Disclaimer: I do not own D. Gray Man in any way, all credit goes to Katsura Hoshino.

Summary: Forced to leave the Order, Allen comes across a secret hidden in the depths of the Ark. Now, hunted by the Noah Clan and considered an enemy by the place he once called home, he has to search for the truth... The truth about Mana, Neah and himself. Where he came from and who he really is. Uncovering a web of illusions and doubts, Allen still moves forward as he promised to do... But what do you do in a war, when you feel like you don't belong to any side?

"Your memory is a monster; it summons with a will of its own. You think you have a memory, but it has you." – John Irving

Act Five – Scars of Darkness

Though they had visited the train station and observed a map with possible destinations before, the anxiety to leave now acted as a poison that prevented a final decision.

Raz didn't think she would be of any real help but still studied the options. The most logical choice should be to go as far away as possible. Allen, on the other hand, couldn't avoid the mindset that all destinations were pretty much the same in the end, which didn't help matters.

Just a few minutes after leaving the inn, he had felt nauseous and thrown up. His stomach still had flames that spread through the blood, going up to his head and creating occasional waves of heat in his brain, making him dizzy from time to time. Raz had been at his side, worried about that reaction unsure if the cause had been the fight, the feathers, or something else entirely. Allen, however, was convinced that it had been due to the feathers (aided by stress).

He tried to not think of the alternatives.

There was a low movement to be found in the station that night. The moon illuminated the sky with pale life and after the fight, the night boasted a sensation of coolness. In the spot near the platforms, stone's pillars stood, connected to the ceiling.

"Do you know any of those places?" Raz asked as her gaze followed the lines on the map, representing the trains and the names of cities they passed by. There weren't many options.

"A few…" Allen pointed to a black dot on the map. "I've been here before once, but it was a long time ago… I think we should just go as far as we can." A shadow of an idea started to take shape in his mind, but the birth was incomplete, suffocated by hurry and nervousness. He couldn't stop glancing with the corner of his eyes around, half-expecting and fearing to see any member of the Noah Clan (bad) or the Earl himself (worse).

"It doesn't seem like we can go very far…" Raz commented, uncertain. At least that was how it seemed by looking at the lines, but then again, having no experience with travels of such nature, perhaps her notion wasn't the best. This town was everything she knew (literally) of the world.

For a second, Raz wondered if the other Noahs could find out where they had gone… The idea was pushed aside. It shouldn't be possible… Right?

With her attention going back to the map, she realized how she and Allen were running away. Considering what he had just told her, how the Noahs killed Exorcists and the fight she had just witnessed, it was natural for him… However, to her, it felt weird to try and run away from people she didn't even know…

A cold needle came to her spine. Was she being impulsive? Should she stay? Grasp the chance of meeting those who were like her?

She couldn't deny something in her wanted to…

But she didn't want to leave Allen either.

"Raz? Are you alright?" The boy asked.

"I was just thinking..." It wasn't a lie, she just didn't want Allen to worry. On their way to the station, he had asked her once again if she truly wanted to follow him. He didn't want to force her decision or to make her feel like she had to go with him for whatever reason that was not born from her will. And though maybe it would be more logical if she stayed… She just didn't want to. Not like this. "I think in the end, any place works. We can either stand here trying to decide for hours or pick any random city just as well."

"And we can't waste time..." He agreed, touching a dot on the map. "So, let's just get out of here, then we can think about…"

"Planning to travel?"

They turned, tension holding their muscles. But Allen felt his mind relaxing a little, seeing the speaker was a tall man he had never seen before in his life and who seemed normal. It was the first time that not seeing the symbol of the Order in someone's clothes made him relieved. And the awareness of it just increased the bitter taste in his throat.

At least the man didn't seem to be a Noah, he reasoned.

"Yes…" He replied slowly while Raz studied the man, her demeanor lacking any sort of emotion. The stranger, whose blonde hair fell in waves over his shoulders and wore an old brown hat, seemed to not mind their hesitation and shook his head, looking at the dot near the one Allen had picked on the map.

"Look, you'd better not go near Canterbury." He advised, sounding a little paternal and keeping a gentle tone, but Allen and Raz picked up a slight shiver in his voice, not unlike a wave in a lake after a stone is thrown. They exchanged looks. Allen asked.

"I'm sorry, sir, but why do you say so?" Raz was not surprised at how innocent he could sound, not after having witnessed it so often.

The blonde, whose name was Diego Kriezel, shook his head again, putting his hands in the pockets of his long coat though there was no coldness in the air, observing the two. A white-haired boy with light gray eyes with a strange scar on his face, one of his hands wrapped in bandages and a glove, and a girl with the blackest hair, boasting a blueish hint under the light, whose fringe had been badly cut, some strands falling over her eyes… None of them had a particularly healthy appearance, which made Diego wonder what their story would be. It was not uncommon to find young people traveling from place to place in search of work and survival, with no one to look after them.

He had been one of those people himself. In his case, his father had left the house when he was young and his mother had withered away, fighting to raise her son all by herself. The man asked himself if those two had a similar situation.

"This is fucking depressing." He reflected.

"You wouldn't believe it. But I meant it, take it as an advice, you shouldn't go anywhere near that city. It hasn't been safe lately."

"You would be quite surprised with what we believe…" The girl muttered and the boy insisted with a firm tone.

"Please, sir, could you be more specific? Why do you say it isn't safe?"

Maybe the man had seen something in their eyes or just wanted to get whatever he knew off his chest by putting it into words and casting them in the air. In a way or another, he sighed and whispered.

"It isn't that the city isn't safe, but… The problem is the woods close to it. I've heard about people who went there and disappeared. I didn't believe it at first…" His voice was controlled, but the brown eyes revealed fear. He took a quiet deep breath before continuing as if blocking images in his mind. "That was before I went there… No one would believe me, but I saw it. There are things there. Some people still think it might be a bear…" A bitter laugh lifted the corners of his mouth before the stupidity of the idea. "Bear, my ass. I couldn't see it very well, but I know it was no bear. What kind of bear's attacks makes a body shatter?"

The last words came from his mouth too fast, the veil of control slipping, giving away a glimpse of dread. He stopped talking as if fearing he had said too much, but even if he didn't know what this was actually about, Allen would have believed those eyes. No one would ever be able to pretend that fear. And he knew what the man had actually seen and how lucky he was to be alive…

The man was right. It had nothing to do with bears. It was far worse.

"Do you have any idea why those things appeared?" He asked, feigning curiosity of a youth hearing a strange tale.

"I don't even want to know." Diego straightened himself. He didn't want to think about that, he just wanted to drown the memory with time to keep his sanity. He turned his eyes again to the black dot in the map as if it was about to spread a poison of some sort. "All I know is that I'm not going back there so soon… And you shouldn't either. I think those… Things, won't stay in the forest forever. If you need to travel, try another city." He pointed another dot. "Like here. Good place. Gentle people. If you need jobs, there is always someone in need of extra help, I can vouch for that."

"Thanks!" Allen smiled with a small nod of gratitude and because the man had sounded so nervous, he added. "And for the suggestion. It does sound like a better place!"

"And it is." The man arranged his coat around the shoulders, studying them for the last time. "I have to catch a train myself. I just stopped because I didn't think it would be right to ignore it when I heard that you two would be going too close to that damn place…" He hesitated before turning his back at them, carrying his bag. "Well… Take care, you both."

As he walked away, Allen and Raz remained in silence.

"Are you thinking about akumas?" She asked, well aware of the answer. Allen didn't even look at her.

"Yes. You heard it. Things? Bodies shattering?" He turned his attention to her. "Remember what I told you about bodies hit by akuma's virus? Maybe the ones that attacked us came from there, it isn't that far…" At least for the Earl's creatures. The distance wouldn't mean much for their metallic wings or whatever else they used to fly.

"What I do remember is that today you fought some." Her tone became serious. "Why would we even go there if we're running away from them?" The idea carried no sense whatsoever. They should follow the man's advice and pick another destination (as far as possible, preferably), however, Allen's eyes were hardened by a resolution that Raz couldn't understand, no matter how much she tried.

"Because the people there need help." It was the best explanation he could give. Raz could only gaze at him and he wasn't sure if the moment of silence that passed between them was because she was not finding a valid argument to counterattack or was trying to understand him or any other reason. Allen admitted that no matter how he explained, nothing would make it sound less dangerous.

"You said the Order has ways of hearing about this stuff, too." It was not a question, she merely expressed a simple and pure fact. "What if we are found?" He had said it himself that he couldn't go back. While Raz didn't say it, she thought they could very well leave this for the Order to solve.

Allen hesitated. She had a point, they might be placing their heads inside the lion's mouth if they insisted. And even if the Order had not sent Exorcists there yet, the akumas' presence was more than enough for them to avoid the city. So why ignore the rational points of the question and insist on something so risky?

And… He had to admit, he felt responsible for Raz, on some level. He couldn't think only of himself… Wouldn't it be selfish of him to drag her along like this?

"But wouldn't it be selfish to think only about our safety as well?"

"My heart is of an Exorcist, Raz…" He explained, repeating the words he had once told Lenalee, ignoring how they pulled a memory that still hurt. "I can't ignore this, even with all the risks."

The girl shook her head with a sigh, never breaking eye contact. Allen couldn't know if she agreed or not or even what she was thinking, all he knew is that he couldn't just ignore what he had just heard.

"It isn't wise. It isn't and you know it." She arranged the backpack's strap and crossed her arms, however her features remained eerily serene. For a brief moment, it looked to Allen almost like she would try to smile again. At least the corner of her mouth seemed to have twitched? "On another hand, I don't think they would expect us to just go after a pack of akumas. So… Let's do it."

"I think some of them wouldn't be that surprised…" Allen commented, his thoughts going back to his friends. He tried to ignore that corner of himself that hurt all the time, and all the more when he actively thought about them. It was easy to imagine their reactions and he couldn't help but laugh to himself. "Actually, I know someone who would probably call me an idiot…"

"An idiot Moyashi…"

"Do not get me wrong…" Raz replied as they walked towards a line to buy tickets. "But I'm not sure I would disagree…"

"Hey, you agreed to this!" He reminded her with a smile, pretending to be offended. Raz didn't laugh, but that shadow of a shy smile got stronger and she shrugged.

"I didn't say I'm being reasonable either…" She risked a jest. "Would this person call me an idiot as well?" Allen, who could bet it was exactly what Kanda would have said, nodded and was about to add something when the woman in front of them in the line walked away.

Raz, while it, wondered how would that person Allen mentioned be. He didn't speak much of himself or the people he knew in the Order and she, out of respect, decided to make no further question…

Even so, she felt a bit upset. With what, she didn't know…

XxX

Later, they found an empty compartment and settled down, watching as the fields passed by the window as a sea of dark green. The trees became more frequent soon and despite the train's speed, they could see the foliage shivering. It was easy to imagine the movement to be waves, provoked by unseen monsters.

Sitting in front of Raz, Allen had his shoulders down, resting his head on the back of the seat. Now that he had time to stop, really stop, the sense of security (frail, but enough to calm him down) seemed only to make the way his organs felt all the more noticeable.

"You look like you're going to be sick again…" Raz commented. He looked paler than usual. Not that she felt much better, honestly. "Are you sure you're feeling alright?"

Allen nodded slowly in reply, looking through the window. Sometimes, an optical illusion created a kind of mist outside that almost became one with the night sky… He averted his gaze before his imagination was teased into less pleasant imageries. He knew he should feel more relief than he did, but the sickness had returned. The interior of his stomach was ablaze. His ghost-life reflection on the window had just confirmed Raz's suspicions…

His stomach seemed to coil in a snake-like movement.

He hoped he wouldn't puke again.

"I think I'll be better soon… I just need to sleep a little." He shrugged, hoping it to be true. Usually, such things didn't bother him so much, but the idea of those feathers… That they had been inside him all this time. His mind painted them, intertwined with his muscles, soft needles growing from them as veins, holding on him… His stomach turned again. A wave of hot nausea shot through his nerves. "But later, maybe. I don't feel like it now."

And if he tried, he knew he would spend minutes waiting to actually fall asleep while thoughts he didn't want would come to life, so Allen decided he preferred to talk with her for a little more.

"You still must have a lot of questions, don't you?" Stupid question.

Raz stayed in silence, reflecting about the offered opening. The wind howled outside. There was so, so much that she wanted, needed, to know, but the more personal questions regarding Allen were cast away in the back of her mind… That night was dragging on and on, with the slowness of nightmares and though tired, her body was unable to relax. There was no peace for the mind, either, lighting and images tearing it apart and coming up with hypotheses for the future…

She decided to start with simpler things.

"You've never said anything about what happened with your arm…" The girl indicated his red hand. He had told her very little about the Order, a bit about the Noah and the akumas and Innocences, reducing everything to a too-basic concept. Considering everything there was to tell, he hadn't made the situation justice… And he hadn't quite explained that white hell that the feathers had been.

His eyes lowered, landing softly in her gauze-wrapped hands…

"Does that still hurt?" He whispered, remembering the skin and flesh being shredded as she grabbed the feathers, as one would do to a weed. For a second, he thought about Tyki Mikk, who had been scarred by his sword.

"Not much…" Raz muttered, looking at her palms. The bandages seemed darker, but there was no way of knowing if this was due to the illumination or blood seeping through. The pain had dulled, as if asleep, but not completely gone. She could take it, though. They throbbed occasionally as if the wounds were spreading deeper into her body, spreading with waves of pain. Her own insides reacted as if trying to get rid of the poison.

Allen sighed, wanting to apologize for her going through this, but he could guess that if he did, Raz would just repeat that there was no reason to and so he decided to not diverge from the subject.

"I told you I can't go back to the Order…" Allen started, uncertain of how to go into details or where to start. Until now, Raz had not asked much and Allen couldn't help but be grateful for that, as he had no wish of speaking about himself or anything that could stir his memories… Not yet.

Once more, his thoughts went back to the people he loved… What would they be doing now? He hoped Lenalee wasn't in trouble for having been the last one to see him, or Komui and the members of the Science Division…

Would they… Would they be thinking of him, too?

Would they be thinking he had truly joined the Noahs?

"Well… The reason… No…" He corrected himself, wanting to be honest. "Part of the reason is that there is a… A being, chasing me. As far as I understood, his name is Apocryphos and he is an independent Innocence."

She tilted her head to the side, lost at what he had said.

"Wait, didn't you say the Innocences need… Accommodators?"

It wasn't easy to explain it when he didn't understand very well himself. And his personal feelings for that… Beast, didn't help the matter.

"It… He seems to be the exception to the rule." Allen raised his arm in unneeded emphasis. "Those feathers were his. He… He must have left them in me when he attacked me…" His vocal cords shivered, his whole body wanting nothing more than to refuse the memory that invited another, of sensory nature, of having that thing grabbing his flesh. "I don't know much about him, just that he is Innocence." Allen didn't say "sentient". In a way, he considered "independent" a better description, as he had always believed Innocences to be more than mere energy considering the connection they could form with Accommodators.

This he knew by experience.

Raz shook her head almost imperceptibly.

"Weird…" This was not the best answer, but she had nothing better to comment right away. "But what would a thing like that want with you? You have Innocence, so shouldn't you be allies?"

The very idea of being allies with Apocryphos made Allen's stomach turn inside out. As much as he wanted, he couldn't forget that creature holding him… The feathers piercing and entering his arm while a part of his mind saw the being's memories, of him attacking Cross… And Allen heard, not in his memory, but echoing in his brain, that voice saying that Crown Clown also wished that they would become one, that he got absorbed… That this was for his sake…

And Apocryphos had left a part of himself inside him… As sure as he was that all the feathers had been removed, it did nothing to soothe how it made him feel.

He was dirty. Repulsive.

An insane desire of ripping his own skin apart in order to wash his flesh, to rub and rub until he could feel clean again shot through him.

A spasm made of disgust, fury, sorrow, and fear ran through his body. Unconsciously, he held the wrist of his left arm… He could never believe that Crown Clown truly agreed with Apocryphos' desires.

Never.

"Allen?" Raz called to him, hesitantly as she leaned forward, having noticed the change in his demeanor. "Did I… Did I say something wrong?"

The boy smiled, but the gesture was merely a mechanic movement of muscles.

"No, no…" But she had already seen a glimpse in his eyes, something as brief as a spark but of a complex nature and… Perhaps it was her impression, but… It seemed twisted. Bitter. And painful.

She had no idea of the traits and nuances that were mixed there, of Allen's motives or what had brought him to this point, nevertheless right then she knew that it was nothing remotely close to simple or pleasant. How he could have such transparent eyes, to the point of giving away the impression that they were directly connected to a small window in his soul, the girl had no idea.

"You have too transparent eyes…" The muttering escaped in her voice before she could hold it back. She didn't know if this was a good thing or not. The impression she had was that it made the person too… Too open and vulnerable. Could it be that Allen was always like that? He always kept such a controlled façade during the card games, but in other occasions...

To Raz's surprise, he sighed and his smile became more genuine, even if it seemed to be turned to the past, not the present.

"I've been told that before…" And hadn't it been Road who, in the first time they had met, had told him he was too gentle? Maybe the fact he had helped Raz and taken care of her during those days only confirmed it. He vaguely wondered what the Noah of Dreams would say to this. But it didn't bother him. Maybe he had done that more out of some rebelliousness than compassion… Just to reaffirm that he was still himself. That he had his free will in this game of black and white.

"No, it's nothing that you've said…" Allen explained quickly, after all, Raz was just making a logical question. "But Apocryphos is not like the other Innocences." She nodded as to indicate she had got that point. "He's hurt people I care about…"

His Master. Link. He could only hope that the young man would be fine, that someone of the Order had gotten there in time to help him and he wasn't… Dead.

"Besides that…" He hesitated. It wasn't a detail he wanted to go into. "What he wants is to absorb me…"

"Come again?" The girl hissed in a clear mix (maybe the first time her emotions were so openly displayed) of repugnance, shock and despise. Allen proceeded to tell her about his first meeting with Apocryphos, avoiding mentioning he had been in the Order's dungeons and that his rescuers had been two Noahs.

It was the first time he ever spoke of Apocryphos and what had happened. And somehow, part of his feeling of sickness lost its intensity. It hurt, in a myriad of senses, but not so much as he had anticipated, having barely allowed himself to truly think about the event. At the end of his narration, Raz's mouth was half-open. Allen could see beyond the veil of her eyes the traits of other emotions at play. For some instants, Raz seemed to be at loss about what to say, as if she had forgotten how to talk.

"But the Order didn't do anything? They didn't want to help you?" Perhaps it was Allen's imagination, but he was almost sure there was something under her controlled tone. It felt like thin ice. He merely shrugged to avoid the question. The Order probably didn't even know about Apocryphos' existence, and he had no way of explaining this to her without entering details that he felt were best ignored for now. At least for some time more, just a little more…

"This thing…" She growled in a very animalistic way. "Is insane"

Allen nodded in agreement, his expression (though tired) typical of saying that she had no idea of how right the statement was. Apocryphos was insane. Insane, sick and cruel. What he truly was or wanted, Allen didn't know and, for now, wasn't sure he wanted to know.

Not wanting to talk about that, uncomfortable with the feeling that the conversation was moving towards a shore of questions he didn't want to talk about, Allen decided to change the course.

"That thing with the shadows…" He said the first thing he thought about. "It was interesting." Not quite the term that better described what he had felt seeing it. Surprisingly, Raz backed off a bit, back against the seat. It was her turn to be uncomfortable and she held her hands, running fingers over her palms as if studying the gauze.

"I don't even know what that was…"

"Well, all Noahs have special abilities. That must be yours…" Despite the gentleness in his tone, it wasn't as if he knew for sure what Raz could do. All he had seen had been shadows moving and running over the girl's body, almost in a mantle of black mist or fingers of an unseen creature… Allen had been too caught up in what had been happening to pay absolute attention, but there was a lingering sensation of… Of something wrong.

It shouldn't come as a surprise, he reasoned. After all, the brain could make associations by itself and he had had enough experience with the Noahs to know they could be creative when hurting humans… So, this reaction had to be due to something along those lines, right?

Raz merely turned her blueish-stone eyes to him. He took that as a sign to go on.

"I don't know about all of them, but… For example, Road is the eldest of the Noah," It was the first time he spoke about them individually to her. "She is called the Noah of Dreams and she can… It's like creating a different dimension, more or less." It wasn't quite easy to explain her power, even if Allen wouldn't forget so soon when he had first met her or what Road had done to Lavi during the Battles of the Ark… It was one of those events that couldn't be perfectly translated into words, only people who have gone through it could understand. "And control it, trapping people on it. Well, more like their conscience."

Raz seemed about to ask something but changed her mind. Noah and Exorcist were enemies, if Allen had met them and knew of their abilities there was no way those had been pleasant experiences… This called back the notion that, in that war scenery, they were supposed to be enemies. It made her feel sick, as the memory of the sudden desire she had felt in the alley, to grab Allen's arm and break it, shattering bones, reducing it to a fragile sack of skin and flesh just so she could tear it apart with her bare nails…

"No, please, stop it… Why would I want to do such a thing? Allen has helped me until now…" Wherever she had been when he had found her, he could have killed her. Raz knew enough to recognize it as the natural and even logical reaction in this case… Yet, against what should be expected, Allen had done the opposite: He had cared for her, taught her… He had said it himself, that he had no intention of harming her, so why would she want to?

In a way, she also knew Allen had not been lying. She had more than his words to make her trust him, not that Raz could explain even to herself.

Bit by bit, Allen told her about some others, mentioning Noah like Tyki Mikk (apparently, being Noah of Pleasure enabled him to choose what to touch) and a white-haired man whose name he didn't remember (telepathic abilities). Raz still wanted to ask more… Well, sincerely, she wanted to know about the occasions themselves, but wasn't sure if it was out of pure curiosity or… Something more. Curious she was, of course, but there was something about the idea of fighting Exorcists that just felt… Right. As if it fitted the world as much as Nature's norms.

But why? Why should it?

She didn't ask anything. Besides, there were things Allen clearly didn't want to talk about and that was enough.

Even so, the lack of context was annoying.

"So, understand, when you got in contact with those feathers of Innocence," The boy continued to explain. "Your Noah's genes must have reacted, due to the opposite energies… That was when those shadows started to move."

"But I didn't do anything" Raz insisted, never changing her position. "They just… Moved…"

"Well, you don't remember…" Allen considered, slowly. That ink-black mist didn't seem something particularly useful in the battlefield at first, but they should keep in mind that Raz was still rediscovering her own nature, perhaps starting this very night. Thinking about it, that had been equal to a baby's muscle being used for the first time. "It's too early to know and we were both too worried to focus on anything else. It was just a reaction. We can find more about it later. We…" He stopped his own words. He had been carried away and almost suggested that they could train together.

Well, it was a plausible suggestion. He could help Raz to find out the nature of her abilities and it would be good to keep his own training in check…

But would it be sensate? Training with a Noah? The notion that they didn't mean each other harm was at play here, yet, this was for now. There was still a chance (not impossible and strong enough even now) that once Raz's memories came back, she would change her mind regardless of their time together. Or even that during the training, the presence of his Innocence would be enough to provoke her somehow...

A bitter taste returned to every corner of his mouth, infiltrating in the nerves of his teeth. Allen didn't like that. And he didn't like it that he would rather tell her about the other Noah than about himself either.

The conversation had its course altered by both of them, who started to raise hypotheses about their destination and what could have been attracting akumas (Allen told her that if they weren't just in a killing spree so they would evolve, there could be an Innocence somewhere). This subject felt a far more secure territory, like when he told her about card games he had partaken in, so Allen talked a little about his master (trying to ignore the image of the window broken, of the blood-stained glass) and some of the Akuma he had fought, including one he had destroyed while in his way to the Order for the first time, whose trapped soul had been the sister of a cop he had met.

After a while, with exhaustion that was mental as well as physical, Allen finally allowed himself to curl around in his seat and let sleep have him. Raz wanted to do the same, but there was iron in her body making it impossible to relax the muscles and her mind, though longing for rest, was stopped by uncontrollable thoughts that tore it apart, no matter how she tried to stop them.

Groaning in frustration, Raz raised her feet to the seat, hugging her legs and looking through the window as she rested her head on her knees. Scenes and explanation's fragments didn't stop, wild birds caged in her brain. Noah, Exorcist, the Order, that Apocryphos creature. The knowledge those feathers were part of him, left inside Allen, and that she had touched them was enough to make her stomach want to empty itself. She tried to find more comfort, huddling herself.

She tried to ignore how all she had heard made her feel, unsure if she wanted to assert her own feelings at that moment. All Raz knew was there were things that felt right, far too much to be accepted as lies…

And that in itself was strange enough.

Noah, Exorcist…

Innocences…

For a moment, she looked at one of her hands.

The pain remained. Ghostly, sleeping now, the presence still known.

The darkened patches were more noticeable the more you looked at them. Or perhaps it was just because she knew it, could feel, no matter if the bleeding had already ceased.

Allen activated and controlled his Innocence by will alone. It made sense, the Innocence was part of him… In a sense, shouldn't that… Ability (whatever it was) be a part of her just the same? When one wanted to walk, wasn't enough to want it? Didn't the brain command, in a fraction of second, the rest of the body?

The principle should be the same in this case, then.

"Sounds easy, doesn't mean it is…" Raz told herself, still looking at her hands before resting them on her knees, her mind back to the shadows, agitating themselves, some almost touching her. Despite what Allen had just told her, her flesh crawled under the skin.

But still…

Raz hesitated.

Then, with a deep breath, she looked at a shadow on the floor, close to the door of the compartment. Wary, tentatively, she wished it would move.

Nothing happened.

She took a silent deep breath, unsure whether she felt was truly disappointment or relief of some nature. Whichever it was, she should have known it wouldn't be that…

Her eyes went back to that particular spot.

The shadow, no more than a veil, seemed to wave.

Raz touched her lips with her tongue. No. It should be her imagination. Nothing more.

Well, maybe they were both mistaken. Maybe it had been something else entirely moving in that alley. They had been certainly stressed enough. And now that she thought about it, a shadow was projected by a solid object against the light, so it didn't make much sense that…

With the corner of her eye, she perceived movement.

Raz's attention went back to the same spot. She was very quiet, as an animal sensing the presence of something close by.

Without truly thinking about what she was doing, Raz suddenly wished for it to expand, to grow, if only to end her doubts.

This time, there was a response.

The shadow, little more than a gray stain, became darker. Then, as if it held more darkness than its size suggested, it stretched on the floor. Thin veins grew from it, pieces of mist raising from what seemed a pool of ink not made by anything known to man.

It continued to grow, with no end, as a living being that had no need for flesh or blood. She couldn't tell if it was indeed just a dark mist now, the intense color making it appear solid and, in the silence, she could almost swear she heard a scurrying sound, of a thousand insects…

And Raz's bones were cold.

Turning her head around, she felt before seeing, that the other shadows of the compartment also responded to the unmeant call, coming from any corner or crevice possible, almost as if hinting at a hidden world made of nothing but a silent black storm.

They kept coming, some shaped as veins that grew thicker, others resembling long legs with several articulations and needles. The warmth of before was consumed. Some black strands rose from the floor, looking solid, dripping. Others sought to climb the walls, strands rising and slapping themselves against them with a crack-like noise.

Raz tried to push them away, without knowing how, tried to wish it all to stop.

Nothing happened.

Once awaken, the shadows had no desire to return to sleep.

The lake of darkness waved lazily and where was the floor? She kept still, not wanting to move, not wanting to touch that. The shadows started to climb the seats and she wanted to look away from the movements that were but a mockery of how anything alive should move.

Was that a hiss of laughing serpents or it was all in her mind?

Raz shrunk herself, a whimper dying in her throat. Something was happening with her as well, but she wasn't sure of what it was.

Unaware to all, Allen still slept. The walls and the floor were nearly gone. A black thread stood, grabbing the seat where Raz was. The oil-looking thing glistened under the remaining light, black veins spreading, approaching…

Raz closed her eyes, heart struggling inside.

"Enough, please, enough, no more!"

She expected to feel the touch of those things… At any moment… She knew she would…

Raz opened her eyes.

No shadows. No darkness.

Everything was perfectly normal.

Pain called her senses. Her arms hurt and just now Raz realized she had dug the flesh with her nails. She had tensed her hands as well and the wounds made themselves known again. Upon releasing herself, small half-moon shapes marked the skin.

What had been that? What had she done?

What if she hadn't been able to stop?

The idea made her insides throb. Some organs felt like they had changed places. T

Allen still slept.

What if those shadows had touched him? What would have happened?

Noah and Exorcist were on opposite sides in that chessboard. Their energies were two different things, like fire and water. This she had understood well.

What if she had hurt him, even if she didn't mean to?

Her body still felt cold.

She might be a Noah, but at that moment, she didn't know what it truly meant. Just like she was at loss about what she had truly done now, the effects and consequences… Suddenly, the emptiness came back and she was once again a mere doll of cracked glass, a fake existence…

Her nails went back to her flesh as she was suddenly assaulted by the need to feel some pain, using it to feel herself and confirm her existence. Still, the only real thing was dread.

She could end up hurting Allen.

Not for the first time in that night, Raz wanted to puke, her own body wanting to get rid of part of itself.

And she felt distant from it all, floating, only able to watch the world without taking part in it.

XxX

Golden eyes were fixated upon the woman.

When she concluded her report, the silence's nature changed, starting to be filled with the sensations of the others regarding what they had heard, which was far from the scenarios and hypotheses some of them had considered.

Wisely and Toraido showed no hints to the workings of their minds, though there was a ghost of a smile in Wisely's features that Tyki took notice of, with no surprise. Considering his mental powers and how he seemed to remember everything they couldn't, it would be only normal that he also remembered that Noah and had a better basis for analyzing the situation.

Despite what he might be thinking, Tyki couldn't imagine what would cause that expression in the white-haired man. Nothing of what they had just heard sounded remotely funny. At his side, Sheryl was leaning forward, elbows on the table, fingers crossed in the air in front of his face, a soft smile marking his features… One might consider he had found the information amusing until they looked in his eyes.

Lulubell remained standing, having kept her attention on the facts while narrating the events, not allowing herself to stray away. The Earl nodded at her and the woman sat down, face unreadable though the scene of the Noah helping Allen Walker was still quite fresh in her mind, just like a recent burn.

Devit was the first to speak.

"You serious?" His low tone wasn't usual and he twisted his mouth. His body seemed relaxed in the chair, but his hands were closed, fingers like claws. "Are ya fucking serious?"

Lulubell's body didn't move a muscle, only her eyes slithered to the twins. She did not approve of their easy manners but had never said a word mostly due to knowing it to be useless. Only some of the others, such as Sheryl and Toraido, seemed to still believe there was a chance of those two learning someday how to behave with more dignity.

She merely stared at him, enough to silently remind Devit she wasn't one to joke around, let alone with matters like that.

"The girl went and helped Walker?" Maashima asked, his voice deep like a growl of a lion, yet soft as honey. A corner of his lips raised and he scoffed as if holding a laugh, shaking his head slowly.

"Come on now, for what it seems… The poor little one doesn't know a thing" Sheryl intervened, his amused words not hiding the coldness underneath it. He shook his head and tsked with his tongue, as one referring to a naïve child that should be taught and guided. Some wondered what had displeased (not say down-right enraged) the Noah of Desire the most: The idea of a Noah helping an Exorcist (even if it was actually "ex") or a Noah helping Allen Walker.

"No, she doesn't…" Lulubell repeated, her objective posture not once hesitating. "Walker mentioned he "should have told her sooner" when she asked him to "help her understand", right after the fight." And she had started to think up theories, then deciding to place them aside until she had spoken with the others (regardless if she didn't think there could ever be a good enough explanation for all she had seen). The Noah turned her gaze to their Patriarch and leader, however, the Earl hadn't said a word and it was hard to tell his reaction with that mask, even if it was made of flesh and more expressive than an actual costume.

Groans were heard around at the idea of a Noah asking whatever it was to an Exorcist while others' attention was chained to the fact that their new (or should it be old? After all, apparently, she belonged to the previous generation) member of the family didn't even know who she was. It wasn't the same when their genes started to wake up, after all, she had already been through this process.

The Earl's mind was caged in this second fact…

She had forgotten.

She had forgotten everything.

The fact she was currently traveling alongside Walker (he couldn't even imagine how this had happened, and where she had been all those years) wasn't that bad… He could understand Sheryl's anger and couldn't say it pleased him, but it might be easier to go after both of them together rather than separately, however…

For some moments, old memories came alive in his mind… Talks they had had, times he had spent with her and other Noahs, when he had first encountered her… But along those, there was a bigger one. One that felt connected to all other remembrances of back then, which consumed everything until it was the only one left: The memory of Neah murdering the others and trying to kill him.

And as it always happens with memories, this was a mental scalpel that reopened old wounds in the brain and soul that, in reality, had never stopped bleeding. And in this red river, the sounds of water had voices of the past, his own lost in a cacophony of those that had been the previous generation.

"Neah, what are you doing?"

"He… He killed Wisely"

"Why? Why is he doing this?"

"It has to be like this."

"No, it doesn't!"

"Please, just tell me what is going on"

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry…"

She didn't remember.

Not him, Road or any of the others...

"Neah… Could it be that you had something to do with this?" The Earl closed his eyes with a barely-held sigh. Lulubell's news had revived the sensation of loss.

"And how was she?" Fiidora asked with interest, while the twins still muttered to themselves. "What does she look like?"

"Dark hair." The thought escaped the Earl's mouth as though he didn't realize he was speaking. The others' heads turned to him. "Blue-gray eyes."

Lulubell nodded.

"The Walker boy called her… Raz." It was the first time the Noah of Lust said the girl's name.

There was some silence, with a few members looking at the Earl's direction, his immediate lack of reaction only feeding their own curiosity. The Patriarch held a chuckle and took a breath before his voice worked with a gentleness laced with interest.

"Oh, what a most unexpected situation, is it not?" He purred in his cheerful way that would always give birth to shivers in the bones of the Exorcists that crossed his path. "Not only she doesn't know who she is, but she is now traveling with Walker. Who could expect such an event?"

It was hard to say if he really found it amusing.

"How did that happen?" Tyki asked, not bothering to hide his surprise with all that he had heard, though now the perspective of hunting the boy down had become even more interesting, something he hadn't considered possible.

"Isn't that the great question, Tyki-pon?"

"Do you want us to go fetch them?" Devit suggested with a gleam in his eyes as his brother sat straighter, anxiousness dancing in his golden eyes but the Earl denied the request with a shake of his head and a wave of his gloved hand. It sounded like the best course of action, but the circumstances had turned even more delicate than before. The twins quieted down, though clearly disappointed.

"Have some patience, you both." Sheryl commented, his smile sending a clear message that there was no need to hurry. After all, soon the boy and the girl would be with them… In a way or another.

"They must be gone by now, probably. And I cannot pretend this has happened before…" The Earl ran his eyes through the table, studying the others. "I mentioned that we all thought she was dead. Thirty-five years ago, she…" The second of silence wouldn't have been noticed by others that were not his family. "Raz, disappeared. We couldn't feel her presence in any way, so we assumed, it felt like, she had been killed by Neah. It had been something so absolute that when your Noah genes started to wake up, Road and I weren't even sure the same would happen with hers…"

The other Noahs exchange looks briefly, trying to imagine how it must have been to feel the disappearance of one of them with such intensity that the waking of the genes in another host had felt unlikely. The pain of losing Skin Bolic was still alive in them, a wound for which there was no healing, no hope of comfort or end to the mourning. Jasdero moved in his seat, unusually quiet.

And, yet, against all odds, Raz had come back… The logical path pointed to something (likely) involving the Fourteenth. None of them could recall the past events thanks to the wounds Neah had inflicted upon them so, therefore, something of this sort must have happened to the girl.

But to the point of making her forget everything?

Or was it because she had not been killed?

"Do you think Walker will tell her the truth? He may very well lie." It would be useful if he could make her believe in whatever he wanted. At Toraido's suggestion, Tyki shook his head with a chuckle.

"The boy wouldn't do anything like that." He knew Allen Walker well enough to hazard a guess at certain standard behaviors and decisions of his. "He will end up telling her everything, that's what he will do. And if he hasn't hurt her until now, I don't believe he plans to." Of this, he had no doubt. In certain aspects, the boy was an open book: Allen Walker wouldn't feel comfortable fighting someone in a condition like hers… And taking into account the scene Lulubell had described, it didn't feel seem he had met this other Noah that same night.

Toraido gazed at him for a moment without answering, which could be interpreted as a sort of acceptance of the Noah of Pleasure's words. It wasn't always easy to figure out what lied behind his demeanor, once his expression rarely betrayed his intentions.

"Do you think her presence will instigate the Fourteenth inside him?" Fiidora wondered out loud, the shadow of his tongue agitating behind the teeth.

"There is a possibility…" The Earl agreed slowly. "But, as Tyki said, it isn't of Allen Walker's nature to lie." There was the question now of how to best proceed.

"For now, let's revert to the original plan: Apocryphos will be hunting Walker." His voice remained amicable, except for a moment of scorn when he mentioned the sentient Innocence, before looking back to Lulubell. "Were those really his feathers? Or Walker's Innocence in the brute state?"

"Apocryphos', without a doubt, Master." She always called him by that term, no matter if the Earl didn't actually demand such treatment. "He was rendered incapable of fighting due to the pain until Raz started to tear them out of his arm."

Having heard this part already didn't stop others from reacting. Devit, Jasdero and Sheryl scowled, the last almost growling. Maashima grimaced at the idea (out of disgust or imagining the pain or both), Wisely chuckled to himself softly and Tyki couldn't avoid sneering as he recalled when he had briefly faced Apocryphos in the dungeons of the Order and how the bastard's feathers had pierced his hands… They all could imagine how the girl must have felt touching them, something that didn't sit well with anyone at the table for several reasons. Even if they didn't know the girl personally, this made no difference to the Noah's instinct.

"A piece of himself he left inside Walker… So, it would be easier to find him, I expect." The Earl considered, turning to Tyki. "He must have done it while you and Road were there, as a precaution…" Having them removed didn't imply it would be a hopeless endeavor, just harder. And Walker's arm might react to his presence again, as Tyki had told it had happened back then.

Raz had helped Allen, yes, but wasn't there a chance that maybe she would prefer to stay in that city, in the hopes of finding (or better, be found by) the Clan? Especially if Walker had indeed told her the truth by now? She would have questions more than never…

She might have stayed there, waiting for them…

She might...

The Earl took a deep breath, he knew better than to ignore the other hypotheses. She also might decide to stay with the boy… And then? Well… Maybe it could be quite drastic to bring her back by force, as it would certainly be needed with Walker… Yes, maybe it would be drastic, but in this case, all that mattered was the result. And as anxious as he was to have Neah and Raz at his side again, the appearance of Apocryphos demanded more attention now. It had been 7000 years since he had seen that bastard…

"What Raz did, in the end, help us as well." They still could use Walker to attract Apocryphos and the creature would have one less advantage now.

"Earl?" Sheryl called. "Who is she?"

The silence was stronger after his words and when the Earl spoke, his voice was a whisper too delicate to break it completely.

"Raziah. The Noah of Loneliness."

The others didn't say anything to this, absorbing the information as their leader gave a smile.

"Well, let us be merciful and let our new family members rest for this night."

Tiny black cracks seemed to appear in the corner of his eyes, gleaming behind the glasses in golden pools. Eyes of a predator, aware that the prey cannot escape and has its fun watching it struggle.

"But just for this night."

XxX

The dawn brought a hue of liquid gold to everything it touched. Though it was too early to tell, there was a promise of warmth in the sunlight entering through the window and warming Allen's face. There was comfort in this, almost as a memory that escaped a corner of his mind and became physical… Not in words and images, but in sensation.

He moved around a bit, aware this was not a moment of the past coming alive once more and that he needed to stand up since they should be in the right station already. If he didn't, someone would just come and call him anyway.

Stretching his shoulders and spine, he straightened himself, his mind clearing the remains of some dream that he couldn't fully remember. Despite the unpleasant trace it had left (whatever it had been), Allen felt a little better, refreshed inside, the sleep having washed away the bad sensations of last night.

In front of him, Raz slept.

She was huddled in her seat, legs against her chest, forehead touching the window. At first, she seemed calm enough but Allen didn't need a long observation to notice this was not the case: Her breathing was quicker than usual, one of her shoulders twitching and, while he watched, her lower lip shivered in a silent whimper.

Imperceptible signs to others, but he saw them as cracks in an open field.

She was having a nightmare.

Another whimper, too low to be heard if Allen wasn't paying attention… It was the sound of a small animal losing its strengths as it is slaughtered.

She huddled a little more as if wanting to disappear. Her nails dug the gauzes, lifting some threads, opening them.

"Raz" Allen called, going to her and shaking her shoulder. "Hey, Raz, wake up!"

He called her once more until her eyes opened with a shock. For an instant, a golden shadow ran over them and Allen could see some remains of fear that started to fade when the Noah realized where she was.

"What the…" She muttered before looking at him and rubbing an eye. "Oh. Good morning… Have we arrived?"

"Uh-hm. Are you alright? You were agitated…"

"Hm? I guess I had a nightmare…" She scoffed at her own words to herself, realizing what she had just said. Of course it had been a nightmare, what else? There was an ill sensation in her, caused by the dread from her sleep.

"About what?" Allen wondered, tilting his head to the side. Maybe she had dreamt about the events of last night? The girl became very quiet, soon denying with a gesture of her head. She did not remember. Even the dread was now fading.

"I don't remember. Just let it go…" Raz muttered, picking her bag up. "Well… What do you think? Do you want to go search for an inn or just walk around the town first?" It wouldn't be a bad idea, she was quite hungry and they didn't have much food in their backpacks. If they would start to travel, they would need more supplies.

As they left the train, Allen became thoughtful.

"Actually… Are you okay? Or are you still tired?"

"I'm fine, why?"

"I was thinking that we could take a look in the forest after eating something…" Allen muttered, aware he could come across as too hasty, but unable to help it. He felt well-rested and even though there had been such a fight last night, the perspective of having something to do, something more rather than merely wandering around in bars and gambling for money… It was too tempting to be ignored and it brought an excitation that was more than welcome.

Raz gazed at him quietly.

"I know, I know, we just arrived and it's too early…" He started to explain, but Raz shook her head again.

"Heart of Exorcist, hm?" She repeated what he had told her and shrugged. "Fine by me… Isn't this why we came here in the first place?"

Allen smiled.

"Good. C'mon, there must be a place nearby to get breakfast." He commented. "So, what did you think of your first train ride?" Actually, Allen wasn't that surprised that Raz had had a nightmare. He could recall his own… He had been in a mist-filled place, behind a huge glass wall. Out there, people walked by, talked, passed by him without seeing him… Allen cried and called… But they all just went on their paths. Even when he hit the glass, nothing happened. He was still there, trapped, away from those people, even those that were his friends, his family… And bit by bit, they disappeared in the cold mist and he remained there, in a transparent coffin, alone, alone, alone…

At some point, the dream has faded to the depth of his mind and, if he had dreamt something else, he couldn't remember.

"It was… Interesting." Raz told him in a controlled tone, as she had no desire to think about the shadows. Or what she had (or could have) done… It was just one more item in the long list of things she did not comprehend, so the girl would rather push the thought away. At least for now, when there was more to be done, enough to offer a distraction. "But tell me, how are we going to find if there is an Innocence here or not?"

Once out of the station, they looked around for a small café or something of the sort. This city was not a big one, but still bigger than the last one. At this time, people walked around with no worry but to arrive on time at work.

Allen caught sight of a small snack bar across the street. At the tables, people drank coffee as they read newspapers or just watched the street. A couple giggled to each other. A man with glasses was reading a book, a cup in his hand and a small plate with some snacks on his table. It didn't seem like the city was facing trouble due to "monsters", but after many missions, Allen knew better than to judge by appearances.

"Ah, it won't be that hard, believe me. We will just have to ask around." He explained as they stood behind a woman making her order. "Usually when there is Innocence, strange phenomena can happen too."

They picked a small menu, examining the options as they talked about the money they had saved up for such occasions. Allen opted for several mitarashi-dangos as Raz decided for something she had already eaten before and picked a cheese sandwich and some small pieces of meat.

Once seated at a table under the sun, Allen asked her.

"Hey… Raz?" He was aware of the subject he was about to mention was a delicate one, but it needed to be brought up all the same. "How do you think we can… Help you remember?" The question was just a door to the subject, he knew there was a limited number of options. That if there was any besides the obvious one: Talking to the other Noahs.

The girl evaluated him for some seconds, unsure if she wanted to talk about it. The memories of last night, especially the shadows and the white feathers, tore her mind apart once more and turned her nerves into ice regardless of the sunlight.

"I don't know…"

Allen drank a bit of his coffee as he reflected on it. Raz's words regarding the transparency of his eyes came back to his mind and held a laugh. The girl meanwhile took a bite of her sandwich.

"It's just that I don't want to drag you with me by force…" Her eyebrows rose at his words, with no interruption. "And I know you want to remember, but I don't know how to help you." Or even if he could. And it was not right that he would try to solve his situation and not hers. Raz remained perfectly still for a moment before shrugging.

"I want to. I want to know who I am…" Not only who, but also what. Even with the fear or the refusal of yesterday, she found that she did want to recall everything. "But…" She hesitated, needing to think about the better words to convey her feelings, looking at her plate for a moment. Or at least, her eyes were turned to it. "Everything that is happening now, this war, the Order… Since I'm a Noah, it means I'm involved anyway right? Like you…" She added, and for a moment it seemed she would try to smile again, that gesture Allen had seen as a wave in crystal mist. "So, in a way or another, I'll find out."

Allen wondered if this was her way of saying that it was alright, that she didn't mind that they had come after the akumas instead of doing something else… And regarding her past, how could they even begin to investigate it? Raz didn't know even her last name or any other hint that could be helpful. No matter how much he thought about it, Allen could see just one solution…

Suddenly, his mind drifted to Neah… And how he had thought that all he was doing was to hate without even knowing everything regarding the Fourteenth.

Allen pushed those ideas away. He could deal with them later. What they had to now was to go to the forest nearby and check if there were really akumas. And if there was a reason.

XxX

While one or two people claimed to be were unsure regarding the rumors, most of those who they asked for information gave the same answer: They shouldn't go even near that place, the best to do was to keep the distance. A young man said he had heard talks about hunters being called to deal with the situation. The general consensus seemed to truly be what the man back at the station had talked about: Bears. A woman working in a clothing store said she feared the bear was probably sick, maybe with rabies.

"It's no place for you." The old man they were currently talking to growled, staring from one to another and waving his skinny hand. "I know young people thin' they can do everythin' and have more curiosity than a kitten, but you asked, so I'll tell ya: Stay off the woods."

It would have been an unpardonable cliché if the man's eyes were not so sharp.

"Do you think it is a bear, sir?" Allen asked with the same innocent expression he wore when asking a group if he could join their card game. Raz kept her usual veil of serenity.

"Bear, yeah, right" The old man muttered, lowering his gaze for the first time. Yet, it only lasted a second and those eyes were back on them. "I dunno if it's a bear and you shouldn't think 'bout that." What, to Allen, was a disguised way of saying that he didn't believe this particular rumor. "You two shouldn't be lookin' for trouble, nuh."

"Too late…" They thought at the same time, needing the effort to avoid exchanging glances. The man ran his hand through his gray hair, evaluating the two with blue eagle-eyes. There was no weakness or shivering in any of his movements despite his age.

"Has anything else happened, besides those attacks, sir?" Raz asked and the old man repeated what they had heard before: The lights. Apparently, starting a few days ago, lights appeared once in a while, late in the night. Suave, people had told them, appearing at some point between the top of the trees and then spreading as a colored and semitransparent mantle.

"It is nothin' that hasn't happened before." The old man continued. "Saw those lights m'self once when I was a kid, but it lasted only three nights. And they didn't cover so many trees like now."

Raz didn't need to ask or to look at Allen to comprehend that this sounded like a "phenomena" related to Innocence. Why it would cause something of this nature, she didn't know and didn't think it mattered. Allen was about to smile and thank the man for his time and information when he was hit by those old eyes.

"Listen here…" The man leaned to them, whispering in a tone whose meaning they couldn't decipher. "What the devil are you two doin'? Two youngsters like you only with packs, askin' about this stuff…" He shook his head as if seeing them wasting their lives was not something that bothered him but disappointed and saddened. "Dunno where you came from but ya should search for a job… Settle down in a place, try to have a decent life, instead of travelin' around without a place to even lie down when ya die."

Allen had heard the advice of this nature (though it came more frequently in a different tone), just as he had already heard comments about vagabonds or abandoned children and his response was an automatic smile, thanking the man's words and for his time before he and Raz left.

And now, they were right in the woods.

Though the said lights just appeared during the night, it didn't mean a thing: Akumas could be searching the place at any time. Some people had even mentioned disappearances… Both had seen behind this definition. Those people had not "disappeared", they were dead and their bones had turned into dust in the wind. They wouldn't ever be found. Their bodies wouldn't ever be buried.

This was a closure their families and friends wouldn't ever have.

Raz understood that having been told about this by Allen and getting involved in the case as it was happening now were two different things.

Another man had confessed he had been in the woods with a search party and insisted he hadn't seen a thing, but Allen had been assaulted by the strongest sensation that it was a lie. Not that it would surprise him. Most people didn't go around commenting about akumas to anyone.

"The old man said that he saw those lights before…" Raz started as she looked around, taking in the way the sunlight spilling itself on the leaves, dripping in the grass and stones on the ground, creating pools of melted gold. She touched an old oak, examining the size of the tree and the texture. The tree in itself was nothing new, but they had never returned to the forest where she had woken up and back that night, she had been too groggy, too confused to take in her surroundings. For a moment, Allen regretted that. "Why did it start again now?"

"I have no idea…" Allen answered. "Well… Sometimes those things happen without a reason. Or at least none that we get to know." Raz said nothing else as if this somehow fit well in her view of the scheme of things.

Allen was about to say this case may be a cyclic occurrence when they reached a point in the woods and his eye reacted, becoming black and red.

At the same time, a huge noise fell over them, echoing in the trees and making the leaves shiver.

Allen didn't waste time.

"This way!" He ran through the foliage, followed by the Noah girl. He couldn't see, but he could feel and hear the souls crying. It was low compared to the growing noise, yet, it stood above all the rest. The souls. Their cries.

They ran, jumping over fallen trees and rocks. Blood thundered in Allen's ears. Despite never stopping, they could notice signs of violence everywhere. Trees had been taken down, some barks boasted dark marks similar to burns. Others had been torn apart as twigs.

They were deep inside the forest. There was no sign of life.

The noises increased, mixed sounds from which they could capture traits… Collisions, laughter, screams and roars. There was a scent in the air, one both knew: Blood.

Among the vegetation ahead, they could see large figures moving around. There were more fallen trees in this area, pieces of the earth seemed to have been taken off the ground or stomped somehow.

They reached a clearing that hadn't been made by nature. Large trunks were scattered around, as bones of some dragon.

Three Akumas cackled as they flew around. One was a Level Three, the others boasting shapes that would bring nightmares of insanity to shame.

However, they weren't what attracted the attention of Allen and Raz.

What did were the people fighting.

Innocence Accommodators, no doubt.

They didn't wear the Order's uniform.

They both froze for different reasons. One of those people (a man) jumped to the side of one of his companions, aiding in an attack against one of the akumas, a humanoid-like being whose members were thin and long as snakes. In its chest, there was a salience alike two human heads interconnected as conjoined twins, mouths open in a silent cry, faces twisted.

The Level Three akuma, meanwhile, attacked another person who tried to defend herself but was thrown against a broken tree, hurting her back, without losing the balance. Someone screamed, the sound getting lost in the cacophony of growls, laughs and attacks.

"Stay here!" Allen told Raz before activating his arm and running to the Level Three as it positioned itself to a new attack. Its laughter mixed in Allen's ears with the mournful cry of the soul caged in it.

"But…" Raz wanted to protest but remained where she was. Her nerves were thorns, there was a storm in the corner of her mind, however, what could she do? She had no Innocence and didn't even know how to use whatever ability she had, didn't even know how to work with it…

Her mind hurt.

She ignored it.

At that moment, she felt useless and hated herself for it.

A shadow slid close to her feet, a black snake coming to life. The vision of what had happened on the train came to her and the girl immediately took a deep breath.

The Level Three roared in surprise, hate and pain when Allen's sword hit it. A clamor of a bell echoed, silencing everything for a moment as the white-haired boy landed at the side of the person who had been thrown against the tree. It was a girl, staring with him with a shock that was soon forgotten when the akuma moved towards them. She ran towards it… For a moment of insanity, they seemed two friends. happily meeting again.

A blinding ray of light appeared when they crashed. Allen, not stopping to watch, attacked another akuma. As a spider pierced, the thing let out a roar-like scream and its claws tried to hurt Allen, but it was too late.

Among the chaos, its substance undid itself and there was a whisper only Allen was able to hear.

"Thank you…"

He turned back to the girl and the Level Three Akuma. In that danse macabre, she panted, never ceasing trying to hit it, but the thing was faster and while it avoided her, it moved a thorn-covered member as a whip. Allen saw a strange greenish light in the girl's hands while she tried to punch her opponent.

Another person from the group tried to help, but the akuma was too tough. On the other side of the clearing, the man and someone else tried to keep the humanoid akuma away from the others. Allen went against the Level Three, cutting the branch-like appendance. The creature cried in indignation and backed away, allowing the girl with shining hands to jump against it, hitting its chest.

There was a strange sound when she pierced it. Something metallic, but also soft and almost watery-like.

The akuma growled, but its branches attacked, sending the girl back to the ground and leaving blood drops in the air.

"DAMN YOU!" The person who had been helping her yelled. Allen stood in front of the fallen girl, using his mantle to make a shield, seeing bright things falling over the akuma as a rain of fire. The creature turned back to the person (another girl, Allen realized by the voice), its attention diverting from Allen and the other woman for now.

The boy took his chance.

There was a white thunder.

Screams…

And then, silence.

He turned back, but the girl was standing already. It wasn't her hands that shined, but the spike-shaped blades that came of her gloves, reminding Allen briefly brass knuckles. She looked too surprised to speak, but her eyes evaluated him up-down with open wariness.

Allen noticed once more, this time with far more awareness, how she wasn't wearing the Order's uniform and, apparently, she might be doing the same regarding him.

An explosion warned him that the last akuma had been destroyed. The other two members of the group approached them, eyes full of distrust.

And the birth of the silence weighted over them all.

Ana: I think people anxious for the Noahs to capture Allen and Raz are going to be disappointed in this chapter.

Allen: I'm not. I'm actually relieved!

Ana: Well… Yeah, as I mentioned, I planned this whole story during Hoshino's hiatus after Allen met the Earl (after Johnny joined him) so there will be many different things from the manga while I'll try to keep some…

Allen: Please, tell me I won't be meeting the Earl earlier!

Ana: I'm not giving anything away! But due to their plan being more focused in Apocryphos now, this may take a while but it doesn't mean they won't be keeping an eye on them. So, going for the reviews!

Wisely: Aren't you forgetting a tiny little thing?

Ana: Huh… Please, dear readers, give me more reviews?

Wisely: No, moron! The favorite Noah list!

Ana: Oooh, that… Why I have feeling this was a bad idea…

Tyki (with a tease in his finger): My, my… It sounds like a good idea to me.

Ana: Hey! This place is a mess already as it is, I don't want any organ-ripping happening and PUT THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!

Allen – 2 votes and yes, I counted him as a Noah since the two people who voted also voted in him and his case is complex.

Neah – 2

Road – 2

Tyki - 2

Earl/Adam - 1

Wisely – 2

Lulubell - 1

Allen: But… But… I'm not a Noah! And I don't want to be one!

Neah (possessing Allen): Ha! Told you I was people's favorite!

Tyki (bowing): I must thank the readers for their attention.

Wisely: And complimenting their good taste!

Ana: Uh… Hello? You guys know this isn't an Oscar party?

Earl (wiping a tear): Even with the bad publicity of "villains", the readers still love us! Oh, thank you, young ones! I just wish Road was here…

Ana: Excuse me?

Lulubell: I… Thank the human who voted for me. I appreciate it.

Ana: Et tu, Brute?

Allen (fighting for control): Look, thanks for considering me a favor, but I'm not a Noah!

Tyki: But are in your path to be one! Rejoice this, boy!

Allen: Am not!

Ana: They're going to be on this forever…

Wisely: So?

Ana: Soo…?

Wisely (sighs): God, how can you even… You have to give your list too! Do you have any brain inside your skull?

Ana: Why everyone always insults me in those areas? It's always like this in every damn fic! Well… My top six, not necessarily in that order:

Earl/Adam – Let's be honest here, the Noah have great personalities. You may not like some, but you can't just ignore them. They aren't boring and this is important in every character. And he is a complex villain, not to mention he seems to act sometimes as a "paternal" sort of figure (for lack of better terms) to the other Noah. And… Yes, there are times he seems even a nice guy that you wouldn't connect to the akuma maker! I think he is one of those villains who are different.

Sheryl – I confess I think he is one of the most (if not the most) scary of the Noah. Not only due to his powers, but also his mood. It's like you never know what will make him truly snap and even when he seems calm and smiling, there is for me such a cold vibe from him! At first, I hated him, but later I started to like him exactly for how he can be. It's not the other Noah can't be scary, but even if you take Sheryl's power away, his personality can still disturb you.

Tyki – No comments needed, except his powers are also a frightening thing. Yet, he has that sort of "noble-vagabond" air. It's hard to ignore that personality. No matter what he does, he usually seems to be enjoying himself a lot.

Road – YES! One of those characters I hated at first with all my heart, thought her a sadistic little bitch, and yet… Why do I like her again? No idea, but I think she is such a cool character! It is a rule that Noah are creepy, but if stabbing someone with a hot, sharp-ended candle in the eye doesn't at least make you shiver, I guess nothing will! Plus, to be honest, I think she is cute and I believe she truly loves Allen. I can't remember when I started to like her, I just did! What is with Noah having something about them that you end up liking them?

Neah – No. One. Says. A. THING! Okay? I admit, he is among my favorite Noah! There, I said it. Neah scored big, because I usually don't place a character among my favorites if I don't know him/her well enough and Neah (though appearing lately in the manga more) hasn't had much "screen" time in my opinion. However, the few times he appeared, he hit the readers with all he has. However, I hope he doesn't end up consuming Allen (well, me and everyone else).

Wisely – Along with Neah he is in this list also because I like them more than the other Noah, but I would like if they had more time so the readers can get to know them more. I do like Wisely and like many Noah, I can't imagine how one would do if forced to face his powers in battle (in his case, it wouldn't be a physical fight, but a mental one).

oHo: Apocreep, indeed. What is up with that whatever-he-is? There I was thinking there wouldn't be anything else that would be disturbing in DGM and we get that thing.

Raz – Well, I didn't expect a creature like him, that's for sure.

Allen – Just be happy you didn't meet him. And… Oh, c'mon, why people want me to become a Noah?

Tyki – Because they know we're awesome.

Allen – You kill people!

Tyki – Oh, boy, you have to admit we're better than your so-called home.

Ana – Excuse me, this is not a conversation you're going to have now, much less here. I hope you liked this chapter too. I gave a small scene for Raz's abilities, but it seems she forgot even how to control it.

Ryuakilover: The answer to this is no. While for now, I'm focusing on their trip, I'll deal with several other characters such as Kanda, Lavi, the Noah and all.

Lavi – Thank god! Can someone, you know, HELP me and the old panda?

Ana – But if this story would have ONE main character, it would still be Allen. Raz is part of the story and there is the issue of her memories, but the focus is still on Allen and his search. Then there is also the whole deal with Apocryphos and so on.

Earl – For now, I have to use Walker as bait, but I don't plan to leave them alone.

Allen – I think I liked you better when you wanted me dead…

Jy24: Well, we can't deny they care for each other or Raz wouldn't have ripped Apocryphos' feathers and Allen wouldn't have been taking care of her until now. It isn't as if he hasn't enough on his plate.

Allen: And you're not going to make things easier, are you?

Ana: No, where would the fun be otherwise?

Raz: And people say the Earl is evil.

Ana: Oh, shush, you don't even know him yet. Or remember. Oh, whatever. I admit, picking only six favorites from the Noah is hard. As you see, I counted Allen as a Noah too. Even if he didn't like it…

Tyki: Nothing to worry, give the boy time. Once he gets used to it, he will discover the pleasure of it.

Allen: First of all, don't hold your breath. Second, did you have to say it like that?

Until next time!