AN: Ok guys!! Sorry this is so late! I'm going to try to stop making excuses for late updates. LOL! RXR Please!
Question: What do you do if you want to get the guy you like to notice you?
Answer: Dump coffee on him.
Chapter Three
The Living Dead
Part II
His sword pierced her shoulder. The metallic smell of blood hit his senses. Kanda's eyes snapped open. Her face came into view, she looked absolutely horrified. Then, slowly, that look of horror twisted into pain. She let out a loud scream, though her reaction was slowed down by the shock, it did not stop her from being petrified. Her look alone was enough to shake Kanda. Apart of him wanted to realise her from her sufferings, yet he was unable to bring himself to do so. She took care of him.
He withdrew his sword from her shoulder, the sickening sound of blade against bone set him off, and he immediately took a few steps back, observing as she crawled away from him like some sort of wounded animal. Kanda's eyes softened, he saw the same person in her as he did years ago, only she had lost her way.
"Kanda!" When Yume didn't see any reaction from Kanda, she decided to finish the job on her own.
Her gloves glowed in the dark. Her fast approach was hard to miss by anyone, yet the wounded Rei was unable to move from her position on the ground. Lavi tried to intercept her, but Ayumu blocked his way. It was like the nightmare was replaying itself again in his eyes, except this time, Rei was harmed by those she considered family.
Her attack would have been a success, if he hadn't gotten in the way. Kanda's actions that night were rendered most shocking. Surely, she did not expect someone of his status to react the way he did, yet the truth was in front of her. She couldn't understand why he turned his weapon on her that night, all she knew was that Kanda stood as an obstacle in her success. Yes, he might have had his reasons, but it was nearly impossible for her to understand what he was thinking at that moment. And for the first time, she realized just how little she knew of the person she admired. She drew to a sudden halt, inches away from the tip of Kanda's katana. The swordsman did not look her in the eye, couldn't look her in the eye.
"Don't." He spoke.
She understood.
He was in pain.
The strange traveller did not bother to hide his existence. He moved towards the town in fast paste. His flesh was dripping away as he did. He had little time to waste. He wanted to see her, must see her. She was the only reason why he was still alive. He walked with the hope that he would soon be reunited with her.
Kazuki followed. He wanted to see where the Innocence was going to lead him. The man in front of him stopped right outside of the town's gate, as if remembering the place. The man's face, which was filled with sorrow moments ago, now appeared confused. It was as though he did not know the place where he was born. Then, slowly, that confusion twisted into fits of sinister laughter, followed by the look of rage.
'He remembers.' Kazuki thought to himself.
The anger from his previous life never left him. They were embedded, and finally, resurfaced. Kazuki watched as the man's rage boiled before he continued to march forward. His fellow villagers had left him alone that dreadful night, and he had drowned along with the rest of his consciousness. All that remained of him was anger, an unbearable anger that he could not rid of, and the anger of sanity that drove him to vengeance. His footsteps burned as he moved forward. He was going to destroy them.
It seemed as though the village was aware of his presence, for lights were spread across the streets. Villagers watched in horror at his approach, they scattered, but were not fast enough, for the man had already entered town. His rage burned everything he touched. In mere seconds, houses were set on fire, a flame that seemed to have spread like the devil's palm. It could not be stopped, he could not be stopped.
"Please!" He begged over the storm, his boat was already sinking.
The man could see the lights of the other fishing boats near by, but his voice was drowned by the darkness of the storm. Had they not seen him? Surely it was impossible, the boats always kept close to each other, and he'd always watched the backs of his fellow villagers. Were they going to leave him there to die?
Still, he waited, telling himself to give his friends a little more time. Perhaps the conditions of the storm had left the others in a panic. He held on to the sails of his boat with his last strength, the hope of being rescued never left him. His boat was sinking fast. The water had already reached his knees. He could do nothing but wait. They were coming for him; they couldn't leave him behind, they were his friends.
He trusted them.
"Unforgivable." He muttered over and over again.
The lives of the humans were nothing in his eyes. All he wanted was revenge. He died a painful death, he died not knowing the reason, and he died with the knowledge that he could have been saved. It was enough to set him off. He wasn't going to forgive anyone.
In the corner of the street, where he turned into a dead end, he found a small boy crying with his brother. They had been separated from their parents in the crisis. The man watched. His face showed no trace of mercy. He'd lost all sense of righteousness. His rage drove him on; he wouldn't let anyone escape, even the innocence of children.
It was at that moment that the man appeared, the man he did not recognize. He sensed that Kazuki's power was not that of this world. He stopped in his tracks as Kazuki put himself in between the boys and the man. He could feel the Noah's sorrow; Kazuki's pain was much greater than his own.
"Move. You are not apart of this." The man told him.
"Yes." Kazuki replied slowly. "But you have something I desire."
At the same time, the Noah of compassion sensed the man's wish, his one true wish. He did not wait for the fisherman to say a word before he launched his attack. The man dodged, his movements were that of lightening. He swung at Kazuki; his fist was filled with fire of his deepest rage. He hated the cruelty of mankind's nature. He hated those who allowed him to die in vain. They were supposed to be his friends. They were supposed to help him. He was not a bad man. No. He had followed the way of god. He prayed. He did everything he could to help those in need. So why, why was he being punished?
He swung again at Kazuki and missed. The Noah was simply too fast, too experience for him to handle. Then, all at once, the fighting ceased. They stood on opposite sides of the street, staring at each other, as if looking into their own future. It was as though they saw their fate in each other, their one true fate.
Then, as quickly as the paused came, it was over. Kazuki approached, his speed that of the wind. He was human, yet possessed powers beyond that of a mortal. His hand pierced the man's chest, where he clenched the Innocence tightly, and pulled the object of his desire. The man's eyes widened at the sudden attack, but did not struggle. Image, thousands of images flashed before his eyes, images of his past, of his life before death.
Realization hit him.
This wasn't what he wanted.
His hands were frozen by the splashing rain; again and again he tried to hang on to what little he had left, yet every time he had a grip, his hands would slip. He had been pushed to the edge by his cruel fate, and that's when the thought hit him.
He was going to die.
With the last of his strength, he glanced towards the direction of the boats near by. They were already making their escape. And surprisingly, he did not feel the bitter anger towards them for leaving him behind; instead, he was glad for their escape. If they were to make it back to the village safely, they would be able to warn his people of the coming storm, and in turn, they would keep her safe.
It was the only thing that mattered.
That was his last wish.
He was never angry.
Quite the opposite, he was glad, glad that they were safe.
The Innocence embedded in his body had kept his spirits alive, and in turn, he had been unable to move on. Time after time, his spirit grew into an anger that seemed to have sprouted from hope. He remembered the reason why he had died that night. He died for the precious memories he had tried so desperately to protect.
The man smiled sadly. "I…thank you."
With those last words, he was released from the rage that bid him to this bitter world. He glanced up, and for the first time, he saw the light of his desire. The face of his wife, the one he wanted to see all this time, was waiting for him with a smile. The fisherman understood. Now was his time. And with those last thoughts, his remains melted into the dust of the night.
At last, he was free.
"Rest in peace." Kazuki whispered.
He raised the Innocence to eye level. It wasn't the heart. He wasn't expecting much from this hunt. Nonetheless, he had another piece of the weapon in his hands, the weapon that threatened to destroy his kind. He cannot allow the weapon's existence. His clench on the Innocence tightened. The fragile fragment shattered, and suffered the same fate as its previous master.
"Useless…"
He winced, noticing the wound that begun to form on his own shoulder, and immediately realized what had happened.
"Rei."
"Do you love me?" She asked. Her voice suddenly turned serious from their mindless discussion moments ago.
"I-" Lavi stuttered.
He couldn't answer her because he didn't know how. He wasn't supposed to have feelings for her; he wasn't supposed to have feelings for anyone. All he knew was he had to keep living as the successor of the bookman. He stared at the girl in front of him. She was expecting an answer. Something nagged at him to say yes, yet when he turned to look at her, he saw the disappointment in her eyes.
"Rei."
"Forget it." She cut him short, turned, and started to leave his room.
"Rei!" He took hold of her in his arms.
He couldn't let her go. His lips trailed down her smooth neck. One night, for one night, he would allow himself to step out of that terrible fate and be completely enslaved by her. His hands travelled down her uniform and he proceeded to undress her. He gently pushed her onto his bed, where he seemed to have rolled out of his own uniform unnoticed.
He took her breast into his mouth and sucked on it viciously, leaving evidence of their sin. She let out a moan of ecstasy. Her fingers moved through his silky hair. He groaned. He kissed her passionately. He positioned himself and entered her, taking away her most precious gift. He felt her whole body tense. Her nails dug into his back. She was in pain.
"Just this once. Be hurt by me." Lavi whispered into her ear.
She nodded. He allowed a moment to elapse before he thrust himself into her again, and again. He lusted for her; he wanted her the first time he laid eyes on her. They lay together that night. They broke the rules that night, yet both of them knew it wouldn't be the last time.
"What are we going to do now?" Her voice held a hence of panic.
He wrapped his arms around her small body, pulling her into him. "I'll protect you." He made her a promise. "I'll protect you no matter what."
It was a promise he couldn't keep.
He watched as she struggled on the floor, too stunned to do anything. Once again, he allowed his promise to perish. She left a trail of blood behind as she crawled. She had lost her ways, her once graceful movements disintegrated into agony. Her glance towards the Exorcists reflected pure terror.
Lavi couldn't bear to watch any longer. He made his approach. He wanted to comfort her. She backed away from him. It pained him to see her this way. She did not recognize him. His path, however, was once again, blocked by the Noah of passion. The power in front of him was greater than his own. He didn't even sense the Noah's approach.
A single fling of Kazuki's hand sent the defenceless Lavi flying through the air. The Bookman felt his back slam against one of his teammate, where they skid for another meter or two before coming to a stop. Lavi felt as though every bone in his body had been blown out of place. Yet it wasn't his own safety that concerned him, it was hers. And, for the second time that week, she disappeared before his eyes.
It was over.
The mission was a failure.
AN: Does anyone actually read the author's notes?
