Author's notes: And here we are, the Twelfth Chapter for The God's Clown and The Prince of Sky! First of all, I'm really sorry for the extremely late update. I'm having writer block and I telling you, it's much more difficult this time to write! Not to mention now I'm having interest at 07-Ghost and now write a fanfic about it, and my big brother also had just recovered form his sick. It's a difficult time for me and my family. He suffered some kind of fungus on his legs, auto immune, and terrible stomach ulcers. The fungus was said residual disease from past, probably measles or something similar like that. And it wasn't helping he had an unhealthy lifestyle. He rarely exercise, working too much, easily stressed, and most of all he like to smoking in the shadow while we're clueless. Apparently except my dad, somehow he knew this fact. My brother had to spend more than a week in the hospital and it was cost us a lot of money. Thank God, he's fine and now he has returned to home, hopefully he will change his lifestyle so he will not get sick easily.
I made 07-Ghost fic called S.O.S! Help me, I'm in 07-Ghost. To short the summary it's tell about a normal girl got throw into 07-Ghost world and Helping the main character while she try to search a way home. If you're interest, you can check it out. As for God's clown and Prince of Sky, I was thinking to make another special chapter for EllenxNoctis pair. What do you think? I'm sure you're want it judged from the few last reviews I've received for the special chapter, but I have to ask you first. And for those who celebrate Ascension of Jesus, as a Muslim, I give you all congratulation. May you all celebrate it in peace! :D
And it's the time for reply all the previous reviews, everyone!
For evelvet: I had a great New Year, thanks. And too bad that's New Year had long passed so I don't think I can say a Happy New Year to you. D: There're a lot of things I must do before I can continue writing this story and mainly this chapter. Took an incredibly long time for to finish this chapter, but hey I hope you're like it, friend.
For Marshal Belinsky: I see you've changed your name id and your image. Must say it's so cool! Thank you so much for your review and support! Good day/ Night! XD
For SnowShiro-Kitsune14: Glad you're like the chapter. :D As for the question, it's a Japanese song known as 'METRO BAROQUE' by Nana Mizuki for Blood C movie. You can find the lyrics and its translate at internet. The song is quite awesome too, you should listen it by yourself! I very suggest you! :D And for the matter about Ellen was going to stabbed herself...well, please check out of this newest chapter I've posted. I'm not sure if I can do it or not but I'm trying my best to follow the original plot of DGM.
Edit (27/03/2013): Hello there. After I reread this chapter I've just notice there was an inconsistency part in this story so I changed that part to match the whole plot story. You can see it in part where Ellen learned the reason why Noctis didn't tell them the whole truth about his power. Sorry for my incompetence and my mistake in here. T_T;;; I hope something like this would never happen again in the future.
Disclaimer: …It's very obvious. If I do own DGM, I will put Allen as a girl and have her trapped in triangle love ship between Kanda and Tyki and perhaps some fan services in here and there. XD LOL (Just kidding)
Warning: This fic has gender bender element, some of the spoilers, the possibility of AU, few swearings, and a lot, lot of bad grammars, due to the reason I not have a beta. Perhaps I really should starting to look at one… －_－;;;
The God's Clown and the Prince of the Sky
Story12: CONSTUPRO
"Master!" Tsukimikami hastily approached the hole where Timothy had just got threw at.
Tsukimikami's worry for his master getting wounded wasn't proven when Timothy yelled at him angrily, although he was having all those dust and debris scattered on him and had scratches in here and there.
"Y-You liar, Tsukimikami...! My technique didn't work at all!" He protested and made a face.
"That's 'cause the Akuma you're controllin's a Level 2 and you were up against a Level 3." Tsukimikami pulled Timothy from the debris and rocks. Timcanpy flew above them with confuse gesture.
"Listen yeah? There are different levels of Akuma. The bigger the number the stronger they get."
"So basically..." Timothy concluded. "A Level 2 can't beat a Level 3?! Tell me these things earlier...!"
"W-Wait...what're you tryin' ta do now...?!" Tsukimikami went pale when Timothy's began to glow intensively. Much to the Innocence's horror, Timothy was flew from the possessed body of Akuma and bolted toward the bulky Akuma.
"I'LL JUST HAVE TO TAKE THAT ONE OVER!" Timothy grinned mischievously as he flew straight to the higher level of Akuma.
Tsukimikami was holding his head and completely freaking out. How could his master was this bold and so confident to take that one Level of Akuma…!? He wasn't able to take the higher level of Akuma yet!
"STOOOOOOP...!" He shouted from his lung and successfully startled the golden golem near him.
BOOONK!
But it was too late for the Innocence to stop the boy as Timothy's soul bounced violently with the bulky Akuma. But it wasn't Timothy if he was given up once. Not gave up yet, the boy's spirit form was flying toward the Akuma once more, tried to possess the Level 3.
"...Take that one over!" Timothy shouted still with that confident of his. He flew straight at the Akuma…
BOOONK!
…To be bounced again away from the Level 3 Akuma, while the said one eyed, bulky demon was having what looks like puzzlement expression. This time, the boy was stopped for being confident and couldn't believe at what just happened; he couldn't possess this one with his Innocence ability.
'I can't take him over?!' Timothy was having that dumfounded look at his face.
Tsukimikami sighed. The Innocence slightly wondered if his Master was really this stupid, not patient, and hot headed.
"Look, Tsukimikami increases its synchrorate the more times you use it, at the level we're at right now, takin' over a Level 2's the most we can manage."
"Tell me these things earlier...!" Timothy snapped.
"I was tryin's ta...!" The Innocence snapped back with a vein throbbed violently at his head.
Timothy immediately lost his anger and turned his soul at the Level 2 body's direction.
"I-I guess I'll just go back to that one and..." Timothy was intended to go back but stopped by Tsukimikami.
"Not happenin'."
Then something beyond Timothy's expectation was happening; The Akuma body's he previously possessed was cracking and broke down into dust.
While Timothy looked at the event in disbelief, Tsukimikami was elaborated more of his explanation.
"Since you've taken over an Akuma, the moment ya left it behind, it gets purified by the Innocence an' disappears completely."
"Seriously?" The red eyed boy went deadly pale than before.
WHAAAM!
"A..."
Tsukimikami flinched at the booming sound. His eyes went widened when he turned at the boomed source which none other than the bulky, huge Level 3 Akuma landed just a few meters away from Timothy's body. The impact had destroyed the floor beneath the demonic creature. In its hand, a ball of energy was starting to form.
"If I can get rid of his body, that's should be take care of the rest!" The Level 3 backwards and bolted toward the direction where was Timothy's body laid at.
In full alarmed, Tsukimikami warned his master.
"Get back in your body, Master! There's no more Akuma here ta take over!"
Processed the important information hurriedly, Timothy gaped and spun his small body to saw the Level 3 had came near his body, drove Timothy into pure panic.
'My body!'
"RUUUUUN―!" Timothy screamed and he was hastily trying to go back to his own body. Timcanpy trailed behind the boy, tried its best to arrive in there faster than the Akuma.
"NOW DIE, INNOCENCE USER...!" The bulky Akuma threw its punch toward the boy's and ready to crush him completely, only to be stopped by certain CROW who was appearing abruptly with the said nuisance young man via teleport and get in the Level 3's way.
Link quickly separated himself from Noctis. The blonde then was letting out and used his talismans to stop the Akuma's punch just at time.
Bind!
"!" The Level 3 Akuma didn't bother to hide its shock while Timothy, who had gone back to his original body, was staring blankly at the back and the yellow braided hair of his savior.
"Looks like we're manage to get here just in time." Link smirked cynically. "I guess this mean I can still in the game."
Meanwhile at another place…
In the dark dimension like room, a group of demon with human like appearance was making a circle. They had demonic like face, bald head with unique earrings, they wore the same coats, and had their hands formed a certain hand sign for spell. They weren't normal humanoid demon, but a group of humanoid demon who work under Earl's order. And they were the cause of the barrier on the orphanage. In front of them, there was a cylinder screen that allowed them to see the situation at outside the orphanage. And it seemed a guest arrived.
"Hey." The first humanoid demon warned the others.
"Yeah." Another humanoid demon nodded slightly.
"The Order's here." The third stated.
Snow had started to fell around a minute ago and yet it didn't stop the Finders group to came to the orphanage, followed the trail of their fellow Exorcists. They had tried to knock the door few times. But to their confusion however…
"No answer."
"That's strange. Marie said they were heading for this orphanage." Jiji told them.
"I can't see anyone inside, are they all out?" The Finder with light, pony tail haired tried to search any signs of the occupants inside the orphanage.
"What about Marie and them, then?" Jiji raised an eyebrow.
"I don't know." The pony tailed Finder sweat dropped.
"..."
The two of them warily glanced from their shoulder. Behind the Finders and Jiji, were standing Reever with his smile and fumed Inspector Galmar. And a dark and murderous aura was coated the middle aged man as he kept glared toward the Finders.
"Wah, they keep staring at us." Jiji muttered.
"Quit staring at us."
"This is ridiculous! I know this orphanage well! There's no way the Mysterious Thief G could be here!" Inspector Galmar was had been fumed ever since they arrived at the orphanage.
"I explained it didn't I, Inspector?" Reever kept his polite and innocent smile in fully intact.
Galmar was glanced suspiciously at the blond spiky haired man. "These 'Innocence', they really have strange powers?"
"That's right." Reever replied shortly.
"Hmm..." The Inspector right eye twitched violently. More of the vein marks appeared on his head.
'Occultists.' He marked sarcastically inside his mind.
The Inspector poked his head to Reever. "I have my orders, so I have no choice but to help you. But if this 'Innocence' doesn't show up, I'm taking your friends back into custody."
"As you like." Reever politely replied.
"But if it does appear, the Mysterious Thief G will be coming with us."
"Fine."
There were crackles of fire spattered between them while standing at behind them, one of the crimson robed guys, was only watching the whole battle with frown.
'...'
The other and shorter crimson robed who is happened to be a girl, approached him and began to murmur carefully.
"Brother. There's something strange about this building." The girl told the young man beside her. The taller robed guy had his expression changed.
At the same time, Jiji was doing something onto the door and it had the other Finders' attention.
Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.
"What're you doing, Jiji?" The spiky Finder asked.
"...There's something weird about this building." Jiji told them, his voice sounded serious.
"What do you mean?" The pony tailed Finder lowered his body.
Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.
"I keep scratching but it doesn't make a mark." Jiji slightly frowned; his hands kept working at the door before he stopped his action. He then gestured his hand. "Give me your gun."
"Huh? Okay." The spiky Finder pulled a gun and gave it to Jiji.
"There's something like this at the Asian Branch. It's a door the old branch head made..." Wasted no time, Jiji pointed and shot the gun twice times toward the door.
BANG! BANG!
"WHOA! What are you doing, Jiji!?"
"Look." Jiji mentioned the Finders to come closer.
"!"
…And much to their chagrin's, the two bullets Jiji had fired were stopped by some force of energy before they fell and the door remained to has no scratch at all, left the ripples like vision at the door.
"N-Not a scratch!"
"This is some sort of sealed barrier." Jiji stated warily.
"So it's the Science Department…" The third humanoid demon hummed cynically.
"Panic all you like." The second chuckled mockingly.
"No human can pass through this barrier." The first one stated confidently.
"…Except one." The fourth and the last one added abruptly.
…
…
"MUST YOU REMIND ME ABOUT THAT ONE HUMAN―!?" The first humanoid demon roared angrily. "HE'S AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT CASE, YOU IDIOOOOT―!"
"Sorryyyyy…!" The fourth yelped in fright.
"Just ignore him already…They're just normal humans, there's no way they enter the barrier just like that spiky head…" The third demon rolled his eyes and tried to ignore the fourth demon.
"Yeah, there's no way they can penetrate our barrier." The second humanoid demon agreed with his fellows.
How wrong they were.
"Marie! Kanda!" The spiky Finder banged the door as strong as he can.
"Can you hear me, Ellen!? Are you in there with Noctis!?" The pony tailed did the same.
"W-What's going on?" Bonnaire looked tense.
The short haired Finder tried to push the door but it couldn't be open no matter hard he had pushed it.
"D*mn it! I can't get inside!"
"It's no use, you idiots! Unless the barrier's broken…" Jiji told them.
A hand with red sleeve had already cut Jiji and touched the barrier. It was the hand of the taller robed young man, stood calmly as everyone was staring at him.
"Out of my way." He told them with firmness.
He pushed his hand a bit fiercer and before they could comprehend the whole situation, the crimson robed young man opened an enter gateway with unknown force, and allowed him to entered the barrier without some difficulties.
He disappeared into inside with the gateway closed once more.
He was leaving Jiji and the Finders with their mouths gaped and wide eyes.
"Whaaaat…?!" The second humanoid demon bewildered.
"How can that's possible!?" The third asked to no one.
"This can't be happening…!" The first one denied harshly.
"Is he the friend of spiky head from before?" The fourth wondered.
"No way!" The second retorted hotly.
"We'll be doomed should Earl know about this…" The third humanoid demon muttered weakly, shivering at the angered Earl's imagination.
"Don't. Ever. Mention. It. Again." The first demon like warned darkly.
"Mister!" Timothy quite shock to has the braided blonde defended and shielded him from the Level 3.
"Hey, Timothy! Timcanpy!"
Both Timothy and Timcanpy turned their heads to found the other guy he'd grew recognized, was approaching him.
"Mister with odd magic!" The 9 years old boy exclaimed.
Noctis almost tripped at his feet and sweat dropped. 'Mister with odd magic…?'
None less, he decided to ignoring the nickname and grasped the boy's shoulders. "Do you think that you're still in one piece?"
Timothy looked hesitant for a moment. He checked his body at first before his gaze met Noctis'.
The blue haired boy nodded once. "I guess..."
"I take it no injury, at all?" At the hasty shook from Timothy, the euclase eyed young man helped the boy onto his feet. "Good, let's get you out from here."
"You sure are persistent! You and that little bastard...!" The Level 3 roared furiously and kept continues to punching the barrier of the talismans even harder and more brutal. "Die! Die! Die! Die!"
"Ugh―!" Link grunted in pain.
"Link―!" Noctis shouted alarmingly.
"Just ignore me and get hurry with Timothy...! I can't hold him for any longer at this rate, just hurry!" Link shouted back as he struggled to keep to barrier intact.
"On it!" Noctis grabbed Timothy's hand and about to brought him along when Timothy stopped him from moving.
"You can't just leave him in here alone, can you...!? He's gonna die at instant! Can't you do something to help him!?" Timothy looked panic.
"Not if you're still in here and as long as you're within danger zone..." Noctis stated firmly.
Tsukimikami added his two cents hurriedly. "He has a point! We have to out since practically you're weak without possessing an Akuma."
"I wish there's Akuma I can possess!" Timothy groaned before his eyes suddenly lit up and went eager with an idea that came across within his head. "Oh! If I can possess him, can I use my Innocence to help him?"
"No! /No." Both of Tsukimikami and Noctis forbade.
"You can only do that to Akumas." The Innocence added more and crossed both of his arms to make an 'x' shape.
Meanwhile, at the another side, Ellen and Kanda were running to Timothy's direction and help both young men to defeat the bulky Level 3 Akuma they faced at. As much as they want to, they forced to gave Timothy's safety top priority above the winged angelic demon they fought until recently. They can face the Akuma for later. The female Exorcist and the samurai ran passed the strongest level of the Akuma.
"Out of my way...!" Ellen screamed angrily as she and Kanda made their way to Timothy's place.
But beyond their anticipation, the Level 4 Akuma had gotten at their way before they could even reach Timothy and the others. In a very stolen moment, the strongest level of Akuma opened its mouth and released a supersonic scream attack with the Exorcists as its targets.
Akuma Scream!
"Oh Sh…!" Noctis cursed under his breath.
"Watch out...!" Link shouted and was tackling both Timothy and Noctis to the ground when the attack hit them for sure.
At instant their ears were ringing painfully from the supersonic sound, despise the action they done by covered their ears tightly. Ellen, Kanda, and Marie weren't as fast as Link as they position nearer than Link group to the Level 4, therefore they more vulnerable and got hit more than their other friends. Despise the pulling act to covering their ears as fast as possible, they were either fallen weightlessly to the ground like Marie or on their knees, like and Ellen and Kanda but only because they supported themselves with their own swords. At the other side, although Link, Noctis, and Timothy's position quite far, they still received the same frequency from the supersonic attack. Link talismans were loosing their powers because of took the hit. Soon the talismans fell to the earth beneath, leaving the three of them without defense.
'Ugh! My spell…!' Link cursed mentally, hissed in lowly. His head was so hurt and it just likes it about to crack open or split into half.
"Oww..." Noctis groaned painfully.
Timothy's condition wasn't any better as his eyes spinning unfocusedly and his eyes looked dazedly. Tsukimikami kneeled beside the boy with deep worry and concern.
"Master…!?"
"...Huueee～～～? My head...is spinning..." The blue haired boy said weakly before he fell into the ground.
"Timothy! Noctis!" Link called their names in urgent as he was lifting Timothy's body into his arms. "Timothy, please hang in there! Don't get pass out yet!"
"It's...easy for you...to say..." Noctis protested weakly, from the corner of the blonde's eyes, he clutched both sides of his head with that painful expression. It was getting worse when Link's vision went blurry and he felt drained than ever, in which meaning his conscious began to fail him as well.
'D*mmint, my conscious...' Link cursed mentally, his head was spinning dizzily.
"It's no use!" The Level 3 was roaring as it came at them.
'In...spector...' Link called his superior name between his conscious.
Just at the time the punch was coming toward him, a hand suddenly grabbed the demonic creature fist and stopped right in there.
"!?" The Akuma eye widened dramatically. Someone had stopped its attack by their hand.
And turned out it was the hand of the robed young man who did enter the barrier earlier. He stood firmly at his place, showed a cool expression and was looking straight at the Level 3 Akuma.
"An Exorcist!? No," The Level 3 quickly realized something. "I can't sense any Innocence!"
"3, eh...?" The crimson robed young man smirked cynically. Link couldn't help but had his brown eyes widened instantly since he very familiar with the robed young man's voice.
'! That voice...!'
"Invoke." The robed man's hand abruptly transformed to darker color and odd shape with a hole at his palm.
The Akuma body started to shimmered like a mirage caused by hot temperature and heat. The bulky creature was very shock at this.
"What?" Its voice latched with horror. "My body...!?"
Devouring Machine!
"Take this." The robed guy exclaimed coolly and activated his power. The hole within his palm was turning out to be some kind of small sized black hole.
Creation Hole!
"I'm being absorbed...!?" The Level 3 shrieked as its body sucked into the hole on the human's palm.
ABSORB!
"GYAAAAAAAAAAH―――!" The Level 3 Akuma scream's echoed loudly as its body went twisted into a medium tornado, wind blew violently around the crimson robed person as the tornado like came toward the likely black hole, and completely disappeared into inside it, gone from earth forever.
DEVOUR!
Noctis who had just regained half of his strength back was only seeing the last moment when the Level 3 had sucked into the black hole like. He gaped incredulously at the witnessed.
"What…had just happen?"
Link also having this incredulous expression on his usual cool façade.
'He destroyed the Akuma!?' The blonde eyed the robed young man.
Once the Akuma gone and the wind died, the braided blonde had the initiative to call the robed young man.
"…Madarao?" Link called the robed guy's name carefully.
The red clothes young man didn't give any respond. Instead, he turned his body to face the blonde.
"What's a 'CROW' doing in here...?" He asked with the same cool tone he just used earlier.
Noctis couldn't help but had his mouth gaped widely. He exchanged his stare between Link and the new comer with shock.
'They...know each other?'
"Is that a new Exorcist...?" The winged demonic creature was frowning as it watched both blonde human and the mysterious crimson robed human.
'Impossible,' The strongest level of Akuma thought.
"God. This is turning out to be a horrible day..."
'How did he get through the barrier?' The level 4 intrigued mentally.
"If you'd just concentrate and quiet getting distracted by what's going on over there..." A scowling voice warned from before the winged Akuma. The owner was none other than Kanda, looked as pissed as ever with Mugen in his hand. He pointed the katana toward the winged demonic creature.
"Shut up, Kanda..." Ellen stood up and lifted her huge sword across her shoulders, also having that pissed off expression on her face.
The winged Akuma smirked sardonically. "You are persistent." The Level 4 brought the Gatling gun right in front of Ellen's face and she could hear clearly the sound of cocking gun came.
CKLAK!
"Aaaah―!" Ellen screamed, the beautiful Exorcist moved way from the huge gun. She performed a forward salto jump as she was pushing the Gatling gun to below with that sword gripped hand of hers.
"Nimble little pest!" The Level 4 laughed maniacally, it was about to raising another Gatling gun when Kanda took the good chance to attack the Akuma.
"Sangenshiki: Bakuhakuzan!" Kanda swung Mugen as he was spinning his body and slashed the bewildered Akuma.
He managed to land his attack and cut its abdomen but the winged demon somehow managed to got few bullets hit the long haired samurai and injured him at the process. And yet even as the strongest level of Akuma had fired its Gatling gun, suddenly two explosions destroyed the Akuma's left arm and right leg. Its shock not long life when from the corner of its eyes, Ellen with her white Innocence cloak already stood across right and already swung her own sword. The Akuma had no choice but to use its teeth to grab the huge sword's side. Ellen's silver eyes widened comically at the unexpected action.
"His teeth!?" Ellen burst out.
The angelic demon kicked the young woman away with the remaining leg. The Akuma dropped the Sword of Exorcism from its mouth then fired the silver eyed female Exorcist with still functioned Gatling gun of the Level 4.
"Die! Die! Die! Die! DIEEEEEE…!" The winged demon fired both its Gatling gun arms at the running Exorcist.
"…Ukh!" Ellen winched in pain as few bullets got her on the left leg and left shoulder.
"ELLEN!" Marie shouted in extremely anxious for his fellow kin.
'It's no use…with this aural blast the Level 4 is giving off, I can't even tell what's going on…' Marie mentally cursed. 'If only I had my headphones…Ugh…!'
At another side of the battlefield, Link had stood on his feet again, carrying a sleeping form of Timothy. Beside him, Noctis in kneeled position and composed his labored breathes.
"Can you stand?" The blond haired young man eyed his accompany in mild concern.
"I will manage…" Noctis arise slowly and held a pained hitch. Timcanpy flew in circle frantically above his head. "I'm fine."
He then glanced concernedly at Timothy's sleeping form. "He's going to be fine, isn't he?"
Link had his gaze at the blue haired boy for a second and turned back to him.
"He's only unconscious from the supersonic attack. He will be fine and awake soon since his natural is a child that can never be quiet and stay still." Link answered ironically. Noctis closed his eyes for a moment before he commented in weak voice.
"I take it as good..." Noctis watched the whole intense battle between the Exorcists versus Level 4. "This is…the power of the Level 4…?"
"Unfortunately it is," Link said drily. "The Level 4 is ridiculously tough…only the Generals those can beat it."
"The Generals?"
"They're the most powerful Exorcists within the Order. They're stronger few times than usual Exorcists like Walker and Kanda." Link gritted his teeth in frustration. "Is it impossible to defeat one without the Generals…?"
"…I don't think so…" Noctis had opinioned, startled the blond braided young man. "I know it's ridiculous…but I have a faith on Ellen. She's struggling hard with that Level 4 and logically it's should be impossible because she's not a General. And yet…she's fighting in there for us, struggle to win the battle technically outmatched…"
"..." Link pondered where did that confidence come from. Then again, Ellen had did the similar thing when she found out the older young man followed the broker. Link would've sworn the two of them were sharing a similarity of trusting people they hadn't known yet.
"Therefore…" Noctis concluded. "I will believe in her."
Ellen clenched her jaws in flared determination.
She couldn't lose in here to the annoying like h*ll Level 4 Akuma. She had to stop the angelic demon from attacking her, her fellow comrades, and the orphanage's residents. Noctis, Kanda, Marie, Link, Timothy, even Emilia had put their best efforts to fought back the Akuma and defeat them. It wasn't without price, every one of them now injured quite badly. There was one left, she was going to finish it. She wouldn't let the Akuma take, let alone kill Timothy. The snow haired young woman must protect her friends at any cost and put this battle into an end. So she used any remaining strength she could found within her and was going to summon back her sword, she tried to take the risk from her action. Ellen wouldn't regret it.
"CROWN CLOWN…!" Ellen called upon her sword determinately.
Then everything was happening so fast, the huge sword responded and flew toward the winged angelic demon. It stabbed the Level 4 from behind mercilessly, injured the said Akuma in the process. The Akuma held a pained scream as it got flew together with the sword of Exorcism. The next thing it knew, the Akuma had found itself impaled together with the young female Exorcist at the wall.
"Nghh! Are you a fool…!?" The Akuma gritted its teeth, held the painful sensation ran through its body as the Akuma impaled by the sword. "You've stabbed… yourself as well…"
Ellen struggled wither own breaths as she told the Akuma calmly. "This is an exorcising blade…it only affects that which is evil. It won't harm anything but Noah and Akuma."
DEG!
On that one second, she felt something deep within her stirred up and she could've sworn that she heard an odd heartbeat. And she was very much sure that it wasn't hers.
'Wha…' Ellen was shocked.
Something was wrong, Ellen thought abruptly. Something was very, very wrong with her as Ellen could feel the liquid of chopper taste, which happened to be a trail of blood that was coming from inside her mouth. She felt so weak and lost her strength in all of sudden. The silver eyed female Exorcist then whispered weakly the name of her Innocence.
"…Crown…Clown…"
"Only that which is evil? What are you talking about?" The Level 4 began to smirk cynically. "Why then, you're in such pain…?"
Ellen indeed had this pained look on her face. Then she felt the immense pain from all over her body. Ellen instinctively clenched her head with her right arm and screamed loudly.
"AAAAAAH―――!"
"!?" Kanda had his focus on the screamed Ellen.
"Ellen!?" Marie shouted the girl's name.
"!" Link had his eyes widened in instant at the girl's scream.
"Ellen!" Noctis looked shock at the sudden change of situation. What had just happened…!?
Kanda's dark blue eyes grew widely. 'Crown Clown is affecting her!?'
"I don't…understand you…at all…" The Level 4's mouth opened and a flash of beam was formed within. It actually had a canon inside it. "Now die…"
Before the Akuma ever had the chance to shoot the beam, the female Exorcist' hand touched the Akuma head's left side in odd graceful.
GRAB.
"!"
It then noticed how the silver haired young woman's hair had changed from straight and soft looked into wavy hair. Her lips then twitched into an amused smile. She had this odd expression on her. Her eyes seemed empty and her smile held something else aside from the amusement she had shown earlier. It was as if the young woman was being possessed by something…or rather someone else. To the winged demon shock, she then mouthed something to the impaled Akuma.
Good Morning…
And for a brief moment the Level 4 saw the Noah's shadow from the young woman. It was letting out a tear and whispered out a name.
"Noa…"
SLAAAASH!
At the very stolen moment, Kanda stabbed the Akuma's mouth from behind with his Mugen and at the same time, impaled the katana at the wall near possessed Ellen's neck. She only stared at the hard looking Kanda. He was gritting his teeth in obvious anger and called her by her loathed nickname.
"IDIOT BEANSPROUT…!" Kanda roared angrily.
Out of sudden, the Sword of Exorcism moved to above direction while Mugen cutting the Akuma to below.
'Whaaat?!' The winged demon bewildered mentally.
Both of the Exorcists shouted and they slashed the Level 4 Akuma into pieces with their respective swords, killed the Akuma in instant. Ellen fell to the floor with dull thud as her sword transformed back become her left arm. They were trying to catch their breaths after the battle with now dead the angelic demon.
"…..Hey." Ellen called the samurai between her breathes.
"…..What?" Kanda replied reluctantly and tiredly. He cleaned his sword with the paper he had from the Akuma's blood.
"I've told you before my name's 'Ellen'." Ellen told him with tired yet still held some strength within her voice.
Back to the side of the battlefield, Link finally let go a long and filled with tenseness sigh. He let his body became relax at last as he closed his eyes in a brief moment. "…That was close." His voice sounded more tired than before.
"It is." Noctis also did the same thing, his voice was wry. "Is it to overreacting if I told you that I'm almost having a heart attack…?"
"…No, you aren't." Link replied softly then paused. "…I can't believe I must admit it to you that I'm almost get one too as well…"
Noctis smiled weakly. "Don't we all…?"
Link paused for a second before he nodded silently. "I guess…"
Noctis chuckled before his expression went somber again.
"Ellen...that look on her a while ago..." Noctis was felt uneasy at the brief change of the girl's character. "What is that about?"
A pair of dark brown eyes stared intently and sharply at the pair of sky blue eyes. They held some kind of warning none less.
"…I don't have any right to speak or discuss is with you for that matter since it's a delicate and complicated problem. I suggest that you'll have to ask it at Chief Lee or instead asking straightly at her." Link said finally.
"…Why?"
"I've told you, I don't have any right on it. Let's see them and check them if they're pretty much alright…"
"This is it." Jiji exclaimed as he found one of the barrier's medium at the top side of the building. He was climbed down the wall with rope.
"There's one of them hiding on each of the 4 corners of this building."
"Must be acting as a medium for whoever casting this." Reever muttered thoughtfully from rooftop. He then gave an order through communication link. "Jiji is going to take care of first this one. Everyone else, use your talismans to isolate the others, alright?"
"Roger that." The Finders replied, every one of them approached the lady bug like medium carefully and shielded themselves with their shields.
"He~re we go!" Jiji prepared a pinset.
"Careful down there, Jiji!" Reever reminded him.
"Barrier...Schmarrier..." Galmar grumbled darkly while he watched the whole event from below.
"Occultist freaks, every last on them!"
Few minutes before...
BAM! BAM! WHAAAM!
"Uggh…! It's not opening! How are we able to get out from here!?" Kanda shouted harshly, put back his Mugen as Ellen draw her Exorcism Sword and sat.
"Calm down, both of you." Marie told them as a sweat drop was rolling from his head.
"But Marie, we have to get those wounds on your hands closed up soon or…" Ellen voiced her worry.
"A sorceries barrier cannot be penetrated from within. Wait for the science team to do their jobs." The robed guy explained loftily and crossed arms. "Assuming, of course, that if they are competent enough..."
...
…
"...Excuse me, but who are you, anyway?" Ellen couldn't help but to frowned deeply at the red robed young man before her and her now silent fellow Exorcists.
"By the way, where are Timothy and Emilia?" Marie was trying to search for both blue haired boy and his tutor. He just remembered their absence.
"They went to check Mother Superior and the children. It seems aside from bruises and minor burns, they're practically unharmed." Link answered calmly.
"I see…" Marie sighed in relief.
"…What about your wounds, are they bad?"
"I can take care of it, there's no need to worry." Marie brushed off the question easily.
Everyone was saying nothing as a silence filled with pressure went down to the earth. Kanda had his sharp blue eyes narrowed and his scowl deepened. Marie was only gave her a thanked yet sad smile. But he didn't say anything to her. Between them, Noctis who saw the whole conversation started to hesitate. While he was at the verge of his limit, he had the remaining of his strength to perform one more magic. He could heal them in one swipe but on the other hand he ran a risk for reveal more of his magic or even its consequence.
Ellen sighed exasperatedly at the bald man response. Marie was taking his wounds too easy; he underestimated them much to her worry. She worried for Marie's wounds would have gotten worse. Since she was a Parasitic Accommodator, her body was resistant at Akuma's poison therefore she would be fine but the same thing couldn't apply at Marie because he was an Equipment Accommodator. Sure he had cut clean his poisoned fingers with those threads of his but what made Ellen anxious was the possibility of residual poison still at the of inside his body and the infection followed in which why the bald man injuries needed to be treat immediately. Even Kanda was having a trouble expression on his usually scowling face.
"You mustn't say that." Ellen was voicing her protest. "Those wounds could be infectious; we must have them cleaning fast, and if something happen to you before we ever closed them…"
"Ellen…" Marie concerned at the snow white haired Exorcist.
Noctis heart clenched tightly. He couldn't bear to see her worry and sad when she saw her friends got hurt. Moreover, Ellen did has a point, those wounds of Marie could have been infectious if not treat and close in time. It wasn't Marie only but Ellen herself, Kanda, and even Link needed their wounds to close up. Their wounds were also as same as worrying with Marie's. Noctis even was easily pinpointed Ellen wounds were the worst from all of them, including him. But this young woman didn't care a bit about her own injuries; in fact she more concerned and worried her friends' injuries! For Etro's legacy, she had stabbed herself with that huge sword of her and she still seemed in pain after the stab fiasco! And Noctis couldn't but feeling respect yet anxious to her. The oldest young man grimaced inwardly. Looks like he had to reveal more of his secret, he was so dead…
The euclase eyed young man sighed deeply.
"Marie, you know what? I think Ellen's right, we can't have your wounds healed improperly, let me see your wounds. Ellen, Kanda, Link, you too." Noctis half ordered.
Now it got everyone's attention and a pause followed after.
"…What for?" Marie half tilted his bald head, looked confusedly.
"You want those wounds are closed, right? I'll try to see what I can do for you."
"Have you ever study about first aid before, Noctis?" Ellen was blinking her grayish silver eyes a few times.
Noctis shook his head. "I know little about first aid but I guess what I will do is pretty similar."
"...What're you going to try to do?" Kanda asked after a brief pause.
"Err..." Noctis was quite unsure how to explain it. "...Something which may help closed your wounds?" He offered lamely.
Kanda stared at him as if he suddenly growing yellow bird tail from behind him. Ellen and Marie were did the same thing. Even Link and the robed young man did take a glance at his direction with puzzlement.
"For real? How we're sure that you're not just joking at us?" Kanda said as he eyed the older young man.
Noctis face went flat drastically. "What makes you think that I'd joke at the time like this...?"
"Che..." Kanda snorted half heartedly, the older young man didn't sound like as if he was joking.
"Fine." The samurai mumbled lowly.
"Uhm, Noctis...? May I ask you something?" Ellen somehow and suddenly looked uncomfortable.
Noctis stared questioningly. "Hm?"
Ellen went blushed and avoiding eye contact with him. "Must we...open all of our clothes? I mean, I'm the only woman in here and…"
Noctis flushed badly at the question and waved his hand too quickly. "No. You don't have to."
Ellen was very relieved at the answer, her blushes gone from her cheeks. At least she didn't have to show all of wounds. A while after the Exorcists and Link had showed each of their wounds, Noctis had to resist the shock from looking at all those wounds.
"...These are all of your wounds?" Noctis looked frowningly.
How did they managed to keep moving and fight with these wounds, he couldn't understand it. Some of them looked quite bad and deep, especially Marie's wounds and Ellen's wound in which she stabbed by the Sword of Exorcism. But it wasn't what make Noctis frowned. While he did knew that Ellen was a Parasitic Exorcist which allow her to possessing fast healing ability, he found out that Kanda's wounds somehow had closed half way. Even it did catch his attention, officially their wounds were even worse than his injuries. They in the middle way of healed yet they weren't fully closed, especially the injury Ellen had after she stabbed herself with the Sword of Exorcism. It looked deep and the blood still flowing. A simple cure spell wouldn't get their wounds closed better. At this instant, he had no choice but to use the highest level of the Cure spell. So much for the wanting for their injuries to gone but again their injuries weren't minors.
"Yes." Link raised an eyebrow. "Now can you please tell us what you'll go to..."
His sentence however was cut down when Noctis raised his right hand at them.
"Stay still." Noctis told them with hard stare and concentrated his magic. "Full Cure."
Noctis was casting the most powerful healing spell which he had onto the wounded Exorcists. Green light lit up around the wounded Exorcists and danced gently. The light was circled around the Exorcists' wounds weightlessly, completely startling Ellen and the other witnesses.
"!" The robed young man snapped his veiled head and was scanning the green light carefully.
"...What?!" Kanda, for once, was showing his rare startled expression.
"Green light?" Ellen blinked curiously. When she suddenly felt such a warm and tingling sensation went through her body, she snapped her head and tried to looking at her wounds including her huge stab wound, only to find them started to close in incredibly fast phase. She quite surprised at the ongoing event. "Impossible. The wounds…"
"They're closed by themselves…" Kanda finished quietly.
"This is…a healing spell?" Link stared widely in surprise as his wounds closed completely.
Once the green lights died completely, all of the wounds were gone without any traces. They still had those dust and ash at their uniform and body but they had no signs of injuries.
"It's really healed... I can't feel the blood's flowing from the wounds anymore." Marie was slightly baffled.
"It's finish." Noctis stated tiredly. He was so d*mn tired after cast the cure spell. "Marie, the wounds had closed up but I'd suggest you to check it further once we get back."
Marie nodded in acknowledgement. "Thank you very much."
Noctis turned at Ellen and Kanda. "And you, how about you?"
"Eh?" Ellen blinked owlishly, hasn't capture the question fully.
"How're your injuries? Do they still hurt at all?"
The female Exorcist glanced between her arm and the euclase eyed young man before she moved her arm around in carefully manner, afraid if she would injure her arm further. That was when she noticed something was missing from her aside from the wounds.
"...Huh?" Ellen blinked once more, this time with surprise.
"They don't feel hurt anymore. The wounds also gone, I don't see any sign of the faintest scar, and I don't feeling very tired at all. I'm pretty much fine now." Ellen was looking amazedly toward him. "How did you do it? I never see something like that before in my life."
"It's a healing spell, Walker. He's using a healing spell. It's obvious that he can use magic." Link told her loftily.
Ellen stared quizzically at the blonde.
"You mean it's a spell that will cure any wounds or injuries?"
"Actually it's even complicated than you're guessed but that's also correct." Link shrugged.
Ellen turned her head back at Noctis. "And you can use spells or magic just like Link? I thought only CROW those do cast magic if I'm not wrong. Also, you never say about you can use magic…"
Noctis was quiet for a moment. "I was taught by my father. Healing magic was one of the few basic magic he taught to me."
Link narrowed his chocolate eyes, he was intrigued at the information he got. That was new. His father also had this ability? "Are you saying that you father can do the same thing?"
"More or less. How's your arm?" Noctis changed the topic. Link stared frowningly but he decided to let them go for now, besides there was still another time to ask him, he didn't want to force the older young man, and he wanted no more than a proper rest.
"…It's fine. It doesn't sting so much, at least not anymore." Link replied quietly after he examined his arm. "I have to owe you for this."
"I wish I can do more…" Noctis admitted forlornly. Ellen gasped softly at this.
"Noctis, please don't say that! It's totally contradicting with your effort! You've done so much in order to save us and Timothy! You even engaged a battle with the Akumas and finally injured yourself. You had us so worried about you back there." The silver haired maiden retorted. "And speaking about injury, how're yours?"
His expression didn't change at all and yet Ellen caught something flashed within his eyes.
"Will be fine...Nothing to be worry about."
…
…
Bad for him, Ellen wasn't completely convinced at his words. In fact she was having this suspicious look on her. Her eyes began to narrow dangerously. Even worse for him, the female Exorcist despite her soft looking was a great observer. She found few strange things from the young man's condition. And she didn't like it at all.
"...Are you really, really sure?" Ellen asked suspiciously. "Because I can see you don't look well enough. Your face color is paler than before. I don't think you're pretty much alright with that color face of yours, not to mention your breathes had gone erratic."
"..." Somehow much to Ellen's suspicious; Noctis stayed still and wasn't answering her question yet. She even caught him frowned too deeply.
"Noctis...?" The female Exorcist called him with scrutinized look.
"..." The black haired young man slowly turned his head into another direction, avoiding from Ellen's sharp gaze, thus confirmed her suspicion. Finally she couldn't take it anymore and decided to scold him for good.
"NOCTIS...!" Ellen shouted firmly, she was looking not so pleased with this revelation, did a good job for startling everyone but the robed guy and Link, and successfully scared Noctis the h*ll out. Noctis took a few steps away from the angered female Exorcist.
"Y-Yes...?" Noctis replied weakly, preparing himself for the worst possibility.
"Why you're so stubborn and intended to hide your own condition from me...!?" Ellen was shaking in anger and her voice rose rapidly. "It has been bad enough with your internal wounds and you're intended to stay quiet should Link not tell to us at that time! Really, I swear it, if you don't tell me soon what's going on, I'll force you go to the doctor once we're out from this place...!"
Noctis went horrified and his face color change into blue. "What...!?"
"I'm really serious and I really meant it, Noctis! You have 2 choices to take, it's either to tell me the truth or I must bring you to the doctor, even I have to bind you with Clown Belt and dragging you along...!"
"You can't do that...!"
"Oh yes, I can and I'm capable on doing impossible things you'd never imagine." Ellen loomed threateningly at the poor young man. Her eyes glared sharply, her voice was unusually low and dangerous. "In count of 5...4..."
"You can't be serious!" Noctis turned around frantically, asking for help. 'Somebody, please help me...!'
"Sorry, but I think you should tell her about your real condition." Marie could only give him a sympathy look.
"3...2..."
"Alright! Alright! I'll tell you, I'll tell you! Can you give me a break...!?"
"Fine." Ellen stopped counting and huffed. "But you better tell us what has happened."
"What are you, a mother hen!?" Noctis was incredulous.
Ellen ignored his shout. Instead, she gave him a sweet smile, too sweet even much to everyone's opinion, before the female Exorcist finally asking him when Noctis heard that threat under her sweet and pleading tone.
"Can you start the explaining, please～?"
Noctis gulped slowly a second later.
"...Yes, Ma'am..."
Kanda scoffed loudly at the scene and he was throwing his head away. "Baka Niwatori Denbu –stupid chicken head-..." He mumbled under his breath.
"What's so difficult about opening a door like this, anyway?" Galmar was at the front of the door. He then grabbed the doorknob hardly.
"Honestly!"
"Ah." Jiji took of the ladybug with the tweezers together with the rest of the Finders.
At the time the police Inspector turned it and opening the door at the process, the Finders group was electrocuted as the result from taken off the barrier.
BZZZZZT!
Of course, that was without a little pain for them.
"You see? It opens just fine, no trouble at..." His gaze met the Exorcists figure, sat at the floor near the door and looking at him with blank faces.
…
…
"All." Galmar managed to finish his sentence but he also had this blank expression on him.
A while ago...
Marie sweat dropped at the sulking Noctis at the corner. Under the glare and the demanding tone of the silver eyed Exorcist, he had explained the basic of his magic and how its work. Never less, it was quite surprised them. Link had his chocolate eyes narrowed sharply, Kanda obviously wasn't happy about this, Marie himself worried, and Ellen, stood before Noctis, was frowning deeply.
"So...basically...you can use magic, just like Link. However compared to his, yours is different in using, form, and power." Ellen summarized Noctis' explanation.
A weak and halfheartedly nod was coming from Noctis.
"You have it as a main part of your power, just like when you're pulling your sword from nothing. They're actually some kind of a unity form." Ellen continued.
A nod.
"And you don't actually need talismans or any kind form of mediums for this."
A nod again.
"Moreover you can conjure any spells you want since the magic is straightly channeled inside you," Ellen then narrowed her grayish silver eyes. "However in consequence since it bounds to your body, it takes a lot of your stamina and eventually your body will grow weaker and get exhaust from using those magic spells? Is that how you seemingly paler and sicker than before?"
Another nod.
And then a pause filled with tenseness. However it was broken by Ellen's incredulous shout.
"I can't believe you're not telling us this! You could've been collapse should you use your magic too much, what are you thinking…?!"
Noctis face palmed. "I know the risk, alright? There's no need to freak out..."
"Of course we'll be freak out, Noctis." Marie interfered quickly. "Should we acknowledged this information earlier, we'll not let you fight the Akumas or even come with us since beginning. No offense, but it could be you who are get in danger instead of us."
"Marie," Noctis pinched his nose tiredly. "I would thank to you for the concern but I must if I don't want to get near...you know."
"I'm very much aware about your reason. But still..." Marie quite disagreed. "Are there any reasons why you're not telling us this matter?"
"This isn't the first time use my magic and get exhaust in the end. It's become a normal occasion to me." Noctis ducked his away from them, his voice became barely audible. "If I can help it, I would rather you don't know about my magic and its consequence…"
"Why you don't want us to know?" Kanda stared sharply. "Is it because it's consequence…or because it's supposed to be a secret?"
At this mark, everyone had their eyes widely opened.
Kanda did has a point, Ellen marked. Noctis did never tell them until just now. Thinking about it, he only told them vaguely about his power. He did demonstrate once in front of her and Komui but it was only that, he never told them about his magic. Or perhaps he didn't want to tell them since early. There were few possible things which make him choose to keep quiet from them. The secrecy was the most making sense reason to her. The making sense part was if there outside people accidentally know his power, surely his life wouldn't be at peace. They would after his and perhaps…
Perhaps they would use his power for their own gain and tear him away from his family.
Ellen shuddered ever slightly when she thought about it. It feels so…wrong. And she became sick whenever she had that thought. She remembered clearly when Lenalee told the silver eyed female about her past. How she was lived happily with her older brother until the Black Order found out about her Innocence and took her from her brother when she still a little child, how alone and afraid she was at the Black Order and forbade to met her beloved brother, how happy and relief she was when she finally reunited with Komui. And how she went anxious when Levellier wanted to meet the sky blue eyed young man… Like the few Exorcists and Komui, she didn't really trust the man. He was quite dangerous and creepy, if they could; they wanted to stay as far as possible from him. When he had his eyes on you, it would never mean a good thing. Ellen eyed Noctis who stood still with unreadable look.
"…Both of them." Noctis replied quietly.
Ellen didn't miss the slightest hint of sadness inside his voice, despise the mask he had wore. This draw soundless gasps from her and Marie. Kanda was having an unreadable expression; it looks like it mixed between shocks and disbelieve, although they quickly replaced by anger.
"Why?" Kanda gazed sharply like an eagle.
"…I've been targeted for my ability for a while." Noctis replied after a brief pause. "They want it within their hand, my power."
"That's impossible. Why would they're going after you?" Marie blanched.
He gave a quick reply. "War."
"…Wait. What?" Ellen paled slightly as the answer sunk in. She wasn't misheard, was she?
"Technology sure thing is powerful but magic even far more powerful and sacred. The ultimate power that the goddess of the death given to human. They're seeking for power, they want to use it for war and they saw my power as amazing power that can make them win easily the war." Noctis draw a tiredly sigh.
"They as go as far as assault my country to get me, hurt innocents at the process. I can't let that happen…"
Realization then struck hardly the snow white haired young woman. Her mind replayed about the said goddess of death's story within the dream she had a night before. The world where the technology was dominated everything, the magical crystals which lost in the flow of time except one, the Keeper of the remaining crystal and the greedy people who want its power. Ellen did recall the goddess' explanation about him not told them everything for their safety. He said those people were going as far as assault a country, were they that greedy and wanting to have the crystal? Ellen stomach queasy and twisted uneasily at this thought.
If they after his power, could it be they also targeting the crystal he guard along? Ellen narrowed her eyes. It was actually more making sense, his power must have something to do with the crystal. Ellen suspected perhaps they were linked to each other. Ellen even had a suspect that the crystal was their main object since beginning. It greatly concerned the female Exorcist as she had new question within her head. Was there anyone who will be there to protect both Noctis and the crystal? The silver eyed female Exorcist knew from Etro that the position as the Keeper was a nobility position, an important position. In which meaning they had got to be a lot of security or army placed to protect the young man and the crystal. Ellen found it weird since he gave an impression there were no security let alone army to defend the country. Even after they found out that Ellen was said to be the Fourteenth's vessel, her friends along with Komui had tried their best to protect her from both Levellier and the Noah Clan.
"Don't you have an army to protect your country? I thought every country does have them and ready to defend the said country when one's got threatened." Ellen asked.
Noctis shook his head. "Having an army isn't guaranteeing your safety completely. Too many countries are after me…"
Noctis stopped his sentence when he realized that he slipped but it was already too late. The damage had been done. Ellen took a double take. The others also wore similar face.
"…Countries?" Ellen repeated incredulously.
As in a lot of countries were after one person? She had accepted the fact that the Noah Clan and the Black Order wanting her on their side on war…
But to had countries targeting after you? Ellen could feel the headache coming to her. This…This was too much for her. Just thinking a lot of countries on your tail had made the snow white haired young man more or less frustrate. There were no way the countries he meant only about two or three countries; it must be more than that. That weren't bunch of people but a freakin' bunch of countries! No wonder he rather kept his power as a secret! Any sane people would scare to death when they acknowledge the fact some of countries were after your power for war!
"So you decided to keep quiet until the time comes." Link stated in deadpanned. "You also don't want to be discovered."
"…Yes." Noctis nodded solemnly. "I don't want any of you hurt because of me."
"And yet, you still use it to heal us and took the risk being discovered?" Kanda snapped angrily. "Are you a fool...?"
Noctis gaze became cold. "What if I am?"
Both of them stared at each other, Kanda glared sharply while Noctis regarded him quietly. A moment later the long haired samurai clicked his tongue then turned away from the older young man.
"I can't believe it. You're really a fool…" Kanda exclaimed coldly.
"It's still risk for you," Marie pointed out with firm tone. "We can't allow you to use your ability again if that meaning it will leads you to exhaust yourself..."
"I've told you it's…" But before he ever finish, the snow white haired had cut him first.
"Noctis, please listen to us. We don't want it to be happening to you again in the future." Ellen continued. Her tone was soft and pleadingly. "For God's sake, you're having nothing to do with this war. You've dragged into danger few times. You even got hurt only because you're followed us! What if you're injured and die before you ever manage to go back...? Have you not thinking of that?"
She didn't miss the slight flinch crossed on his face at the mention of 'go back' but as fast as it came, he shrugged it off as it was nothing. Ellen wondered how on earth he managed that kind of attitude and she couldn't help but to wonder if this was his nature or something he learned from experience.
"Ellen, while using magic will drain me, draw weapons on the other hand isn't going to exhaust me as much as magic. If I'm not using my magic, I'll be fine." Noctis insisted.
Ellen was beginning to frustrate. He was a stubborn person! Didn't he saw her points and concern in this…!?
"Noctis, that isn't the point I'm talking abou..." Ellen couldn't finish her sentence when the door suddenly opened to revealing Galmar's entered figure.
"You see? It opens just fine, no trouble at..." When he spotted all Exorcists were near the door, he stopped his steps and had his eyes onto them.
…
…
"All."
...
...
"...Why are you all covered in blood...?" Galmar narrowed his eyes after a hovering odd pause.
"Inspector...why are you...?" Ellen couldn't continue her question, she was too captivated on how the Inspector could open the door and come in easily. And at the same time, she forgot her previous intention to beat her point into Noctis' skull.
Galmar was looking around frantically and he caught a lot of destruction within.
"...And why is everything broken and destroyed inside here...!? I can even smell some burnings in somewhere around!" Galmar' voice grew hysterical at every second.
"That's..." Marie was about to explain when a figure dirtied with dust and ash, a pony tailed woman who was Galmar painfully recognized, came from behind.
"Papa!?" Emilia shouted in pure disbelief. "What are you doing here...!?"
Galmar was having his mouth gaped widely in dubious. A second later he finally burst out.
"WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON HERE...?!"
"CRAAAAAAAAAP!" Jiji cursed as he was clinging with both of his hands at the corner.
"The holes just appearing beneath me...!"
"Looks like you dealt with the barrier." Reever sweat dropped. "How's the medium? Safely acquired?"
"Just perfect!" Jiji grinned and lifted the tweezers with the ladybug. "Oh, I'll investigate the heck out of this baby!"
"I'm leaving it to you." Reever smirked.
"Anyway Reever, forgetting that for a moment…you were claiming that those guards of yours were just plain guards…? The one who walked through this barrier like it was nothing…?" Jiji asked as he stared at below, to where the robed young man walked toward his similar robed accompany.
'These guys are defining 'suspicious'...'
"What I can't understand is how those crimson cloaked humans able to penetrated a barrier impassable to all but Akuma?" The first figure of humanoid demon voiced his thought.
"What have the Order come up with now?" The second humanoid demon questioned.
"And the strangest from all things...that guy with porcupine hair like..." The third's word hanged in the end.
"You mean the guy with defiant ability?" The fourth said.
"More like abilities rather than an ability." The second retorted in deadpanned expression. "Capability to draw various weapons from nothing, cast various yet unknown spells even use one of them to pass through the barrier, and to teleport...I never see something like those before."
"Is he an Exorcist?" The first asked to his companion.
"I doubt he's an Exorcist at all, same goes with those cloaked guys..." The third replied.
"The crimson cloaked humans that can penetrate our barrier...and a human that can draw weapons from thin air..." The fourth mumbled.
"Just who are they exactly...?"
"And what's most disturbing from all of it; Ellen Walker's state just before another Exorcist interfered..." The first humanoid demon added more.
"Yes. We're thought the same." The second stated. "Even it's only a brief moment but she's really looks like..."
…
…
"We have no choice." The fourth opened his mouth.
"We must report this discovery to Earl, immediately..."
"You guys are too late," Kanda claimed with annoyance. "What took you so long...?"
Reever gave an apologetic smile. "I'm apologizing for that. It quite took me a moment to get out Jiji and the others from the jail but we made it in here at last."
"And getting stuck inside a barrier? Man, that's sucks, you know?"
Kanda clicked his tongue resentfully however he did turned his head at another direction, away from Jiji and Reever.
"Shut up, Jiji..." The long haired samurai wasn't at the mood to talk further.
After the barrier was taken off completely, the most of the Exorcists, Jiji, and Reever were sitting at the outside orphanage. They had also placed talismans so no more Akumas come and attack the already damaged building. The other Finders were going already to the inside and tried to check at the whole orphanage's residents. Jiji was chuckled nonchalantly at the Mugen's holder.
"Looks like you're in a bad mood, huh?" Reever raised an eyebrow and smirked.
"Che." Kanda clicked his mouth once more. He was choosing to ignore the question.
"You're lucky that none of you is dead, given the situation you had in there."
"As if I don't aware about that matter."
"We're also apologizing for made some troubles for you into this point. I hope none is taken…"
"Hey, relax. At least everyone's alright and your wounds are healed up nicely; therefore we don't have to treat you and can focus on other things around." Jiji finished up his check on Marie's wounds. "Your wounds had closed perfectly; especially the ones at your fingers; we'll get the artificial fingers for you. But of course, you need to clean up all those blood at your body."
Marie nodded gratefully. "I'll do it once this mission is finished completely."
"You know, when Link told me there's a Broker in here, I'm quite shock to heard it. Never expected there's one at the orphanage and report the Exorcists to Millennium Earl. D*mn, that's awful if you are asking me."
"I'm also shock myself. I never notice until Ellen pointed out that Noctis was gone and turned out he followed the said Broker." Marie agreed.
"It was him who stun the nun, wasn't he?" Reever whistled respectfully. "Gotta' say that he has an awesome trick under his sleeve. Even after we went to the nun's place and bring her along, she stays still with that odd face like a statue. I wonder what kind of ability he used to her."
"Perhaps I can ask him if not Ellen to undo whatever he did to the poor nun."
"By the way, speaking about our favorite female exorcist, where's Ellen? I don't see her until then." Jiji looked around and search for any sign of white hair.
Reever was curious. "Now I've just notice, where's Noctis also? He's the one who's healed those injuries, right?"
"They're still at the inside." Marie smiled sheepishly. "Ellen is currently waiting for him to getting well a bit. He's too exhausted to walk into the outside for a moment and Ellen has been anxious about it."
"…Hah!?" Jiji looked bewilder. "Just what he had been done this time?"
"Apparently, he's using his power a bit too much and ended up tiring himself." Marie answered. Noctis had made them promised to keep his magic as a temporary secret, at least until he was ready. They accepted with the terms but they made him promised to tell them more and this time no more secrets. Noctis had accepted too and they reached an agreement.
Jiji flinched sympathetically. "Ouch."
"Is that what had occurred to him?" Reever frowned slightly. "I've heard his capability from Chief and the Noctis himself but to exhausted himself…he shouldn't do that if he doesn't want to."
"We've told him but he's pretty stubborn head," Marie did a long and suffering sigh. "So Ellen is ended up not only just waiting but she's also keeping and guarding him like a female lion to her sick child from using that power of his. She even went as far as force him to lie down and still at the coach."
Jiji burst into a laughing and held his stomach as his body was shaking violently from the laughter he have in there. Reever was having the similar reaction.
"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA….!" Jiji laughed hardly. "Oh God, really…!? It was that bad…?"
Marie began to chuckle softly as he played the memory within his mind. "You should see it by yourself; it's a funny scene we saw in there and I'm struggled to not laugh at the poor boy."
"You must be joking me…!" Reever exclaimed between his laughter. "He must be didn't like to be treating that way!"
"He did quite disagree at first but since Ellen kept insisting to take care of him, he left with no choice and let her do as she like."
"That must be fabulous! I want too see it." Jiji laughed harder than before. A feminine and soft voice was called their name from the orphanage's enter door.
"Reever? Jiji?"
Both of them were stopping laugh abruptly and stared at Ellen who had one of her arm encircled Noctis' waist while the other hand simply holding the clung arm of the young man.
"Ellen?" Jiji blinked behind his sunglasses.
Ellen beamed and smiled warmly. "You've arrived in here! And I see you're all really got free from the prison, that's really a relief! I thought Inspector Galmar would never allow you to get out."
The young woman then tilted her head a bit questioningly. "And what do you want to see, Jiji…?"
Jiji became nervous. "Err…That's…"
Much to Jiji's relief, Reever was coming to the rescue. "Oh, Ellen! Noctis! I see you're fine and still safe and sound. Where have you been…?"
"I'm watching him recover until a while ago." Ellen took a glance toward the young man who she was supporting now. "It took us some time and tools since he even staggered in his walk but he's getting better and can walk fine finally, even though I must give him support, right Noctis?"
"Hngh…" Noctis grunted weakly, having no power to retort back.
"I see." Then there was a mischief gleam inside Reever's blue eyes. "So..."
Ellen tilted her white head innocently. "So?" She repeated questioningly.
"So..." Reever grinned with teasing tone. "You two have a nursing session, huh? Does it feel good...?"
Their respons were quite interesting. Noctis squeaked incoherent words while Ellen blushed madly like a boiled crab.
"#*$*^%##^!*&!?"
"Reever! Don't asking us with such suspicious question like that…! People will misunderstand to us!" Ellen shouted embarrassedly.
"I can't help it, sorry." Reever laughed playfully.
Jiji also did a laugh and added more tease. "Ellen, my Dear, don't tell me if you're dating with him in secret…"
"We're not…!" Ellen and Noctis shouted from their lungs at the same time.
"Jiji, for the last time, we're not a pair of couple and we're not into dating!" Ellen had to shriek.
"Why must this occasion keep happening all over again…!?" Noctis drily questioned to no one.
"Sorry, just as like Reever said, couldn't resist it at all. You two are looking funny that way." Jiji stated between his laughs. "Speaking of which, where's this Phantom Thief G you're reported?" Jiji asked once his laughter finally died.
"He's with Mother Superior and the children. He's very concern about their condition." Ellen answered quickly.
Reever climbed up the stairs. "Well, then we will go inside and check them for him."
The spiky blonde was giving them a reassuring smile. "Let's do this."
"Sensei, everyone…" Timothy sniffed a few times as the tears started to making their ways. The warm and tiny water drops rolled down across his cheeks. Timothy, as soon as he regained his conscious, was fleeing to Mother Superior's place and had Emilia came with him together.
The entire residents of the orphanage, including Emilia and Mother Superior were being in the middle of check and injury treatment by the Finders. Fortunately they had nothing of bad burns or wounds, so they will be fine once the treatment over. They were sat at the floor and some of the children stayed at the bed for heavier injury. Timothy kneeled beside the old nun who had her arm wrapped in bandage. And the 9 years old boy was sorrowful to see her hurt because of him.
"You're not hurt, are you…? You okay?" He asked the nurse.
"I'm made of pretty stern stuff myself, you know…" The kind old nun smiled softly and pulled the boy into a warm embrace. Her lips curved into a kind smile. "I'm just fine."
Timothy couldn't hold his tears anymore. His defense wall finally broke out and collapsed, he was crying uncontrollable.
"I'm sorry…I'm sorry…" Timothy sobbed loudly between his tears.
Mother Superior was patting the boy gently. "It's alright; you don't have to cry..."
"Everything will be fine from now…"
At the outside, snow was falling as the air getting colder and chilly than this morning. The snow fell without sound and dancing elegantly in their silence. It should be a beautiful sight that enjoyed by everyone. However the same thing couldn't be say for our certain middle aged Inspector Galmar. Ellen was sweat dropping while she eyed the gloomy Inspector sat a stair lower than her. Noctis blinked few times in slight concern. Kanda, sat at the lower stair than the somber inspector, had this look as if he was ready to kill someone. Marie also sweat dropped but he stay quiet and still, Link was acting like always and he instead reading book, and Emilia was gaped disbelievingly from behind the door when she saw the sight of his gloomy father. Almost all of them except Emilia, sat at the orphanage's stairs and had their position circling the gloomy man.
"...Sir? Is everything...alright?" Noctis asked in anticipation the middle aged man.
After Noctis received nothing from the glooming Inspector, he took an exchange stare with Ellen who sat at the same stair with him.
"He's not taking this too well..." Noctis whispered worriedly.
Ellen nodded and gave her reply in equal hushed voice. "I can see it clearly." Ellen paused for a while to steal a glance at the brown haired man. "...You know, if I don't know any better I would have mistaken him for a living zombie in that way..."
Noctis sighed quietly. "Yup..."
"You know..." Galmar began quietly, caught their attention. "Back when we captured Timothy's father, I knew his kid was in there too...but I went bursting in there regardless..."
Emilia saddened as her father kept explaining.
"Emilia thought we should take in the boy ourselves...but every time I saw that forehead, I just felt so guilty. I was sure he resented me…so I ended up leaving him here." Galmar lowered his head in regretful manner. "If only I hadn't gone bursting in gun blaze…"
There was a slight pause between them.
"…What had happened in the past must pass." All eyes quickly focused at Noctis, who had this serenely yet faraway gaze. "No matter how much we wished we could do more or we shouldn't choose that decision, the mistake had been done and nothing can change from that point."
Noctis stood up and walked passed the Exorcists and the Inspector to the road. He lifted his head to look at the fallen snow.
"…All we can do in order not to repeat the same mistake, is to learning from that mistake, remember it, and take it close into our heart…for the flow of the time is can never turning back."
"…Are you just quoted a poem?" Kanda had his forehead wrinkled.
Noctis looked at him mildly amused. "What do you think?"
Galmar pondered for a moment, he squeezed hardly both of his hands. He wore that determinate face.
"…Hey, isn't there some kind of alternative? Do you have to take him away…?" Galmar asked fiery. "I promise, this time I will be there for the boy…I will protect Timothy from these Akuma myself!"
"Papa!" Emilia was touched.
"Galmar," Timothy began with stun. "That's just…"
"Not happening," Everyone said simultaneously.
"In general..." Link added tonelessly.
"I'm afraid." Ellen sweat dropped.
"I guess?" Marie asked with a hand on his chin.
"All right?" Kanda stated uncaringly.
"So yeah!" Timothy waved his hand dismissively.
"Sorry." Emilia felt sorry.
JLEBH!
The mutual word was piercing Galmar painfully and mercilessly, smashed Galmar's determination into pieces. Noctis almost burst out when he saw the dejected look at the Inspector but he held his laughter for the sake of respect to older people like Galmar. The conversation didn't stop until there.
Ellen then continued with doubtful tone. "Well…you see Inspector Galmar, we understand, very if I might add on how you're feel and all, but…"
"Normal people's fighting Akuma is just…" Marie hanged unsurely.
"You could stand by him all you like, but it wouldn't make any difference…" Link finished it.
"H*ll, go do your d*mn confessions to a church." Kanda finalized the conclusion.
'You don't have to be so harsh about it…' Galmar broke down while Timothy was staring at him sweat droopily. Unknowingly to the man, the boy lips curved into a grateful smile. He was really touched with Galmar's enthusiasm and determination to keep him safe from those Akuma. It made the twin tail haired boy felt happy. However for now, he would just leave it as his little and happy secret.
"Hey, by the way, don't you wanna arrest me or anything, Galmar? I'm G, remember?" Timothy asked.
"Don't address me like that…" Galmar replied weakly, planted his head into his crossed arms. "And how I'm supposed to arrest a little brat like you, anyway? Uggh…"
Timothy grinned playfully. "Well, I guess I better just leave then."
"Huh!?" Galmar snapped his head bewilderedly.
Emilia was having a similar reaction. "Timothy?"
"Well, Director- Sensei's getting' old and the other kids still little, ya know…? Can have them getting caught up in another Akuma attack, can I?" Timothy glanced at surprised Ellen. "So I guess I'll join up with you black-cloaked guys after all."
Timothy crossed arms and grinned wide with proudly. "The name's Timothy Hearst, 9 years old! I turn Akuma into weapons with my Innocence, Tsukimikami! Pleasure to be workin' with ya, Exorcists!"
Ellen then lost her earlier surprised look to be replaced by a friendly smile at her lips. She had to admit that she was impressed with the boy's decision to come with them. Also, the female Exorcist felt some happiness at the fact they were about to having a new and accountable fellow Exorcist.
"It's also a pleasure to us to working with you, Timothy." Ellen replied warmly. "I hope we can become a good friend."
"I hope so…!" Then the light blue haired boy had his eyes flashed and grinned evilly. "However～～! Don't you go thinkin' you're gettin' this sweet deal for free～～～～!"
Ellen went blank with her grayish silver eyes blinked twice when Noctis left eye twitched uneasily.
'I got a bad feeling about this…' Both of them thought at the same time.
About a day later…
They were returned back to the Headquarter safely and alive. Although they already cured by Noctis' magic, the exorcists' wounds were checked thoroughly in order for reassurance and safety. The good news was, the Science department had gotten artificial fingers for Marie. Soon he
"So Timothy's finally joined The Black Order...?" Noctis repeated.
"U-huh..." Ellen nodded plainly as she peeled an apple with a knife.
"But he asked Komui to pay the compensation which he had caused as a Phantom Thief G or he will not join up, ever...?"
"Yup." A ghostly smile slipped onto her dark pink lips.
Noctis snorted in amusement. "I'm suddenly feeling pity for him."
"Me too..." Ellen replied and put a bowl of apple dishes at his lap. "Here, eat as much as you like."
"Ah, Thank you." Noctis a bite of an apple dish. His face lit up. "This is good."
"Glad you like it. Jerry bought it special for us." Ellen beamed and took other apple dish.
Noctis felt a pang of guilty. "He's too kind."
"He's like to make us happy with those foods of him. It has become his nature already, don't go troubling with it." Ellen glanced from the corner of her eyes and smiled. "Tim's really become attached to you."
Timcanpy was cuddling comfortingly near Noctis waist. The golem yawned and went back to sleep again, flapped its wings a bit.
"Is he always this close to other people?"
"No, he's not easily attached to everyone at the Black Order at first, he's quite wary to new people."
"Hm…"
Ellen coughed once, getting his attention. "So in the end, you have to stay at your room with nurse always watching you for 24 hours and forbid to leave your bed, until you're fully recovered?"
Noctis went flat. "Not my choice at all, you're still dragged me to infirmary after all..."
"Serve you right for tried to hide your wounds from us." Ellen huffed slightly annoyed but smiled brightly as if nothing happen. "But you don't have to worry, I'll be visiting you with Lenalee and Lavi, perhaps also Kanda and Marie."
Noctis rolled his eyes. "Perhaps..."
"Is that a sarcastic mark I've just heard?" Ellen asked innocently.
"It's called as 'doubt', Ellen." Noctis countered.
The snow white haired young woman raised her elegant eyebrow questioningly. "That's new, I never thought you can doubting other people's action."
"What do you think I am?" Noctis asked resentfully.
"What do you think you are?" Ellen threw the question back stubbornly.
"Stubborn, aren't you?"
"You're no different than me, in fact I would've said that you're even far more stubborn than me. Even when you're bedridden like this, you're refused to sleep and read a book instead."
"That's because I can't sleep and Lavi just happened to gave me his book today. It's quite interesting, though."
Ellen stole a glance at the book which he had put at the bed. The book seemed new and thicker than normal book she often to read. At the bookshelf, Ellen could read the book's title. It quite surprised the snow white haired young woman. She didn't know he fascinated at such thing like...
"That's quite a thick book you read in there. Besides, 'Interesting and Various Cultures in the World'? Are you interest at cultures…?" Ellen asked curiously.
Noctis smiled fondly as he patted the book. "I'm quite curious about this world's culture, so I learn it."
"You're not a type who seemed like to study." Ellen stated her thought.
The euclase eyed young man chuckled amusedly. "Believe me; I can if I wanted to…"
Ellen also chuckled along with him, "Speaking about study, do you know Miss Galmar who was Timothy's tutor?"
"Yes, but what…" Noctis narrowed his right eye when Ellen began to chuckled out of sudden. "Why you're laughing…?"
"Sorry, it's just there's a funny story following her and I can't help but laugh whenever I remembered it." Ellen then carefully elaborated more, chuckles still escaping her dark pink lips. "You see, after she's learned Timothy's joined us and she got some treatments for her injuries, I heard her father came to visit her. And after that…"
"Papa?" Emilia flatly asked.
"Yes?" Galmar replied carefully, he worked at peeled an apple.
"You're going to get back to work?"
Galmar flinched at the sharp edge within her question and yet he kept peeling the apple he held. "Why you…when I'm working, all you do is complaining that I should be at home…"
"Well, Phantom Thief G is 'dead' now. And you've sorted everything out with these people, haven't you? How much longer do you need to stick around…?"
"Oh, forget work…I have paid leave until you're fully recovered…" Galmar grumbled.
"I'm going to join up with the Order." Emilia stated suddenly, Galmar did stop and stared at his smiling daughter. "So you don't have to worry about Timothy anymore. I'll be right by his side."
"D-didn't you say you were 'leaving as soon as you found a man'…?!"
CTAR!
BLAAARR!
Pat. Pat.
"Inspector…it looks like Phantom Thief G has pulled off one last magnificent heist." Jiji held his laughter. Around the shocked Inspector, the Finders also held their laughter.
"He's stolen your daughter." They said at the same time.
A second later, everyone within the Black Order's building could hear Galmar's hysterical shout followed by booming laughter from the Finders and Jiji.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…!"
Noctis finally couldn't take it anymore. He immediately burst into tears and laughed quite hard.
"That's...that's…, are you serious!?" Noctis shook his head amusedly between his laughs. "She's really said that to him…?"
"Yes, she said it straightly in front of her own father's face." Ellen also laughed in pure amusement but not as hard as Noctis. "And I think I had to agree the part where the Phantom Thief G stole Inspector's most precious thing, isn't entirely wrong. Timothy's indeed stole Emilia, in a way which Galmar never expected…"
"I can't imagine how he will face this…!" Noctis continued to laugh before he winched painfully and holding his stomach. "Ouch, my stomach…!"
Ellen quickly came to the rescue as she was stroking his back gently.
"Hey, take it easy, you're laughing a bit too hard. Of course it'll hurt your stomach." Ellen reminded him. The silver haired exorcist then accidentally spotted the clock at the table and look at the time. "Eh? It's already at evening? I guess it's already the time for me to go back."
Noctis blinked. "That's fast."
"I know, but Link is waiting for me, he can't leave his paper work. Besides you should rest now. The broken bones you have in there are still healing and if you're not recovering sooner, there's no way you can get out from the bed." Ellen pointed out.
"Thank you for the obvious." Noctis replied in boredom. "Seriously, the wounds can be healed with my healing magic, there's no need to force to stay still at the bed."
Ellen gave him a warning glare with her grayish, silver colored eyes. "I thought we have agreed that you should never cast your magic when you're injured and those broken bones are in counting. That's why you're in here and have to stay at the bed until you're fully recovered."
"Right, stuck in the bed while you can do nothing except gaze and gaze at the tiles…" Noctis muttered and this didn't go unheard by the beautiful Exorcist.
"It's not entirely a bad thing, you know. Our rooms are across each other, you should be glad that I can see you almost every time if I'm not in a mission definitely." Ellen tried to cheer up the young man. "Not to mention Lavi and Lenalee have promised they will visit you, if you excluded numbers of people who want to see you."
Noctis sighed exasperatedly at this and in Ellen's eyes; he even a bit tired than before.
"I guess…" He replied quietly.
The silver eyed young woman then noticed his gaze at her in concern and intensively, or to be precisely, to place where her now existed huge scar placed. Ellen only wore a black sleeveless shirt which revealed a little amount of her scar's visibility. Ellen tilted her white locked head in confusion on how concern his gaze was. Was he thought about her scar? Why would he concern about her scar? Encouraging herself, she put her hand above his and squeezed it gently, startling the young man and gained his attention to her.
Ellen smiled soothingly at him and asking him with concern. "What is it? You're looking as if there's something bothered you…"
He didn't give his answer. Instead he stared at her for a few moments. It was later he smiled ruefully and squeezed her hand back.
"…The wound at your body…the one you're stabbed by yourself with your sword, it's left a scar, isn't it?"
"Ah…" Ellen dawned with realization. "It will be fine. It has healed without any trouble. It will leave a huge scar but you don't have to worry, it will be fine."
"That's not fine." Noctis disagreed firmly. "This may sound cliché to you but a girl shouldn't have a huge scar in their body, and you're a beautiful girl on top of that, very if I may add. You can't have a nasty scar like that staying at your skin."
The female Exorcist blushed. She was…touched that he cared about that huge scar of her when Ellen herself actually didn't mind it at all.
"Noctis, that's…"
"I guess once when I'm recovering, I'll try to looking for a spell that can make the huge scar disappear from your body." Noctis cut her first.
Ellen quickly shook her head and gripped his hand tighter. "It's not really necessary, I don't need it. I'm pretty much fine with the scar, this isn't the first time I've got something worse than this."
"That's for you but what about the man who will become your boyfriend or even your husband? Surely he'll be sad should you still have that scar, right?" Noctis stated incredulously.
If a while ago Ellen was just blushed, now she flushed furiously at his statement. He sounded like an old man! She never had a boyfriend! And for God's sake, a husband on top of it…?! She even hasn't thought that far…!
"W-why w-would did you think t-t-that I'd get a husband for me…!?" She stuttered nervously.
"Just in case." Noctis replied nonchalantly. "I'll be in shock if there's no man who wants to become your husband…"
Ellen's silver eyes went as wide as saucer and her blushes deepened. Is he for real…!? Is he always this bold and straightly when it comes to relationship!? She wondered if he ever had a girlfriend at the past. Well, actually she had to admit it that it was a good and nice side of his but she felt very embarrassed because of his statements right now! You see, no one ever told her, except Mana and Lenalee that would concern about her relationship with a boyfriend or a husband this straight, perhaps also Lavi and Jiji if they could be counted.
"You sure know how to flatter a woman…" Ellen muttered weakly.
Noctis went frowned. "I'm just saying the truth and I got taught to kind toward people, especially women."
"Who taught you to do so?"
"My father."
"He must be a wonderful man to be taught you in that way…" Ellen voiced her thought remarkably. "Though it does make you sound like an old man. Are you really sure that you're 21 years old?"
"I am 21 years old." Noctis retorted. "And I'm still very young."
Ellen shrugged her shoulders. "I'm just letting out my opinion, that's all."
"Ellen, you're a beautiful girl and at this age, isn't it normal for boys to have crushes on you?"
That was when the memory of certain perverted Noah who always, always stalking her whenever he can, came into her mind and she felt her stomach was being turned up down. Ellen winched but she managed to nod her white lock head unsurely at this. "I guess…?"
'You have no idea I've one already and he's very much insane, plus he's having interest at me too much…' Ellen thought drily. The female Exorcist then dismissed her uneasiness and looked at her lap, anything but Noctis.
"I have to go. Link's waiting and he will look for me if I'm not going back now…"
"…? Sure…" Noctis blinked owlishly. "Take care and hope you're rest well tonight."
Ellen finally lifted her head and she was able to smile back to him. "You too. Oh, and Noctis? Jerry will cook a crab and egg soup for you tonight and because my room is near you, I'll bring it for you. Is that fine with you…?"
Noctis was taken aback. "I'm fine but what about you? Don't you have something to do tonight?"
"It can wait later for me, it's not too important anyway." Ellen squeezed his hand with gently gesture for the last time. "Goodbye. See you tonight, Noctis."
"See you later, Ellen." Noctis gave the equal gesture. Timcanpy opened its mouth and let out a sound. Both of them chuckled amusedly as Noctis patted the golden golem. "See you too, Tim."
Timcanpy then flew toward Ellen's side and landed on her right shoulder. The short haired female Exorcist smiled brightly as she walked to the door and waved her hand at the bedridden Noctis.
"Don't forget to rest, okay?" Ellen reminded him once more for the umpteenth times. "Or I'll have you under my full watch and make sure that you're properly rest at this room of yours!"
Noctis snorted lightly. "Like I will."
Ellen tilted her head innocently. But her silver eyes were gleaming with pure amusement.
"Really…? I mean you're a very stubborn person and it's not like I do doubt you but stubborn people often to..."
Noctis rolled his eyes. "You're making fun of me, just go to your own room."
Ellen broke into laughter as she was going though the door.
"Good day then!" Ellen chirped playfully and closed the door, she went back to her room still laughing with grinned Timcanpy at her shoulder, leaving annoyed Noctis behind.
"It looks like Matthew and Eva's pretty much fine aside from the minor burns. The doctors have said that there's nothing more to worry about." Mother Superior gave the light blue haired boy about the newest condition from the children as they sat on the bench, facing the sunset.
It was a calm evening and they were going outside to have some fresh air.
"Well, I did tell 'em they'd better make the kids better or they'd have me to answer to!" Timothy told her.
Mother Superior smiled amusedly. "Oh? You told them that did you?"
"I su～re did! I'm a big shot Exorcist now, remembers?!" Timothy babbled out proudly. "Look, outfit and everything! I hear these things didn't come up cheap either! And they let me eat and eat and eat, as much as I want! And you should see the size of the baths they've got!"
The old nun kept smiling.
"Tomorrow I'll be leaving, you know." Mother Superior told the boy after a brief pause. "Until my new residence is decided, I will be staying with Father Frederico in London. They said I will be safe in there."
The red wine eyed boy frowned for a moment but he forced himself to smile at the nun.
"I see." He murmured quietly. Timothy lifted his head a bit.
"Well, I told 'em they better make sure of that too, so you better be..." Timothy added more, he lifted his head a bit. "Your nose's started running, Sensei..."
Flood of tears indeed were flowing from the kind nun's eyes. She smiled but she struggled very hard to not crying although it was obvious that her effort completely failed.
"Really...?" She asked softly. Before the old nun, Timothy also cried a lot.
"Uh-huh...really...Like crazy..." He sniffed.
Mother Superior then pulled the boy into her warm hug quietly.
"I'll just have to wash my face then, won't I?" She asked.
"Yeah..." Timothy could only nod as they watched the sunset together for the last time until God knows when they will meet again in the future.
For now, they wished nothing more than to stay like this.
"You know, that Director..." Ellen began absentmindedly as she was staring at outside the window. To where be Timothy and Mother Superior had taken a seat. "That natural way she has reminds me a little of Mana..."
Link did stop from his paperwork and stared frowningly at the silver eyed young woman. Didn't notice the staring yet, she smiled fondly at the sweet memory she had with her foster father.
"Timothy's a little like I used to be too, so I can understand how he must feel..." The snow white haired Exorcist added quietly.
"...This must be the first time you've actually talked about Mana to anyone else." The CROW was pointing out blankly.
This time, for a few moments, it was Ellen who looked at the blond braided young man mystifyingly.
"Huh?"
She kept staring like that before she got what Link did meant. Ellen had just remembered she'd never talk anything about Mana to her friends until this second.
"...You maybe right. Maybe." Ellen added the latter word quickly.
Now that she remembered correctly, actually this wasn't the first time she mentioned Mana. This was indeed the first time the silver eyed young woman did tell Link about Mana. It was if you excluded the part where she told Noctis briefly about her dearly foster father few days back there. Still, she did regard this as a progress, a good progress for her and her relationship with those she cared deeply.
'I see. I can talk about him with a smile.' Ellen smiled softly at the warm thought. 'Maybe someday, sooner or later, I can talk more about Mana to everyone, including Noctis...'
Ellen was strolling back to her bed and threw herself onto.
"I guess that means you're just like a piece of furniture to me these days, Link..." Ellen teased the blonde lightly.
Link seemed didn't like the idea he was as same as thing like the female Exorcist was exclaiming. His eyebrow twitched angrily.
"Furniture!?"
Okay...
Now the real fun is getting start from here. (evil grin and laughed maniacally)
Actually the part where the quartet demon like humanoid discussed, the brief appearance Ellen's as Neah never happened. I only added it for more twist. Since they seemed to foresee the outside situation, I make them so they can also see what happen inside the barrier as well. And what's this? Ellen and Noctis holding each other hands, yippie…! (Turned at Ellen and Noctis at the corner) Aren't you two happy about this?
Ellen & Noctis: WOULD YOU SHUT UP, YOLEA…! (Blushed furiously)
Cih, you don't have any fun sense.
Okay, I will wait for your reviews and critics in here!
Please don't be shy and hesitate!