I genuinely couldn't remember if the update was supposed to be this week or not so... Either way it's late *nervous grin* After next chapter I can either do a 3-6 year time skip, or jump between Kanda, Lenalee, and Allen for awhile. Sort of surprised no one has asked Lavi yet (since he is in fact in the story) but meh. Lemme know what you want to read and I will try to deliver! :)
Thank you to Alice2795, karina001, Luce-san, Ern Estine 13624, amenokuma, CloudCarnivore, and to others for following and favoriting!
Chapter 8:
Allen stood, completely defenseless, not out of inability, but out of choice. He made no move to halt Kanda's blade as it descended towards his neck. There was a rush of air from another direction, but his silver eyes never ceased to abandon their grip on his opponent's eyes of darkness. He watched as they widened, in pain and surprise. Allen's remained steady as the steel blade, infused with Innocence, bit into his neck, continuing down and grazing the center of his chest. The cut, though still deep, was too shallow to be immediately life-threatening.
Blood crescendoed between the two, as they fell in opposite directions. Kanda's wounds were closing in seconds, and he was up, whirling Mugen in the direction of the third wheel. His eyes widened a second time in horror as he recognized the individual. He tried to twist the blade away, but was unable to stop his momentum, full force and already mid swing.
The blade slashed into Lenalee's side. She had not fully recovered her balance after kicking Kanda, and if he was determined enough, he could match her speed. She dodged slightly, a movement added by the continued invocation of her dark boots, and the twisting of the blade helped, but the momentum was too great and blade too sharp for her to get off without a scratch. Blood spurt from the wound and she crumpled to the floor. Allen's eyes widened, pupils turning to pinpricks as he saw the girl join him on the ground.
Kanda stood, motionless in shock as Allen scrambled to his hand and knees, right hand on his neck, and left grabbing at Lenalee's shoulder. The girl herself was clutching her side with both hands. Her bottom lip trembled in pain, but no tears fell and the sob she swallowed was one of relief. She made it in time.
"What're you doing?!" He screeched at Kanda. Partially because he was standing wide-eyed instead of getting help, but mainly because he had just turned his blade on Lenalee. Lenalee, the nicest, most caring person he had ever met. His first, and now his only, friend. Kanda grimaced, swallowed his horror, shock, rage, and darted from the room. He was unable to run in a straight line, trying desperately to suppress the wave of memories caused by his actions. Alma was gone. And now so was Lenalee. Allen had deserved death, the way he was acting, but not like that, not by him.
"Yu?" The damn burst. Kanda was brutally assaulted with memories of torture and darkness.
"K-Kanda?! What's wrong?" He dropped Mugen, whom he had previously held in a death grip, like a lifeline. The katana fell to the floor with a clank, droplets of blood flying away as it kissed the ground. Kanda meanwhile, fought back screams as he began drowning in a sea of memories, of murder. He murdered Alma. His only friend. He murdered Lenalee, the only person who tried. Alma. Lenalee. Alma. Lenlee. Alma. Lenalee…
Reever's eyes widened. He abandoned any attempt at comforting the boy, as Tiedoll tended to do by using his first name, instead jumping up and hurrying down the hall in the direction the boy stumbled from. The sudden movement caught the attention of Johnny and Tapp, who he had previously been lecturing. The two rushed to attempt to calm Kanda as Reever darted to find the owner of the blood.
"Lenalee. Lenalee!" He turned toward the sound of Allen's voice, dashing into the room. Reever found the boy, crouching over Lenalee. Both with shallow breathing and a pair of red hands. Reever brought in some doctors as fast as he could. Luckily, Allen's room was already in the medical ward, so it was only a matter of minutes before the two were given painkillers and receiving stitches. Reever waited until the task was done. Allen, now asleep, was returned to his bed and Lenalee, also asleep, was carried into a room across the hall.
"What happened?" Reever demanded. Having returned from seeing to the two kids, he redirected his attention to the third. Remembering the sorry state he left Kanda in, the question was directed to Tapp and Johnny, who had seen to him in Reever's absence.
"It was that beansprout's fault" Kanda attempted to growl, but there was a slight waver to his voice. That, coupled with the blanket he was hugging around himself diminished the cruel, accusing affect. Reever raised an eyebrow and knelt to Kanda's eye level, not requiring too much effort since he was currently perched on a chair.
"Really?"
"He didn't want to live, so I did the job for him. He's a coward!" The anger did not fail to make itself evident that time. Reever sighed, whispering in comparison to Kanda.
"Why didn't you just talk to him?"
Kanda jerked his head to the side, refusing to answer the question. Another sigh. Reever ran his fingers through his hair and prepared to rise when he was startled by a voice.
"Yu?" Tiedoll asked as he approached.
"Che." The black haired boy turned his head further, staring between the wall and the floor while deepening his slouch. Komui followed closely after. Reever sighed.
"I hate to say this, but there's a reason Komui is in charge."
Reever proceeded to escort Komui to the room Lenalee had been assigned to within the wards of the infirmary. During that time, Tiedoll brought Yu to a quieter place than the science department. The members of said department carried on half-heartedly. The amount of distraction they allowed to over take them varied per member, but no one lacked it altogether. After all, three of the nineteen oh so rare apostles, who entrusted the fate of saving the world, had just attempted to kill each other.
Windows were prohibited in the medical ward, so as not to risk any further injury. As a result, no moonlight leaked into the room. The darkness was pierced only by the dim lighting from above, and a few candles Komui set up at the exam table so he could continue his work, without leaving his sister's side.
"Brother…" Lenalee whispered. Her hand emerged from beneath the covers to clutch at Komui's sleeve, an action repeated frequently throughout her childhood. He continued the nostalgia by stroking her hair gently and smiling down at her softly. He was careful to radiate only assurance with the smile, taking extra care to mask his concern.
"What happened?" Her voice was still quiet, and she sounded groggy. He offered her some water, which she gladly expected after slowly sitting up. Her winces were addressed with offers for painkillers. The questions, in turn, were ignored as the girl took her time downing the glasses. Komui took away the empty cup and continued their previous conversation.
"I was hoping you could tell me." Lenalee sighed. Komui fluffed a pillow behind her and she smiled weakly, expression caught somewhere between grateful and exasperated.
"Was it an akuma? Or…" He let the question dissolve. Central would not attack their precious exorcists, especially ones so young. At least, not when Komui was present. But he had not been there and CROWs were known for taking any oppurtunity to ensure their orders followed through… Lenalee winced, ducking her head while shaking it back and forth.
"Not anything like that…" She took a deep breath and continued.
"Reever wanted us to talk to Allen. I've been really worried so I said yes. Kanda came to." Another pause. Komui scooted a little closer.
"Allen was really sad. It's not right for him to be so sad. Not right for anyone." The last statement was barely caught by Komui, a thought Lenalee had mistakenly spoke aloud. He took his sister's hand and she graciously curled her smaller fingers around his.
"I didn't know how to help. He looked so sad. But then I remembered what you do for me when I'm sad. So I went to get him something to drink and…" Her hand tightened its grip.
"I didn't want to go all the way to the kitchen and leave him alone for that long, so when I ran into a finder, I asked them to get one for me. When I came back I heard screaming. Kanda and Allen were…" She shook slightly from a suppressed sob, curling into herself. Tears threatened to slid down her face, but she swallowed, willing them away. Crying won't help.
"I got scared, 'cause they were talking about, about Allen…" I can't… It's too wrong… Allen… She sniffled, fighting the tears.
"I got scared so I invoked and ran in and Kanda was going to cut Allen with Mugen. And Allen was just standing there… So I kicked him. I hurt Kanda!" She sobbed, control finally breaking and tears descending, like the blade had in the fresh memories currently haunting her mind.
"I hurt him, and he hurt Allen!" Between talking and sobbing, her side was beginning to throb vengefully. That just made her cry harder.
"And Kanda was really mad, so he hit me, but he didn't mean to! He tried to stop but… But!" She could no longer speak, Komui enveloped her, hugging Lenalee to his chest and ever so gently rocking her. His eyes were closed and his mind was racing with causes and effects. But none of that fully caused his attention to leave his sister. Once she quieted, cries fading, she sunk back into sleep, abandoning Komui with his uncertainties.
The next day, once he convinced Jerry to watch Lenalee, he went to visit Allen. As it turned out, Allen's injuries were just as bad as Lenalee's. But since the deepest part of the cut was on his neck, the operation had been more extensive. Not to mention he had hardly had any time to recover from his previous injuries, which were also serious. As a result, the boy was still unconscious, and was predicted to be for at least a few more days. Thus Komui focused his attention onto the third member of the incident. After his breakdown, followed by an extensive talk with the general, Kanda had spent all his time meditating. This surprised neither Komui, or the man he ran into outside the meditation rooms.
"Ah, Komui, I was wondering when you would talk to him." Tiedoll said, scratching his hair. There were bags under his eyes that matched Komui's.
"How are they?" He asked, lowering his voice. This was to avoid his apprentice from hearing though Komui planned on informing him regardless.
"Lenalee woke up last night and is currently resting. The doctor's think it will take a few weeks for her to recover." He paused, Tiedoll was nodding solemnly, eyes drifting away from the chief.
"Allen isn't expected to wake up for a few more days, and his recovery will take more time." Tiedoll nodded again, then sighed. He looked as if he wanted to apologize. Instead he just stared at Komui for a moment, then said:
"But he doesn't really have time, does he?" Komui winced, recalling the conversation with the director and Cross.
"More than he had before. Once I send this report to Central, he should have at least a week."
"In the meantime, Central is going to plan out his life." Tiedoll spoke with a voice tinged with sarcasm. A failed attempt at lightening the situation.
"May I speak to him?"
"Of course, he's in the meditation room. Has been since yesterday." The two exchanged a formal goodbye before going their separate ways. When Komui arrived Kanda was, in fact, meditating. Though the twitching of his eyebrows upon the chief's entrance indicated he was not having the best luck at achieving the task.
"Hey Kanda." No response. Komui smiled sadly and sat down cross-legged in front of the boy. His brows furrowed further in an attempt to concentrate.
"I was hoping we could talk." Kanda turned his head away but continued trying to focus on, well, anything but Komui at this point, as his eyes were now open.
"Can you tell me what happened?" His voice was lighter, as if he was talking to an actual child. Both of them knew this to be a lie, and it showed in the searing glare he delivered.
"Che." He turned his head away.
"What happened Kanda?" Komui's voice now rang with authority, a demand not a question.
"That brat got on my nerves." He final growled, glare fixed on the wall.
"To the point where you tried to kill him?" Komui asked, struggling to keep the doubt from his tone. Kanda fixed his glare on the man.
"Yes." He answered, completely serious. There was a brief stalemate, then Komui sighed and rose.
"And what should I tell Central?"
"Tell them whatever you." Kanda to rose, grabbing Mugen which had, until now, been concealed behind him.
"I couldn't care less."
Allen woke up the next day, much to the alarm of one of the nurses. She had been told the boy wasn't expected to awake for awhile and since the rumors of ghosts in one of the labs had started flaring up again, she mistook the voice she heard and bolted from the room. Komui was quick to notice, since he was visiting Lenalee at the time. He couldn't help but chuckle at the ridiculousness of that. Ghosts aren't real. But then his mind drifted to all the other things that were real and shouldn't be, and the flicker of mirth was crushed.
Just as informed, the boy was awake when Komui entered, silver eyes wide with surprise even after hearing the knock on the door. He was sitting up on the floor, after the surprise was wiped from his face, he took on a look somewhere between guilty and frustrated. Komui sighed with a smile.
"And what would you be doing out of bed?" He chided before crossing the room and kneeling before him. He looked away, a faint blush creeping across his face. Komui chuckled, then scooped him up. His squirms and shouts of protest only made his smile widen as he carried Allen back to the bed. He growled as Komui set him down, then brought up a chair to sit beside him. His smile vanished, drawing Allen's attention.
"How are you?" Allen's eyes widened slightly then he abruptly looked away as another blush worked its way across his face, much to Komui's confusion. He, cares? Allen thought, before collecting himself after a minute or two.
"Fine." Komui sighed and gave the boy a stern look. Allen tensed and looked away.
"It hurts." He finally said, right hand reaching up to clutch at his heart, which was currently covered in bandages.
"A lot." His voice wavered, but he steadied himself before Komui could say anything. His gaze hardened, focusing, and with a glimmer of resolve, the unwavering set of silver eyes focused on Komui. The chief, having hardly seen that look on anyone, let alone a child, was a bit unnerved.
"But that's not why you're here is it?" He asked, tone neutral, but words sounding accusing.
"No…" Komui admitted, his own collectiveness quickly crumbling under the boy's look.
"Then why?" Allen asked. Komui took a breath, refocusing. He sat up straight and continued.
"Can you tell me what happened?" He did not look away, as the other two had, or as Komui was expecting him to do. Instead the look in his eye changed to something unreadable. He clutched at the blankets with his right hand then looked away, guilt finally seeping through.
"Lenalee and Kanda came. She wanted to cheer me up… Dunno why." The whispered thought at the end held no ill intent, more of a sorrowful question then anything.
"She left to get a drink, then Kanda started talking."
"What did you talk about?" Komui asked. Allen shrugged.
"We got into a fight, then… Well you know what happened." Komui almost flinched. Yes, he did know what happened, but how did Allen know that? Before Komui could say anything more, Allen's head slumped forward and his grip on the blankets loosened.
"Allen?" Komui leaned forward. Allen was fast asleep. Apparently, his continuous attempts to walk about had exhausted him. Komui carefully repositioned him so he was lying down under the blanket then left. I can't let Central decide his fate.
A week later, just as Komui had predicted, the director came with a small battalion of CROWs. He demanded to see Allen Walker and promptly escorted him to Hevlaska's by means of near literal dragging, as he could barely stand, yet alone keep up with the brisk, purposeful pace of the director. Komui intervened, but only managed to save Allen from the fate of being dragged. Thus, he accompanied the pair, carrying Allen to Hevlaska's chamber where they now stood.
"Well Hevlaska?" The director's glare could not have been more menacing as the man bore his impatient eyes into the child, whose fate depended solely on his ability to fight. Komui stood, thankful for the faint darkness that masked his beads of sweat. Allen shook silently, once again deeply unsettled by the prodding touch delivered by Hevlaska. The being in question reeled back suddenly, shook her head ever so slightly, then returned her forehead to the boy's. After a few moments she set him down, gently, onto the platforms edge.
"H-his syncro rate..." She paused continuing to look at the boy, though she lacked eyes, her gaze appeared to be one of disbelief.
"...Is nearly eighty percent." Everyone started, save the host who furrowed his brow and glanced suspiciously at his left hand.
"That high? Are you sure Hevlaska?" Komui questioned, eyes widening in horror.
"Yes, I too found it hard to believe, and thus checked three times." The director's smirk was wide and unmasked. He clenched his fist, drawing it inward: a sign of victory.
"There's no denying it then. During his brief encounter with Cross his ability increased tenfold." He turned to the chief, smugness radiating from his very core.
"I'll report to the Pope, but you may as well send him off now. With results like these, his capabilities may easily match a general's one day. You can't shield him from Central, Komui." Komui's fist could not have been clenched tighter. His white knuckled were hidden, in stark contrast to his glare which bore upon the director with the same ferocity he had been directing upon Hevlaska moments before. The victim of said glare, appeared utterly unaffected as he towered before the boy.
"You will be quite the soldier of life." Allen swallowed, but was otherwise unconcerned, at least he acted that way. Komui did not fail to note the sudden tension in his shoulders. Unfortunately, the director picked up on this as well. He laughed, a low cackle.
"There's no escape for you, Allen." Instead of trembling, or even flinching away, the boy's brows furrowed, some sort of resolve forming in the place of fear. He said nothing. The director scowled at his lack of obvious reaction and began moving the elevator upwards.
The next day, Komui once again retrieved Allen and brought him to Hevlaska's chamber. His syncro rate was the same but now the deity was far more willing to discuss what else the increase in synchronization entailed.
"Allen, your Innocence will someday create a great 'destroyer of time in the' in the dark future."
"What does that mean?" Fear did not leak into his voice, but the sudden tension in his shoulders gave him away. He looked afraid.
"It's alright, Hevlaska's prophecies are cryptic, but usually dead-on." Komui smiled, but since he dodged the question, Allen drew little comfort from it. The smile faded quickly regardless, as another thought crossed her mind.
"Hevlaska, now that he has properly invoked, is it already starting to…?" He trailed off, glancing at the child beside him, who stared back with an innocent yet weary gaze. Hevlaska, however, pulled meaning from the question that remained ominous and cryptic to the boy.
"Yes, as with all of that type." Komui grimaced, regret and sorrow hitting him like a wave. He turned away from Allen and brought the elevator up. At seven years of age, the Innocence was already eating away at his life.
