HAPPY HALLOWEEN! I know I'm cutting it really close! I'm sorry! I've still got a few minutes. Okay so let's get down to business. So normally I would get into the reviews but as this is just a Halloween special and doesn't actually have anything to do with the story I'm gonna leave that for next week when we resume the regular story. So hang in there my friends. I can't wait to address all of your thoughts and theories! Also announcement. Kimikitteh's chapter will be out not next week but the week after that! Then we will have a regular chapter and then Kp's special chapter then the next regular chapter and finally 15th chapter before we fully continue our regularly scheduled program. Shout out to WinterYule for listening to me whine and helping me out with this chapter! Love you!


Thank you for your birthday wish for Luca, 15th! I was touched by it!


Enjoy the Halloween Special!


"What?" Luca protested, lips forming into a pout. Komui sighed.

"I know you were supposed to have the day off and had plans but something's come up, something that can't wait. I'll give you another day off once this is sorted out." Luca kept pouting. She didn't bother telling him that the plans they had were to go to the Samhain festival over in Ireland. As they had been before Allen could just open up a gate and they could hop over. There was no point getting a different day off. It wouldn't matter. Allen rested his hand on his sister's shoulder while Link watched from the back with a disapproving gaze.

"Isn't there somebody else who could take the mission?" Allen knew how much his sister wanted to go to this festival. She had even done all the paperwork properly that would allow them to have the day off, go, and use the ark so they would be on time. They would be gone the whole night and day and be back the on the second of November.

"I'm sorry," Komui shook his head. "Kanda and Daisya are out with Tiedoll and Chaoji. Marie, Krory and Miranda are in Russia. Bookman has records to deal with. General Socalo is still in India, and General Klaud Nine is in Portugal. You four are the only ones left. We're stretched very thin." Luca slumped down more. They weren't going to make it to the festival. They'd be lucky if they made it home by the second.

"Where is it?" Lenalee asked, ever the optimist. Komui sighed.

"It's in Germany. We think there's innocence at Frankenstein Castle."

"Luca snorted, "You're kidding me right? Why on Earth would you think there's innocence there of all places? It's a hoax. Designed to draw people in. That's all." If it's not a hoax then it's certainly magic and not innocence, she kept that thought to herself. The Order didn't need to know that she knew anything about magic.

"No Luca. We've sent finders there but every time they return they can't tell us anything about what happened there or how long they were there. The entire time is just gone." Magic it is. Hypnotist. Obviously, she groaned though she kept from rolling her eyes. She knew it wasn't really Komui's fault that they had to go but she could still be sour about it if she wanted to. It did sound a little weird but magic was weird.

"When do we leave?" she grumbled. Link was still giving her a disapproving look. So like an adult she made a rude gesture at him behind her back. She felt a little better after that.

"As soon as you're packed. We need to get this figured out before the Noah show up. You may go."

The trip had been boring so far. They took the ark to Miranda's old town but had to take the train from there. They had been in the same car for over an hour and Luca was losing her mind. They had started to play cards but Link quickly accused the Walker siblings of cheating, which they were, and ending the game. Luca turned her gaze out the window once more. Allen was napping, Link was watching Allen nap, which was quite frankly creepy in Luca's opinion, Lavi was drawing on Allen's face, and Lenalee was reading a book. Standing up Luca maneuvered around the others and left the train car. She walked up and down the train looking for something that would interest her. Anything at all to distract her from how mind numbingly bored she was. Her cloak swished around her legs as she moved, no sound to indicate where she was or where she was going. She still had her hood pulled up too. She moved from the first class to the second class, or regular passengers. She was almost out to the cargo car when a woman grabbed her by the arm. She slid into a fighting stance, Why didn't the akuma transform before it got her attention? It was so stupid not to, she wondered. The woman was old with long silver hair and shabbily dressed. Almost like somebody from her hometown. The shawl she wore wrapped around her shoulders held old runes. There were knitted into the fabric of the very shawl itself.

"Can I help you?" she asked slowly. The woman turn her hand over and peeled the glove back to look at her palm. The woman traced her fingers lightly over the lines in her palms muttering to herself.

"Naturally, naturally," she mumbled to herself still tracing along the skin of Luca's hand.

"What are you doing?" She looked up at the teen and a look of fear spread across her face.

"My child, your future is so very dark, you must not play this game. It will only bring you pain and suffering. No matter what you choose, you cannot have both. You will have to give up one thing to gain the other." Luca pulled away from the woman backing away slightly as reasoning came back to her. "Oh I'm sorry my dear. Sometimes I drift away. I hope I didn't say anything to upset you. I wanted to tell you that I liked your nails," Luca glanced down at them. She had just redone them while pouting in the train car, "but suddenly," she paused again. Taking a good long look at Luca before continuing, "I, you have a sad feeling about you. I can't really explain it. You must think me insane, but Dear do be careful. Please. For your own sake." Luca nodded and left the car quickly.

Luca stretched popping her back, shoulders, elbows and fingers once she hopped down from the cart that had picked them up at the train station and taken them out to the castle. The iron gates closed behind them. She blinked up at the large hedge maze that loomed over the four exorcists. Two wooden torches stood at the entrance along with pumpkins were spread around. The carved faces glowed with candlelight. Jack-o-lanterns is what they were called if she remember correctly.

"I may be wrong but last time I checked Frankenstein Castle was known for it's vineyards not creepy hedge mazes. Is there a way around it?" Lavi and Allen moved to look around at Luca's question but came back rather quickly. Lavi shook his head.

"It goes all the way to the wall." Luca sighed.

"There never is." She groaned.

"Looks like we're gonna have to go through it." Lenalee chirped.

Luca was less than thrilled causing her to mutter, "Whahoo." She glared at the greenery. It was mocking her. She could tell. "I swear I hate mazes. I didn't like them before but after that francba (damn) scarecrow she hated them.

"Well we won't get to the castle just standing around. Might as well go in." Lenalee took charge when Luca made it apparent that she was going to continue to sulk. Honestly the girl could be rather childish but then again General Cross had picked her up at age 7 so maybe she had a right to be like that once in a while.

"Yeah, it can't be that bad." Allen spoke causing all three heads to turn to him. Luca sighed.

"Somebody needs to stick to Allen like glue. Just in case we get separated. The rest of us should be fine but-" Allen cut her off.

"My sense of direction isn't that bad." The other two gave him a look while Luca rolled her eyes.

"Al, I love you dearly. You are my little brother and nothing will ever change that but you don't know East from North." He pouted but didn't argue because it was true he didn't. "So Lenalee why don't you and Allen stick together?" Lavi opened his mouth to protest but Luca stomped on his foot, hard. Digging the heel of her boot into his toes. He hissed and whimpered before clamping his mouth shut. She removed her foot. The pair nodded though she could see the light blush on the pair of pale cheeks. Lavi pouted at her but she ignored him. He could be so childish, which is why she liked older men. Was it due to her being raised by Cross or just her own personality? She didn't know and frankly didn't care. It wasn't a big deal. There weren't a lot of candidates and even fewer appealed to her. Yet one man did-NO! She was not going down that lane. No. Just no. Unaware that during her thoughts her right hand moved up to rub at the scar on her neck.

"Luca, does it still hurt?" Her eyes darted up from the ground to meet big dark ones.

"Oh no. I didn't realize..." she trailed off. It didn't take a genius to realize what she had been thinking about. It was hard not to. Lenalee frowned in concern. Luca shook her head. "Well let's get moving. Not going to get anywhere just standing here." The other nodded and together they stepped in. Suddenly something occurred to her. "Guys what happened to Lin-" The word died on her lips as she looked around and found herself alone. The others were gone. She whirled around, bushes where on either side and behind her. Face the way she had come she activated her innocence. The liquid solidified into a sword. Bringing the sword down she sliced away trying to get back through. No matter what she did, the branches just grew back as soon as she moved the sword. "Well that's just great." There was no where to go but following the path. She started walking. "Allen?" she called out and then waited a few minutes. She tried again but was still met with silence. She glared at the branches on either side of her. Luca reached over and tapped on Scor's tiny head, right between her horns. "Waky waky Scor. Connect to the others please." A bit disgruntled Scor took off from Luca's left shoulder to flutter in the air near Gambit who was in his place by her head. "Guys? Can you hear me?" she was met with only static. She groaned, "Oh that's right, magic tends to interfere with tech." She was getting sick of magical mazes. Granted she hadn't liked the first magical maze but this one was just ridiculous. Completely ridiculous. She eyed the jack-o-lantern that sat at the corner of the maze up ahead. Sighing she began walking, there was no point running around like a chicken with it's head cut off. Despite her crazy stamina it wouldn't do any good to waste energy. The others should be fine. Allen might get a little lost but they could find him just as easily. She glanced up at the golem sitting on her head. Gambit had even snuggled between her new uniform and cloak, hiding in the space between her shoulder and neck. Right by the bite mark which had scarred. A cold breeze blew through, chilling her down to the bone. Reaching back she tugged the hood of her cloak on allowing it to cast a shadow over her face and pulled her cloak around her tighter. She sulked in her hood as she moved down the pathway calling for her brother and friends every one in a while though she wasn't expecting a response.

She had lost track of the time she had spent just wandering the maze and the number of jack-o-lanterns she had seen. They were everywhere. She could swear that their eyes followed her everywhere she went. Every corner she turned there was at least another one. She didn't have anything to leave a trail with. Her pouches were full of weapons and snacks for Allen and Gambit as both tend to get grumpy and bitey when hungry. She was just starting to wonder if she should just find her way out and wait for her friends to do the same or continue looking for them when she saw a tall man with dark hair in a top hat. Her eyes grew wide. No, that can't be him...could it? What's he doing here? Is he lost too? Can it really..., the thought trailed off as he disappeared around the corner. She picked up her pace so she wouldn't lose him. Every time she turned the corner he would turn another one. There's no innocence here! The Earl should know that so why is he here? she started running as her mind raced. Her boots pounded on the dirt as she thundered down the path. She was finally catching up to him. She opened her mouth to call out to him when she felt it. A thick sickening air around him. Dark magic surrounded him like a dark dank fog. She backed away, any words she was going to say died on her lips. This was not Tyki no matter how much he looked like him. She took several steps back hoping he didn't see her. Whatever this was she didn't want to get involved. Not with magic as old as that. She realized her own stupidity. In her haste to chase down the man she missed so much she had neglected to notice that the maze was constantly shifting around her. Brambles and vines slithered around, changing the pathways around. How could she be so daft as to chase after something she didn't know. If she had even bothered to stop and actually feel his presence she would've known. She continued backing away until he spoke.

"Leaving so soon? I thought you wanted to see me with the way you were chasing after me?" He gripped the edge of his top hat to adjust it.

"I apologize sir, I thought you were somebody that I knew. I'll take my leave now." Her boots slid through the dirt soundlessly.

"Come now. You know it's me." He spoke teasingly as he turned around revealing playful gold eyes. She took several steps back.

"No, as a matter of fact I know that you are not who you want me to think it is." He chuckled.

"Of course I am." He tried again but she shook her head, no longer backing away. Something moved to her left. She turned to look at it. Words formed on the hedge wall.

"What does your heart desire?"

Keeping the fake in her peripheral vision she spoke to the bush, "What I desire you cannot give me. Who are you?" She could see the fake moving closer to her. The words shifted into old runes that Luca easily translated. After so many years it was almost completely automatic now. The fake twisted into brambles and thorns no long shaped like the Noah instead is grew several feet and lost the fake coloring. It towered over her though it's back was slightly hunched with long arms and wicked claws made of thorns. It's deep hollow eyes stared down at her. She had seen worse. Far worse.

"Desires never die." she snorted at the runes. She went to walk away only to find that brambles and vines had twisted around her feet and legs. Her leather boots were the only thing protecting her from the thorns.

"Release me." the order was calm and she stared into the hollow eyes with ease. "I never said it died. I said that you cannot give it to me. There is a difference. Who are you?" her voice never changed as she asked again for their name. They were powerful, she would give them that. What she couldn't understand was why here? Why would they choose to set up shop here? Perhaps they thought the rumors and legends would hide whatever it was that they were doing? There was no innocence as she had predicted. No it was magic. Old magic. Older than the Order itself. Extraordinarily old magic. In truth the magic in question was ancient and not to be tampered with. Yet here they were. She groaned in her head.

"What you desire is here." Luca snorted again.

"That's impossible" Her gaze never left it's eyes. "Now identify yourself. Who are you?"

"You desire your friends and the one your heart yearns for." Slowly the bramble monster stepped aside removing the restraints from her legs and held out one arm point down the trail with a single clawed finger. Two pathways open up to a V. "Choose one now." She kept her face blank though she did glance down each path to inspect them. They were identical in appearance giving no indication on which one lead to which. She turned back to face the monster and hedge with the runes that burned like fire yet did no damage to the bush itself.

"I know not of what you speak of. My heart does not yearn." She answered simply. She did her best to be calm and adapt the carefree uninterested attitude her Master used.

"Never show them any fear, no matter if you are terrified or not. Always keep your head on your shoulders and your wits about you." Her master's words rang in her head.

"You are very brave little one. I admire your resolve. However please do not lie to me." She raised an eyebrow at the runes.

"What do you mean by that?" Instead of answering her the brambles by the monster's feet reached into the shrubbery slowly and pulled a top hat from within. This time she couldn't suppress her surprise. It looked like one of his. The brambles laid the top hat at her feet. She couldn't help her own curiosity and bent down to pick up the hat. She inspected it closer all while the bramble monster didn't move. Instead it seemed content to just watch her. The hat was certainly from the same place as the rest of his. The ribbon was a deep royal purple.

"Are you sure? You seem to be paying a good deal of attention to a hat that you would never wear. It does not belong to your friends. So why do you care about it so much?" She glared up at the monster and then let it slide from her features.

"Maybe I like to collect top hats. I have several even though I don't wear them." A breeze blew though carrying a laugh on the air. She couldn't place the gender just based on the chuckle or the wording.

"Only when they are from him. You can lie to yourself and your friends. You can laugh it off and claim that it's just for fun. But you never can run from nor hide what you feel from my eyes. I can see into your very soul." Luca raised an eyebrow. See my soul? Whoever this is sorcerer or sorceress is they are tampering with things they don't understand. Souls are not meant to be seen or messed with. It was why the Earl's crimes are considered so heinous, she kept that thought to herself.

"How do I know which way is which? Do I just choose randomly and hope it's the one I want?" She questioned diverting the conversation away from her soul and the stains it bore. They were nothing that she wanted to share with anyone else never mind some shady sorcerer, though sorceress was more likely, who wouldn't even show themselves or give their name. A single firefly floated from the empty place in the bramble monster's chest. It landed on the hat for a moment and then floated down the right path. She looked at the firefly which floated back to her and then down the path again.

"Choose your path now." She walked to the fork in the road slowly. She glanced back just in time to see the monster nod at her once before it melded back into the brambles of the hedge becoming one again. Her heart pounded in her chest as she tried to decide which path to take. No matter what she said to the maze itself she did want to see him. She cared for him far more than she should and wanted to be with him. She glanced at the firefly one more time and then down to the hat. The fabric of it was soft to the touch. Her heart sank and she walked to the entrance of the right path. Taking a deep breath she placed the hat back on the ground gently and went down the left path, knowing that she could not abandon Allen and her friends so selfishly for something that would never come to be. He could never be hers. She could never be allowed to want him even if she already did. This was a really shitty way to spend her birthday. She had forgotten that it was her birthday when she had first awoken. Apparently so had Allen. It didn't matter much. It was really just another day.

She had been wandering down the left path for a while, it lit by fireflies and tall wooden standing torches. She had yet to see either her brother or her friends despite what the shrubbery had said. Had it lied to her? She couldn't believe that she was contemplating in a bush had lied to her or not. Her boots moved her silently across the ground carrying her through the ridiculous magical maze. She look left and she look right, peeking over her shoulders every now and then. Despite her best efforts she still found herself half expecting another scarecrow to leapt out of the bushes and reign its terror on her again. She shivered, that was not something she had enjoyed. She hadn't gotten over the last encounter...although she had to admit she got some enjoyment out of it and a pretty hat too. But now was not the time for that nor should she continue thinking of him. There was no point in it nor did it accomplish anything. She glared as she walked around the corner only to come to face to face with another jack-o-lantern. It acted as the head for a scarecrow. She jumped back and then glared at it. She was so tempted to smash it. She raised her her hand clenching it into a fist to do just that when she saw that it was wearing the top hat. Frowning she snatched the hat from jack-o-lantern. She was about to smash it again now angrier than before when she heard a rustling around the corner. Slinking around the jack-o-lantern she moved to the corner silently.

"Harlequin, activate." her hushed whisper caused the liquid to slide from it's place down to her arms into her gauntlets. She placed her back against the wall and peeked around the corner. Something dark was moving. She inched around the corner until she was faced with a bramble monster. For a moment both stood still, neither willing to make the first move. Something moved behind it and she leaned to look around it. Letting out an ear piercing shriek it swung it's arm at her intending to tear her face off with it's wicked claws. Luca ducked out of the way and then staggered, having thrown herself off balance in the process. Ducking under another swipe she shot forward off the hedge she had fallen into to swing around and attack it's open side. The bramble ribs splintered and then cracked under the strength of the her punch. The creature howled in pain and whirled to face her only for her right hook to connect with it's face. Grabbing it's arm she twisted it around before yanking it clean off. Grinning she used it like a club to beat the monster repeatedly. It screeched and howled in pain and rage. Jumping up she shoved the arm through it's face, blinding it. The bramble creature flailed around, swinging it's good arm wildly in an attempt to get her. Taking notice of a strange lump in it's chest she shot forward, shoving her arm through it's rib cage, her arm protected from the thorns by her gauntlets, and ripped the beating heart from it's chest. It fell to the ground, dead. She took several deep breathes as she stared at the strange heart made of bramble and thorns. She dropped it no longer interested in it. She looked up to see what was still moving. A second creature, the same as the first, was hunched over something. Her eyes widened when she saw what it was.

Lenalee lay on the ground with blood spilling from the gaping wound on her neck she whimpered, "Help me, Luca." The beast feasting on her flesh and blood.

"No!" She shot over and smashed her fist into the monster's face with such force that it decapitated the creature and sent the head flying off it's shoulder and down the long corridor, it's body slumped over her friend's. She shoved the thorny body off of her friend. "Lenalee!" kneeling by her friend she immediately placed her hand over the wound in an attempt to stop the blood flow. It didn't help much, instead the blood just flowed over and between her fingers. She applied more pressure to the wound. "Just hold on, you're gonna be okay." She couldn't tell if she reassuring her friend or herself. Lenalee reached up towards her face before her eyes went dull and the hand fell back. Luca did her best to blink away her tears.

"Lenalee? Lenalee? Lenalee answer me!" Luca struggled to keep her wits about her but her chest ached as she tried to rouse her friend. Giving up the Hungarian sat back on her heels and tried not to sob. Her friend was dead and she had failed to save her. She wiped away her tears furiously with her hands, her gloves absorbing the liquid. Suddenly the body of her friend shot up, hands Wrapping around her throat and cutting off her air supply. She struggled to remove the cold fingers constricting her windpipes.

"Why didn't you save me Luca? I trusted you! You could've saved me." She continued to claw at the hands. She needed air. She couldn't even argue with the...she wasn't even sure what to call it or if it was even her friend.

Loosening the grip a little she managed to choke out, "Invoke, Level 2: Harbinger. Strike, Nightmare's Mark." the lighting shot forward frying her assailant. She gasped as she managed to pull away. Eyes wide, her chest heaved her lungs desperate to regain the lost oxygen. Lenalee fell apart turning into burnt shrubbery. Not waiting to see if the fake was actually dead or not Luca shot up to her feet, turned on her heel and ran. Her two golems flew after her doing their best to keep up with their fleeing mistress. Her boot thundered down the path, she had no idea where she was or where she was going only that she had to get away. The fear and adrenaline pumped through her veins as her mind whirled, desperate to figure out what had just happened and if it had all been real or not. Flying around the another blind corner she collided with a warm body. A quick glance at the aura said it was human that was all that mattered. Throwing her arms around them she began to sob into their chest.

Tyki wandered through the maze completely and utterly lost. Why the hell did he keep getting sent on these missions? He couldn't answer. Perhaps the Earl just secretly hated him and this was his way of punishing him for existing? That was probably not true, but the thought did occur to him. He didn't understand the maze at all, not to mention that the jack-o-lanterns were really starting to creep him out. They reminded him a bit too much of that damn scarecrow from the last maze he was lost in. He really was starting to get sick of mazes. Oh wait he was already sick of them. He hadn't liked it the first time he had been lost in one. He didn't understand them at all. Who saw joy in getting lost on purpose? He certainly didn't. Now all I need is for Butterfly to come thundering around the corner and running me over and the experience will be complete, he snorted. As if summoned by his thoughts, a body came flying around the corner and crashed into him. Arms wrapped around his torso and the person started crying. Shocked he looked down only to find a mess of black curls.

"Butterfly?" he almost stuttered the question, he was completely shocked. What was wrong with her. She was sobbing. "Hey," she didn't answer him. "hey," he tried again. Sighing he wrapped an arm around her while the other began to pet her hair slowly trying to calm her as best as he could. He wracked his brain for what could have possibly set her off in such a way. She hadn't reacted this way when he had almost killed her brother. No that was cold hard fury. Fury he had yet to see again. What had caused her to cry? He had never seen her cry, not once. "Sshhh, shhh, shhhh" he looked up as the sound of something shuffling down the path she had just come from. His eyes widened as a monster made of brambles shambled around the corner. Half of it was burnt and falling apart. The part that wasn't destroyed looked like her friend. Her Chinese friend, who had been unable to fight, the girl that the Earl had thought was the heart. The monster moved closer and opened it's mouth.

"Luca," the monster called drawing out the girl's name. "I thought you were my friend. How could you attack me like that? I trusted you." Luca clung to him tighter and she sobbed harder. Glaring coldly at the monster he lifted his hand from her head and fired a blast of dark matter destroying the head causing the body to crumple to the ground. He went back to petting her hair until she calmed down. Eventually she stopped crying though she didn't let go. He continued to pet her hair while rubbing circles on her back.

"It's gone now. It's okay. It wasn't really her." It was all he could think of to say to her. It had to be what had upset her in the first place. "Come now, Butterfly. It's okay now." He felt her shoulders shake. Was she crying again? Did he screw it up somehow? he panicked internally. He had been trying to comfort her.

"We've got to stop meeting like this. It's starting to get ridiculous." she giggled softly. He sighed now that he knew she wasn't crying again.

"You know if you wanted to see me so much you could've just found an akuma or written me a letter instead of growing a giant maze and ticking off the Earl again." She left go and punched him in the stomach and began to wipe her tears away with the back of her hand.

"Jerk. Just shut up." He groans but she's smiling again so perhaps it's worth the pain she's inflicting.

"What? I'm just saying. You're the only one I've seen since I got here. And I can't find my way out. I even tried your little trick and I'm still here." She snorted as she finished wiping the tears away.

"It's a magical maze, My Love. The walls move." He blinked at her a couple of times.

"You've got to be kidding!" he groaned causing her to laugh some more. "That's cheating." She giggled even more when she saw that he was pouting though she knew from her experience with men and their silly pride he would never admit to pouting or call it frowning or scowling like her Master. She once again began to question if her Master and the fact that he raised her had anything to do with her interest in the Noah before her. She shook the thought away in favor of another comment.

"But you wouldn't have the luxury of my company." She grinned at him while he rubbed his sore stomach. It ached, but the punch certainly hadn't been at full strength, or even half strength. It had been halfhearted at best. He snorted at her.

"And here I was foolishly believing that a luxury was something you enjoyed." He smirked as she made an offended noise and then pouted at him. She opened her mouth to respond when the ground began to shake. Luca grabbed on to him to keep from falling. He steadied her. "Why do I have a feeling that I don't want to know what that was?" He asked glancing at her warily. She gave a sigh though she did smirk.

"Because you probably don't. It never seems to be a good thing. Especially because the entire ground shook." she explained as she stood up on her own again. She took a deep breath.

"Are we alone?"

She smirked up at him and moved a step closer with each word she spoke, "Why? Would you like us to be?" He made a face at her which only made her giggle all the more.

"Are you going to keep doing that to me or what?" She laughed lightly at his question.

"If it really bothers you then I'll stop and try to behave myself." she began walking in the opposite direction that she and the faux Lenalee had come from.

"I'm not sure you know how to or even the meaning of the word behave." he snorted as he trailed after her. He had no idea where they were going or what was even going on. Just decided to follow Butterfly who was walking away without him. Again. He did his best to hide the fact that he had picked up his pace so they could walk together again. They wandered down the pathways again in silence. He wondered if she had been offended by something he had said again. He ran through their conversation again in his head. Maybe she was just embarrassed because she cried in front of him? Did that bother women? Wait, since when was Butterfly like most other women? Would the same rules even apply to her? His thoughts continued to swirl around the girl who continued to confuse him and his feelings. He continued to question what was going on all the while glancing over at her. She froze suddenly. "What? What is it?" He looked around but didn't see anything.

"Can you hear it?" Her voice was soft but he understood the importance of it. Freezing he listened closely for a moment.

"Is that," he paused listening to it again. "Is that hoof beats?" she nodded.

"Yeah that's what it sounds like to me too. What I can't figure out is how the hell do you get a horse into a maze and then get it to run. Anyway I think we better keep moving. Out running a horse in such tight quarters would not be fun." he nodded at her words. The sounds were coming from behind them. They picked up their pace but the hoof beats continued to get louder and closer.

"Can we just go through the maze?" He asked. She eyed the walls warily.

"You might be able to. I can't. It regrows as soon as it's cut. I can't do anything against the walls. I already tried to cut my way through but it didn't have an effect as I said earlier. I'm not sure I would try it if I were you. This is magic not innocence so you probably could go through it but it might not let you go if it does get it's roots on you. This is dangerous magic." He was surprised by the seriousness of her tone. She wasn't joking around this time.

"Well then I guess I'll stick with you until then. Is that what's got you on edge?" She took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh.

"I didn't realize that it was that obvious. This magic, yes it's putting me on edge. The hair on my arms and neck are standing on end. It hasn't stopped since I stepped into the maze. Not to mention that my friends are in here somewhere and I can't feel their auras. Which is highly concerning." He rested his hand on her shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. I don't think anything could kill your brother and he wouldn't let anything happen to your friends. If anything they are all probably worried about you and your lack of self care. Seriously you don't take your own health into consideration at all." he huffed though it was in a rather affectionate way. He reached over and ruffled her messy hair which she smacked away.

"Knock that off. My hair is messy enough as it is. I don't need any extra help." He snorted.

"It's very hard to take you seriously when you pout Butterfly. It's just so cute." She glared at him and lunged causing him to take his cue to run for his life.

"Te fasz (You dick)! Baszódj meg (Get fucked)!" He started laughing as he ran with her thundering after him. He glanced over his shoulder at her every so often.

"I have no idea what you are saying but I get the feeling I should be offended." She smiled evilly though he felt more like she was showing him her teeth rather than being friendly.

"I'll translate for you. Come here and I'll whisper it in your ear." He laughed some more.

"The last thing I'm going to do is let you anywhere near my flesh. With that look you remind me of the teez. I'd lose my ear if I tried to do that." Her smile didn't change and her speed picked up. Eyes widening he sped around the corner only to skid to a stop. A huge horse stood in front of him. It huffed in his face. Luca came around the corner and ran straight into his back. He did his best not to allow her momentum shove him forward. "Back away slowly." She drew the word yes into his back and stepped back as silently as she could. He followed her but the for every step they took backwards, the horse took one forward.

"Does it have a head?" Tyki glanced back at her over his shoulder.

"Of course it has a head. How do you think it's glaring at me?" he hissed out of the corner of his mouth. She rolled her eyes.

"I meant the rider." He paused taking a quick look at her again. She was looking up at him through her eyelashes clinging to the back of his jacket.

"I didn't mention a rider. How did you know it had one?" Luca stood on her tiptoes to look over Tyki's shoulder. Her eyes drifted from the black coat of the horse to black armor and long red cape before finally drifting up to where the pumpkin sat in place of a head.

"I've read a book like this once." This time he actually stopped and turned around to look at her.

"What?"

"I read a book like this once. It's called the Legend of Sleepy Hollow." she shrugged at him helplessly. The horseman raised his arm, the sword gleaming in the light from it's jack-o-lantern head.

Eyes wide she grabbed him by his hand and yanked him down the corridor, "Run!" she could hear the horse thundering after her.

"What happened in the story?" She didn't let go of his hand, taking as many quick and suddenly sharp turns as she could knowing that the horse would have to slow down to take them. They were skidding and sliding around too.

"The love story part isn't important. When the headless horseman or the lovely gentleman we have behind us shows up he's chasing a man called Ichabod Crane through a forest. He wants Ichabod's head because he can't find his own or it's destroyed. He was a hessian soldier who died when a cannon ball took his head off. He doesn't care who's it is. As long as he gets a head he will be happy." she explained darting down another pathway. The horse missed the smaller opening. She could hear it neigh angrily as it went around.

"What happened?" She met his gaze for only a moment before taking a sharp left turn.

"In the morning all they found was Ichabod's horse and hat along with a smashed pumpkin. Nobody ever saw Ichabod again. Most assumed he lost his head." She skid to a stop. The horse and it's rider were right in front of her. Tyki wrapped his arms around her and yanked her through the hedge into the other pathway and out of the sword's reach. Some of her hair was left in her wake. Sliced from her head. "That felt weird." He shrugged.

"You get used to it." He hadn't even thought about it when he phased through the bush just taking her with him. She was still held close, pressed against his chest. He looked down at her. "How was Ichabod suppose to get away from the horseman?" She leaned back to look up at him and meet his gold eyes.

"There was a bridge that marked the end of the hollow I think and the horseman couldn't get past that. I don't know it the same applies here or not. Maybe if we got out of the maze but I don't know how since the maze keeps changing. Maybe there's a special bridge we need to find?" she shrugged. He raised an eyebrow.

"Your suggestion for this is to wander around looking for a magical bridge in a magical maze?" She rolled her eyes at him.

"I know it sounds silly but so does bringing a horse into a maze or using a pumpkin in place of your missing head but that's happening here too. Normal rules don't apply here, My Love." He sighed, Why does everything have to be so confusing and complicated? None of this makes any sense but she's right I guess. Luca slid from his arms and he immediately missed her, she tugged him down the path as he thought.

"I give up. Ever since I met you weirder and weirder things happen when I am around you. I didn't have these kinds of things happening to me before you. It was nice and peaceful. Sure there were exorcists but I knew how to deal with them. This not so much. I don't understand bushes that attack people or zombies or-" she cuts in.

"Those were more like revenants than zombies My Love. I was just so tired that I couldn't think of the correct word at the moment. But for now we need to get to the castle. Preferably with our heads intact." At those words the brambles all around them began to take shape, forming into huge monsters for a moment then shrunk into the bodies of Allen, Lenalee, Lavi, and Link. Luca took a step back from one in fear. Pained panic began to spread through her body as her heart clenched tightly. One of them that looked like Allen jumped her. A blast of dark matter shot it away.

"It's not really them. They're just doing it to get inside your head. Don't let them. It's going to be okay." Tyki whispered softly into her ear. Taking a deep breath she looked at them again.

"You're right. Thanks." She reached up on her tip toes again and kissed his cheek before attacking. "Activate! Harlequin!" Tyki stood frozen for a moment and just watched her start tearing them limb form limb. The fact that they had taken the forms of her friends seem to piss her off now that she wasn't seeing the real them again. He smirked as she ripped the head clean off of one. It was a rather attractive sight. He just barely ducked out of the way of razor sharp claws.

"Perhaps I should pay attention to you huh?" The fake Allen didn't say anything just swung at him again. "You know the real version is far more interesting. At least he answers me. Even if it is just righteous stuff. He's always fun to be around." He snorted blasting it away. The red haired one was even more fun. Not as much fun as Butterfly was but fun. He was pretty emotional for a bookman. He swayed out of the way of all the spiked hammer's swings. Ducking underneath another one he ripped the heart out and watched it fall to pieces before turning to another one. He vaguely heard Luca unleash her second release.

Luca smashed another head in before using it as a springboard to kick another head off. She was no longer looking at the faces or coloring of them. If she didn't see who it was it didn't bother her. Tyki was right and it wasn't the real ones. They weren't her real friends and brother and now she was angry. She hated that feeling. That cold clawing at her heart. Hyde banging on the door. Begging to be let out to protect her from having to harm her friends. Hyde continued to whisper sweet words of black bliss of her embrace. She shook it away. The numbers continued to grow. Anything she destroyed just grew into a different face and attacked again. She glanced over her shoulder to check up on Tyki. He seemed to be enjoying ripping the hearts out. She shook her head. Her love had a few issue but he was so cute when he was this gleeful and it wasn't hurting her like this. She dodged another swipe and glared at it. Ripping the arm from the body she shoved the claws through it's own chest, shredding the heart apart. She had to silently agree with the Noah this was a bit fun. She chuckled. Allen and Lenalee would be horrified at the mere thought of doing it never mind enjoying it. She glanced down at her gauntlets.

"Get off the ground!" Tyki glanced back at her due to the strangeness of the order but upon seeing her green gauntlets he launched himself into the sky out of harms way. "Strike, Nightmare's Mark!" She slammed her fist into the ground releasing the energy. The green fire raged across the path consuming everything within it's reach. He watched as the bramble creatures tried to outrun the fire with little success. He knew from experience that the fire was almost impossible to run away from as it was but in such a small space there wasn't anywhere for them to run. They tripped over themselves and each other and acted like people in general. He raised an eyebrow at that. It was odd. He landed on the ground when the fire disappeared. Luca glanced around. "Well I guess that in the end fire is always the answer." she chuckled a bit.

"Why IS that your answer to everything?" She laughed as he walked over to her.

"Dunno. I just really like fire. It's fun to watch and it just mesmerizes me so. I remember watching the fire when I was little while my mom told me stories and just watching the flames lick at each other and the wood was fascinating in general. It always has been." she shrugged then looked around. "Hey I bet we could set fire to these bushes. I think hedges burn rather easily." She grinned looking at them. Tyki sighed at the gleam that appeared in her eyes. She was still taking their deceit pretty personal. He dug into his pocket.

"I got matches." He pulled the box out and offered it to her. Her grin grew and he wished he had a camera as she reached out for the box. Vines wrapped around their ankles and flung them from the maze. They landed in a tangled heap around the corner from the entrance of the maze. Tyki's mind flashed back to the corn maze and was suddenly glad for his dark skin and the low light of the jack-o-lanterns. Finally they managed to separate.

"I don't think they want us around anymore." He chuckled at her joke a bit. Her friends voices could be heard outside the maze.

"I told you they would be fine. They're looking for you. I guess I can't keep you all to myself then? Maybe I should just steal you away and keep you all to myself. I think I'd like that." She smiled at him, her innocence deactivating and winding back up under her sleeves. Any other time he would've laughed at an exorcist foolish enough to put their weapon away in his presence but it was different with her.

"Allen wouldn't stop until he knew I was safe." Tyki looked offended.

"You'd be safe with me." Luca's pale cheeks went red.

"I suppose though I'll just have to settle for this for now." Without anymore warning he pulled her to him and captured her lips with his. Her eyes slid shut and she kissed him back, winding her arms around his neck while his wrapped around her waist. For a moment everything was perfect. He was gone as soon as she pulled away, having vanished though the ground to avoid a fight with the other exorcists.

Luca reached up and touched her lips gently as she spoke, "Jerk." Sighing she turned around and stepped out of the maze. She was immediately hugged by both Allen and Lenalee. Lavi patted her on the back reassuringly. She smiled at him over her brother's shoulder. "I'm okay guys. It just took me a while to find my way out. I guess I went in really deep looking for you." The others pulled away.

"I'm glad you're alright Lu." Allen spoke. Lenalee nodded.

"We were really worried. The maze tossed all three of us out and we couldn't get back in. We've been waiting for you ever since." Luca nodded though she did glance back at the maze. She could use magic. That's why she had been able to get in. If that was the case, why had Tyki been there? She glanced around.

"Hey guys, where's Link?" The entire group fell quiet.


And that is the end of part 1! Part two will be out sometime before the end of November. I won't tell you when because that wouldn't be any fun. Gotta keep you all on your toes! See you next week and Happy Halloween! Chesh is out~!