Chapter 25: Fare Thee Well
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There's always something sweet within betrayal,
But the pain that you inflict upon others.
The reactions they create make my blood rush,
And yet, deep inside I am breaking for I did not even bid them,
A Fare Well…
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I sat upon my bed, quietly pondering as to what I could do. Not that I had a thought of helping them crossed my mind. I let my hands rake through my slightly messy tresses, the effect of my restless fingers caressing. I let my aquamarine blue eyes gaze upon my hands, beneath my skin, my blood courses with excitement for the kill. I had to instill some self-control within me. I let my eyes rove through my room, what would I leave behind in this desolate tower?
As I continued to think, the cries and screams of the victims of the onslaught reached my room and I could not suppress the ever widening grin etched upon my face. How their delicious cries of agony and despair tinkled upon my ears. I shook my head. Was I becoming insane? Am I slowly being corrupted by my noah?
Or…
Was I just corrupted in the first place…?
I fell unto my bed, the soft cotton sheets enveloping me in a mock comfort but they were nothing that could appease my inner being which cried for bloodshed. This four-cornered room which has been my home for the past few years will be forgotten, and probably unspoken.
No more 'Rien' will come out of their mouths but the word traitor will replace the favored nickname that has been given to me. No more smiles from these exorcists but only glares and snide comments and dances upon the battlefield will I exchange in the future.
Now that I think deeply about it, was becoming a noah worth all this? I settled upon my side, letting my hands rest in front of me. I closed them then opened them, trying to flex them but it was a fruitless act.
There was no comfort in my solitary existence and probably none. If I were to side with Tyki, would he abandon the feelings that we share? After all, we are siblings tied by the very blood of Noah that courses through our veins. I shut my eyes trying to find some solace in the shadows of my mind.
And yet, once again it was a fruitless act.
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The thunderous sounds of battle echoed through the desecrating tower, making it known that the once stronghold of the exorcists has fallen prey to the pawns of the Millennium Earl. Pawns… How easy I say such and yet I am one of those simple tools that a greater being would make use. I snuggled closer, letting my legs be propped unto the mattress while my feet are suspended in mid-air. I let the fading warmth of my body upon the sheets of my bed comfort me for a while before a loud knock was heard.
I was honestly pissed as I was brought out from my reverie but nonetheless complied to open the annoying wooden barrier of a door. My booted feet trudged upon the cold stone floor before I swung the door aside. I was met by the flushed and haggard face of Komui. He was panting, trying to calm himself after a marathon. I arched an eyebrow and he gritted his teeth at my reaction, annoyed I guess.
"Hurry Rien. You need to be in the infirmary!" He hastily pulled my arm and was dragging me until I got hold of the door frame which halted him from continuing his pace. "W-wait! I need to get something." He pursed his lips into a thin line, clearly annoyed at my antics and I hastily went to my desk. A single object lay upon the cold mahogany top and I quickly took it into my hands before I rushed out of my room following the ever hasty trail of a supervisor clad in white.
Battle raged everywhere, people rushed here and there. Even the finders hoped that they would be of a certain kind of help. I let there movements be a blur as they passed by me, heading to where the scene of battle was. The two of us finally reached the infirmary, the supervisor quickly left me which was probably going to fetch his precious younger sister. I looked at the interior of the room, there were injured exorcists but I dared not share their comfort in the only safety of the now assaulted headquarters of the Black Order. I touched the jutting deck of cards upon my shorts and rushed to where the scene of fighting was.
Intending to end everything once and for all.
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Debris was everywhere and the paths that led out were barricaded with the walls that had caved in within the battle area. I gazed lazily at the being that seemed to be made out of water; inside it was the exorcist who was capable to manipulate time. And there were the unmistakable strings that Mari controlled which was a futile attempt at freeing the slowly drowning exorcist.
There was a spruce of trees that grew upon a patch of the battlefield and this was probably because of General Kloud Nine's innocence. I walked along the fallen debris, the flattened carcasses of Akuma and humans alike mixing their scent of death that I had to cover my nose at the strong scent.
There was a cry and I was quickly pushed away. I gritted my teeth in annoyance and was about to retort but found myself gazing into Yuu's dark eyes. And these same eyes held worry and anger. "Stupid Gaki! What are you doing here?!" I bit my lower lip. "I'm here to fight! In fact I should be the one to ask you that question! Why are you here?!"
He looked away, embarrassed at the predicament that came upon him. I let my gaze settle unto his weapon. That's right, Mugen hasn't been fixed yet so he has to put up with an ordinary sword to fight against the present akuma no matter how futile his attempts are, he is still fighting.
I had to give it to Yuu, he's the best darn knight if he was going to be employed as such.
"You should be in the infirmary." His statement brought me out of my train of thought and I narrowed my gaze at him, "And so should you." He gritted his teeth openly, not satisfied with where the conversation was heading. He shrugged and then without further ado turned to left but before doing so he had managed to tell me, "If it suits you then stay but be careful."
I felt butterfly wings graze my stomach when he uttered that simple statement and I had to shake my head to clear the hazy thoughts away. I turned to look at where Yuu was but his being was gone and only the settling dust of the battle remained. I shrugged then made my way towards the wounded science division members, hoping that I could continue this slowly ending farce until the end.
"R-Rien!" It was Reever who managed to cry out my name and I rushed to him, putting on a worried expression and maintaining the mask that closed off my inner intentions. "Reever! What happened here?!" Panic seemed as natural in my voice as I kneeled down in front of him. I looked around as his finger pointed to the damage the headquarters sustained.
"We've been fooled by that woman over there." His bloodied finger pointed to the probable Noah that was continuing its suffocation of the brown-haired exorcist.
"Is she what I think she is?" I asked, now my voice melded with uncertainty and Reever nodded as a sign to affirm what I thought she was. So Noahs did come in different kinds, like those snacks in different flavors.
What the heck?! Why am I thinking about food?! I narrowed my eyes and noticed just how the generals seemed so natural in dealing with the intruders then again, there was nothing less to be expected from them.
"Reever, I have to go help them." He grimaced but a frown marred the Australian's face and he gripped my forearm weakly. "Rien, you've just recovered from your injuries." I shook my head and spoke, "Allen has too and yet he's there fighting. I just need to be there too. I have to prove that I still have some worth."
He let go of my hand, knowing how stubborn I truly was and I smiled down at him before I proceeded to run towards where the real battle was taking place. This seemed to catch the attention of the intruding Noah and she sent a watery tentacle in my direction. Since I had just recovered, I was not in my tip top shape thus not fast enough to evade the appendage that was heading my way. It wrapped around my nose and mouth and I struggled for freedom.
I thrashed, trying to increase the chance to escape suffocation. I fell down to my knees, my hands grasping the dirt from the debris and battle that had occurred.
You are the one that stands our here. A voice had spoken and immediately my eyes went to the enemy that gripped upon the top of the egg. I squinted my eyes and gave a slight nod which made her grin a bit wider in my eyes.
Are you capable of illusions now? I hesitated. Was that my given power as a Noah? Curiosity drove my mind and I lifted my hand slowly, as if to ease the watery tentacle off my orifice but secretly it was aimed at the eyes of all the spectators in the room. Slowly the appendage draped down my nose and mouth until it completely released me and I looked at the slightly relaxed form of my older sister by Noah's blood. She smiled at me then proceeded to a form of a tall, slender blond woman and beckoned me to her.
I looked around me, the scent of death and despair clung too thickly but what held me in place was the figure of Kanda Yu who effortlessly continued a futile battle against the swarm of level three akuma. "Come now." The female Noah's voice beckoned me and I took another step towards and another until I was standing in front of me.
"What's your name?"
I asked, uncertainty laced in my voice. Now that I was facing a kin to my lineage of a Noah, does my mind begin to have second thoughts. She outstretched her gray hand towards me and I raised mine and let it hang above the offered hand.
So many things ran into my mind and I chewed on my lower lip, frustration and doubt raged within me. I looked up at her golden eyes, the eyes of the lineage of murderers. A shudder ran down my spine and I shut everything away from me. The paleness of my skin complexion was replaced by the gray tone of a Noah. The iconic crosses flitted upon my forehead, designing the pale width of gray skin. I closed my eyes then I opened them to peer into the blonde Noah's eyes. My hand quickly grasping hers and a smile came upon her lips, "I'm Lulubelle. Welcome to the family, little sister."
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The illusion I had set up lifted and I lay dangled upon one of Lulubelle's watery tentacles. It may look that I died what with the watery appendage just a little too close upon my mouth and nose. I could not help but put up another barrage of illusion so I could get the front seat of the whole show. Lulubelle let me slid off her tentacle and I landed gracefully upon the balls of my feet. I looked ahead, they were so focused upon Lulubelle and the illusion I had propped.
I let my gaze slid upon them, they were so serious and I had to say that they really were quite a laughable sight. Kanda proceeded to run towards Lulubelle while heading in my direction. He seemed like a blur because of his speed but as soon as he passed beside me. Time seemed to slow down as I let my now amber gaze face him and it seemed that he felt my gaping eyes at him and he faced me. Yet that did not faze him for he continued on his assault but of a slower pace.
My heart seemed to break at the little space that was left between us. I left my gray hand fly to the fabric over my chest as the breaking sensation overflowed my emotions. It's better this way. It's better for him to see that I suffered than I had betrayed them all so easily. It's so easy for everyone since they will love the illusion that is slowly suffering at the intruding Noah's grasp whilst the genuine being takes a seat to the destruction of the Headquarters.
I turned at Yuu's enrage form, how his attacks seemed so fierce and unrepentant. It was better this way since I am now tainted I cannot love you anymore. And in my wake, you will be left with a delusion of the girl everyone grew. Everything is just a farce.
I felt wetness upon my cheek and I let my hand rise to my face and thus the pads of my fingers brushing the skin made the wet trail of unbidden tears be known. It was so few that I truly cried without my mind telling my tear ducts to do so.
Was it because I am to severe these bonds that had taken me a long time to cherish and grow?
Or was it because, all this time, I have never told Yuu what I truly felt…?
Either way it was making me shed tears without me knowing such. I hastily wiped the trailing liquid from my face with my sleeves. I exhaled then proceeded to Lulubelle, the color of my being a Noah draining out from my complexion. She transformed back to her human state and held me by the waist. Her features were marred with a frown as we slowly descended to a portal that led to some place I probably have no knowledge of.
I turned to my former companions, their faces worn from battle. I didn't expect the way my emotions stirred within me and made me feel as if I am fragmented inside. I closed my eyes and whispered,
"Farewell."
The travel within the continuum was weird, everything was queasy and oddly enough colorful. I felt nauseous as we passed through this vortex or maybe it's just because it was my first time experiencing this odd manner of travelling.
No sooner we had arrived into a lavished room, Lulubelle quickly released me and rushed out of the room. I tried to get my composure before observing the room. It seemed to belong to a rich family what with the silk draping upon the windows and the four-poster bed which were of a powder blue color. The wooden furniture was glazed with a certain coating that made them shine against the reflection of light.
"It's good to finally see you." I heard an all too-familiar voice which originated behind me. I turned to that direction and smiled to myself, letting the physicality of a Noah overcome me.
"A pleasant meeting to you as well, Millenium Earl." The Earl chuckled and Road poked her head from the Earl's side. I was quite taken back at her presence since I had seen her die at the ark. She smiled then skipped towards me and then enveloping my waist into a tight hug. "Rien~!!"
"Welcome to the family." A tall man whom I didn't know spoke. He had long hair that was tied in a low ponytail and a monocle settled upon his right eye. He let his mouth turn into a wide grin.
"Welcome home~!" Road chided and I looked down at her and had to smile.
"Yes, I am home."
A/N: I needs to get some shut eye since I haven't sleep for like more than a day~!!! I haven't slept since yesterday~!!!
With this done, I'm gonna go to bed.
I hope you like this chappie and I'll really try to update soon.
Please review~ 83
Love you lots~!! Crim