Warnings: lots of angst, mentions of cutting, child abuse, and implied rape. (Nothing is graphic or above T rating!)
Yeah...I bet at least some people are reading the list above and thinking: "Oh no, what's happening now?" I have a feeling most readers will probably want to kill me after this chapter. Oh well, we all have to die at some point. :D Just know I have an evil (slightly sadistic) scheme.
Thank you for reading this story and if you deem it worthy, please leave a review!
"Give me Robin or die."
Allen moves to stand in front of Robin, blocking her from the Noah's line of sight.
"What do want with Robin?" Allen yells.
"Her ability is a nuisance." Road answers. "So the Millennium Earl wants us to get rid of it."
"Her?" Allen asks, confused. Road raises an eyebrow, looking between the two of them with interest.
"Robin's a girl." Road says. "Didn't you know that?"
Allen spins around and stares at her as Robin forces herself to her feet. She wipes away the tears that spilled from her eyes due to all the laughter and raises an eyebrow.
"What the hell happened?" She asks. She glances around and flinches when she sees Road and Tyki. Her wings spring from her back and she moves to Allen's side.
"Who are these guys?!" She yells. Road giggles.
"She's recovered her senses." She says. "Good. Now we can play."
A huge, black and red checkered door appears in front of them. Before either of them can act, her and Allen are sucked through the doorway.
"Allen! Robin!" Lavi yells.
Road smirks and turns to Tyki. He sighs and walks around Lavi, heading toward the door. He steps through and Road smiles at Lavi.
"Wait!" Lavi yells, taking a step toward her. She snaps her fingers and the horde of akuma reappears. Lavi cringes and she giggles again.
"I'll let you guys play together for a while." She says. "Bye-bye, Bookman." She offers the red head a wave. She walks through the door and it closes, disappearing into thin air.
Allen and Robin fall into new room. Underneath Robin there's a low groan and she looks down, blushing when she realizes she landed on top of Allen.
"Sorry!" She says, getting off and helping him to his feet.
"No problem." He says. While he dusts himself off, Robin glances around at their new surroundings.
"So where are we?" She asks. They appear to be in some sort of little kid's room. There are different toys and presents around them. Strange, colorful candles light the room. Robin stares at the candles' pointy ends and subconsciously wonders how much it would hurt if they were to suddenly fall on the two of them.
"This looks like Road's room." Allen answers. "I've been here before with Lenalee and Miranda." Robin nods. So then that girl's name is Road.
"Is there a way out?" She asks. Allen shakes his head. "Damn."
"Um, Robin?" He asks.
"Yeah?"
Allen's face flushes. "You're a girl?" She flinches. Crap.
"Um," She says. "Biologically speaking, yeah."
"Why were you hiding it?" He asks. Robin chuckles nervously.
"I'm not really sure anymore." She says. "It's just something I've always done. I'm sorry."
"So then Kanda knows?" He asks. Robin nods.
"And Lavi." She says. "And Master Cross. Actually, I'm pretty sure Lenalee knows too." Allen frowns and slumps forward.
"Are you telling me I'm probably the only one who didn't know?"
"Komui and everyone else don't know." She says. "Besides, look on the bright side, aren't you happy to know you really are straight?"
Allen sweat drops. He suddenly hears footsteps and snaps his attention toward Road's door. Tyki steps out of the doorway and frowns slightly as he glances around the room.
"So you brought them here?" Tyki asks.
"Yup." Road says, following him. She smiles and the door disappears behind her.
"Road Kamelot and Tyki Mykk." Allen says. Tyki sighs.
"I understand bringing the girl here, but why did you drag the boy along?" He asks.
"I wanted to play with him again!" Road says, cheerfully tackling Allen. "Allen's so much fun!"
Robin sweat drops. "You like Allen?" She asks Road.
"What's it to you?" She responds. Road's eyes suddenly narrow. "You're not his girlfriend, are you?" Robin shudders.
"Nope!" She says. "Not at all! Have at him!"
Road smiles. "Good." She says, giggling, and hugging Allen tighter
"You didn't have to deny it so quickly." He mutters and Robin rolls her eyes.
"Not that I'm complaining or anything," Robin says, turning to Tyki. "But aren't we enemies? I thought we would be fighting."
Tyki lights a cigarette and brings it to his mouth. A puff of smoke wafts from his lips and he smirks. A purple butterfly materializes from the palm of his hand and it flutters around him, eventually resting on his top hat.
"Sorry about that." He says. "Well, Road? Shall we begin?" A swarm of butterflies wraps itself around Robin, blocking her line of sight.
"I'm going to enjoy clipping those wings of yours." He says, a huge smile reaching across his face. Robin bats at the purple insects around her, but it does little to stop them from landing. She feels a sharp pain and squeaks, trying to throw them off. Suddenly she's surrounded by a white cloak. The white fabric sharpens and cuts the butterflies in two.
"You okay Robin?" Allen asks from in front of her. She cradles her arm with a bite mark embedded on her skin. She groans and the skin hisses, healing the wound in a matter of seconds.
"They eat flesh." Allen explains. "Be careful."
"That's so creepy." She says, grimacing. Allen gives her a warm smile.
"Yeah," He says. "Don't worry. I won't let them get to you."
Tyki chuckles and the two exorcists turn their attention to the Noah.
"So you're going to interfere, boy?" He asks.
"I won't let you hurt Robin!" Allen yells. He charges at the Noah, slashing at him with his clawed hand. Tyki blocks using two of the larger butterflies to form two huge shields on either hand. Robin spreads her wings, ready to assist Allen when a hand stops her.
"Let's just have you and me play." Road says, stepping in front of her. She pouts and points a finger toward Robin. "I don't care who you are. No one steals my Allen!"
Robin sweat drops.
"Really," Robin says, holding her hands up in front of her. "I'm not after Allen. I already have a boyfriend."
"Really?" Road asks.
"Yeah," She says. "He's waiting for me to return right as we speak. So, I'm sorry, but I'm not dying today."
Road smirks. "We'll see about that."
A dark, purple-like aura oozes from around the Noah. Robin squeezes her eyes shut and braces herself as the darkness embraces her.
"Dammit!" Allen yells. "Robin!"
Road suddenly flinches. Tyki raises an eyebrow at her strange reaction.
"What's up, Road?" He asks her.
Road slowly grins. "There's two."
"Two?" Allen asks. Road giggles and pokes Robin's zombified body.
"This will be fun."
For a second everything is black. Robin reaches out, hoping to latch onto something, anything, but there's nothing. Suddenly she feels a hand on her shoulder. Robin jumps and raises a fist, hoping to land a hit.
"OW!" A voice yells. Robin stares up and blinks when she sees Raven glaring at her.
"Idiot!" Raven yells, whacking her over the head. "That freaking hurt!"
"Raven!" Robin yells. Raven huffs and rubs the side of her face.
"Where are we?" She asks, glancing around. The ground beneath them is checkered in violet and red and continues out seemingly forever. In some spots the floor is twisted, distorted at haphazard angles that shouldn't be physically possible. To Robin it looks like some kind of illusion, but if it truly is then why is Raven with her?
"It's your subconsciousness." Raven answers. Her violet eyes narrow. "But it's been corrupted."
Robin sweat drops. "I realize I've gotten darker since dating Kanda, but that seems like a pretty sad excuse to say he's corrupting me." Raven rolls her eyes.
"First, I stand by Lavi. Ponytail is so corrupting you. And Second, that doesn't matter because this isn't because of him. Someone else is here and they're the one twisting the space."
A giggle echos over their heads and they stand up, preparing themselves for a fight. The floor in front of them cracks open and a familiar looking girl rises up from part of the checkered pattern.
"Road." Robin says, glaring at the Noah. Road grins.
"So there are two of you." She says. "I've never destroyed two people at once."
"Try it." Raven says. "Get out of the floor and fight."
"Oh, I'm not fighting." Road answers, inspecting the two of them. "But since you're so eager, you can go first." Robin sees the movement behind them and spins around, ready to block when she stops dead. Robin's eyes widen in horror at the figure in front of her.
"Raven?!" She asks, staring at the girl in front of them.
The third girl wears a skirt and tank top, her long black hair and violet eyes mirroring Raven's. Robin gasps when she glances at the numerous red marks and scars crisscrossing along the girl's skin. Mixed into the cuts she sees burns, some faded and some fresh. By the way some of marks have healed, Robin can tell just by looking that none of them had been properly treated or bandaged.
"Bitch." Raven swears, her eyes hard. Road giggles behind her and Raven's face visibly darkens.
"You can see people's memories." Raven says. "You torture them by showing them their worst nightmares."
"Correct." Road answers. "I am the Noah of dreams. I am me, and not me. In this dream world I have complete control. Those who do not know my true form cannot hope to defeat me. So then, Raven, was it? I wonder how long it will take for you to break."
"Shit." Raven says. Suddenly the area around them shifts. Robin squeaks and Road disappears, leaving the two of them and the third girl in a new area. They appear to be standing in the hallway of a house. The walls are painted a cheerful yellow and a few portraits of flowers hang on the walls.
"No." Raven says, her eyes widening.
"Where is this?" Robin asks, confused. She's never seen this place before.
"Home." Raven answers. Robin's eyes widen, suddenly understanding the memory.
There's a high-pitched scream from one of the rooms and her blood turns cold. Raven flinches and brings her hands over her ears, her eyes squeezed shut.
"No!" Raven yells. "Not again! I won't!"
The dimension shifts and Robin finds them in a bedroom. Robin takes one look at the couple in front of them and turns away, vomiting on the floor. Raven lets out an anguished cry and falls to her knees, sobbing. Raven had told her about her parents' death. They were murdered in the middle of the night. Raven walked in, just a child then, and saw them on the floor. Robin knew she could never comprehend the horror Raven's carried since that night. Even now, having seen their bloody, cut open forms for herself, she could barely think. Robin squeezes her eyes shut as tears pour from her eyes. She's never seen so much blood.
The second Raven suddenly chuckles and her features twist into a dark smile.
"So much blood." The girl muses. "Didn't they find the knife in your hands?"
Raven's convulsions stop. Robin looks over at her friend with an expression of concern mixed with horror. The dark haired girl stops in front of the imposter and clocks the second Raven straight across her face.
"Is that the best you can do?" Raven whispers. She gives her a dark laugh. "I live everyday seeing their faces. You can't break me if I'm already broken. If this is how you intend to get to me, then we're going to be at this all day."
"Very well." Road's voice echoes from above them.
Robin flinches and she glances around as the scene shifts again. This time they're outside. The sky is blue with a few clouds being carried by the wind. A carriage door slams shut and Robin frowns when she sees the building in front of them. A sign hangs from the building's entrance that read's "Haven Orphanage" and she snorts. A haven. More like hell on Earth. The scene focuses on the group and Robin spots a little girl with black hair surrounded by uniformed policemen. A pretty flashy entrance, she remembers.
The tallest man grabs little Raven's arm and drags her forward, rougher than he probably should have. They enter and seconds later Raven, Robin, and the other Raven see the inside of the orphanage. A middle aged couple stands in front of the officers, faces painted with fake, cheerful smiles.
"So is this the little girl you mentioned about, Inspector?" The woman asks, looking over little Raven. The inspector nods. The woman frowns and pats Raven's head.
"You poor girl!" She says, staring down at her with pitying eyes. "Don't worry, we'll take good care of this one." Little Raven glares back, letting out a low growl. She hated those eyes. Ever since the funeral she's been bombarded with pity and false sympathy. All everyone says is "Poor you" or "I'm sorry" and it made her sick.
"That's enough Sarah." The man says, addressing his wife. "How about we let Raven play with the other kids?"
He motions to a door leading to the back yard and after a second of consideration, Raven opens it and walks outside. She glances around, noticing a bunch of toys. There's a swing set with monkey bars off to the side. Next to it is a seesaw and a huge sandbox. Little Raven glances around and raises an eyebrow when she notices a group of kids crowded together in a corner of the yard.
One kid looks up and notices her. He's taller than the others with greasy brown hair and a cocky grin. A few bandages are stuck to his face, Raven suspects, as an attempt to make himself look tough. Little Raven stares at them as the group scatters, revealing a small, brown haired girl from the circle's center. She's crying with a few scrapes on her face.
The pack starts moving toward her and Little Raven frowns, realizing she's the next victim. In seconds, she's surrounded and stares up at the group's leader, looking unimpressed.
"Looks like we've got fresh meat." The leader says. He grins. "My name is Henry."
"Raven." Little Raven answers. "Mind leaving me alone? I'm not in the mood."
A few of the others let out scattered whispers of awe. Apparently, not many people talk back to this boy. Henry clicks his tongues and sighs.
"Let me make this straight." Henry says. "While I admire your spirit, if you ever turn against us, I will make sure you end up like that one over there." He points to the sniffling girl they left behind. Raven glances once at her and turns back to Henry.
"Fuck off." She says. Henry scoffs.
"I warned you." He says, raising his fist. Raven suddenly takes a step and kicks the boy straight in the groin. Henry squeaks and falls to the ground in pain. A few of the other kids run up to their leader, yelling out cries of concern. The door leading inside the orphanage slams open and the husband runs out.
"Raven!" He yells. Raven brushes off his rage and instead glances over at the previously crying girl. Her golden eyes flash with amusement and her mouth curls into a small smile. Seeing it, Raven chuckles and allows the arm pulling on her to lead her away.
"I remember that." Robin says. "That was the very first time I saw you. We hadn't met, but I thought you were cool."
Raven nods and gives her a thin smile.
"A best friend." The second Raven murmurs. "After losing your family you came to gain another. Doing everything together. Comforting each other. Protecting each other. How long did you think it would last? A week? A month? A year? Just how long did you spend wondering, waiting for the day it all crumbles apart?"
"Shut up." Robin yells, glaring at the girl. "Raven's my best friend. Nothing could change that."
"Nothing, you say?" The girl giggles evilly. "Even if you knew the truth?"
"No!" Raven yells, her eyes flashing dangerously.
Her reaction only makes the girl laugh harder as the scene again shifts before them. This time Robin and Raven are in their room. Their two younger selves giggle on Raven's bed like only two best friends could. They're older than the previous scene. Possibly, when they were maybe ten or eleven. Young Raven plays a melody on her violin, while young Robin watches starstruck.
Hearing the song, the real Robin smiles. It's a lullaby. It's soft and gentle, and Robin's heart swells at the memory.
"That was the very first song you taught me." Robin says and Raven nods.
Suddenly there's a knock on the door and the two young girls freeze.
"Raven! Robin!" Sarah's voice calls from the hall. "It's dinner time!"
"Sweet!" Raven says, happily replacing the violin in its case. "I'm starving!"
"You're always starving." Robin says. She rolls her eyes, but still smiles at her dark haired friend. Raven smirks back and they run toward the dining hall. Once they enter the room, they're met with the other twenty or so kids living at the orphanage. The couple always insisted they at least eat dinner together. Well, really Sarah was the one who insisted. Her husband, Robin suspected, just went along with it.
The two girls take their seats at the table, when they spot an unfamiliar face. A man in his mid-twenties with messy blonde hair and ice cold blue eyes watch the duo with curiosity. Robin shivers under his stare and Raven glares back, not about to forgive anyone who'd scare her friend.
"Raven, Robin." Sarah says, offering them their plates. "I'd like you to met my son, James."
The blonde stranger gives the two of them a friendly wave and Robin returns a nervous smile.
"He just graduated from college." Sarah explains. "He'll be visiting for a little while so mind your manners."
Robin nods obediently and starts eating, keeping her eyes glued to her plate. Raven continues to glare at James, who grin backs cheerfully.
"I remember that guy too." Robin says, watching the little Raven glare at him. "He always had such a creepy vibe. I never understood why you seemed to hate him so much though."
Raven looks away, silent, and Robin frowns as the memory changes, fast forwarding to later in the night. Young Robin is sound asleep in her bed. Raven lies in the bed on the opposite side of the room, staring straight up at the ceiling. She takes a quick peek at her friend and silently gets up and walks to the door. She heads down the hallway toward the kitchen, hoping for a glass of water, when a figure suddenly blocks her path.
"It's late." A certain blonde man says. Raven's violet eyes narrow and she attempts to move around him, but James steps closer.
"Move it." Raven growls, glaring daggers at him. James merely smiles.
"That's not very nice." He says. "We met at dinner, but let me introduce myself properly. My name is James. It's nice to meet you, miss?"
"Raven." She replies.
"Raven?" James asks. "That's a beautiful name." He grins and Raven frowns.
"I just want a glass of water." Raven says, trying to get around him and failing yet again.
"I'll help you." James says. He steps aside and Raven narrows her eyes before walking past him. She heads into the kitchen and frowns when James follows behind her. They enter the kitchen and Raven moves to grab a glass out of the cupboard. James wanders near the stove and glances curiously up at all the pots and pans hanging from the wall.
"Mother always did enjoy her cooking." James muses.
Raven takes a sip of her water and frowns. She didn't like this guy. He was unnerving and just being in the same room as him irritated her.
"You ought to learn better manners." James says.
"Fuck off." Raven growls back. She replaces her glass in the sink and turns to leave when James grabs hold of her arm. Raven snarls at him, but gasps when he twists it and she lets out a cry of pain.
"So rude." He says, lighting a cigarette. Raven chokes on the smoke and glares back, trying to pull free.
"Let go!" Raven yells. His hand crashes against her jaw and there's a sickening crack. Raven falls back and places a hand to her mouth, shocked to see blood. James merely smirks and lets out another puff of smoke. He places the lit cigarette to her and Raven yells as it burns her skin. She struggles and tries to kick at him, but he holds her down.
"You have such pretty eyes." He says. "Just like your mother." Raven's eyes widen in shock.
"No!" Robin yells at the memory. "NO!"
Little Raven's screams echo in the memory. Robin looks away and hurls again, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks.
"No." Robin yells over and over again, refusing to watch. "RAVEN!"
The scene slowly fades around them and Robin falls to her knees. The dream Raven laughs and glances down at the cuts and scars across her body.
"How long did you let him hurt you?" She asks. "How many scars did you amass all those years? And not all from him either." Her fingers brush against one particularly long scar and she smirks. "A shame, isn't it? How you didn't bleed out."
"Raven!" Robin yells. "Tell me it isn't true. Please." Raven looks down, motionless. A tear plummets on the floor beneath her and fresh tears pour out of Robin's eyes. She pulls Raven into an embrace, wrapping her arms around her, refusing to let go.
"Why?" Robin asks. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"He killed my parents." Raven answers. "If I said anything he would have hurt you too. I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't lose you."
"Raven."
Raven opens her mouth to speak when Robin is suddenly pulled out of her grasp.
"Robin!" She yells. Robin slips out of her fingers and she crashes against the hard floor. She groans, cradling her side, when out of nowhere four translucent walls rise up around her. Robin swears and kicks at the walls blocking her off from her friend, but her attempts barely leave a scratch.
"What the hell?!" Raven yells.
"Just getting rid of distractions." Road's voice answers.
"I'm sick of this game!" Raven yells. "Come out and fight me, coward!"
The scene begins to change around them again. Robin is forced to watch from her box as the dream shifts into a dark street. Young Raven is panting, her black feathered wings extending from her back. Charred remains of the previous akuma lie in flames at her feet. Raven turns, starting to head back when she hears footprints from behind.
"Raven?" A voice asks. Raven freezes. She whips around and her eyes widen when she realizes she's face to face with none other than James. His mouth curls into a smirk and he chuckles at her wings.
"An angel?" He asks. "How interesting."
Raven flinches when he steps closer.
"Stay back!" She yells. Suddenly a dark shape appears behind them. Large cannons sprout from the akuma's body and aim on the two figures in front of it. Raven prepares, readying herself to destroy it when she hesitates. The akuma drifts closer to James and he screams. Raven's eyes harden and she steps back, allowing the demon to lock its aim onto the man.
"Raven!" James yells, eyes wide and filled with fear. "Help me! Please!"
"I'll see you in Hell." She answers and turns away, hearing nothing else besides the sound of the akuma's bullets.
"Raven." Robin whispers, watching in horror at the smile painted across the young Raven's face. She shakes her head, refusing to believe it. Raven wasn't like that. She wasn't.
"You enjoyed it, didn't you?" The dream Raven says through her laughter. "You enjoyed watching him suffer. Admit it Raven! You loved every second of it!"
Raven turns away, her face hidden from sight.
"Oh, how you fell." Road giggles cheerfully.
Robin gasps.
"Fallen Ones are humans whose bodies and minds have been taken over by their Innocence. They're made through one of two ways; either an Accommodator forces a synchronization with a shard of Innocence and fails, or a current exorcist betrays the will of God."
A single note reverberates around them. Robin freezes and listens as a lullaby comes to life. New tears pour out of Robin's eyes and she attacks the walls around her, kicking and punching with all her strength. This it the first song Raven played. The first song Robin ever learned. And the last song they ever heard together.
"RAVEN!" Robin screams.
She watches in horror as the memory of that night comes to life. Raven's body writhes in pain on the bed across from her. Now Robin knows what happened. She's a Fallen One. She betrayed God and the Innocence and now it was punishing her. Robin scratches at the walls, throwing her whole body forward, but the walls refuse to budge. Robin screams, yelling at them. Cursing Road, cursing God, cursing all who let the life of the Raven before her slowly fade away.
Robin shakes her head, lost in the dream, lost in the memory. She starts to feel her mind slip and for once she welcomes it. All she wants to do is make it stop. Make all the pain and suffering fade away. Robin's eyes begin to flicker closed as she feels a darkness wash over, making everything disappear.
"Robin."
Her heart stops.
"Live."
Air bursts into a her lungs and Robin's eyes snap open. She feels a pair of arms wrap themselves around her.
"Robin!" Allen yells. "Are you okay?!" There's a heavy pang in her chest and Robin's eyes fill with tears. She collapses to her knees, letting out a pained cry.
"She's gone." Robin whispers. "Raven's gone."
