CHAPTER EDITED: 11/24/2017
Summary: The Earl begins to remember his days as Mana Walker. He soon realizes his greatest enemy may be his own beloved son.
Notes: To anyone who read the last chapter already, I've added these things I'm calling random excerpts starting chapter two. They're kinda important, but! they won't appear in order. Thanks for reading!
Earl
Random Excerpt: From A Time Long Past
The world burns like a funeral pyre. Shots from the level one akumas make the air beat with booming cannons. His cackling level twos scour the crumbling streets, their victims shrieking raw and bloody with futile cries for mercy.
His eyes surveyed the burning town, dull and apathetic to the atrocities below him. Hundreds of bodies littered the bricked floors, some scattering to dust from his akuma's blood. All this pain and suffering. Maybe he had cared once about it. He probably used to feel something. But not anymore.
His heart is turning to ice, and he feels the cold seeping from his chest to the hairs on his scalp to his toes. It is chilly, despite the warm inferno that used to be a town, despite the hot blaze that taints the dark skies bright with reds and oranges. It is cold.
It is cold.
Just like the small body that was slowly losing heat, the limp child he had cradled in his arms with glassy eyes that stared forever at distant lands. He should have expected it when he adopted a human. Perhaps he should have left the child alone that night, never even met him.
Yet.
For a second, he can see his impish smile, and he can't come to regret their meeting. It's such a sincere and lively grin that it seemed hard to believe that it came from an owner who had lived in darkness most of his entire, short life. The world blurs, and his eyes capture a little child. It runs towards him, hugs him tightly as if telling him to hold on. Never let go.
Mana, he imagines it called. For a second, it's warm.
But only for a second.
Because in the next instance, the innocent smile has turned scarlet with blood, and there's bruises on the child's pale cheeks that weren't there before. He can see red, oh so red liquid staining the floor beneath.
And the cold is back again.
In front of him, the world smolders in cinders and broken futures. Behind him, more akumas descend into the town. Above him, the moonless night; dark stars looking down on his crime. He clenches a gloved fist. Let heaven declare him unforgivable, let hell sing his name.
His peace with mankind is over. They will rue the day they took his son away from him.
He calls the family to him. He's dallied long enough.
It was time to purge Earth clean.
Allen Walker
That suit, that top hat, that build. It's so uncannily similar to his adopted father that the first word that runs through Allen's head is Mana. Hope buzzed at him. Mana's dead, his brain quips as his heart thunders.
"Unhand him." The man commands again, and it sounds so much like Mana that Allen can't help but imagine that it really is Mana. But he internally shakes his head. He can't start turning every person who resembled Mana into his father. The man who became his family was more precious than that.
Allen shifts his attention back to the real world. Nobody has done anything. It seemed like the man's presence intimidated the debt collectors, and he's not sure if they're going to make a move soon. The stunned silence is pervading. It scratches seconds into hours, and strains his hyper awareness. Allen was taken aback when someone finally does do something.
The buff man who was holding him up several feet up drops Allen on the cold, cobblestone floor.
"Oof!" Allen winces, landing on his behind. That was not how he hoped his reunion with the floor would go. He tried not to rub his sore back too much. He's been in this situation before when people used to hunt him down for his deformed hand. It was better to blend silently with his surroundings unless Allen wanted to attract people's attention to him again. The tall man above him cracks his knuckles threateningly.
"Tch. Ya should run 'long, prissy noble." The man jabs a calloused finger in Allen's direction. Eeep. "See this kid here? This brat's master owes us. A. Lot."
This seems to break the rest from their stupor, and loud cries of agreements quickly back the tough-looking man up.
The man who told the others to let Allen go is calm, not bothered by the fact that he was one man against many. Why did the man even stop these people? Allen has no recollection of ever meeting this man before, even if the guy looked very much like Mana.
So…. Mana...man?
Mana-man just stands still, and makes no indication that he heard the buff man. The crowd is uncertainty is apparent, unsure what Mana-man's reaction would be. Allen's skin prickles with the rising tension in the air, and it terrifies him. He doesn't want the man in trouble. How would Allen pay for all that Master Cross had swindled. Allen himself doesn't have any money. How would he pay them back?
Pay…
Mana and he used to get by doing small performances. Maybe he could do the same? Instead of performances, maybe he could… work to pay the debts? How ingenious! He could just work for them until he did enough to pay back what his master owed! This way, the Mana-man wouldn't get harmed for trying to save him.
Resolute to take ownership of his stupid master's financial problems (only for this time, he swore. He'll get Master to pay them next time for sure!) he's about to voice out his solution when an unexpected question steals his spotlight.
"How much?" What? "How much does he owe you?"
Did he really hear that?
Allen can't believe his ears. No, no. He shakes his head. There was no way Mana-man would volunteer to pay for the money that Allen's master owes. Most likely, the man was simply curious to know how buried in debt a little kid like him could possibly be. Allen stomps on the small sproutling of hope that had grown when the man asked his question. He couldn't be that lucky.
"100 silver coins!"
"Three hundred and fifty-nine plus the wreck he left in my bar!" As if eager to prove that he owed them an enormous sum, the humongous amount of debt he'd have to give back somehow is revealed to him as the crowd shouts out three digit numbers.
Eeeeeh? Allen feels himself shrink - he changes his mind. There was no way he could pay all that! That'd take years! Years! How is he going to become an exorcist if he has to work to pay all that? That's impossible!
Mana-man raises a gloved hand to silence the large number of men, and it works. Everyone is curious as to what he is about to say, except for Allen. Here it is, he mourns. He's gonna leave him here, and leave him to the mercy of the people that had it in for his master's guts. Allen bites his lips. He doesn't know why the thought of it makes him want to cry.
The noble puts his hand inside his coat and pulls out one heavy-looking bag. Where did he hide that, Allen briefly wonders? Mana-man shakes it, and the loud clinking of coins echo from the bag.
"There's enough money here to pay for a small army of men. Release the kid," the man looks condescendingly in their direction, "And you can have it."
Release the kid. You can have it.
Translation: I'll pay for everything, let him go.
Allen's mouth drops.
No. Way.
He can't believe his ears, and it seems like the other men didn't either because nobody moves to accept the angel, God-sent, saint of a human's offer in front of them.
But the angel wasn't as patient as he seemed because without bothering to hear an affirmation, saint Mana-man throws the huge coin bag in their direction, and thousands of golden coins rain everywhere. Light from the lamp catches on the coins, and the night sky is alight with glinting gold. It falls from the air like a star shower. The sound of coins ping on the pavement, twanging throughout the streets.
The men go scrambling. They take to the floor, and there's pushing and shoving and grunts as they fight each other for the money.
Allen is left gaping and forgotten. He just stares at all of them stupefied. He can't process whether he's finally gone 'round the bend, or if he was still grounded in reality. Who throws gold like it's nothing? Mana-man, apparently.
A hand grabs him by the shoulder, and he jolts. He looks up to see a mischievous-smirk on saint Mana-man's face, like a secret that Allen should know but doesn't. Mana-man holds a finger over his lips. Now that he can get a really clear look at the man's face, he can't help but gasp. He really looks like Mana. How is this possible? He feels something stuck in his throat. He stares at saint Mana-clone dumbly.
But the man grips Allen's right arm, helps him stand up. Then they're running. Nobody stops them, nobody notices their escape. The two run into the night.
Allen's brain is malfunctioning and he can't pay any attention to where they're going. All he can think about is that Mana has been cloned, why does this man look so much like him? Maybe Mana had a twin? Was Mana-man Mana's angel ghost? So lost is he in his own thoughts that he doesn't notice when the man suddenly stops running, and Allen crashes into the man.
He sees the surprised look of Mana-clone and he feels a blush creep up his face. He jumps back, stammering apologies, mortified beyond belief.
"It's okay," the man smiles forgivingly. The man rubs the back of his neck, "It was my fault, suddenly stopping like that."
"No! I should have been paying attention!" Allen shakes his head vigorously. He can't let the Mana clone feel like it's his fault! He had been nice enough to help him, too.
Speaking of help… Allen fidgets. He has not a penny in his pocket. He doesn't know if the man realizes that he can't pay him back. And enough money to hire an army! A small army, but an army nonetheless!
Allen looks up at the tall man; He can't afford to pay him that much.
"Um…." He could do this. He could do this.
"Hmm?" Mana-clone raises an amused eyebrow.
"Thank you for saving me! But I can't pay you back right now! Please let me work for you until I pay all of it back!" He bows deeply, freezing in his position. It's over. Mana-clone will turn him down for sure.
He's expecting anger, some scorn, and maybe even disappointment. Perhaps Mana-man had thought that Allen's master could pay him back, but Master Cross is not a rich man. Mana-man would hate Allen. What he wasn't expecting was the snicker, the mirth, and definitely not the amused laughter.
"It's alright. I paid because I couldn't let such a young child possibly pay for that by himself." Mana-clone rubs his white hair. His hand is warm.
Allen can't believe it. There really are humans this kind. And with Mana's face, too. Maybe men who had dark black hair, dark eyes, and generally looked like Mana were all nice men? He ducks his head, hiding the warmth on his face. It's joy, in a way.
"Wha-! This wig is really soft." The man exclaims, messing with Allen's hair. "Speaking of wigs, why are you wearing white hair?"
Eh? Wig? But he's not wearing a wig? He tilts his head in confusion.
"Um… This is not a wig." Had Mana man thought he was wearing a wig this whole time? Allen pulls on one of his locks. "This is my actual hair."
The man is dumbfounded for a second. He sees dark eyes widen in surprise.
"Oh." The man laughs. Allen doesn't know why. "That works, too."
Oh.
"Aren't you going to wonder why?" Allen asks. Everyone else questioned his hair, surely this man wanted to know, too, right?
"I don't need to know the reason." The man smiles, and it reminds him so much of the smiles that Mana had. "Your hair looks fine, anyway. And soft, very soft."
Is this… Is this... Acceptance? Something akin to happiness spreads from his chest. He hadn't felt this happy since that time.
He's about to (do something, anything), but Mana-man stiffens.
What's wrong, Allen wants to ask him, but Mana-man abruptly looks up beyond him.
"Brat!"
That voice - Master? He turned and sees…. Not his master. Behind him is another man he doesn't know. Dressed in a suit, and black short hair. The face is much more angular, too. Clean shaven.
"Um… Who are you?"
"Stupid Apprentice! Forgotten your master already?" He doesn't look like Master Cross, but that voice.
"Master Cro-?!" Not-Master Cross covers his mouth. What in the world is going on? His master glares at the Mana-man. Mana-man doesn't look too pleased either. They look like they're having a glaring contest.
"I thank you for taking care of this wayward pupil of mine." Not-Master Cross addresses Mana-man reluctantly and drags Allen in the other direction.
But!
But he hadn't even gotten to properly thank Mana-man!
Allen can't go like this.
He wrenches himself free from not-Master Cross, ignoring the startled grunt that not - Master Cross gave him, and sprints back to Mana-man.
"Brat!" He hears his master call. Allen doesn't know what he's doing, but he doesn't stop. He runs to Mana-man, arms spread wide-and he, well, he - Allen hugs him.
The man is like a statue, frozen solid. Mana-man has no reaction at all. Allen began to regret hugging the man. What if Mana-man hated hugs?
For a second, he's half afraid that he's offended him, but the man lifts him up and then hugs him back. He buries himself into the man's neck and inhales. He doesn't smell like Allen's Mana did, but he expected that.
"Thank you!" He grips tighter, he feels the man tighten his arms, too. "Thank you for saving me!"
"It was a pleasure." The man's eyes are bright. "Always."
Father, Allen's tempted to call him. But that spot is reserved for Mana. Even if Allen's half-convinced that this man is Mana's soul watching over him.
"I'm Allen Walker," Allen holds up a hand after the man had set him down on the floor again. His cheeks flushed with joy.
"Adam." The man shakes his hand in formal greeting.
The man looks behind Allen again, and Allen's reminded that his master is still waiting for him. Eeeep. Before Allen can do anything, Adam (not Mana-man) takes off his top hat. He cleans it, dramatically blowing some imaginary dust, and then places on top of Allen's head! "I won't keep you waiting. It was nice meeting you, Allen Walker."
Before Allen can make a stuttered T-t-thank you! and a What?!, his master's steely hand is back on his shoulders, steering him away from Adam. Allen glimpses behind him and finds that Mana-ma - Adam, he meant Adam! - is gone. So fast!
Even so, the hat sits warmly on his head. After a short distance, he and weirdly dressed Master Cross slow down. Allen lifts the gifted-hat from his head.
He observes that there are two blue roses on it, green thorny stems wrapped around each other as if in embrace.
Hugging it tightly to his chest, Allen silently vows to treasure this gift from Adam (Mana-ma - fathe - , his brain inaccurately adds) forever.
Earl
The moment the child looks away, he is gone. He flees - not flees - to the top of a secluded rooftop and bids his racing heart to calm. Who was that boy? He had looked so familiar, his heart twinges. Remember, remember, remember-he chants in his head.
Who are you, Allen Walker?