I had to throw the hair comment in. I couldn't help it; honestly, I couldn't. But anyways, I enjoyed seeing the comments about the cliffhanger – that was my intention! I couldn't have all the fun in one chapter. But, alas, here is the chapter you've all been waiting for! I had a ton of fun writing it (twisted humor? Maybe; but Allen is just so much fun to torture) and we're finally at the halfway point! Almost… So, here is chapter twenty-one, and I can't believe how many hits I've gotten. Thanks to all who reviewed and the like, I really appreciated it! Your comments made my day and encouraged me to write this chapter quickly. I spent seven hours in total, and I think my fingers are about ready to fall out; I had to write for history, too. But since my ramblings seem to go on forever, let's end it now! Here's chapter 21, and leave a review on your way out!
21.
[allen: awakening]
"Walker, knock it off! You're Allen Walker, not the Fourteenth!"
i.
"Walker – "
"We'll be fighting Tyki. Be careful, Link."
"Let's play."
The white haired exorcist looked around, the room stony and bleak; the large space was fashioned in an old and antique style, yet haunting as the cold feel added to the mystery of the random room he found himself locked in with Link and Tyki. Timcanpy was nowhere to be seen, and Allen figured the golem had ended up being trapped in the beginning room – or that's what he wanted to believe. There was no door, no window – no way to view the others and no way to see the winter touched world outside. There was a simple cover of reflective glass that stretched across one of the walls, but Allen purposefully avoided it, not keen on the idea of seeing the dark shadow that lured behind him – not when his life and the man behind him were on the line. His mind screamed worry for his other companions, but he forcefully pushed away his thoughts, focusing on the dark Noah that stood only a few feet away with purple butterflies dancing around him. The wide grin and empty eyes were visible on his gray skin, black stigmata highlighting his forehead in a sick pattern; and Allen felt himself shiver from the dark, possessive aura around Tyki. It seemed as if any human side he might have had in his possession beforehand was gone, replaced by the murderous tendencies of the minions of the Earl.
"Allen Walker. You and I seem to have these encounters frequently."
"It's never by coincidence, only by force," Allen said, the Sword of Exorcism, that looked eerily liked the Earl's, resting on his shoulder. "We can never seem to meet under better circumstances, what with you trying to kill us all the time. Your hair's gotten longer, too."
"Walker," Link said, walking up to stand beside the exorcist. "This isn't really the time to be talking, don't you think?"
Allen shrugged, not surprised; Link hadn't been present at any of his meetings with the Noah of Pleasure, and although Allen and Tyki were sworn enemies, there was always a hint of conversation before one tried to destroy the other. Tyki decided to answer, leaning against the cool wall behind him as he put one arm across his chest and wrinkling the white dress shirt that resided underneath his black dress coat, the other arm still holding a Tease in front of him.
"It's almost a tradition," the Noah replied, lifting one foot to rest against the wall. "But don't worry, we have lots of time. Road's probably showing that bookman some… Interesting things, while Jasdero and Devitto will be taking on the other two."
Tyki took on a look of contemplation, his line of sight travelling to the endless roof in thought.
"That'd be interesting to see, actually," he said, letting the Tease go as he pushed himself off the wall. "But then again, we'll find out soon enough what the outcome is. For now, it's just us."
Allen lowered his Innocence, pointing it at Tyki as he wiped off any expression that could have shown on his face, anger starting to boil in his gut. He had been feeling off since his last encounter in the forest, and the ill sensation that assaulted him on more then one occasion was beginning to rise again; the wound on his chest aching.
"Tyki," Allen started, taking a few steps forward and keeping his eyes off the mirror. "Where are Krory and Chaoji?"
"You were the trade off – "
"Then why are the rest of my friends being dragged into this? You said you wanted me for Krory and Chaoji – instead, you ambush us," Allen interrupted, glaring slightly at the Noah in front of him. He was in no mood for games, and the fact that Tyki was being so off hand about the situation was ticking the cursed boy off.
"Now, now – we can't just accept exorcists, can we? It's the Noah that we're going to awaken, boy. And," Tyki continued, instantly appearing in front of both Allen and Link. "We don't need him."
Before Tyki could get in any form of attack against Link, Allen turned on the spot, swinging the Sword of Exorcism with him and destroying the onslaught of Tease that flocked towards the blonde. The room was silent as the butterflies drifted to the floor in a mass of pieces, Allen's breathing slightly off, his body not moving as his white bangs covered his eyes. Tyki smiled as he pinned Link to the wall with more Tease.
"Don't move, or they'll eat you alive."
Tyki summoned the familiar, bright purple weapon he had used against Allen before. The latter glared, memories of his fight on the Ark beginning to cloud his vision; however, he gathered his thoughts and refocused his attention, bringing his Innocence upwards and attempting to catch Tyki off guard. He didn't expect the hit to connect, and he wasn't disappointed as Tyki blocked the oncoming attack before releasing his own. Allen quickly pushed himself off the ground, the white cowl flowing behind him as he landed on the opposite side of Tyki and lifted his sword to create a blockade. The sound of metal being struck reverberated throughout the room; the force on his Innocence was strong, and Allen felt himself sliding backwards before falling backwards. He rolled as he made contact with the cold stone like terrain, his knuckles scraping across and causing droplets of blood to rise to the surface of the broken skin. The Noah quickly attacked once again, catching Allen off guard and sending him crashing into the mirror. The exorcist heard what sounded like a crack, but no shards of the reflective surface fell from the scratched mirror. Black spots danced in front of his eyes, and he rubbed his head to try and clear it of the haze that was beginning to settle. Tyki immediately appeared before him, lifting up the fifteen year old by his uniform.
"You should worry about yourself before you worry about your friends."
Allen produced a small smile, quickly deactivating his sword and grabbing Tyki's arm with his human hand. Before Tyki could react, Allen activated the claw form to his Innocence, the black and silver catching a glimpse of light before clenching into a fist and slamming into the Noah's stomach.
"Never," Allen said as Tyki dropped him, and Allen quickly scrambled upwards, grabbing his wrist and transforming it into the sword once again before heading into the direction where Link was held up against the wall. The Tease weren't intent on devouring anything just yet, but before Allen could get another step in, Tyki recovered from the blow and attempted to strike Allen in the back.
"Behind you, Walker!"
Allen followed Link's words, quickly turning around and hearing the familiar clang once again.
"I see you still have the mark of the Tease on your face," Tyki said, pushing harder to knock Allen off balance once again. The latter put more pressure on his feet, his boots scraping against the floor as he desperately tried to stay upright. However, his knees buckled, his boots slipping as he was effectively crushed downward, purple filling his vision a split second before he was able to parry the blow.
"You can do better then this, boy."
Allen narrowed his eyes as he tried to push Tyki away, but the impact had caused the wound on his chest to flare up; hitting the mirror hadn't helped either, and his general body was in excruciating pain. The man fighting him seemed to realize this, smiling as he lifted some of the pressure.
"You're still injured. What were they thinking, sending off an injured boy to fight against us?"
"I'm fine," Allen said forcefully, forgetting about the pain and parrying the crushing force exerted on him; Tyki wasn't expecting this, and the Noah was sent flying as Allen pushed back with help from Crown Belt, the white pieces of his cowl attempting to get a hold of Tyki. He glared as he knocked the pieces of Allen's cowl away, annoyed to some extent at being caught off guard, his hair falling over his shoulder as he skidded to a halt.
"Not bad, boy – but you're still going to need a miracle if you expect to win in your condition. And by the change in your attitude, I'm assuming the Fourteenth is finally taking his toll on you, is he not – "
"Shut up!" Allen yelled, running forward and striking Tyki. The latter smirked as he swung his arm out, blocking Allen and sending him sliding against the floor on his back.
"Point proven," Tyki said, watching amusedly as Allen sat up, wiping the blood away from his mouth. The exorcist could only imagine what his body looked like – there was the wound on the side of his face, and the cut that stretched across his scar over his left eye. His forehead was injured still, as well, and now he could taste metallic in his mouth from the attack. A cry of pain echoed throughout the room, and both Allen and Tyki diverted their attention to the far wall as Link tried to pull himself out of the Tease's grip. There was blood dripping from his hands, and an urgent feeling rose up in Allen's being as he rushed forward with help from Crowned Clown, reaching Link before Tyki could process what had happened. The white haired exorcist quickly cut the Tease away, catching Link as he felt from against the wall and onto Allen. His hands were bloody, but thankfully, the Tease hadn't had a chance to eat through to much skin.
"Walker, I'm fine," Link said, pushing himself off the ground before quickly falling back.
"You're in shock – "
Before Allen could finish his sentence, he was cut off when Tyki dashed forward, two of his weapons about to crush both Allen and Link. The former quickly raised his sword, Crowned Clown entrapping the two Order members; white filled the room and blocked the attack, but Tyki refused to let up, setting off a string of blows before hitting one last time, an inch away from breaking through Allen's Innocence. Once the attack had died down, Allen lunged forward, appearing out of the shadow of his cowl and attempting to drive his sword through Tyki's stomach once again. The latter smirked as he dodged the full hearted attempt, grabbing Allen by the collar of his uniform and pinning him to the ground before passing through the spot on Allen's chest, the latter's heart beating painfully at the intrusion.
"Does this bring back memories?" Tyki asked, smiling as he knelt over the boy, his hand one squeeze away from ripping the life out of Allen. He realized this, his breath beginning to come in short gasps as he waited for the inevitable.
"You look nervous, yet I can see the gold in your eyes. If I can't bring out the Noah, I'll destroy the exorcist that holds him."
"If you kill me, you kill the Fourteenth," Allen said breathlessly, his hand itching to pull Tyki away from him, but knowing it would be futile; if he couldn't fight, he'd let himself go down, effectively destroying the very reason he was suspected of treachery and saving the people he cared about. These seemed to be the thoughts that went through his mind at an alarming speed, rotting whatever thoughts that were processing before Tyki had passed through Allen's heart.
"Who said I was going to kill you? I'm going to destroy the exorcist in you. Your Innocence, for example," Tyki replied, reaching over and grabbing the still sword from the ground, Allen not grabbing it in time. He watched in horror as it deactivated, bright white flashing as the sword became his black Innocence once again. Tyki smirked, but before he could crush the Innocence, something kicked him forcefully in the back of the head, sending him flying overtop of Allen and his hand passed harmlessly through Allen's being. The latter breathed a sigh of relief as Link helped him up, a bit of blood dripping onto the gray floor.
"You – "
Allen cut him off.
"You forgot there are two of us."
Tyki narrowed his eyes before appearing before Allen once again, throwing him into the mirror before the boy could process what had happened. At the force of the impact, shattered, glittering pieces of silver and black fell around him, different sized shards littering the ground around him as bits of the reflective surface began to crumble. Allen squeezed his eyes shut as something warm trailed down the back of his head and onto the ground. He attempted to stand up, but the world spun, and he ended up falling on his hands and knees as his stomach churned something vile.
"Walker!" Link yelled, but Tyki knocked him backwards and threw him in unconsciousness, not interested in Allen's worried comrade.
"Damn it…" Allen whispered, blinking his eyes to try and clear the fog. Tyki began to laugh, his footsteps entering Allen's hearing as he walked forward and knelt down in front of the cursed exorcist.
"I told you, you can't win," the Noah whispered, his one arm thrown casually over his knee as he smiled. The temperature began to drop considerably, and Allen began to get confused, not sure on what just happened. There was something sticky clinging to his uniform around his stomach, the crimson falling to the floor in small droplets as the bandages became undone. The young exorcist quickly realized that Tyki was removing the bandages and reopening the wound on his chest with the Tease, the pain flaring up to an unbearable rate as he screamed in pain.
"I could always let you bleed to death," Tyki started, and Allen felt him fix the bandages. "But then it'd defeat the purpose of keeping you alive to keep the traitor alive; so we'll just make it worse."
Allen coughed, the thick liquid catching in his throat.
"Although, isn't it funny? You're assumed a traitor in the very place you live, and the Noah within you is a traitor as well. No one trusts you, and yet you still fight like you have a purpose," Tyki whispered, a grin on his face as he removed his hand.
"I have a purpose," Allen choked out.
"To destroy akuma, yes? But you're still with the people who don't trust you. And how does it feel, not knowing whether your foster father nor your master really cared for you, and not the Fourteenth – "
"Shut up!" Allen attempted to shout, but his voice was small and strained, his body in far too much pain, unconsciousness beginning to beckon him. He was tired of listening to Tyki, and he had a feeling he was being fought mentally instead of physically. Tyki just laughed, standing up and walking over to the unconscious Link on the ground.
"The fact that you have someone watching you…"
Allen attempted to stand up once again, his Innocence gathering around him as he felt the silver mask fall over his eyes. He was barely controlling his own actions, an he figured that because Tyki's attacks were Dark Matter, his Innocence was responding to the opposite of itself by directing Allen; something similar had happened when he fought off the level four singlehandedly for as long as possible when it invaded the old headquarters. Tyki glanced behind him, muttering a small 'eh?'
"You're wrong, Tyki," Allen said, his voice stronger then it had been. He was still struggling to stand up, but he eventually pushed his hand off the ground and lifted himself up, the gold chain on his uniform dangling. Tyki looked at Allen in shock, not comprehending how the boy was still able to move around in his condition – then again, he had escaped death, more then once, when Tyki had tried to annihilate the exorcist. The room was still freezing, and even with the added warmth from his cowl, the biting air still plagued him.
"Tyki, how's the battle?"
A checkered door suddenly appeared, and Allen watched as Road came in on Lero, the pink umbrella crying out something to the twins that followed in behind. Jasdero walked over to the unconscious Link, kicking him the side when the blonde didn't respond. Anger rose in Allen as his Innocence pushed him forward, effectively gathering enough distance to knock the blonde headed twin away from Link.
"Stay away," he murmured, his mind still spinning. Link began to stir, and Allen knelt down, not worried about being snuck up on due to his cowl. Link blinked a few times before rubbing his head, and Allen helped him up, the latter staring at the four Noah that were all gathered in one room. Devitto's voice carried throughout the room suddenly, and Allen glared.
"Why isn't he a Noah yet?"
Tyki rolled his eyes, but before he could attack Allen, the cursed boy grabbed his wrist and quickly activated his sword, lunging forward and parrying the attack in the middle of the room.
"He's pretty badly injured," Road whispered, watching her family and her favorite exorcist battle it out. The stone floor was covered in Allen's blood, and more began spilling as he pushed to his limit, his wounds losing too much blood to be considered healthy. The room was filled with electricity as Allen fought back forcefully, both him and Tyki using their strength, but Allen felt himself fighting back to an extent that caused the injury on his chest to open up even more, the blood leaking through the bandages that Tyki hadn't bothered to reapply right.
"Even if you make it out of this alive," Tyki started, jumping backwards and disconnecting the fight. "You'll die eventually from the amount of blood you lost."
Allen narrowed his eyes, leaning on his sword for support as the world continued to dance fretfully in front of him. Tyki walked over, and a split second before Allen lifted his sword completely, Tyki passed through Allen's human hand, clenching his fist as Allen screamed in pain, the flesh being ripped open; Tyki took the opportunity to push the half-risen sword through Allen, not forgetting the Noah's hatred for Innocence as he quickly removed his hand from the sword before it could do damage.
"That should awaken the Noah completely," Tyki said, and Allen's eyes widened, his heart seeming to stop and skip once he realized what had just happened. Link seemed to realize this too, for he ran forward, removing Allen's Innocence and throwing to the ground, pushing the injured exorcist up against the wall. As soon as Allen connected with the stone behind him, the door opened once again, revealing the other three exorcists who had been lost in the demented area. Link ignored them, trying to get Allen back under control, but his skin was beginning to fade to a familiar color, his eyes flashing in a way that caused a shiver to travel down Link's spine.
"Allen!" Lenalee yelled, attempting to run forward and help Link, but Road quickly jumped off of Lero to block her path.
"He's one of us," she started and the twins – who were holding hands, Kanda noted again – walked behind her, the three of them intent on blocked the exorcists' path.
"Get out of my way!" Lavi yelled, enlarging his hammer and intent on blasting them with fire. Jasdero laughed as he lifted up his gun along with Devitto, and Lavi was blasted backwards with ice as he hit the wall. Lenalee jumped upwards, her goal to catch them off guard by bypassing them completely, but Road expected this, and she called her candles as the surrounded both Lenalee and Lavi.
"Tch, this is ridiculous," Kanda said, and he pushed Road out of the way, rolling his eyes as he grabbed Jasdero's gun and threw it across the room. "You guys are annoying. Now move."
The samurai pushed the two apart, the twins to much in shock to actually respond in time. Kanda ignored Road as came up beside Link, watching Allen carefully as the Noah began to awaken.
"What happened," Kanda demanded, unsheathing Mugen and pointing it directly at Road as she began to walk up behind him. The stoic exorcist didn't bother glancing behind him, waiting for a confused Link to answer.
"He was stabbed by his own Innocence."
"How do we stop it?"
"I… I don't know," Link responded, still holding Allen against the wall with his arm strung against Allen's chest, his other hand giving him support by being pressed against the wall. Allen's Innocence deactivated, returning to his arm; it slowed the transformation slightly, but Link could tell that Allen was still battling within himself.
"Walker, knock it off! You're Allen Walker, not the Fourteenth!"
He figured it may have been a desperate attempt, but he didn't care; Komui had asked him to protect the boy in front of him, and although he was supposed to be reporting any treacherous or suspicious activities from the exorcist, Link found that he was trying to save Allen from himself. Allen, though, was too lost in the darkness, and he struggled to push away the cold feeling that had taken over his body; he had no control, and he wasn't entirely sure what was happening. The voices around him sounded like they were coming from a badly working golem, the voices blurry and out of focus.
"Do something!" Lenalee cried, the striped, sharp candles surrounding her threateningly. She wanted to push them away, but she knew that if she made one move, Road wouldn't hesitate to pierce her completely and kill her; she wouldn't be able to help Allen at all then. Lavi activated his Fire Seal, effectively melting the ice before he landed skillfully on the ground, destroying the candles that surrounded him and Lenalee. Road smiled, walking over by Jasdero and Devitto as they blocked the exorcists' path once again.
"Lavi, don't you think you should tell Allen what you saw?"
"What is she talking about?" Lenalee asked, glancing to a nervous and enraged Lavi. The look on his face was borderline frightening, and Lenalee placed a hand on his shoulder, a bad time to lose control – Allen was currently fading and the Fourteenth was taking his place.
"He just witnessed something – "
Before Road could finish, something gold flew into the room, landing on Allen's head as it bit his scalp. The occupants of the room watched in silence as Timcanpy attempted to stop the transformation, but even the golem – which had once belonged to Cross, who knew more about the Fourteenth then Allen could ever hope to – was unable to do anything.
"Bookman watched Allen's past."
What?
That seemed to reach Allen as Kanda and Link both glanced at the red head, slightly shocked; Lenalee tightened her grip, but she wasn't angry and neither were Kanda and Link. Lavi glared at the small Noah as he readied to attack, but a coughing stopped him, Allen struggling in Link's grip. His white hair – which was tinted red in some places due to the blood – was slightly curled and his eyes were spotted with gold, but his skin seemed to begin to fade into a pale color once again, his eyes unfocused as he tried to regain his surroundings.
"It wasn't of my own free will. I didn't have a choice," Lavi said quietly, lowering his Innocence. Lenalee smiled a bit, shaking her head and causing her short hair to dance around her face.
"It's not, and Allen will understand that. As for right now – "
"Enough, from all of you," Tyki announced, signaling the Tease to surround all the exorcists in the room. "One move and you'll all be eaten alive."
Lavi glared at the Noah, the amount of Tease ridiculously high; he hadn't had first hand experience with the butterflies, but he knew Allen had, and the feeling of skin being eaten was obviously not pleasant. Lenalee's grip on Lavi's shoulder was tight, and Kanda seemed to be having doubts about attacking as well. Link removed his arm from Allen, catching the exorcist as he fell forward; despite his blood loss, he was still coherent, and he narrowed his eyes at the Tease as they mocked them. The cursed boy sighed, causing the exorcists to glance at him and the Noah to watch amused. Allen pushed Link away, his hair creating a white curtain as he stood up, his hands grasping the wall for the little support it offered. He smirked before he activated his Innocence, looking up and attacking all the Tease that threatened them.
"Crown Belt!"
Multiple pieces of white flew throughout the room, his Innocence activating in a way it did the first time he ever used Crowned Clown – he had his Innocence return to him while protecting the members of the Asian branch, including Bak and Fou, against the level three, and it seemed as if it was no different this time, his cowl branching off around the room and destroying the Tease. Lavi pulled Lenalee downwards, trying to avoid getting hit by Allen's Innocence. Allen released his breath, calling his Innocence back to him as it returned into a cowl, the purple and black butterflies flying in the air for a few more seconds before littering the ground and covering the stone. The room was silent, and Allen smiled, lifting up the silver mask. His body had passed the point of pain, numb filling the void; his body was still weak however, and he was beginning to doubt if he'd get out alive. Once he felt his knees go weak, he crumbled to the ground, Kanda and Link stepping in front of him as Tyki appeared in front of him with lightning speed. Road attacked Lavi, and the twins decided to take on Lenalee; however, the room began to crumble, and Road looked around in thought.
"Lero, let's go!"
"I guess it's time to leave," she started, creating a door. Link ran forward, producing what looked like a set of cards, intent on bounding one of the Noah, but Road sent a candle his way, and Lavi had to intersect and pull Link out of the way before it hit.
"This isn't over, exorcists," Tyki started, Road and the twins already gone through the odd shaped door. "Wait for further instruction if you want your friends back."
And with that, he passed through the door, shutting it behind him as it disappeared. Lavi began to panic, their only escape route gone.
"Lavi, it's okay," Allen started, his Innocence still activated as he beckoned for Lavi, Link and Lenalee to join where him and Kanda were. "It's an illusion. It's not like the ark. Once the room collapses, we'll be back outside."
As Lenalee nodded, her and Lavi ran over to the white haired exorcist, and Allen created a protective shield around the five of them, waiting for the room to crumble so it would fade away. Timcanpy was still resting on his head, seeming relieved that its master wasn't a Noah yet. They were silent for a few moments, the only sound was rock hitting rock, and Allen could hear the glass shatter as the entire mirror fell into pieces; it filled him with a sense of false relief. Finally, the cold air disappeared, and was replaced with a cool wind that winter produced. Allen deactivated his Innocence, the white cowl and silver mask disappearing as he collapsed, to tired to keep standing. His body felt weak, and his head was far to light to be considered alright; the others seem to catch on to this, Kanda lifting him back up a second before he hit the ground.
"Jesus Christ, moyashi, this is becoming too common."
Allen attempted to smile, but the snow kissed ground and the peak of moonlight faded from his view as he succumbed to the darkness he had tried so hard to fight off.
ii.
Allen groaned, his body immediately racked with pain as he opened his bloodshot eyes. His head was pounding and his chest was aching something fierce; the remnants of sleep still caressed him, but he waved it off, rubbing his closed eyes to try and ward off some of the intrusion. The room he was in was light, the sky outside white with clouds as flakes fell gently to the glass panel and piled up among the smooth surface. His wounds were bandaged tightly, and memories of what had happened before invading his mind and sending a shockwave of worry and guilt course through his being. Someone sat down beside him, the bed sinking as Allen attempted to sit up.
"So, you're awake. How do you feel?"
Allen yawned, opening his eyes completely to see Lavi looking at him, reserved.
"Bookman watched Allen's past."
"Hey Lavi," Allen said, smiling at the sight of his companion. He looked relatively unharmed, but Allen knew better.
"What happened?"
"Only my stomach and back are hurt; a lot less then you. You lost a lot of blood, Allen. Yet you sill managed to pull through. Kanda carried you back, again, and we bandaged you up. So, back to my previous question, how are you feeling?"
Allen's smile began to drop at Lavi's tone; he seemed to be hiding something, and although Allen had a feeling he knew what it was, it didn't help the situation at all. The cursed exorcist clenched the blue bed sheets, the hotel room not as welcoming as it had been before. His voice was quiet as he spoke; although he would have rather to avoid the conversation, he knew it would have to come up eventually, and Allen didn't feel like having a space in between him and his comrade, not when there was a war going on. They couldn't afford a rift in between any of them, and Allen didn't want Lavi feeling guilty for whatever he saw.
"I don't blame you, Lavi," he started, looking at the red head. "But please tell me what you saw."
Lavi looked away.
"You should blame me… I couldn't look away, Allen. I'm sorry."