Thanks again for the review and, since I've got nothing better to do, here's a new chapter.

Answer: Apparently, no question from you either.

Enjoy!

A bright light blinded me as I started falling, and I effectuated a rather harsh landing on the cold floor, on my back. A smell of smoke and a hazy, creepy, tune in my head made themselves known.

"Damn it…"

"Well, look who's finally here. In time for dinner, Milady?"

Shit.

Please, God, Gab, Budha, Mother Nature, Kami, anyone but him.

I opened my eyes with difficulty, and found none other than Tyki Mikk looming over me with a pleasant smile.

"Let me guess: these were the twin's orders" I grunted.

Sitting up, I rubbed the sore back of my head. I felt like falling was the new must here.

They used Allen as a diversion, just like they said, but it was to divert our attention so that they could send us here without any trouble.

Fucking damn it, I thought we weren't supposed to underestimate them, Trickster!?

Hey, don't blame me, Hime.

I'm not-

"Oi, still alive?"

"Out of my bubble!" I kicked my foot his way, but he easily blocked it.

There was a chuckle, and I raised my head to see Road on my other side.

"Just fucking great" I sighed heavily. "Hey kid, long time no see"

"You're still as funny was ever, Onee-chan!" she grinned. "Still not crying, uh?"

"You and your family really have a complex with tears, don't you?" I spat, getting up.

I dusted myself. In surface, I was annoyed and bored. Internally? I was fucking terrified.

"What do you want with me?" I crossed my arms.

Hime, stay calm. We're together, okay?

… yeah, yeah. Okay. I'm calm. I'm c- HOW CAN I BE FUCKING CALM WITH TWO MURDERERS SMILING LIKE I'M ABOUT TO BECOME THEIR NEXT FUCKING VICTIM!?

There was a stung that made my head spin, and I grabbed it in my hands with a wince,

Breath!

"Let me guess, you're talking to your little Angel, ne?"

At that, I froze, but soon put on my poker face.

"I don't know what you're talking about" I shrugged.

"Of course you don't" Mikk rolled his eyes. "How about some dinner while we wait for your friends?"

I eyed the set up table suspiciously, and slowly backed away.

"Nan, sorry, not exactly hungry right n- fuck!"

A sharp pain made me stumble as I felt my skull splitting.

Trickster!

The girl's trying to get in!

Don't let her!

I'm not, let me fucking concentrate!

The pain lingered for two more seconds, before finally stopping. I let out a shaky sigh, using the table to stay on my two feet.

"She's not letting me in" huffed Road, apparently annoyed. "My powers won't affect her"

"And we can't kill her either" Tyki scratched his head, apparently puzzled. "Oh well. The only thing we can do is wait for the rest to arrive"

I stiffened a little, and they laughed.

They fucking laughed.

"Relax, Milady" grinned Mikk, taking a seat. "As I said, we're not allowed to kill you. Want something to drink? Tea? Coffee?"

"How about some 'no thanks, I'm out of here'?"

With that, I darted towards the balcony, ready for the jump, but was sent crashing against one of the pillars. Pain flared in my open palms and my tights as I felt my blood boil.

I really hate these candles. They make more damage then you could imagine.

Can you heal it?

Not with the damn things still inside, that's for sure.

"Now, now, that wasn't nice, Onee-chan" smirked Road, standing before me. "Want to tell me more about this dear Angel in your head? Gabriel, was it?"

How the hell does she know that, Gab?

How the hell should I know that, Hime?

"You seem less confident in yourself, Onee-chan" she remarked. "Worried? You should be. Millie is very interested in certain of your… abilities"

Damn it, he must have recognized my aura when we fought.

You mean to say that he still knows your aura despite the thousands of years that happened since you last met him!?

I kind of kicked him in the face. Of course he'd remember me.

Trickster… I don't know whether to be amazed or horrified.

Her grin turned sick.

"How about you tell us where the Heart is, hm? That'd end things really quickly" pursued the damn girl.

"How about you shut your damn mouth and eat a snicker? You're meaner when you're hungry"

For only answer, she sent two more candles to pierce my forearms. I flinched the burning sensation.

"Where is the Heart?" she repeated, raising her hand to send two more.

"Go… fuck… yourself" I spat.

Another embedded itself in shoulder.

Sure, go and make the psychopathic Noah angry.

Shut up, Gab.

"Where is the Heart?" she asked once again, gleeful at the sight of my blood.

"Fuck! I don't know, okay? If I did, then I sure as hell wouldn't be here!" I snapped.

She eyed me a moment, and I hold her gaze with all the bravado I could muster. Then, she sighed.

"She doesn't know" she told Tyki, who was watching from his seat.

"The Earl did say it was a possibility" he simply shrugged. "How about you stop your little game for now? Because, as much as it is, we don't want her dying on us right now. The Earl would be pissed"

"That he would be" she agreed.

And we waited.

"Oh!"

The sick feeling their presence inspired me died down somewhat as some warmth replaced it. From the corner of my eye, I saw my friends coming in.

They're here, but one is missing.

Who!?

I-

"ALLEN!"

Road, loosing her interest in my utter pain, ran to them and latched onto Allen's neck, making me sweatdrop a little. No matter what happened, there's seemed to be weird things going on between us and the Noahs, sometimes.

"R-Road!?"

She laughed, and k- WHAT THE FUCK!?

… Is she kissing him?

I think she is.

Glad it isn't Lavi, eh?

For fuck's sakes, Trickster, so not the time!

"Lady Road!" exclaimed Lero, pushing her away. "You can't kiss an Exorcist!"

"Ah, Lero?" she recognized the umbrella.

"Allen, hang in there buddy!" cried dramatically Lavi.

"Road, what are you doing?" Tyki raised an eyebrow. "Do you like the Boy that much?"

"Allen Walker… he's alive…" chanted Cell Roron. "He's alive… oh, he's alive…"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it" the Noah rolled his eyes.

"Ary!" exclaimed Lenalee, horrified, and the first one to see me.

I felt myself being lifted from the pillar I was pinned against, and was sent flying towards my friends. Lavi caught me as the candles fall on the floor.

At last! Don't move, I'm taking care of it.

I don't think I can anyway.

"Tenshi! Are you okay?" asked the redhead, apparently worried.

"Sure, fine, I just love being used as a dart board" I coughed a little. "And what the hell, Kiddo? Honestly guys, I'm ashamed to be your friend, sometimes"

"Well, now that you're all happy and reunited, how about we eat a bit?" proposed pleasantly Tyki. "I'm famished, and Milady refused to eat with us until you got here. Plus, I'd like to speak with you before our fight"

"I'll have to refuse" Allen answered flatly. "I take my time when I eat my meals"

"Am I the only one questioning this situation?" I asked to no one in particular.

"Your time? Wouldn't you like to know how much you have left?" pursued Tyki, unperturbed by my interruption.

"Look outside" proposed Road, sitting on Lero. "It's splendid"

You're good, Hime.

Thanks.

I got back on my feet, still feeling a little sore but able to move nowadays. Lavi shot me a worried look, but I shook my head in a negative gesture. Now was not the time to ask questions.

Krory's the one missing.

You think he's okay?

His Innocence disappeared just like Kanda's. Sorry, Hime.

Should we be glad?

… I don't know.

We went to the balcony, and I felt a little sick at the sight. The tower we were in was the only thing left of the city, and a dark void expanded all around us, stopping any potential retreat.

We'd win here, or die here. There were no other options anymore.

"As you can see, the only remaining building is this tower" announced Tyki. "Meaning the other rooms are no more"

The others sported horrified looks, probably convinced that Kanda and Krory were dead. I simply gritted my teeth. Things were getting worse by the second.

There was a slamming noise behind us and a rattle of chains, and we turned in time to see Road barricading the door with which my friends came in, blocking our last chance of escaping.

"Won't you sit down?" she smiled sweetly.

"Take a seat, Exorcists. We won't ask another time" warned Tyki.

We ended up sitting anyway, Allen to the opposite of Tyki, Lenalee to his right, myself to his left, Lavi next to me and Chaozii in front of him. Road was sitting just next to her peer, and I sighed as an heavy silence filled the air.

That's kind of awkward.

You don't fucking say.

Needless to say, this "peace" didn't last very long. There was some very pointless chatter between Mikk and Allen, Road who wouldn't leave the boy's side –still creeping me out-, Lavi going all Bookman on the situation and Lenalee internally panicking, while I watched the whole ordeal with some real wonder as to how exactly we managed to get things done every day.

I mean, we were currently having dinner with two deadly Noahs out to kill us while the Ark in which we were trapped was disappearing.

I seriously wonder about the sanity of the lot of you, sometimes.

I don't think we had much to begin with, Trickster.

In the end, Tyki had tried to send a Teez to Lenalee, but Allen killed it before going at the Noah's throat, therefore starting the hostilities. As he engaged, I tried to move, but a dark chuckle from Road stopped me in my tracks.

"Tyki likes Allen quite a bit too" she assured. "Don't interfere, Savior, Bookman"

I exchanged a glance with Lavi, and, suddenly, Lenalee and Chaozii were trapped in some sort of glass box.

"Jumper! Chaozii!"

Something cold pressed against the skin of my neck, and I gulped a little at the sensation of the pointy candle threatening my life.

"Don't move" she warned, before turning her attention to Lavi. "I want to play with you, Bookman!"

"That sounded so wr- shit, okay, I shut up!" I cringed when I felt some blood run down my neck.

Lavi gritted his teeth, before taking out his hammer.

"The eldest of the Noahs, Road Kamelot" Lavi declared blankly. "If you cut a deal with me, I'll play with you"

"All right, that's fine by me!" she grinned.

"Bookboy, don't you fucking dare" I snarled his way.

But he wasn't paying attention anymore, his eye wide as he stared at Road in some sort of wonder and fright at the same time.

He sank to his knees, letting go of his hammer.

"Damn it" I grunted, still not allowed to move. "Bookboy, get the hell up!"

"It's no use, Onee-san" Road's smile was making me sick. "He's in my territory now"

She caught him in one of her illusions, or rather a dream. He won't be able to get out.

How does it work?

Well, it's kind of like your own Illusions, but it's still different. Road can actually interact with her victims and she's the manipulating their mind. If Lavi isn't able to destroy her in the dream, he'll be trap and, later on, his mind will be destroyed.

… can we do something?

W-what!? Hime, I won't let you-

I can't let him like that! If I go there, there's a good chance we'll get out together! I won't let him trap alone!

If we do this, you'll be at the mercy of Road and very well might be trapped too!

I don't care. Protect any information stored in my unconscious, but lift the veil protecting my mind.

… are you certain about this?

Hai.

There was a defeated sigh, and I felt some sort of pressure that I didn't even know was there disappear. Instantly, I kicked away the candle and faced Road.

"I'll play too, if you send me with him" I announced seriously.

"Ary!" protested Lenalee, hitting the box.

"Oh?" she smirked, apparently interested. "Little Gaby's letting you do it?"

"He won't stop me" I retorted.

"Very well"

Black threads suddenly spread in her back, and the world darkened all around.

When I opened my eyes, I wasn't in the tower anymore.

Trickster?

There was no answer, though, and I suddenly felt very alone.

"Road!" I finally called, my voice echoing in the emptiness. "Where's Lavi? The deal was for you to send me with him!"

"Maybe" she agreed, her voice coming from everywhere. "He's here, don't worry! You'll have to find him first, though"

She cackled, and I clenched my fists. I should have known she'd play dirty. Probably trying to by some time in hope to pierce my skull and take all the information she wants.

Ah, fat chance. I might not be able to contact Gabriel, but I knew he'd be able to stop her from getting what she wanted, no sweat.

I tried to activate my Innocence, but soon had to come to an understanding: here, I was in Road's territory. I couldn't do as I pleased, and that meant using my wings was out of the question, apparently.

So, I started walking.

"Bookboy? Bookboy!"

Only silence answered my pleas, and I was feeling worse and worse.

Alone.

What an horrible situation.

I'd always had someone with me, was I conscious of it or not. If it wasn't my family at first, then one of my friends or all of them for that matter, it was Gabriel. I never was alone, and the sheer sensation that it gave me scared me much more than I'd like to admit.

Alone.

I never though it could be so painful. Not having anyone, facing the unknown while being powerless, defenseless.

There was a scream, very familiar, that made my head snap so fast something cracked. There, barely two meters away, Lenalee was clinging for dear life to a platform, void awaiting her just under her feet.

"Jumper!"

"Ary!" she cried. "Help me, I- I won't last much longer!"

"I'm coming, hang on!"

Jumping from platform to platform, I reached her barely a second later.

A second too late.

She let go, slipping into the darkness.

"LENALEE!"

"ARYYYY!"

She extended her hand to me, hope and fear in her eyes, but I couldn't grab her on time, and she fall.

Her scream echoed in my ears as I stared at my hand, clenched on nothingness.

I failed her.

I killed Lenalee.

I wanted to throw up. How could I do that? How could I fail her like that? She counted on me, trusted me to save her! I was the Protector and Savior, was I not? So why the hell couldn't I save her!?

Something throbbed in the back of my mind, almost painful, and I suddenly remembered something very important.

It's a dream.

"Fuck!"

I quickly got away from the platform, and shook my head a few times. It was all an illusion. It wasn't Lenalee. She was still alive, still safe, and I had to find Lavi to save him too.

I kept on walking and, soon, the cries and plead of all my friends, of all my family, started following me as I made my way in what I hoped was Lavi's direction.

I ignored them, knowing that if I let myself be overpowered by the false images, I wouldn't be able to get out.

In the end, I ran, never straying from my path, never looking back.

And hoping it would end soon.

"LAVI!"

I finally found him, collapsed in the water, in what seemed like a copy of the subsoil of the Headquarters. Allen's body was floating not far from him. There was another him, standing aside, and glowing strangely. The one still up looked my way, but said nothing. I stopped dead in my tracks.

What if he was another illusion?

Suddenly, Gab's worry made sense. It wasn't just the illusions trying to break me at each passing second, it was the lack of trust I could allow myself in this world that was dangerous.

Was he the real one?

Was he merely another mirage?

The one lying down started moving, making me stiffen.

"You bastard…" he muttered, trying to get up. "You think you can do… whatever you want, asshole… ah, this sucks…"

Okay, that's the real one.

"Bookboy!" I called, running at him.

His head snapped my way but, instead of relief or annoyance, I merely saw anger.

My step faltered at his gaze.

"B-Bookboy?"

"Another of… your stupid trap, Road!?" he yelled angrily, getting up.

I paled at the sight of the dagger embedded in his torso.

"I'm not an illusion!" I protested nowadays. "Listen, I know it's difficult to believe, but-"

"DIE!"

"FUCK!"

I grabbed a floating piece of wood and managed to block the blade in time, his eye blazing in fury.

"I won't… let go… now!" he snarled. "I won't… betray my friends!"

"That's nice and all, Bookboy, but killing me won't exactly save my life" I retorted, struggling to keep my balance.

Because damn, I didn't know he had this much strength. Made mine look like a mosquito's.

"Damn it!"

His blade nicked my arm, drawing some blood, but I managed to get away and put some distance between us.

"Lavi, it's me, for fuck's sakes!" I tried again. "What's the problem with your thick skull? I know Road's playing tricks on you, but I struck a deal with- Damn, let me finish! Where're you manners!? God, that's why Ji-ji's my favorite between the two of you…"

At that, however, his movements stilled, and something dawned on his blood stricken face.

"… what?"

"Still falling for it, Lavi?" taunted Road's voice. "Truly pathetic… Come on! Kill her like you killed all the others! Why do you think I haven't use her yet? I kept the best for the end…"

"Shit!"

I blocked another attack with my stupid piece of wood, which finally break under the pressure. The blade embedded itself in my shoulder, and I let out a sharp gasp as pain flared.

I grabbed the hilt to stop it from getting deeper, and Lavi kept putting more strength into it, the colors draining more and more from his face as he got weaker.

"Bookboy… stop it!" I grunted, struggling. "It's me! Ary! I'm not one of her stupid illusions! It's really, really me! I made a deal with her so that she'd send me to your help, but she played me and I was sent to the other side of this stupid world! I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner but please, I'm not the fucking enemy here!"

"Stop… acting like her!" he yelled, pushing harder on the dagger. "Stop tainting… her image… with your damn lies!"

"YOU PROMISED ME HOT CHOCOLATE!"

There was a moment of heavy silence as he froze in his attempts to kill me. I took in a sharp breath as the dagger pulled out somewhat. Black spots started dancing in my eyes.

"You promised" I repeated, trying to stay conscious. "You told me you'd get me all the hot chocolate I'd want when we got back to Headquarters. You promised"

"A-Ary…" he mumbled, still not believing it.

"You really are falling for it!" cackled the Levi/Road illusion.

But I could sense some sort of fear and annoyance in her voice. Horror struck his features but, before he could react to her words, I pulled out the dagger from my shoulder and, not exactly thinking, I...

Well, I kind of stabbed myself?

God, am I glad Gabriel isn't here, all of sudden.

The cackling stopped as Lavi backed away, wide eye.

"… Ary?"

"Yeah" I coughed some blood, pulling out the dagger. "Shit, that hurts like a bitch… and Komui's going to give me a earful again…"

Ignoring the burning sensation in my abdomen, I shot a dark look at around.

"I found him" I spat her way. "No thanks to you, that's for sure"

"Lavi, she's really well created, right?" Road tried to wriggled her way out.

Something flashed in his eye, and I smirked at her mistake, before spitting out some more of my blood.

I exchanged a look with him, and he nodded in understanding.

Okay, because now that I stabbed myself, he trusted me?

Rude.

He grabbed the dagger, then pulled me up by the air, keeping appearances.

"If I kill her, do I win our little game?" he asked, swaying on his feet.

At his words, I could hear Road's giddiness.

"Depends if you really do it" challenged the Noah in disguise.

He glanced down at me, and I struggled a bit for good measure. He raised the dagger high…

Then, I grabbed Allen's body and used it as a shield. Stabbing right through where was supposed to be his heart, there was a sharp gasp.

"You found… my true form…" her voice echoed around.

"It's because you're… so infatuated with him…" smirked the redhead.

"You won't… survive as a… Bookman…" her voice seemed farther away, her presence slowly disappearing.

"Who was the one… who cornered me… into this?" he retorted with a smile. "Right now… right now… this is the best choice… I can make…"

He sunk to his knees, and I dragged myself to him.

"Hey, Bookboy" I let my head fall on his lap, feeling really tired.

"Hey, Tenshi" he replied. "So… it's really you?"

"Please" I scoffed, splattering my vest with more blood. "No illusion would be as gorgeous as I"

He chuckled and coughed at the same time, and I smiled a little as my body started buzzing, a sign we were returning to reality. However, I seemed to disappeared before him, and I understood he had some business left to take care of here. So, I let go first.

"I'll… see you… when you wake up…" I managed to say.

Then, I closed my eyes.

When I opened them, I was back in the tower.

Well, I think I was.

Still tired, I didn't had the strength to get up, so I just looked around with some sort of wonder. Where did the frozen snakes came from?

And where were the others too?

Ary!

Trickster!

Are you okay? What happened?

Can you see my memories or something? I really don't feel like explaining right now.

Alright. Don't push yourself too much, you're exhausted.

Got it.

However, I couldn't just stay there either. For all I knew, Road and Tyki were still there. So, I sat up and stretched a little. After a few more seconds of settling back into the real world, I managed to make out the voices of my friends.

"Ary!"

Oh, they're searching for me.

"I'm here!" I yelled back with all the voice I could muster.

There were exclamations –relief, joy, and cetera, and cetera- and, not three seconds later, Lenalee was by my side.

"Ary!"

She latched onto my neck, and I hugged back with a sharp laugh.

"Jumper" I grinned. "Let go, you're choking me…"

She obeyed, and I realized that she was crying.

"Guys!" she yelled at the opposite way. "I found her!"

There were precipitated steps coming our way, and she helped me up. Allen, Chaozii and Lavi all arrived in place, and I was relieved to see him alright.

"Yo" I greeted.

"Are you okay? I though you were supposed to be there when I woke up, but I just found Allen" remarked Lavi with a small smile.

"Don't sound so disappointed" grunted the white haired boy.

"I'm fine, it's just Road's stupid mind tricks that took a larger toll than expected" I assured. "It's okay, now. Is everyone okay? Where are the Noahs?"

They exchanged looks at that, somehow confused.

"We… don't really know" Allen admitted. "I stripped Tyki from his Noah, and Road kind of exploded…"

"That's… just weird. And how the hell did you do that?"

He became a Point Breaker. That was the throbbing that snapped you out of Road's hold the first time. And Ary, we're going to have a talk once we get out of here.

… right.

"I don't really know" the boy scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "My Innocence changed again… I think we're more in synch, now"

"Well, that's good and all, but we have to find the door now" I remarked. "They said it was upstairs, right? And you said Road exploded too... Seeing as she's the one keeping the door, doesn't that mean the door disappeared too?"

We all froze at my conclusion.

You're all morons.

Shut up, Gab.

"I'm going back to see if Krory and Kanda were hold up somewhere" announced Allen as Lavi checked if the door was still there.

"They're not" I shook my head.

The other three looked at me with wide eyes.

"Ary-"

"They're still alive, but they're not here" I precised. "With Archangel, I'm able to sense the Innocence around me. Kanda and Krory's disappeared, but they weren't destroyed, which mean they're alive, but not here. Going back would be pointless"

"But-"

"Guys! The door's still there!" called Lavi from up there. "Lenalee and Chaozii can't get up, though. Allen, Ary, can you grab them and make sure they don't fall?"

"Sure!" I yelled back. "Jumper, come on. You're hitching a ride on Air Ary"

She was still frowning at my revelation, but seemed relieved nowadays to know they were alive. Maybe not okay, but alive. Then, I picked her up, and activated my Innocence, before flying upstairs.

We reached the upper floor, and Lavi went to me.

"We're going to talk once everything is over" he muttered.

"I know"

Allen and Chaozii then joined us on Lavi's hammer.

"Come on, we don't know when the door will disappear" pressed Lavi.

But Allen simply turned away and went back to the hole by which we came up.

"Allen?"

"I'm going back to get Tyki and Lero" he announced, activating Crown Clown.

"Wait, are you serious?" the redhead tried to stop him.

"Now that he has lost his Noah, Tyki Mikk is no more than an ordinary man" replied the white haired boy. "You and Ary saw it, didn't you? When we first met him, back on the train, he had human friends"

I smiled, understanding where he was going with this, and I placed my hand on Lavi's arm –I didn't reach his shoulder without extending my own arm, now. Fuck my life.

"Those people are most probably waiting for Mikk to return, without knowing anything of his true identity" I pointed out. "And even though he's not exactly my favorite person, we are not monsters like them. We can't let him to die, just like that"

"But… if the Order discovers that he saved a Noah…"

"They can't afford loosing any of us right now" I remembered. "They might give a slap on the wrist, or some paperwork, but they really can't do much more, seeing as they need us. Plus, I'll take my share of responsibilities too if it comes to it"

"Ary-"

"Save… him?"

Surprised at the intervention, I turned to look at Chaozii.

"Did you not kill him?" he asked, his eyes wide.

"He's still alive" confirmed Allen.

"Why?" his tone became more frantic. "Him and his kind are the ones who partnered with Akumas and killed Lady Anita, Mahoja, and all of my friends… he's the one who tried to kill you, and who almost destroyed Lady Aryane's Innocence… so why would you… save him?"

"Chaozii-"

"Are you betraying us?" he asked, a little out of it. "If you save them, then you're our enemy too!"

"Chaozii!" protested Lenalee.

"Traitor!" he insisted, now yelling. "A demon, just like the rest of them!"

"That's enough!" I snapped his way. "Allen is saving him because that's the right thing to do, and because we're the good guys and that's our damn job to save as many people as possible! I understand your loss but if you want to walk down the path of hatred and vengeance, then don't bring others into it too!"

He took a step back at my words, and his fists clenched as his traits hardened.

"Defending him? Then you're no better!" he spat. "A monster backing up another monster!"

"He's no demon, no traitor and no monster! I don't fucking care about you say about me, but don't you dare spat such nonsense around!" I shot back, angry. "He's our friend, a fellow Exorcist, and you will treat him as such or I swear to God, you won't last much longer with us to spout these shenanigans, got it!?"

"Ary, stop it!" Lavi intervened, grabbing my shoulders.

"But he's-"

I froze, my guts turning to ice as a sick feeling twisted them in knots. It was just like when we faced the Noahs, but much, much, stronger, and I could make out the lingering smell of cigarette in the midst of the pandemonium swirling inside of me.

"Chaozii, get down!" I yelled.

Getting rid of Lavi's grasp, I ran to the man and pushed him as hard as I could. Next thing I knew, I was trapped into some sorts of vines, my vision obscured by the moving plants and choking for some air.

"Ary!"

"Don't… come too close!" I warned, trying to breath.

The vines tighten, and I felt my bones crack under the pressure.

There was a distinct 'POP'.

"Gah!"

I think that was your shoulder.

NO SHIT!

The familiar sensation of falling washed over my body as I was brought back downstairs, and the presence became stronger. I heard my friends scream, but I couldn't free myself and, a moment later, I harshly crashed on the floor.

"Ow…" my shoulder hurt.

I can't take care of it like that, you have to put it back in place first!

How am I supposed to do that?

Oi, do I look like a fucking doctor?

No, more like a fucking idiot hitching a ride in my head.

Using my left arm only, I lifted myself from the ground, and bile rose in my throat as I made out the form of the door on the ground before me.

In pieces.

"Shit…"

"Ary, are you okay?" Allen landed next to me with Crown Clown.

"I thought you said you stripped Mikk from his Noah" I remarked, gasping for air. "My shoulder's dislocated, by the way"

"But I did!" he protested. "I-"

He didn't finish his sentence, looking ahead of us with a horrified gaze. Following his eyes, I wanted to scream.

You really have the worst of luck, don't you?

Remember why I didn't bet with you sooner?

"What's the meaning of this?" panicked Allen.

Tyki Mikk, because it really was him, started walking our way. There were cross marks on his arms and torso, which I recognized as Allen's, but the one on his throat and his eyes were glowing a weird blue/green light.

"Can you still fight?" I asked, getting up.

For only answer, he pulled out a sword from his fricking left arm. Or did his left arm merely turned to a sword?

Not the time.

Sorry.

"That's kind of cool" I admitted, activating Archangel. "But I think I'll stick with my halo"

"Get back" he ordered. "With your shoulder in this state, you won't be able to fight"

"You just want me to get out of your way, don't you?" I retorted, taking one of my feathered blades in hand. "But no chance. I haven't fought once since we got here. I ain't about to leave you all the gloating rights"

"You don't-"

Tyki started screaming as the evil vines wrapped themselves around him, and I gritted my teeth as the sick presence of the Noah became stronger.

"Get ready, Kiddo" I warned, falling into a fighting stance. "This is about to get ugly"

Just as I finished, there was a violent gust of wind that almost sent me flying. Using my wings to protect myself from the debris, the screams stopped. Lowering my defense, I fought back the urge to sigh as Tyki Mikk stood before us, in all his Dark-Knight-Cosplayer-Glory.

Of fucking course. Hime, you better hope for a miracle.

I feel your confidence. And shouldn't I pray?

At this point, hope is the only thing that'll keep you alive.

So reassuring. I won't go down without a fight, though.

You'd told me otherwise and I would suspect that Road is still somewhere in your head.

Let's do this.

Next chapter is the last one in the Ark Arc. Also, some would think that Ary's little kidnapping was pointless, but it served a few purposes: first, they needed to make sure Gabriel was there. Second, they had to see if Road could get in. And third, they couldn't afford Ary staying stuck in one of the rooms. So, they brought her to them. That's all.

Question: Who's the Noah you like the less?

Reviews!