Chapter Thirty-Six

An Effective Decoy

Allen's POV

Allen sighed impatiently for the nth time, reminding himself again and again that his presence was not needed. He could slip away for a few minutes and use the ark to go to…Greece, perhaps? Maybe swim for a short time. Just to get away from the seemingly relentless battle unfolding before him.

He was practically doing nothing, being forced to watch as the akumas tried and failed to hit Lenalee, and she would come back at them with a kick that would destroy them. And her comrade, the one named Elin, tired as she may look, didn't seem to Allen like she was going to give up anytime.

The persistent buggers.

Allen almost cheered when a level two akuma almost shot right at Lenalee's face, but a big boulder was thrown at it and caused it to explode even before it could release a bullet. Elin reappeared behind it, panting and bruised, even having the nerve to smile at Lenalee in the middle of a battle.

"Please, Lenalee. I know you won't let me handle this, but you should go now and concentrate on protecting Meilin. I'll be fine. I promise."

For a moment, none of the akumas moved, as the exorcists stared into each other's eyes. This prompted Allen to make a speech for the akumas after the battle to seize the opportunity whenever the opponents were distracted. He sighed and slapped a palm on his forehead again.

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Lenalee made up her mind, and she turned in the other direction to run away. But before she could get a few feet away from Elin, Lulu Bell cracked her whip again and more akumas appeared from behind the treeline. They circled around Lenalee and Meilin, and for a brief moment Lenalee heard Elin call out her name before her adrenaline kicked in and gave her enough rush to jump up in the sky, and come crashing down on one level two akuma. Her dark boots immediately finished the job, and she turned her sights next on a level one akuma. She destroyed about four more, before her path was clear again. She ran ahead, but Lulu Bell called for the akumas to leave Elin alone and turn their sights on the escaping Lenalee.

Elin almost swore under her breath, having not expected Lulu Bell not to treat her as a threat. For the noah to order the akumas to just let her be, she was getting the real message. But Elin was determined to prove her wrong.

As Lenalee ran away, with the akumas trailing after her and trying to land a bullet, Elin mustered her remaining strength and adrenaline to send a stream of boulders, and destroyed about six akumas before one level two turned around and punched her and sent her crashing into a giant tree. She heard Lenalee growl in defense before shooting up in the sky and crashing down on the akuma that hurt her, but the moment Lenalee was back on the ground Elin stood and sent more boulders. Then she stood her ground and sent a swipe of solidified air and sent the akumas at the ground, wherein Lenalee was free to use her dark boots to destroy them for once and for all. But the more they seemed to kill, the more there seemed to be.

It was Barcelona all over again.

Like her high speed makeshift bullets made up of rocks, it hit Elin that Lenalee could just fly away in the air using her boots and travel as fast as the speed of sound away from them. She wasn't running away; she was luring the akumas away from Elin. But fleeing would also mean leaving Elin alone at the mercy of the akumas, and Elin herself knew that it was primarily the reason Lenalee hadn't flown away. At this, Elin got a bit irritated. She knew that all this fighting would be pointless unless she managed to make Lenalee flee from the scene.

So Elin ran and went directly behind the akuma Lenalee was fighting with, and she sent an air blade horizontally on the akuma, splitting it in half. After the smoke dissipated, Lenalee's purple eyes met Elin's, and the fourteen year-old sent her best determined look.

"Lenalee, just GO."

Two akumas came up from behind each of them, and as Lenalee turned to deliver a kick Elin sent another blade of air. When the akumas were gone, the two turned to each other again to continue the conversation.

"But you–" Lenalee was about to protest, but Elin grabbed Lenalee's arm and squeezed it.

"You're making it harder for me! Go!"

At this moment, there were tears in Lenalee's eyes, but she looked up at the sky, and shot straight up. Elin almost cried out in relief as she watched Lenalee hover above for a few seconds, scanning the area, but Elin caught her breath when Lulu Bell's whip latched on Lenalee's right ankle just when she was about to fly away. Lulu Bell yanked hard, and Lenalee fell to the ground and crashed on her back. Lenalee cried out in pain, and she accidentally released her hold on Meilin who rolled away on the ground while clutching her crystal ball. But when Elin was about to run to her to give her help, one akuma hit her with its metal claw and she crashed into one of the trees where she heard something within her crack.

As she slid down, Elin felt her head get heavy, and as her eyelids drooped she watched as Lenalee moaned in pain, and a newly awakened Meilin crying at the sight of her battered comrades.

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Lavi raised his hammer, and hit the akuma with a loud clang as metals banged against each other. The akuma, however remained unharmed, and Lavi felt himself being mocked as the akuma seemed to sneer at him. He turned away for awhile to see Krory trying to land on another akuma whilst the creature used its shields to protect itself, and Panda-jiji using his heaven compass and whatnot to deal with his akuma. Lavi turned back to his current opponent, but the akuma swung one of its shields at Lavi and sent the redhead crashing into their makeshift prison. Lavi stood up at once, and as he did he tasted the blood in his mouth. Sneering with blood on his lips which seemed like a sinister pair, Lavi wiped his lips using his sleeves, and he whispered under his breath.

"So…that's how you want to play it, huh?" He eyed the akuma, who prepared with a fighting stance with his shields and swords gleaming under the sun like really well-made props for a play. Lavi thought about his options, and fast.

He could definitely use his fire seal, and it would prove to be effective against the akumas. But the problem, was that they were trapped within metal stakes, and using fire in a place like that would turn them into exorcist-flavored barbecue. Lavi wasn't sure where he got the thought, but he knew that the three of them exorcists would have to get out of their cage before he could do anything. He would have used his hammer to grow longer as they held onto it to get someplace eles, but Lavi knew that there was a chance that the akumas would climb up on the handle along with them. But there WAS another option…

Lavi glance at his ready opponent across a patch of field, then he bolted and raced as fast as he could towards Krory. Lavi replayed his plan in his mind, and he turned back to see the akuma trailing closely behind him.

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Meilin heard the sound of a someone's soles scraping against the ground, and when she opened her eyes she saw Lulu Bell walking casually towards her.

Meilin whimpered, and she remembered the images of Lenalee and all her other comrades hurt along with the image of this woman in her visions.

She knew this would happen…she could have prevented it. She was supposed to become an exorcist alongside Lenalee, Elin, Lavi, Krory, and Bookman. But instead, all she did was drag them down.

It was all her fault.

Elin tried to stand up, but as she raised her head she felt something swish in her head and make her dizzy. She could only watch as Lulu Bell walked towards Meilin as if she was just strolling in the park, and Meilin used what little strength she had to creep away from Lulu Bell. Unfortunately, Lenalee was still lying motionless on the ground. Elin couldn't let this happen. Not if she could help it.

She tried to stand up, but suddenly she felt warm hands pull her down from behind. She turned around, and her eyes widened as they met Lavi's. Bookman and Krory were standing beside him.

"Lavi! How did you–?" Elin was about to ask how the three of them escaped from the trap, but Lavi put a finger to his lips as she realized that she was talking too loudly.

"Easy, Krory hauled me and Panda-jiji out of the cage, and I used my Fire seal to roast the akumas. Then we got here as fast as we could. Now, now, just stay there. We'll take care of it."

"Meilin–!"

"Yes, yes, we know. I have a plan." Lavi smiled reassuringly at Elin.

"What plan?"

"You'll see."

Lavi stood from his crouched position, and there he activated his innocence and made his hammer grow. He jumped out of their hidden position, and he hit his hammer on the ground where Lulu Bell stood. The Noah jumped away to the side to avoid the attack. Elin heard a rustle behind her, and she watched as well as Krory went forward and went beside a shaking Meilin. Bookman sat beside Elin without a word, and silently watched everything that happened in front of him.

"Hey, you must be that dragon-like akuma's master–" Lavi attempted to make small talk with Lulu Bell, but he only managed to make the Noah growl at the mention of her deceased servant. "Wait a minute…are you sure you're a Noah? You're too pretty to be one!"

Behind the bushes, Allen turned grim at the implication. But Lulu Bell remained impassive at Lavi's statement, and she cracked her whip in Lavi's direction and caused the exorcist to jump away.

"Hmmm…feisty! Krory, now!" Lavi shouted, and Krory gently got the crystal ball from Meilin's hands and threw it to Lavi. "Don't worry Meilin, we'll take care of this." Lavi darted towards the trees, and Krory followed. Elin turned from left to right frantically, as did Lulu Bell, as they tried to listen for any sound that gave away the two exorcists' location. Lenalee finally stood up, walked beside Meilin, and clutched the girl in her arms.

"Where–?" Elin heard Lulu Bell say, and all heads turned when somewhere within the trees, the sound of a glass breaking resounded through the area. Elin could only scratch her head as she could think of nothing that could cause a sound like that. Much less WHY someone would make a sound like that. A strong gust of wind almost threw everyone off their feet, and when it stopped all that remained was silence. Then Lavi and Krory reappeared, and instead of Meilin's crystal ball an innocence fragment pulsed brightly in Lavi's hand. A RAW innocence fragment…

"Listen, Noah." Lavi said, and he stared right into Lulu Bell's eyes. "It's this that you want, right? You know what, I'll give it to you."

"No!" Meilin gasped, and Lenalee snapped as well.

"Lavi, what are you doing?" Elin could not move from her place as well. But their pleading went unnoticed.

"I'll give this to you, under the condition that you will leave Meilin alone. Safe, and unharmed."

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Within the shadows, Allen sat contentedly on the ground, leaning forward in anticipation of what Lulu Bell was to say next in response to the exorcist's deal.

The deal wasn't bad, really. The mission would still be done, as long as they were able to destroy the troublesome innocence, as the Earl would say it. There would be no point to kill the little girl if the innocence was already destroyed, if not for bloodlust.

And bloodlust was one of the things Allen despised most.

He would certainly not allow himself to want it. He promised that to himself, back when he had just started receiving missions, that he would only kill if it was necessary. As much as he hated humans, he hated them because of their mannerisms and what was the point of hating them if he was exactly like them?

Allen watched, as suddenly Lulu Bell smiled. Well, that was unexpected.

"Don't you agree Lulu Bell would look prettier if only she smiled a lot like me?" Allen heard the Earl speak behind him, and he almost jumped out of his hiding place.

"E-Earl? What are you doing here?"

The Earl was crouching beside Allen in an awkward position, and the Earl was so big the shadows almost couldn't accommodate his size. "Well…I just decided to pick up Lulu Bell. And I can see that I arrived just at the right time, too. She's just about to finish her mission. I have a new one waiting for her. You know what that means, Allen?"

Allen gasped. "You're leaving the Cross mission to me? ME? Really?"

"Yes."

"But…wasn't I tasked to kill Cross, and Lulu Bell was tasked to kill Cross's extraction team? So I'll have both of those mission?"

"Yes. But remember, you must not do anything to Cross's team unless they have led you to Cross's true location. After that, you may do whatever you wish. Now, quiet down and let us watch what Lulu Bell is about to do next. Although I'd prefer it if she accepted the deal. That Meilin is quite the cute girl. It would be a waste if she were to die."

Allen almost didn't hear what the Earl said next as he silently celebrated in his mind. Two major missions, at the same time, was the best thing for Allen since getting adopted by the Earl. This was not to go uncelebrated.

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"I accept." Lulu Bell's reply resounded through the area in the silence that ensued, and the other exorcists gasped and cried out as Lavi tossed the innocence fragment to Lulu Bell, who caught it flawlessly in the air.

Lulu Bell weighed the options very carefully, and she knew well that it would be safer if she were just to accept Lavi's proposition. The exorcists had managed to kill all her akuma recruits, and she was all alone now. Except of course for Allen, who wasn't allowed by the Earl to do anything. Yet. But the mission had to be done.

The exorcists held their breaths as they waited to see what the Noah was to do next, and when Meilin attempted to stand up Lulu Bell closed her hand around the fragment tighter, and just like that the innocence fragment was reduced to glowing ashes. Lulu Bell opened her hands, and let the wind carry the ashes away.

Meilin felt her heart sink as she watched her destroyed innocence float away from her…

How could Lavi do it to her? To them? He hadn't asked permission, no, nothing at all. He said that he would take care of it…what happened? She knew her safety was everyone's priority, but she couldn't stand this.

Elin saw Lulu Bell slip away into the forest unnoticed by the others, but the shadows made it impossible for her to follow Lulu Bell. She couldn't believe what just happened before her, but she knew that there was no way to undo what had been done.

So that was Lavi's plan…to betray Meilin and give her innocence without permission. That was unacceptable. Who would have thought that he would ever do something like that? Elin cared for Meilin as much as Lavi did, but she would never do anything against her…

Elin felt her head grow heavier, and finally she succumbed to sleep as her eyelids grew heavier. Before she went unconscious, though, she caught a glimpse of Lenalee angrily storming towards a still Lavi.

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NOAHS POV

"Master," Lulu Bell knelt before the Earl as Allen stood near the two of them, still with a dreamy look on his face. "Did I make the right decision? Or am I still to kill the little girl–?"

"No," The Earl prompted Lulu Bell to stand up. "You made the right decision. I am not here because of that. I have come to pick you up, you have another mission elsewhere."

"But what is to become of Cross's extraction team?"

"Allen will take care of that."

"Very well, master. What you say will be done."

Allen snapped out of his trance when Lulu Bell and the Earl walked away. He watched as the Head Noah and the Noah of Lust went farther and farther, and he cheered again as he realized that he was going to be alone now.

He turned towards the exorcists to have some entertainment, and he watched as Lenalee fought with Lavi and brought her fists to his chest. Lavi, however, did his best to calm her down. When she was tired of beating his chest, Lenalee sank down on the ground and clutched the sobbing Meilin. Lavi walked to a hidden enclosure, and went out carrying an unconscious Elin with Bookman trailing behind him. The Bookman's apprentice told his comrades that they would have to spend the night back in Meilin's home, and as he walked away with Krory and Bookman Lenalee trudged reluctantly behind the group.

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Elin opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was a happy Meilin, sitting beside her on the bed, looking expectantly at her face.

Happy.

Happy..

Happy…

Happy…Meilin…what?

"Oh, you're awake!" Meilin cheered.

Elin could not make sense of what she was seeing, and when she sat up Meilin's crystal ball rolled on the sheets. Elin almost jumped up like she'd seen a ghost, and Meilin giggled at her reaction.

"W-wha–? What's happening? Are we in the past? WHAT DATE IS IT?" Elin panicked, and this caused Meilin to laugh more. Before the girl could say anything, though, the other exorcists entered the room, sporting the injuries they had received during the fight, but with Lenalee looking a lot more happier like Meilin, which was strange.

"Meilin!" Lenalee scolded. "You're supposed to rest!" Meilin jumped up, and scurried away to a bed near Elin's and climbed down under the blankets.

Elin still couldn't make sense of anything.

Her comrades, however, seemed to sense this, and they gathered around her and prepared to answer her questions. All of them were in smiles like Meilin's innocence hadn't been destroyed–at least, that's what Elin remembered–except for Bookman, who never really did smile.

"H-how long was I out? Two months? Three? Five months? Is that why everything seems to be not how I remember them?" Elin asked them.

"Elin, you were only asleep for an hour," Lavi rolled his eyes humorously.

There was silence for awhile, as Elin looked down at her blankets and tried to think of a better excuse for seeing Meilin's innocence other than having traveled to the past.

"Is it just me, or is Meilin's innocence really sitting on her lap?"

"No, it's really there. Can't you see how happy Meilin is now?" Lenalee smiled at Elin's cluelessness.

"Ugh! Seriously, people, will you just tell me what's going on before I explode and think up all the craziest theories? You're keeping me in suspense!"

"Perhaps, Lavi would be the one best to explain." Krory nudged Lavi, and the two chuckled.

"Everything was all smoke and mirrors, actually. It was a little risky, too," Lavi continued.

"You mean…that wasn't a real innocence fragment?"

"Nah, it WAS a real innocence fragment."

"Then whose–?"

"Rosanna's. It was Rosanna's innocence."

"Ahh! The Rose-girl! I remember! But what about the swishy wind thing?" Elin made gestures with her hand. "It all looked so real!"

"Nothing my wood stamp can't do." Lavi patted his pocket where Ozuchi Kozuchi was hidden.

"The breaking glass?"

"Nothing beats breaking a bottle. I would've preferred a dish, really."

"Oh, that's brilliant, Lavi!" Elin clapped her hands.

"Yeah, but it was a risky bet. I mean, what if Rosanna's innocence had been the heart? We were just lucky it wasn't, and that we hadn't left it there in her village. It was our savior. Besides, I had to endure Lenalee's beating." Lenalee blushed. "I couldn't really explain everything until it was safe. Who knew if that beautiful Noah was still watching us? So I waited till we got here before I told everyone. And you were asleep. So…that's everything. Any more questions?"

"None. I'm still…I can't explain it! It's just so amazing you thought of something like that!"

"You were amazing too, Elin," Lenalee spoke up, and Elin turned to her. "You managed to stay awake the whole time. You're even more bruised than me."

"Oh, come on Lenalee," Elin smiled. "Everybody knows you suffered the most. For all I know, you could have broken ribs and all. Anyway, how about Meilin? Will the Asian finders still come for her?"

"Well," Lavi was the one to reply. "I talked to the superiors about that, and since we tricked the Noah they will be hot on our trail. And we won't allow Meilin to be brought to the Asian Branch unless we're with her, so…"

"She's coming with us to find Cross."

Me: For all the Meilin haters out there, I apologize for keeping her alive. :/ She...will have an important role in the near future. :D

Witchsoul531

some say the glass is half empty, some say its half full, i say "are you going to drink that?"

Me: Hmm...I guess that means one should think differently than the norm? I dunno...gotta lot going on with my mind right now. :D

Junky

Me: I think I said in the first chapters that Allen was prohibited from showing himself, so he can't really do anything. Yet. For now. Just now. :)) Unless of course he's a ninjaaaa. About the long answer portions... I know right? It depends, though, on how many readers ask questions. And I had to answer them all, so... :D

Akua-Shuzen

Me: Thanks! :D

That's all for this chap! Till the next one, and please review! :D Need ya opinions and thoughts about this fic. Thanks for reading! :)))