Hitomi: Well… This is it. And you already know what I mean by this, right? As much as I don't want to do it, it's pretty much inevitable. All of this time, I had been trying to think on how to write this chapter and it… Had its repercussions. It had been difficult writing this chapter, already knowing that it'll impact Rue so much. Affecting her in such a way that… *trails off*
… *shakes her head softly, has an unreadable facial expression* Yeah, it's strange for me to talk like this, isn't it? Well, as an aspiring writer, I feel that characters—despite that they only exist in fiction—are real people as I write. Odd, isn't it? That's why, when writing a chapter with this kind of atmosphere, I want to leave a strong impact as people read my work. As you notice, when I continue to develop Rue, she's slowly becoming human. So, when being confronted by Death who'll soon wear the face of her comrade… What would happen from there? It leaves a lot of questions in the mind since Rue has faced Death for as long as she can remember.
Midnight Hikari – XD Oh my, so Dai-Dai's a new nickname for Daisya, eh? Well, I can't change canon, so I really have no choice but to kill him off. And you're right. *smiles a little, though it's sad* The promise Daisya made to Rue was a huge irony, considering his fate… And hey, he might as well tease her about something for one last time.
Random-Crap-to-the-Rescue – ^^;;; Oh dear, I actually made you cry? I'm sorry about that! Then again, I was going for making an impact on people, concerning this part of the story… Admittedly, though, I was feeling a bit depressed when writing Daisya's promise. Heh, I'm pretty sure I might tear up once I kill him off, so you're not alone in that one. And yeah, gonna admit one more thing: I'm a crybaby too, though I try not to be most of the time.
Soulless Ghosty – Ugh, the stress is just ready to kill me on the spot, honestly! Been barely a month since school's started and I'm already up the wall! Yikes, sounded like it was a difficult year for you too. Hehe, I'm sorta guilty for doing that (skipping assignments on purpose just to relieve the stress for a while), though it's always an every-once-in-a-while occurrence. Finally, right? Rue finally smiled because she's happy to be with the Tiedoll unit the way it is now. But yes. *sniff* Being sad will be the next thing for her to feel… Same here (especially since Daisya's been one of my favorite characters), though I don't want to rush writing this chapter since I want to leave some sort of strong impression on you guys (you are reading my work, after all, so I really want to know what you guys think!) regarding this. And again, the irony of Daisya's promise to Rue HOURS BEFORE his death was what I was aiming for. And yes… It'll be quite the blow, her going into such a shock upon realizing he made that promise before his time…
XxXTwilight-SinXxX – Ah, I'm glad you felt how bittersweet the chapter was since that's the emotion I was going for. T_T Yeah, me too, which is why I feel so reluctant writing this chapter. Daisya and Rue have always been together… They're so close (big brother-little sister relationship) that it makes me feel emotional since Daisya's time will be just about up. So, don't be surprised if I actually do tear up when I'm writing this chapter!
Kariki13 – Nothing I can do about it, though. *sighs* T_T As much as I don't want to kill Daisya off, I have to since it's happened in both the anime and the manga. And no need to bang your head on the keyboard, I don't want you to hurt yourself.
Heartbringer – Yes, the setting where Daisya dies. And this chapter will be it. Yeah, I wanted to write bonding time with the Tiedoll unit because I wanted to and it's to soften the blow of losing Daisya. Hehe, I always wanted to write a scene when Daisya treats Rue to something, especially when he has to make up for poking fun at her. I'll read your story as soon as I can (when I am not stressed with schoolwork, that is). I'm actually on DGrayDivinity, but I haven't been able to post anything at all due to real life coming at me. Actually, you're the second person who's told me about the site, so I might as well post something there soon!
Sunnyfeather – Yes, nothing's happened… Yet. T_T And I'm the one writing the chapter, so I'm pretty much going to be the one crying the most. ;D Well, I always wanted to write another family bonding session of the Tiedoll unit again, so I'm glad I did. XP Yeah, families should do that often!
EclairFarron13 – Wow! You spent a week reading my work? *shocked* And wow, thank you so much! I hope I'm not letting the characters go OOC, though! And really? *shocked again* I'm glad… I'm glad you were able to see that I'm trying to develop Rue slowly. Though she is a hard character to portray, so there are times when I'm pretty much tempted to make her OOC, but I won't do that. I've been figuring her out more often, so I'll just keep careful of the development~
It'sDarkInHere – Hey, long time no see! XD Was wondering where you've been the past few weeks since I thought you'd be reviewing any day now and here you are! I'm glad you see that I'm trying to develop Rue some more, so she really has been growing up a lot. I agree, it's nice for the Tiedoll unit (minus the General himself since he's not around at the moment) being a family, even though Daisya is just about to die. Guess we'll have to see how her reaction will be like…
PeroPeroCandy – Seriously? *BLUSH* You exaggerate, I feel like I'm unworthy for this kind of praise… But, I'm really happy to read that you think that my story's good. Well, granted, I still have some flaws here and there, but I'll work hard to make this story even better. Hehe, so you have smiled/laughed/gasped one too many times, eh? Wait until you read this chapter, though. There'll be waterworks…
So now… It's time to unfold this chapter of her life… And see where it'll go from there…
Also… There were specific songs I had been listening to when writing this chapter. It was "Twenty One Guns" by Green Day (not the original, the alternate version where they were collaborating with the cast of "American Idiot.") The other was "Grief and Sorrow" by Masuda Toshiro, which you also know and hear as "The Hokage's Funeral" in the Naruto anime when the Third Hokage dies.
Disclaimer: I do not own D . Gray-Man, Hoshinou Katsura-sensei does. The only thing(s) I do own in here would be my OC(s).
Unravel
XXXVI
Never Look Back
「A broken promise and the feeling of being left behind.
But, he will always watch over her from afar to make sure she's safe.
And she will always keep him close to her heart and mind, living for his sake.」
All seemed to be quiet in the vast town of Barcelona. Then again, it was nighttime and there was no doubt that Akuma were bumping into the night, searching for Exorcists and people to kill off. Things tend to be eerie at night and it didn't help that there was an odd tower in the middle of the town.
"Hey… Bzzzt. Wh— Bzzzt."A rip of static cut off the golem communication, so it was hard to hear what Daisya was saying.
"Huh? What did you just say?" Kanda asked quietly, having not gotten that at all, leaning against a ruined wall while sitting on the cold ground.
"The sound quality sucks, Daisya." Marie's calm voice called from Kanda's golem, all the Exorcists being on a linked communication.
"I agree with Marie." Rue's spoke quietly, sounding a little annoyed at the setback. "When we go back to Black Order H.Q., I'm reminding you to get a new golem, Daisya."
"Ah, Hell, my wireless golem hasn't been doing so well lately." Daisya grumbled his complaint.
"Where are you guys right now?" Kanda questioned.
"Maybe 3 km of that odd tower?" Daisya answered with an unsure voice, his current location from the top of a random building.
"I think I'm about 5 km west of it." Marie replied serenely, leaning against a wall of a building that was adjacent to that clock tower.
"North of the tower, but I've no idea how far I am." Rue responded coolly, on a rooftop of a shop. "I think maybe about 4 to 6 km, I'm not too sure."
"Che, I'm to the south." After taking that much information in, Kanda revealed his location in a slightly irritated voice. "So damn annoying…"
"Looks like it's gonna be a long night…" Daisya commented with something between a laugh and a groan, amidst the noise from his golem.
"I can hear the noise of Akuma here and there…" Marie reported urgently. "Looks like we've entered their territory."
"No kidding," Rue muttered cautiously, her quiet footsteps being heard in the background. "From what it looks like, there's a lot of them lurking around and I don't think we'll make it out alive unless we destroy all of them. It's that bad."
"Let's regroup." Kanda suggested, getting up and rearing to go. "If we're within a 10 km radius, we should be able to use our golems to find each other's locations."
"Bzzzzzt. Then, Kanda, Rue, and I will meet up where you are, Marie." Seeing where Kanda was going with this, Daisya decided to make his input.
"Yeah, good idea, guys." It was needless to say Rue approved of this; since there were so many Akuma, it would be best to regroup and beat them together.
"When?" As they were having this conversation, a giant Akuma peered from behind a wall at Marie's location.
"At daybreak." And Kanda left it at that, disconnecting the call. Taking out Mugen, he was ready to slaughter all of the Akuma that had found him alone.
oOo
Meanwhile, Daisya was falling from his location, being chased by Akuma. While they were pursuing him, the building he was taking refuge on got destroyed. The adrenaline rushed through his veins as he felt himself flying into the air, landing solidly on the ground.
"Okay!" The Charity Bell, now detached from his cowl, grew to its soccer ball size and he gave it a good upper kick, as if to test it. "Charity Bell, activate!"
Energy glowing from the Innocence, he gave it quite the hard kick.
"SHOOT!"
Though it had made a hole in the giant, humanoid Akuma's head, it looked like it barely made any damage.
"Ha! Tiny, little balls like that aren't going to break me!" It sneered, pleased that the Innocence didn't seem to do much—if any—harm. That was, until it heard a loud ringing it its head. "W-WHAT THE HELL?" It shrieked in horror, clutching its head in agony.
"They destroy you from the inside using sound waves. Don't underestimate the 'tiny, little balls!'" Daisya informed it with a smirk. "Now, resonate like a bell already."
At those words, the Akuma's head exploded, dark blood spraying everywhere. Two Level 1 Akuma that was with it detonated.
oOo
Seeing that there were many Akuma, Marie calculated on how many there were. Five, ten… Probably around fifteen of them had found him and were ready to move in for the kill.
Of course, he wasn't going to go down without a fight.
With Noel Organon activated, he already begun to do his work. The thin wires being summoned, they had wrapped around numerous Akuma.
"Verse of the Saint!" He voiced out, the wires sending out electricity to immobilize the Akuma. And just as quickly, he pulled onto the wires, slicing through the creatures with one, quick stroke.
As soon as he did this, however, more Akuma gathered around him. Letting out a small sigh, Marie realized that Daisya was right: it was going to be a long night for them.
oOo
Feeling herself sliding backwards from the blow she received, Rue landed a hand on the ground to slow herself, so that she wouldn't fall on her butt. Deja was fluttering here and there in the air, recording the fight and using herself/itself as a decoy to distract the Akuma in order to help her/its owner. Growling a little, Rue's sharp eyes glared at the Akuma (which looked like a mutated wolf) with irritation, her mouth a thin line of a grimace.
"Mwehehehehe~" Sure enough, it was mocking her on her prowess. "What's the matter, pup? Are you a dog without a bite, after all?"
"Hah, you'll regret underestimating me like that." Rue declared coldly, a dark smirk on her face. With Deathtrap consumed by fire and Lifelife swallowed up by wind, she clasped her hands together to combine the elements.
Without another word, she ran towards the Akuma with quick agility and gave it strong punches, the fused elements of fire and wind gulping it whole.
oOo
At the Noah hideout in Edo…
"Yo, Tyki!" Road Kamelot greeted the other Noah with a casual grin. "Hola!"
Coming back with the Millennium Earl, Tyki Mikk greeted her back with a what-the-hell-is-this expression, "Hey…! What are you doing?"
"You can't tell? I'm studying!"
"It's homework." The Millennium Earl explained cheerfully with a wide smile to match. "She told me it was due tomorrow~"
"I'm in deep shit! Help me with it!" The female Noah commanded with a sickeningly sweet smile, looking at him with her big eyes.
"I ain't got no education!" Tyki hissed, but helping her with her homework, anyway.
"You can, at least, write characters, right?"
"Tonight, we shall be pulling an all-nighter!" Clearly, the Millennium Earl found this amusing. It didn't help any that he wore a headband on his head that read, "Absolute Victory!"
"Hey, hold on. You called me back to help with homework?" This wasn't what Tyki had in mind.
As promised, the Millennium Earl had food ready, so to settle Tyki's empty stomach. As Tyki was grudgingly, though willingly, helping Road with her homework, the Earl raised his hand to reveal a checkered patterned card.
"Here's one job~ I want you to go here as my messenger~"
When looking at what the card said, Tyki gave a deadpanned expression and promptly replied with an exasperated smile, "It's far."
"Come now, don't say that!" Shifting his fingers, the Earl revealed a second card by sliding it from behind the first. "The second job~ Delete the people I have listed here~"
With intrigued, vaguely wide eyes, Tyki quietly scanned the list. After done reading, there seemed to be a look in his eyes that spelled out that he was going to enjoy this.
With a smirk, he commented with a chuckle, "That's a lot. Roger." This didn't go unnoticed by Road.
He stood up, already taking his leave. With a relieved smile, he made a neat escape from the table to being on his way out.
"And bye, good luck with your homework…" This was meant for Road.
"Fast!" The Millennium Earl remarked, mildly surprised of the young man's speed.
"Tyki," Road called him. When he looked over his shoulder, she grinned at him softly. "Thanks for helping me out."
His gloved hand lingering on the brim of his top hat (pausing after he put it on), he gave her a side glance and smiled back, saying warmly, "Well, yeah. We're a family, after all…"
Once the door closed shut, signaling his departure, the Millennium Earl mused, "Tyki-pet… I wonder if he's suffering~"
"He is, Lero, friendly with humans." Lero, the talking pumpkin umbrella, commented matter-of-factly.
"I wouldn't say he's 'suffering…'" Road had her own opinion, eating away at candy while she was at it. "More like, 'He's scary.'"
oOo
Daybreak was ready to set out in Barcelona, though the street lamps were still lit. The Tiedoll unit was still fighting, no doubt exhausted by now, still pressing on. By his lonesome and unaware of the Exorcists' presences, Tyki strolled down the quiet streets.
Sighing, he mumbled tiredly to himself, "I'll be living this side of my life for a while, huh…"
What he didn't expect was the nearby wall at the right of him suddenly exploded into rubble.
"Huh?" Tyki wondered aloud in surprise, his eyes wide.
Amidst the smoke, the Noah heard breathing and saw a figure's shadow. Stepping out the smoke, Daisya was making his way through, looking like he was about to run from the Akuma that still persisted on chasing him down. But once he caught Tyki's eye, he was astonished of his presence too, knowing very well that it was a bad sign.
Shit…! Daisya cursed, fear coursing through his body. He was so stunned that he didn't even move. What's a Noah doing here? This is bad, this is really, really bad! I've to go back to warn the others—
Once Tyki realized the other male was an Exorcist, it was then that he had to do his duty.
And oh, how he would enjoy this. Yes, he would.
oOo
As the other Exorcists were fighting down the enemy, they could hear crackling from their personal golems, indicating that Daisya's own golem was trying to contact them.
However, instead of Daisya's voice, they could hear a different male voice speaking in…
"Bzzzt, bzzzt, bzzzt …Killing you… Bzzzt, bzzzt, bzzz will be fun…"
His eyes filled with suspicion and alarm, finished with slicing down Akuma, Kanda was calling into his golem in order to reach Daisya.
"Huh? Did you say something?"
Already done killing off Akuma, Marie heard the message too and stopped, feeling something was wrong.
"Daisya?"
And lastly, Rue also heard the transmission from Deja as she got done massacring the last of her Akuma share, not liking the sudden, sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. It came back with a vengeance and, this time, she didn't know if she could stop it.
"…Daisya…?" Ignoring the feeling and hoping it meant nothing, she grabbed Deja from the air and yelled loudly inside with a voice that teetered to desperation. "Hold on! Daisya, can you hear me? Answer, answer me right now! This isn't funny! DAISYA!"
But, the three of them couldn't get a hold of him, unable to find out the whereabouts of their comrade…
oOo
Quick on his feet, Tyki had pinned Daisya down on the ground by the neck, squeezing it tightly. Daisya choked, unable to get any air due to the Noah's strong grip despite his desperate struggles. Though there wasn't a doubt Daisya had his physical strength, it felt like he was no match for his enemy or there was a possibility it was like this because Daisya was worn down by fighting the Akuma the whole night. With the other, gloved hand, Tyki entered it through the Charity Bell wielder's body and—
Suddenly, Daisya began feeling cold; so very, very cold to the point he was slowly going numb…
Thoughts and memories swirled in his mind, as if giving him one last glimpse of what his life had consisted of up until now. The reminiscences of his family life in Turkey, the days he had been in the Black Order for so long… Parents, siblings… General Tiedoll, Kanda, Marie…
I'm sorry, Dad, Mom, brothers and sisters. I haven't been able to come back to you, after all… Old man Tiedoll, take care of yourself and stay alive. Kanda, don't be a hotheaded ass all the time but continue to be strong. Marie, stay the way you are and don't let your blindness stop you. As much as I don't admit it as often as I should, I love you all.
The last person who had flashed in his mind… Sharp, cold eyes, but there was a gentle, warm smile that broke such an icy mask in an instant…
"Hey, Daisya… Promise me something."
"Yeah… When this war is over… Let's stay together and always be there for each other like family."
That's right… Daisya thought with feeble anguish, coughing out blood, the red liquid flowing down his mouth. I made a promise to Rue… To stay with her when the war ends…
I'm sorry, kiddo… A dry chuckle escaped from him, coughing out more red as he did so, his vision getting blurry. I'm sorry for not being alive to the very end, for not keeping the promise as you had wanted me to. But, always know that…
You're still my sister to the very end. You, Kanda, Marie, and the General… I will always consider you guys as a second family.
And Rue… Though you may never understand these words because of being the way you are…
I love you, kid. I will always watch over you from the other side as your older brother figure. So… Stay strong, even when I'm gone.
Then, Daisya's eyes saw nothing of the living world ever again.
Only meeting black and emptiness.
Once Tyki pulled out Daisya's heart from his body, Daisya's name disappeared from the card the Millennium Earl gave him. With a crazed grin, the Noah of Pleasure set out to kill other comrades from Black Order H.Q.
oOo
At dawn, Kanda, Marie, and Rue found each other at the front gate of the town, the odd tower a little further ahead. They had been cautious, but they had managed to reunite successfully. Though premonition and uneasiness gnawed at them inside, they ignored it and continued to hang around patiently for their comrade.
The question of Daisya's whereabouts pestered in their minds insistently, but they needed to keep calm and not jump to conclusions. He'll turn up soon, he always did.
Rue's head perked up, hearing something from a distance. She couldn't tell what it was, but it was something beating the air. She felt Kanda and Marie's questioning stares at the back of her head, but she didn't stir from it. She kept rooted to her spot, a fist clenched to her side.
Something black and flying not too far away…
"It's Daisya's golem…" Marie spoke softly with that calm voice of his, an unreadable expression on his face, once the object—confirmed as Daisya's golem—hovered in front of them.
Kanda took that in quietly, bangs covering his eyes.
Rue's stomach lurched at that, her other hand balling into a fist instinctively. Her eyes were blank, but her teeth grounded against each other, her stomach and heart painful from dread.
No. No, no, no, no, no. Without even thinking second thoughts, Rue ran away, following the flying golem. Not caring if Kanda and Marie were far behind her, she still kept going as fast her legs could carry her. No. No, no, no. Daisya, where are you? You're not too hurt, are you? But, since your golem came in your place, something's wrong. Are you okay? Are you still holding on? Are you even lost?
Daisya, please. Please, please, please be safe—
What she found where the golem led her was a horrifying sight.
From the highest streetlamp in the town, right in front of the odd tower, a corpse hung from above by chains. No doubt it was bounded there by the links, hanging upside down. A tattered black coat… A familiar hood pointed at the end… A face covered with bandages at the sides and at the forehead, two marks under the eyes…
No.
With quivering legs, Rue kept—made—herself as composed as she could, approaching the cadaver with baby steps. By the time she heard Kanda and Marie finally catching up to her, a shaky hand was outstretched and small fingers pressed onto the corpse's wrist.
No pulse.
Her eyes averted to the corpse's face, fear and shock pulsing in her veins.
Wide blue-gray met lifeless brown. And slowly, slowly, her fingers let go of Daisya's cold wrist.
Bile was coming up her throat (she barely managed to suppress it) and blood ran cold in her veins when seeing his face. In speechless disbelief, the same, right hand—Lifeline shaking more violently than before—moved to his eyes. Unflinchingly, she moved her hand, gently closing his eyes for him.
That's much better. He looked peaceful, as if he was sleeping…
A sudden, strong grip of something unknown seized inside her and she felt like she couldn't breathe. Without even thinking, her left hand—Deathtrap—moved to his wrist once more and squeezed it tightly, tenderly, desperately.
Daisya…? Impossible… No… Daisya is… Daisya is—
Deciding to cut off those thoughts, she swiftly shifted her gaze to something else in order to distract herself, forcing herself to let go of Daisya before she would do the unthinkable – whatever that would be.
As Kanda and Marie speculated on what had happened, talking in hushed tones, Rue kept her back to them and forced herself to constantly keep focus on the sky.
Not because she wanted to, but because she had to.
Suffocation. Numbness. Emptiness. Silence. Bleakness.
It was all she felt.
All she could see in front of her is darkness, despite the beautiful sunrise.
Only the darkness. Only the quiet, overpowering, cold, and blackest darkness took over all of her senses. Kanda and Marie could never reach her now; not even while they were calling for her attention, not even as they got in physical contact with her to check up on her.
Rue was in her own darkness with nobody around to reach out to and she was all alone.
oOo
It had been a completely quiet trip the rest of the way as life continued on for the Tiedoll unit and their constant search for General Tiedoll. Normally, it wouldn't have been like this; Hell, it was never like this for them unless they wanted peace and quiet after a hard day of missions. Rue always described the current scenery to Marie, bickered with Kanda, and got mad at Daisya for poking fun at her. With General Tiedoll around, the unit really did seem like family despite their duties.
But, where did all of those days go?
Heaviness can be felt from the three of them, even from a distance. Occasionally, Kanda and Marie threw looks at Rue, but they said nothing to her nor would she sense or respond to it. Because of that, they also exchanged glances with each other, perhaps in a mutual understanding of sorts that they were at a loss of words on what to say.
Especially to her, most especially when it came to her.
How could they ever say anything when they knew that the youngest disciple in the unit was so inseparable with the comrade—brother—who got killed around twenty four hours ago? On the other hand, what could they even say? They didn't even know what she was thinking or how she felt about the circumstances at hand right now.
Words were futile since death was such a morbid topic. Surely, it was bound to happen as it had been inevitable many would die and have died in this war. They all knew that, everyone in the Black Order knew that. Why else were they fighting for humanity against the Millennium Earl?
But does that mean they (the Exorcist Generals, Exorcists, Finders, scientists, etc.) don't have the right to grieve for their friends in the Black Order? The friends who gave up their lives just for this damned cause? Did they even have the right to have their own share of sorrow and heartbreak; despite the fact their comrades died all because they had saving the whole world as their constant no. 1 top priority? Choosing the rest of humanity over themselves?
When the universe is at stake, of course you have to find a way to save it and you have to let everything else drop down to lower priorities. You don't have much of a choice or a say in the matter, it's practically forced on you and it's supposed to be your sole obligation.
But, that doesn't mean you should forget you're human too and you have your own wants, needs, hopes, dreams, and emotions to be constantly reminded of. It doesn't mean you should keep giving and giving and not taking, you should be selfish for yourself once in a while. And lastly, you should never, ever forget that you have your own life to live too.
All three Exorcists were lost in their own thoughts, too preoccupied.
Daisya is gone. This is hard to accept. Marie mused, keeping his calm but worried gaze on Kanda and Rue from the corner of his eye. By now, Kanda and Rue would've fought or Rue would be mad at Daisya for making fun of her, but… How could this have happened? Daisya… You will be greatly missed…
What… Am I feeling right now, anyway? Kanda asked in his head, confused as he felt heaviness in his chest. But, there suddenly seemed to be some sense of anger, perhaps he was trying to deny the feelings—unknown as they were—that were felt in his heart. A scoff escaped from him, brushing the feelings aside, though they still lingered. It's already inevitable, this happening, because a lot die every day for this cause. Exorcists, Finders… Anyone, they all die. We're in a war and I've already accepted that this was going to happen. But… What is this…?
Rue only looked ahead, keeping her face straight and calm like her teammates. However, all she could feel was numbness… Her mind was still in a blank state and her eyes were looking into the unknown distance…
All three of them stopped a moment as they inspected closely of the passerby on the road. Though his back was turned, there seemed to be something familiar about the bag he carried and the parcels that were in it… From Marie's super hearing, there was a light scratching sound coming from him as if…
As if he was writing something…?
Or could it be that he was drawing?
Not only that, but the man seemed to be chewing something…
"General." Marie called at once, catching Kanda's attention. Rue didn't have any reaction of some sort when hearing her teammate call for their fatherly figure; rather, she still kept that neutral expression, not once stirring like she didn't know the General was there.
Indeed, it was General Tiedoll himself as he turned around at the sound of his disciple's voice, having formed a bubble from the gum he was chewing.
Once he withdrew the gum bubble, he called out to them cheerfully with a smile, "Hey! Long time, no see!"
Since they hadn't seen each other for so long, it was time for them to catch up. However, only Kanda and Marie were talking to the General about what had been going on while Rue went on as if she wasn't listening. As soon as they got to the topic of Daisya's demise, this seemed to have triggered a subtle reaction from Rue. Though she kept quiet the whole time and her face was kept in composed neutrality, she felt her throat tightening painfully. Her insides became frozen again upon hearing about their companion's fate. Loose fists were formed in her coat pockets, her arms rigid at her sides.
There seemed to be something going unnoticed by all of them. Since Rue's hands were in her pockets the whole time, it meant they all didn't see Deathtrap and Lifeline glowing faintly… They had been like that ever since Daisya's death was confirmed…
Upon hearing news of the fallen Daisya, General Tiedoll was crying heartily. In between hiccups and sniffles, he spoke with a sad voice, "I see… So, Daisya is dead… It… It's so sad… That kid… Always loved to play pranks on me, using the Charity Bell to crack my glasses… He was such a good kid too…"
Rue closed her eyes at this, turning away from her companions. Though tranquil, the pain in her heart was slowly growing…
Although he felt sympathetic, Marie reported calmly, "His body has been transported back to HQ yesterday."
With a somber face, Kanda spoke seriously, "The Charity Bell has been stolen as well. General Tiedoll, just this time, please return with us."
Weighing that option in his mind and turning to Marie, the General asked, "Daisya's hometown was Bodrum, wasn't it?"
"Huh? Ah, yes."
"That town is a beautiful archipelago…"
As General Tiedoll started to draw a charcoal sketch of Bodrum as a tribute to Daisya, Rue just started blankly ahead of her, seemingly unaware of her surroundings. The death of Daisya still seemed so surreal to her, but it was slowly becoming an agonizing reality due to his lack of presence. After all, if he were with all of them now, he would've played a prank on General Tiedoll first thing. It was very much like the fool to do so.
But now… It was quiet. So very, oddly quiet. Yet, the silence felt so loud—so very, very loud—that she couldn't stand it.
No, don't write off Daisya in past tense. Her mind scolded her, building a wall to separate herself from the painful truth. He's just missing, that's all. Maybe he's too busy having fun fighting Akuma, so he's losing track of time. He'll catch up with us soon. That wasn't his corpse we just saw back there, crucified upside down; it was a victim of the crossfire, an unfortunate civilian who was awake at the same time we were… Yes, that's it…
Daisya is just missing, that's all. Pretty soon, he'll startle us and crack General Tiedoll's glasses again like he always does. Then, we'll all be together and complete again like a family…
Yes… A complete family that will remain like this for as long as we live…
All the while, Deathtrap and Lifeline were glowing brighter and brighter. It was like they were amplified with her emotions…
Vaguely, Rue could hear Kanda sounding a little vexed, perhaps feeling like the General was ignoring what he had said earlier and he was trying to get the reality of the danger through his father figure's head, "General, the enemy is after you and the Innocence you possess."
Sketching, General Tiedoll mumbled to himself, "This is how I remember it, so the real thing may be a little different…"
Taking the paper out with his hands, it had a beautiful sketch of Bodrum on its pristine surface. As always, the detail of the General's art never ceased to amaze his disciples.
Looking up at the sky, he spoke as if speaking to Daisya from the afterlife, "Daisya… I'm sorry if it's just a drawing, but I'm sending your hometown to you. May you rest in peace, somehow…"
That being said, his left hand held a match and he lit it, burning the drawing. As he watched the fire eating away the sketch gloomily and the tears never ceasing, General Tiedoll replied to Kanda's concerns calmly, "I won't go back. We're in the middle of war. And I must complete the mission given to the Generals. Besides…"
As the paper turned into black ash, from their viewpoint, it looked like General Tiedoll was setting it free. He continued on what he was going to say, "I need to keep on looking for new Exorcists. If God has not abandoned us, He will send us new apostles."
I knew he'd say that. Kanda mused with a sigh, his head bowed in resignation, eyes closed.
With a wry smile, Marie thought, Right, typical of Master.
"We'll go with you, General Tiedoll." They both chorused, making the older man turn around to give them a watery smile.
Seeing that she had been rooted to her spot, the General called out loudly to Rue, who still kept her back to all of them, "Rue! We're going!"
It seemed that she didn't hear him. Approaching her ever so hesitantly, General spoke her name, only softer this time. All along, he knew she had been quiet because of Daisya. Knowing that Daisya and Rue were really close, the General could only guess what she felt from seeing only her back. Despite having not made her feelings vocal or expressed, he knew that she was in a lot of pain.
How much pain, though, he didn't know.
"Rue?"
No reply from her was made, though her arms stiffened as if she was straining her muscles. What caught his eye were her hands in her coat pockets. There seemed to be a glow in there… But, what was making it …?
"Rue…?"
At their brightest, Deathtrap and Lifeline were already glowing the color of their power's aura, spreading out to her entire body. Wide-eyed, the General could see his eyes weren't playing tricks on him: there was blue, dark blue, outlining her figure.
And then, it happened. The moment he took a step towards his youngest disciple to check on her, just about a breath's width away, a suddenly explosion covered her. Bewildered and shocked, the General backed away, activating Maker of Eden. Upon seeing this, Kanda and Marie rushed over there, weapons drawn. They scanned around the area, trying to look for any possibility of Akuma.
But, the blast didn't come out from nowhere nor were there any Akuma in the area. When the smoke cleared, all three Exorcists weren't expecting what they were seeing. A water sphere was the result of the detonation, swirling around in a vicious vortex. The startling fact that it was made on the spot where Rue was standing alarmed them and the General ran back over there once more.
With hands outstretched, trying to go through the barricade, the General shouted out of fear, despair, and concern, "Rue! Are you all right in there? Can you hear me? Rue!"
No response.
No matter how hard he tried to claw his way through the water globe, it wouldn't let him go in. One could perceive that the water had a mind of its own, somehow…
"Kanda, Marie." Once their names were called, they were on full guard, serious looks on their faces. "I'll use Maker of Eden to separate the water. When we have an opening, you two go in there and get Rue out as soon as you can before the water seals you in. I'm afraid she may drown in there if this goes on any longer."
"Just a moment, General Tiedoll, my Innocence caught something." Marie looked like he was concentrating on something, one hand on Noel Organon. "I hear something from inside the water orb… Despite the noise the water's making, I can hear soft breathing inside."
"Hm?" As Kanda made his way towards the blue bubble, he caught a glimpse of movement and darkness from inside. The water was too thick, so it was difficult to see. But if his assumptions were right, what he saw hazily was an outline of a body… Turning back to his companions, the serious male laid down the information he gathered, "I saw something move inside the water. Couldn't make out any details, but I definitely saw a body of shadow…"
"How…?" It clicked in General Tiedoll's mind what—who—they were talking about. Staring at the big, blue ball with puzzled wonder, he mumbled to himself, "That's… She's not drowning…?"
She always remained standing, no matter what happened to her or how hard difficult things were. It was always just like her to stand tall and take every burden, every piece of pain, every wound onto herself. Having perfected on keeping her face blank of emotion, everyone around her would question whether she truly had feelings.
Whether she was really human or not.
She was on her knees now, her legs gone numb from feeling anything. She kept her head bowed, unaware that she was trapped in a water whirlpool – or if she was, she thought nothing of it. Her facial expression was obscured in shadow, by both the water and her long bangs. Though you couldn't make out her face, that didn't mean you couldn't read what emotion she felt through body language.
Tight, clenched fists, the fingers dug up the earth deeply. Teeth bared out like she was snarling, gritted together with so much force that you thought they would break. Her body and slumped shoulders that shook violently with grief; how could that be when they were always straight with pride and confidence to face the world without feeling fear, doubt, negativity?
"So… This is sadness…" The words were barely heard, even if she was saying them to herself. "So, this is what it feels like to really lose somebody…"
As those words escaped from her lips, she felt wetness on her face. It startled her and she looked around slowly and cautiously in her water shield, wondering dimly if it would collapse and really drown her for good. As far as she was aware of, the water didn't drip from above her, it still stayed in place.
Another trail of wetness slid down her cheek and she bit her lip, puzzled on where it suddenly came from. It didn't come from this water and her hair wasn't wet.
Unless…
Huh? With quivering hands, Rue put her dirty fingers up to her face with a surging uncertainty. Slowly, they trailed up, following the path the dampness left until they found the location of its source.
Her eyes.
Her vision blurred and, when she blinked, the same wetness came out and slid down her skin. Shaking her head softly, she dabbed her eyes with the back of her hands.
No… That one word repeated in her mind like a mantra, the tears unable to stop falling from her eyes, shaking her head all the while. No, no, no…
The teardrops gradually fell in great numbers and they wouldn't stop, marking her cloth covered lap. No matter how much Rue willed or forced herself not to do it anymore, they still fell. Her hands to her face, she shook her head furiously like she felt she couldn't believe it came to this.
"…No…" She cried out in a soft, mournful voice, only for herself to hear. She felt herself being pushed to the edge, an uncontrollable urge to sob almost overtaking her, as the denial couldn't shield her from the unfortunate and unavoidable of Daisya being truly gone. "Daisya, Daisya, Daisya… Why did you have to…?"
oOo
"So, I've other teammates, aside from Kanda." It was more of a comment than a question from thirteen-year-old Rue as she strolled along with General Tiedoll and Kanda. Currently, they were heading to the forest that surrounded the lower levels of the Black Order.
"Che. A unit can't be made up of just one Exorcist General and one Exorcist, you know." Sixteen-year-old Kanda remarked matter-of-factly. "While it's true that a General can also take in just one apprentice if they chose to, it's beneficial if you have more since we need more Exorcists for our side of the war."
"I agree, Kanda, since it makes sense." She replied calmly, nodding as she did. "Teamwork is essential to this kind of thing. Besides, I haven't been able to meet them yet since they tend to be busy on missions often."
"Which is why you should look forward to it, Rue. Because, since all of you are in a team, you should be able to get along well and trust each other, help each other." General Tiedoll said merrily, sketching as he did. "They should be back from a mission soon, so you'll be able to see them. Ah, there they are now."
From a distance, they can make out two people in the forest. One of them was a dark skinned, burly twenty six-year-old man who leaned against one of the trees, looking to be relaxing or napping with a pair of earphones on his head. The other was a seventeen-year-old light skinned, lanky male kicking around a golden bell shaped sphere. He looked like he was enjoying himself.
"This is where you've been, my boys!" General Tiedoll laughed warmly, overjoyed to see them. "Looks like the mission worn you out, I'm guessing."
Cracking one eye open, the man against the tree replied calmly, "Yes, General Tiedoll. Mission was tiring, but at least we got the job done. There were two Innocence and a lot of Akuma involved."
"But, it was so boring, though!" The younger male whined, kicking the ball in the air. "The Akuma were too easy to defeat! Well, I admit there had been a little bit of difficulty, just a little, concerning locating the Innocence and what not. Other than that, it was so boring since it wasn't challenging enough!"
"General." Confusion was clearly written on Rue's face, unsure of what was going on.
"Ah yes!" General Tiedoll smiled, remembering what he came here for, giving the girl a gentle push for the boys to see her. "Boys, this is Rue Marucut, your newest teammate. Rue, I'd like you meet Noise Marie."
Both eyes open this time, though it shocked her that the big man was blind, Marie got up from the tree and approached to General Tiedoll, Kanda, and Rue. He held out a hand to her, a hint of a smile on his face. Unsure on what to feel, Rue extended one of her hands and shook his.
"Hello. So, you're Noise Marie." She affirmed quietly, never taking her eyes off of him. Though he may look intimidating, there was a calm aura she felt around him that made her relax. "It's nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too, Rue." The man said kindly, smiling slightly. "I may look like this, but don't hesitate coming to me for anything. Since you're a new Exorcist and you need to work on your Innocence, I'll be guiding you. Of course, from what I heard, Kanda will train you to increase your synchronization rate, which will be beneficial since he's a strong fighter. Know that you can always count on us since we'll be your constant companions from now on, okay?"
Looking over his shoulder, Marie called out to the other male.
"Hey, Daisya. You should come over here and introduce yourself."
"I'm coming, I'm coming." Deactivating the Charity Bell and putting it on his cowl, Daisya sauntered over to the group. Upon seeing Rue, he grinned widely as he said cheerfully, "Well, well, well. What do we have here? We got a newbie on our team!"
Rue gave him a sharp look, no doubt that she didn't appreciate being called that (then again, anybody wouldn't like being called newbie). Seeing that only made him smile ever the wider, going so far as to make him feel so bold and daring to pull both of her cheeks into a smile – a strained smile, but a smile nonetheless.
"And that would be Daisya Barry, Rue." General Tiedoll remarked with a laugh.
"Che, not advisable, Daisya, since the shorty here does bite." Kanda said bluntly, rolling his eyes at what he called Daisya's idiocy.
"But, I can't help it! This little guy looks too serious for one a few years younger than us, so it bothers me!" At this, General Tiedoll and Marie exchanged looks. "Besides, I have a feeling that the boy here acts like a mini you, so I've to teach him not to be so serious! Not on my watch do we need another guy who looks like he's got something up his ass 24/7!"
Kanda twitched at this, offended by the remark.
"Tch, then don't act stupid all of the time, you moron! Seriously, you can be so annoying!"
"Hey, I'm being truthful here! So, I'm gonna teach the squirt to loosen up, whether you like it or not."
"Ummm… Would it be okay if you can let go of my cheeks now? It's starting to hurt."
"Ah!" Seeing that Daisya completely forgotten about what he had done, he let go hastily. Laughing nervously, he watched carefully as Rue rubbed her cheeks from the soreness. "Sorry, sorry… I was doing that as a joke. Sort of, anyway."
"That's all right." Rue replied calmly, rubbing her cheeks to ease the pain. "I wasn't expecting that kind of greeting, though."
Was that a hint of amusement in her voice?
"Besides… I'm not angry about it. That kind of thing you did…" Though her feelings were composed, her eyes seemed to be warm for just a moment before snapping back to coldness. "Reminds me of my brother back home."
Hearing that comment made Daisya feel relieved and a little happy, glad that Rue wasn't mad. Without thinking, he messed up her hair, exclaiming happily, "Well then, I hope we get along well, little brother!"
When Rue needed to excuse herself for a moment, the rest of the Tiedoll unit was having a private conversation about her.
"So?" General Tiedoll asked with anticipation and excitement, directing the question to Marie and Daisya. "What do you think of Rue?"
"Mmm, seems like the quiet and serious type." Marie commented quietly, looking thoughtful. "Though it's not a bad thing, I know it would take her a little more time for her to adjust to this place, being a new Exorcist and all. Obviously, I couldn't see what she looks like, but I could tell she's years younger than us. Still… I think she'll be able to get used to being here."
"Agreeing with Marie." Daisya nodded fervently, a grin on his face. "Definitely the quiet, serious personality he's got going there, though I feel coldness too. Yeesh, what a lot from a little guy, I thought he was really going to kill me for pulling his cheeks like that! I've a feeling he's a blunt person, though he must be awkward in some ways. That's all right. Pretty soon, he'll feel that the Black Order will be his second home, especially with us being his unit and all."
General Tiedoll nodded at this in agreement, knowing that their perceptions of Rue were correct. Amusement tickled him on the inside as Daisya really thought Rue was a boy. Wait until the bomb dropped when he found out the real truth, which would be at any given moment now.
"But, Marie, there's one thing I disagree with you on and that's with Rue's gender. Why are you referring to him as her? The looks were definitely boyish. No sign of femininity at all."
"While I may not have my eyes, my hearing could surely tell the gender of Rue."
"Since I was the one who brought her here to the Black Order, I would know that…The shorty is, without a doubt, female." Kanda had cut in the conversation feeling the need to settle this debate. Well, after all, the majority of Black Order HQ questioned her gender constantly.
Silence; then, cue hysterical reaction.
"WHAT? Are you telling me that Rue's really a girl? But, that's… That's impossible!" Well, this was quite a shock for Daisya. But, who could blame him? In front of him moments ago was what looked like a boy, but was actually a crossdressing female. After trying to fumble in his mind for any logical reasoning Rue was a boy, something came to mind. "Aha! I got it! It's because he hasn't hit puberty yet! That's definitely why his voice is still like that!"
"Che, you idiots can't tell that Rue's a GIRL?" Hard for Kanda to believe that Daisya was unable to tell his new comrade's gender, but it was really Rue's looks that confused everyone and he already knew that. After all, why else had Kanda been mistaken for a girl often (and he doesn't even crossdress, for God's sakes!) when his true gender was male?
"There's no way it isn't because Rue hasn't hit puberty because that's the way she is. Though it's true that female voices mature too, it wouldn't go so far as to deepen into a male one." Marie, in spite of everything, was amused about this whole thing. "Her voice sounds too feminine for that, no matter how much she tries to hide her gender by wearing male clothing, so it's impossible."
All three turned to General Tiedoll for a final verdict.
"Hard to believe, I know, but Rue's wholly female." General Tiedoll concluded with a hearty laugh. "So, please take care of your younger sister~"
In perfect or unfortunate timing, nobody would ever know, but they didn't even hear Rue come back. It was not until they heard footsteps that all four males turned around, only to find Rue looked confused, surprised, and… Embarrassed?
Could it be that she overheard the whole conversation? Or did she just happened to hear what General Tiedoll just said, so she managed to piece together the conversation's topic the whole time she had been away?
Either way, there seemed to be something off from her usual, calm aura. But, nobody could tell what it was.
There was only one question she asked to all of them about the whole thing.
"What's… Going on here?"
oOo
The first time meeting Daisya and Marie… Rue thought somberly, managing to let out a sad chuckle in between her tears. I would never forget that, especially when Daisya pulled on my cheeks…
More memories started to pour out into her mind, making the pain of Daisya's loss hurt even more.
oOo
"Daisya, if you do this, you're going to get in trouble. Again." A blunt voice deadpanned as quiet footsteps were heard in the corridors. "And I don't wish to be involved in your schemes because I'm only going to look like an accomplice. Again."
"But, that's what makes it so much fun!" Eighteen-year-old Daisya exclaimed excitedly, bouncing the Charity Bell on his head. "Lighten up, Rue!"
"I'm only telling you the truth, Daisya. You're just going to get me in trouble!"
"Awww, come on! I promise I won't get you in trouble! Why are you so against this, anyway?"
"Well, it's because my brother back home was like this too. And he still is." Fourteen-year-old Rue sighed, shaking her head as she remembered the times Riley would wreak havoc in the Underground with his pranks. Occasional letters from him still reported of his infamous hoaxes. "And because of that, it's either I got dragged into his plans or he ends up doing his pranks to me too."
"It must've been a lot of fun, though."
"What, getting tricked? Not when my brother has this legendary legacy of pulling off such exploits and earning the nickname of 'The Trickster King' back home because of it. I, myself, have earned two nicknames because of that, depending on the situation."
This intrigued Daisya a good deal. So, of course, he had to ask.
"And the nicknames are…?"
"Well, if I'm involved in his schemes like I am with you now, 'The Trickster Prince,' especially when everyone thinks I'm Riley's younger brother due to my appearance." She looked to be faintly amused. However, once she said the next sentence, there seemed to be a dark aura around her. It was the same aura that could've matched up with Allen's own dark side (though, it was obvious he earned such a persona because of General Cross). "On the other hand, when I'm tricked by him and I either give him a taste of his own medicine or give him Hell for it, it's 'Backstabbing Avenger.'"
"Haha, ouch. Sounds like you don't let your brother off the hook at all."
"Of course not!" She clarified with a subtly satisfied expression, a hint of a sinister smirk on her face.
Note to self, Daisya thought at the back of his mind with a gulp. Never play pranks on Rue unless I know what she's capable of … But, I'm not ready to die yet!
As they made their way to the library, not surprisingly, they found General Tiedoll there. Though he may not be so much of the bookish type, he still appreciated art when it came to writing from time to time. Normally, Rue would find him sketching or reading books, so they often met in the library.
"You already know what to do, right?"
"Yeah, I know. Besides, I need to talk to the General about something, anyway."
Brushing past Daisya, Rue approached General Tiedoll quietly.
"General Tiedoll."
General Tiedoll flicked his eyes upwards from reading, seeing his "daughter" greeting him with a crisp salute.
"Ah, Rue." He smiled warmly at her, motioning her to the seat next to him. Gratefully, she sat there. "What brings you here?"
"Well, I do like my peace and quiet once in a while, General. Though… I came here to ask you something and it's good that I found you here."
"Mm? What is it?"
"Well…" Her eyes bore into his, seeking something. "Since you came from France and you're an artist… I was wondering if… If you knew my mother."
This stumped the gentle Exorcist General completely. Perhaps, he assumed, Rue contemplated for a long time about it and that she wanted to ask, but she never really had the chance to. While he didn't answer her immediately, Rue continued on calmly, laying out what she had in mind.
"Her name was Cecilia Thomas. Obviously, Marucut became her surname after she got married to Father, though she continued working on her art." She frowned a little, racking her brain to remember whatever she could of her parents, of her normal life. "Like you, she really loved art… She really did, putting all of her heart into her pieces… She didn't care what people thought when they told her to quit pursuing art and go for another profession. The reason why people—usually family than everyone else— always fussed about her profession was because she was a little wealthier than the average person. Not extravagantly rich like royalty or even nobility, but a little more than enough wealth to get through her life. And they expected her to make them rich when she grew older, hence the constant pressure of finding a career that would provide lots of money."
Her expression softened as she recalled the words that were written in her mother's diary.
"But because she decided to take her life into her own hands, she got disowned from her family… In her diary, she said that she was taken under wing of a very skilled artist to improve herself and prove everyone around her wrong…"
Something in General Tiedoll's eyes flickered once Rue mentioned this.
"Rue…"
Snapping out of her trance, Rue looked up to older man.
"Yes, General?"
"If what you're saying is true…"
Before anything else could be said, a familiar voice shouted out a command.
"RESONANCE!"
Ringing blasted through the room from a few feet behind them, followed by cracking and splitting. Horrified, General Tiedoll's vision suddenly went blurry as the glass of his spectacles shattered. Whipping their heads around, the two found the Charity Bell hovering from above them. Not too far away was Daisya, who was grinning so widely that it would put the Cheshire Cat and the Millennium Earl to shame.
"Daisya!" General Tiedoll yelled angrily, getting up and ready to scold him. "What did I tell you about breaking my glasses?"
"Ahahaha~ Gotta go!" With that, the mischievous Exorcist hightailed out of the quiet sanctuary as General Tiedoll was hot on his trail. Sighing in frustration and shaking her head, mildly displeased on how Daisya had interrupted such a crucial moment, Rue set off to find the two.
oOo
Always cracking General Tiedoll's glasses whenever he got the opportunity… Rue mused sorrowfully, curling up into a ball as she rocked herself back and forth. The tears still made their course downwards, her heart aching with a pain that she never knew existed. Always, always…
Through thick and thin, good and bad, Daisya was always with me. Why…
Why did you have to go…?
oOo
It was for certain that he looked all over for her on this day. She didn't know, but she had the strong feeling he did. She could even bet on it that he asked people—be it Komui, Reever, Lenalee, Kanda, Marie, or Lavi—around in the Black Order if they had seen her. It wouldn't even surprise her in the least if he looked in places he thought he'd usually find her in.
Once Daisya found Rue in Hevlaska's chamber (Rue refused to check her synchronization rate because of being under training, but she would come to Hevlaska to talk or when she needed a once-in-a-while escape from everything), he looked tired, worn out. But once he made eye contact with her from a few feet away, there was mixed emotions on his face: relief and worry.
"So, this is where you've been all along…" He mumbled tiredly, shaking his head softly as he took a seat next to her. "Mind explaining to me why you've been cooping yourself here all of this time? I've been hearing from other people in the Black Order that you've disappeared like this for two days in a row already and they had no idea where you went off to."
She wouldn't—couldn't—answer him as she shifted her head a little to turn away from him. Were his eyes playing tricks on him or did she just grimace?
With a sigh, Daisya tentatively placed a hand on her shoulder cautiously as he felt a thick tension in the quiet room. He already knew when she was unable to express her feelings by face or voice or knowing when she was not fine, even as she kept her face in cool composure, it took Rue a while—quite a while—to tell him. Or, like most of the time, she wouldn't tell him her thoughts at all because Rue felt his presence was enough for her.
He wasn't expecting her to fall back from his touch, her body leaning against his, nor was he expecting her to look slightly pained. Once she looked up at him, the melancholy in her eyes could be seen and it left him shaken with sorrow.
"Hey…" With a slight frown, he tousled her hair softly, locking eye contact with her. "What's the matter?"
She bit down her lower lip, unsure of what to say. Her face clearly told him the sentiments she felt, but no words made any clarification. Instead, she broke away from his worried gaze, only to turn around and press her face into his shoulder. Reflexively, Daisya pulled Rue closer to him, still glowering.
"…Upset…"
"Hm? You're upset?"
"Yeah… I got into a fight…"
Those words came out, barely above a whisper. His frown deepening, Daisya kept Rue close to him with his hand at the back of her head, not liking how her voice sounded.
"With who?"
The one word, name, that escaped from her sounded cracked and strangled.
"Lavi."
The mention of the Bookman apprentice had him muttering strings of curses under his breath. It always seemed that Lavi and Rue had been fighting occasionally. It pissed Daisya off even more when she would get hurt like this because of him.
Sighing, he messed up her hair again, trying to think of a way to make her feel better like he always did.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Rue slowly shook her head, keeping her head on his shoulder. Daisya only sighed in response, but nodded in understanding, cradling her head close.
"You being here… Is more than enough for me."
He looked down at her in surprise, not expecting that. She continued on, unwavering.
"Looking for me… Then, finding me and just being here with me… Is more than enough for me, Daisya. So…"
Keeping her head in place, hiding the blush that grew on her cheeks, her last words came out quiet, muffled. But, Daisya already knew what it was, smiling slightly when he barely heard them.
"Thank you."
oOo
"Hey, Daisya… Promise me something."
"Yeah… When this war is over… Let's stay together and always be there for each other like family."
Those words were forever etched in her memory, echoing over and over endlessly. What a horrible shock, to hear those painfully ironic words right before Death claimed him. Sinking in, leaving a lingering scar in her heart, it was then that she started to see red.
Grief turned into a burning, white hot anger from the very core...
Akuma… The Noah family… Most especially, the Millennium Earl…
They did this, causing the war in the first place. The pain, sorrow, blood, tears, death… All of it. The reason why humanity was in constant danger, why loved ones were dying every day, why the whole world was thrown into chaos…
All of that was happening because of them.
And she wouldn't take that lying down.
Of course not.
I will make you bleed.
Like a phoenix reviving from the ashes, Rue slowly picked herself up from the ground, standing solidly on her own feet.
Back straight, shoulders back, head up high.
I will make you feel pain.
Deathtrap and Lifeline, curled into fists so tight that it hurts to look at.
I'll never, ever forgive you… I will make sure that you, all of you, will suffer for this immensely.
Dark, sharp, and hollow blue gray eyes, ready to kill someone on the spot with a freezing glare. No more tears, no more sadness left in her...
All that was left inside of her was the strongest killing intent she ever felt.
From the outside, General Tiedoll, Kanda, and Marie backed away swiftly, seeing that the water sphere was swirling into a liquid tornado. And then, they saw a shadow emerging out…
Coming out, her tattered cape flapping behind her, the water cyclone tore apart into ribbons and infused into her fighting gloves.
"Rue…?"
Seeing (in Marie's case, hearing) the water absorbing into her Innocence, it confirmed what she had been feeling all of this time. Though they felt—to some degree—a need to confirm what she was feeling at the moment, somehow, they all felt unnerved to do so.
Something was different about her now.
And they didn't know how to take it, didn't know whether it was good or bad.
Approaching to them, Rue had on that composed face as she usually did. However, General Tiedoll and Kanda saw something lurking in her eyes. And though Marie may be blind, he felt a strong energy from her. What it was, he had no clue, but it was clear that it was fueled by something.
"Kanda, Marie. We have a mission to do and that is to follow General Tiedoll and protect him. So, let's go already before the Millennium Earl makes his next move."
A worried expression (Marie) and a bewildered face (Kanda) was what she got for answers. Looking from the corner of her eye, she addressed the man she had considered as a father figure during her stay in the Black Order.
"General Tiedoll," he jolted when being called, snapping out of his daze. "I'm all right. Don't worry about me anymore."
And so, the Tiedoll unit was on the move again, ready to face anything that would cross their paths.
Thumping her chest with a clenched Deathtrap, a silent vow was made in Rue's aching heart…
I will not hold back or fight carelessly or even give mercy. I will give it my all and take down all of these bastards myself.
The Millennium Earl, the Noah, the Akuma… I will never lose to you. Never again. This time, it's personal and you've crossed the line.
There will be blood and I will not stop until I've fulfilled my vengeance…
Daisya… I will not stop until I kill your murderer with my own hands. But, I will live for your sake, so I'll make sure not to die…
You'll always be in my heart, so please watch my back.
Hitomi: And now, I am finally done, breaking record of my word count. Sorry if this took so long, college junior year is really getting the best of me and I'm so stressed and burnt out because of it. Ugh, so not looking forward to midterms next month, so NOT.
Originally, I was planning to end this chapter differently. I was going to have Rue run to General Tiedoll for comfort and what not, but… It would've been too drastic of a reaction. Then again, she broke down because of Daisya, so it would've been reasonable. But, it didn't feel right, so the chapter ended like this.
And so, Rue finally unlocks the power of Water… Under these circumstances. Depressing, really. You'd think she'd get this power another way, but she got it when someone close to her died. Now, she'll harness that power out of vengeance… I wonder what'll happen from here on out since I need to make up her journey with the Tiedoll unit as they go on their way to Edo. That'll be an interesting development for her…
I would say more, but… Haven't been sleeping or eating well due to school, so I'm pretty much suffering. Hah, my back's been hurting a lot more lately too, no doubt because of so much stress, pressure, and workload. Writer's block ready to kick my butt isn't helping either. Make note that because of these stressful times, I MIGHT, MIGHT, put this on hiatus.
But, it won't be for too long. Just as long as I have less workload, I'll be able to write more.
Being seeing you next chapter, guys~ And since I'll be putting this on a temporary hiatus, I might as well think of ideas for Ice Flare now.