A/N: I LIIIVVVEE! *insert Moo Moo Shu from Mulan here* That's right, we're back for the twentieth chapter of, Of Light and Darkness! I will be going on fall break soon, so expect another chapter coming your way once this week's over. Thank you for sticking around all of these inactive months, and please enjoy!
In the last chapter: "How is that possible? I would have sensed it! Allen shook his head in bewilderment, but got to his feet anyway. Damn these Noah and their habit for hiding things in plain sight!"
Allen ran down the halls of the Ark, panting and huffing. His heart beat quickly and his limbs shook with nervousness. I can't just let you go running into enemy hands, Tyki's words floated through his head and he tried to shake them away, furrowing his brow in concentration. They wouldn't do that to me. His boots thumped on the tile in a rhythmic manner and Allen tried to focus on that. Hit, hit, hit. Left, right, left, he chanted in his mind. The tightness in chest loosened and he breathed evenly, feeling lighter. The door to his room was just ahead. He was almost there. He slid to a halt in front of dark wood and pushed it open, not bothering to close it again.
Like so many times before, he stood before the mirror. Neah was there to meet him, his eyes clearer than the last time he had seen his Noah. Allen's eyes flitted up to the ever present stigmata and he choked on his breath. They were almost completely filled. There was only the seventh left, it's dark outline taunting him. He reached up and traced the thick black lines with his finger, his eyes wide with fear.
Allen, you can't go out there, Neah told him firmly, his glowing eyes boring into Allen's. The grey haired boy was distracted for a moment as he met Neah's gaze.
"I have to, Neah. My friends are out there," Allen retorted, lowering his hand.
And what if the stigmata fills while you are out there? Without Tyki to help you through the process? Neah asked. Allen shivered as he thought of how painful the change would be.
"It won't. The others didn't fill that fast," Allen denied, heart clenching.
You would bet on that? Challenge the unpredictableness of the Noah changing? Allen thought of his friends. He thought of Kanda's cold glare as they shouted at each other, thought of Lenalee's warm smile as Allen helped her carry coffee to the Science Division, and thought of Lavi's lopsided grin as he teased Kanda and the others.
"Yeah, I would," Allen whispered. Without another word, Allen lifted his fist and brought it down on the mirror, watching with sorrowful eyes as it shattered into a million pieces.
Tyki's eyes snapped open and he flung himself out of bed, sprinting toward the door and rushing out of it, his bare feet slapping against the cold tile of the floor. His Dark Matter twisted and curled around him as he neared Allen's door and, with a sickening feeling, he noticed the door was wide open. Tyki turned sharply, throwing himself into the teen's room, eyes wide and his hair disheveled, looking the exact opposite of what he always tried to present himself as. Allen crouched in front of the golden floor-length mirror, shattered pieces of the crystal like glass shrewn around him.
"Shounen-" Tyki reached out toward the boy, but found his hand stopped, resting on an invisible barrier that felt as if it was built of Dark Matter. Allen's downturn face lifted, his liquid silver eyes meeting Tyki's. Tyki's hand clenched into a fist and he brought it down on the barrier. "Shounen!"
"I'm sorry, Tyki," Allen whispered to him, standing to his full height, hands and and knees bleeding. Allen strode slowly up to the barrier and pressed his hand against it, right where Tyki's own lay. Allen gave him a small smile, his eyes glowing with uncertainty and cold determination. "I'll come back, I promise," Allen promised sincerely.
"Allen, you can't go out there," Tyki's fingers scratched at the barrier. Allen just shook his head and turned toward the shattered mirror. Tyki narrowed his eyes and let his Dark Matter wind around his arms, making them glow the haunting hue he had grown so familiar with. The Noah of Pleasure stepped back and raised his fist above his head, then brought it down with a strike so swift no normal mortal would be able to see it.
The barrier cracked around his fist, causing Allen to whip around, eyes wide. Tyki met them grimly and lifted his hand once more, Dark Matter crackling around it. He brought it down again and the spider web cracks spread. Allen turned, reaching his arm into the frame of the mirror. Surprisingly, he was able to go shoulder deep into the two inch wide frame, his face twisted as he searched for...something. Tyki struck the shield again, deepening the dent. Allen's eyes brightened and he ducked down, his head and torso slipping into the frame of the mirror.
Oh, God, that must be where Road hid the door to the outside, Tyki groaned internally. Allen was half inside the door when Tyki brought his fist down for the last time, the barrier shattering like the shield. He sprinted over to Allen, grabbing his waist and trying to pull him back into the room.
"Let go!" Allen shouted from inside the door, trying to squirm out of Tyki's grasp. Tyki blindly grabbed Allen's left arm and hissed as the Innocence burned him. Allen took that moment to push forward, his whole body disappearing inside the door. Tyki growled and pushed into the door after the teen, crying out as his feet hit nothing and he fell into a never ending black.
Road blinked awake, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. She looked to the stuffed bunny she had tucked to her side and she lifted it up, looking into its beady eyes.
"Looks like Allen-kun has gotten out," she told the purple bunny, golden eyes shining with excitement. She hugged the animal to her chest, giggling with happiness. "We finally get to have some fun!" She paused, looking up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "Looks like Tyki got out too," she remarked. A grin broke out onto her young features. "They're so cute together, don't you think, Bun-Bun-chan?" she asked the rabbit. It responded her in silence, though she seemed to garner something from it. "You're right," she agreed grimly, "Tyki's last girlfriend didn't last long, but Allen-kun's different. He isn't so easily...injured." Road giggled, swinging her legs out of her bed. "We should go tell the others!"
"Earl-sama," Lulubell called softly.
"Yes, I know," the Earl moaned sadly. "It's always sad when you're own family turns against you, wouldn't you agree?~" Lulubell nodded, expressionless.
"Tyki and the exorcist have found the door. Road is going to tell the others," the blonde remarked.
"My little Road goes against me too? How sad~" he wept. He shed a few more tears before turning to Lulubell. "We will need to correct them, no?~" Lulubell shivered, though she didn't let him see. You never let the hunter see your weakness.
A/N: *Rubs hands together* Things are really getting heated up now, folks. It feels so good to be back *evil laughter*. So what do you guys think? Are Kanda, Lavi, and Lenalee going to betray Allen? What's the Earl going to do? Road and the others? Let me know what you think! In other news, I have posted two inFamous: Second Son one-shots, in case any of you are into that game and want to check them out!
Thanks for reading, everyone! Reviews are always appreciated and smothered with love! Thanks for sticking around and I hope to see you next time! BYE :D