"Your sister cut you while you were sleeping?" Komui exclaimed in astonishment.
Allen ran his finger along his freshly bandaged arm with a contemplative expression. "I don't know how to explain it Komui. All I know is that it was not an actual dream. Yes, I did fall unconscious, but it did not feel like I was dreaming. No, it was something else entirely." He tried to explain to Komui as Link stood not too far from them with his arms crossed.
"Can you explain what you saw while you were asleep?" Link asked as he watched his charge worriedly.
Allen sighed as he recalled the painful terrifying memories of his sister. "It was my sister's past, or at least a small part of it." He clenched his hands tight. "She was trapped, tortured by these... monsters... They weren't akuma, but they definitely weren't human. They were feeding on her blood. Vampires."
"Vampires?" Link asked in disbelief over what he just heard.
"Yes. I know it sounds crazy. But that dream felt too real to be otherwise." Allen let out a shuddering breath, "This was before her Innocence activated. Back then it was still limp and dead. She had no way to defend herself against those bastards." Anger, pain and sadness play over Allen's soft features as he remembered the way each of those monsters took advantage of her weakness.
"What else did you see?" Komui asked seriously, which was rare given his usual flamboyancy.
Allen allowed a fond yet sad smile grace his lips. "I saw my sister. Not the one from the past, the real Ellen." He stared at his palms as he recalled the warmth he felt when he held her. "She was right there in front of me, and I held her. It was only for a moment, but I know it was real."
"Did she say anything?" Link questioned as he watched his charge's facial expressions.
"Yes. Ellen told me that 'she can't leave her behind.' Something about a promise to the girl's father." Allen sad as he remembered his sister's words before she cut him.
"By 'her' she must mean Miss Komori." Link stated with a thoughtful expression as he placed a hand under his chin.
Allen nodded, "Afterwards she cut my hand with a silver knife. Then I woke up with this." he said as he held up his bandaged hand.
Komui's expression didn't change as he stared at Allen's hand. "How is that even possible?"
"I believe we might have the answer for that."
They turned to see Bookman and Lavi in the doorway. "I wanted to say that Panda." The apprentice whined as he leaned against the door frame. Bookman ignored his complaints as they stepped inside the infirmary.
"You two know something?" Komui asked as Bookman stopped in front of them.
"We do." The older historian began, "There have been documents on phenomenon regarding twins, mainly those with a common power, in Allen and Ellen's case, their Innocence."
Lavi leaned against the wall and chimed in, "There was a pair of twin exorcists many years ago who were both accommodators of the same Innocence. Story goes that they share the same weakness, strength, and prowess. But that's not all. See, when and if ever twin exorcists are separated from each other, they are able to communicate through their Innocence via sleep."
Allen's eyes widened as he stared at the two historians, "Wait, so you mean that dream I had was actually mine and Ellen's Innocence creating a frequency?"
Lavi shrugged, "That's the gist of it. But that's not all." He glanced at Bookman who took the reigns of the conversation, "Twins of your caliber, with enough practice, can pinpoint the exact location by seeing through the other's eyes. Sight-sharing you could say."
Allen's eyes widened at this new bit of information. "You're saying that I can find my sister through our Innocence?" he asked with a hopeful expression.
Bookman nodded, "You can, but it takes a great deal of patience, concentration, meditation and focus in order to fully master the bond you have with your sister. It could take months, years even before you are able to see through her eyes."
Link leaned away from the wall and addressed the historian, "Is there a way to speed up the process?"
Bookman closed his eyes for a long moment before he opened his eyes when the answer came to him, "There is one..."
Ellen yawned as she and Yui walked along the road in the middle of an open field. Earlier that morning when the train stopped at its final destination, the two stowaways quickly hopped out of the cargo and ran from the station before they could get caught. Now they were traveling on foot towards an unknown destination.
Yui stretched her limbs as she walked alongside Ellen under the cloudy sky. "So where are we going?"
"Oh you know, anywhere." Ellen shrugged as she adjusted the bag over her shoulder.
Yui gave her a curious questioning gaze. "I'll be honest with you Yui. I never have a destination in mind. I just go wherever I want. Travel to the coast, climb mountains, swim in lakes and rivers, and occasionally run into akuma for shits and giggles. Long story short, I'm just a vagabond." Ellen explained with a sheepish smile as she scratched the back of her head.
"Is that all?"
"Yep. No home, just me and the open road." Ellen said with a proud smile and her head held high.
"But doesn't it get lonely?" Yui asked as Ellen kicked a stone off the path.
"Not really, I meet a lot of people. Plus I always have Silveretta with me. Now I have you." Ellen answered with a smile which quickly vanished when she saw how Yui stumbled slightly on the dirt road. "Sorry, I didn't plan this whole thing out when I busted you out of that place. This probably wasn't what you had in mind."
"Not really, but this is much better." Yui said as she breathed in the fresh morning air. "In fact, anywhere is better than the Sakamakis."
Ellen chuckled at her positive outlook on her situation. "If that's how you feel, then I'll try my best to help you through this. Given my family situation, akuma attacks, and slipping out of Black Order's fingers. It's a lot to adapt to." she sheepishly stated as the sun peaked over the hills.
Yui stopped suddenly, causing Ellen to halt in her steps to look at her charge in question. She followed her gaze to the sunrise that slowly began to shine over the hills and valleys. Yui's eyes shimmered at the sight of the sun, as though it was an old friend who has finally reunited with her. She smiled as a happy tear streamed down her cheek as she turned to Ellen. "It's fine. If it means I can see the sun rise and feel it's warmth again, I'll go wherever you go."
Ellen felt humbled by her resolve. She knew what Yui was feeling after being kept in darkness for so long. She herself almost forgot what the sun looked and felt like, and she never wanted live without it again.
She stepped towards Yui and brushed that single tear away from her cheek. "No more dark places, just sunlight and open air from here on out." she promised Yui with a fond smile which the latter returned with an even bigger.
Taking hold of her hand, the two travelers resumed their journey to the next town. As they got closer, Ellen could see up ahead a town beside the ocean. "There it is." she pointed ahead of them as the town slowly began to wake up to start the day.
Yui felt excitement well up inside of her at the thought of being in another place with actual people. With uncontained renewed energy, she tugged Ellen towards the town. Though surprised by Yui's enthusiasm and speed, Ellen couldn't find it in herself to complain as they both ran towards the town that will serve as their temporary dwelling.
Allen's eyebrow twitched, "Um, can someone explain to me how I ended up here again?" he asked from his upside down position on the vertical table he was strapped to as Lavi, Komui, and Bookman walked around finishing up the preparations. Link stood beside his charge with an exasperated expression.
"You want to find your sister by any means necessary, and the best way to find her is through your shared Innocence." Lavi explained as he adjusted the straps on Allen's ankles. "But since training your twin bond to develop sight sharing could take years, we're gonna give you some weird drugs that will put you in a meditative trance and get you on the same frequency as Elle." Lavi added with a grin, clearly he enjoyed doing this to Allen. The weirdo.
Allen laughed nervously, "What kind of drugs are we talking about here?" He was starting to regret this decision.
"Some things are better left unknown." Bookman ominously said as he blew out another puff of smoke.
"Okay sure. But why do I have to be upside down?" Allen asked his friends and comrades.
"So the drugs can get to your head faster. Plus seeing you like this is funny." Lavi laughed as his friend glared at him.
Komui knelt down in front of Allen and attached a headband of sorts around the exorcist's forehead. "This will help monitor your brainwave patterns. If a second line appears next to yours then you've synced up to your sister." The Chief of the North American Branch explained as he plugged in the wires needed to get the device to function.
"How do you know this'll work?" Allen asked as Komui finished fastening the band over his silver locks.
"We don't. This is all experimental." Komui answered with a gleeful smile as he danced away from an infuriated Allen.
"And what if something goes wrong!" Allen yelled and glared at his superior.
"Don't worry, you'll be fine. This may even be fun for you since you're gonna be on Black Order approved drugs." Komui exclaimed as he administered said drug into Allen's bloodstream.
"That doesn't...make...me..." Allen's speech slurred as he felt his conscious slipping, "...feel...bet-" His eyes slid shut as he fell under the influence of the drugs faster than he could blink.
Lavi, Komui, Bookman, and Link watched Allen snore away before his bodyguard spoke, "So now what?"
"Now, we wait." Komui said as he turned toward the brainwave monitor where a singled line moved like a peaceful ocean. After an hour of waiting, reading and sipping coffee, a second line appeared next to Allen's and seemed to move in a torrid way before it calmed down.
"He's patched in, now we just need to wait for Allen to get all the information we need." Komui stated as he eyed the two lines that struggled to match together.
Ellen gritted her teeth at the sharp pain that went through her head.
"Are you okay?" Yui asked worriedly from beside her on the bench overlooking the ocean.
Ellen groaned as she massaged her temples, the pain slowly faded until it disappeared. "Yeah, I keep forgetting about the brain freezes." She explained as she held her ice cream cone in her left hand.
Yui giggled behind her strawberry flavored dessert. The moment they entered the town, they immediately started to see the sights and visit small shops for clothes Yui needed for the journey. When the time came for them to eat, Ellen treated them to ice cream, and Yui devoured hers with gusto. They sat in front of the ocean not too far from the entrance that led down to the beach.
"So, what do we do next, we're gonna have to find a place to stay before it gets dark." Yui asked as she finished off her cone.
Ellen hummed, "There's this inn across that flower shop on the East side of the town. I don't have a lot of money, but I believe they can offer us room and board for a couple of nights if we work for them."
"Think that'll work?" Yui was no stranger to working menial jobs, so that should be fine for her.
"Yeah, done it plenty of times." Ellen said before she shoved the rest of her food in her mouth in a very unladylike manner.
Yui snickered at Ellen's actions then burped herself. She covered her mouth and blushed, "Please excuse me."
"Pfft, that's weak, this is how you burp." Ellen released a loud belch that scared the birds pecking the ground just a few meters from them.
Yui failed to stop the laugh at the ridiculous sound Ellen made. This may very well be the first time she has laughed out of humor.
Ellen grinned at Yui's giggles, "Yeah, see, bugger them manners." She said as she pumped her fist in the air as though she was celebrating a small victory.
Yui calmed down enough to stare wistfully at the ocean. How long has it been since she felt the sunshine on her face as she walked along the sandy beaches. A sigh escaped her as she felt the sun bathe her skin with its gentle light.
Ellen watched Yui's longing eyes stare at the ocean. While she wanted to get to the inn and start working to earn their keep, she didn't want to break Yui's happy bubble. Besides, it was still early in the day for them, so why not kick back a little.
"Wanna take a walk on the beach today?" Ellen suggested, surprising Yui out of her trance.
"Are you sure?" Yui asked as Ellen pulled her to their feet and led her to the stairway to where the beach waited for them.
"Yeah, what are we waiting for? Let's go. I'll even catch us some fish." Ellen declared as she hopped off the last three steps and landed with an impressive crouch.
Yui laughed in joy as she and Ellen ran along the ocean, making a game to dodge incoming waves. They spent all morning and early afternoon on the beach, collecting seashells, dipping their feet into the ocean, and Ellen showing Yui how to fish. Though the blonde girl couldn't get any fish on her first try, she still had fun, especially when the two of them tripped into shallow water when a fish fought its way out of their grip.
With the fish they caught, they decided to cook over an open fire Ellen lit up from the dry sticks Yui found. They sat eating their cooked feel in a fresh set of clothes while their ocean soaked ones hung on a tree branch to dry. Yui laughed as Ellen shared with her some funny stories about her travels.
"So, who taught you how to fish?" Yui asked as she took a bite of her second cooked fish.
"Your father." Ellen smiled, "Though he hated fishing, he said it was necessary to learn how to get your own meal." She chuckled, "I remember this one time when we were fishing, we caught a very big one. But the moment we got that slippery bastard out of the water, an akuma snuck up behind us. I turned around with the fish still in my hand as Seiji drew his sword. But then I lost my grip on the fish, and it literally flew out of my hand slapped his face with its tail and sent him straight into the water." Yui chocked on her food at the hilarious image Ellen described. It was hard to imagine her father getting slapped with a fish, but it was funny all the same.
"I quickly took care of the akuma, but your dad was not all too happy with getting slapped with a fish. So he tossed me into the water with him as payback for letting go of our meal. He was so childish." Ellen shook her head at the memory with a fond smile on her face.
Yui laughter died down as she stared at the fire with a melancholy expression.
"What's wrong?" Ellen asked when she caught that look on Yui's face.
"It's just..." Yui sighed through her nose, "...father had this whole other life. I remember how he would leave for weeks at a time on business, and would come back with that tired smile on his face. I never knew what he really did as a priest, but hearing about him fighting actual monsters, that's incredible." A strand of hair fell in front of her face. "I just wish he told me."
Ellen scooted over to Yui and wrapped an arm around her. "Yui, I know it's hard to believe the things your father did without your knowledge. But everything he did, every battle he fought in, was so that you can live a happy life away from such monsters." Ellen stared up at the sky, watching the blue heavens where she knew Seiji was staying in now. "I never had a father before Seiji, and I like to think that God sent him from heaven to save me when I tried to take my own life."
Yui's eyes widened when she heard that confession, "What?"
Ellen smiled sadly, "After I finally escaped the Sakamakis, I was ready to end it all, I wanted to own my death. But Seiji found me just in time." She chuckled slightly, "I fought him. I was just so angry at everything, and I took it out on him. He didn't deserve that, but he was understanding." She grinned lazily, "I couldn't even land one punch on that guy. I didn't think a priest could move like that."
"Then what happened?" Yui asked, curious to know how Ellen became Seiji's apprentice.
"As you already know, my right arm was dead and useless, so my fighting prowess were pretty weak." Ellen held up her discolored right arm. "But Seiji, saw something inside me that was waiting to be set free. He took me in and explained the true reason why my arm was like that, how my arm had an Innocence inside, a gift from God to be wielded to fight akuma. Obviously I didn't believe him. I didn't even care to live, or to fight." She clenched her right hand into a fist, "But he was stubborn enough to prove me wrong, and boy did he succeed."
"How did your arm start moving?" Yui asked as she stared at the arm's unique coloring.
Ellen smiled, "We were attacked by akuma. Innocent people were being targeted and the town was almost destroyed. Your father fought them with this very sword." She said as she held up the blade for Yui to see. The girl's pink eyes were wide with wonder as she took the sword by its scabbard and almost fell over from its sheer weight. "He never backed down in the face of his enemies. People called him the Holy Knight." Ellen chuckled, "And I had to agree with them. The guy was crazy enough to wield an Innocence infused sword to carve through akuma left and right."
Ellen stared at the dwindling flames and tossed the stick into the pit. "I was about to run like a cowered, I didn't want to die at the hands of monsters. But then," She closed her eyes, "I saw these two children, brother and sister, chased by a Level 2 akuma. The little girl tripped, and her brother tried to save her from that monster." She opened her eyes and sighed, "Seeing those two reminded me of how my brother and I used to be. I didn't want those two to lose each other, not the way I lost Allen." Her heart clenched as she thought of her dear loving brother. "The next thing I knew, my arm felt like it was on fire. The Innocence inside it finally awakened and transformed into a weapon. I don't remember killing the akuma, I must've blacked from the pain and the power possessing me." She massaged her arm at the memory of that agony. "When I woke up, all the akuma were destroyed, and everyone was safe. Seiji was beside my bed when I awakened." She chuckled, "He was pretty smug about my power coming out. He told me my Innocence was dangerous if left untrained. So, without hesitance, he offered to train me how to fight. I've been loyal to him since."
Yui smiled at the end of the story, despite how sad it started, Ellen found joy and meaning in her life again thanks to Seiji. "That's incredible. And you mastered your power already?"
Ellen smirked, "Yep, I can wield it with little to no effort now. But lately, I only use it for emergency cases. It's your father's sword that I use to fight, his Innocence knows me, so we're able to synchronize with each other." She paused as melancholy filled her. "I always felt like your father is beside me fighting whenever I wield his sword."
Yui smiled as she gave the sword back to Ellen. "It definitely suits you. I can never handle such a weapon. It's far beyond me." She said with a hint of envy at Ellen's fighting prowess.
Ellen caught onto Yui's emotions, "You don't have to wield a weapon. I'll do all the fighting for us. Because it's what Seiji wanted for you." She paused as she remembered her master. "He talked about you whenever he came back from visiting you. He described you as a cute little angel heaven dropped into his arms."
Yui blushed at the words. "He really said that?" She squeaked out and ducked her head in embarrassment.
"Yeah he did. He truly loves you, even while he is in God's kingdom. His love for you will always stay pure." Ellen said as Yui leaned into her embrace.
"Thank you." Yui whispered to Ellen.
"For what?" Ellen asked curiously.
"For sharing with me a part of my father I never knew existed. He truly is amazing." Yui smiled in adoration.
"He was a pain in the ass at times, but he was really cool." Ellen grinned as Yui laughed.
The silverette looked up at the sky to see it was mid-day. "Let's get back to town and find that inn. The owners can't refuse two lovely hard working girls now can they." Ellen said as she got to her feet and pulled Yui up. They gathered their clothes and headed back to town.
'Ellen'
Ellen froze and turned around, her eyes darting along the sea and sand to look for the source of that voice.
"What is it?" Yui asked as she followed Ellen's gaze but saw nothing in particular.
Ellen hummed, "Must've been the wind." She shrugged as they resumed their way back to town. They found the street where the inn was located and entered the premises that had a starfish hanging from the door frame.
Allen opened his eyes to find himself laying horizontally on the table. He groaned as he came back to his senses then noticed his friends and comrade standing around him.
"How long was I out?" Allen asked as Link slowly sat him up.
"About six hours." Lenalee answered as she appeared at his other side with a glass of water.
Allen gratefully downed the water and sighed. The feelings and movements he experienced while seeing through his sister's eyes were incredible. But the memories she shared with Yui were beyond what he expected and dreamed of.
"So, how'd it go?" Lavi asked with his curious green eye.
Allen grinned, "I found her."
This took a bit, but I wanted to add some melancholy sweetness and share some more of Ellen's backstory. The twins will get their reunion (again), but not in a couple more chapters. There is still a bit of Seiji Komori's past that must be explored. Thank you to all who read and followed this story. Drop a review, and have a great day.