AN: Ok guys, fairly short chapter. Eh...Enjoy!! Dun forget to review. Eh...flames are welcome. I think.
Chapter Two
The Living Dead
Part I
A long time ago, there lived a man and his wife. They weren't the richest people in the world, but they certainly were the happiest. During the day, the man would take his boat out to sea in order to hunt for fish, and the wife would stay home and wait for her husband's return. One day, however, everything changed.
It was a starless night. The man was caught in the middle of a storm. His boat hit rock bottom and began to sink, fast. There were nearby ships, but for their own selfish benefits, they did not try to save the man. He drowned that night, leaving his beautiful wife behind. From that day forever, whenever the night was starless, the man's wife would wait for him by the dock, believing her husband would return.
And did he?
Yes, but it wasn't to visit his wife.
He returned to take his revenge on the village.
She sat in the luxury of the Noah's mansion. Rei Morioka was alone, and very much alive. The other Noahs did not talk to her. In fact, they treated her like she was contagious. She remembered nothing, knew no one. The only person that showed kindness towards her was a man named Kazuki.
He was the first person she saw when she woke from her slumber. Rei was told that Kazuki saved her life; therefore, she must repay her debt by acting as his slave. Though what exactly caused her to be in a life-threatening situation was still a mystery to this day. Nevertheless, she felt obligated, because he saved her.
There were certain rules in the Noah mansion that a servant must follow. She was forbidden from leaving Kazuki's chamber, unless told otherwise. It had caused her master great trouble in retreating her the last time she wondered off on her own. The head of the family, who Kazuki referred to as 'Earl-sama', blamed the likes of her master for her disappearance. Rei witnessed the punishment of the Noah family that night, and learned her lesson.
"Here, I brought you something."
She turned at the familiar voice, the voice of the Noah that saved her. A plate was placed in her lap. It was chocolate pudding. The Noahs loved their sweets. Rei stared at the object strangely, wondering what it was. Kazuki frowned. It was the side effect of his power. She no longer remembered who she was, or anything to do with her life for that matter, all but the fear of death.
"You eat it." He lifted the spoon from the plate, and placed a mouthful of pudding into his mouth before swallowing the food whole. "See."
Next, he took a spoonful of pudding and attempted to do the same with her. Still, she looked confused. When he tried to place the food into her mouth, she refused to open up. He sighed. She didn't want to eat. No, she didn't know how to eat. All basic instincts were diminished.
"Stupid girl. Stop being difficult. Eat or you'll die." He took another spoonful of pudding into his mouth. The next few seconds went by so fast; he hardly knew what he was doing.
He took a hold of her shoulder, and pulled her into him. Before she realized what was going on, they were in a lip lock. Kazuki pushed open Rei's mouth with his tongue, and transferred the food from his mouth into hers. It only took a fraction of a second, yet the after effect and the sweet taste of the pudding burned into her mind. He pulled away to look at her. She was stunned. It was the first real human-to-human interaction she had. He wiped away the remaining pudding from the corner of her lips with his finger. His hand was cold to the touch.
"Taste good, huh?" He smiled.
She said nothing. Slowly, she lifted the spoon from the plate, and mimicked the procedure. Kazuki watched as she placed the food in her mouth, wondering how long it would be before she remembers the events of the life before. Then, without knowing, he reached for his heart, and felt for her heartbeat.
Yuu Kanda was her idol. His tale of bravery travelled as far as Italy. Rumours had it that he single handily brought upon the death of a Noah. To Yume, it was a dream come true to be able to sit at the same table, and have breakfast with the man that she adored. She could do nothing but stare at the elegant movements of Kanda's wrist as he hacked away at his pancakes.
"Is the food really that good?" Kanda asked out of the blue.
Yume nearly jumped out of her seat. "W-what?"
"You are drooling all over it." Kanda explained without looking up.
Lavi let out a loud chuckle from beside Kanda, causing the girl to blush. It was the most he said to her all week. Kanda kept to himself when they were together, and did nothing to contribute to the sake of the mission. They were there to investigate the occurrence of the ghost ship, and tap into any lead on the missing Exorcists. But when Lavi returned with Kanda that night, injured and at a loss for word, the two noobs had naturally turned to their team captain for answers, yet Kanda refused to leek the information.
"Yuu, cut my food for me." Lavi whined.
Still, the swordsman did not look up. "Cut it yourself."
"But I only have one arm!" Lavi exclaimed.
"Then grow another one." He got up, threw his eating utensils into his plate, and left the table.
Kanda was in a worse mood than usual. Lavi watched as the swordsman slammed the door on his way out. The goofy smile he held moments ago gradually slipped from his lips. He looked down at his food, suddenly loosing his appetite.
Kanda was never one to worry over other people's business, but him and Rei grew up together. Rei and Lenalee were the first ones he came into contact with, so naturally, there was a bond between the three of them. They would never raise their weapons against one and another, yet three days ago, Kanda was aimed to kill.
"I've been meaning to ask you Lavi." The Bookman turned his attention towards the boy sitting across from him. "What happened to your arm?" Ayumu questioned.
It wasn't like he didn't see it coming. "I…" He looked down, knowing the excuse would be lame, and the others would see right through it. Nonetheless, he had to protect her secret. Rei would be in a worse position than she already was if the Black Order were to learn that she had regained consciousness. Surely, Komui would not allow her survival. "Slipped and fell."
"Are we really doing the right thing?"
Kanda watched the falling snow. Villagers hurried from all around him, each going about with their own bindings. His hands clenched tightly around his katana. His Innocence was the only thing that kept him safe. He had been fighting ever since he received this glorious curse. It's been so long, he had forgotten the cause of the need for battle. The blood of the Akumas was like ecstasy to his senses; it brought a pleasure so great that it surpassed the need for seduction. As time went on, Kanda viewed himself not as the lord who brought salvation to those tormented souls, but a mere selfish human who knew only how to satisfy his desires.
He had been alone all his life, had taken the lives of thousands of condemned souls. So why? Why was he unwilling to free her of her miseries? Why does he enjoy seeing her suffer?
"This is Yuu Kanda; his parents were killed by Akumas. He'll be living with us from now on." The boy was drenched in blood when General Tiedoll brought him home that night eleven years ago. "Please take care of him, Rei-chan."
"Hai. Tiedoll-sama."
It was the first time Rei saw so much hatred in someone's eyes. She led him to the bathroom, where she presumed to undress and clean him. He refused to speak to her. No matter how many questions she asked, he did not make a sound. It almost seemed as though he lost the ability to respond. Yet he understood her, she knew he understood her because he had followed all of her instructions.
"There." She smiled, wiping the last of the bloodstains from his face. "All done." She brushed a few strands of hair out of his eyes. "You have such beautiful hair, Kanda-san."
"Aren't you glad we're finally out of that dreadful tower?" Rei smiled. She turned to look at Kanda, who was frowning.
"We're on a mission." Kanda stated.
"Yea, yea, sourpuss." Rei rolled her eyes skyward. "Hey! Look!"
She disappeared into the crowd before Kanda was able to stop her. It took him nearly an hour to find her. While he was huffing and puffing in the heat, she was sitting in the shade with food in her mouth. He marched towards her, ready to give her a piece of his mind.
"Oh, there you are." She smiled at his approach, shoving a cone into his face.
Kanda raised an eyebrow; the anger seemed to have suddenly evaporated. "What's this?"
"Strawberry flavoured sweet ice." Rei answered. "You never had it before?"
Kanda said nothing.
"My, my, young man. You are my first costumer today." The short old man stared rather oddly up at Kanda. "What can I do for you today?"
"Strawberry flavoured sweet ice…" Kanda said slowly. "Please."
It was the middle of the day when it happened. The sudden disappearance of the sun and the fast approaching storm seemed all too unrealistic. It took mere seconds for the rain to hit, adding cold and displeasure to the already chilled snow. A thin, undetectable layer of ice froze over the surface of the walkways, causing by passers to slip and fall. Kanda watched as villagers scurried into their houses, trying their best to avoid the storm. He observed silently, watching as a couple fell and got muddy from the fallen rain. Then, his eyes landed on something rather peculiar. A man.
It was as though the man appeared out of thin air. Kanda hadn't detected his presence up until that moment, and was immediately alerted by the abnormality of the situation. The man wobbled as he walked, as if drunk with alcohol, yet there was something about the way he strolled that made it seem like he wasn't at all intoxicated.
When the man raised his head, Kanda was certain that he was no longer among the living, for his skull was covered with rotten flush, as if he had awaken from a slumber deep beneath the sea. His eyes were glassy and lifeless; his hands were pale and mouldy from the seawater. Yet he was still standing, as if held by an unknown force.
Kanda drew his katana, his Innocence activating within his hands. He pointed his weapon towards the condemned soul, as if waiting for the other to attack. The man wasn't an Akuma, his scent didn't snitch with the insanity of blood, yet his soul was tainted with something else, something he wasn't able to put his hands on.
"Who are you and why have you come?" Kanda demanded.
The man did not answer as he proceeded to enter the village. Kanda, however, would not allow such thing. In mere seconds, the swordsman was upon the man. His body moved gracefully through the air. His sword was raised high over his head, ready to finish this condemned soul, yet when he lowered his weapon in an attempt to free the man of his lifeless body, his actions were put to a halt, for his attack was blocked by another.
Kazuki looked up at the young swordsman. His yellow eyes gleamed through the darkness of the night. He smiled as his cane pushed against Kanda's blade. The Exorcist growled and jumped back, putting distance between him and his opponent. His thoughts wondered elsewhere for a moment as he scanned the area for the girl. Surely she must be near if the Noah was here.
"Good evening, Kanda-san." The Noah spoke, his voice deep, yet charming. "Please allow me to introduce myself." He bowed. "I am Kazuki. The third Noah of the mansion."
"Where is Rei?" Kanda demanded, ignoring his introduction.
"I didn't think it was a good idea to let you see her anymore." A smirk formed on the Noah's lips. "After all. You did try to kill her the last time you saw her." He was toying with the Exorcists. "Isn't that right? Kanda-san?"
Kanda's grip on the hilt of his sword tightened. He allowed no time to be wasted as he launched another attack. His movements were swift and shapeless. He wasn't about to let Kazuki get away, not until he hands over Rei. The Noah did nothing but dodge, it was as though he was toying with Kanda. The night, however, was not getting any younger, and the strange man was getting away while the two were at it. Kazuki wasn't about to let that happen.
It didn't take long for the Noah to be tired of Kanda's attacks. Kazuki, having had his fun for the night, decided to make it serious. When he saw an opening at Kanda's left, he took the shot. It was never his intention to kill the Exorcist, and it certainly wasn't apart of his order. With a blast from his darkened hand, he sent Kanda flying backwards toward a wall. His attack, however, was not put into full effect. Allies had arrived, and Kanda was caught before his body made contact with the wall.
"It seems that I've attracted quite the attention around here." Kazuki smiled.
"You're right." Kazuki soon felt the cold blade of the battleaxe against the back of his neck.
"Young man. Don't you know that it's dangerous to point your weapon at a Noah when his servant is right behind you?" He hissed.
In mere seconds, Ayumu's pray was lost as he dodged a kick from behind his back. He quickly turned towards the direction of his new attacker, and found a girl standing there. She looked nowhere near an Akuma, yet looks can be deceiving. He watched as Rei put herself in between him and her master. A dagger was clenched tightly in the girl's hand.
"Keep them busy. Rei."
It was an order from her master. Rei didn't know why, but she was obligated to follow whatever this man says. With lightening movements, Kazuki approached the strange man that appeared out of the darkness. Ayumu attempted to follow. Rei, however, wasn't about to let him through. Her job was to act as a wall of intersection. Anyone that tries to get near her master would have to get through her first.
Ayumu wasn't about to let the Noah off that easily. His attempts, however, were in vain as Rei slashed at him at random, making it impossible for him to approach. He looked to Yume for assistance. The girl was reluctant to leave the injured Kanda behind, but seeing her partner slaughtered wasn't her obligation. She approached the girl carefully, sneaking up on her from behind. Her gloves glowed under the moonless night; her Innocence gave her incredible strength.
"Out of the way, Ayumu!" Yume warned her partner before attacking.
Having been used to the tag team, Ayumu got the jest of it, and moved. The sneak attack would have been a success if the boy with the broken arm hadn't showed up. Lavi, having seen the whole battle from his window, flew down to help his teammates as soon as possible. Or rather, he got in the way; for he blocked Yume's hands with his Innocence, with quite a bit of difficulty, since he only had one hand. This came as a shock to the new Exorcists.
"What the hell are you doing?" Ayumu hissed.
"Don't…touch her…"
Kanda watched from afar, grunted, and rushed back into the battle. The Noah was now approaching the mysterious man, fast. Rei didn't seem to notice the new arrival, for she caught a glimpse of Kanda, and rushed to her master's aid. She, once again, put herself in between the others and Kazuki.
"Move." Kanda ordered. His katana was clenched tightly in his hands. He didn't want to attack her, not again. When she gave no motion to shift, he raised his voice. "Move Rei. I don't want to fight you."
She said nothing.
He wanted to go around her. Wanted to make excuses for himself, yet she got in his way every time he tried to approach, until finally, he wasn't able to contain his anger. This girl obviously lost her mind. She was protecting a Noah, and it was his job to finish her.
Her skills never surpassed his.
He knew that for certain, because they trained together, grew up together. They knew each other inside and out. What she didn't know was the fact that he improved a great deal during the past few years. Kanda took a deep breath. He gave his final warning. She wasn't inclined to move. He wasn't about to let her off again. He raised his sword to attack; his movements were swift. If he was going to kill her, he wanted to make it quick and painless. His attacks were aimed at her major arteries. He wore her out like the swift wind. Her recovering body couldn't handle him any longer. She was weak, she was powerless, and she was dying. Her skin was ghastly pale. He wanted to end her suffering.
He swung again at her neck. She dodged, but she wasn't expecting him to ground swipe. She was knocked off balance, and fell hard on her back. Kanda stood over her; one of his feet was on top of her wrist. His katana was raised in mid air. He was going to kill her, the traitor who became his friend, the traitor who took care of his wounds, and the traitor he came to respect.
"Kanda! No!"
He heard Lavi's voice in the distance.
His hands shook.
His hands never shook before.
He closed his eyes, and stabbed at her.
"Strawberry flavoured sweet ice. You never had it before?"
AN: OK, that's it! ; I know, I suck...LOL! Anyways...I'm off to write 'White Ribbon' now. Or rather...attempt. Writer's block...RxR!
