Author's notes: Hello there! How are you? I'm fine and I'm still alive. Rejoice, everyone! The Fourteenth Chapter is here at last! I know it took me so long to post this chapter, therefore I'm terribly sorry for you all. I have entered my final semester and I'm busy with my essay. It took me most of my time and I have nearly no time to finish this chapter. I hope you will understand. *X*;; I can't guarantee this fanfic to update regularly since I'm writing my essay but I'll try hard to write the next chapter. I still writing the fanfic S.O.S! Help, I'm in 07-Ghost! and Twisted in Fate, but I'm already in my final semester, doing these fics are clearly became difficult for me. I'm still intented to update them so don't worry about these fics are getting dump. There's only one review for previous chapter but meh, I don't really care anymore. Feel free to review or critic this fanfic but if you don't want to, it's okay. As long as you read, favorite and follow this story, it's still become a piece of happiness for me.

For ladymelancholy17 : I'm very glad you loved this story. It's become an honor for me. XD You can see the newest chapter I've update here, thank you for your patience!

Disclaimer: …I own nothing obviously. -Man and Final Fantasy Versus XIII belongs to their respective owners.

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.

The God's Clown and the Prince of the Sky

Story14: TENEO

"…"

"…"

"…Noctis?" Ellen attempted to call the euclase eyed young man.

"…"

No reaction at all.

"Noctis." Ellen called him once more but she still got no reaction from him.

"…"

Apparently, whatever he thought right now, it was pretty important and enough to make him went deep thought and having these wrinkles on his forehead, even ignoring Ellen's voice. They were on the way to meet Jiji when Ellen noticed the look which Noctis wore. Ellen blinked and glanced toward her loyal spectators. Link and Timcanpy were watching her from the side, the braided Inspector watched her with mild interest while the golden colored golem once or twice flicked its tail; resting above Link's head. While the snow haired Exorcist didn't mind that the euclase eyed young man pondered, she worried if he crashed into a pillar or tripped on his own leg. And most of all, the way he had his face twisted into a tired and concern expression had her attention. Ellen was focusing back on him before narrowed her silver eyes and gathering a deep breath. She called his name again, this time she was shouting loudly.

"Noctis!"

The chocobo haired prince startled and had to stop his pace. He turned his head to left before he spotted Ellen, who also stopped her own phase and was giving him an odd stare. His cheeks felt hot from the shame, realized that he must be had his mind dwelling around.

"Uh, sorry. Did you just say something?" Noctis cringed at how lame his question was.

Ellen blinked a few times. "Your face doesn't look so fine and you've been dozing off for a while now."

"…Am I?"

The silver eyed female Exorcist nodded affirmatively. "Since we started to walk from our dormitory, I've noticed. Are you taking a proper rest last night?"

Noctis went stiffed slightly. "I am."

"Then why you're seemed trouble for something?" Ellen felt more than a little confused. "You have your forehead wrinkled like an old man and you're not answering me while I kept calling you."

"Ah…" The short haired young man touched his own forehead out of reflect. He hadn't realized it.

"Do you have any problem that you're feeling you need to tell me…?" The snow white haired young woman asked caringly. "Perhaps I can help you solve the problem even just a little."

"No, it's just…" He had been reluctant to Ellen's eyes. She wondered what had bothered him today. Ellen hoped it wasn't anything crucial…

"I've got this bad feeling since... Oh forget it. It doesn't matter anymore." He changed off the topic suddenly, much too suddenly to Ellen's arose suspicion.

Ellen now was having her silver colored eyes staring intently toward the young man. Okay. She took back her earlier thought. It was anything but something really crucial, definitely. Ellen learned her lesson in a hard way after all ever since she became an Exorcist; a bad feeling was only a beginning from something nasty in the future, let it sooner or later. It was a troublesome problem at the very least. Ignoring it would be a grave mistake and the silver eyed young woman wouldn't let this matter going slipped through her fingers that easily.

"Bad feeling?" Ellen narrowed her silver eyes sharply.

Noctis saw and he doesn't miss the hard glint flashed within her platinum colored eyes.

He gulped unconsciously.

Uh-oh. He shouldn't have said that and now he was regretting it.

"What kind of bad feeling to be precisely…?" She began to pressing the poor young man; her tone was firm and demanding. Her pressure increased drastically, even Link was eyeing his charge cautiously despite his rather relax stance.

Noctis began to sweat profusely as trying to compose his calm façade.

"Like I said, it doesn't matter anymore." He replied curtly.

Again with his stubbornness. Ellen resisted the desire to roll her eyes or does a face palm as her glare growing intensively. Sometimes there's a time when Ellen wanted anything but to pull those cheeks of him as hard as she can get. Noctis gulped nervously but he remained his composure. Of course he wouldn't go down rather easily; he was a prince for God's sake. It looks like she must take a serious action for this. Her brain was turning in and soon she got a tempting idea. Inside, she grinned darkly. Well, that's fine, he can going stubborn as long as he want but he had forgotten that she had a trump card under her sleeve. She wasn't a cheater for years out of nothing or without a reason. Ellen had skills and she was going to use them if she had to.

"Does it? Somehow I doubt your words…" Ellen folded her arms and huffed exasperatedly. Ellen pretended to not notice the briefly stiffened Noctis.

She then snapped her finger and she was smiling sweetly.

…Too sweetly even.

"I know! You must be feeling an extreme fatigue! That can explain your whole bad feeling. Perhaps you even had an anemia at the moment." The beautiful silver haired Exorcist concluded confidently.

Within second, Noctis increasingly paled. She had to suppressing her dark, victorious smirk. Oh, yes, she almost got him in there. What she only needed was to be a little more patient and she will get him for sure.

Just a little more…

Ellen continued her attempt to force Noctis and she knew too well how he against the infirmary.

"Perhaps we should fetch a nurse at infirmary to check on your health in case its drop again or even having appointment with―"

He.

Was.

Dead.

Noctis went terrified and the color on his face changed to the color of paper. Nothing is good whenever Ellen mentioned to bring him into infirmary and he knew from her the weight of her tone, she really meant it! The last time they went, he got stuck in his room and forbade leaving the bed by an inch! He couldn't go anywhere except for the bathroom, worsened when Ellen helped the nun who supposed to watch him come into an agreement to turn watch. In particular situation like now she can become a very strict young lady and he had it from his own experience. He must do something, anything! Anything but her wrath! …Wait. That's it. He could use it perhaps.

Desperately and having no choice, he blurted out a question in hoping to change the topic of discussion.

"Ellen, don't you want to ask Jiji about those red hooded men? You have unfinished report to do." Noctis desperately prayed that she will distract from him.

Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please―!

Thank the Goddess Etro, his desperate pray was answered at that moment. Ellen lost her dark smirk and blinked puzzlingly a few times. At the beginning, she had no idea what Noctis had been talking about her wanting to ask Jiji…before the information completely sank in into her head and she beamed as she clapped her slim hands in realization. The grayish silver eyed Exorcist had just remembered her main purpose to meet Jiji inside his lab at the first place. Ellen wants to finish her report but she had little, almost none information regarding the red veiled men. The snow haired Exorcist assumed that Jiji will know about something thus she intended to see the old scientist and ask few questions. How forgetful of her, she has to keep her focus on doing her job as an Exorcist, including finishing her report, Ellen noted mentally. The snow haired young woman could grill the spiky haired young man next time. She still has a lot of time to do it.

"Oh, right. I almost forgot that. Ha～h, so many efforts for doing a single report…" Ellen sighed in long suffering.

The nearly doomed prince then was letting out a relief sigh. Mentally.

Such misfortune for him, he has no idea what kind of problem will awaiting him in near future.

He better be cautions with his silver eyed Exorcist friend.

Ouch.

"Moyashi…" A certain samurai called her from behind.

"My name is Ellen, BaKanda." Ellen glared deviously from the corner of her eyes. Platinum colored eyes gleamed in dangerous way like a vicious predator.

Kanda decided to ignore her pet name for him. While he very, very tempted to return the pet name back to her, he had another thing to do with higher priority. Ellen wasn't the only one who does the report. All Exorcists that took a part on their previous mission even including him had to write it despise his dislike for report. It's supposed to be easy for him to work on it, except not like his first assumption, the report proven to be a challenge for him. And it was none other causing by a single mysterious factor that took a form as the crimson man. The long black haired samurai obviously didn't have much time to finish the damned report. It made him had a half thought to finish it later since it irked him almost to no end. He more interested with those crimson robed guys' true identities than finish the report. However duty is duty. It will be wasting his time if he replied back that usual insult. So this time, he was using wisely his energy to focus at another matter instead.

"Do you want to ask about the guy from the other time?"

"If you mean the man with the red robes and veiled hat, then yes." Ellen sighed exasperatedly as she was glancing down to the map she held. "I have to finish my report but I have no knowledge about him, moreover we never see him again until now. I thought the Science Department might know something about the robed man."

"…"

"By the way, what are doing in here? You're not just come here to ask me that question, are you?"

"None of your business." Kanda replied rather grumpily.

Huffed exasperatedly, Ellen could only shook her head at his rude response. She should've expected this kind reaction from the Mugen's wielder. "How rude of you…"

"Hm?" Kanda then caught the glimpse of Noctis from the corner of his eyes. "What are you doing in here?"

"I'm coming with Ellen." He replied with not so hidden surprise. He wasn't expecting the samurai to talk to him. "And I have to return Lavi's book after this."

Kanda blinked once when the name of the red haired young man was mentioned.

"Since when did you become close with that stupid rabbit?" The long haired young man narrowed his right eye in scrutinizing manner.

Noctis was stunned. He then threw a questioning glance at Ellen. "Are we…?"

"You are." Ellen nodded in agreement. Now come to think of if, they do seemingly become closer to each other recently. "You look close with him in one of these days to my opinion. Don't tell me you aren't realizing it."

"Actually…I don't."

Kanda rolled his dark blue eyes at the older young man's clueless response and decided to add his two cents. "You let him calling you by nickname and he let you lend some of his books are showing how obvious your current relation. Few people ever lend Lavi's books including Moyashi over there."

"How many times I must tell you that my name is Ellen!" Ellen snapped sharply.

The long haired samurai did catch the frozen look on the older young man's face.

"I don't know that…" Noctis claimed astonishingly.

"Well, now you know." Kanda remarked drily before he took a turning around at his heels and began to step away. "We should hurry. Our time isn't many and this afternoon, all the Exorcists will have to training."

"Hm? New Exorcist?" Jiji blinked owlishly at the question Ellen had asked him just now.

"If you're looking for Timothy, he's right there." Jiji pointed at where Timothy currently sitting with Emilia and Klaud Nine. The poor boy was having a hard time with his lesson and letting out his misery as Emilia tutored him with iron hands and Klaud only watched the pair from the corner with her monkey.

"No, no, not Timothy…" Ellen shook her silver head. At Jiji's straight gaze, she then continued. "I mean the Exorcist who came to our aid during the battle on the orphanage. I haven't seen him at all since then, and I don't know his name so I can't finish this report..." Ellen sighed tiredly.

"He was with you guys, right? That punk in red." Kanda obviously wasn't happy at the fact he know almost nothing about the crimson robed man.

"Ohhh…you mean the guy from the section chief's guard…" The old man focused back on his work. "I don't know his name, either."

It earned a startled shout from Ellen. She didn't bother to hide her disappointment.

"Whaaa?! Why not!?"

"Besides, he's not an Exorcist. He's one of the official guards' assistant that Supervisor Fey called in from Central."

That made both Exorcists caught off guard. "Official guards…!?" They repeated at the same time. Of course they don't trust it so easily.

'Huh? But wait…' Both the white haired and dark blue haired Exorcists thought at the same time, now both of the Exorcists were incredibly confused.

'He defeated a Level 3, didn't he…?' Both of them thought at the same time.

That doesn't explain how the robed guy had such ability to fight equally with an Akuma. It didn't help that the mysterious person defeated it and now it revealed the same guy was actually not an Exorcist. The new fact itself served only more questions and complicated puzzles to Ellen and Kanda.

"That guy's no 'guard'!" The silver eyed young woman and the long haired samurai retorted loudly.

"Whatever…I'm busy analyzing the bugs we retrieved back then! So beat it!" Jiji snapped impatiently as he made a 'go away' gesture with his hand. It was obvious that he was losing his patience, already at the verge of anger that threatened to explode any time. Unfortunately both Exorcists couldn't see this and still standing with their point.

"He's no 'guard'!" Both Ellen and Kanda once again insisted as stubborn as ever.

"Ahhh, Shut up already…!" Jiji shouted angrily at the two Exorcists, losing the last string of his patience.

While the two Exorcists bickered with the angry old scientist and the prince could do nothing but to watching them with complicated feeling, a certain brown eyed blonde was being preoccupied with something else. His thought focused at the mysterious young man who had helped him during the Level 3 Akuma's attack. He couldn't stop thinking the robed young man since the last time Link saw him. He knew the true identity behind that crimson robe, in which why it made the braided blonde devastated.

'Madarao…' The memory of crimson robed young man replayed within his mind. He couldn't understand it. The young man clad in red clothes wasn't supposing to have such power that could defeat an Akuma.

'Why is a member CROW like you defeating Akuma…?'

"Link?"

The braided Inspector snapped from his thought and had his drown eyes fixed at frowned Noctis.

"You're seemingly troubled today. Is something matter?"

At this question, everyone within the room now having their eyes fixed toward them, even the bickering Ellen, Kanda, dan Jiji were staring directly with wide, puzzled look. Perhaps fixed toward the braided Inspector's figure was the exact word. It was an understatement of the century if Link slightly unnerved with the stare they gave to him. Can't they just ignore him already? He wasn't used being stared and became the main attention of the crowd.

"…No. I'm perfectly fine. I'm just having something to think in my mind…" Link had to stop talking when he caught the odd stare he got from Noctis. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Ellen stole a glance with Noctis briefly, exchanging silent words through her gaze. He did the same thing and it wasn't long before both of them sighed at the same time. There was a doubt tone within their sighs and they wore exasperated expression on their face.

Link's left eye twitched in annoyance. "What's with those sighs and face you're wearing?"

"Nothing." Both Ellen and Noctis replied at the same time.

The twitches on the blonde's left eye became more frequent drastically. Link's face twisted into something that people often called as displeasure. Suddenly, he was feeling tempted to flick them straight each on their foreheads to see their reaction.

Just a bit.

RIIIING!

RIIIING! RIIIING! RIIIING!

Snap!

"That's enough already, General Tiedoll! How many times do I have to tell you, Timothy's Klaud apprentice and that's final!" Komui snapped impatiently toward the phone, his patience already had reached its limit as he couldn't take Tiedoll's continuing call attack anymore.

He had been busy for God's sake and with the phone kept ringing and disturbing him, there was no way he could concentrated with his work. It almost drove him crazy when he counted all previous calls actually from Tiedoll who always offered the dark haired man to take Timothy as his apprentice. Can't he just give it up already!?

"It's me." The familiar voice of certain Branch Head of Asian Branch greeted Komui's ear.

"Bak-chan?" The Chinese man blinked in surprise when he found the call was actually coming from his friend, not from the bespectacled general.

"Do you know if Renee's over there?" The short haired blonde quickly asked with a bit urgent.

"North American Branch Chief Renee Epstein?" Komui confirmed unsurely. Why he asked the said woman out of sudden?

"Yes, she should be on her way over there right now! Listen Komui, don't do anything until I get there, okay?!" Bak hastily said, if you're listening carefully there was a hint of fear and anger within his voice.

Before Komui could asked what's wrong with him, his office door opened and not too long after, a feminine yet cold voice had cut him first.

"Oh my…" The beautiful woman around her thirties, with short slicked back hair, wore a rosario, offending clothes, a pair of dark gloves with expensive looking mantle and high boots, strolled in casually with two crimson robed girl and young man followed her from behind.

"Do I interrupting you, Supervisor?" She asked politely.

The woman smiled thought you can see that the smile didn't quite reach her cold eyes.

…

…

"…"

Johnny was having his eyes widened slightly in bafflement behind his thick glasses. It wasn't that he rarely seen a peculiar sight. He had seen many odd, sometimes even crazy things since he was working in Order and got accustomed along with it, so you could say that the rather short young man almost had nothing to make him stunned. But today, he has to admit that he saw something really odd and out of place. He wasn't the only one who staring, the others scientists also did a glance as they passed the odd sight. And that's because…

'Who are they…?' Johnny mentally asked the question crossed in the mind of others' as he was looking at the trespassing red robed group questioningly.

Sure they were really mysterious and looked conspicuous but it seems they didn't take any particular interest as they scrutinized what are around them. The other scientists only stared for a little longer before they dismissed it and return to their work. The same thing can't be said to Johnny however. What made Johnny became uneasy was he couldn't help but think there was something not right about them. He couldn't describe it precisely but his gut feeling told him that something was wrong with the group of red robed men.

Meanwhile on the training ground…

"One more round, old man." Kanda demanded as he wiped out the sweats from his face, his sharp eyes trained onto the old Bookman who he was sparring with.

"Hohohoho…come as you wish, Kanda. When it comes to the forms, I'm not ready to start losing to you young'ins just yet!" The old man taunted, a hair tie swirled on his forefinger. It was Kanda's hair tie which he took before.

"I will defeat you." A dark and ominous aura with demon's shape appeared from behind the dark long haired young man.

"It's time we determinate once and for all who is the real ponytail master in here." The equal aura with panda shape appeared behind the Lavi's mentor.

Behind them, a good numbers of Exorcists laid on the ground, beaten until an inch to the death with their wounds they got from certain Exorcist with surname Kanda.

"Bookman, you're incredible! Not giving a single inch to that demon Kanda…!"

"Kanda- senpai is tough…" One of the beaten Exorcists that were sprawling on the ground, muttered in defeat.

Meanwhile, next to Kanda and Bookman's match, certain bald Exorcist and snow haired Exorcist were sparring and exchanging blows and kicks.

"Hm?" Marie blocked Ellen's punch. "Ways to destroy Akuma without using Innocence?"

"Yes." Ellen threw another attack.

Marie hummed briefly as he blocked it. "Self-destruction…and cannibalism…that's about it."

"Cannibalism!?" Ellen almost squeaked in shock. The snow haired young woman was really shocked to say at least. She had a feeling that she wouldn't like the rest of the explanation. Her guts feeling proven to be correct much to her dislike.

"It's when an Akuma absorbs a fellow Akuma. We observed the phenomenon in Edo." Marie explained further.

Her heart clenched tight. Oh, how she really hate it when her bad feeling is hit on the spot. "Cannibalism, huh…" Ellen sighed exasperatedly. "But those guys in crimson were human, so I guess that's not it…" Ellen spoke as they stopped for break and walked together to the side.

"Here. Do you want to drink?" Ellen handed an iron teapot toward Marie. She already took a glass which already provide for the Exorcists and filled it with water.

"Thank you." Marie accepted the teapot, holding his own glass. "I heard he wasn't an Innocence user, right? Is it bothering you?"

"Mm…That Akuma…" Ellen admitted with honest, drinking the glass with faraway yet disturbed look.

"Hm?" Marie was frozen on the spot, not to mention his face slowly went pale.

"I was a way off at the time, but I'm sure of what I saw. The Akuma was got sucked by that black hole thing and destroyed into nothing."

'Without Innocence, the soul contained within the Akuma can't be purified…'

"I wonder if the soul was okay…" Ellen didn't bother to show her concern for she was deep in thought. "My left eye wasn't working inside that barrier, so I couldn't see what happened to it…"

Marie stared the silver eyed young woman with unreadable look. "…You're worrying about Akuma?"

BADUMP!

Ellen soon appalled at Marie's mention, she almost forgot that Marie had been attacked by the Level 4 and got hit by its bullets, which cost the loss of his fingers. She quickly apologized, unfortunately in stuttering and nervous manner.

"I-I'm sorry! Even though you lost your fingers this time and everything―"

"No Ellen, I just think you should be worrying about yourself." Marie already cut the silver eyed Exorcist.

"Huh? Why?" Ellen asked timidly, wondering if she had saying something that she wasn't supposed to say.

"Look…most people around here hate the Akuma, you know that, right?" Marie stared intently with the hint of seriousness in his tone. "As far as the Order and the Central concerned, the souls that were used to create the Akuma are unimportant. Nobody's going to sympathize with the way you fight. Things are only going harder for you if you carry on like this."

Ellen was stilled for few minutes with stunned face. She was opening her mouth and about to say something but then she closed it and casted down her eyes onto the floor instead, unable to meet her older friend and comrade's stare. Her eyes grew softer and sadder at this point.

"…Thank you, Marie. But I don't think that everyone's like that. There's people who understand this, for example like Lenalee, Komui,…and Noctis too." She replied softly.

'Besides to stop that…would mean forgetting about Mana. That's not something I can do. ' The slim female Exorcist thought bitterly and with pain.

"Hm…" Marie finally sighed exasperatedly. He put down the glass and stood carefully. "I think I've worked out why you and Kanda at each other's necks so often…"

"It's because you're so similar." He concluded as he walked away from the female Exorcist.

A red vein appeared on Ellen's forehead and it was throbbing violently. "Wha―!? You've got to be kidding me! Don't put me with a total idiot like him!" Ellen stood up and following him, hot in tail.

"You're a total idiot as well." The bald man told her as he put his hand on the angry Ellen's forehead. "…And yet the darkness surrounding each of you is so deep that I can't see how to pull you out of it. It's frustrating, even though he was the one who save me." Unconsciously, the bald man was letting a sad smile slip onto his lips.

Ellen stunned as she saw the forlorn and painful expression Marie had just presented to her.

"Eh?" The silver haired Exorcist never saw Marie like this. She could tell this was the saddest expression the bald man showed as long as she remembered. 'Right now…'

Marie retracted his hand, his blind eyes now focusing at something else. "…He's surely one big puzzle of mystery, isn't he?"

"Huh?" Ellen did a double blink; she wasn't quite catching which person who Marie talked about now. From the way he talked, Ellen had a feeling the bald man now wasn't talking about Kanda or the crimson robed man anymore but someone else. "Who…?" She pressed.

"Noctis. He's also not an Innocence user but what I have gathered from his information and Link's story, he defeated a pair of Akuma with his magic." Marie glanced toward certain area. Ellen's silver colored eyes soon followed the trail where he was glancing at.

On another side of training ground, Lavi was facing Noctis as a sparring partner. It wasn't the first time they sparred like this, they have been doing this before a few times and usually, Lavi always attempted to drag Noctis to spar with him and Noctis accepted it halfheartedly, knowing that the red haired apprentice of Bookman will only troll him since he has higher skill than the black prince despite being younger. The spar never went long because with her incredible sixth sense, Ellen always found out in the end and dragged poor Noctis away from Bookman's apprentice before the said redhead completely taking fun on the spike haired prince. Not before she scolded the green eyed teenager and gave him her piece of thought. Ellen was being protective toward Noctis since he was an outsider despite the fact he indeed has a strange ability, in which she concluded therefore he didn't have to spar with an Exorcist like her.

Ellen was watching the spar concernedly as she remembered how disagree she was to let Noctis to spar with Lavi at those times.

That and if the silver haired young woman wanted to being honest, she wasn't really confident with his battle skill. While she can see that the young man can fight to some degree, Ellen was very hesitant when she compared it with Exorcists' battle skill. But after the mission in France, now she has to reconsider it, if she didn't want the said outsider die ridiculously from the fight with Akuma. Ellen finally let Lavi sparring with him in great reluctance, with one condition: hurt him more than necessary and she'll beat Lavi into a pulp. The red haired young man sweated profusely and chuckled nervously under Ellen's mother hen glare but despite her underlined threat, he still agreed with the term. Noctis relieved Ellen let him training with Lavi at last and yet at the same time, he felt like he was officially damned as he becomes Lavi's sparring partner. Mainly it's because Lavi often teased his relationship and interaction with the silver haired female. He didn't say this aloud in front of Ellen though and thus the young woman had no clue at all.

"Oh. That…" Ellen scratched her cheek with her forefinger unsurely. Right. She hasn't telling the others about this. "He had explained it to me few days ago. And he did defeat an Akuma, not a pair."

"Oh?" Marie raised an eyebrow. "Still it was a remarkable feat for non Exorcist like Link. What did he tell you?"

"Well…" Ellen began to retelling what she had heard and remembering from Noctis' explanation regarding his magic.

(Flashback)

"How did you do it, Noctis?" Ellen asked with soft yet curious tone.

Noctis broke away from his playing with Timcanpy. The spike haired young man, who is still on his bed, now has his eyebrows furrowed.

"…Sorry?"

"I heard from Link, you fought with the Akuma outside the barrier." Ellen glanced from the corner of her eyes, her hands kept peeling an apple in her hand professionally.

Now he was devastated. "How did he know that?"

"He told me he heard the rants of the injured Akuma which passed the barrier. I think it was about you injured those Akuma quite bad despite you aren't an Exorcist and they said…" Ellen had to stop for coughing and clearing her throat carefully out of her uncomfortable. Looks like she was uneasy for whatever she's going to tell him. "They said you're a bastard."

"…A bastard, huh?" Noctis repeated it drily. "Why I'm not surprise with this?"

"I'm sorry. I know this maybe a bit uncomfortable for you but I have to know since as far as I acknowledged, only Innocence can destroy Akuma . How did you do it exactly?"

Noctis became very quiet. So quiet until it made Ellen started to shift uneasily, her silver colored eyes kept trained at the stay stilled chocobo haired prince. Ellen began to think dreadfully that she had just asked a wrong or sensitive question when he startled her by answered her question with surprisingly calm tone.

"…I used magic at them."

The short haired female Exorcist was taken aback by the reply. "You used―, you mean the magic that drain your strength as the compensation…?"

"Akuma aren't mean to fight with normal way and my black magic barely had effect on them, I had to use Holy to injure them."

"Black magic? Holy?" In which many question marks appeared above her head. She didn't recognize these new terms a bit. She sent him an apologetic look because he noticed her confusion. "I'm so sorry but I'm afraid that I'm not familiar with those terms. What are they exactly?"

Realized that this world has different magic from his, Noctis gave her a short summarize.

"Magic is divided into few branches but black magic and white magic are the most common branches."

"Black magic and white magic? I don't know that magic could be divided and there are few types of magic as well." Ellen voiced out her confusion. She paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. "But then again, I rarely see them and I have almost no knowledge about them either. I only knew and do recognizing the sealing magic only because I experienced it by myself and Link can use them…"

"Not surprising. Magic users are rare on these days and fewer who could use various branches of magic. I'm even can't use certain branches of magic, fortunetelling for example."

"There's a fortunetelling in your world? And it's considered as magic?" Ellen's interest peeked.

"There is and it is."

"But you can use these black and white magic?" It sounded impressive for the white haired Exorcist.

"In a way, yes."

"Then what's the difference between black and white magic? I'm very much aware on how it's different from Link's magic either in form and how its work, but it really concerns me since it bounded with your strength…" Ellen trailed off when she saw his amused, curled lips. A second later, she realized her mistake.

"So that's why you want to know…"

Both of the young woman's pale cheeks were coloring in dark and hot colored red from embarrassment. She hurriedly turned her attention back onto the apple she was holding and cut the rest of them. Crap, he got her in there. Perhaps she shouldn't have voiced out her thought in front of him. Turned out it wasn't a good idea to begin with.

"If you don't want to tell me now, it's really fine. I'm not going to force you. Moreover, I'm just being curious." Ellen told him. After she had finished cut the whole apple, she handled the plate filled with rabbit shape apple dishes. The flush has decreased a little but Noctis still can see the color of dark pink on her snowy colored cheeks. "You can tell me another time." Ellen ended softly.

"…Actually, you have a point in there…" Noctis spoke up as he accepted the plate.

Timcanpy sat from the bed and hopped onto his lap. Ellen took one piece of apple, the female Exorcist gave it to the yellow colored golem which munching it happily. Noctis himself took another from the plate and bite it.

"You know almost nothing about my magic, so this is the right time to learn more."

Ellen was beaming. The silver eyed young woman has been wishing for knowing more regarding the short black haired young man's magic. Ever since she acknowledged how his magic is work, Ellen now felt concern with his condition. While his magic may proved has its usefulness, on the other hand it also required his strength. The more he used his magic the more he will get tired in the end. It seems that magic become a burden for his body should he used it too much. Not even Link in such state whenever the braided blonde used those talismans of his. And it worries her none less. It way's reminded her of her own Innocence too much. What makes her even worried that he didn't mentioned the whole of it. If the magic can made him collapse, there's also a possibility the magic can also kill him if he forced his magic to some extent. Ellen was more than determined to find out more about his magic and understanding it so that way, perhaps she can keep Noctis away from the haunting risk.

"Really?" There was an excitement within her voice.

"Really. Now first of all just like their name, they are different to each other." Noctis explained. "The main difference between them is…"

(End of flashback)

"Apparently he's using two types of magic; black magic for offensive and white magic for healing and defensive one. Furthermore, there're few offensive spells of white magic and he used them to defeat the rest of the Akuma."

Marie went intrigued at this fascinating news. "I didn't know there're magic which available to kill Akuma…"

Ellen was nodding her head in agreement, silver locks swung along. "Me either. I don't think the Central ever knew any kind of magic to destroy Akuma without setting their souls free at first." Ellen commented. "I think it would be great if there's a way so we can learn and use them as well, not relying on Innocence anymore. Moreover we still can save the souls inside the Akuma with another way."

"It set the souls free from their Akuma's body?" The bald man surprised.

"Uhm…" Ellen hummed unsurely. "I'm not really sure how the spell can give such effect on Akuma. However from what I'm gathering, offensive white magic is only meant to take down creature with darkness affiliation. Those Akuma have darkness affiliation since they're made from Dark Matter, so logically he should be able use the same spell. Turned out it did work fine."

"Work fine?"

"He'd been able to injure them to certain degree and kill one…"

"That's sound like a convenient way to defeat Akuma without using Innocence." Marie commented thoughtfully and placed his hand under his chin. "Perhaps you're right. There is some way to defeat Akuma without actually using Innocence. Have you asked this to Noctis?"

"Not yet. I did talk to him however we had many things to discuss at yesterday, so I haven't asked yet. I'm planning to ask him today if possible." The smaller Exorcist turned her head slightly. "Is there something that bothering you, Marie? You can tell me, you know."

"Just…curious, that's all." Marie shrugged his shoulders. "I wonder who he is actually. He doesn't have Innocence and a civilian excluded the military service where he said to be work at." Ellen sweat dropped and felt extremely nervous at the moment. She couldn't tell Marie yet that he was actually a prince of all things. What Marie said next however had gained her attention.

"And yet he was able to parry with Akuma and using that magic of him. Do you think a person who never sees Akuma before will fight them without getting scared?"

"Ah…" Ellen's grayish silver eyes widened ever slightly. "Now you mentioned it, it does sound weird." Was it because his world filled by monsters? He did mention it in Paris, a world where instead of Akuma, there are monsters such like real life Behemoth that living in there. Ellen hummed curiously and intriguingly at this thought. Is that meaning that he has experience from fought these monsters since they can enter the human's city and made some chaos and destructions behind them? Perhaps she really should ask more to him.

"It does." The bald man smirked kindly. "But aside from that, he's a good and kind young man."

"He is…" Ellen then huffed heavily in irritable yet adorable manner. "However for the next time, I prefer to have him not doing reckless things like using his magic only to exhaust his own body for an example. It has been giving me scare a lot."

Marie couldn't suppress his chuckle. "Let's hope he's learning his lesson this time so he will think first before act, okay?"

"That's my wish…" Ellen lowered her head, feeling a surge of worry suddenly. "I hope Lavi doesn't injury him much. Even though it's just a friendly sparring, I'm not sure and not having very much confident when it comes to Noctis' well being."

"Wasn't he said as long as he doesn't use his magic, he's going to be fine?"

"Yes, but it's still making me uneasy none less…" Ellen still insisted and twisting her fingers apprehensively.

"You're really caring and try your best to look after him, aren't you?" Marie shook his head.

Ellen threw a stern, yet stubborn look at him and pouted cutely. "Of course I'm worried. I don't want Noctis get killed before he finally find a way to go home. Just thinking he has family outside there and he can't go home is saddening me…"

"Is there circumstance which make him can't go and see his family?"

The silver eyed young woman didn't pout anymore. Oh, right. Aside from Levellier, Link, Komui, and few other Exorcists, the rest members of the HQ have not know yet about the young man from different world's true home. Marie, for example, was one of them. She was making this unreadable lined with forlorn expression on her face. "Yes, it's something along with the line. There's some sort of trouble and he isn't back yet for uncertain moment…"

"…Ellen? Can I ask you something?"

"Yes?" Ellen stared innocently.

"Do you like Noctis…?"

KAAATS!

In instant, Ellen's beautiful face got overwhelmed by the color of ripe, good quality cherry and her whole body felt hot as if she was in fever, not exception her face.

"…Eh? Ah, Awawa…awawawawa―…" Ellen started to stutter very badly. She also began to loose her usual calm composure as she tried to say something but always stopped before she could form a sentence.

Marie only snorted in amusement. He found the silver eyed young woman's reaction was undeniably cute. Just as he thought, she does like the young man. Well, he had to admit the euclase eyed young man was attractive; he sometimes caught the females giggled and glance admiringly at Noctis when he walked alone on the corridor. He was surprisingly quite popular between the females. Of course the said young man didn't realize it, he attracted solely and only on Ellen despite being clueless.

Ellen herself was also quite popular with that androgynous and unique look of her. Not to mention the said girl indeed a polite, caring, and sweet young woman. Not everyday you can find such young woman like her. Excluded her 'gamble mode', every father and mother-in-law will love the slim Exorcist should she ever married. Even so, she didn't realize how some of the opposite gender would try many times to catch her attention. It was even more interesting when both the silver eyed Exorcist and the young man met after. For example, Marie noticed how both Ellen and Noctis were walking together. They do match each other as if they indeed a couple, just like the rumor said. Even they got most of the Black Order members' attention whenever they around, each of them speculated and guessed the relationship. Ah, young love…always interesting and full with life. Therefore he didn't and definitely wouldn't get tired of it. Marie wondered how long it will need for Ellen and Noctis to realize this rumor that had been floated around here for a while. He couldn't wait it.

"Just as I have suspected," The bald man said, he had this wide smirk on his face. "You do like him."

"No, I'm not- I mean, I do like him but only as a good friend! Yes, a good friend- really!" Ellen was trying to retort toward the older Exorcist with epic fail. It's even funnier to seeing her flung her arms wildly around with that red face of her.

"Are you sure about that?" Marie teasingly asked. Ah, teenagers and their love life, so easy to get tease and look how they reacted regarding their love interest. "Then why your face is completely red?"

"That's―"

"There's no point for hiding and deny it. Almost everyone has known the rumor you're being a couple with him. Even I can see that the rumor is carrying some truth. I think you're quite suitable for him and he's…"

"Marie, stop it! I've told you many times the rumor were wrong from the first time! And don't ever start with the teasing! Jiji and the other Finders had been bad enough with the whole tease, even worsened when Johnny asked me directly, not you too! We're only friends…!" Ellen almost squeaked with high pitch.

"Doesn't seem like friends to me, if you ask my opinion." Marie smirked with triumphal. "Perhaps the rumor is having truth at this point, you two are actually a coupl…"

"MARIEEEEEE―!" Ellen shouted frantically, her voice went three octaves higher than before. It did gain some attentions from the other Exorcists around her but truthfully she doesn't care anymore. She just hoped the bald Exorcist to stop his teases right now. She didn't dare to steal a glance toward Noctis' direction, afraid that the young man would only stared her back with odd look.

Ironically, Ellen didn't know that just like her, currently he was through a similar problem as well.

"You have a good skill in there." Lavi whistled before dodging a punch. "For someone who isn't an Exorcist, you're quite good."

"Your words are flattering." Noctis dodged the red head's upper kick. "But my physical strength isn't as admirable as you."

Lavi dropped his body to the floor and attempted to sweep his opponent's legs. Noctis jumped backward and thrust a kick aimed toward Lavi's face which the eye patched young man rolled away instinctively. He got up after he stopped rolling at safe distance and reassumed his fighting stance.

"You have to see Ellen in action. Despite her gender, she's an admirable and capable Exorcist."

"I had. Although Kanda did kill it in end, Ellen practically wounded the Level 4 Akuma the most. It's…very impressive I'd say."

"Oh, she indeed could fight back a level 4. She did it once before." Lavi told him gleefully.

Noctis had to stop himself from tripping and looked like he just saw a Behemoth passed before him with pink tutu.

"…I didn't know that."

Lavi, who also stopped, had tried his best to fake and covering his laugh by coughed a few times when he saw his priceless face. "Ellen is stronger than most of the Exorcists. In fact, rather than sparring with me, wouldn't it convenient to spar with her?"

"Lavi, I can't keep troubling her more than what's necessary. I have to get stronger so I will not become a burden for her." The black prince shook his head frantically, retorted the idea.

"Still, why me? You can ask Chaoji, Crowley, or even Gramps to help you."

"I have told you before; you're the only one who can help me. Besides," Euclase eyes glared accusingly. "You will not stop nagging before I accept your offer as my sparring partner."

"100 points for you." Lavi grinned in great triumphal and clapped his hands. "But you still haven't answering my first question yet."

"Why you're so persistent about it?"

"Hm…curious, I guess." Lavi tilted his red head absentmindedly.

"I don't want to make her anxious or worry about me."

"Isn't it a good thing? I mean, that's a clear sign that she cared for you."

The sky blue eyed young man sighed frustratingly. "I can't have her protecting me again and again just because my health wavered or failed me. I feel like an extra burden for her and its ashamed me. As a man, it's me who supposed to protect her, not the other way around."

Green eye narrowed ever slightly.

"It's sounded chivalrous of you but I doubt Ellen will care about you being a burden." The red head voiced out his opinion. "I had become her friend more than a year and I know it's her natural to protect her loved ones. Ellen is a selfless person, she will do anything to keep her friends safe. That's including you without exception."

Lavi then pointed his forefinger nonchalantly at the euclase eyed young man.

"Moreover, she will never think you as a burden, she clearly cherishes you in 'that' way, there's no mistake."

In which question marks appeared rapidly above Noctis' head. "…Huh?"

"Well, duh, it's not hard to notice a love struck girl." The red haired young man huffed at his denseness. Lavi had to applaud Lenalee for this, this guy was slow if it regarding love. Even Ellen started to show some small signs of recognition that she liked him. "It's painfully obvious that she liked you and you're liked her."

Noctis sputtered at the bold assumption.

"That's impossible! She's just a best friend!" He retorted, there was faint dark pink color on his cheeks.

The red haired teenager snorted disbelievingly. As if he would believe that, the faint blush said otherwise. It was funny how he acted similar like Ellen. The eye patch wearer asked the same thing once before this and he got the similar reaction coming from her. Except that she threatened to make him into a piece of goo should he's not stop asking her 'inappropriate' questions and tease her. Lavi loves to tease the snow haired young woman but he loves and treasuring his life more, so he had no choice but to shut his mouth. Lavi didn't want to die from Ellen's wrath, he prefer to die because of an Akuma or Noah.

"You're not a good liar. I may not seem like one but I can distinguish the difference between friends and couples. You two act more like a couple than best friends!" Lavi explained further when he got a gaped look from Noctis. "Come on! It's very obvious, even Yuu-chan knows you two liked each other. Ellen and you always have this lovey dovey interaction. Must I listing all of them for you?"

Noctis narrowed his eyes dangerously. Oh heck, no. Not this again. His underline threat was visible in his voice. "You wouldn't dare…"

"Nah, I doubt I can shut up now. Teasing you will be more fun than teasing Yuu…" Lavi was grinning mischievously. "Remember when Johnny asked about Ellen's relationship with you? You have this cute face along with her and―"

Lavi had to stop and dodged his head when Noctis' fist passed above where his face was a second ago.

"LAVI! SHUT THE H*ll UP, WILL YOU―!?" Noctis roared angrily. His cheeks tainted with deep shade of cherry color.

"Oho! Sneaky attack! I didn't know you're capable doing it." The red head exclaimed as he dodged another punch. "And you can curse too…!"

"LAVIIII―!" Noctis sounded angrier, yet the blush on his cheeks darkened and more pronounced.

"By the way, how deep your interaction with Ellen is? Have you hugged her?" Lavi snapped his fingers in realization, still dodging Noctis' fury attacks. "Oh shut, wrong question. Have you shared your first kiss with her yet?" The green eyed young man cupped his mouth and asked above whisper with secrecy.

His tone was filled with glee and tease and Lavi didn't bother to hide it from the older young man.

Thus Noctis exploded as he murderously after the annoying red head who laughing hard and dodging all of his attacks easily.

"LAVIIIIIIIIII―!"

Back with Ellen…

"The rumor isn't true! Please stop it, you make me embarrassed!"

"Okay, I'll stop." Laughter finally broke out from the bald Exorcist's mouth. "But I don't think Lenalee, Miranda, and Emilia will let this slip away. Not when they have a chance, so you better be wary from now."

Ellen puffed her cheeks disapprovingly. The faint color of beautiful and warm shade from red cherry was dusting them. He must say the silver eyed young woman looked cute that way. Marie slightly wondered what Noctis will say when he was seeing her current expression too. Oh, he couldn't wait it. Watching the interaction and the development between these two every day would never bore him.

"You're meanie. Can't you just drop it off already…?" Ellen pouted disapprovingly.

"Sorry but those rumors aren't easy to ignored, especially not when the two of you are so close to each other."

"Marie, we're friends and that's final." Ellen declared in finality and she didn't want to talk further in this conversation.

"Sure," Marie nodded sagely. "By the way…"

"You're wide open."

SLAAAM!

Out of sudden, Marie slammed Ellen straight on the stomach with admirable force.

"Agh!"

Ellen threw backward due to the force Marie had been put at and bumped the one of the crimson robe men. Thus it got their attention from their sightseeing.

"!?" The three of them now stared toward the bumped silver eyed Exorcist.

"That was dirty, Marie! How could you..!?" Ellen protested angrily. Unrealized by her, the silver eyed female Exorcist accidentally got her own arm tangled with the sumo guy's arm.

Link glanced to see what the commotion is when he noticed Ellen crashed onto a big guy with sumo appearance…and wearing familiar red robe.

His body tensioned at instant as his brown eyes went wide alarmingly. The braided blonde suddenly felt something ominous is going to happen and he knew it wasn't a good news for him. Link abruptly straightened from his spot and looked more than ready to rush ahead.

"…―! Walker…"

"!?"

Marie finally noticed the unknown yet familiar aura from the crimson robed men and he became more wary since he recognized them from the pervious mission. Ellen also noticed that she was in fact had bumped into someone and blinked blankly before she stole a glance above.

"Eh…?" Ellen sweat dropped with a slight guilty when she saw the man with sumo appearance and hairstyle.

Unnoticed by her, the huge man was realizing the slim girl who bumped to him.

'…! White hair and a pentacle…this girl is…'

"Ah! I'm sorry!" The young woman was smiling apologetically as her left hand coincidentally touched the big guy's arm.

The sumo guy's eyes widened drastically and he felt the familiar sensation coming at the time her hand touched him. A familiar and poisoning sensation for his current body. And the sumo guy knew what it was.

'Innocence…'

It then happened very fast and everything was in blur. The next moment Ellen knew, the big robed guy threw her harshly to the nearest pillar. Thus, she collided against the pillar and the sound of crashed stone echoed thorough the training ground followed with the small earthquake.

BOOM―!

"?!"

Noctis sharply snapped his head toward where the loud boom came from.

Lavi also stopped his move and staring frowningly at the same direction. "What's that?"

BIK!

Chilling sensation suddenly overwhelmed Noctis. As if to make it worse somehow his thought went to certain silver eyed young woman he cared. It made him very uneasy and he became anxious to say at least. Even worse when he realized the direction where the boom sound came was the same direction where Ellen spared with Marie until a while ago. She was supposed to be in that direction if his memory wasn't wrong.

'Ellen…?!'

Decided to go and check out, he briefly turned to the red haired young man and excuse himself. "Sorry, if you'll excuse me."

Not waiting for a reply, he turned on his heels and rushed forward.

"Noctis!? Where are you going…!? Hey…!"

"Check on something." Noctis then did a sprint. He was approaching the loud sound's source with various thoughts crossed and rushed in his mind. Various thoughts and possibilities rushed within his mind.

'Could it be…?' Noctis thought warily fastened his sprint.

Meanwhile…

Kratak. Kratak.

Ellen hissed painfully as she struggled to get out from the pillar's crack. Her pure white cloak protected her from the greater damage and her left arm had transformed into the black arm with black claws. Her claws were piercing the pillar behind her. Thus it made her hanging onto the pillar.

"…Wh―" Ellen had her eyes wide in disbelief before she flinched slightly. "What is…wrong with you…?! Why did you…!?"

Ellen then felt the wave of pain and dizziness as her sightseeing went blurred for a while. The white haired young woman brought her right hand to her injured head. She greeted her teeth at the painful, throbbing sensation she had once she held her head. Ellen couldn't help but to groaned almost in inaudible and soft voice.

"…Ukh…"

THUD!

Like a ragdoll cut from its wires, her body fell from the crater and landed hardly on the floor with loud thud.

"Ellen!"

Her ears picked up the deep voice she grew to familiar with in these past weeks and almost immediately, a pair of strong arms had caught her fallen body. Struggled to keep her blurry eyes opening, Ellen lifted her head slightly and looking straight on Noctis' tensioned face.

"Ellen…?!" He called her name anxiously. "You're hurt! What happen!?"

"Noc…tis…" Ellen tightly clutched the sleeve of her loose shirt. Not too long after, Marie came onto her vision, worry and alertness was written all over his face.

"Did you hit your head? Hold still…"

At the time Marie went check for her injury, it was at that very same moment she realized that her Crowned Clown cloak wrapped her body. It protecting her from the clash thus she only got very few injuries than it should. And it made Ellen baffled none less.

'Eh? …Since when was my Innocence activated…?' The slim female Exorcist never recalled she ever invokes her Innocence so why it went activated so sudden and she wasn't realized it until recently?

Soon, her question went answered with the most unexpected way she'd never thought.

…Uughh…

CKLAK! CKRAK!

Without warning, her left eye went self activated. As if it wasn't enough, her cursed eye in form of cogwheel monocle that allows her to see Akuma's soul, appeared before her left eye and left her startled behind.

"!?" Ellen jolted slightly from the sudden invokes while Marie and Noctis were surprised.

"What are you doing, Goushi?" A boy with bob hair asked tonelessly.

The sumo man, now dubbed as Goushi, clicked his tongue and showed his newly transformed arm. It was faint but there was a hint of displeasure within his voice and tone.

"Tch. It's a side effect. It activated in reaction to the Innocence…"

Upon seeing the transformed arm of the sumo man, Ellen raised too quickly and another wave of pain attacking her head.

"…kh!" She grunted, resisting the pain that come from her injury. The hand which held her injury, now was pressing a little harder than before.

"Ellen, no! Don't force yourself!" Noctis was trying to push her lying back.

Ellen touched his hand and gave him a quick, reassuring small smile though it's shaky and seemed too forced to both Marie and Noctis. "I'll be fine. Just a bit dizzy and sore, that's all…"

When she got no insist from both bald man and black haired prince, she turned her head so she could give the sumo man an examining gaze. Her silver colored eyes narrowed. Though she can hold her Exorcist compose, inside she was extremely baffled not to mention very wary.

'My left eye just activated. Is this man an Akuma?' The slim female Exorcist analyzed. 'But something's off…I can't see the Akuma soul. Just some kind of dark aura…?!'

She eyed warily the red robed men, especially the sumo man. 'What is this man?'

Before she could ponder further than this, a familiar figure of blonde Inspector with a growled golden golem appeared in front of Ellen. The braided blonde was standing with authority air and shielded her from the sumo man with crimson robe. Ellen's eyes widened with recognition and she lifted her head a bit to meet Link's stern face.

"Link…?" The slim female Exorcist called him questioningly.

"What is the meaning of this, Goushi?" The blonde inspector sent his best warning glare, he was more than ready to defend the white haired female Exorcist behind him should things went south. "Ellen Walker is currently my responsibility. What justification do you people of CROW have for laying your hands upon her?"

Ellen was completely taken a back. " 'CROW'!?" She repeated in disbelief. They were coming from CROW as well…?! Is that why Link seemed to know them?

"They're also same with Link?" Noctis frowned deeply.

"Inspector Howard Link." The huge man muttered.

"Reverse your action, Goushi." The boy with bob hair half ordered.

This time, it was the last man who continued. He had his hand placed below his chin, making a pose of a people who was thinking deeply. "Are you trying to earn yourself a lecture from Madarao on your first day here?"

Goushi followed the order as he deactivated his arm back to normal, human arm.

FUUuuu...―

Almost at the same moment, Ellen's monocle gear went disappeared so was her white cloak.

Wosh.

'My left eye stopped reacting…?!' Ellen surprised.

"What is all this about?" Crowley approached the small group.

"Oh, my…" Chaoji soon followed with amaze coloring all over his face as soon as he noticed the damage Ellen suffered on her head.

"What's up, Ellen?" Lavi eyed the injured Exorcist curiously and a bit of intrigued.

"You're bleeding, you know." Bookman exclaimed as he crossed his arms across his chest.

Ellen twitched crankily at their almost nonchalant behavior after the whole ruckus she had just now. She gave them a sharp glare. Link also casted them his own glare from where he stood defensively.

"You guys are slow." Ellen pointed out sullenly and she didn't care if she sounded harsh at the moment. She wasn't at the mood to cheer and say hello to them, not when a random yet rude proven guy smashed you hard to the pillar and injured you at the process.

"Well, the wounds aren't as bad as I assumed but I think it would be best should we bring you to infirmary." Marie concluded in relief tone after he finished his check.

Ellen broke her glare and threw him a grateful look. "Thank you." Ellen thanked softly.

The bald man lips curved into a smile. "No problem."

"Ellen, may I see your forehead?" Noctis asked her.

Ellen turned her head to his direction however the very second she stared to him, she almost stopped breathing due to her stupefy. Her silver eyes widened drastically and her face turned blank when she noticed something. No, it's not something which menacing her, it's not something which will endanger her or anything similar with the line. The beautiful female Exorcist just realized a rather embarrassing fact. An embarrassing fact in which was leading her to her current state. Ellen Walker had just realized and noticing…how close the distance between her face with his face. Now because they closed their distance, Ellen could take every single detail from his features for example how handsome his face was, how clear his sky blue eyes were and how attractive his lips―

"Ukh,―" Ellen suddenly felt that her face heated from the thought and threw her gaze away from his gaze, anything but him.

Since when her thought drifted at his lips and since when she had such inappropriate mind at the time like this…?! She had to stop thinking before she comes across with more inappropriate things. It sounded so wrong for her! Oh, hold on. It sounded like the snow white haired Exorcist got Tyki's bad side rubbed on her. Ellen wanted to face palm, even bury herself into the mother of earth forever and never out again. She knew it; she knew from long time ago that the Noah of Pleasure will become the bad influence for her! He had spent his time followed her bit too much to her discomfort and annoyance, always stalked her whenever he had the chance, he even once tried to kiss her back then at the Ark even though he failed since her faithful golem protected her from him and now look! That bastard, she swore she will make him pay for this!

Before she could think further, an unfamiliar hand suddenly pushed her bangs away from her face before the hand placed itself on her forehead. Due to the touch, she startled from her thought and the next thing she knew, she was looking straightly at the young man. It was then Ellen realized that it was his hand which is touching her. She also just realized his hand wasn't wearing any glove. What made her became more flushed was if his face only a few centimeters away from her, now he unarguable only a centimeter distance if you excluded the fact he inspected Ellen's wound.

KAAATS!

"N-N-Noc-Noctis…?!" The white haired female Exorcist stuttered badly. Her face all colored in red tomato color. "What are you doing…!?"

"I'm trying to heal you obviously." Noctis' hand began to glowing in green light, indicated the healing magic was starting to work on her injury.

"But your body will be weakened―" Ellen began to protest when he managed to cut her first.

"Your injury comes first, okay." Noctis noted firmly.

Ellen clenched shut her mouth, realized that he had left no room for her to argue back. Retort him would be a pointless idea. Finally, she had chosen to stay quiet and stay still as he was healing her. As much as she didn't like the idea, he had a valid point.

"Are you sure? It will require your strength…" Marie asked hesitantly.

"It's just one spell. I should be fine."

Marie gave him one scrutinized look. "If you said so." He said with warning underneath his tone, which means he will not hesitate to drag him to infirmary if something went wrong.

Noctis only nodded affirmatively.

"Hey, who are these guys?" Lavi asked frowningly when he spotted a group of strangers with odd robes standing a good few feet away from them.

As if remembering their own presence in here, the young man with side ponytail, who lectured Goushi earlier, stepped forward and smiled.

"Our apologizes, Ellen Walker." The last robed man began politely. "As beings who have been converted to half-Akuma through biological generation, we do not react well to Innocence. I beg your forgiveness."

Various amounts of shock were written in the rest of the Exorcists' face as they heard him.

'What...?!' Marie couldn't hide his shock.

"Half…Akuma…" Noctis repeated in disbelief.

'Impossible!' Ellen was feeling devastated at the shocking revelation.

'How can this is happening…!?'

"Goushi,"

"Kiredori,"

"Tokusa,"

"Tewaku here…"

"And Madarao."

"These five are to be stationed at the Order, serving as 'Third Exorcists' by the order of Pope." Reene introduced the members of Third Exorcists. Tewaku and Madarao were standing in each other of her side. Their faces were nearly expressionless and kept quiet, doing their duty as the woman's guards.

"This is Levellier's doing!" Bak gritted his teeth from his anger. "I received a tip-off from a former subordinate of mine working in the North American Branch!"

"…" Komui, sitting in his chair, was having his own suspect regarding this matter. And it wasn't without a reason.

'When the Noah attacked the old HQ, with Akuma Egg as the target…'

" 'Destroying Egg'? What exactly do you think you're doing? That 'egg' may still be an extremely valuable…" Levellier argued back angrily.

"Destroying the Egg is our only choice." Komui exclaimed with final, meaning that he wouldn't change his decision no matter what happen.

Levellier however, seemed antagonized with that decision.

.

.

.

"Inspector Link." Levellier had his back facing the kneeled young Inspector. His was cold and apathetic.

"I would like to give you a mission."

'To think that he was collecting the Egg fragments…' Komui thought bitterly.

'Is this the "value" of which you spoke, Levellier?!'

"Why, Reene?! It was we who sealed away the Order's dark legacy as taboo, was it not?! So why…?!" Bak shouted furiously at the short haired woman. His eyes blazed with burning and hot fury. "Have you forgotten the tragedy of 9 years ago?!"

"…The attack on HQ…helped us realized that it was a mistake." Reene began coolly in indifferent tone. "For we humans to prevail over the Akuma…"

.

.

.

"Some sacrifices are necessary."

"Ellen, are you sure you are fine?" The euclase eyed young man asked for the umpteenth times.

Ellen smiled softly in order to easy him and nodding. She didn't want to make him worry again after the nasty accident. "I have you healed me already. It's still a bit sore especially at the forehead but it will recover. All I need to do is just take a good rest and eat enough, right?"

Both of them now at Ellen's room. They had taken a bath and changed their training clothes into their usual ones. Ellen and Noctis were sitting on the dinner chair and facing each other. The golem and the blonde Inspector also accompanied them. Link stood near Ellen and watching the conversation while Timcanpy sat on the table.

Noctis did a sigh. "I'm still worry though…"

Ellen smile turned a bit strangled but it was gone as fast as it came. "Hey, you're too anxious…"

"Aren't you too?" The young man asked. "You're concerned about the fact from what the Third Exorcists made from…"

"Ah…" That's right. Since she got very distracted, her disorder must have been felt by him already. "…I can't completely hide it from you, can I?"

The young man shook his head. "Everyone feels the same. It's not a good idea to use Akuma as a weapon at humans…"

"I know…" The silver eyed female Exorcist smiled ruefully. "I know that but no matter how I tried to take this normally, it's still become a dreadful and terrible thing to me."

"Honestly, I have already smelling trouble for this." He looked at the ground; there was stress in his tone. "What are they thinking…?"

"Who knows…" Ellen muttered ever quietly, her grip on her knees tightened harder than before. "Who knows what kind of intellection they have inside their heads?"

Noctis glanced concernedly at her from the corner of his eyes. "Ellen…"

"I don't think I can accept this…" Ellen gritted her teeth as she felt that her voice wavered from the ire which threatening to come out. "How could they…? Doing as far as using Akuma's souls for war…"

"…"

"…"

Noctis and Link were glancing toward each other ever briefly.

Both were having unreadable emotion mixed with concern all written on their faces.

Ellen squeezed both of her hands in agitate gesture, an obvious act that not unnoticed by both the blonde Inspector and the black prince. It was an act that proven she's still much shaken from the previous event despite the normal attitude she put.

"No wonder I can't see the Akuma's soul which the red robbed guy was sucked. It's because he's also half- Akuma." Ellen lowered her head until her soft white locks covered her face and shielded her from Noctis' and Link's view. "I'm feeling so guilty…to those Akuma's souls that used for the Thirds' weapon."

Sigh.

Ellen still had her head lowered when she heard something. The silver eyed young woman had her eyebrows furrowed. It was sounding like an exhale. Ellen didn't mistake at the time she heard the exhale was coming from the euclase eyed young man. She also heard the ruffle of his clothes and the shift he made from his movements. Before she could lifted her head to see what is he doing, a big and strong hand touched her head gently before it started to stroke her head as gentle as possible.

It was Noctis' hand, she realized it later. Strangely enough, she found it comforting and she had to admit it that she very liked it. It made Ellen felt embarrassment more or less but she couldn't help it. It reminded her with Mana in a way. When she was sad or being upset, Mana also and always did the same thing to her. It has been a long time since she patted on the head and she found it nice. Of course there was a difference between Mana's hand and Noctis' hand. Mana would pat her lovingly like what a father would do to his daughter and his hands were gentle despite being big toward little Ellen. It was so gentle as if she made from fragile glass and he afraid one single rough touch can hurt her. Noctis otherwise, while he was having strong hands from his battle experience, surprisingly his strokes possessed some amount of gentleness even though it wasn't as gentle as her adopted father. Ellen wondered how the seemingly strong hand can provide such gentle moves and gestures to her. They had staying like that for who knows how long with Timcanpy and Link stayed near by them.

Noctis meanwhile was having various thoughts within his mind as he gently stroke the small young woman beside him.

"Have feeling a little better?" The euclase eyed young man eyed the female Exorcist.

"U-huh." Ellen nodded, smiling sincerely. "I've feeling much better now. Thank you."

"You know," The young man started. "I'm envy you."

"…He?" Ellen raised her head, she stared at him dumbly. Did she mishear that? "Did you just say that you're…envy me?" There was pure disbelief in her questioning tone.

"You have deep empathy and concern for them. It's one from many good things I admire from you…" Noctis spoke truthfully.

Ellen couldn't help but blushing at his sincere words.

"You're…flattering me…" Ellen didn't what else she should say. However she did relief as she acknowledged the young man's concern for her. Her heart felt warmed at the honest statement. From the way he talked it, she even could tell that he really meant it and she felt happy none less. "I don't even suppose to concern for those souls since the Exorcist' focus is said to destroy Akuma, not save its souls. Marie even reminded me today at the training field."

"Tell me," Noctis began with soft yet firm tone. "Is it wrong to care for the Akuma's souls?"

For Ellen Walker, the answer was already obvious. She didn't need to think twice for this.

"No, it's not. They're once humans like us, of course I will concern for them." Ellen replied with equal firmness. There was a steel glint within her beautiful silver eyes.

Much to her surprise, Noctis' lips curved into an expectant smile. "That's your answer."

"…Eh?" The young woman was startled, obviously didn't fully understand.

"You said that Akuma's souls were once humans." He said.

"…Yes?" Ellen replied confusedly.

"Therefore you're having empathy toward them." Noctis added after.

"Noctis, I'm sorry but what are you trying to say to me?" Ellen had to interrupt him.

While she understood that he was trying to raise her spirit, unfortunately she still hasn't got the main point from this conversation.

"What are these matters have something to do with them? And why would you considered them different with me? I know you're not referring it to my curse." Ellen was completely lost.

"I mean no offense but from what you've described, they don't seem to care that long time ago the Akuma's were the same with them."

Link snapped his head toward their direction and had his chocolate brown eyes widened. He looked stunned for some reason. Ellen blinked rapidly with that blank face of her before a big realization struck her on the spot.

"Ah…" The silver eyed female Exorcist put her right hand onto on front of her mouth.

"Not everyone but from what you told me, most of them think Akuma as despicable enemies they must destroy. But on the other hand…"

"They can't see the fact the Akuma were deceased humans used by Earl as weapons…or they were actually forgot it simply because of their hatred for Akuma. But I can see them…I can see their souls. I can see their pain and sorrow. Therefore I can't hate them and I'm willing to save them instead. I may don't like them but I never hate them." Ellen ended quietly and her silver eyes were boring deep into Noctis' sky blue eyes. "You may hate the fact they used as Thirds' weapons but doesn't mean you can't save them as long as you still have the chance since they're half- Akuma and hope to free them. Is that what you've been trying to tell me…?" Ellen asked in a hush.

Noctis' eyes grew softened and he gave a slight nod as the response.

"…Noctis," Ellen's tone somewhat intrigued. "Are you really sure you're not an old man like, say hermit?"

JLEEEEBH―!

Noctis looked like as if he had been stabbed straight at his heart with invisible blades at the same time while Tim sweat dropped as it watched from above the table and Link raised an eyebrow with mild interest as he saw the odd face. Ellen, unfortunately very clueless at the sudden change, was blinking innocently.

"…Why you're making a face like that?"

"…Ellen, I'm really 21 years old." He replied weakly. "Please tell me you're joking…"

"I'm serious. You did sound like an old man rather than a 21 years old, young man. Have I also told you that you're somehow grew wiser at certain times just like as you did earlier?" Ellen still kept insisting her opinion and even adding her two cents. "I don't understand how you do that. Are you receiving lessons several grades above you when you're little?"

"…There are things I just 'know' and I have no idea how." The euclase eyed young man retorted quietly.

In which it made the grayish silver eyed female Exorcist more intrigued. It sounded like it comes from one of William Shakespeare's quotes. "What is that supposed to means…?"

"…You know what?" Noctis sighed tiredly. "Let's get some apple pie. I'm hungry." He rose from his seat.

Ellen went frowned. "You're avoiding my question just now." Ellen pointed out.

Noctis shook his head slowly. "Not now, Ellen. Not now."

"…Noctis, is this conversation actually a sensitive subject for you?"

It feels like forever when it comes to waiting his reply but Noctis nod his head at the final moment. Ellen's frown slowly changed became understanding. The female Exorcist casted down her silver colored eyes to the floor beneath them.

"I see…" She whispered thoughtfully.

"…I will tell you in the future…together if you don't mind." Noctis added quietly.

Together in Ellen's dictionary means he will only tell her when there were only the two of them, just like the previous conversation. Ellen huffed exasperatedly and crossed her arms.

"Oh fine. Just promise me you will tell me when you feel the time is right. Now let's grab some food in cafeteria. I'm feeling hungry right now." Ellen stood up slowly from her own seat and grabbing Link by his arm, earned a startled look from the blonde. "You too, Link. It will be more fun and merrier if you also come with us."

Link was taken a back with her sudden 'invitation'. "Walker, I'm not feeling hungry at the moment―"

"Why you have to be such a stiff person? You can have those cake you always eat everyday." The snow haired young woman huffed exasperatedly. "And don't ever think you can lie to me. I know you didn't eat much cake this morning."

"I'm not―"

"Link, you know Ellen is very persisted when it's come to our well being…" Noctis reminded in sympathetic tone.

Before Link could ever refuse, he felt a tug from his long sleeve arm and focused back onto Ellen.

"Please?" Ellen pleaded with those hopeful, puppy eyes of her.

"…As your wish." Link sighed in defeat. "But I want this to be quick, I still have paperwork to do after this and you still have your own report to finish with."

Except the blonde Inspector, all the occupants cheered over the small victory and soon after, they dragged the poor Inspector toward the cafeteria.

"You look like a shit, Tyki." The Ninth Disciple commented. She stared amusedly toward the Third Disciple that currently having a bad mood.

They had just gone back from the dinner room and walking thorough the cold corridor. Tyki walked ahead of Road while the Noah who looked like a 12 years old girl, trailed right beside him.

Tyki scowled in displeasure, he wasn't in the mood for talk with the Noah of Dream. Not after Earl called all available Noah clan at dinner's time. He had to break the news concerning the newest information from the failed and latest mission. It wasn't good news to begin with; well, partially it was good news in a way. But other than that, the rest of the news had made him boiled with dark fury and left him with his current state. To say that he was completely pissed off was an understanding of this century.

"Shut up."

"So harsh." Road replied playfully. "You are furious with what Millennium Earl had just informed us, do you?"

"I said, shut up." Tyki impatiently repeated, this time with a snarl.

The blue haired girl then pouted. "Geez, you're so snappy. Was it because what Earl had told us earlier?"

"I'm not in the mood for talking, Road." He told her with the same impatient tone he used previously.

"See? You're snappy!" She exclaimed.

"If you knew that already then stay away from me." Tyki shot a side glare which told the girl to stay away and he really meant it.

But if this is Road we are talking about. It was almost like her second nature to tease and annoy those who she favored. Tyki, obviously and unfortunately was one of few whom she favored. The second oldest Noah will not letting this go so easily. That's why she jogging passed the wavy haired man and stopped only few steps before him, thus stopping Tyki at the process. The spiky haired girl let out a giggle and sing sang teasingly, it showed how obvious that she had been intended from the beginning. As if it wasn't bad enough, she had her question hit him on the nail mercilessly.

"Are you jealous because Ellen now having another man stays near by her?"

CRACK!

PRANG! PRAAANG!

…

…

"I took it as yes then." The blue haired girl concluded after a long silence as her eyes glued at the hall's broken windows and their shattered pieces on the floor and the frozen man before her.

Although his face was blank, his burning golden eyes said otherwise.

Road was smirking internally. Her guess had hit the nails and his face was so priceless. In fact, it was the most priceless expression she ever saw from the Noah of Pleasure. Too bad she didn't have a camera with her.

"So you're really jealous. I never thought you can. Still, I wonder what kind of man is he. I hope he's worthy enough to become my doll." She ended as she putting one hand on her mouth and giggling eagerly.

"Is the thing you're care about only to playing with some dolls and Ellen?" The Third disciple stole an incredulous glance from his seat, forgot for his fury for a moment.

"Do you really want to know?" Road threw her own question with innocence look.

Tyki twitched in annoyance. He grumbled and looked away from the blue haired girl. "…Forget it. I should've never asked it."

"You're really desire to kill the poor young man, aren't you?"

"What if I am?" The Noah of Pleasure replied coldly. His fury was flaring back within his eyes once more and his voice filled with hatred.

"Oh come on! You know very well what Millenie's order is." Road reminded him, she was rolling her eyes exasperatedly. "We've been ordered to not touch both Ellen and the young human before further examination. Ellen's because of being the Noah of Destruction's current host while the human…"

He couldn't help but snorted haughtily. "Well, I'm very sorry then, Road, because I don't think I can hold my wrath once I meet this worthless worm."

"Careful, Tyki. Earl had told us that he might be a threat since he can destroy an Akuma." Road warned, still with a hint of amusement.

Tyki narrowed his blazing golden eyes. "You don't have to remind me, I'm not an idiot."

Road chuckled with a mirth at this. "Better safe than sorry. It's never hurt to keep on guard."

A sadistic grin suddenly curved on Tyki's lips. His eyes filled and literally radiated with murderous intent as he chuckled darkly. Better safe than sorry? Hah, was she kidding him? His chuckles broke into a maniacal laughter.

"Oh, believe me, Road." He began once he ceased his laughter, gone his previous dark smile, he was wearing a cold fury face.

No.

It wasn't just a fury.

It wasn't just a normal fury which would go lesser after it exploded brutally and scaring people around.

It was more than just a fury.

It was a destructive wrath that threatening to destroy anything near by him mercilessly, should he not unleash it soon and it has to be in his intended target.

"I'll not let myself belittle with this weak, pathetic trash." He said between his mad laughter and putting his hand which previously held glass onto his forehead, hiding his upper face from the view. "I'll not myself overpower by this bug whose dare to approach my dear Ellen. Ellen is mine and she's only mine alone. Therefore, when I meet this sorry excuse of human…"

"I will teach him to not ever, ever touch what's become mine."

Night had fallen for a quite long time in the island where the Head Quarter of the Black Order located.

Most of Exorcists and scientists had called it a day and went to rest. They stopped whatever activities they had, they went back into their own respective bedroom and sleeping soundly as soon as their heads hit the pillows. They slept peacefully above their soft pillows and bed cocooned with thick and warm blanket. Well, most of them anyway. Few still awake for various reasons. Others tried to dig further their research on certain bugs from the mission in Paris, others filled last reports regarding the Broker they extracted from the same mission to moved her into the prison beneath Order's jurisdiction, while the rest of them…

'…I can't sleep.' The mental exclaim crossed in Ellen's mind as her wide, silver colored eyes stared irritably at the plain ceiling above her.

She was on her bed and cocooned with the thick blanket wrapping her, provide her some warmth as the room went cold when the night arrived. Ellen shifted her position and buried herself deeper into her blanket but it annoyed her even more since her eyes didn't feel drowsy a bit. Aren't people usually will go drowsy and sleep before he knew it if he cocooned all of his body in thick, warm blanket? Ellen sighed heavily and clutching her pillow tighter. Apparently not, not with her anyway. The snow haired Exorcist then stole a glance toward Tim, which curled against her pillow and pushed itself toward the soft pillow a bit before stay still in its sleep. At this moment, Ellen felt a tiny feeling of jealously because the golem can fall asleep easily tonight. She turned her head and looking at the moon above the sky through the window.

'No matter how I try, I can't sleep…'

It was a nice night actually. The moon's shine wasn't as brighter as yesterday thus she could see the small lights of the stars scattered across the dark sky. It has been a long time since the last time she watched the stars. She used to always watch them together with Mana in park or road. A thought then popped into her head and as soon as it appeared, her eyes then gleamed in eagerness.

'Ah, that's right…' Ellen beamed slightly, a small smile curved on her dark pink lips. 'It has been a long time since I got out and gazing at the night sky…'

It would a good idea if she can walk in the garden for a while and watching the stars before going to sleep. The slim Exorcist slowly rose from her bed and took out her sweater from the chair near her bed. She slipped the warm and long sweater carefully so she didn't disturb Link's slumber. However her movements had awoken the golden colored golem from its slumber.

"Sst." Ellen put her forefinger onto her mouth in quiet motion.

Timcanpy tilted its head curiously. Ellen stole a glance at the sleeping form of Link. Lately in these days, even if the blonde wasn't going to admit it, he seemed more tired and need a proper rest more so than ever. This is the first time Ellen saw the blond haired man actually sleep peacefully for the first time in few weeks. So Ellen decided to let him get his good rest. After making sure that he wasn't awake by the movements she made, she focused back toward her beloved golem.

"I'll take a walk at the outside. I'll be back soon, stay here and be good, okay?" Ellen whispered softly at the golem. Timcanpy looked unhappy that it wasn't allowed to accompany the slim young woman. Ellen chuckled softly and patted the golem. "It's just a walk, I promise." She whispered. The golden colored golem still unsatisfied with the order but it finally decided to trust Ellen and waiting her.

"Thank you." Ellen smiled gently as her hand was still patting Timcanpy. "If Link's wake up, tell him I'll be at the garden."

Timcanpy nodded its head a few times. The curve on Ellen's dark pink lips widened slightly. She quietly straightened her slim body and stepped slowly so she wouldn't disturb or even alert and awaken the sleeping Inspector. Ellen approached the door and benched down so she could wore her white ballet flat shoes soundlessly. The short haired female Exorcist had kept them near the door so she can easily wear them. Once she finished, she rose back and turned the doorknob as carefully and as soundless as possible. Once the door opened wide enough for her to get out, she slipped away and casted one last gaze at Link. Smiling amusedly when she saw how peaceful his sleeping face was, Ellen closed the door gently and walked thorough the corridor.

Few minutes later, Ellen finally arrived at the garden. She rubbed her hands and keeping them warm. She took a slow pace as she stared toward the dark yet glittered sky. The air was a bit cold tonight but other than that, it was a clear night and a perfect time to watch the stars. Ellen smiled in reminiscence when the thought of seeing the night sky crossed on her mind. When Mana was still alive, she used to watch them with him a lot. She didn't know any constellations at that time, Mana also almost have no clue at the same time. The silver eyed beauty only learning more of them after she entered the Order. Ellen was about to walk onto one of the few bench in the garden when she spotted a shadow of human form already sitting in there.

This made Ellen stopped on her track.

'…Eh? There's someone in here?' Ellen startled when she found out that she wasn't alone in there. She wasn't and didn't expected there are people who not gone to sleep yet. 'I wonder what kind of person who is still awake at this hour?'

Blinking in curious and anticipation, she began to walk again, this time slower and careful. She approached the person from behind before she had to circling the bench and stopped only a step behind the person's behind left.

"Excuse me…" Ellen politely greeted the person who stayed still at his seat.

The person jumped slightly from the bench and before she knew it, her silver eyes were staring into wide sky blue eyes.

Ellen blinked. The person blinked back.

"Ah…" Both of them were staring widely at each other; they clearly didn't expect there was another people who still awake at this hour.

…

…

"Noctis?" Ellen looked at him dumbly. "What are you doing in here…?"

Despite the darkness which was surrounding the night, the moonlight gave her eyesight enough light to recognize the seated young man before her. Here he was, with cerulean t-shirt and white pajama pants, a pair of plain white shoes. She noticed he also has his black coat with him on his shoulders not bothering to wear it. It was when the white haired Exorcist then noticed something else.

Noctis stayed still, unresponsive to her inquiry. He also has this odd gaze onto her direction.

Ellen furrowed her eyebrow. Her concern grew along with the worry. She wondered what's wrong with him since he stared her with that unreadable look he had just now. He acted as if he was facing something that was unusual for him. Unknown to her, the very reason why he stared widely was because of herself. Noctis couldn't break his gaze away from the young woman before him. His eyes were wide and bemuse. He couldn't help it but if Prompto was also in here, he wouldn't only admire the view but also trying to get the young woman into a date. He just glad his blonde friend isn't here. He couldn't take his eyes away from the silver eyed girl stood in front of him. The lights came from the stars and the hovering full moon, mostly from the moon itself, far above them illuminated the silver haired female. Strangely while the full moon itself shone brightly, the stars still as visible as ever when in normal condition, the light of the moon should've disturbing the light from the stars but it didn't matter to Noctis anymore.

Not when he got mesmerized by what he was considering as the most beautiful sight in front of him.

The maiden stood before him with the full moon far behind her. She wore white pajamas with light blue edges in them and plain, white colored ballet flat shoes for her feet to walk around. A warm, cozy, soft, and hooded sweater with equal color adorned her frame. It made from Kashmir wool and it hit below her knees. It seems a little too big for her since the size unmatched with her posture – her sleeves were going down, almost covered her whole hands, leaf only her long and frail fingers for him to be see- and while it buttoned up, the beautiful Exorcist held the cowl part tightly, obviously trying to warm her body.

The soft light from the white moon fell and shone onto the beautiful Ellen's figure perfectly yet so gentle. Her white and soft hair went luminous under the moonlight, it swayed playfully by the passing wind. The wind made them dancing gracefully and elegantly below her long, swan like neck. The beauty of her pale and smooth skin radiated due to the moonlight's influence, white like the purest marble. But the most breathe taking part from her were how the moonlight making a halo around her, thus emphasizing her both her charm and her loveliness. And those silver eyes of her, he never thought they would be this beautiful. Her eyes glowed a bit from the moonlight, infused with her radiant, pure innocence and kindness. It was stunning and breathe taking and lovely. It just looks like as if she was the incarnation of moon goddess. Noctis frowned slightly at the thought before he corrected himself after a quick thought. No, not a moon goddess, he soon realized. She was too perfect to became a goddess, not with her dazzling and heavenly, holy bearing beauty caliber. Her beauty reminded him like those holy angel statues he always saw, scattered both inside and outside the palace. He then stopped his trail of thought.

Ah, that's right.

Now that he had come to acknowledged it, Ellen was just like a perfect incarnation of angel. Dressed her with Greek style dress or any types of white, flowing, simple yet elegant dress, give her a pair of white wings, and she will definitely transformed into the fairest, perfect angel incarnation he ever saw. Not even her black left arm could ruin the radiant beauty which she possessed. Even now, when she dressed in her pajamas and sweater, she still looked amazingly beautiful with that glow despite the simplicity she showed. Ellen more looked like a normal girl rather than an admirable, capable Exorcist and fighter. It captivated him completely and he couldn't deny it, he couldn't break his gaze away from this heavenly beauty.

She looked…lovely.

"Noctis…?"

Her curious voice snapped him back from his previous thought. Ellen tilted her head while she eyed him hesitantly. He has been dazed off for a while now. She wondered if he started to feel drowsy at this point, it has been late and almost everyone fell into their own slumbers aside from her and perhaps Jiji and the other scientists in lab. And yet she also noticed how his sky blue eyes were wide instead of being half closed.

"You're acting weird just now. You kept staring at me with that odd look." The snow haired young woman spoke up. "Is something wrong by a chance or perhaps there's something you want to say to me…?"

Awkwardness assaulted the poor young man.

"It's…nothing." Noctis broke his gaze away from Ellen, suddenly feeling rude. "I can't sleep well somehow, so I going out for some fresh air."

Ellen relaxed her body. "Oh…"

Now it was Noctis who asked in curiosity, he glanced from the corner of his eyes. "How about you? What are you doing?"

"Same with you." The slim, white haired young woman answered. "I found myself still awake and I can't sleep yet. I wanted to watch the stars for a while."

"So the conclusion is we are need to find a quiet place in which happened to be this garden."

"We are, indeed…" Ellen stole a glance at the empty seat beside the young man. "May I sit here?" She gestured at the seat.

Noctis had his euclase eyes locked onto her a bit puzzlingly. "Sure. Go ahead."

"Thank you Noctis." Ellen smiled in relief and claimed the seat next to the young man. "It's kind of…odd." She said after a brief silence.

"Hm?" Noctis tilted his head in puzzlement.

"We have been together very often recently for a girl and a boy who aren't quite close, I found it a bit odd. No, please don't misunderstand me. I not meant it in a bad way; it's nice to have you as a company. It's…" Ellen inhaled shakily before she started to talk again. She began to felt nervous, there was only the two of them sat in this garden at night. Of course she would feel jumpy.

"It's felt confusing to me because I considered you more than just a nice and kind company." Ellen revealed with soft and timid voice. "I don't know whether to call you a friend or best friend. Sounds stupid, isn't it?"

'Great Ellen, just a great way to talk about your relationship you have in there. Now he's going to think you as weird girl and…'

"…I don't think you are."

Ellen stupefied by the sudden reply coming from the young man sat beside her. The reply rings inside her head for few seconds before she had fully processing it. It made her distracted none less.

"…Eh?" The silver eyed young woman carefully took a glance at him and…

Ellen blinked once.

Twice.

Then she scrutinized the young man's face more intensely, trying to make any small details she missed earlier…

Wait.

…Was that a blush? Ellen was caught off guard. He blushed for only talking their actual relationship? But they were seating on the bench in the middle of night so she didn't see around as clear as the day so she couldn't be so sure. Her answer concerning the relationship however is soon to be reply.

"You're not the only one who confused about our relationship." The euclase eyed young man continued with small voice.

Ellen was pretty much confident with her woman intuition since she didn't miss the shyness in his voice.

BADUMP!

'H-he actually meant it…?!' The slim Exorcist thought disbelievingly.

"Oh…" Ellen blinked awkwardly. A moment later, she looked at her lap and squeezing the pants of her pajama tighter slightly, trying to ease her clumsiness. "Oh. Thank God…I thought it was only me and although I've tried to ignore them, the rumors are making it more complicated."

"They'll not stay around for long." Noctis commented. "They're just rumors after all."

"But it's embarrassing." Ellen added embarrassedly.

"It can be more complicate." Noctis retorted. "Imagine if you were rumored couple with Link or Kanda or even Lavi."

KAAAATS!

"NOCTIS…!" Ellen shouted loudly with all of her mighty, or it was more like she shouted from her lungs. The snow white haired Exorcist had forgotten her previous awkwardness in instant as she now face to face with him. She sent her grateful to God for made her flushed face obscured by the darkness of night despite the full moon night. She didn't want to imagine if he could clearly see her face.

Sensing the danger is coming, the young man hastily apologized. "Sorry, but it's still a possibility."

"You're far worse than Lenalee and Johnny! Link has no interest for me other than guarding me in 24x7 hours, Lavi is obviously friend, and you know what Bakanda looks like! Why would someone coupled me with them…!?"

A long moment after the silver haired young woman's outburst, the sky blue eyed young man started to chuckle. It wasn't a heartedly chuckle because one can make a good joke; instead, it was a nervous chuckle because one didn't want to get hit as a result.

"…On the second thought," Noctis began between his chuckle. "You're right. Let's talking another topic, anything is fine."

He didn't want the young woman before him get angry and do something which may make him ever, ever, regretting for told her the possibility getting pair up with other men other than him. He feared woman scorned, he still sane enough to care for his live, and he still want to live, thank you. Meanwhile, Ellen half relieved to hear that reply. The beautiful white haired Exorcist completely clueless and she had no idea how to react toward this whole lovey dovey, couple, and pairing thing. Sure she loved to tease Miranda with Marie or sometimes Lenalee with Lavi but she never been the one who would be teased since she never had any special relationship with any boys, let alone her beloved father. And those rumors had crawled under her skin much to her shyness and uncomfortable feeling. She would admit that she attracted with the young man and she wouldn't deny it. On the other hands she still unsure whether her feeling of attraction is leading to love or just temporary attraction between friends. It confused and threw her of balance, this feeling. It was different from what she felt all of this time with her male friends. Not even Kanda could make the beautiful silver eyed Exorcist this perturbation.

It was a feeling, a sensation of emotion which was a new whole thing to her. She never felt it, this new feeling and sensation, not since he entered her life. It just happened, this attracted feeling. It drove her nearly frustrate. On one side, it feels beatify and she couldn't help but to sensing an extreme happiness. On the other side, the same feeling had scared her for good. It was unknown to her and yet it overwhelming. Ellen almost frightened with this feeling and she absolutely had no idea how to deal with it. It made her curious yes but at the same time it scared her as much as the same amount with that curiosity. Perhaps if she asked Lenalee or Miranda, she wouldn't this trouble. But then again, she didn't want to get tease by them for she didn't know her own relationship with Noctis. Therefore the silver eyed young woman was more than grateful for she can avoided from such difficult and complicate matter. Only the topic about this pairing she'd like to ignore if she can. On the other hand, she half annoyed because now even Noctis brought up that embarrassing topic and listing the possibility of her get other young man to pair up other than him.

The list even ridiculous!

While Lavi, Link, and Kanda –despite her reluctance while he probably would deny it with a vengeance-were her precious friends and comrades, she harbored no love feeling toward them.

She liked them, yes.

She treasured them, yes.

She loved to spend her time with them, of course.

No one will ever replace their places, definitely.

…But to actually feeling love in such romantic way?

"That's good thing to hear…I guess…" Ellen ended lamely and had to stop herself from cringed.

"I'm sorry." Noctis said apologetically.

Ellen quickly shook her head. "It's okay. It's not your fault…" She replied with gentle voice of her.

The young man wasn't convinced with her words. Ellen flashed him a small, reassuring smile. He still gave her that unsure look however his euclase eyes softened.

"Alright."

At instant, Ellen's smile was increasingly wider than before. She wasn't blushing anymore and gone her awkwardness. In the end, the slim female Exorcist had become calm down eventually. She looked so happy instead with the simple gesture. Seeing such innocent smile on a young woman he admire so much, Noctis felt the need to respond her smile with his own, in which he did. Sometimes, it amazed him how a smile can change a person's behavior both in disarming and threatening way. Admit it, the silver eyed young woman has the most lovely smile. Ellen shifted a few times in her seat and adjusted her sweater. Her platinum eyes went back onto the dark sky above there with Noctis followed her soon.

"…The stars…there're so many of them and I don't recognize most of them…" Noctis gaze at the sky with wistful expression. "I'm really in another world after all…"

Ellen was glancing from the corner of her eyes and chewed this information carefully. He just said he didn't recognize the stars at all, so that will be meaning…

"Are the constellations in this world even different from those in your world?" The snow white haired beauty asked.

"Very." His face was growing nostalgic, the fondly smile shadowed on his lips. "I learned constellations so I have enough acknowledgement concerning stars."

"Was learning about constellations also necessary in royalty? I thought it has nothing to do with the kingdom, in fact they have a very little connection to each other as well." She was obviously surprised.

Noctis shook his head quickly.

"It's not. It was…my mother who loved to watch the stars." He bit his lips sadly. "I was taught by her."

"Ah…" The slim beauty dawned with realization. She nodded slowly at this. "She must be loved them very much as far as taught you."

"She was…" Noctis went silent for a moment before he turned at her and pointed his hand at one direction at the sky. "Hey Ellen, what's that group of starts that looked like a river and has more white color around? What you name it?"

Ellen held her breath unconsciously when those eyes gazed straight at her. Although it almost dark and there was only little light from the stars above them, if she saw his eyes from this close she could saw that his eyes were somehow seemed brighter in the middle of darkness, almost like a cat.

'His eyes…are glowed…' Ellen stunned thoughtfully as she couldn't take of her eyes away from Noctis'. They looked so beautiful and breathtaking, like the color of crystal. 'I never his eyes glowed like this…is it possible that his eyes actually can glow just like that?'

"Ellen?" At the name called from the black prince's lips, Ellen finally snapped away from her daze and was having this blank look even though not for long.

"Huh? Oh, it's Milky Way; it got called like that because it's milky glowing appearance. It's the galaxy where we lived at. From the earth, you can only see it as hazy band of white light. You don't have it in your world?"

"We have something similar like this but it's very different, it's bigger than this." The short black haired young man told her.

Ellen became very intrigued. "Does it have name?"

"Aciem Magnam Sidera. We often called it Astral Linea."

"Astral Linea…the Path of the Stars?" Ellen presumed randomly. Her elegant eyebrow furrowed. "That's a good name but I must admit the previous name's a bit mouthful for a celestial object." Ellen commented truthfully.

Noctis held back a chuckle. "I have to agree with you for the mouthful part."

Ellen chuckled shortly after. Once their chuckles died completely, she stared back at the sky. It wasn't too long before she spotted a certain constellation in there. Upon seeing it, her lips curved into a delightful smile. It was her favorite constellation and she considering it as the most magnificent from all constellations. An idea suddenly popped in her head, it only served her more happiness. Perhaps the slim Exorcist can show it to Noctis. Ellen was willing to bet he didn't have this constellation in his world. Ellen patted the young man's shoulder gently to get his attention. She then took the chance to point her right hand to another direction above there.

"Can you see the brighter stars at the middle just below the Milky Way? The ones which are forming into square shape?" Ellen asked the young man as they gazed to the certain direction she had pointed. "Together with few others scattered around, they're forming Pegasus constellation, the heavenly winged horse. It's one of my favorite constellations and there're others as well."

"There are?" Noctis seemed interest. His tone was curious.

"Yes, there're more." Ellen replied in affirmative tone. But then she sighed languidly. "I wish I learn more from Lavi, he's the expert one, not me."

"It's okay; I don't mind you're telling me more."

Ellen looked at him doubtfully and hesitantly. "Do you not mind at all…?"

"Nope. Can you tell me more, please?" Noctis persuaded with bubbling enthusiasm. Although his face didn't seem too eager, his voice and his eyes told otherwise, making Ellen wondered if the young man was a bit more of a space freak.

To think that she was unable to refuse his request; not when he sounded too eager for wanting to know. Believe or not, he did sound like Lavi when he was this eager and hopeful. Ellen shivered slightly. No wonder those two get along, both of them were a curious and want for more knowledge type.

"If you're keeping insist." She sighed in defeat. "Since it is autumn, there're few constellations visible at the sky. Pegasus is one of them, along with Andromeda, Cassiopeia, and Pisces. If I'm not wrong, there're total 9 constellations you can see with bare eyes at the sky."

Noctis hummed. "That's a lot of constellations. What next?"

"Andromeda, the chained princess' constellation is locating near Pegasus while Cassiopeia, the mother of the chained princess and queen of Ethiopia, resided above Andromeda. Pisces or the fish constellation is one of the 12 zodiacs represent 12 months in a year and located below Pegasus. Although it's a spring constellation, we can also see it in autumn just like now." Ellen elaborated more but she stopped once she had Noctis was having that deadpanned face.

"You're smart, very if I might add. You have some knowledge about astronomy, not everyone does."

Ellen blushed and smiled sheepishly. "Thank you, but I'm afraid you have to ask Lavi if you want to know more. I'm only average while he's the smartest among us, he can give you more knowledge about the constellations. Perhaps you can even lend his books if he allowed you just like that one with culture knowledge. Just ask him tomorrow, I'm sure he'll not mind to lend his books to you."

"I'll keep that on my mind."

"If he hasn't started to tease and toy around you before you can lend his books." Ellen reminded.

Noctis face palmed and groaned miserably. "Don't remind me."

Ellen chuckled and patted his shoulder gently like a mother soothing her troubled son. She then pulled back her hand, focusing back her grayish silver eyes toward the dark night sky. After stole a brief glance at the silver haired Exorcist, Noctis followed the example. Soon he found himself staring at the same direction into the night sky. They fell into the calming and comforting silence, sitting side by side on the chair, enjoying other's presence as they were simply watching the countless stars far in there. It was a beautiful night today since the sky very much clear from any clouds and even there's moon shining above; its shine not obstructed the stars' shine. Unlike the previous cold wind, the night wind breeze gentler and warmer through the garden this time. It was unusually warm in this season. It was supposed to be cold since the season about to enter winter. And yet, the warm wind brought more warmness and comfort to both Ellen and Noctis. Now Ellen though about it, this was the first time they can spend their time together in peaceful without anyone near them or any serious trouble followed them. Even when she visited him in his room in past, there was a problem, none other than Noct's hidden identity, waiting the two of them. But now…

Ellen sighed quietly, her eyes still fixed at the stars scattered across the sky like thousands of small diamonds above the black, dark, and soft linen.

"The stars…They're really beautiful tonight." Ellen stared tranquilly at the Milky Way.

"Hmmh." Noctis gave his simple agree. His lips curved a bit.

They were not talking for a moment as they seemed in their own thoughts. That was until the white haired young woman broke the silence between them. The beautiful silver eyed female curious of few things therefore she encouraged herself and asked him some questions.

"…Hey, Noctis? Can the stars also seen in your place?"

The short black haired young man pondered for a while. He then shook his head and sighed forlornly.

"Not always. Sometimes the lights of them got swallowed by the light from the city. The clouds also often closed the sky. This is the first time I ever saw it this clearly after long time." He replied quietly.

Ah, she had heard this before. Ellen had read and told by Reever that the pollution from industries nowadays had blocking the starlight thus it made the stars were looking duller. The young woman nodded understandingly. When she in the big city such as London, sometimes she felt the similar thing just like him. It saddened her a bit when she couldn't see their tiny yet beautiful shines clearly. Even thought the sky looked like a black velvet blanket, she wasn't seeing anything in there except for few stars.

"I see…" Ellen smiled wistfully.

"It seems you're skilled at Latinum. How long have been you learning?"

Ellen did a quick calculation.

"More than 1 year now since I entered the Order. Because we're with the Vatican, it's kind of a rule to learn Latin language. It was difficult at the beginning but I'm a quick learner." Ellen explained to him. "Aside from Latin I'm also learning Japan and Greek a bit started from last year but I'm not quite confident with my own fluency."

"You're learning for 1 year?" The young man showed his amazement. "You're must be very good."

"Ah…thank you for the compliment."

Another warm wind was breezing and hit them softly soon after. It blew both of Ellen's and Noctis' hair gently.

"…So what are you going to do, now?"

Felt slightly confused, the white haired girl fixed on the euclase eyed young man sat beside her. The main heir of Lucis didn't look at her directly; instead he kept looking at the bright stars which shine softly in the night sky. His face was relaxed and carefree, the silver eyed young woman thought that he even far more handsome if only he smiled. Ellen's cheeks were dusting by the pink blush. She thankful it was quite dark so her blush wouldn't be too noticeable. His voice broke her thought almost immediately.

"I mean, what you are going to do after you know the fact that somehow you have Fourteenth's Noah inside you?"

The young man's spike, black haired was being played by the wind.

The slim young woman was silent at first. An awkward silence followed soon after. The euclase eyed young man suddenly felt stupid for asked such a question. He shouldn't ask it at first, no matter how it worried him. He was about to apologize when the grayish silver eyed young woman beat him first.

"Isn't it obvious?" The silver eyed beauty said with a small yet confident smile. "I'll keep continue to walk. I'm Ellen Walker, an Exorcist, no more, no less. Nothing will change it."

Noctis stunned for a moment before he remembered this was Ellen they were talking about.

"What about yourself, Noct?" This time it was Ellen who asked him.

A pair of bright blue eyes snapped at the pair of silver eyes, blinked once. "Sorry?"

"This may be a little offended to you, but you're from a royal family, aren't you? Are you going to replace your father when you get back?"

A question he was rather not thinking it for now. He didn't want to think about how he will replace his father in the future. Not while he has another wish in his heart. Noctis bite his own lips unconsciously. He opened his mouth hesitantly.

"I..." His tongue felt numb.

He was a part of the royalty. He was the main heir from the kingdom. He was the protector and the keeper of the Great Crystal. The crystal had chosen him and he answered its call. Only a king can have its power. Therefore, he supposed to be the next King, he must replace his father no matter what happen. It was supposed to be like that.

But…

"I…" He once more opened his mouth only to found he couldn't speak a word. The white haired young woman who sat beside him began to look at him with concern, mixed with worry.

But…

Gave up, Noctis sighed heavily then closed his eyes.

"Honestly, I don't know."

But he wanted to be a normal boy.

Noctis wished to be normal.

A silence fell onto the earth. Another breeze played the snow colored hair and the bluish black hair.

"Hey, Ellen?" Noctis asked slightly hesitant.

Ellen tilted her head to right in questioning manner. Her eyes shone innocently and elegantly as they stared right into Noctis'. Her smile was so warm and attractive. It was very attractive if he might add. He had just realized that Ellen wasn't only a young woman but a beautiful and attractive young woman. Noctis had a deep blush on both of his cheeks. He shouldn't have a thought like that, he wasn't even felt like a close friend to her since he trashed in this world.

"Yes?"

"We are friends forever, right?"

At first she was silent. Frowning silver eyes were staring onto sky blue colored eyes. Noctis started to sweating and wondering if he had said something wrong, when a soft smile was forming on Ellen's dark pink lips. Her gaze and her face gone more softened to him.

"...Yes. We are friends. Forever and always." She answered kindly. "Always, Noct."

The young man did a dumb blink. Then as quickly as it came, it gone as a soft smile curled on the prince's lips.

"Thanks." He thanked the slim female sitting beside him sincerely.

When Ellen saw his smile, she unconsciously thought he was far more suited with that sincere smile than his usual cool face. Ellen curiously wondered if this innocent face was actually his true face. Was he become like this since he had been forcefully brought from his world into the unknown world? To the world he knows nothing and being left alone in here without his family or friends? Ellen frowned. That would explain why she always caught him with lonesome look whenever he talked about his home although the way he spoke had no slightest indication for homesickness. Was there anything she can do for him even it's just lift his homesick a bit…?

Ellen had to pause at the thought. Soon there was a flash flickering in Ellen's eyes, an idea formed within her head. Her lips soon curved into a wide, eager smile. The snow haired female Exorcist knew what she's going to do for her newest friend.

"Hey, I have a very good idea!" Ellen exclaimed cheerfully. "Hold your pinky finger like this!"

A pair of euclase eyes fixed bewilderingly to her. "Huh?"

"Come on, just hold your pinky finger just like this!" Ellen lifted her right hand, all fingers but the pinky finger curled up.

Noctis felt confused none less but he did what Ellen had told.

"Like this?" The moment he held his pinky finger, the silver eyed female Exorcist took his hand gently with her deformed hand and intertwined his with hers, making Noctis taken aback by such action. Actually, her eagerness was starting to creepy him out. "Ellen, what are you doing…?"

"Make a promise." Ellen replied cheerfully and sounded so excited. She sounded like a child given an early Christmas present at this point. "This is a culture from Japan, the most eastern country in this world. They called it yubikiri which translated into pinky promise. If there're two people who want to make an important promise, they have to link their pinky finger to each other, like this!"

"Ah…" The euclase eyed young man could only nod at her enthusiasm.

"They have to vow their promise to their opponent and swore that they'll never break the promise in which it's proof by the linked pinky fingers. That's what we're going to do now."

Ah, so that's why she linked her pinky finger with his. "That's interesting act of culture…"

"I've figure it out that you'll like it." Ellen tugged his finger in playful and friendly manner. "You don't have to worry. It's very simple. All you need to do are linking your finger like this and state your promise. If you still not clear yet, you can see and follow my example. Okay? "

Noctis was hesitating for a while. While the young man interested with this pinky promise, he still had no idea what kind of promise he has to make for her. Still unsure what to do, he nod his head to her. "Okay."

"As for the promise…it's maybe sounded ridiculous and peculiar, but here's what I can promise for you because you need it." Ellen turned became more serious and determined. "I promise to you that I'll help you find a way to return home. No matter what will happen and no matter what it costs."

"…Pardon?" Noctis asked incredulously.

"I said, I will help you return to your home! That's what I will promise you."

"Why?"

"Because you miss it, I can see it in your eyes." Ellen answered him and elaborated more under stunned look given by Noctis. "While you tried as hard as you can to keep it silent, your eyes tell me a different story none less. Do you not realize that whenever you mentioned anything about your home world, you will have this distant and fond look? That's a look usually homesick people has. It's not only that, you also have this forlorn and anger along with you. Not only you miss your home but you also have a sorrow and anger for some reason. My guess is, you sad because you can't go back to your home and you're angry because you can do nothing about it."

"…" Noctis could only staring unblinkingly at the beautiful snow haired Exorcist. He cast his glance toward their intertwined pinky fingers.

Was he really that easily to read?

…Perhaps he was. While he was a prince by status and appearance, he actually more like a shy young man who happened to has cold mask rather than a cool person with complex nature. If he must honest, this beautiful girl before him was almost like his father, she can and has the ability to see clearly thorough him. What he feels, what he thinking, she knew it. Although Etro also has a part on this by told her half of his true story, it was frightening him how the platinum eyed beauty can see through his mask. The numbers of the people who see his can true nature were quite rare, even more so with his inner voice.

…Ironically…

At the same time it was a relieving fact for him that there was someone who can understand him like his father and his friends. And now he knows what kind of promise he has to say for her.

"Your turn's now! Say your promise." Ellen's soft yet eager voice had successfully broken his deep thought. The moment Noctis was seeing straightly onto her, he found himself almost forgot to breath.

Noctis didn't really notice how beautiful and cute the young woman before him was whenever a smile of happiness bloomed on her dark pink lips. But now, he couldn't ignore it anymore. For just a second which feels like forever, he saw how the silverfish eyed young woman was glowing and radiated with life, warmth, and kindness in the way he never saw before. He couldn't help but thought how lovely she was, how pure she was, how beautiful she was…, and how kind she was to him. Just like his friends and his father.

At that time, Noctis then realized that he wasn't alone in this alien world.

Not anymore.

He came into a realization that he wasn't alone anymore. While he assumed he was alone in the place which totally different from his home world and frustrated, he has a friend. Unknowingly to him, already he has an understanding and caring friend in this unknown universe and Ellen Walker was his friend. His new, not to mention, precious and important friend. His first friend since he stuck in this world. Ellen was always kind to him, from the first time she found him inside the Ark, she always care for him despite both of them practically a foreigner toward each other. Always kind, always care, always concern, always try to being helpful, despite how little she know him. It made him felt guilty by hiding secrets he wasn't ready to share at that time. True the silver haired young woman had been angry but that was because she's considering him as someone close and important. Thus, he can rely on her and her friends. Plus, she worried for his health. Her way of caring had touch him and her kindness, her sincerity continued to amaze him. Slowly, slowly, he began to regard Ellen as important person to him. He was regarding her…as his friend. Not only her but also Link, Lavi, Lenalee, even Kanda as much as he dislike the samurai's pet name for him.

And with that Noctis steeled himself and make a decision.

"I can't give a wonderful promise just like you've said. I guess I will never good at making promise…" Noctis inhale carefully. "But I can promise you that I'll protect you, my precious first friend in this world and stand along with you no matter what will happen."

Ellen stunned to hear that. Her surprise didn't last long though.

"...Precious first friend? Me?" Her silver eyes were wide and immeadiately gleaming in happiness. There was disbelief in there but mostly her eyes filled with pure, contagious blissfullness. This was the first time he notified her as his precious friend after weeks passed. Of course she was happy to hear it from him. Moreover she has become his first friend. "Really? You...mean it?"

Noctis nodded. "Really, I mean it."

Ellen didn't seem to satisfied though since she asked the same question. And yet, a smile was existed on her dark pink lips. Her voice was giddy despite how she tried to control it. Much to Noctis' amusement, the slim young woman kinda looked like a over enthusiasm child. It was a cute sight for him.

"Really, really?"

The euclase eyed young man nodded once more, this time he returned the smile.

"Really, really."

The smile was getting wider along with her happiness. "Really, really, really? Last chance to back down, Noctis."

"Really, really, really." Noctis laughed. "I'm serious, Ellen. I considered you as my first and most precious friend ever since I'm in this world."

Ellen's smile turned into an awkward smile but it still had some happiness. "I never thought I will be your precious...first friend."

"You have helped so much since I stuck in here." He pointed out. "Lavi and the others also helped me but you're the one who giving me the most."

"Oh..."

"That's why I promise I'll protect and stand by your side. It's the only thing I can do for you. I hope you will accept it."

"Of course I'll accept it!" Ellen exclaimed hurriedly. She went blushed and cast her eyes away from him. "There's no way I would reject it. I'm...feel very happy in fact." Ellen muttered softly.

Noctis blinked owlishly before he broke a warm smile and tightened his pinky around hers. "Glad to hear that."

They smiled brightly toward each other, in Ellen's case she smiled very wide, filled with blooming happiness while Noctis snorted in mirth. After they had kept like that for another few seconds, they were untwining their pinky fingers. They took their eyes and stared toward the starry sky. Both were enjoying the quietness and each of the other's accompany.

"…It's already late. We should go back to inside now."

"Yes, we should." Noctis rose from his seat before he extended a hand for her. "Let's go, I'll walk you back to your room."

Ellen wasn't expected him to accompany her back to her room. But then again, he cared to her as she cared to him so it wouldn't be so surprising. Smiling gently, she accepted the offered hand and stood up from the bench.

"Thank you, Noctis. You're so kind." The silver eyed young woman thanked him sincerely.

Noctis blushed slightly before he looked away from her beautiful eyes.

"It's nothing. I'm just being generous." He muttered.

Ellen's smile widened slightly when she suddenly was having a question popped from her mind. Curiously, the snow white haired Exorcist lifted her head a bit and she tugged his hand so she could gain his attention at first. Her grayish silver eyes now stared onto his wondered sky blue eyes.

"Speaking about generous, since you're a prince aren't you have to be polite to all people, including the young ladies? With that handsome face and your polite attitude, I'm sure there're many girls who are after you."

It was a curiosity she wouldn't go to ignore so easily. Usually when a royalty like him in the marriage age, he would be introduce to young ladies from high status families the least and doing a correspondence with them in a ball or party for example. The prince or the young nobleman must choose one young lady who will become his future wife from those said nobles. She had experience it once when there was a party held by the Black Order and the Prime Minister Camelot's family. She got approached not only by one or two unknown young man but more than five people had been asking her to dance with her.

The blush on his cheeks deepened. Ellen raised an eyebrow quizzically at the oddness. Why his blush deepened all of sudden? Had she asked an inappropriate question? Ellen thought ever briefly then concluded she hadn't asking anything that inappropriate or offensive. So why is he blushed anyway?

"Noctis…?" She called him concernedly.

Much to her aghast later, he gave her a very surprising answer.

"I never have close relationship with any girls, really." Noctis admitted in embarrassment. "Actually, this is the first time I ever this close with a girl…"

A pink colored dust covered both of her cheeks. So that's why he blushed like that. Come to think of if, she was also having a similar condition. Perhaps not really similar but it was a still close to describe her own relationship with the boys. While the silver eyed young woman did have several male friends such as Lavi and Johnny, she had never been actually making a special relationship other than her foster father, Mana.

"Oh…I see…" Ellen broke her gaze from the young man. She was bringing her wool sweater closer to her face, covered the lower of her red face. "Uh…Noctis? Can I ask you a favor?"

"What is it…?" The euclase eyed young man tilted his head questioningly.

"Can we stay like this until we back?" Ellen asked quietly, the blush increased. "My hand is almost frozen because of the coldness, but your hand is so warm and big and it's so comforting. And…"

The young man was unusually staying still. "…And?"

"It does…feel so nice. Being holding hand by you and together like this, I mean." Ellen's voice became a mere whisper in the end.

"I want to stay like this until we're on the inside, if you don't mind my request…"

There was a long silence between them.

But he wasn't saying anything. He just nodded his head in acknowledgement and calmness, as if it was a normal request.

"…Okay." He responded affirmatively.

Startled, Ellen snapped her head to find a pair of sky blue colored eyes was staring back at her in silence.

"Eh…?" Ellen didn't believe her ears. Did he just give an agreement?

"…If you wanted to be like this then okay." He said louder this time, confirming her hearing wasn't misheard.

The slim Exorcist stunned. "You're not…refused it?"

He raised an eyebrow at the question. "What make you think so?"

"Errr, I'm sorry. I mean…" The silver eyed young woman shuffled uneasily, feeling really ashamed with her previous question. "Don't you ever find it as a silly request?"

"Can I refuse a friend's request?" Noctis asked as if he's telling her that grass is green.

"Ah…" Ellen was completely loss at words. "But still…"

"That and it's getting colder just as you said." He continued.

Ellen gave him a surprise stare. However her gaze went softened and soon a beautiful, grateful smile broke onto her dark pink lips. "Thank you so much…"

Noctis blinked. "It's only a simple request."

"You have no idea how it means a lot to me even it's a simple request and I'm feeling happy for it." The silver eyed young woman squeezed her grip on his hand with gentleness. "Um…can we go now, Noctis?"

He nodded once with his lips curved ever slightly. "Sure."

Unknown to both of them, a lone figure stood and hiding behind the pillar, outside the garden. He had been listened onto their conversation from distance. The darkness around the hallway shielded him from get caught by Ellen and Noctis. Besides, he stood across the place where Ellen and Noctis sat, so they wouldn't ever notice him. Once the sounds of the footsteps getting further and he assumed it was safe, the figure came out from his hiding and walked toward the middle of the hallway. Moonlight fell below and shone his braided blond hair. Brown eyes trained to the direction where Ellen and Noctis had just gone. He kept stayed still like that for a while.

"…" Link looked as he was in deep thought.

"You followed her from the shadow and spying on them, huh?" A familiar male voice came from behind. "I should've expected this when I saw her walked alone without you."

"Kanda Yuu…" Link glanced toward the new comer, who none other than Kanda.

Kanda stopped in good few feet from where the blonde Inspector stood. "How long have you been in there?"

"Quite long enough."

Dark blue eyes narrowed sharply like an eagle. "…How much you heard it then? Their conversation."

"…Not many." Link glanced to another direction, avoiding eye contact with the long haired samurai. "It's not like I'm care with whatever they're talked about nor is it important to me. I'm only tasked to guard and watching Ellen Walker, not eavesdropping her conversation. I've just arrive here no too long ago. Moreover, I'm only happened hearing their conversation since it is quiet around here and their voices are clear enough until a good distance."

Kanda' blue eyes were now glaring sharply like an eagle. "Somehow I doubt that, considering you're a member of CROW…"

The braided blonde threw a glance. His brown eyes narrowed and his voice was as hard as steel. "Believe what you want, Kanda. I'm told you what I'm feeling as necessary to tell, no more no less."

"Che…" The dark haired samurai clicked his tongue. "What are you going to do now?"

"There's nothing more I can do in here if I'm keep staying. Walker and Caelo have return to their room, I have to go ahead before them. I don't need Walker came in only found no one in her room and started to search me in her mother hen mode. I swear one of these days it got worsened after she acknowledged Caelo's magic side effect." Link replied flatly.

"You are not going to force them open their mouths?"

There was a brief silence that formed between the two of them. They were staring at each other with calculating and their own sharp stare. It was then Link broke his gaze with Kanda and turned his head away, his golden colored bangs covered his eyes.

"Everyone has their own secrets. Secrets that they will tell have to the one day, sooner or later." Link responded quietly. "Even you and me as well."

"…"

Kanda wasn't giving any response to reply, let alone to retort. He stayed still with that dagger look of him, although if one take a closer look, his eyes darkened, if now went somber for a very brief moment. Decided to end the conversation, Link shifted his body halfway around as he gave the long haired samurai his last glance.

"I have to go. Just like I said before, Walker…Ellen will search for me if she found out that I'm not sleeping within the room anymore."

"…Whatever." Kanda then turned around. He had his back facing the braided young man and walked away. "I'm going back."

Link kept watching the withdraw samurai. Kanda continued to walk until his figure disappeared completely, swallowed by the hallway's darkness. Now it's only Link himself who still standing alone in there. His brown colored eyes focused at the darkened hallway before him for a little longer. He sighed deeply and lowered his head, now staring onto the cold floor beneath his feet. The promise between Ellen and Noctis went replayed within his mind. A promise to help each other…as friends.

"…Friends forever, huh?" Link muttered thoughtfully with faraway look within his brown caramel eyes. "I wonder…if I can do the same thing despite the difference and how difficult the condition is…"

His murmur only responded back with another silence within that place. Link almost snorted in slight amusement and pain as he began to step away. "…I can't understand you."

With that he walked back toward his and Ellen's shared room.

"…You two…" Link muttered unusually soft tone.

A soft tone carried bitter yet fond memories from his past.

His and theirs.

"Are the weirdest peoples I've ever met in my life..."

End and to be continued...for now. Reviews and like, everyone? (puppy eyes)