fist into Alma's teeth.
Something black fluttered into my vision. It's glassy, unblinking eye stared down at me and I saw was red.
Reaching up, I grabbed it's tail, snapping it's body into my other hand, covering that annoying eye and stomped towards the door. It's all your fault, I muttered under my breath with a low growl, if you hadn't appeared, I would've had everything under control! I pried open the door in one brutal movement.
You nosy piece of equipment!
"Get out and stay out!" I yelled hurling the ball into the distance, sticking out my tongue and slamming the door shut, rattling the walls.
"Qin?" Alma stared at me thunderstruck.
I pressed my back against the door, cold seeping into me as I struggled to regain a semblance of calmness. It didn't work. My breaths becoming more and more erratic. Again, he called my name and I snapped my head towards him, glaring. All of a sudden, he looks so punchable. And he heals fast too. The more I thought about it, the more tempting it was. It's just one punch, and all will be good. It wouldn't even hurt much. It would definitely hurt much less than when Kanda cratered him into the wall and much less than the synchro-testing sessions and definitely much less when he eventually kills us all.
"Qin, what are you doing?" He shivered as he took a step back as I took one forward and it took me a second to realise that I was holding up my shaking fist.
Just one little punch and it'll all be good.
But damn it, I don't have time for this. Sighing, I dropped my arm, pressing down on my thumb, tightly wrapped between my fingers. We're already running on borrowed time and it felt like the sand had finally trickled down to its last grains. Images of blood and mangled bodies in black and white flashed through my mind and my fear spiked. I shook my head, clearing the thoughts away. I'm not going to let that happen. I can't let that happen.
There's still time.
Turning on my heels, I headed towards the door.
"Qin?"
I paused mid-step, looking over my shoulder, "What?"
"Where are you going?"
"Why should I tell you? You don't really care anyways," I watch with deep satisfaction as he flinched.
"I-"
"I'm serious when I said that they're not going to help him. They can't. And you're going to realise that I'm right," The words flow, I couldn't stop myself, "I just ask for you to trust me. You clearly don't"
He shrunk. And I wanted to say more, but this really wasn't the time.
I bit on the many other things I wanted to say to him. Some hurtful, some even spiteful, but I couldn't bring myself to voice it. It didn't seem fair. He doesn't know better. I repeated the last line in my mind, simmering down my temperament that's all over the place.
"Listen, Alma," Glancing into the freezing waters, I chose my words carefully, "You made a promise to me. Please keep it."
Not waiting for his reply, I pushed the door open and stepped into the hallways before backtracking and popping my head into the room and yelled, "Oh! And when you get a tray, don't forget to keep it when you're done clubbing people with it. Remember that!"
And off I ran. My mind raced as I keep an eye out for Golem, making sure that none was near me and none was watching. Thousands of thoughts circled in my mind, I don't know what I should do but there has to be something. Think! The scientists, they're going to dispose of Kanda soon, Alma's going to realise that and try to break him out, he would get that tray to knock everyone out and try to escape through that water canal, and then the CROWS will appear and then what? And then, everything goes to hell.
What can I do? How can I ensure that we get a chance to get away?
We need a distraction. I need to buy Alma more time to get away with Kanda. And the CROWS spells are definitely going to be a problem. I have no idea how the hell they would work except that they can trapped us in barricades of yellow slips and the needles would stun our muscles.
And almost instantly, I knew what to do.
Turning on my heel, I raced towards our quarters, bursting through the door and beeline towards the beds. Pillows, pillows, pillows. I grabbed Yu's fluffy pillow and ripped into it, pulling out bits and pieces of feathers making a mess on the floor. Holding it upright, I pulled Alma's pillow tucking it under my arm. A small slip fluttered onto the ground.
Confused, I picked it up. It was a photo…one that was folded quite a few times and had crooked edges. It was of the three of us with the rest of the scientists. A sour look was on mine and Yu's face as we turned away from each other with a brightly smiling Alma in the middle. This was so long ago…we weren't even friends yet. And he's keeping it under his pillow all this time?
Biting my lip, I debated for a bit, before tucking it into my pocket. He might still want it.
Sighing, I reached out for the blankets, swinging them over my shoulder and took one last look at our room, every nook and cranny and whispered goodbye before shooting out the door and leaving it all behind.
"Damn it, where should I go?" I looked at the diverging hallways, "Sahlins meeting room? No. The water canal."
I looked towards the more dingy hallways. Alma would definitely go there, but I need to get to them before he gets there. Taking a turn, I nearly slammed into a body but they managed to stop just in time.
"Alma?"
"Qin?" He was huffing, Kanda barely clinging onto his back and his fingers barely clinging on to a rather bent up tray. He took one look at me and yelled, "Where were you? I was looking everywhere for you!"
"Shh!" I slapped my palm onto his lips, dragging him aside to the corner, "Not so loud, dummy! You want to get us caught?"
He shook his head furiously and I dropped my palm, pressing my hand on the blankets on my shoulders that were slipping.
"You were right, Qin," Alma's voice was shaking as he spoke between breaths, "They wanted to get rid of Yu. But I couldn't just let him-"
"I know, I know…" I took the chance to glance at Kanda and he wasn't in much better shape, slipping between the lines of conscious and unconscious, "But we really need to go now. The CROWS are going to come after us, any moment now. If we get caught, it's all over for all of us."
"Then let's go now. Let's leave through the irrigation canal-"
"If we go that way, we will definitely be caught."
His eyes widened with alarm, "Then what should we do?"
I looked at him, "Do you trust me, Alma?"
He stared into my eyes, blue eyes for once clear of doubts, "I do."
"Then here's what we need to do," I grinned, pressing the torn pillow and a blanket into his arms.
"Find them!" Sahlins roared, "Under no circumstances should they escape!"
The state of the Asian Branch Underground Laboratory could only be described as chaos. Not even an hour ago, they had found out that one of their experiment had failed and was slotted to be frozen and disposed of. And not even ten minutes after that, they returned to a scene littered with knocked out scientists, and the subject known as Yu was gone. To make things more dire, the other two Seconds, Alma and Qin were nowhere to be found. And the Overseer of the experiment, Sahlins Epstein didn't seem too pleased.
Castor, the appointed leader of CROWS' unit, tugged on his hood as he absorbed the information. Their role was now more important than ever. Central had posted them to the Asian Branch to monitor the progress of the Second Exorcist Project and intervene if anything had gone out of hand. After the last incident, intervention was needed and now, it's proven to be necessary.
The Second Exorcist Project was a top secret experiment that had been keep under in-measurable amount of bureaucratic tape that even most high ranking officials in the Black Order hadn't even heard about it. And he had orders from the top to keep it that way. If the three subjects were to escape or were to be discovered by an outsider, there would be consequences.
But he, the leader of the Central Office Battle Corps, unit four wasn't going to let that happen.
In his books, they were the liability and needed to be dealt with promptly. Their fates were sealed from the moment that they had decided to run away.
Without even a single work uttered, they went to work, making quick work of tracking down the targets, gleaming clues and traces along the hallways. It wasn't a monuments tasks, their targets were children after all, and children were always sloppy.
Found them.
He zeroed in on them. Picking up his presence, they turned eyes wide and frightened and he wasn't certain but there were hints of defiance shinning within them. No matter, it will be over in an instant.
"Run, Alma, run!" The girl yelled at they boy and they rushed into divergent paths.
Splitting up, are they? Without speaking, two of his underlings went after the boy, but when the third was about to follow, Castor lifted his arm to stop him, "Wait." He looked down onto the ground, eyes trailing along the path of feathers that followed down the path the boy had went. His mind flashed to that instant before that they were both carrying something heavily obscured in blankets on their back. A sardonic smile pulled on his lips. So this was their plan.
"Our main objective to capture and contain the subject Yu. Let Madora and Vora handle the boy," He looked down the other path, clear of feathers, "Our target is with the girl."
Lowering down his arm, the chase began. They were hot on her trail as the girl stumbled, pressing herself to go faster, out of their reach. Even though she was tiny and small, Castor had to admit that she was fast, outrunning them and taking unexpected twists and turns to lose them. Clever, Castor thought to himself, but not clever enough. He threw a needle at her as he made a turn, the sharp edge grazed the side of her cheek before embedding onto the wall.
"That was a warning shot," His voice steely and commanding, "Come with us quietly or face the consequences."
Her blue eyes narrowed she gritted her teeth.
"Bleh!" She stuck out her tongue and made a break for it.
Castor couldn't help but to sigh. Why do they always choose to do it the hard way? His cloak billowed around him as he pushed himself to go faster, years of training serving him well as he didn't even feel a slight bit out of breath. But she was getting tired. He could tell from the way, her breathing became more and more erratic and her steps stumbling.
She disappeared into the corner and he turned as fast only to discover that she was gone. Impossible, she wasn't that fast. The sound of rushing water caught his ears and he spotted the manhole in the ground.
"Tch," He clicked his tongue and signal for his men to follow.
One by one, they dropped down the manhole into the irrigation canal. From the corner of his eyes, he caught sight of a sliver of blonde flashing by. And the chase continued, and they were in his sights again. The girl pushed herself to go faster, panic apparent in her breathing as she cast her eyes over her shoulder, every few seconds, the dread in her expression becoming all the more clear.
And opening appeared ahead and Castor could see light and a ledge leading down into the rushing waters. It's the end of the road, she was cornered now, nowhere to run. She peered into the distance and he saw a silver of hope in her face. Is that her plan? He won't let that happen. He send needles flying.
Clang! And a scream, the needles tore through the sheet and clattered to the ground. Castor blinked, confused, watching her fall over, clutching the needle pierced through her shoulder as the blanket tied around her loosened, a metal tray and a pillow clattering to the ground, their main target nowhere in sight.
What's happening?
Not missing a beat, his unit sends the defensive charms flying, forming a barricade of yellow around her, restricting her movement. So that Apostle was with that boy all along. He took a step forward, feeling fury and shame burned within him. It was his mistake and he hates mistakes. No matter, it wouldn't be long before Madora and Vora capture and contain them. At this point, none of it makes a difference.
There's no escape for her now.
"Apostle," He kept his voice steely, "Please return."
She gripped her shoulder, panting, catching her breath and her eyes darted around as if searching for something. What, Castor didn't know and honestly didn't care. There's no way out now. All of a sudden, her eyes fixed onto something behind him and she grinned.
"CANONBALL RUN!"
Castor turned his head only to see the apostle known as Alma rushing towards them in a sprint, a flurry of feathers fluttering behind him. He was stunned before registering the situation. The CROWS sent yellow slips and needles flying after them but it was too late. The boy barrelled past them, knocking into the Restriction Wings and right into the girl, sending the three of them flying over the edge.
Castor stared down the ledge at empty space, disbelieved. And then annoyance coated uncomfortably around him. Now, he had to go down and get them.
"Idiots, all of you," Kanda hissed under his breath as I gained consciousness.
Bak's scream rang dully in my ears as I coughed out water, my body flailing uselessly as Kanda dragged us out of the water by or collars and tossed us onto the ground before collapsing behind us. Hissing, I shivered as the cold air bit into my bones as I struggled to regain mobility and feelings in my limbs. Numbness and pain permeate through my left shoulder down to my fingers. I could feel the effects of the CROWS needle's hex working on my body, spreading the pain and numbness. Pressing my other hand against the floor, I tried to push myself up only to fall flat again.
Shit, this is bad. I slammed my fist against the ground. We need to get up and get out of here fast. It wouldn't take long for the CROWS to catch up to us.
"Are you two trying to get me killed?" Kanda groaned, voice muffled as he was face down against the floor.
Jeez, a thank you would be nice. But I didn't have the strength to berate him as we lay there in a pile, trying desperately to catch our breaths.
"Hey…Can you pull this thing out?" His tone polite for once.
"The doctor!" Bak stammered, "I'll go get him!"
Oh no, you don't. Reaching out I grabbed his leg as Kanda grabbed the other, sending Bak falling face flat onto the ground.
"Chief, what's wrong?" Is that Marie? I was too tired that I didn't want to turn to check.
"Don't need a doctor," Kanda spoke between breaths, "If you just yank it out, it'll heal."
"Please…There's a hex on it and it's giving me a hard time…"
I must be losing my mind. Did Kanda just used the word please. I watched from the corner of my vision as Marie picked up Kanda and yanked the needle out. There's no time. We have to get away now. Shifting my body slightly, Alma's body came into my vision, unmoving and covered in stray feathers but otherwise completely unharmed. There's no traces of CROW needles. Good.
"Alma," I groaned, kicking him in the face, "Get up, we need to go now. GET UP!"
I heard Alma came to life, sucking in deep breaths and sputtering water all over, scrambling to get away from my foot and I felt a whoosh of relief. He can move.
"Ugh! It's so cold!" Alma groaned, rubbing his hands over his arms in a fruitless attempt to get warm, "I died so many times. I thought it's never going to end….Eh, who are you? And you? And Yu! Are you hurt?"
I kicked him, "Need help. Yank the needle out. Talk later."
"Qin!" He scrambled over, reaching down and yanking the needle out in one painful motion, "Your plan work!"
"No, it's not over yet," I got to my feet, stumbling, my left arm still numb and hanging uselessly but I was no longer in pain, "The CROWS are coming."
Almost as if they heard me, they appeared, walking out of the shadows, all eyes drawn to their red robes. Bak stared at the CROWS before looking back at us, confusion and conflict clashing in his eyes. I took a step forward but my balance off, Alma launching forward to steady me. This is bad. This is real bad. My gaze dropped onto Kanda. He's in that state of conscious and unconscious again. He can't run like that.
"Hand over the children," The CROWS' held out his hand.
"What did they do?" Bak put himself in between, shielding us, "They're just children."
Clutching at my shoulder, I looked up at Bak in surprise. He's not just handing us over and be done with it? I bit my lip. That's going to buy us some time but it won't matter much, the CROWS are going to try to take us back by force, one way or another. But I'm not going back. We've come to far to stop now.
"Grab Yu," I whispered to Alma and he nodded, shifting closer to Marie.
"We're under direct orders to retrieve them, Asian Branch Head Chief, Bak."
"But what for? Why are they hurt that way?" Bak sounded more and more authoritative, "Is it really necessary to use your needles on children?"
Alma held Yu in his arms, trying to wake him up and Marie stood up and even though his eyes were bandaged, I could tell that he was confused. I scanned the room, taking in any paths that served as a quick escape route. At this point, it didn't matter if we get out or not, we're going to have to lose those CROWS or it would all be for nothing.
Time to bring in the waterworks.
"Mister," I sniffed, pulling at Bak's clothing and staring up at him with a pair of kicked puppy eyes, "Those men are being meanies."
"What did they do? You can tell me," He looked at my limp arm, drumming up the pity level for my case.
"Those bad men, took me and my friends from our village and bring us here, promising us lots of candy," Please buy it, buy it, buy it because my ass is on the line, "That man told us that we're going to polish their dirty boots everyday now and bring them their lunches."
"What?"
"And if we don't, they would punish us," Suddenly, I have a splash of inspiration, "It was horrible, Mister. They said lots of bad words and even called us names. And he says so many terrible things about other people too. Like how the blonde Assistant Branch Chief is so skinny and weak that he could take him in a fist fight and that the lady Branch Chief has big bosoms and is so fine and he liked to tap that."
"Outrageous," Bak gasped, spinning around and glaring at the CROWS, face red with anger and second hand embarrassment, "My mother -Ahem- The Branch Chief will hear about this-"
Sorry about this. I pushed Bak, sending him stumbling forward into the CROWS. And started running. Looking over my shoulder, I spotted Alma struggling to drag Kanda along as he ran, panting heavily.
"Toss him!"
"What?"
"Hurl him as far as you can!"
Even with adrenaline pumping through my veins, I couldn't help but to snicker as Alma threw an angry cussing Kanda into the distance. He sailed over my head, sending me mini death glares before slamming face first into the pillar, leaving a significant crack before falling flat onto the ground. I stumbled, trying not to die of laughter as I ran up to him.
"I'm going to get you for that," He hissed as we scooped him up.
"You can thank me, later," I was barely holding in my laughter, nearly losing my grip on him.
The CROWS were hot on our tails, gaining on us as we frantically, dragged Kanda across the floor, trying to get away. My left arm regained feeling. It's about time. I clamped both hands down on Kanda's arm and heaved, moving faster than before. But it wasn't enough. The CROWS were getting closer. I hissed curse words under my breath, hoping for some miracles to happen. All of a sudden, something did. The pillar cracked, and with a thunderous sound crashed onto the ground, sending billows of smoke and dust everywhere and dividing us from the CROWS.
What do you know? Wishes do come true.
"Go," I hushed whispered, helping Kanda onto Alma's back and off we went with no directions where we are heading and through the dust, we can barely see each other.
"Argh!" Alma screamed through the dust, I turned left and right unable to see him. Opening my mouth, I was about to call out to him when he yelled, "Let go! Ahhh...Qin, run! Hide!"
Without thinking, my body moved and I smooshed myself into the corner behind blocks of stuff. A shadow appeared and I saw glimpse of red robes and my heart hammered harder. Covering, my mouth, I tried not to make a sound, drowning in panic-related adrenaline pumping through my veins. The CROW stopped in front of the place I stuck myself in, robes shifting as he looked around.
"Did you find her?" A voice crackled through the Golem.
I held my breath.
"No," The CROW replied, "The girl apostle is nowhere to be found."
"We have the other two in our posession. We'll hand them in now, you stay and track her down."
"Understood."
The communication cut out. I stayed perfectly still waiting, praying. And the CROW finally left. Relieved, I dropped ny hands from my mouth, the corner of my cheeks aching from the pressure. I looked out, the dust already settled and the coast looked clear but I didn't leave. Hugging my knees to my chest, I pressed my forehead against my arm. For the first time in a long time, I was really alone.
"It's gone! The Innocence, it's all gone!" Alma slammed his bloodied fist onto the ground, ignoring the pain that shot up his fingers as the skin knitted back together, regenerating.
Just when he needed to find it the most, it's no longer at the place where it usually was. But Alma was quick to get into action, pushing open one of the door and and sneaking into the wide dark room where the only light source came from a hole in the ground with a gigantic tube leading down it. He creeped out towards it, peering down into the white light and he knew that this was it. This was where the scientists had stored the Innocence when they finished with the Synchronisation testing. He could feel the soft hum of energy in in the air, leaving tingling sensation at the tip of his fingers and the soft whispers calling out to him.
"Where are you, Alma?" A voice called out in the distance.
Alma whipped his head behind him, growling under his breath in annoyance, "Damn it, they're too quick to get here!"
And he had just got away from them too! He grimaced, still feeling the sensations of the shackles ghosting on his wrist. It had hurt a lot when he ripped them out to escape. He couldn't sit still and wait while Qin was still out there on her own, finding her way out and Yu was taken away from him and would be frozen and disposed of. He just couldn't. If only they had left together earlier…He berated himself for his mistake but he cut down that thought as soon as it came. Now wasn't the time to think about this. He had to get the Innocence, and he had to get to it before he gets caught.
"Wait for me, Yu.." Breathing heavily, Alma grabbed the tube leaning further in, towards the hole ready to climb down, "I won't let them get rid of you."
"Alma!" The door creaked open and the light shone into his face, throwing him off balance and Alma found himself falling.
"Ahh!" Panicking, he threw his arms and legs around the tube, trying to regain his bearings, hissing as his leg slipped for a moment and letting a sigh of relief when he regained his grip, "Oh my god, that was close. I slipped."
A light shined overhead and Edgar's face appeared above, for the first time looking completely mad, "What are you doing down there?"
"Ack!" Alma's heart thundered as he struggled to hold on.
This was the first time Edgar had ever used that tone on them. The man's usual calm and kind demeanour was gone replaced with a strict parent or disciplinarian that held an air similar to Twi. And Alma couldn't help but to shiver at that. Twi can be very scary when she really wants to. And seeing Edgar now, with that expression and that tone, Alma had to wonder when did Edgar learned that from Twi?
"Get back up here, Alma!" Edgar roared, "I know that Yu's precious to you but-"
Something snapped inside Alma, "NO!"
How dare he? How dare they? How can he even say that after all they've gone through together? That he should just let him die? That all the time that they had spent together didn't matter? And that all the pain they've gone through didn't matter? That in the end, they're all going to be split apart anyways? That he has to watch Yu die and wait in fear wondering when they were going to take Qin away next?
"How can you guys ever hope to understand?" Alma shot back, arms gripping tighter around the tube, eyes blazing with anger, "What do you want me to do? Sit down and watch Yu die? If you guys really understand, you wouldn't trying to split us apart! And who are you going towhat's next? Me? Qin?"
"I'm not going to sit here and watch Yu die!" The tube shook violently.
Alma watched as Edgar's expression withered looking almost helpless and haunted. And the anger inside him subsided and Alma almost felt guilty. But it didn't matter. Alma tightened his jaw, his resolve burning stronger than ever. He have to save Yu. He have to get the Innocence. It was the only way out. It was the only way that they were going to live. Yu, Qin, himself…they're going to come out of this, alive, together.
And the only way out was to synchronise with Innocence.
"I'm going to save him. I'm going to save them," Alma loosens his grip, preparing to let go, "We can fight, as long as we have Innocence…"
He lets go, letting his body fall. He watched as Edgar yelled his name, reaching forward, fingers stretching out towards him begging him not to go. But it was too late, Alma had already made up his mind, focusing on the hope that lay below him that grew brighter and brighter with every moment. As long as they have Innocence, they couldn't do anything to them. Couldn't do anything to Yu.
It was what they've built us for…it's all they ever wanted and it's what they're going to get.
"Don't go, Alma!" Edgar felt his heart ripped apart as Alma let go.
How did it turn out like this?
Edgar's hand shook as he watched Alma fall down the hole leading to the Innocence Containment Chamber. His heart squeezed painfully in his chest and he could hardly breath, a torrent of chaotic thoughts swirling in his mind. This was a mess. He gritted his teeth, grabbing at his hair, digging his nails into his scalp. As if the pain would bring him clarity, as if he would be able to wake up from whatever nightmare this was.
"Damn it…" He whispered through grit teeth.
His Golem fluttered near him, yellow eyes staring down at him as Rikki's voice crackled through, "Did you find Alma, Edgar?"
"Alma," His chest burned as he struggled to regain control, "Yu…Qin…"
How did it end up like this? His thoughts was a mess. After the last incident with the previous batch of Seconds, Central had been breathing down their neck and watching their every move, promising interventions and consequences should anything go wrong. It was already bad that Yu had shown irreversible signs of memory corruption and had to be frozen and disposed off and now Qin was nowhere to be found. It was clear that one more misstep, and Lvellie had made it clear that Qin's and Alma's fate would be sealed. Not only had the three of them were nowhere close to synchronising with Innocence, they would be considered liabilities and better off disposed of.
And now, there's nothing I or anyone can do about it.
Twi was already under heavy scrutiny after the three had escaped and even Sahlins had his hands tied. None of them had the power to sway Central's decision now.
And he had just lost Alma. His only chance to keep them safe.
"Where is he, Edgar?"
He was pathetic. His gripped tightened around his head as burning tears trails down his cheek. He couldn't even protect them properly. And now everything is a mess.
"Edgar?" The Golem crackled.
"ARGH!" He screamed in frustration, angry at himself, at Central and the fate that had been handed to his charges.
And there was nothing he can do about it.
All of a sudden, the ground shook violently and the he felt the heat from the floor under him. What was that? Wiping away the tears, he peered into the hole, remnants of flame licking up towards him, turning into ashes. A familiar energy sizzled, the fading flames and shreds of yellow fluttered in the air. No. He knew that energy. That's the Fire Wings talismans.
"Connect me to below," He yelled at the Golem that obeyed without wasting a beat.
"Did you think we got him?" The voice crackled through the Golem and Edgar felt his heart leaping to his throat.
His heart pounded harder as he picked up the sound of Alma's voice hissing in the background, voice hoarse and rough almost like he was speaking through burnt vocal chords.
"That doll can still move!" The CROW exclaimed and Edgar could feel the beginning of a spell coming to life.
"No!" Edgar yelled, "Don't harm him! That child is an apostle!"
But as he had thought, his efforts were in vein as the CROWS spoke coldly, mind made up, "No, he intends to resist us with Innocence!"
"Yu…" Alma's voice barely registers behind the crackling, "Give him back. Give him back."
"Don't attack him, CROW!"
It was no use, they don't take orders from him. Edgar's heart dropped as he felt the spells activated sending another blast of fire flying up towards him, "Fire Wings!"
"STOP!" Edgar pleaded.
The Golem's speaker crackled from the sounds of fire going ablast but Edgar could pick up a voice that almost sound barely human, "I'll save Yu!"
A flash of green exploded from the hole, Edgar fell back, covering his eyes from the bright light. From the corner of his eyes, the black Golem grew closer and Edgar could hear the sound of shattering glass and the chilling screams of CROWS.
And absolute silence as the line went dead.
.
.
.
Inevitability, it all started like a normal day. But without me realising, the hand of fate had turned against us.
I had intended to play this chapter straight and be depressive but somehow, Qin's antics got out of hand. I won't complain. Having her be sassy and do things her own way made this chapter a bit more fun to write. It still did get dark in the end.
Question of the day: *rubs hands together* Do you think Qin can change Alma's mind?
Leave a comment and tell me what you think. It makes me happy and giddy when I read your comments and figure out what you know and what you predict will happen. See you in the next chapter!
Yule.