Chapter 29 -I, Who Lost Everything-

Quickly... There is no more time...

Hurry...

I beg you, Allen.

"... It's painful..." His voice cracked, his pale left hand on his chest, his head laid on the pillow. Tears started to dry, but it was painful. What was this empty feeling? This void stuck in his heart. He couldn't bare it anymore...

He had to fill this void.

...creak...

His emerald eyes immediately went for the door, his still blurred vision staring at the figure behind the shadow.

"Are you alright, young lad?" A voice asked, stepping in.

He nodded slightly, his emerald eyes wide with tears.

The woman smiled -a bit painfully- as she approached him, sitting by the bed, "Do you remember anything? Hm... Like what you did a little bit before?"

...

He shook his head.

"... I see then..." She said, her head nodding forward, "then how about your name?"

He shook his head.

"..." Standing up, she turning around, still smiling, "I suppose you are hungry now, so first change! There are some clothes over there for you... We'll be waiting," she said, walking out of the door.

Clack.

"..." Silently, he sat up, pain striking him with every movement. He clenched his teeth as he trembled in pain, almost as if cracks are forming on his body. Relaxing a bit after he finally stood up, he unsteadily walked over to the small table at the side, where the extra change of clothes sat there. His ghostly pale feet made contact with the cold floor, but he couldn't feel it.

Unbuttoning the white dress shirt he wore formally with the feeling of uncertain, he glanced at the mirror that stood in front of him. He stared at it.

What was that? He stared at the emerald cross -the color just like his eyes- that was engraved into... The center of his chest.

"...?" Lifting up his hand, he poked it hesitantly, only to give him a sharp pain that ran though out his whole body. He winced, confused, but quickly he recovered.

...

His eyes though then spotted something shining timidly on the table. Narrowing his eyes, he picked up the object.

A silver pendant.

"...?"

-.-.-

"Well you see," they -the family who happened to find him in the ruined city- said, "by the looks of it, you don't remember anything... But don't worry! We'll find your family!"

"Family", that word seemed awfully...

Familiar to him.

"Your name... As for now, how about 'Lark'?" The woman suggested.

The little girl, with two buns tied loosely on her shoulder, smiled so brightly, sitting beside him, "Just like my name: Larsee!"

"As for that pendant..." The father said, motioning towards the old silver pendant in his hands, "it was in your hand by the time we found you. For now, I think you should keep it. Maybe it has a clue to your lost memories!"

"..." Lark stared at the family, a bit hesitant on talking. But slowly, the void was filled...

But never to its fullest.

THREE MONTHS LATER

A gust of cold wind blew across the city as the night sky covered the world in darkness. Specks of light glowed one by one at the streets, the windows, the houses. A tall clock tower towered over the surround buildings as a street light glowed brightly, contrasting against the darkness... Crowds of people walked forward, crossing paths. A little girl at the age of nine wandered about, her small feet tapping the stone ground. Her blonde hair was tied into two loose buns, bouncing on her shoulders, with a dark colored frilly hat on her head. Walking onward, she noticed by the alley way, something glowed lightly... Curiously, she walked towards it, seeing feathers crawling its way up.

"You there... Are you an angel?" She breathed, her hands placed upon the thick bags of flour.

"..."

"...Shh...?" Grinning in question, she placed a finger over her lips, the motion of "quiet".

If there was one thing that can describe all of Allen's worries, it is being hungry.

Well, it wasn't that bad considering of what he had been though... Sighing, he closed his eyes as his stomach growled, Timcanpy sitting beside him. Now that he's on some mafia guy's blacklist, he can't go gambling anymore, too dangerous indeed. All he had left was street performing... But... He's too tired to even stand up and perform. He sighed again, recalling about that moment when he was running away from the individual Innocence... Apocryphos. Allen encountered a girl, and thankfully she stayed quiet. He was worried that he might've been found...

But what's funny that he was called an 'angel', because of the very same arm that made people call him a 'demon'. He laughed to himself, recalling those horrible memories. But he quickly shook his head.

Now what?

A sharp pain struck on his side as his winced, his hand holding his side. He breathed slowly, trying his best to hold down the pain.

Timcanpy nudged him, worried about its partner. "I'm alright... Timcanpy..." Allen whispered, forcing a smile.

'It's going to be alright', it was almost as if those words were magic to him.

But will it?

He shook his head. No, no more negative thoughts, no more.

Must, continue walking.

Just like what Mana...

Or...

He stared at his hands.

"..."

-'Never stop walking, keep moving forward'... Do you remember? It's something that - would always say...-

"...Huh?"

"Grrah!" Timcanpy made a sound, its face pasted his worry.

'Where did I... Heard that from...?'

Slowly, everything became darker and darker to him...

He was losing consciousness.

But what was it?

Why did it seemed so important to him?

Why was it that-

"Brother Lark! Look!" A voice chirped, "It's Mister... Mister Angel!"

"...An...gel...?"

That voice...

It sounded so...

-.-.-

Slowly, the pair of silver eyes opened, the typical wooden ceiling above him. Staring at it without thought, suddenly he finally remembered.

"AH!" He sat up abruptly, to only have his head knocked into...

"U-uwah!" crash.

Allen blinked, staring at the figure that was on the floor. There was a boy... Around twelve? He had white hair, his skin ghostly pale. Slowly, when the boy opened his eyes, a strangely familiar color of emerald was seen. Quickly though, Allen went to the boy's side, worried, "Um, are you a-alright?"

Rubbing his head, the boy looked up, his eyes staring into the silver's.

"..."

What was this feeling, once again? Why did that emerald color... No wait... He saw it before. But where?

It was...

-Innocence-

Allen jumped back suddenly, a dangerous feeling swelling inside of him. Crown Clown ached as his held it steady, sweat rolling down his cheek.

It felt almost just like the Apocryphos... But it felt like something is out of the place.

"You..." He whispered. Who are you? Was what he wanted to ask.

"Um..." The boy quietly said, doing his best to get up. A face filled with worry, he quickly left the room, though constantly he would eye the former exorcist.

"..." Allen sat down, his legs giving in from exhaustion. "What is going on... That boy... Who was he...? Are there more than just him...?" He whispered, seeing Timcanpy that sat on the side quietly.

"... Tim?"

I remember that time when Alma told me, that Innocence... They're connected to their host by similar 'Will's. If that's so... What was their's?

Alma... And Yuu's.

TBC