A/N: Ahh, I'm sorry for the delay everyone! I know it's been two months since my last update, so I apologize! I just got caught up with one of my other fics, but I'm back. Well, at least for now.(x Haha, but thank you to 1Anime2Freak, Takei Daloui, Ennael, chuchay1903, taiShafie, D. P. Master01, author12306, RaNDoem, NuclearCrow, Kyla, and Will of the Abyss - AllenxRoad for all reviewing my last chapter!(: I sure am happy you were all so excited for this next chapter, and I definitely hope this won't disappoint any of you. Haha, it's a little daunting sometimes, when people have good expectations of you. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!^-^
Disclaimer: Nope! Big time no! Never will I ever own D. Gray-Man, no matter how much I beg, whine, or wish~! Seriously, it's depressing having to say this all the time… But worry not, the day shall come… Muahahahaha! *hack, cough, hack* Err, right, anyway…
Chapter 6
Time Frame — Night of March 4th, 1896
—3rd Person POV—
~Allen~
"Innocent, sir? Who the hell asks a Noah if he was ever a damned innocent?" Allen carefully observed the reactions of those surrounding him. If he weren't feeling so agitated about being constrained and vulnerable, he might've been amused with the varying reactions by those attending his trial. Some scoffed, believing him to be bluffing—though those were very few—others didn't seem to even comprehend what he'd said, eyes wide with confusion, and then there were those who'd taken it to heart and had already backed away, wary and frightened.
"I-I beg your pardon?!" the judge stuttered, perspiration suddenly shining along his forehead, unable to fully comprehend Allen's words.
Allen puckered his own eyebrows in puzzlement. "Oh? Did you not understand me, sir? I just implicated that I was a Noah. I do hope that I won't have to repeat myself." If it were possible, the judge began to quake all the more. "But seeing as that is punishable by death, I don't think sticking around this place any longer would be a very wise idea, would it sir?" Amusingly enough, the judge actually agreed with him, nodding shakily. Holding back a chuckle, Allen continued, "Well, then I guess that's my cue… Akuma! Attack!"
Shrieks erupted throughout the room as unexpected bystanders ruptured their human skin with sickening snaps to burst forth as Akuma. Hordes of Level 1s and 2s pervaded the room, wasting not a single second to discharge torrents of their Blood Bullets upon all that withstood them. The Exorcists that had decided to attend, immediately leaped in, but not before many had already succumbed to the virus, their ashes grimly dusting all available space, while a single Level 3 plunged straight for Allen, tearing and demolishing the spell and chains that had been constricting him.
Allen instantaneously vaulted, purposely losing himself in the bedlam of shrieks and cries. Bolting in the direction of the doorways, Allen began pushing his way through the constant mayhem that surrounded him, when unexpectedly, someone shoved a bag into his hands. Glancing up in bewilderment, Allen was met with the sight of a noncommittal scientist, whose shredded clothing revealed the many Blood Bullets that had already struck him. Despite this though, he was perfectly fine, and as Allen stared at him in puzzlement, his eyes swiftly flashed gold. Lulubell.
Before he knew it though, Lulubell's disguised form had already vanished from his sight.
"Master Allen, Eira~! We must leave at once, Eira~!" Eira wailed from within his rucksack, startling him out of his stupor. Allen instantly hurried and continued his chaotic trek, but just as the red-head was about to make his exit, a call in his direction made him pause.
"Beansprout!" Going against all the thoughts that screamed at him to escape, he turned, and through the frenzied crowds, managed to make out the tall form of Lavi. Rather than looking angry, hurt, or even confused, Lavi simply held an impassive expression, staring at him somewhat inquisitively as he lazily swatted aside any incoming Akuma, simultaneously heading his way. Allen merely shook his head sadly in reply to his call, but before he could continue his getaway, an unexpected agony made its presence known.
"Wha…?" Allen mumbled, slightly dazed and uncertain. Gazing down, he vaguely noticed the shining metal of a sword piercing his side, flesh and blood coating it in slick trails. Slowly collapsing to his knees, the full pain hit Allen with a shock, as the sword roughly slid back out of his body, the copious amount of blood gushing out making him feel faint.
"Fucking traitor," Kanda spat from behind him.
Through the ardent throbbing the pulsed throughout his body and burned at his core, Allen's dull, mercury orbs made contact with Lulubell's—when had she shed her disguise?—in the distance.
"Damn! He's got back up!"
"Yes, Yuu, it certainly was hard-pressing to notice the mass of Akuma invading us!"
"I meant the fucking Noah that's head our way, you dumb-shit!"
"Aw hell!"
Weakly coughing up a splattering of fresh blood, Allen resolutely held onto his blazing side, knowing that losing anymore blood would be detrimental. Attempting to rise back up, his shaky limbs were suddenly held up before he could stumble any further.
"Master," the Level 3 Akuma acknowledged him, dropping a roll of bandages into Allen's trembling hands. Allen came to the conclusion that Lulubell must have sent him, while she took care of the Exorcists. Fortunately, the Akuma stuck around to help him stand as he clumsily wrapped the bandages about his torso. The young red-head had absolutely not a clue on treating wounds this critical, but he did his best to tightly swathe them about his injury through the thick, haze of pain that clouded his mind.
Once he finished off, the Akuma swiftly led him out. In no time, Allen was left on his own, stumbling out and eventually making his long-awaited escape from the Black Order.
Time Frame — Night of March 7th, 1896
It wasn't until three nights later—when Allen was lost somewhere in Britain, having stopped at a hospital to get his wound properly treated and then taking off in the middle of the night, boarding various train rides, only to then continue running on his own despite his severe wound—that an astonishing thought occurred to him. Glancing around the nearly vacant streets, Allen realized that he was alone. And not just the, 'I need a break, so maybe I'll be back later' alone, but the truly 'Not surrounded by Noah, Exorcists, and the like' alone. And suddenly, it was like the weight of a heavy rock lifting off of his shoulders. Feeling lighter than he ever had, Allen glanced around with a bewildered expression, a small chuckle slipping out before he began to shake with laughter, the burning agony in his side hardly fazing him.
He was free!
Sure he had come to grow to love his family, but his freedom had pervaded his mind for the longest time, that the unexpectedness of it was so liberating and flabbergasting all at once. Still chuckling, Allen gazed about once again, but this time with renewed fervor. Promptly digging into his rucksack, Allen snagged Eira out at once and with a wild grin of exhilaration, and said, "Eira! Isn't this great? I'm finally alone!"
"Um, of course, Master Allen, Eira~?" Eira blinked, slightly astonished—a sharp contrast from her usual gloominess—and though her response had sounded unsure, it didn't faze Allen one bit.
Nodding, Allen asked eagerly, "Right, so I need you to do a favor for me, Eira. Can you do that?" Receiving a nod, the keen red-head continued, "Okay, I need you to hinder any connections Lero tries to make with you, as well as prevent any messages from reaching you, alright?"
"Yes, Master Allen, Eira~!" Eira agreed, relieved to have received an order. Those, she could handle better, as opposed to enthusiastic humans trying to converse with her.
Too elated to take much more notice of his surroundings, Allen abruptly turned in order to search for a place to sleep, unexpectedly bumping into someone. Hastily backing away with a pained wince, Allen apologized, "Ah, I'm sorry, sir! I didn't see you the—…" Brusquely trailing off, he stared at the strangely familiar figure, baffled.
"Mana?"
~Mana~
"Mana?"
At the sound of his name, Mana inquisitively glanced down at the odd, red-headed boy that gazed at him in bewilderment. What a strange lad. Nostalgia filled Mana in that moment, as he recalled a similar boy that had also gazed at him in such a way whenever he said something silly. Maybe this was the same boy? It was tricky to recall when all the faces from his past memories began to merge and fade into one anoth—but this one had such brilliant coppery hair! Though… Neah's hadn't been nearly as bright… Or had it? Who was the other red-head he'd known—oh yes! Maybe it was that obnoxious Cross he'd called friend. Ah, but it had been such a long time since any of his friends had visited him. Was Neah ever going to remember him…?
Wait! Now he remembered!
"Ah, yes! Allen, right?" Mana recalled with a snap of his fingers, slightly adjusting the sack he shouldered that held his clown garb. Maybe Allen would like to see a performance?
"MANA!" the boy abruptly cried out before launching himself into Mana's arms. Mana glanced down curiously at him. No one had ever been this enthusiastic to see him—but wait, why was this scene so familiar to him? Hmm… Oh, hadn't he taken a boy from the circus who looked similar to this one? Yes, yes. Though the memories were a bit fuzzy, he certainly recalled planting the 14th's Will inside this boy a very long time ago. But why would he choose a random street urchin to hold the beloved memories of Neah? Oh, yes—this boy was Allen! But, Allen was his friend, was he not? Why would he be friends with a little boy—but could it be that Neah had already taken over? Had his brother finally come back to him?
"Mana," the boy cried into his chest. "It's me, Allen. I've finally come home."
Oh. So it was not Neah. But maybe it wasn't so bad—Allen had been rather a nice boy, hadn't he? Yes, he had been very helpful, so maybe having him back wouldn't be so bad —and maybe Neah would come back to him soon!
Holding him close, Mana replied with a gentle smile, "Welcome back, Allen."
And soon, I'll welcome you too, little brother.
~Allen~
Ba-dump.
The pounding increased in his head, as if something were trying to hammer its way out.
Ba-dump.
It punctured its way through, splitting and cracking his skull. A blurred figure appeared, but the blood spilling and seeping into his eyes obscured them.
Ba-dump.
"Mana?" Allen whimpered, gritting his teeth as vile wraiths coursed throughout his twitching body, and pierced his soul.
Ba-dump. Ba-dump.
Mana's eyes widened, his face becoming ashen, before whispering, "Neah?"
And so, Allen fled.
~Neah~
Lazily blinking his liquid gold eyes open, Neah's ash-colored fingers twitched, the familiar urge to slaughter and tear apart human lives, to feel hot blood ooze down his hands while their eyes dimmed and their bodies became limp, return like an old, unwelcomed friend. His lips curled into a sneer, as he easily sat up on the bed—the wound on his abdomen having healed in the process of the transformation—disregarding the pounding headache caused by the stubborn boy who refused to release control without a fight.
"Neah~," someone whispered from across the room, and his eyes flitted up, observing the Millenium Earl with unconcealed distaste.
He smiled mockingly, paying no mind to the tears flowing down the Maker's face, whose own molten eyes revealed a combination of sorrow and lunacy so great, it disgusted the younger Noah. "Adam."
"Welcome back, son~," the Millenium Earl grinned, tears still spilling down.
"Don't call me that!" Neah snarled, jumping to his feet, the unfulfilled bloodlust making itself known in every pore of his body, itching to destroy and extinguish; to kill, kill, kill!
But as he advanced, intentions clear, the room was suddenly flooded by all the other Noah, creating a protective barrier around the 1st Apostle before he could get any closer. Neah paused, the sudden disruption slightly clearing his head, but he didn't back down from his aggressive stance, knowing he could kill them as easily as he had last time.
"Don't bother," Road sneered back, flawlessly holding back any emotions Neah's awakening might have brought out within her. "Not if you want your brother to live."
Neah's whole façade crumbled, as he stumbled back, shocked, before growling, "What have you done with Mana?!"
"Nothing, of course," another Noah drawled, and swiftly pulling and picking through Allen's memories, Neah concluded him to be Tyki. "It would defeat the whole purpose of getting you to cooperate."
"What the hell do you want then?" Neah spat.
The Millenium Earl stepped forward, ignoring protests from the rest of the clan. "Join us, Neah~. Return to us, to our side~." Return to my side. Neah got the message loud and clear, but before he could make a snarky remark, the Maker continued in a much more sinister voice that still held that musical undertone, glasses flashing ominously under the sharp lighting, "And we shall spare Mana from ultimate death~."
Features morphing into yet another ugly sneer—it was amusing how the action unsettled them all, as it was Allen's once innocent face that he was wearing—he replied, "Fine, I'll follow along your absurd little play for now, but I want to see my brother."
With a triumphant grin, the Earl said, "All in good time, my dear Neah~. For now, I want to test your supposed loyalty; make sure any of those traitorous thoughts I know Allen had for a while, haven't further poisoned your already addled brain~."
Neah's expression grew thunderous, but before he could reply, Road, little Road who hadn't changed a single bit since he'd last seen her with the exception of giving him the cold shoulder, beat him to the punch. "Millenie! That can't be true! Up until his last moments," her voice caught, and she forced herself to continue in a choked tone, "Up until his last moments, he stayed true to us!"
"That may be, Road~," the Earl patted her head patronizingly, "But I am certain those wretched Exorcists softened him up, not to mention his run-in with Mana, is what delayed his return to us~." Turning back to Neah, gently pushing Road to the side, he said, "Now, we have other matters to attend to~." Neah didn't bother responding, knowing that's exactly what the lunatic wanted, so that he could gloat over his next scene of the elaborate play he'd created. He didn't have to wait long. "For your first trial, we shall be paying the Headquarters of the Black Order a visit, and I will watch you, wearing the face of Allen, take part in eliminating the Exorcists that once called Allen their comrade~."
It was pure and utter madness.
Neah relished in the welcomed atmosphere, casually slaughtering anyone dim-witted enough to dart anywhere near him. It was amusing really, how hopeful, yet terrified they felt, when they looked at him. Then, the hate and disgust. The betrayal. A sight Neah was familiar with; after all, it was the same exact gaze each of the Noah had held all of those years ago, as Neah eradicated them one by one. It was even more amusing, when his lips curled into that naturally innocent smile Allen had a habit of fooling people with, all the while possessing sinister, golden eyes, corpse-like skin, and stigmata, distorting the skin across his forehead.
"T-Traitor," the next victim managed to mumble, before succumbing to the agonizing death Neah had made him endure. He wasn't called the Noah of Destruction for nothing. Able to bend matter at his fingertips, Neah could twist and warp a human in any way he pleased. But honestly, they were all so pathetic, he didn't even bother elongating their torture, though it seemed the rest of the Noah thought otherwise, their maniac laughter echoing and bouncing off of the walls throughout the tower, filling its every nook and crevice. But it mattered not to Neah. Human genocide was not his goal, though natural Noah instincts obviously did not limit his ability to murder, but Mana was the only one he truly cared about, and he would willingly go through hell under orders of the Earl for him. As for Allen… He had been a friend once, but that had ended once he'd offered himself up as a tool, in some foolish martyr act. Now, he was simply the boy he would soon need to fully annihilate, in order to be able to effectively use this body.
Neah observed his surroundings with disinterest, realizing he'd made his way down a vacant corridor, and turned, knowing that being out of sight would only give the Earl further excuse to "test" him. A voice stopped him dead in his tracks.
"A-Allen?"
Neah tipped his head towards the side rather than fully turning, taking notice out of the corner of his eye the disheveled, long-haired girl that stood far behind him, on wobbly legs. Rapidly flitting through Allen's memories, he eventually matched a name to her face. Lenalee. His lips twisted into a mocking grin as he fully turned, causing her to gasp. "Ah, yes, Lenalee, was it?"
"Allen!" Lenalee stumbled back with a cry, tears spilling down her bruised, dirtied cheeks. And all she managed to choke out was a pathetic, "Why?"
Neah sneered. "Why?" Meeting her quivering form in a couple of long, swift strides, he grabbed a hold of her arm before she could further stumble back. But rather than struggling, she remained limp in his grip. "Would you like to know a little secret, Lenalee?" When she could only continue to stare with wide, horrified eyes, he whispered, "I'm not really Allen." Lenalee gasped, abruptly slumping down, whether from shock or relief, he couldn't tell, but this was really the most entertaining thing that had occurred so far, so Neah continued, "Why don't you allow me to tell you a little story, Lenalee. You see, many years ago, when Allen was even more naïve that he already is now, I befriended him. Gained his loyalty. But of course, in a life of war, it wasn't shocking to find that soon after, I was killed. And you know what the imbecile did in response?" She feebly shook her head when Neah paused. "He foolishly promised to take my memories, my Will. Of course, he no longer remembers any of this, but it happened nonetheless. And now, Allen is slowly withering away in the dark corners of my mind."
But instead of becoming disheartened with the hopeless situation like Neah had expected, Lenalee suddenly stiffened and quite shockingly cradled his face in between her two, bloodied and trembling hands. "Allen, if you're in there, please come back. I have faith in you Allen! Please—"
Her pleading was unexpectedly cut off by the sharp, ringing sting of a slap.
"I think that'll be enough from you, Lenalee," Neah sneered, golden eyes narrowed down in irritation. "Allen's gone for good, but if you're that willing to join him, let me give you hand." Knowing she'd clearly exhausted her Innocence by the poor state her legs were in, Neah casually wrapped his hands around her delicate neck, deciding to partake in a killing the old fashion way, and leisurely began to squeeze, eventually constricting her from oxygen altogether. Lenalee clawed and kicked silently, tears of desperation leaking , eyes popping as she wriggled frantically away from his firm grasp.
~Allen~
Allen also acted in the same manner, furiously yanking at the chains that firmly held him down with all his strength, but it wasn't enough.
""Mad puppet" my ass," Allen growled, reiterating Neah's earlier words, from right before he'd taken over his body. "Damn it!" he cried, and momentarily paused, checking to see what it was that Neah was doing this time. Despite knowing the current attack happening at Headquarters, Allen couldn't last long without checking to see who it was that Neah was slaughtering, the guilt practically driving him mad, witnessing all the blood staining his hands. It was one thing to glimpse the slaughters at the hand of the other Noah and Akuma, but a whole different thing to seehimself doing it. It made him sick to the core.
"L-Lenalee?!" Allen whispered, horrified when the image of her being strangled by his own hands was revealed. "No… No, damn it!" Allen shouted. "Crown Clown, Activate!"
He wasn't sure how it was even possible to do so in his mindscape—and he sure as hell wished he'd tried doing so earlier—but the chains restraining him shattered, and suddenly he was no longer sitting on the throne, but rather facing it, with Neah now constrained. Even so, he could tell how weak and brittle the chains were against the Noah.
Neah's eyes were wide with shock, but quickly calmed, smiling at him; a little angrily, a little mockingly, because he knew it wouldn't be long before Allen was caged once again. And the redheaded boy knew it was true; could feel the control slowly slipping through his fingers, but he held on, knowing this would be his only chance. And so, he stalked towards the Noah, intent clear as he held up his clawed fingers.
Neah tsked. "Now, Allen, no need to escalate things so quickly. I thought you'd be happy; you fulfilled your promise after all." He sneered.
"Whoever it was that I made that promise to, it clearly wasn't you," Allen spat, disgusted with him, with himself, because he could never imagine permitting anyone to do what Neah had just done, and it saddened him greatly to think that he had been taken in by such a family; a family that had shown him the love they clearly couldn't for any other human.
Neah's smile faltered, suddenly becoming saddened. "You're correct. Death changes your views, makes you realize that trying to save everyone only ends in suffering… Take care of Mana for me."
Allen stared down at him, before placing the tip of his claw on Neah's stigmata and whispering, "And in this death, I'm sure you'll realize that killing everyone didn't end in your happiness."
And with a swift slash, Allen tore the memory Neah apart.
"Lenalee!" Allen exclaimed, at once releasing his hold on her once he'd regained his body, keeping her upright as she crumpled and then slowly lowering them both to the ground.
"A-Allen?" Lenalee rasped, gazing intently as his skin paled, stigmata disappearing, and molten eyes softening to silver.
"Yeah…" Allen smiled sadly, wiping her tears with his thumb. "I'm… I'm so sorry Lenalee," he choked.
But she simply held him as he trembled and wept, mourning all the lives that had been lost at his hands.
A/N: So… Epilogue anyone?