Headquarters was a mess. An absolute mess. Hevelaska's prophetic riddle had central, HQ and every other branch of the Black order in total chaos. No one could make any sense of anything. Memories probably meant Noah. Noah probably related to Allen...... Which led them to their next problem:
Leverrier and his men from central were all in a huff about Walker being let out without Link, but even though it was a complete lie, they were told Lavi and Lenalee would and could contain him. In all actuality, Komui had arranged it so that they left when Link was reporting back at central so that they could get some time away. They had told every exorcist about the prophecy by now, including those three, and they were currently pondering it over.
"Supervisor! We have a report from General Cloud about a recovered innocence." One of the underlings said, then paused, noticing how deep in thought the supervisor was. "Supervisor Komui?"
The supervisor jumped slightly. "Oh yes, good. Tell her to keep it stored and look for more compatible users. That's our main quest at the moment."
The underling nodded and hurried off to deliver the message via golem.
Arisa had a strange dream.
She was floating, floating in a sea of nothingness. Floating in nothing. No.... nothing would still be something. She was the only being there. The only existence. Isolated. Distant. Alone. She could feel nothing, her limbs and very being were suspended, like her conscience was isolated in this place of indescribable emptiness.
She tried to move, she couldn't.
She tried to speak, but made no sound.
She tried to cry, but no tears came
She stayed that way, suspended in her isolated place, no sound or movement came, no surroundings to take in. The only thing that remained was the overwhelming feeling that she was being held here. As though kept hostage. But surely even a prisoner could move. Her floating conscience raved and rambled, getting slowly madder as it went. Madness, she thought. What a fate, to die of madness. To be mad would be to have no reason, no depth. Your only haven is your own mind, which is also where all your demons lie in wait. To be mad would be to distance yourself, true emotion hidden behind eyes showing you're not all there. To be mad is to isolate yourself in your own mind.
Am I mad, perhaps? She chuckled at the thought. She was no mad woman.
No, madness is not something one can identify. At least when mad, you lock yourself away. You'd want to be here, in this void. I'd rather be out there, moving and laughing. Not trapped in here and unable even to cry....... She again tried futilely to move. But she found no limbs to move with, no eyes to see with, only a conscience suspended in a void. She counted to pass time. Did time exist in this void? Would she ever wake to know if time had passed? Was this permanent? It felt like she was suspended in a state of infinite isolation. Never able to die or sleep. Only able to think and slowly, slowly, dip into true madness. But wait, what if this WAS death? This was the eternal place of passing. She shuddered. No, this could not be death!
She started singing, mentally, of course, for no sound would come, but when she hit the chorus of the familiar and yet strange song, another voice joined in. It was female and slight, much like Arisa's own. It dipped in and out, sometimes matching her own mental song so perfectly she couldn't be sure it was really there. But soon it became clear that someone was singing with her, but unlike her mental song, which only she could hear, this voice resonated, it was real. This gave Arisa hope that she may wake.
It seemed like an eternity had passed before the song ended, and the voice drowned out right after Arisa's mental one did. Then it spoke.
Do you remember yet?
Remember what?
This feeling. Of being alone, does it make you remember?
What should it make me remember?
They spoke mentally, almost telepathically.
That song, that man, that madness that consumed us. You are not mad, but perhaps I am.
Who's us? What man? What song? What madness? Who are you?
The mental voice that wasn't her own sighed, I am simply a memory. A very important memory. One that may cost your life.
My life? I don't want to die! I just want out of here! Out of this void.
This is no void, it's a place, of sorts. A place currently only you and I can visit.
Who's you? Who's I?
There is no you and I, only us.
Who's us then?
Us is you and I.
You know, if you weren't the only other person here, I would so tell you to leave......
The voice chuckled, resonating in the void, er, place.
I am not a person, as I said, I am merely a memory. A memory that everyone needs. One that cannot leave you.
Who's everyone and why do they need you?
Everyone is everyone. Everyone needs me. They need me because of him. To awaken him, I am necessary, to obtain his power, I am necessary. But another force needs you. We are both necessary for victory.
Who is he and why is he asleep? What exactly can I do?
Not asleep, just dormant.
Isn't that the same thing? And could you please be a little less cryptic.... and you never answered me.
No, to sleep is to dream and be unconscious, to be dormant is to be aware but inactive.
Thanks for the grammar lesson but why must 'they' awaken him? And you still haven't answered.
Because, His power is stronger than anyone can imagine. I would know.
Who is they and how would a memory know? How can a memory talk? How do I get out of this place?!?! And seriously, are you avoiding my question? Be less cryptic dang you!
They are those who need us, one needs you and the other I. I can speak because I exist inside of you and you can leave when I am done.
When will you be done? And which side needs me, good or evil? She decided to give up getting an answer.
In this war, there is no good and evil, only separate intentions and views. I will be done very soon.
Why are you here though, talking to me? It's quite annoying how cryptic you are......
Would you rather be alone here? I don't like hearing your mental ravings so I decided to keep you company while I work.
What are you working on anyways?
Nothing really, just a gift for you.
What kind of gift?
You'll find out once I'm finished and you wake.
That's right, how long have we been talking?
Time does not apply correctly here so about 15 hours your time.
15 hours!!!!???!!!!??? My- Oh wait, they wouldn't care if I eloped to Antarctica.....
Of course, because why would I find a host that is surrounded by those who care when she would simply be ripped away from them?
So you chose me who no one cares about?
Yup, because I knew nobody would miss you. What's to miss. It chuckled.
I really want to punch you....
So you do have some personality!
Don't act so surprised....... You live in my head right?
There's so much wrong about that statement it's not even worth correcting......
Why you.....
Oh! I'm done at last! You can have your body back momentarily!
Oh goody.
Arisa woke with a start, checking everywhere for a strange person who might have said all that, mentally asking if it was still there. When no one answered, she deemed it a dream.
She hobbled downstairs to make herself lunch,because it was indeed, quite late in the day. She called Hikomi, knowing school would be out, considering it was past 3, and talked cheerily, even though she was still shaken.
Allen, Lenalee and Lavi finally got back to their hotel room after going back to school. It was exhausting how boring normal people had it. Lenalee flopped down on the couch, and flicked on the television. She nearly screamed but called Allen and Lavi over. On the news, there was a flabbergasted reporter spluttering something about something but what they were looking at was what was behind him.
The field they had visited nights ago, was littered with hundreds of exorcised akuma debris. There was another exorcist. And they knew how to use their innocence....
The acclaimed memory sat deep in the girls conscience, hiding herself and chuckled.
I hope you enjoyed your gift, my darling hostess.