6. Level Two
The train screeched to a halt and I nearly fell out of my seat from the jerking motion. I heard a snort from across the compartment and knew that Kanda was laughing at me. I took a deep breath to calm myself and keep from snapping at him. The start of the voyage to Berlin had consisted of me ignoring snide comments from Kanda. Eventually he realized that I wasn't going to fight back and defend myself, and he had lapsed into silence.
We stepped off the train and onto the platform. I set my suitcase down on the ground while Kanda went to ask for directions to the hotel we were staying at. I looked around the platform and immediately felt out of place in my exorcists uniform. I picked up my suitcase and crossed my arms, hiding the Rose Cross on my jacket.
"Let's go," Kanda commanded upon his return. "We're meeting the Finder at the hotel. Then we can get information on the location of the Innocence."
And the akuma gathering, I thought nervously. I followed the raven haired exorcist reluctantly, unwilling to work with him on this mission. We wove through crowds of people on our way to the hotel. My bow was slung across my back. I noticed that Kanda was gripping the hilt on his katana. He too was nervous about the mission.
I looked around the street, my eyes lingering on every happy smile. I watched beautiful women laugh daintily at a joke made by one of many men trying to woo them. I saw little children playing ball and merchants selling their products. Everyone looked so nice to me and that was what scared me most. I didn't know who in this crowd was an akuma. I couldn't tell if it was the gentle looking old lady sitting in a rocking chair or the big man attempting to sell a pig roast. Anyone could be an akuma. I had to be ready at any moment to fight.
"It's right here," Kanda snapped, grabbing onto my jacket to keep me from walking any farther past the hotel. I blushed and followed him inside. The dimly lit lobby did nothing to calm my nerves. I almost clutched onto the back of Kanda's coat before I realized that he was Kanda and probably would attack me with Mugen if I did that.
After we checked in we climbed the steps to the third level. Kanda took the key from his pocket and put it in the lock, turning it sharply to the left. The lock clicked and the door swung open.
"Ahh!" I screeched. I jumped backward. A man was standing in the doorway of the room with some sort of machine aimed at me and Kanda. I reached for my Innocence, but then I recognized the uniform. It was our Finder.
"I'm so sorry," I apologized. "I wasn't prepared for that."
"Che."
"It's alright. I probably shouldn't have been standing in the doorway. I heard the lock click and thought maybe it was an akuma." He smiled at me and stepped back, allowing Kanda and I to enter the room. There were two twin sized beds, a good thing due to the fact that we had to share a room while here, and a small dressing table with a pitcher and bowl to clean up with.
"I'll leave you two to get settled and wash up, then we can talk about our situation. I will be waiting for you in the hotel restaurant." With that the Finder left the room.
"Did he ever say his name?" I asked Kanda.
"Does it matter?" he replied.
"Of course. He's our comrade too," I pointed out. This led to Kanda snorting in disgust.
"How so? It's not like he can do anything important."
"Yes he can! He's the one that tracked the Innocence here, isn't he?" I argued. I thought I made a good point, but Kanda just rolled his eyes.
"Can he destroy the akuma trying to get it?" I stayed silent. No, the Finders couldn't exorcise akuma. Kanda smirked. "My point has been made."
I wanted to argue back that that was the dumbest point ever made, but I knew that it would be useless trying to knock some sense into that boy's thick skull. I turned on my heel and stalked into the bathroom. There I washed my face and stared at my reflection in the mirror.
Since coming to the Order I had gained back my weight. Instead of having my ribs show I was now at a healthy size. I wasn't fat, nor was I a twig. My eyes seemed to regain a little bit of the light they once had when I was still living with my parents. I was happier here than I ever dreamed I could be.
I stepped out of the bathroom and picked up my bow. Kanda was sitting on the bed with his legs crossed and arms folded. When I entered the room he stood up and placed Mugen in the sheath on his belt. I made my way to the door.
"Let's just hurry and get this over with," I said.
"With pleasure," Kanda replied, pushing his way past me. I resisted the urge to jump on his back and strangle him and his ego.
"Innocence, activate!" I cried. The arrows in my quiver glowed with a red light and I nocked an arrow on my bow and pulled back the string. I aimed at the Level One. "Arrows of Despair!" The arrow glowed an even brighter red and I released my hold on the string. It soared through the air and lodged itself in the akuma. The machine turned to me, pointed its guns, and then blew up. The Innocence had done its job.
I spun around, another arrow ready, and saw Kanda. He had activated and was fighting the akuma as well. He invoked Kaichu Ichigen. The beasts flew at the akuma and destroyed it quickly. Kanda sliced through another.
I heard the sounds of a gun locking on its target, whipped around, and shot my arrow. It pierced the akuma behind me and I shielded my face from the blast. Too close to the explosion, I was flung backwards. I slid on the rocky ground and felt my skin be scratched. I looked down and saw blood coating my knees and hands. Shakily, I stood up and looked around. The akuma swarm still had six members. Komui had lied. The Earl already sent more.
It took me a moment to realize that the akuma were surrounding Kanda. He was dodging bullets and slicing through the air simultaneously. Two akuma blew up. I saw another turn and soar off somewhere else. I aimed, shot, and missed. Then I realized that it was heading towards the town. I glanced at Kanda. He had destroyed another one and had only two left. I assumed that he could handle them by himself and I tore off after the rogue akuma.
Once in the town I completely lost sight of the akuma. Did it change form? I wondered. I hoped that it didn't. I had no clue what it looked like and I couldn't walk around town with a nocked bow and arrow. I slung my bow across my back and attempted to stroll through the streets calmly. But inside, I was terrified. I fingered the dagger in its sheath on my belt.
An explosion brought me running into an alleyway. I looked on the ground and saw a pile of dust covered by clothing. Someone had just been killed by an akuma. I scanned the alleyway, but it was empty. How was it possible for the akuma to kill and flee that quickly?
"Looking for me?" came a voice. I spun around and was disgusted by what I saw. It was definitely an akuma. The thing had a clown face and body, the hands were large and the fingers were razor sharp. I stepped back.
"Who are you?" it asked. I turned and vomited in the nearest garbage bin. I choked back a sob. The creature was sickening and I couldn't stand to look at it. Was this a Level Two? Could I even fight that?
"You're an exorcist," the akuma answered itself. "You'll make a decent snack. You see, I've just leveled up and it's filled me with such a desire to kill." It took a step towards me and I reached for an arrow. I grabbed one and, without my bow, threw it at the demon. It hit him and he screeched in pain, but I knew that that wasn't enough to kill him. I needed Kanda. We would have to work together to kill this one. I spun around and ran.
People stared at me as I ran through the streets. I managed to trip and fall numerous times, but I just got up and ignored the pain and blood. I needed to reach Kanda before the akuma got me or him. I pushed through the crowds, causing people to yell angrily after me. Any other time I would apologize, but this was an emergency.
Finally I reached the field where the akuma swarm had been. Kanda was sitting in the shade underneath a tree, his back leaning against it. At the sound of my running feet he looked up.
"Finally," he said. "Where the hell'd you go? I got the Innocence."
Through my shallow breathing I managed to speak. "The akuma leveled up."
"What!? What are you talking about?"
"A Level One flew towards town, so I followed it and when I found it it was a Level Two," I explained. Kanda cursed loudly.
"You idiot! Way to go! What are we going to do now?" he yelled at me. I cringed and ignored him.
"Where's the Finder?" I asked, looking around. "Maybe he knows what to do."
"He's dead. He got shot by one of the Level Ones." Maybe it was the way Kanda said it so indifferently, but my heart began to ache for this man that I barely knew. I chocked back a sob. Kanda glared at me.
"Get used to it. Death happens all the time. Surely you know that considering that your parents are dead." He smirked at me and I suddenly didn't care about being nice. I mustered up all of my strength and punched him right in the stomach. He doubled over swearing and held his stomach.
"What the hell! Val, that freaking hurt, you idiot!" he yelled at me.
"Well, well. What's this? Exorcists fighting each other? How delightful!"
Kanda and I both looked up at the sound of the eerie voice. There, leaning against the tree, was the Level Two akuma. And he was smiling deviously.
"Shit," Kanda said.
I like this chapter. I think its pretty good and its rather long, so that's a plus! Please review and tell me what you think. I love reading them.
Dearest Val, Could you please tell me if I have been portraying you well enough. Send me a message on Facebook or email me. Also tell me what you thought of the chapter. Also, can you ice skate?