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?
"Greater love has no one than this: To lay down one's life for one's friends" – John 15:13
Act Twenty-Three – Disturbance
Neah wasn't at all pleased.
On another occasion, the more recent events would have made him indifferent or at the very least amused. The situation of now didn't fit any of the cases… What Allen was thinking (and planning) to do was the equivalent of throwing sauce on the head and placing it inside a lion's mouth, while sinking the arms until the elbows in a nest of snakes.
"If at least I could take control…"
A small shock ran to his direction, a way of Crown Clown to send a light warning, which would have made the Noah roll his eyes if his current shape of existence wasn't something far too complex to be explained in physical terms… Usually, the process of becoming a Noah was that a certain "gene", the one that humans and Noahs shared, one that dated ages back in evolution, awakened when there was a "role" missing in the family. Then, it released waves to the rest of the body, the genetic code slowly changing from a human's into that of a Noah.
Memories, personality and the identity of the person remained (in this entered a matter of personal choice), but their nature, their instinct, that did change. Along came the instinct, the feelings, the abilities, everything that made them Noahs. Neah knew that Wisely always disliked when some family members sought to keep any connection to their previous human lives even after learning the whole truth.
Mostly because his was the only Awakening that had the closest to "real" memories from the previous incarnations of Wisdom.
The case of Neah and Allen was another altogether: As a rule, Allen, being someone who had Innocence (another curious detail: He didn't have it when Neah had met him), wouldn't have been able to become a Noah due to the opposite energies. And the change wouldn't be caused naturally, but deliberately, by Neah.
Somewhere deep in Allen, beyond the physical sense, where mind and heart joined and the body is just a wrapping of flesh around, was where Neah's conscience existed and little by little, tried to erase Allen while sending the same wave that would change his cells. Theoretically, it would be a matter of time until that body became empty, kept alive while the soul was already dead, allowing Neah to take control. In crude terms, a sort of permanent possession.
The keyword being "theoretically".
Two energies in the same environment had no way of not getting in conflict and Neah needed caution. Crown Clown's physical focal point of existence might be Allen's arm, but its very existence was in the same "place" that Neah was now. And Crown Clown's own energy wandered through the body, the Innocence watching, making a shield around Allen's entire system. In a way, it worked as if fighting an infection.
Crown Clown felt Neah's movements and thoughts, often sending waves of its own in response, which were only sensations and, exactly for that, far clearer and purer than words: It wouldn't allow Allen to be taken by the Noah. End of discussion.
And Neah couldn't force the process or make it more constant, again due to that Innocence. Extremely care and gentleness were needed, otherwise, that body could end up deteriorating inside out or even entering a process of self-cannibalism.
It was one thing he and Crown Clown agreed. None of them wanted this.
All of this left Neah in an uncomfortable position. He had no doubts he would end up winning, but to be in such position… He felt annoyed about his impotence.
As much as the boy was planning and going over details along with the other Innocence Accommodators and Raz, the Fourteenth still considered all this too impulsive… And most unlike him.
"He really changed a lot since the last time I saw him…"
However, he could only wish that the whole deal would be successful.
Personal feelings aside, there was something… Admirable to be found in the risks they were taking for a friend and he had to admit it, but still, Neah would have rather not be involved in those same risks against his wishes.
Crown Clown's response, if put in words, would be the equivalent of calling him a hypocrite.
XxX
"Do you think you can really do it?" Alison asked, unable to hide traits of worry in her voice. "We won't have the chance to do anything else if this goes wrong…"
Allen shrugged to the girl, a weak gesture as he felt he couldn't even try smiling as he tended to do when wanting to soothe someone's feelings while not sure himself. Nothing good was to be found in what he was about to try and, on another hand, there was no other possible option. The old saying "between a rock and a hard place" applied well here.
"You guys are absolutely sure," The white-haired male turned to the Exorcists. "That the Order didn't manage to get access?"
"No… Not that we know of." Lenalee started, her tone becoming uncertain as she looked to the others for support, hoping they were right at this point. "Levelier said they couldn't… Track you… Due to the portals you've opened. It seemed they couldn't even know where they opened after you closed them."
Allen nodded, but yesterday, when they had told him about this, he had been taken by a sense of relief. And also, a little surprised, since he hadn't been sure he would've been able to control the Ark to this point.
Very well, as long as the Order had no complete control over the Ark without him, then they could have a chance.
"Reever said they didn't have news about the progress with the Ark," Kanda told them with the usual seriousness. "It would have been too much of a victory for the Central to be able to keep quiet." He gave a small smile of disdain before the idea of something the Central wanted and couldn't have.
Allen had mixed feelings regarding this… While there was something pleasing about it (if because he was habituated to use the Ark as his or out of for bitterness for the Central, he didn't know), it also made him wonder if the Order wouldn't end up deciding to keep him alive to force him to command the Ark for them.
The idea made a sour, dry taste come up his mouth.
Now, if this idea of his failed even before they reached the Black Ark…
"No. Easy. It will work. It has to work."
"Look…" He started, looking to the others, all standing in the forest behind the abandoned house at a short distance. Though the sunlight dripped around and the place was alive with the natural aroma of wildness and one or two birds tweeted somewhere among the tangled branches, everything felt distant and the sensation was of being underwater or wrapped in a fog, unreachable by those elements.
"No one needs to do this if they don't want to, so if anyone would rather stay…"
The reactions were immediate.
"No way!"
"They are our friends too, I'm going."
"Give up now?"
"Oh, Allen, shut up, will ya!"
"Haven't we all decided that we'll go?" Elana muttered, trying to give a gentle smile and just managing to lift a corner of her mouth in a kind of grimace. They had barely done anything and she already felt like her stomach was inside out.
"C'mon, let's get this over with!" Kanda groaned with impatience to Allen and a gesture of head that clearly told him to hurry up, for the more they stood there talking about it, the weaker they would feel and more susceptible to fear as well. It wasn't that the samurai was insensitive or his nerves weren't affected by tension, he was merely more controlled.
When it was his life at risk, he didn't care much. He had already died in his true life and this was just a forced existence that went against nature anyway… If this happened in a place and way that the Order couldn't use him in another experiment or bring him back again, perfect by him.
However, that didn't mean he completed ignored possible consequences and risks, as only a moron would do so. And the Noahs knew how to make someone beg for Hell.
Allen stared at the others one last time and received nods.
"And I had decided to not use this anymore…"
Focusing on the melody of the song, words in another language started to come from his desire, as two memories being recalled at the same time… And was it his impression, or the words sounded weird? More like an actual voice than a sound, almost as Neah's voice, back in the only time he had truly seen the Noah's face…
His concentration failed him and the connection that had started to take shape faded, so he needed to try again.
Despite the distance, something reacted.
In a spot ahead, the air itself torn itself apart in a pale opening, a tear in a veil that allowed one to look beyond the known reality, being met with only whiteness… Even after all the times using those portals, Miranda would admit it was always weird to see one opening like that in air…
Raz was assaulted by a curious sensation, one that she hadn't felt when Tyki Mikk had done something similar in the forest, months ago… What was different now?
"I did it." Allen sighed, still not feeling relief.
"Let me check it." Kanda decided, passing by Allen and going through the portal without hesitation. The whiteness swallowed him and though not two seconds passed in his absence, the air stood still until his hand reappeared, as if crossing real substance and not a curtain of light, gesturing for them to follow.
One by one, Exiled and Exorcists, Noah and humans, entered the White Ark.
Just like the Order couldn't create new portals without Allen, they also couldn't have access to the "Player's Room", which was the "true" key: The room with the elegant piano.
Allen felt a palpitation in his stomach… Nothing had changed since the first time he had stepped in here, almost a year ago. The room remained of a white that made the shadows light blue. The large window through which they could see the blue sky remained of a crystal-like glass, a large windowsill underneath and nearby a long couch with soft seats. And two chairs of round backs.
And of course, the snow-white piano.
"It's… It's so beautiful…" Lauren's whispering was so quiet that it wouldn't have been possible to know who had spoken if it wasn't for her lips moving, as she looked around, awe for a moment subjugating fear. It was a place of rare beauty, the peace born of the color wrapping them whether they wanted or not and it felt wrong to make too much noise, as if you were in a museum or church.
Alison didn't share the feeling. The place only worked to put in evidence what they were about to do, which had nothing to do with serenity.
"God help us…"
Allen didn't approach the piano, standing still as he waited for everyone to arrive. His insides were still trembling.
"The… The Order doesn't know about this room?" Lauren asked in the same whisper as she came near, to which Allen shook his head as Elana and Samuel entered, both looking equally taken over by what they saw. As much as they had heard descriptions of the room, it was different to hear about and be in it.
"That they know, they know. But they can't access it. So, they don't know we're here…" The boy explained, hoping with all his heart that no one of the selected Departments in charge of studying the Ark would suddenly be illuminated by an idea that ended up allowing them to do exactly this.
As he finished speaking, Raz crossed the portal.
It was a dagger in her eyes.
A wave in which heat and cold were one pierced her being.
For an instant, the girl didn't move. Allen took notice of this and meant to call her, but before he could, Raz recomposed herself and approached the rest of the group. Whatever had been in her eyes or moving her facial muscles was gone. But there were shivers in her mind and under her skin, threatening to take her over.
"This piano… It is his. It is Neah's… Neah, he used to… To what? No wait, it isn't the same, it just looks the same. Even so, Neah… Mana too, they… That man, the Earl…" Words came disordered in a weak attempt of her brain to force the wave of emotions into an easier analyzed code. However, the girl rejected it and forced herself to not look around, as much as she felt something in the depths of her mind agitating furiously.
She knew something here, she knew she did.
"No! The priority here is to help those two. I can think about this later." To force her mind and senses in a line of focus after such a shake wasn't easy and she asked.
"How is this place going to help us, again?" It was a question without true need after they had planned everything. The question was more of a way to help her not allowing herself to be distracted. Allen approached the piano, standing in front of the keys, not very happy with the perspective of what he had to do.
"This is Neah's room. Neah's piano. Heh, he even said Tim was his, the first time I entered here…" Once more, he felt like an intruder. The thought was nonsense, of course, Neah was the intruder, he was the one trying to take over him, not Allen!
"But everything here is his. And the Ark is of the Noahs. It's all theirs…"
"Well, if it works out…" He started also pushing the thought away and looking at the others. "Do you remember how this Ark was going through a download?"
"Everything that was here was being transferred to the other Ark." Johnny confirmed, recalling when they had first seen the Ark. Though he couldn't go with them all the way, he had refused to stay behind, even when Samuel had suggested he stayed checking the golem's pieces that Reever had sent through Kanda at his request. Johnny still wanted to see if he could build a golem or two for the group, which was safer than stealing directly from the Order.
Johnny had been firm: If they were all going through the risk of entering the White Ark, which was practically above the new Headquarters, then he would as well.
"When Allen interrupted this transference, this Ark wasn't destroyed."
"The point is, to have a transference…" Allen continued, resting his fingers over the piano keys slowly and praying to God that this would work. The surface under his touch was of cold gravestones. "There was, therefore, a connection between the two Arks, right?"
Although they had gone through the same details last night, Lauren's eyes still lighted up.
"If you manage to reopen this path… You'll have access to the Noah's Ark."
"I hope so… And if I'm lucky, perhaps I can make the Ark open a portal right where Lavi and Bookman are. The same way I could open a portal at a determined point of a chosen city." He sighed, for this was a detail they still weren't sure he could do or not. "After this, if I command the Ark to erase this path completely, then the connection will be lost and the Noahs won't be able to use it to invade the Order."
Alison held back a snort. The Noahs could go to the Order and do whatever they wished for all of her.
A second later, she felt ashamed of this thought, knowing what the results would be.
"That's a lot of "if" and "maybe"…" Elana reflected, heart beating cold in her chest. As much as this sensation wasn't new, the effect was the same as always and being so close of the Order did nothing to soothe her.
Some people said you could get used to everything… Either they were liars or they had never experienced true unpleasant things.
You could never get used to pain or fear.
Feeling the hidden shiver in her bones or maybe something in her eyes, Samuel held her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers and squeezing gently, creating a source of warmth.
"Okay…" Allen looked at them again. "Ready? I'll try."
"Good luck, Allen." Krory muttered as Miranda held her own hands strongly, biting her lower lip.
"God, please… Let him succeed… It's our only chance…" If he didn't and they had to enter blindly in the Noah's Ark, then things would be far more complicated. She had no illusions they wouldn't be found easily and the Noahs wouldn't just call the others (that if they weren't all there anyway).
They would all be dead.
Or worse, which was more probable.
"If we had a way of knowing how many Noahs are there or not…" The woman took a deep breath, refusing to be dominated by the tension. Not. Now.
Allen, with his eyes closed, concentrated on the Ark and felt the existing portals as he touched the keys, unable to stop as his muscles tensed. He kept hoping the Order wouldn't realize they were right there.
It wasn't the song, just three or four notes separated, each a search that came back with echoes of information, almost like the computers of the Order and Allen analyzed it for a way of doing what he wanted… Opening portals had become easier over time. It shouldn't be that hard now, right? Theoretically speaking, this was another portal in a specific location…
"C'mon, concentrate… For Lavi. For Bookman."
He played a note, mind in the Black Ark. Under his finger, the piano sounded and he felt as if an invisible string was vibrating inside the instrument. Okay, this meant the Ark was searching for the previous connection with the Black Ark… Maybe remains of the download's path and, with this, a way could be forged.
Allen shivered. It always felt weird how the Ark was a mix of technology and magic. And that he knew how to make it work…
"You or the Fourteenth?"
He pushed the thought away as he would to a fly.
The vibration under the keys remained…
Around, no one dared speak. Alison and Krory merely watched Allen with his hands over the keys, both only able to imagine how that worked. Raz had her hands closed, a part of her focused in hoping this piano would do the trick and another still fighting the storm in the back of her mind to not get distracted.
But there was something here that, while still mere sensation, was still too close to being a memory.
Elana held Samuel's hand.
"I'm afraid." She moved her lips with a sheepishly look. The man nodded, leaning to her.
"So am I…" He whispered back, caressing her hand.
The vibration carried on, Allen felt the small string running in the depths of the Ark, the gears that made it work, the spells that ran on it as blood. Portals known, sealed rooms, it sought the focal point.
"Like a bat." He couldn't help comparing this to sound waves.
It reached!
He felt it, an acute and thin needle reaching a point. The path was all fragmented, but the Ark worked fast to fill gaps, recreating it, not opening a portal yet.
"Let them not realize this… Please." He could only hope that, in their confidence, the Noahs wouldn't suspect that Allen could/would do this. Maybe… There was this chance, right? Neah himself had said not even the Earl knew of this room.
So, there were things in the Ark that not even the Noah Patriarch knew of, right?
"Analyze of environment… Search Innocence…" He commanded the Ark, heart stopping as he waited to see what would happen… Would it work? Could he localize them? He had never been sure of how this thing processed his commands, always judging it similar to the Order's computers (and how he had been impressed to see one of those, he had never dreamed that sort of thing could exist). If the Ark could open a portal in a specific building of his choosing, then if it could do that…
More vibration. An extension of the string…
Was it searching?
Arrows hitting something.
"I did it!" He whispered, opening his eyes. "I did it, found them!"
"Can you feel how many akumas are there? Or Noahs?" Alison risked, impressed how Allen had managed all this by merely playing some notes in a piano. It was almost scary.
Allen hesitated, shoulders falling.
"No… It's easier to feel Innocences because they are opposite to Noahs or akumas, but otherwise… It's like trying to count drops in the ocean." He shook his head as he couldn't place that into better words. It was like the Arks recognized the Noahs and Akumas as "natural", so they didn't stand out in a "scanning" as he had done now.
Alison tried to smile, just managing to move her facial muscles into the position of one.
"It would be far too much luck, right?"
"Let's review the points." Allen sighed, turning to each of them, serious. His fingers were shivering. "This is not an attack, we have to grab Lavi and Bookman and come back."
"Let's keep akumas and Noahs busy and out of the way." Kanda growled before showing a cynic smile. "So do try to stay alive and that's it."
"We discussed the positions, remember?" Samuel said calmly, not bothered by the samurai's tone. Near him, Miranda activated the Time Record, the circle sliding to her wrist and turning gently, greenish lines with dots shining in circles in what could be taken as a replica of another solar system.
"Please, be careful. The "Recover" will stop you from feeling the wounds, but they will come when I deactivate." This would help them to not be slowed down when running back, yet she sighed, brown eyes going over them almost in a plea. "So, please… Pay attention. Don't go overboard."
Though there were nods to this, the woman still couldn't emphasize how important that was. It was easy to get carried away when you didn't feel pain and your body didn't warn you of the damage and limits being reached.
"We'll open the way, get the idiots and get out." Kanda said again. If any of those morons were caught up by the adrenaline and didn't back off when the time came…
"Everyone, ready?" Allen felt all his organs had moved places. When was one ready? He turned to Johnny, with a smile that wasn't more successful than Alison's. "The Order won't be able to get in here… So… We'll be right back, okay?"
The man with glasses was too sincere to even try to pretend, though his anguish was limited to his eyes as he wanted to look strong for his friends. Allen tried to sound firm. Lauren patted the man's shoulder and winked as Lenalee waved as if they were merely going in an outing.
"I-Itterasshai… Ki o tsukete [See you later… Be careful]." Johnny muttered.
Those were just words, but carried much to be truly just that.
"Ittekimasu… [We're going]." Miranda and Allen muttered along with the others. Something in this old habit still had a warm comfort.
"Okay…" Allen sighed and pressed a single key in the piano.
A portal appeared in the room.
"Go!" Allen ran ahead, followed by the group.
As soon as he crossed the light, not minding the sensation, Krory's ears were attacked by needles in his eardrums.
An akuma screamed. Another laughed. Some just stared, showing identical teeth in expressions that could have been carved in the faces of corpses without eyelids.
Smiles? Grimace? One could never tell.
Five, perhaps six akumas.
Level Four.
"Exorcist! Exorcist!" The voice of one of them pierced the air. Alison growled upon realizing the thing was referring to all of them as such.
It was a dark room without furniture except for a table and a kind of long couch… Boxes of gifts lay around while candles and globs of light floated.
Miranda shivered in recognition of the presents and candles. Her post was at the portal's side, taking care so no akuma or Noah would go through. At her side, Marie had his lines around. Alison, due to her distance-type of attack was at Miranda's other side, arrow ready.
Kanda sent an attack against the screaming akuma. The creature avoided it, metal wings against the air and coming at the samurai, trying to avoid Alison's arrows.
The other akumas attacked. They were beings of death, created to take delight in slaughtering and didn't need orders to do so.
Allen jumped and hit with the sword, more to push aside than to destroy, trying to ignore the souls that cried and begged for help. He could see two forms left on the couch, dolls of flesh, unable to move.
The younger's head was on his chest. The old man seemed incapable to talk, his head rested in the back of the couch, only the eyes showing that there was some sort of life in that flesh.
They didn't react to anything of the hell that came to birth around.
"WATCH OUT!" Someone screamed. A sharp-edged whip almost met Allen. From the darkness, a tall woman revealed herself. Her eyes were more cat-like than Allen remembered.
The boy had no time or intention of greeting her. Lulubell also had nothing to say, attacking with her whip once more. The white cape covered him and Miranda's Recover made him feel just the pressure of the whip, but he knew the pain later would reach his bones.
The whip slithered to the other side as Krory and Samuel attacked the woman, who graciously avoided them.
The others tried to keep the way open. Akumas came down at them as white harpies, screaming and laughing in a cacophony to make ears bleed. One grabbed Lauren by her back, claws in her flesh before an arrow almost hit its head and Lauren managed to turn and punch. Shadows wrapped the Akuma's ankles, pulling until it let go.
Alison sent arrows through the room nonstop, her instinct leading her each time one of those white eagles attacked someone, also to the ones who tried to attack Miranda and Marie. The man moved his fingers and an akuma got caught in the lines. Miranda remained firm in her position, forcing the Time Record to go at maximum, drops of sweat coming down her face.
Kanda jumped over one that was going in Elana's direction as the woman fought another. The creature roared when Kanda hit its back, managing to cut a wing. The sound was crystal against blackboard and nails breaking.
Raz tried to hold and pull the akumas away.
Her shadows trembled with their strength. Her muscles whimpered.
One was caught by the legs and wings. She threw it to the ground. Another fought Lauren and Lenalee, struggling and trying to reach them when she held its wings and arms, allowing them to hit it.
Her body rolled on the cold floor when she was hit. She heard sounds as Lenalee and Lauren kept attacking the now free akuma. Turning, Raz saw another akuma touching its lips as a child, red eyes shining.
"Sorry, Miss Noah!" The child-like voice chanted with a smile, in a face with no muscles or flesh. "But the Master Millennium Earl is seeking you and the Fourteenth." It smile grew. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"
Raz did not answer, whips of shadows going for the akuma.
"Let's play! Let's play!" The thing laughed and flew high as if it was all a game of tag. Allen tried to get free of an akuma that remained between him, Lavi and Bookman.
Lenalee jumped in the air, aiming an attack…
A wave of heat caught her. Her body was thrown, caught in the hurricane as a butterfly. She managed to escape, body shivering. A part of her mind wondered if she would have burns later.
"Well, well and what is this?" A soft purr overpowered all the noise, as if they had been in silence until now. "A party at our Ark and you didn't call us?"
Tyki Mikk, Sheryl Kamelot and Toraido had arrived.
Samuel brandished his spear against Lulubell. She avoided it. The whip that was her arm came as a snake to Krory, who managed to hold it, trying to pull and throw her balance off. The whip, however, was part of her and alive.
It turned, trying to throw him against the floor. Krory bit it, making her hiss.
The whip of her other arm went to Samuel. He shielded himself. It stretched in the last second. He managed to avoid being pierced but felt it crossing the flesh on the side of his body.
"Damn, if we could get near them!" Allen cursed, for though the others tried to keep the enemies away, they were more interested in keeping their attention than attacking more directly. "They just want to make us tired. Until the Earl arrives…"
And he would be here. At any moment.
Raz was about to attack the akuma fighting Allen, but someone blocked her vision. A shield of black matter shaped like a star. Not waiting for Tyki to say anything, she focused her shadows into a sword that was almost a continuation of her arm. Dark snakes slithered in the air around her.
The man laughed, using the shield to defend and attack at the same time. Dark matter, something Raz still didn't know how to handle, passed by her in needles.
Black threads grabbed his arm, leaving the chest open. Tyki turned, aiming a kick on her side. The girl avoided it in the last second.
"You've learned a few new tricks, Raz, Noah of Loneliness?" He pointed out with a cruel smile. "You seem to be better than last time!" An attack of his Black Matter came close to the girl. Raz wouldn't be able to tell if she had been hit or not.
"Maybe then we can have some fun." He said before lunging, Teases flying around.
Alison, who had had to run to stand in front of Marie and Miranda, was aiming for an akuma trying to attack them with a sort of sound wave, fighting the melody the man created.
"End him, go back to the akumas with Allen and Kanda." She told herself, a new arrow being born in her bow.
"And what the young lady thinks she is doing?" A voice purred at her side. Before Alison could turn, her arm bent backward against her will, a position no arm should be. Something dragged her in the air, away from her post. She was pulled her by the neck, body lifted by lines, for examination.
Miranda screamed. Marie soon told her to stay where she was, though now other lines wrapped the ones of his Innocence, not allowing him to interfere with Alison, who could barely struggle.
One of the Noahs who had arrived stood in front of her, eyes running over the girl in slow evaluation. Alison felt something wrapping around her arms and neck several times, in a needle-thin spiral.
"My dear, it is very rude to just barge in someone's home uninvited. Tsk, tsk…" He sighed, a man of strong features and golden eyes. Lines pressed against the girl's flesh. She tried to struggle. The lines pressed harder. "Well, I think it was too much to ask for someone who associates with Innocence to have the smallest amount of manners…"
Alison couldn't answer. The lines wrapped more and more in her arms… They nestled under her skin… A sharp pressure, her arms were pulled in opposite directions…
The Noah's face was blurred…
Her lungs burned without air.
"Stay alive…" A kind voice said in her mind. Someone from her past. "Run, my little one…"
The world lost focus…
Somehow, among the mist, she still could see the Noah, smiling… Smiling…
"ALISON!" Raz cried, pushing Tyki's shield aside, making a run… And lifted her sword in defense when the Black Matter passed by her. The shield blocked her way, pushing to corner her. She tried to get free. Wings of lilac flew by her, her mind following the movement to raise her shadows in defense, unsure if it worked, unable to keep her attention in everything at once.
"Oh, Raz… I'm a very possessive man, you know?" Tyki asked with mocking gentleness, before a smile tore his face apart. "So… Pay attention to me, alright?"
"Get out of my way, Joyd!" She hissed in ice-like fury, not realizing what she had said as her eyes gained a golden hue.
Tyki frowned, all amusement gone and replaced with deadly coldness.
"Wrong name, dear." He growled as he attacked.
Sheryl moved aside fast, avoiding waves of half-moon blades.
As he turned, Alison's body fell. The air scratched her throat to make way to the lungs as she coughed, her hand still holding her bow.
Elana attacked the Noah of Desires, who smiled.
She jumped back, using the blade of her fan to try cutting the lines when she felt (or thought) them coming to her skin.
Sheryl merely walked to her as she was forced to back away, his smiling never weaving.
"Perhaps," He suggested in a soft voice. "I should teach you and that other Exorcist how to behave?"
It happened fast.
Light cut the air, freeing blood.
Sheryl stayed still for a second before turning, blood sliding down from a cut in his cheek, an insane hatred twisting in his eyes.
Alison stood, hand already with a new arrow and a glare of her own. Even in the cacophony around, her whisper could be heard quite clearly, barely keeping her rage.
"Don't you. Ever. Dare. Call. Me. THAT!"
Lenalee fought Toraido. The wave of heat increased, echoed in her blood and messed her thoughts. Leaning her feet on the wall, she took impulse in the air, avoiding when he cut the point where she had been.
The Noah turned to her, with no change of expression.
"You are the Noah of Judgment, right?" She asked, attempting to distract him somehow.
"You should know it by now." It was the reply without intonation. He twirled his sword in the air and Lenalee tried to kick it with all her might.
Needles came up her body and she jumped away. No pain, but instinct told her to not try this again.
Toraido lifted the sword. Lenalee prepared to jump…
The Noah turned suddenly. A twirl of the blade and someone rolled in the ground, near Lenalee. Lauren had tried to attack him.
Both girls stood, facing the Noah. Their eyes adjusted to the light. The blade itself hadn't turned into fire, but had become transparent… And living flames ran inside it, never stopping. It was as if the thing was alive and its blood was fire.
"Oh, crap."
"The flames of the Final Judgment." Toraido said with indifference, upon noticing their eyes, lifting the sword. Red and yellow were inside it, burning and never ceasing. "Enough to boil your blood and melt you from inside out…"
He studied them, wondering the best way to demonstrate.
An akuma screeched, the cut Allen had made bleeding oil. The smell of the machine took his senses, but he didn't pay attention.
"Help me, please, help me, kill me, please."
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…" He muttered, for the soul begged him for help and freedom. Others still cried at him to get his friends and run away. Allen asked forgiveness to all of them, he couldn't save them now.
Another blow. The akuma recoiled. Someone took charge of it, as it didn't attack anymore. The distance finally had diminished. Arm still attacking, Allen jumped to throw his cape and called upon Crown Belt. Snake-like extensions pierced the air.
Lulubell saw and turned her attention to the boy. Samuel and Krory stayed on her way. Krory growled, his golden eyes rivaling hers. Among the mess, he had still managed to bite an akuma and take the blood to increase his own strength.
The white extensions wrapped the two bodies carefully to any pain they might be feeling and pulled them back. Krory got rid of an attack and ran to Allen.
"C'MON, RUN!" The boy screamed. Elana threw one last wave to Sheryl as she and Alison ran back to the portal and stood there, throwing arrows and waves of blades to try to make the path clean for Allen who carried Bookman in his back.
The old man's breathing was heavy, but weak hands tried to hold on to the collar of his cape. The Crown Belt was still activated around him, in an attempt to make sure he wouldn't fall.
Raz tried to hit Tyki to throw him away, but he blocked her way with a cruel smile. An arrow almost hit his head and shadows came up. Raz slithered away and started to run.
Marie made a curtain of lines come down with an echo of melody, trying to make sure the others could come. Kanda stood at Alison's side as the others went back to the White Ark.
Allen, near the piano, waited for everyone. Johnny already ran to them, worried. As soon as Marie came through the portal, falling on his knees, Allen played some notes.
The portal disappeared, closing a cry of hate. Still Allen played a little, concentrating in cutting connection and destroying that path forever and blocking the Ark to any attempts from the Black Ark before he opened a gate back to the abandoned house in the woods.
No one said anything.
Miranda had sweat coming down her face and breathed heavily, still, the Time Record remained activated as they passed through the second portal, back to the forest. They heard birds flying around, scared by the sudden light and a squirrel that had been close by ran to a tree.
Neither Lavi nor Bookman had reacted until now.
"Are they alright?" Johnny asked leaning to Bookman who was now carried by Marie.
"Lavi is alive." Krory replied, though it wasn't an exact answer to the question and still was the best they had. The redheaded boy's heart was still beating, he still breathed, however, his eyes remained closed and there was no signal that he had realized he was no longer in the Black Ark. The body was alive, but under all other aspects, Lavi looked dead.
Johnny placed fingers in Bookman's neck. The heartbeat was fine…
"Let's leave them in one of the rooms, okay? That one at the side of the stairs, one of those we cleaned?" The others nodded in agreement. Despite Time Record be keeping the wounds away, the natural tiredness took them over. The muscles were hard and flashes of what had just happened remained in their minds, refusing to become past.
Once in the room in question, Marie and Krory placed the two men in beds that groaned in protest of being used after so long. The old mattresses sunk with their bodies, one of them letting some of its fillings to bleed out by a rip on the side.
Lavi's breathing now had become more intense. His condition, now that they had time to watch him, seemed worse than Bookman, his body was lost in fever and a small shiver ran once, as if there was too much exhaustion to allow any movement, but there was nothing they could do now.
Exiled, Exorcists and a Noah exchanged looks… They had done it.
Miranda sighed. She hated those moments. Always remembered what had happened in Anita's ship, people who knew they were dead already insisting on acting as shields of flesh.
Some kept their heads up, others closed their eyes in expectation…
Time Record was deactivated.
Skin opened. Flesh was ripped apart. The red bloomed and gushed, members struggled as if the bones were rebelling…
At once, Johnny opened the boxes of first aids and rushed to their sides as they fell on the floor.
Ana: And here we are. Is everyone happy?
Tyki: I hope this is a rhetorical question.
Lavi: You're joking, right?
Ana: What? Why?
Sheryl: We had them right there and didn't kill them on the spot? Are you stupid?
Lavi: And we got rescued only to be in what? A vegetative-like state?
Ana: First off, you and those akumas actually did a hell of a number on everyone, second, what did you expect after almost five months with the Noahs? To be in perfect shape?
Lavi: Of course not, but I…
Lulubell: It was unrealistic to "hold" them. We would have killed them on the spot.
Tyki: You seemed to be having fun with the African Prince and the Uncle Vampire.
Lulubell (narrowing eyes): I hope you mean how I almost killed them…
Tyki: Hm, perhaps?
Elana: I wish he would learn to stop saying things that can be misinterpreted. But I suppose there was a lesson in all this…
Ana: Suicide missions sometimes work?
Elana: Never call Alison an "exorcist" unless you have a death wish.
Ana: You all came pretty close to it, to be fair.
Sheryl: Not to worry, I'll make sure to finish the job next time…
Ana: Aren't you a dear?
SeventhStar23: Don't worry about it, I'm glad you reviewed. To be honest, your reviews are the type I always hope for (I always love it when people give me detailed opinions).
Regarding the video of opening… Hm… Well, it wouldn't be anything with much animation in my part, more using clips of the anime with drawings of my own and some effects and all. I'm not sure if there are many people who would like to see it, so to be honest, I'm not sure if I should do it or not.
I'm glad you liked it. Like I said, I don't believe it could be a happy meeting after everything that happens. It doesn't matter how close people are, some things can ruin friendships (or at least damage it a lot) and a simple "sorry" won't fix it.
Allen: But it doesn't mean we have to stop being friends…
Ana: That's because you're the "all-loving hero".
Allen (pouts): You say it like it's a bad thing…
Krory: We didn't have problems accepting her! I mean… It's just… Well…
Ana: You are still Exorcists and still have a certain view of the Noahs?
Krory: More or less I guess…
Raz (blushing): Oh… T-Thank you…
Ana: You have no idea how happy I get when people like my characters so much! Yes, it wasn't fun for her. She can be friends with them and be like a sister to Allen, but we can't just ignore the fact that she is still a Noah. Her situation doesn't help, so she felt quite out of place.
Miranda (madly blushing): M-Me and Reever-san? I won't deny that… I like him a lot, but… I miss him, of course and… I… I…
Ana: Indeed, they have something going on. Reever just noticed now. As for Kanda and Raz… Like I said, I won't give anything away.
Allen: It's already two people shipping them. Though I think she deserves someone better than Bakanda.
Kanda: What was that?
Lauren: Ha, Allen is starting to develop protective brother instincts?
Ana: As long as he doesn't turn into Komui, we should be fine. As for Lauren/Kanda… I confess, I hadn't thought about that, but it would sure be funny! I don't know if he would want to hug her or kill her.
Alison: It is how most people feel about her.
Lauren: HEY!
Ana: You picked it up! Indeed, even the Innocences seem to regard Apocryphos as a danger, even if he is Innocence. Mugen, being now in Kanda's organism, could send a warning to him. I'll be honest, after you comment, I'm rather happy how I wrote that scene of Suman!
Allen: You're a sadist, you know?
Ana: No, I just follow one of the golden rules of writing: Ask yourself what is the worst thing that could happen to a character and then go ahead and do it.
SasuNaruHina: Nah, don't worry. I'm also hoping to get soon to the chapter when she comes back. It's quite close.
Allen: Can I just point out that I think if she was in the Ark when we rescued Lavi and Bookman, we would have died in the first second?
Ana: Pfff, of course you would! You would step in and boom, game over. You lose.
Road: You say that as if I was a demon! I would just play a little…
Ana: …
Allen: …
Lavi: Oh yeah, she would play, alright. And once she was done, we would be lucky to still be aware of who we are. Or have a mind altogether.
Ana: Allen definitely would have surrounded himself if things came to this point and there was no other way. No matter how much he is searching for the truth, it doesn't mean anything next to the lives of his friends.
Alison: As if we would allow that!
Elana: We would fight him, but it would be to keep him safe.
Ana: As for Raz… It's not easy to answer what she would do. She would be quite torn up with a decision such as this. She already is as things are now…
Neah: To complete my plans, yes, it is necessary.
Ana: That would be an interesting development, I'm not going to lie about it.
Lenalee: But then it wouldn't be completely the Allen we knew for all this time. Nor Neah. It would someone different…
Ana: This actually leads to a deep conversation about identity… I promise to do my best to include more scenes of the Noah. As for Skin… No, Kanda truly killed him. The changes in the "basic storyline" of Hoshino diverge from mine right when Allen met the Earl in that alley (so, like I said, Neah and Mana here never were part of a single being).
jy24: It was a good thing Kanda was there, otherwise it would be even more awkward. I hope you liked the idea of how Allen was able to control the Ark in this rescue. Now let's hope they manage to recover, because man, they were beaten up pretty badly.