Chapter 4
Memories
Amber slit eyes, and amber eyes with several irises continued to look into each other, neither one looking away or wavering. Everything was deadly silent, not even the sound of a draft of air, or creaks could be heard. Tension overpowered the room yet neither gaze looked away from the other, nor did they waver.
Both set of eyes simply continued to look into each other for what felt like hours but were merely minutes, until suddenly the slitted eyes closed for a brief moment and then reopened to reveal that the slit's on its pupils were no longer as pronounced as before. Once more, the slitted eyes closed and this time they looked away.
Allen groaned, and slumped his head back on the old pillow, creating a cloud of dust that quickly rose and surrounded his head, which he paid little attention to.
His chest was rising, and falling rapidly, as he struggled to get sufficient air into his lungs. Allen took in large gulps of air but no matter how many large gulps of air he took in he couldn't seem to catch his breath. To make matter worse his throat burned, and felt raspy as if he had just ran for hours without stopping once to regulate his breathing. Unfortunately for him, his throat wasn't the only part of his body that hurt. Every single one of his muscles and bones ached, and he had a monstrous headache to boot.
Allen let out a groan that hurt his throat even more, and placed his hand on his forehead as if it would relieve the pain, but really it didn't do anything more than lessen the pounding by a little.
What on earth had he'd been doing, for him to feel this way? He didn't actually recall doing anything extraneous, in fact he couldn't remember anything. Allen frowned under his hand.
That was odd, he never once forgot anything so easily, and much less something that was probably important.
Allen continued to look at the palm of his hand as if it would provide him with clues, and though he felt that there was one glaringly larger clue in front of him he couldn't quite piece it together. Allen continued to stare at the plan of his hand until he at last remembered that he had been at a graveyard because…
Allen clenched his hand, he couldn't remember why he had been at the graveyard. What would compose him to go to such a place? He looked deep inside his memories for the answer but came up blank. He honestly didn't know the reason, and oddly enough he felt like there was something missing… as if there was something incredibly important he was supposed to remember.
"Finally awake I see!" a male singsong voice chuckled.
Allen quickly lowered his arms, and sprang up to sit up on the dusty bed. His movement were fast, faster than he'd ever been before, and with his headache, and not being used to it, he got a horrible whiplash.
Allen, groaned and grasped his head between both hands to stabilize himself, seeing as everything was spinning.
"Slow down." another singsong voice reprimanded, but this one was female.
Allen didn't pay the voice too much attention, and kept holding on to his head, and waited for everything to stop spinning around him. He felt like he was going to be sick and lose his last meal, but thankful before that could happen, everything slowed down and stopped spinning.
He slowly put his hands down, and was finally able to see what was around him, and he was instantly awed.
He was in a room that was almost pitch black, but strangely enough he could see just as well had there been candles lining the walls. Allen's eyes drifted around the room, and was shocked to see that it wasn't the usual inn he stayed at, or the circus. This was an elegant albeit dusty room that probably belonged to a member of the high end society. Every piece of furniture was skillfully made, and gave of an air of elegance. The paintings on the walls were probably so expensive, that Allen knew he wouldn't ever be able to afford one, even if he worked all his life and saved all his money. The fireplace by the right side of the room looked to be made of a high quality marble and wood that was decorated by floral designs, and beside it stood an armchair that was probably made of the highest quality of leather. Allen's eyes continues to look around the room, until he saw a beautiful grand piano on the corner, and strongly enough he suddenly felt a pang of recognition, almost as if he had seen that piano somewhere before, even though he knew he had never seen it in his life.
Allen felt a bead of sweat slide down his forehead. Where on earth was he, and how did he get here?
A male voice chuckled, and Allen finally became aware of the two other people in the room. His eyes snapped forward, and he came eye to eye with something… well not human by the looks of it. The man -at least he thought he was a man- wore a bright yellow coat, and a ridiculous top hat upon his head. His head looked demonic, yet amusing due to the large grin plastered on his face which made it look amusing, and the piercing eyes that seemed to look into his very soul which gave it a demonic look.
The creature's appearance was definitely strange, but even stranger was that Allen recognized him, and yet he couldn't place exactly where he recognized him from.
Allen stared at the man in confusion. If he had indeed met him in the past, then he was sure he would remember such a unique face. Also, he felt like he should be afraid of such a person, but he wasn't, quite the opposite in fact. Not only did he feel like he knew who this was, but he felt a deep kindred for him, as well as a darker emotion he couldn't quite place, and that confused him more than anything, as well as scare him.
"Finally awake, sleepy head?" Asked the man with the same singsong voice as before.
Allen simply stared at the demonic being, not saying anything for he didn't know what to say.
"I think he's still asleep Mellennie, maybe he needs help waking up." A girlish voice mused, and Allen jerked his head towards the source of the sound.
His eyes met a set of amused amber eyes with several irises that looked oddly familiar, just as the demonic being did.
Allen's eyes remained stuck to her's for a little while, then pulled back and looked at the girl that was seating on the other side of the bed. The girl had unnatural spiky purple-blue hair, and wore a black gothic dress. Her face was round, and soft looking, resembling the porcelain dolls rich girls cried at their parents to buy them when they passed in front of a shop. Her skin colour was a strange dark hue, that appeared gray and unlike anything he had ever seen before. Overall, she looked quite strange and almost unnatural like the strange clown, and the weird marks on her forehead weren't helping the matter.
"Good Idea Road!" cried out the clown, and before Allen could look back at him a loud clashing sound emanate from where the clown sat, causing his ears to ring, and for him to fall back and on the bed.
A giggle came from the girl, as well as a lower chuckle from the clown annoying Allen.
"Wha' 'he 'ell!" He growled in anger, as he sat up on the bed and glared at the clown who was holding a pair of cymbal and the strange girl who didn't take his anger seriously.
"Finally awake?" asked the girl with a mocking tone, and Allen gnashed his teeth.
He hated when anyone made fun of him, and much less some rich stuck up girl! He lived his entire life caring for himself, and fighting through life on his own, and that meant having to fight for the last morsel in the circus as well as having to take Cosimov beatings, and torment. So with all that, he'd be damned if he let some rich girl mock him!
Allen opened his mouth to begin his ranting, but before he could the clown beat him to it.
"Let's all calm down-"
"I'm no' calmin down! where 'he 'ell am i? wha''s 'his damn place? who are ya?" He asked with a bark that usually tended to annoy adults but seemed to have no effect on the weird clown or the girl.
"Where you are… well that's a complicated answer that I'll leave for later. As to who am I? I'm the Millennium Earl. It's very nice to meet you Allen Walker." He greeted amiably, offering his hand to him which Allen looked at skeptically.
"And I'm Road Kamelot." The girl added cheerfully but Allen barely looked at her, as he kept looking at the clown confused.
"What-"
"Were your family!" interrupted the clown before Allen could ask anything.
Allen's eyes widened, and his brows shut up, and the room fell silent.
Family? What the hell were these people talking about? They were not his family, he had no family period. He's an orphan, and an outcast. What kind of sick joke were these people playing at?
Allen's brows furrowed as he looked at the ever grinning face of the clown, who called himself the Millennium Earl. As he inspected his face, he noticed that he certainly didn't seem at all untruthful, but then again his face was frozen on a terrifying grin so what did he know?
Allen's eyes shifted to the girl beside the clown, and he inspected her for any deceit. Allen's eyes roamed her face, but like the clown he didn't find any signs of mockery, all he saw was a playful grin and piercing eyes.
Allen closed his eyes and huffed in annoyance. "Family? Family?" he repeated, getting angrier and angrier as he re-opened his eyes and looked at the clown straight in the eyes. "Listen ter me yew clown. I ain't got no family. So stop joking around an' 'ell me wha''s really goin on 'ere!" he barked.
For what felt like along minute, Allen and the Earl's eyes remained glued to each other, neither of them saying a word, until the girl who called herself Road broke the silence.
"Were not deceiving you Allen." She stated, and Allen's and the Earl's head snapped to the side to look at her instead. "We are your family, but it's a bit strange that your memories aren't telling you that." Puzzled Road, as she put her hand against her chin as if in deep thought.
Allen scoffed, and slid further away from them on the bed. "I've never mee' any ov you in my life!" he growled.
Road arched one brow, and gave him a thoughtful look. "No you have not, but tell me. What do you remember before coming here?"
Allen scoffed once more, and crossed his arms in defiance. "Why should i 'ell you any'hing?" he asked.
As he looked at the wall, he fully expected her to be annoyed by his lack of cooperation, and finally snapped. However, that was not the case.
Instead Road chuckled, and crawled closer to him. "You're even cutter when you're angry." She cooed, and Allen's ears turned pink, but he didn't look back at her.
"If you tell me what you remember before coming here, then maybe we'll be able to explain things to you." She claimed, and that picked his interest.
He knew she was right. She knew things he didn't, and she seemed to know how he ended up in this place, something he wanted to know.
Allen clenched his teeth in anger. He hated working with others, or cooperating with anyone because whenever he did he always ended up getting hurt somehow. However, there were times when he had to, like when he lived with the circus. He hated that place, and he hated everyone in it, but he couldn't say that they didn't help him by keeping him feed and relatively alive. Of course –despite his age- he knew that they only kept him alive because he was useful however, he also knew that when that usefulness expired they wouldn't think twice of kicking him out into the cold to fight for his own. So yes, there were times he knew he had to cooperate and accept the help of others.
Allen sighed, and turned his head to look at Road who was patiently waiting for him. "I was in some inn, down in london. I remember I was 'here 'o..."
Allen's furrowed in confusion and he looked down at his hands. What was he doing in London? How had he gotten to London? Allen looked deep inside his memories, but strangely enough he couldn't remember. He looked even deeper inside his memories but the more he looked the worse his headache got.
"It's ok if you don't remember." Road comforted, as she pat his shoulder. "So you were at an inn in London, you don't remember anything else?" she asked.
Allen looked up at her once more. Did he remember anything? As he looked in his memories he could see only vague flashes and images of places, and people, and of a faceless man with a top hat.
"Only li''le. Flashes 'ere an' 'here." He told her, and Road nodded, not appearing at all worried that he had blank spaces in his memories.
"That's to be expected."
Allen looked at her confused. "wha' do ya mean it's ter be expected? Is i' normal fer people ter lose their memories?"
He looked at Road completely serious, and scared of the answer. He was no scholar, so he honestly didn't know if it was indeed normal for people to lose memories, and maybe it was something he hadn't learn about. He'd never gone to school after all, so what did he know? However, he dearly hoped it wasn't a normal occurrence.
Road simply shook her head. "It isn't at all normal to lose ones memories. However, with what just happened to you, and what you went through it's not at all unheard off." She explained, and Allen looked at her eve more confused.
What on earth was she talking about? What had he gone through, what happened to him?
"Wot 'appened ter me?" He asked concerned.
"Well… that's for Millennie to explain." She replied, and looked back at the clown who sat on the edge of the bed looking at both of them.
"Allen." The clown mumbled as if afraid to distraught him further. "There is no easier way to do this but to explain everything to you, since your memories have not synced in. However, I ask that you remain silent until I finish. Can you do that?" he asked without one giggle in his sentence for the first time ever.
Allen looked from the clown to Road then back. He definitely didn't trust them, but what could a little information do?
'explain 'his bloody si'ua'ion 'ha''s wha'!' he thought to himself.
Allen sighed, and nodded his answer, and the Earl continued.
"Wonderful! I'll explain everything then!" he exclaimed excitedly, but like before his voice adopted a more serious tone once more. "However, I need you to know that what I'm about to tell you may not seem real, and you may not believe a word I say, but know it's the truth." He declared, and the room became silent for a little while.
What could possibly be so strange, and unbelievable that the clown thought he wouldn't believe him?
Allen simply continued to stare into the Earl's slit eyes, and didn't say anything, and the Earl continued.
"After I'm done explaining you will understand everything, but if my word are not enough, look inside yourself and know that I say nothing but the truth." He encouraged, and Allen simply nodded. Not wanting to keep wasting time.
He wanted answers after all however, he did not once expect those answers to be so otherworldly.
And so time passed as the Earl patiently explained everything to him, from the 7000 year war between the clan known as Noah and the Black order, to the smallest detail. He explained what, and who Noahs were and how they sought to bring fourth the three days of darkness so that they may cleanse the world and take their revenge on the hateful god that cursed them all. He also, explained who and what exorcist were. A group of humans fighting on behalf of the same hateful god the Noah wanted to take their revenge on. He then explained how exorcists use shards of crystals know as innocence, created by the hateful god to destroy the Noahs and destroy everything they stood for. He then proceeded to explained how innocence were shards that manifested on selected humans, and gave them the means to fight against the Noahs, and the akumas. At that point he explained what Akumas were, which he explained as tools he created from human souls in order to fight by their side against the exorcists.
All of this he explained to him in an hour however, he didn't explain everything. He didn't tell him why the Noahs wanted to bring the three days of darkness, or why they wanted to take their revenge on god. He also, didn't explain why the innocence –the heart- fought against the Earl 7000 years ago, and what started the war in the first place. These were all unanswered questions and he wanted to ask, but he did promise he wouldn't interrupt so he didn't say anything. He may have no manners, but he always kept his word after all.
It was an hour later that the Earl finally shut his mouth for the last time, leaving the room in silence.
Both the Earl and Allen stared at each other, neither of them saying anything as Allen processing what he just hear.
Exorcist fighting Noahs? A great war the decimated the world? A hateful god that cursed the Noah clan for some reason? Akumas running rampant in the world following the orders of Noahs? The fact that Akumas were real and not just a legend the other clowns in the circus told him at night in order to scare him? Some shards known as innocence that were apparently evil, and sought to do the hateful god's biding? An innocence known as the heart that had unimaginable power, and which the Noahs sought to destroy before it could manifest in a human?
Allen's mouth fell open ever so slightly. It was all just so strange, and impossible that even he couldn't possibly believe the clown was saying the truth. Sure he wasn't very concerned on the news and boring adult stuff, but he'd know if a 7000 year old war was going on around him; everyone would know. And everyone would know if Akumas existed as well, so there was no way the clown was telling the truth.
"Tha' just-"
"Not possible?" asked Road, speaking for the first time after an hour.
Allen looked at her, as she crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a cocky smile. "You may think it isn't, any sane person would think so, but then again all those who are sane don't know anything about this war." She remarked.
"bu' 'ah can i' be 'he 'ru'h. 'ah can you 'ide a 7000 year old war from everyone. 'ah can any'hin you said be real? " he asked both amused by the absurdity of the situation, and shocked that they still stood firmly on what they said.
For the first time Road's smile fell and she looked at him almost coldly, which almost made him shudder.
Allen kept meeting her eyes expecting her to answer him, but instead it was the Earl who answered.
"Because were part of this war, we've been part of it for 7000 years." He answered simply, and Allen snapped his head back to him.
The Earl was no longer seating at the edge of the bed, and was now standing by the bed looming over them both. Allen didn't really know him, and he couldn't tell much regarding his emotions due to the grin plastered on his face, but for some reason he could tell that he's lost all sense of amusement, and that made him look more terrifying than anything he had ever seen before.
"'ah could you 'ave bin par' ov i' faw 7000 years? 'ah is 'ha' even possible?" he asked with a whisper.
"We aren't human, as I' sure you've already figured out. We are Noah." He declared, and the room fell to silence once more.
Allen looked at the Earl defiantly as he refused to believe anything they just said.
"prove i'" He said sounding like a taunt, believing full well the clown couldn't possibly prove it because he wasn't what he said he was. There was just no way Noahs existed. However, he soon found out he was wrong.
The Earl raised his head, causing his glasses to glint from the last flickering candle. He brought his hand up into the air, and opened his palm. From thin air, and almost as if manifesting from the shadows, a great long sword materialized on the palm of his hand.
Now, Allen had seen hundreds of magic tricks and he learned a few tricks himself, but he never once seen a trick so –for a lack of words- solid. There was just no way that had been faked, and at the same time there was just no way a sword literally materialized out of thin air!
"'ah did you do 'ha'?" he asked in shocked and awe.
The Earl brought the sword down with ease, as if it didn't weight anything and rested the tip of it on the floor. "I told you, were Noahs. I am the Millennium Earl, and I alongside twelve other disciples have fought against the innocence for 7000 years. One of said disciples is Road, and now you too have awoken as a disciple." He declared.
For the first time ever Allen's mouth fell open. Did he hear right? Did he just say he himself is a Noah? One of the twelve disciples in the story? No it just couldn't be! He was a simple street performer for crying out loud, and though he hated to admit it, he was also just a kid!"
Allen gave out a nervous chuckle and looked from Road to the Earl, still not believing what they were saying.
"Ok i believe 'he bo'h ov you are noahs, bu' 'here's no way i'm one 'oo. I'm 'uman, i was bawn 'uman, an' sure i 'ave a defawmed arm bu' 'ha' doesn'' mean i'm no 'uman. Righ'?" he asked unsure.
He was generally sure of himself and what he belived, but this whole situation was throwing him of his axis. He just wasn't sure what he believed anymore.
"You were once human, you aren't wrong about that, after all we all were in the beginning. But now you have awoken as a Noah, which is the reason why you have lost some of your memories." Road declared.
"And if you don't believe us, just look into this mirror." The Earl said, bringing up a mirror Allen was confused as to where he got it from.
Allen raised one brow, and looked at the mirror skeptically, and slowly crawled down the bed to where the Earl was standing and snatched the mirror from him.
Allen didn't look into the mirror straight away, he was much too frightened with what he might see and realize that they had not be lying to him.
Allen took a deep breath and looked down at the mirror, and almost dropped it from shock. He was sure he was looking at his own reflection, but at the same time he thought it was a stranger. His skin was no longer its usual pinkish hue, but was now grey like, same as Road's, but that wasn't the most shocking part. His eyes were no longer blue, or even human like. They were amber, and slit like a cat's.
Allen let out a shuddering breath, and raised his hand to his hair that was no longer straight but waivy. His hands shook ever so slightly as his hands touches his bangs, and he fearfully pushed his hair away from his forehead to reveal stigmatas etched to his skin. Allen's eyes landed on the black markings, and looked at them in disbelief and that was when it hit him like a cart.
Allen screamed and dropped the mirror as if it burned him. His hand went clenched his heart, as he felt like something had just pierced it right through. His hand clenched his shirt roughly, and he took in deep breaths, as fear overcame him. And that was when everything went black.
Everything was black, and quiet, and he felt like he was floating through that blackness, being carried away to somewhere unknown.
He didn't know what was going on, or how long had gone by but he felt at peace in this little courner of nothingness and he rejoiced over it. He seldom ever got a moment of peace, or tranquility and so he held on to that fiercely. Even when the blackness around him began to change colour, he still attempted to hold on to the blackness.
Allen fought against the light that sought to take the darkness, until it was futile and he was hurled into another unknown space.
The first thing he noticed in this new place was the horrible screams. Screams that pierced his very being with its fierceness.
Allen's eyes close tightly shut, and pressed his hands against his ears, attempting to keep the creaming from coming into his ears, but it was for naught. The countless screams continued, becoming louder and louder, and all he could do was clench his teeth to the point that he thought they would crack in half.
The tormenting screams continued for what felt like ages, and all he couldn't take it anymore. He wanted to escape this place, and return to the peaceful blackness, but once more he couldn't get what he wanted, instead he felt his eyes flutter open involuntarily as if someone was priying them open for him.
Allen fought it with all his might, but eventually his eyes flew open and that's when he saw it. It was almost as if he was looking though a stained glass, muddy and difficult to see but it was clear enough to make out everything.
What he saw was a hellish world filled with fire, suffering, death, and pain and in the middle of it all was a battle between two groups he couldn't quite make out their appearance. The battle was fierce, and the more the two groups fought the more they ravaged the world and the more people died around them.
He wanted to look away, but found that he could not, he was stuck with looking at everything, and feel the unbearable suffering around him.
There were hundreds upon hundredths of people screaming from pain, and suffering as they attempted to escape the battle but couldn't. He wanted to help them, but he was hopelessly rooted to his spot. He wanted to look away but couldn't. He wanted to block out the screams but couldn't. He wanted everything to end, but it wouldn't.
Allen clenched his head in his hands and shook his head. Why was there so much hatred, why was there so much death? Why was this happening? Why him? He just wanted to go home!
'He did this to us, to all of us, and he cannot be forgiven for it.' A gentle voice whispered in his head.
Allen sopped shaking his head, and stood frozen on the spot, as he started to remember.
'That's right, he did this to us.' He said to himself, and slowly brought his hands down and looked at them as if in a trance.
He who they loved and trusted as their god betrayed them, the innocence started this war and brought all the suffering with it, and he couldn't be forgiven for that.
Allen balled his hands into fists, and bared his teeth in anger. Hundreds of different emotions overcame him, but at the top of all of them was hatred. Pure and untemper hatred for the innocence and for what happened 7000 years ago.
'The innocence is responsible for everything, the innocence is to blame!'He kept repeating to himself.
The innocence was at fault for the war, and the death of millions, as well as their suffering! And the more he cursed the innocence, the more he began to realize that, that same evil that killed everyone also, lived inside of him.
Allen growled in anger and disgust as he felt the innocence swirl within him, and began fighting within his body, attempting to destroy him for what he now was, but Allen wouldn't allow that to happen.
He sent a powerful surge of black matter through his body that burned him from the inside, but it didn't matter, all that mattered was destroying the parasite inside him!
The innocence retaliated, and Allen gave out a sharp scream of pain, but he wouldn't give in. He kept fighting the innocence for dominance over his body, and much like the battle waging in front of him, neither gave in. Allen kept sending surges of black matter not caring that it hurt him like nothing else before.
The fight continued for what felt like ages, until the innocence was weakened by the onslaught and couldn't keep going, and that was when Allen sent out his most powerful surge. Without mercy or remorse he strike against the innocence one last time, and pierced it in half.
Instantly a pang of pain overcame his right arm, and he gave out a sharp scream, and yet he didn't care, in fact he was overcome with joy that he had destroyed the innocence inside him.
Without him noticing the screaming stopped and the world turned black once more, and he felt his eyelids drop from exhaustion as he curled himself into a ball.
"Allen Walker, you were born as one of god's chosen, the Noah. You carry within you Noah's genes. Within you now exists both the fury and suffering of true events of 7000 years ago, its memories are engraved upon your genes. Allen, that memory you have is hatred. You can now see this world's true form, and what must be done.' Said the voice, and that was when everything finally ended.
"Don't ever forgive him, not ever!" he said to himself, and snapped his eyes open.
Allen slowly sat up. Was that really just a dream? Or had it actually been real? He couldn't really know, but something inside him told him it had been real.
Allen groaned, and leaned back on his right arm, but as soon as he put a bit of weight on it a pang of pain shut right through his nerves and he gave out a scream.
Instantly his good hand shut up to grasped his right arm as if it would relieve the pain but it did nothing. His hand was throbbing, and shaking and Allen fearfully looked down at it and was shocked. His familiar red arm was no longer red but blackened, and the cross that was embedded on top of his hand was gone, as well as the deformity of his skin, now it just looked like a normal arm.
Without thinking, and no longer feeling the pain as much as he did before, Allen raised his arm and looked at it in shook. He spent all of his life with that red arm, with the deformity that made everyone shun him, and afraid of him. And now after so many years he was finally rid of it, and he couldn't believe it!
Through his joy he didn't notice that his arm stopped hurting, instead he clenched and unclenched his hand to see if it worked properly. He found that his fingers were struggling a little, but he was more or less fine.
Allen gave a cheerful cry and sprang out of the bed and to his feet with a swiftness he never had before.
'Must be the Noah genes.' He mused to himself, but he ultimately didn't care.
He was ride of that blasted arm, and the innocence within it... And though he couldn't believe that dream had been real, or that the clown-
'Lord Millennium.' He corrected himself unable to bring himself to call him anything but that now.
He couldn't believe he was actually telling the truth, or that he was actually a Noah. The 7000 year old war was real, exorcist are real, Akumas are real, innocence was real, and it was his duty to fight in this war and destroy the innocence and take his revenge.
"Don't ever forgive him." He murmured to himself, and his emotions blackened once more.
He clenched his hand. He felt the hatred seep into him, but he didn't let it overcome him, instead he occupied himself from thinking about the war by looking at around the room.
Allen walked around the room and explored, looking at everything but not touching anything. It really was a very nice room, filled with very luxurious furniture.
Allen kept walking around the room in awe, until his eyes reached the piano.
Unconsciously, he walked over to the piano on the corner and looked down at the keys curiously and outstretched his hand to touch it, only to pull it back. Someone once told him he shouldn't touch what wasn't his, but then again this room was probably now his so what could it hurt.
Allen outstretched his hand once more and his fingertips ghosted over the keys as if afraid to press them and get caught doing something he shouldn't. His fingers continued to hover over the keys and just when he was about to press down on one of them the doors shoot open.
Allen pulled his hand back and jumped away from the piano as if it had burnt him, and looked at the opened door.
A tall man with an elegant top hat and suit stood by the opened door. He had gray skin like the girl Road, and piercing amber eyes like hers, but unlike the girl's and his, this man's eyes were simply amber, they didn't have slits like his or several other irises like Road's. The man's eyes just looked human, making him wonder if he was indeed human. Allen looked up and saw the stigmata peaking from under his hair, signifying that he wasn't at all human.
Allen narrowed his eyes and glared at the man. Who on earth was this?
The man and Allen continued to stare into each other's eyes as if they were having a standoff, until the man simply sighed and took of his hat and pushed his hair back.
"Well are you inviting me in?" Asked the man with clear, and slightly deep voice.
Allen continued to glare the man, as he adopted a defensive posture looking more like an adorable prickly cat than anything else.
For a long while Allen simply stared at the man not saying anything or telling him to come inside the room. He didn't trust that man, or anyone in this place for that matter. Things were explained to him, but there was still so much shrouded in mystery, so he felt he was in the right to be defensive towards everything. After All that's how he manage to survive on his own this long.
The man however, didn't seem too keen on giving him time and simply arched a brow and stepped inside the room uninvited, and walked to where Allen was standing, causing him to tense on the spot.
In just a few strides the man was in front of him looking over him, and Allen had to tilt his head all the way up in order to be able to meet his eyes.
''e sure is tall.' He thought to himself in awe.
The man smiled down at him, and bent at the waist with one gloved hand behind his back and the other one outstretched towards him.
"Names Tyki Mikk, Noah of pleasure." He presented himself.
Allen looked away from his hand and looked at the man's face instead. He had a wide friendly smile plastered on his face, and if Allen had been any other eleven year old boy he was sure he'd be taken in by how friendly the man was, but he wasn't just like any eleven year old boy was he?
"Would ya step back? I don't loike people loomin' over me" He snapped.
The man named Tyki's eyes widen for a brief moment, and his smile fell. For a brief moment he looked at him with a considering look, but then seemed to gather himself and simply smiled again and stepped back putting his hand away.
"Yes of course. Sorry about that." He said sheepishly.
'Jezzh, wot a pushover...' He thought to himself.
Through his life in the circus, and then wondering alone, making a living on his own, he had never once encountered an adult who was just -for lack of a better word- a wimp. Sure he hadn't cursed at him or anything, and he had said much worse to other adults, and definitely ruder but never once had he'd been allowed to get away with even the slightest slip of the tongue. He had always been punished for his lack of formality, and manners but no matter how much they punished him or even beat him he'd never once apologized or changed his mannerism. In fact he found it useful, because they usually left him alone after punishing him. The more annoyed and angry an adult became of him the easier it became to manipulate them. However, there were times when such tactics didn't work, for example Cosimov was immune to it and would actually use it as an excuse to beat him to a bloody pulp- not that he needed an excuse. There were also, a few others here and there but it was rare, and now as always it made him uneasy.
"What do ya want?" he asked annoyed.
The man named Tyki's eyes widened slightly once more, and this time he wasn't afraid to show his confusion nor the slight annoyance Allen could catch due to the way his left eyes twitched ever so slightly.
"What do you mean what do I want?" he asked confused.
Allen huffed, exasperated. Did he have to explain everything to these people?
"Ya came 'ere fer a reason right? So do wha'ever ya came 'ere ter do an' get out." He barked, and Tyki's eyes widen considerably.
For a long minute unruly amber eyes meet the measuring amber eyes of Tyki. As Allen looked at him he could see various emotions pass through those eyes, ranging from confusion, to annoyance to finally settle for something he wasn't expecting.
Out of the blue Tyki grinned and let out a bark of laughter, holding on to his stomach as if it would burst from laughter.
Allen instinctually took, a step back, shocked by the man's reaction.
What the hell did he say that was so funny? He simply told him to do what business he came here to do and leave, nowhere in that sentence did he throw out a joke or pulled off a funny face at the man.
After what felt like minutes the man named Tyki took in a shaky deep breath to calm down, and practically had to wipe the tears falling down his cheek due to how hard he had laughed.
"First impressions isn't one of your strength, eh boy?" Asked Tyki coming off rather mockingly, and that put him more on edge than him laughing at him. Not to mention that he isn't a boy, he was nearly 12 for crying out loud!
"Why should i' be? I don't care wot any ov ya, or wot anyone fnks ov me! ya bloody butte!" he barked and Tyki simply kept smiling down at him, as if mocking him.
"You should care, because –as I'm sure Lord Millennium has informed you- we are your family now, and I'm the one in charge of you."
Allen huffed, and leaned back on the cabinet behind him. Just because he understood the hatred seeped into every Noah, and the need to destroy the innocence didn't mean he was going to lay back and call twelve strangers his family.
"I don't need anyone takin' care ov me. I don't need a family either, so if ya came 'ere fer that then you'd be'er leave." He hissed, and this time Tyki's amusement drained as he looked at Allen with a measuring look once more.
Tyki kept looking at him in silence for what felt like an eternity, until he broke the silence with a long sigh. "Aww man, you sure are going to be a pain aren't you boy?" he drawled as he stroke the back of his neck
Allen just kept staring at him not saying anything. He didn't like this man named Tyki. He didn't get a good vibe from him for some reason. He somehow felt wrong, as if there was something seriously wrong with him and he couldn't really put his finger on what it was, and yet he felt a pang of familiarity to him as well, as if he'd known him forever.
Allen eyes narrowed. He never felt something like that towards anyone before. He was always weary of anyone he meet, simply because you had to be if you lived on the streets or the circus. In fact if he trusted every person under the sun he'd be long dead, and he was sure of that, which is why he refused to trusts this man or anyone here.
Tyki sighed, and crossed his arms, snapping him out of his train of thought. "Look boy, I know this is disorienting and strange -I went through the same thing, so I know. And I know it isn't going to be easy, but I can tell you that I wish you no harm."
Allen looked at Tyki skeptically. "I don't kna ya, or anyone 'ere. 'a can I 'ell trust ya?" He asked sounding unsure, and showing his age this time.
Tyki smiled charmingly and took a step forward, and this time Allen didn't step back and simply looked up at the tall form of Tyki who was looming over him once more.
"I don't expect you to trust me just yet, we've only just meet. But I know in time you'll come to do so, as well as the rest of the family." He told him confidently, but Allen wasn't too confident on that.
He was never one to make friends, or get along with anyone, simply because no one really tried. Who wanted to be friends with a poor street performer? And yet here was a man telling him that he now had a family, something he had long giving up hope of ever having.
"a can ya be so sure of that?"
"Because I was the same. I too had to come to this place after I became a Noah, and trust me I had no clue as to what's going on. I trusted no one, and didn't believe any words of comfort Millennium gave me, so I was sceptical to say the least. Of course I wasn't a mere boy when I first awoke as a Noah-"
Allen scoffed, and looked at Tyki annoyed. He hated being called a boy, but Tyki continued as if he hadn't heard him.
"However, I suppose you and I are the same in the regards. Neither of us have merged with our old memories so we have problems understanding everything." He theorized, and Allen looked at him confused.
"Memories, wot memories?" He asked confused.
Once more Tyki sighed, and put his hand on his hip. "We Noahs have a set of memories inside of us. Our human ones, and our ancient Noah ones. Our human ones are the ones we are. For example you're Allen Walker that's your memories. But now you also, have the memories of the Noah you reincarnate into, however I don't recommend you dwell too deeply into them." He added hastily at the end.
"Why nah?" He asked and Tyki simply huffed.
"Because you don't want to be consumed by them do you? Any Noah who dwells too deeply in their memories will eventually fall under the control of their Noah memories, a fate I'm sure you don't want." He told him, and Allen nodded this time and didn't question it, but at the same time more questions stemmed from Tyki's answers.
"an' le me guess, you're 'ere 'o 'each me 'ah 'o be like you, a noah. Ter change me." He huffed bitterly, and looked down at the floor.
He didn't want anyone to change him, or make him something he is not. He maybe a street boy, and he'll probably always be a street boy, but that didn't mean he wanted to change who he was. He didn't want to become some fancy, spoiled boy which is no doubt what they wanted to do with him. Also, he didn't want to be part of a family either.
Tyki gave out a thoughtful hum, causing Allen to jerk his head up and back at him.
"Well yes in a way, but ultimately it's up to you who you want to be. There're twelve members in our family right now, and all of them are different from one another." Tyki explained, but Allen wasn't convinced.
Tyki sighed and knelt on one knee in front of him to be eye levelled with him.
"Look bo-"
"Names Allen." He growled, and Tyki waved his hand dismissively.
"I see you don't yet understand what a Noah is, or what it is we even do, and explaining it would be too difficult. So how about I show you?" he proposed, offering his hand with a smile.
Allen narrowed his eyes, and looked from Tyki's eyes to his hand sceptically, as if it were the hand of the devil. He didn't trust him, or any of the so called Noahs, and yet something inside him told him he could, and yet the same feeling told him he couldn't trust him. This felt him with simply having to go with his gut.
Allen sighed, and grabbed Tyki's hand and shook it firmly.
Tyki smile widened, and after a few second of shaking his hand he let go and sprang to his feet.
"Well follow me then, and do try to keep up." He ordered, and Allen huffed as he moved away from the cabinet he was leaning on.
"Where 'o?" He asked sceptically, as he followed Tyki towards the door.
Tyki turned his head back and raised a brow. "Out." He responded simply and Allen frowned.
"I figured 'ha' ou', bu' where?"
Tyki turned away and walked away fully expecting him to follow. The older Noah didn't answer his question right away, as he put his hands inside his pockets and rummaged through them until he found what he was looking for.
Tyki took out a pack of cigarettes and a set of matches.
Allen watched annoyed, and with impatience, as Tyki slowly took out a cigarette and proceeded to light it and take in several puff.
Only after he puffed out several clouds of smokes, and only after what felt like several minutes of walking down a corridor did Tyki speak again. "You'll see, but don't worry it'll be fun I promise."
Allen huffed, and crossed his arms. "I don't trust you enough to believe that." He barked annoyed, and Tyki simply chuckled and puffed out another cloud of smoke, and looked back at him in amusement.
"Well if you must know, were going hunting." He said mysteriously, and this time it was Allen who raised a brow.
"Hunt what?" he asked, but Tyki didn't answer and simply looked forward and kept walking, with his hands deep in his pockets not at all mindful of the small boy struggling to keep up with his long strides.
And as young Allen followed Tyki- that was when the wheels of destiny began to change, and form a different path, a path that changed the course of the war.
Notes:
Now, first of all regarding Allen I know his dialogue was painful to go through and very difficult to understand for those who don't understand cockney accent, but don't worry, that'll change. Now as for his personality, I will say it will change but I have to break to everyone and say that he'll probably never be the same Allen in the anime/manga. The reason as to why I went with this personality is because before become Allen he was Red, and the reason he changed was thanks to Mana and his death, so if you take that away Allen is just Red.
Now as for the Noah aspect, and technically he is the 14, and inherited all his abilities and what not but he doesn't have his memories. Now the reason why he doesn't have his memories is because I think that in the Manga/anime Nea's memories were in hibernation in a way, so that he could regain back some of his lost strength. Now when, Allen was stabbed by crown clown that might have awoken Nea's memories and thus begun the process of turning him into a Noah. This is merely a theory, but it's what I'm going for in this fic if anyone's wondering.
Going further into this fic I recommend anyone reading that they'd be up to date with the manga, and that they've at least watched Hallow. I know that goes without saying seeing as everyone in the -man fandom tends to stay up to date on the manga (it isn't that hard with how little amount of content is released yearly after all) so I'm not worried. However, if you aren't up to date it isn't such a big issue, but i do warn that those that aren't might be a little confused.
Furthermore, regarding the innocence shard that Allen holds… well I can't tell you if it was really destroyed or not but I can say it was a really tough decision to get rid of it or not. Naturally the Earl nor any Noah would let Allen keep the innocence so of course it would be destroyed, I mean even Nea was disgusted with the fact that he now has an innocence.
And last but not least. I've been talking to my co-writer and we've been developing the entire story, and we both agreed that this fic would work much better as an M than a T. Now I understand a few of you that aren't comfortable, or don't like M ratings might be put off by this, so what I'll do is put a warning before every M section so that you may skip that part if you so choose to. Again I know some of you don't like this and I'm sorry, but I think this story will benefit better with an M rating, even though that wasn't initially the plan.
So anyways that was long explanation. Oh, and yea i'm going to be doing a bit of illustrations for the chapters, which i'm posting on a new Tumblr blog ( tumblr/blog/ms-faker) It's nothing too fancy and not for every chapter so hope you like them.
So finally thanks for reading and review.