Something tells me you're gonna hate me after this chapter. Yeah, sorry...
By the way, Allen is very OOC this chapter. So be wary.
Disclaimer: I don't own the wonderful, amazing, addicting D. Gray-man.
Allen tried to look nonchalant when he said her name, but it was hard to hide his annoyance when Kanda started to glare at him.
"What is it, BaKanda?" Allen asked through gritted teeth.
"What are you going to do, Moyshi?"
"For the last time, MY NAME IS ALLEN! Why can't you get it right? Is Allen too big of a word for you to understand? Honestly, it's always you and the Baka Usagi over there that can't seem to use people's names! Now say it with me. A-L-L-E-N." Allen was interrupted by Lenalee's giggling.
"What?" He snapped.
"You haven't changed." Allen tried to glare at her, but her smile just got wider and she started laughing even harder. Allen felt his anger build up until he could stand hearing her laugh any longer. Using his Noah powers, he took control over her mind and made her shut up. Immediately, she stopped laughing and she was gazing at the floor in a daze.
"Lenalee?" Lavi asked, concerned. "What did you do to Lenalee?!" Lavi accused of Road.
"Me? I didn't do anything!"
"What do you mean? That's exactly what it looks like when your in someone's mind, isn't it?" Lavi growled. Road smirked but Allen was the one who snorted, but his eyes were trained on Lenalee in concentration. Suddenly, Lenalee looked up.
"Don't worry Lavi, I'm not in Road's dream world."
"B-but then what's wrong?"
"Nothing." Lenalee replied. She looked at Lavi blankly before looking back at the ground. Road started to laugh at the confusion on Lavi's face.
"Are you sure?" Lavi asked, ignoring Road's laughter. "You went all quiet. Is Road doing something to you?"
"Hear that, Allen-kun? He's still blaming me, even after I told him I didn't do anything!"
"Can you really blame them?" Allen asked.
"Heh, I guess they wouldn't have a clue, would they?"
"What are you talking about Noah?" Kanda growled. Once again, Road was laughing and she scooted close to Allen, tucking her arm in his. Allen faintly smiled, but his face was still turned to Lenalee.
You sense her mind right? You have it under control?
'Yeah, why?'
Merge with it. Once you can understand her thoughts, put your own image in her mind using a song.
'Why would I want to?'
To play with her. Why else? Allen chuckled silently before focusing on Lenalee's mind. He started to hear a song play and he listened to it, getting caught up in it. It wasn't long before he could gather impressions from Lenalee's thoughts. He fabricated a horrifying scene with his mind of Lavi and Kanda. They were lying in the cell, twitching every so often, bleeding from deep cuts. Lavi's bandana was completely soaked in blood and Mugen was broken in half next to the dying Kanda, who wasn't healing. He planted a seed of fear in her mind, giving her the impression of hopelessness.
For a moment, there was silence when something clicked for Lavi, who was watching Allen sway slightly to music only he could hear.
"Allen?" Allen didn't answer Lavi, but instead watched tears start to drip from Lenalee's eyes.
"Lenalee! What's wrong?" Lavi yelled, noticing.
"Nothing. I'm fine." Lenalee's voice was bland and her face was completely calm, but her body was shaking and the tears started to fall heavily.
"Lenalee!" For a moment, she gave no sign of acknowledging him, but then she blinked and she seemed to look surprised.
"Lavi! Kanda! You're okay!"
"Wha-?"
"I thought you'd gotten hurt! I- I couldn't d-do anything!" Lenalee started to openly cry, her face clouded with emotions. Since her hands were chained, she couldn't wipe her tears away but instead tried to focus on calming down.
"Allen-kun?"
"New power." Allen murmured so the exorcists couldn't hear. Road grinned her Noah grin, and watched the Chinese girl slump against her chains, still unable to erase the image from her mind. She was so sure it was real! After several sniffles, Lenalee stood up straight again, taking a quick glance at Lavi and Kanda to reassure themselves.
"Well, as fun as this is, Allen has a job to perform! Allen-kun? Would you like me to take her out?"
"Nah, how about we do it right here? I'm sure the Earl won't mind if the exorcists watch." Allen smiled like a gentleman before stepping to the confused people before him. Road pulled out a key and passed it to Allen. He took it and unlocked the cell door, stepping in with them. Road stayed on the other side of the bar, smiling creepily at Allen's back.
"Allen-kun. What are you doing?" Lenalee asked warily. Allen simply smiled. He lifted his right hand and caressed Lenalee's cheek, stroking the leftover tears away with his thumb. Lenalee blushed faintly, but she was searching Allen's golden eyes, looking hopefully for a bit of silver. She found nothing but molten gold looking into her violet eyes.
Very quietly, Allen began humming Lenalee's song. She stiffened and started squirming to get away from Allen. She recognized the song from her childhood, before she was forced into the order.
"How do you...?" Her words faded away and she slumped forward, caught under Allen's control. Allen grinned as her watched her start to shake again. He felt vines made of dark matter slither out from his body and hover menacingly above Lenalee's head.
"Moyashi! Back away." Kanda yelled angrily. Allen smirked at Kanda, his hand still on Lenalee's face.
"My name's Allen, BaKanda." He used the vines to smack Kanda across the face, leaving a slice across his cheek. Kanda flinched and leaned away from Allen. Lavi stared wide-eyed as Allen laughed darkly at the blood dripping out of Kanda's cheek.
"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get your turn later." Allen said. He turned back to Lenalee, urging the vines on, resuming his humming. He took his hand off her face and a vine wrapped around her neck. Allen stopped humming and let go of Lenalee's mind. Lenalee blinked a few times and focused on Allen before realizing what was wrapped around her neck, squeezing gently.
"Ah! What's going on? Dark matter? Allen-kun?" She tried to back away from Allen, but the dark matter kept her in place. She tried to move her hands up to pull on the vine, but her hands couldn't move high enough to grab it because of the chains. Allen grinned and suddenly the vine tightened around her neck, cutting of her air.
"Lenalee! Hold on!" Lavi shouted. Her struggled to yank himself out of his chains, but he cringed every time he moved too fast. Kanda also began to struggle against his bindings, and he was beginning to slip out when Road glared at him.
"Nuh-uh! You two stay out of this." She smiled innocently, but several striped candles formed in front of Lavi and Kanda, poking them harshly until they backed into the wall.
Meanwhile, the Allen's black flames started to creep down the vine, getting closer to Lenalee's face. The other vines were wrapping around Lenalee's arms and legs, squeezing tightly, forming bruises under their grip. Road was watching with amusement as Allen's grin became inhuman and the black fire erupted from his shoulders and back.
Lenalee tried to focus on pulling air into her lungs, but she was distracted by the black flames that were getting close to her face. Surprisingly, they were as hot as any normal fire, but Allen didn't seem to be affected by the black flames. She pulled on her arms, trying to pull her hand out from the cuffs, but her hands were being held by more vines and her struggling was just using up her precious amount of air. She started to feel her chest begin to burn and the dark matter stung her skin.
"A-Allen-k-kun, st-stop..." Lenalee coughed out.
"Why should I? I have an order." The vine around her neck loosened and she breathed in a gulp of air, though Allen seemed oblivious. He was grinning at Lenalee, but his eyes didn't seemed to be focused on her.
"Why would you take an order from the Noah? They're not your family! Don't listen to what they told you!" The grin on Allen's face fell and was replaced by a snarl.
"No, you don't get it. This has always been my family, the order was just keeping me away. If it wasn't for this innocence, I would have been part of the family earlier!" Allen thought back as far as could remember and thought of all the times he would have been accepted if he didn't have the innocence in his arm. He wouldn't have been put in any orphanage in the first place, and he wouldn't have to work for a living as a child. He wouldn't be forced to pay the debts of a drunk womanizer for three years either. In his anger, the dark matter pulsed and began squeezing Lenalee with new vigor. This time, she didn't have a chance to take a breath before she was being chocked again. The tips of the flames reached the ceiling now, and the heat could be felt by Lavi and Kanda.
"Whatever. That's over, and now I'm going to finish the job." Allen blew the flames to Lenalee's hair, and it started burning the tips. The fire spread to the ground and surrounded Lenalee's legs, singing the edges of her skirt. Lenalee wanted to yell or scream for help, but she didn't have enough air to make a sound. Tears started pouring out of her eyes, that were now being squeezed shut. Allen was just about to command the vine to snap her neck when something stopped him from moving or thinking.
Allen lost control over the dark matter and everything faded away, including the vines. Lenalee immediately collapsed, and was hanging by her arms from the wall.
Allen was frozen in his spot, and he could feel a familiar power imposing on his nerves and muscles, moving his body against his will. Though Allen couldn't move, he growled, immediately aware of who it was that was controlling him.
"Allen-kun?" Road called out. She was inching to the cell door, trying to decide whether or not to come in. Before she did anything, though, a voice echoed down the hall.
"What do you think you're doing, Baka Deshi?" Road stopped walking to the door and twisted around to face the dark hallway to her right.
"General Cross?" Lavi called out. As soon he spoke, the red-headed general stepped out of the shadows, glaring at Allen.
"Is this anyway to treat a women? I know I've taught you better." Allen growled again and strained against Cross's innocence to try and turn around, but he was stuck in one spot, looking at where Lenalee's head used to be before she'd collapsed. He tried to speak, because normally when he was being influenced by Carte Garde he could talk, but for some reason his lips refused to form words.
"What are you doing here, Cross?" Road asked. Any smile she had on her face was gone now and replaced by pure hatred.
"Well, I'm here to collect this mess. The brat's gonna have to leave too." Cross flicked his eyes at Allen.
"Ahh, no. Allen-kun is the Fourteenth now, he's staying with us."
"Did you forget about Neah then?" Allen flinched after hearing Neah's name.
"Allen is not Neah." Road replied.
"No, but the Fourteenth is, and you just said yourself that the brat was the Fourteenth." Cross smirked. Road scowled and sent a barrage of candles at Cross's head. Cross just took a drag from his cigarette and side-stepped when the candles came close.
Allen couldn't see what was happening behind him, but he used his Noah powers to try and take over Cross's mind but something stopped him. Cross turned and looked at Allen and made him turn around.
"Your tricks won't work, brat. I've had enough practice with Neah." Allen glared at Cross, still unable to speak. Cross turned away from Allen and glanced at the exorcists. Using Judgment, he shot the cuffs around each wrist, breaking them apart. Kanda was the only one who continued standing once he was released. He bent over and grabbed Mugen, reattaching it to his hip.
"Alright Miss Noah, this is where we leave. I have something for those stupid twins, would you mind giving it to them?" Gross pulled out a pad of invoices filled to the bottom with debts. Road just ignored the offered paper and mentally attacked Cross. However, like Allen, she couldn't get to his mind.
"I told you, I've had practice with Neah. Just take these and let us go on our way." Cross stepped into the cell and walked right past Allen and pulled Lenalee onto his back. She moaned quietly, but made no protest. Awkwardly, Cross reached for his gun and aimed it at Road.
"I'm sorry about this, since you are a lady." Cross fired three bullets at Road's head. Although Road could regenerate, three shots from Judgment to the head knocked her out, though it'd probably only last a minute. Using this chance, Cross asked Maria to use Magdela Curtain.
Allen wasn't sure how Grave of Maria was controlling him and hiding everyone at the same time, but he tried to focus on breaking out of her hold.
Though he tried desperately to free himself, he found himself moving according to Cross's will. He was forced to walk behind Cross and Lenalee, with Lavi and Kanda bringing up the rear. They were walking back down the hallway Allen and Road had come from only ten minutes ago.
"How did you know we were here, general?" Lavi asked.
"I was here to pick up the Baka Deshi, but I found out that you dimwits tried to sneak onto the black Ark." Cross puffed out a cloud of smoke.
"Where have you been?" Kanda asked.
"What?"
"You've been presumed dead. Where have you been hiding?" Cross took a deep breath.
"I didn't want to be chased around by the Order, so I framed my death. Pretty convincing I'd say. Since then I've been out drinking."
"Che."
Allen glared at Cross. Not only had Cross caused trouble for him, he'd gone out making a bunch of debts again that he was sure he would've had to pay if not for Jasdevi. Now, he was being forced to leave his family and go back to the Order of people who didn't care about their exorcists. They'd left him to Leverrier for a week before Road and Tyki came to rescue him. Now that he was a Noah, he was accepted by a new family, and was taken care of. The Noah cared about what made him happy. They were diplomatic, friendly (to their family), and accepting. What more could he ask for?
"So, Baka Deshi, what can you tell me about the Noah? Anything important?" Allen bristled. He suddenly found he could move his mouth and used this opportunity to vent.
"You want me to tell you about the Noah? Why would I do that? Why would I betray my family? You're the one coming in our home, attacking us, and stealing out prisoners! Why should I tell you anything?"
"Allen..." Lavi whispered.
"Because I told you so." Cross said. Allen gritted his teeth and stayed silent. His mind kept flipping back to Road. He knew she could regenerate, but he couldn't stop feeling worried for her. He hoped she'd be okay and could save him before the Exorcists left with him.
"So?" Cross started. "Say something brat." Allen rolled his eyes and pointedly looked away. He could feel Neah's anger affect his.
'Something wrong?'
I never liked Cross. He always was so meddlesome. This is just like him, to barge into a place and mess everything up. Allen internally nodded, agreeing with Neah.
'Sounds right' Allen lifted the corners of his mouth, but he quickly went back to frowning at the floor.
At that moment, the party reached the end of the hall and light was flooding down the steep stairway. Cross paused and turned over to Kanda.
"Take her." Kanda glared for a moment before allowing Cross to place Lenalee on his back. Lenalee tried to move on her own, but her legs and arms were too weak and bruised to lift herself up on Kanda's back with out help from Cross. Once she was transferred, Cross squinted at Allen and grabbed his collar, pulling him up and throwing him over his shoulder. Allen growled when Cross shoved his face into his back. He still couldn't move, but he'd be punching and squirming if he could. He could feel the hum of innocence coming off of Cross's body, and it was driving him a bit insane. His skin was stinging and his mind conjured up a song to match his mood.
Although no one but Allen could hear the music, dust started shaking off the walls and anything not attached to the floor was vibrating slightly.
"God, calm down brat. You're making it difficult to get out of here. At this rate the Earl is going to find us."
"Good." Allen spat. For a moment, Cross glanced over his shoulder and stared at the back of Allen's head. Cross roughly took him off his shoulder and stood Allen up in front of him. Allen was trying so hard to move or attack, but his body betrayed him and stood stock-still. Cross grimaced and pulled Judgment out of his holster. Allen stared at it warily as Cross brought it up above his head.
"Shut up." Cross muttered before bring the butt of the gun down on Allen's temple. Cross released the Carte Garde as Allen crumpled to the ground, unconscious. Cross bent over and picked Allen up again.
"That fixes things. Lets go."
That took me three days to write, which is weird because this chapter is actually pretty short by my standards. I got distracted by speed painting videos of Allen on YouTube and Rise of the Guardian stuff. So yeah, you guys might be a little angry with me for this chapter. Especially since Lenalee didn't die. Yeah... I'll make it up to you later. At least Cross made an appearance! Kind of a spur of the moment thing. I have no idea where this story is going. *sigh* I'll figure it out someday.
Anseem the seeker of insanity: Well, I got the popcorn ready but I don't think it got eaten this chapter. I'm sorry to disappoint you, though your prayers to the Noah have been heard. I'll just keep this popcorn warm for later.
Mukuro234: Well, no spoilers, but I have considered that. I guess you'll just have to see. :P
Dianne060807: The Poker Pair is a wonderful pairing, I agree. Sometimes I'm not into the mood for it, but that's pretty rare. The only time I don't want to read the Poker Pair is when I really want to read the RoadxAllen stories.
Ally31098: Here's a new update! I used to update all the time, but I've been slowing down a lot recently. The end of the school year is surprisingly busy, so it keeps me from writing more often.
MnMsRoK: You don't need to bask in my glory, you have so much more than me because you are awesome-er.
Vampuric Spider: Yay, more evil Allen! Evil Allen is a little hard to write, but its fun too.
HikoHiro: They'd never see it coming...
Yes, I have an extremely biased opinion because I absolutely adore Road, but just look at chapter 203 page 25 and 26 in the Manga! Road is always thinking of Allen, though sometimes her thoughts get a little creepy... but still! I can't go into a huge rant, because you said it all.
Pffft, I know right? It's adorable though.
Yeah, my laptop is broken so I can't do it either, but I can imagine peoples faces, although I think most (not all) people try to make a point of not looking at people's screens. At least I do, but I can't help but see people's computers sometimes, especially when it's a site I recognize. (cough cough Tumblr cough)
I prefer the jumbled up stuff, it's funner to reply to. It's pretty annoying too constantly repeat, :Thank you!" or "I'm glad you liked it!" or "Yeah, I'll try to fix that." it gets pretty repetitive.
You might want to save those torches for later. Although, I;m sure you'll find a chance to use them somewhere along the story. :D
Rinny-Senpai 32: That's the same with me on most stories, I'd love to review every chapter but I never know what to say, but I suppose something is better than nothing. Rest assured, I could never get tired at looking at your pen name!
MidoriHikari00: I wish I would have thought of that, like, four chapters ago! Maybe I can find a way to sneak in his death, because killing him makes me even happier than killing Lenalee! Die, Chaoji, Die!
Lalala: I actually do like Lenalee, but I just hate the pairing. I wouldn't want to change her character so much that it's unfair.
Yes, lots of room, I wish I had an editor or something, but I'm such a lazy person. I should really get that fixed. Being lazy is a bad thing most of the time.
FruityStylee: Done and Done. My parents think I'm conspiring against them for asking for so many things recently. "Drive me to band!" or "Can I go watch anime at _ house on Saturday?" or "I need money for _." They're going a bit insane, but hopefully they won't mind this upcoming thing.
Seraphinit: Yeah, it's a bit confusing. If you really want to, we can just say she's sitting beside him and call it good. Whatever.
So, I honestly did try to get this out on Wednesday, but this chapter was hard, since Allen was so OOC. And the internet is like a shiny quarter that I found on the ground and I keep being drawn in, sucked up like, like, like something. I don't know, I need to go back to posting every night. Makes it better for everyone, though if this weekend turns out like I think it is, I won't be able to post until late Sunday night, or possibly even Monday.
Well, I'll talk to you then! Don't forget to R&R!
Abyss-chan out~!