14th Dusk: Battle with Noah
Dylan left another town after killing a few Akuma and getting more food along with a bath. He was approaching some woods when a man came walking out of it. In instinct Dylan grabbed his blades hilt and made sure it was visible. When the man emerged from the woods he stopped at the sight of Dylan.
The first thing Dylan noticed was the man's grey skin. He thought nothing of it for only a second, then remembered that the Earl had the exact same shade of grey skin, which made him grip his sword tighter. The man was wearing a very fancy suit, he looked as if he were about to attend a ball or wedding. After a glance at Dylan's blade, he seemed both pleased and displeased.
"Hello there, might I ask your name?" He said.
Dylan was silent for a moment, but then answered, "Dylan,"
"Dylan, Dylan, Dylan," The man recited taking a card out of his pocket and scanning it. After a moment he sighed and said, "Well you're not on my list. You also don't wear a coat, and yet you carry Innocence."
Dylan took out his blade and pointed it at the man. "Your grey skin, are you in anyway related to the Earl?"
"You sound like a well informed Exorcist, to know of the Earl, and yes, that is correct." The man replied.
"I never heard that much, but I take it you are a Noah." Dylan assumed.
"Correct again, my name is Tyki Mikk. Now let me ask you, if you are indeed an Exorcist, why do you not wear the coat?" Tyki asked.
"I no longer work under the Order." Dylan replied.
"Oh, if that is so, you might not be targeted by any of us."
"Am I supposed to be relieved?"
"Actually, you might feel regret. If you still worked under the Order, there would be a good possibility you were someone else's target, and I would leave you alone until further notice. But if you are not, there is no reason for me not to kill you here and now."
"You sound quite confident; let's hear you talk like that after you get a look at my Innocence." Dylan told Tyki, and charged. Dylan began swinging his sword at Tyki multiple times, but Tyki dodged quite easily.
"Ah come now, is that all you've got?" Tyki mocked him.
"You wish," Dylan replied, and swung his blade again, and although Tyki thought he stepped back far enough to dodge, he got a minor cut on his side. "And I'm not done yet." Dylan said, holding his sword with the hilt facing Tyki, and a blade extended from it to stab Tyki.
Tyki was caught off guard, but managed to dodge without being hit. "Now I see, you managed to hit me that time by extending the length of your blade at the last second where I wouldn't realize it. Interesting trick, but don't think I will fall for it again."
"I wouldn't expect a Noah to fall for the same trick twice, that's why I've got plenty more." Dylan said, and then extended his blade forward at Tyki, but he stepped to the side and it missed.
"I'm sorry, was this supposed to be a new-" Tyki began, but was cut off but a secondary blade extending from the side of the first one, that stuck itself in his shoulder before he jumped to the side.
"You were saying?" Dylan mocked Tyki Mikk.
"Don't get cocky." Tyki warned, and ran toward Dylan at a stunning speed so that he was in front of Dylan in less than a second, then stabbed his hand forward.
Dylan was just barely able to duck out of the way, then he kicked up at the Noah, but was surprised to see his leg faze right through his body. Tyki took the opportunity to punch him, and the punch was much stronger than an average one, and sent Dylan flying.
Dylan got to his feet and regulated the size of his sword. "What was that?"
"I am the Noah of pleasure, and my ability is 'Choose', which allows me to decide what touches me and what doesn't." Tyki explained.
"And you can do this with anything?" Dylan asked accusingly.
"That's correct." Tyki replied.
"Really, if that's so then how have I wounded you twice already, if you could really decide what touches you and what doesn't with everything, then even my Innocence would have fazed through you. As a Noah, you are full of dark matter, just like Akuma, which in turn makes your one weakness Innocence."
"Very perceptive boy, let's see you make any real use out of that information." Tyki said, and then jumped at Dylan with incredible speed, attempting to kick him.
Dylan reacted in time to widen the size of his blade and block the kick, and then he threw Tyki back. Dylan ran at Tyki and slashed down on him, but Tyki jumped away.
"Just what I wanted you to do." Dylan said, and then turned toward Tyki who was still in the air, but was now holding a gun. "Can't dodge very well when you're in the air." Dylan said, and then pulled the trigger, but somehow Tyki was able to leap to the side and land on the ground, and then jumped behind Dylan.
"On the contrary, I can dodge just fine in the air. My 'Choose' ability also allows me to walk on air and water as if they were solid." Tyki explained, and then spin kicked Dylan away, knocking him down. Tyki grabbed Dylan by the neck before he could get up and threw him up against a tree. "You do have a lot of tricks, but I'm not going to let you use another one." Tyki said, then moved his free hand over Dylan's chest, and pressed down. However, instead of actually pushing on his body, Tyki's fingers began to faze through Dylan's body.
Dylan struggled to speak. "Too late." He said the two words, taking Tyki by surprise, and jumping back with caution, but nothing seemed to happen.
"You bluffed!" Tyki guessed, but then saw something flying in only when it was too late to dodge. The bullet Dylan had fired earlier had just pierced Tyki's shoulder, then flew around to Dylan and fused back with his gun.
Dylan got to his feet, staggering. "No, I didn't."
"Now I see, you're Innocence can be made into any shape or form, including the forms of weapons, which you use to be able to catch them off guard a lot." Tyki finally figured out. "You can also control it even if it's in the air."
"Correct, Noah, but that knowledge won't do you much good right now." Dylan replied.
"Well it looks like I need to correct myself," Tyki said, confusing Dylan. "Now I won't let you use another one of your tricks." Tyki said, then ran forward and kneed Dylan into the tree behind him, then punched him down to the ground.
Dylan was taking a beating, now that Tyki knew most of his Innocence's tricks, he was letting loose so he wouldn't be able to use any more of them. Tyki kicked Dylan upward into the air then jumped above him and elbowed him back down into the ground.
Tyki landed in front of Dylan, who was struggling to stand up. Tyki grabbed his neck again and told him, "You are quite skilled with your Innocence, I will grant you that, but now I have you just where I want you." Tyki said, preparing to pull out his heart again.
"Not so fast, Noah... I'm not down for the count just yet!" Dylan said, then a blade stretched from his Innocence, trying to stab Tyki, but he turned and it missed.
"Didn't I already say I wouldn't fall for that again?" Tyki asked, starting to get bored.
"Who said that was all?" Dylan asked, and then a bunch of blades extended from his Innocence, covering a wide area so Tyki couldn't just step to the side and dodge, which in turn made him leap back to avoid them. Dylan stood up, turning his Innocence back to a simple sword, but it was taking quite a bit of effort just to stand now. Tyki grinned and snickered, then turned and began to walk away. "Hey, where are you going?" Dylan asked, angered.
Tyki stopped and turned back half way. "I'm leaving you alive, boy, you should be thankful." Dylan wondered.
"But why? You said there was no reason to leave me alive if I wasn't on any of the Noah's list."
"It's because you are very strong and skilled." Tyki answered.
"So?" Dylan asked.
"So, I find it hard to believe that the Earl has not taken notice of you with your level of strength, meaning it's possible you are on someone else's list. And it would be rude of me to take someone else's prey knowingly." Tyki said, turning and walking away. "Goodbye, ex-Exorcist boy. May our paths cross again." He said, and Dylan was to worn out to try and stop him.