What the Darkness Knows
Chapter 4
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Komui ran down to the elevator as fast as he could. Hevlaska had requested his presence, and that didn't happen often. As the elevator descended into Hevlaska's chamber, Komui chewed his nails. Things had already taken a strange turn in the previous few days. What with Allen being de-aged. He smiled at the memory of little Allen seeing Hevlaska.
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Allen walked on to the elevator holding tightly to Lavi's hand. He was confused how everyone seemed to know him, and his cheeks hurt from being pinched so much by them. Allen looked up at Lavi and tugged on his innocence holster. Lavi still looked sad when he would look at Allen. When Allen had his attention he raised his hands in the universal symbol for pick me up. Lavi smiled down at him at brought him up to sit on his hip.
"Where we go?" little Allen asked as he clung to Lavi's exorcist jacket.
"We're taking you to meet someone who's anxious to see you."
Allen groaned and put his hands on his cheeks to protect them, "No…."
Lavi laughed good-naturedly and ruffled Allen's hair, "She won't pinch your cheeks off, I promise."
Allen pouted and said okay, still holding his cheeks. "Hey Allen, I need you to look at me okay?" Little Allen looked up at Lavi's eye. In the few days that they had been together Lavi had become his whole world. Allen really liked Lavi, he wished he would be his Papa. He made sure he had food to eat, clothes to wear, and he let him sleep in his bed with him at night to keep the scary dreams away.
"The person you're going to meet isn't like everyone else okay? Promise me you won't be scared when you see her."
"She wike you an me?" Allen asked brightly.
"No, she's even more special. She's as tall as a building, and she glows like the moon at night. Her voice almost sounds like she's singing to you when she talks."
"Woooow! Reewy!?" Allen exclaimed, "Is she pwetty?"
"She is, and she's very old and very wise."
Allen cocked his head to the side and asked, "Wise?"
Lavi tapped his finger against Allen's nose and said, "Smart."
Allen giggled and pretended to bite at Lavi's finger, Lavi snatched it away, "Hey now, I've already fed you, you little gremlin."
The lift stopped and Lavi's face became serious once again, "Allen, look up, and remember, don't be scared. Hevlaska isn't going to hurt you."
Allen looked at Lavi again, "Heb… Hebwasa?" Allen looked up to the towering being that filled the room. He was anything but scared. His eyes widened and filled with wonder as his little hand reached out for her. Allen didn't see Lavi and Komui smiling at him.
Lavi whispered in his ear, "She's going to pick you up, okay?"
"Kay," Allen whispered back, "She Angew."
"Allen Walker, you've changed since I've seen you last."
When Hevlaska spoke her voice seemed to resonate within Allen's very bones, it felt like coming home. Allen was lifted away from Lavi's embrace and carried on tendrils of what felt like silk closer to Hevlaska's face.
"You know me?"
"Yes, I do Allen. Try to relax, I must look at your innocence to see what has happened to you."
Allen was getting sleepy in her hold, he felt so warm and safe. She brought him to her forehead and Allen reached out his hand to touch her head, "Otay, Angew." He said as he lay back and fell asleep.
"Allen Walker's innocence has not changed. He is still at his 83% synchronization rate. Allen has changed. He has bonded slightly closer to his innocence than before." There was a very pregnant pause before she spoke again. When she did, the single word that she spoke was said with such longing that a single tear was produced by Hevlaska. "Mother."
Hevlaska gently lowered Allen back down into Lavi's waiting arms, hesitating on withdrawing her tendrils from under his skin. When she released him, she allowed her wisps to gently caress Allen's face as she backed away.
Komui looked confused, "Hevlaska?"
"Among all the innocence and accommodators there is one known only as Sephirah, the guardian of old. In the time of Darkness, she was caretaker of all before the time of The Black Order. It was believed that she and the innocence she protected perished in the time of the flood. It is not so. Allen has come into contact with her, and his innocence has been touched by hers and her magic." Hevlaska paused again and more tears rolled down her face, "I believe Sephirah is coming home."
The tears were not of sadness, but of joy. Seeing as Hevlaska had become emotionally unstable for the moment, Lavi and Komui took their leave of her. Allen snuggled into Lavi's chest as they walked back to the lift.
Lavi turned his head away for a moment as he coughed harshly, twice. He was still a little shaky, but otherwise fine. Once on the lift Komui turned to him and smiled.
"Fatherhood suits you, Lavi."
Lavi sputtered as he looked at Komui. No way in hell! Not at eighteen. "What?!"
"Oh, come now, little Allen adores you. I want you to be the one to care for him, Lavi. In the event he doesn't revert back to his normal self, he won't remember his foster father. Those were the only happy memories he had. He will need a positive influence until he can be ready for training."
Lavi looked down at his sleeping charge and ran his finger over his scar.
"I wouldn't have let anyone else look after him anyway. Bookman won't be happy about this. Especially if it's going to impede my duties as his apprentice."
"Don't worry about that right now, once Bookman gets back I'll have a talk with him. I'm still concerned about what Central is going to do with this information. I suppose I could tell a little fib that Allen changed before he could file his report."
"They closely monitor Hevlaska, don't they?"
"Unfortunately."
"So, is there anything that I should leave out of my report?"
"I think maybe your out of body experience should be left out. At least out of 'our' report."
Lavi bit his lip in thought for a moment. "Is it because of the glowing of his innocence?"
"Exactly, I don't need them misinterpreting what that means. When we don't even really know what it means."
Lavi let out a long sigh, "Yeh, that's probably for the best then."
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Komui tapped his fingers against the railing as he waited on the lift to reach its destination. Central had not been happy about the change in Allen Walker's status, but until they could figure out how to change him back their unhappiness would have to do. As he'd expected they wanted to have Allen removed from Lavi's care and sent to a general, he was able to circumvent them. Allen also helped by pitching the worst fit he'd ever seen and sticking to Lavi like glue. Allen was far too young in this state to be training under any general, except maybe Tiedoll, but no, what was he thinking.
As the elevator came to a halt, Komui noticed scientists running around the bottom level feverishly take notes and scrambling away.
"Hevlaska, is everything okay?"
"Chief Komui, there have been changes made to the innocence compartments. New compartments have emerged."
Komui's eyes bulged at the news, new innocence? "It seems that you might be right about 'Mother' coming home then."
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Lavi held his eye closed as tightly as possible. His body had become rigid every time the boat rocked, and his little gremlin was the one responsible. Even though it was chilly in the canals and Lavi knew the waters to be shallow, he couldn't stop the sweat from rolling down his temples, or the squeak he made when Allen tipped the boat over a little too far. He could feel the padding of every footstep that Allen took and he heard the board in between his feet groan as Allen stepped up to him. He felt Allen's little hand try to slip into one of his own, but his grip was so tight on the fabric of his pants that he couldn't free it. He heard Allen grunt as he tried in vain to take his hand. That little hand went to his face and Lavi realized that Allen must have climbed on to the bench he was sat on.
"Wabi?" The way Allen said his name was adorable. He was lost in his thoughts, only to be pulled out of them by little hands pulling on his ears screaming, "Papa," while crying.
Lavi sobered immediately and grabbed Allen into a hug. He still didn't open his eye.
"Shhhh, it's okay, Allen. I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Lavi buried his face in Allen's white locks, but Allen wasn't having it. He could feel Lavi trembling.
The darkness of the canals disappeared and they were outside. Allen grabbed Lavi's eyelid and pulled it open. Lavi squinted as the bright light assaulted him. He thought he would see a small face full of tears in front of him, but was unprepared to see a small angry face starring at him. He blinked owlishly at Allen.
"Why you scayered? Dat not scawey!" Allen crawled onto Lavi's lap and pointed to the shore. "It pwetty! Wike papa eye!"
Lavi released his grip on his pants and took one of Allen's hands. Being on the water for the first time since his accident rattled him. He knew very well how to swim and silently cursed his perfect memory. Komui forced Lavi to take Allen outside and away from the Order for a little while stating that they had been cooped up long enough and that they both needed fresh air and sunlight.
"Allen, I'm sorry," Lavi stated calmly. "I was hurt in the water before. I was hurt really bad. The water won't always scare me." Lavi took Allen's other hand, "Remember when I was so sick before?" Allen nodded. "That was from the water, it got in my lungs and didn't want to leave."
Lavi felt his heart start to thud heavily in his chest again. He groaned to himself, not again. This can't happen now. Toma was with them, so if anything bad started to happen, he would turn them around. Rationally, he knew that they were in a boat and that boats float. His breath became faster and he was dizzy. He wasn't aware that Toma had steered them to the shore and had pulled him out of the boat.
"Master Bookman, Master Bookman!" Lavi didn't reorient himself until after Toma slapped him across his face. His breath was shaky and everything was starting to become clear. He could hear sniffles and felt small hands holding his own and larger ones on his shoulders. Toma's face came in to focus, at least what wasn't hidden underneath the wraps. He was leaned against a tree, almost laying down actually.
"Thank you, Toma," Lavi whispered and Toma nodded his head, squeezed his shoulder, and backed away. Toma was arguably one of the most liked finders at the Black Order. Even Kanda liked him, well, as much as Kanda could outwardly like anyone. Toma was good at his job, and had a very pleasant disposition should anyone like to converse with him.
Lavi stretched like a cat laying in the sun, dislodging the small hands that held on to his. He could hear the protests coming from his young charge and smiled to himself. Taking an edge of his orange scarf, he peeked out of his good eye to see where Allen was and quickly grabbed him and wound the scarf around his body once. Allen was cocooned in Lavi's scarf, tucked right up against Lavi's side as he hugged him. Lavi could hear him giggling until he tried to move, then he was struggling to get himself free. When Lavi looked down at Allen, he tried his best not to laugh. That glare did not belong to a four year old.
"What's the matter squirt?" Allen tried to free himself again and not being successful, growled at Lavi. Allen started to use his tongue to try and pull the scarf down his face so he could talk. Lavi couldn't help but laugh at the sight. Taking a small amount of mercy on him, he pulled the scarf down for him.
"You a mean papa!" Little Allen's face had gotten so red with anger it was comical.
"Is that so?" Lavi said gasping dramatically as he placed his hand over his heart. He released the edge of the scarf and starting tickling Allen. Allen being confused because he wanted to stay mad, wiggled his body and laughed. "What does this make me?" Allen continued to laugh until he couldn't really breathe and begged Lavi to stop.
As they lie there against the tree, Lavi said, "How about we take a nap, yeh?"
Allen who was already half asleep said, "Otay papa." Lavi kissed him on the head and nodded off himself.
Toma chuckled to himself and shook his head. Leave it to Lavi to figure out how to tire a four year old Allen Walker.
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Jasmine had decided to take a brief hike away from her cabin to get a lay of the land. It was just as beautiful as she remembered it being all those years ago – before the flood waters. The forest was lush with thick green foliage and the wildlife had made a remarkable recovery. She didn't know what had roused her from her eternal slumber, but she was grateful. To see the world in seemingly such a state of bliss was wonderful. Of course there were still dangers. She could feel that The Earl had been reincarnated, along with a few Noah. Perhaps that was why she had awakened.
Walking back into her cabin, Jasmine turned to go down to the basement. She stopped in front of a green glowing chest that was protected by her magic. Such precautions were necessary for the times she found herself in now. Crouching down she disabled the shield and opened the chest. Several pieces of innocence littered the inside twinkling back up at her. She smiled and ran her fingers over the pieces. It would be nice to find that there were accommodators fit for the fragments she brought with her in this era.
She reached out with her mind to feel for the innocence and accommodators that were in the world. Frowning, Jasmine felt that there were far more accommodators than there were innocence fragments. So many pieces had been destroyed while she slept and a darkness had swept through the world. The balance had been disrupted, but, at least the heart was in play now. The heart always regenerated every time the Earl made a reappearance. In her meditative state she recounted the memories that Allen's innocence showed her. The Noah were relentless in their pursuit of the heart. They've made it their mission to destroy every piece of innocence that they can find in the hopes that it will be among the bits collected. One such encounter leapt to the front of her mind. She had a few things she needed to do before she visited the Black Order.
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I am so sorry guys... I've had this chapter sitting on my computer for a long time.. I've been stuck for a while on it.. and sadly enough had many unfortunate things happen in between my updates. I will try to update again soon.. but I admit I've gotten into another anime... so I'm writing a story for it as well..
Reviews are love!
-msgone