I am so sorry this is so late, I've just been sooo busy lately!! Thanks to everyone who reviewed (I'm sorry if I haven't replied, I am so disorganised!) and because I love you all, chapter 5 will go up tomorrw to make up for it!
Allen dashed away from Kanda, thankful that that the other exorcist had finally released him, but cursing him for holding him back so long. He was now drastically short on time- Komui wouldn't be able to keep Link in his office forever- at the most he had two minutes before the inspector caught up with him.
The double doors swung open under his hands, crashing back off the walls with twin booming thuds before bouncing back to their original positions, slightly muting the screaming alarm.
As Komui promised, the room was empty save for a small case half hidden in the shadows, propped against the staircase that lead to the Ark gate. He grabbed it as he sprinted up the steps and threw it through the portal ahead of him, looking around in surprise when the wailing of the alarm abruptly cut out, leaving nothing but a ringing peace that made him uneasy. Not the alarm had been silenced he knew that he had hardly any time left- Link would soon be tracking him down to demand why he hadn't been in Komui's office when it could have been a real emergency.
He dashed through the portal; grabbing his case on the way and following the route he knew instinctively lead to the piano room. He doubted it was his own (dubious at the best of times) sense of direction that allowed him to effortlessly navigate the deserted whitewashed streets, and while he vehemently denied feeling anything remotely like gratitude towards the one who could do so easily and was guiding his subconscious, he was glad that he wasn't wasting valuable time down dead-end streets while he meandered in meaningless circles.
When he finally sat down in front of the piano, his hands hesitated, hovering uncertainly over the black and white keys.
'If I do this, I can never come back' he thought, his fingers retracting a little. A movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention.
In the mirror the shadow gave him a mocking grin.
Allen hated it in here, purely because it brought him a modicum of peace. Of course, it wasn't Allen who was at peace here, it was the Fourteenth, this room, the whole Ark was his domain. Looking at the mirror Allen could see the shadow was far more solid looking and more detailed than he'd ever seen it before.
His own reflection was faint and insubstantial- nothing more than mist or smoke, while the shadow had more form than when he hovered behind Allen in the reflections outside of the Ark. The message was clear- here, the Noah had the upper hand.
"What?" he snapped at the mirror, clenching his hands into fists and turning away from the instrument. He didn't expect an answer- the shadow occasionally spoke to him, calling his name though their mental link, but since the first time in the Ark, the Musician hadn't said anything else to him, much less complete sentences, so it came as a complete surprise when the wide grin stretched further, and a voice skittered across his mind. The mouth of the shadow did not move with the words, but it made no difference, Allen heard them as clearly as if he'd spoken them himself.
"It's all the same to me, but if you want what little time you have left not to be spent in a cage, I suggest you make your move, boy"
The voice was smooth and arrogant, befitting one endowed with the memories of Noah, but beneath that haughty tone, there was something else, something well-mannered and light-hearted that reminded him so much of Mana that it made his heart clench.
"Not to rush you" the voice drawled, a definite smirk in his words "but the inspector is in the Ark room."
Allen closed his eyes and sighed. This was it- the last time he'd step foot in Headquarters, perhaps forever.
His fingers reached for the keys without further conscious thought and he began to play, a single crystalline tear carving down his cheek.
0o0o0o0o0
Link barged into the Ark room, panting heavily. Between the supervisor and his idiotic robot inventions setting off the attack alarms and the general chaos that had caused, and one Allen Walker, who should have reported to Komui's office as soon as the alarm sounded but had failed to arrive at all, he was in a particularly foul mood.
And not to mention the fact that Komui had held him up even longer- God only knew where the white-haired exorcist had managed to disappear to in the meantime. Link only hoped that he'd got lost (not unheard of) and not done something stupid with his pending removal from the Order only hours away.
Truthfully he felt a little for the young exorcist who'd been through so much already for the sake of the Order- hell, the kid had all but died, but there was more at stake here than just one exorcist.
The Fourteenth Noah had betrayed the Earl. Who knew what secrets he knew about the other side of the war? And if it cost the life of one of the youngest, most powerful exorcists to obtain those secrets? Well, it was all for the greater good. If they could end the war with that knowledge, it would all be worth it, right? Link scoffed a little at that. Allen Walker and his martyr complex would be the first to agree. Stupid boy.
All thoughts stuttered to a sudden disbelieving halt as he watched the portal to the Ark disappear from view. He stood there, immobile and appalled as the last traces of light vanished from sight. Walker had… he had… he'd left… gone… deserted the Order. Run away to save himself and probably doomed the entire organisation in the process. The supervisor had assured him that Walker's sense of duty would not allow him to make good his escape… Link fumed silently. If he found out anybody knew about this and did nothing… or worse aided Walker in his getaway, heads would roll. He turned abruptly and smashed his fist down onto the button mounted on the wall and the alarm screamed into life once more.
0o0o0o0o0
Kanda waited until an oddly smug looking Inspector Link had left the supervisor's office before going himself to confront Komui. If what Allen had said was true, then running away was all that damn sister-complex's idea, and Kanda was dammed if he didn't want an explanation as to why the supervisor had suggested that Allen leave and place far more suspicion on himself.
Not that he was particularly concerned, but he hated only having half the story. He didn't really want to know what was happening because he cared about the stupid sprout. Really. He scowled at his thoughts. Lately he had been getting far too involved with the younger exorcist and for the life of him he couldn't understand why. He snorted softly to himself before roughly pushing the door to the office open. It swung on it's hinges and bounced against the wall with a resounding crash.
Komui jerked upright at the sudden noise, blinking blearily at the intruder. It appeared he had fallen asleep almost immediately after the inspector had left only moments before.
The Chinese man looked wrung-out, his eyes darkly shadowed and his face pale and exhausted.
It was usual for the scientists of the Order to look tired and over worked, usually as a result of Komui's slacking off, but today the supervisor looked just as stressed as his workers. "Kanda, what a surprise. What can I do for you?"
"Where's the Moyashi?"
Komui blinked rapidly, obviously trying to coerce his brain into action. "I'm sure I don't know. Is he in his room?"
Kanda raised an eyebrow. Really, he wasn't that stupid, and he certainly didn't need Lavi's intellect to know that Komui wasn't being entirely honest with him. "No." He said nothing further and Komui started to look more and more shifty the longer the awkward silence stretched twiddling his thumbs, flicking though documents and looking everywhere in the room except at Kanda. "Cafeteria?" the older man suggested almost timidly.
Kanda's other eyebrow rose to meet the first. "Then who's just closed the Ark?" he asked smoothly, enjoying watching the other man sweat.
Komui had flushed an unsightly red. "What?" he choked out in what was a fair attempt at shock. "The Ark's closed?" The exorcist looked unimpressed and Komui sighed, realising he wasn't fooling anyone. "Yes, I know. Inspector Link has just informed me that Allen Walker has deserted the Order."
"Cut the crap Komui. I know as well as you do that you're the one who told him to go. Damn Moyashi told me so himself."
Komui actually looked insulted. "Well I never How you can even suggest that I am anything but completely loyal to the Order ! I've just had Link in here making similar accusations, but I never thought someone like you would ever-" Komui stopped ranting long enough to squint suspiciously at Kanda, obviously confused by that last statement. "Allen told you?" Like there was any other Moyashi in the Order. He wondered how to ask the next question without meeting an all-too-expected, protracted and probably grisly end. "Uh, no offence Kanda, but why would Allen tell you anything?" especially since I told him not to tell anyone! He added crossly in his mind.
Kanda supposed he shouldn't really be insulted- the antagonism between the pair of them was legendary, but still, to suggest that Allen wouldn't share anything with him purely because the had the odd argument or two… deciding he was over thinking the point, Kanda glared at the supervisor, daring him to continue. "Stupid bean tells everyone everything whether they want to hear it or not" he growled ungraciously.
"He was told not to say anything to anyone" Komui sighed, bowing his head so his glasses slid to the end of his nose. "He only told you? No one else?"
Kanda frowned. "Well I was the only one there. What does it matter anyway?"
"If word gets out that we knew what Allen was going to do and stood by and did nothing, the Earl will be the least of our worries" Komui informed him gravely. What you have to understand, Kanda, is that whatever the scientists at Central were planning on dong to Allen, or rather, to Allen's body, could only happen if the Allen we know, our Allen, was no longer in control of it. Even I'm not sure of what they plan to do if they get hold of him, but in essence, they were going to kill him" Komui fixed the exorcist with an uncharacteristically sharp glare. "Are you suggesting that I stood by and did nothing?"
Kanda's mouth twitched as though wanting to declare that, yes, Komui's first duty was to the Order, and if fulfilling that duty meant the sacrifice of one exorcist, especially if that exorcist was a useless Moyashi, then so be it.
But his voice didn't work, and the expression on the supervisor's face told him that even if he had managed to get the words out, they wouldn't have been fooling either of them.
Komui cleared his throat, breaking the rather awkward silence. "So that's why I did it."
Kanda crossed hi arms over his chest in a petulant manner and looked away, huffing out an irritated breath. "The idiot'll only get himself killed before the week's out."
The older man sighed as though talking to a particularly difficult child, not the nineteen year old veteran exorcist before him. "I know you and Allen have never got on, but that's no reason to write him off. He obviously trusts you, or he'd have never told you what was happening." Even if I DID tell him not to Komui fumed silently again, extremely miffed that his orders had been so blatantly disregarded. "It's not he first time he's had to fend for himself after all." Komui pushed his glasses further up his nose. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do" which was true enough, even if he wasn't planning on doing any. "And remember, not one word to anyone, not even Lavi or Lenalee."
Kanda grunted in what was assumed to be assent before leaving the office, feeling no less confused that he had when he entered.
0o0o0o0o0
Allen sat on tree stump, elbows on his knees and head bowed, staring aimlessly down at the suitcase resting between his feet. He had absolutely no idea what to do next. It had been a long time since he had no sense of purpose, but that was exactly how he felt now. The last year at Headquarters, despite the various disasters that had befallen the Order had been the best he'd had in a long time- a sense of belonging- a home, something he'd not had since those far too few years spent with Mana, but even his time with Cross had had some sort of structure- even if it was the repetitive scenario of running from one brothel to another avoiding debt collectors.
Now he had nothing- he'd abandoned his home, his friends, his family, all to save his own worthless skin.
His forlorn expression turned to one of confusion when his suitcase rocked a little back and forth between his feet. He reached down and laid the case flat, flicking up the catches, but hesitated before opening it. After all, Komui had been the one to arrange for it to be packed, who knew what the crazy scientist had hidden among the new clothes that had been made for him?
He hovered in indecision before deciding that being afraid of whatever (admittedly ominous) thing that was moving his case was unbefitting for an exorcist (ex-exorcist the smooth voice of the Noah reminded him with a little too much enjoyment in his tone) and, taking a deep breath he threw back the lid, scrunching up his eyes to try and save him from the inevitable explosion of flighty genius (as Komui would label his insane creations). No explosion came, so his eyes were safe, but that didn't save his forehead from the hefty crack that sent him flying backwards off his stump with an undignified squawk of alarm.
He lay on his back, looking up at the sky as stars fluttered in his vision. Only that didn't make much sense, since it was day still- the sun high overhead proved that, and the fact that the stars had wings and a tail was just, quite frankly, odd. After several more seconds the stars solidified into one singular golden golem, hovering uncertainly over his face, looking (if it were possible for it to do so) a little guilty for knocking its maste off his perch.
"Timcampy?" Allen asked it in confusion as he sat up, gingerly feeling his forehead that was now sporting an impressive bruise and red lump to go with it. "What are you doing here?" as far as he knew, the golem was being 'cared for' by Inspector Link so that Allen's communications could be monitored. So how had the little device ended up in Allen's suitcase?
In answer, the golem opened up it's mouth and spewed a roll of paper onto Allen's lap before taking up it's familiar perch on Allen's (now aching) head.
Allen unrolled the paper, recognising Komui's hasty scrawl at once.
Dear Allen;
I found Timcampy in my office yesterday after my meeting with Link. It appears it managed to escape without the inspector noticing, so I thought I'd send him along with you. I need to contact you at some point anyway, and this way you won get too lonely. PLEASE do not use it to make contact with anyone else in the Order. Your escape will raise enough suspicions without placing anyone else in danger. It's better if as few people as possible know about my involvement.
Stay safe.
Komui.
Allen felt little guilty about that- he'd already told Kanda that it was the supervisor who had planned his escape. Although he knew that Kanda would hardly blab about it. Who would he tell? Who would believe him? Everyone knew that they didn't talk to each other in idle conversation, so who in their right mind would ever believe that Allen would ever willingly divulge the secrets of his escape plan?
Allen frowned. But he had though. Why had he done that? Okay, Kanda had been threatening him, but he had always done that, this shouldn't have been any different. He looked down at his right hand, still gloved, feeling the healing scars from his recent run-in with the window in the distant corridor of Headquarters. Maybe that had something to do with it. For once since this whole fiasco started, someone had treated him like he was still human, still himself. Even if it was in Kanda's own brusque way. In all the time he'd known him, he didn't think that Kanda had ever treated him like he had lately.
Now was not the time to sit and psychoanalyse himself. He had to make himself scarce, find somewhere to lay low and become unrecognisable. He had already seen the bottles from Komui's store in the case, but hadn't had time to look at them properly yet.
Komui was right though- even having Timcampy here made him feel a little better. He gave the golem a fond pat before putting back the items that had been displaced when Tim had exploded from the case and snapping the lid shut.
Time to go and give himself a new identity.