I'm back to my normal schedule! Which is not doing back-to-back updates. Yeah, I know that's not really a good thing but…I have no excuses. I wanted to write more for this chapter but I'm splitting it because it was already past my normal chapter length, and I don't want you people calling my normal chapter length short.
As always, thanks for all the reviews I've been getting for this story, and all the favs and alerts. This is by far my most popular story, and I'm happy for all the wonderful people who read and the ones who take the extra time to review. If I didn't reply to your review last chapter, I'm going to go back to replying to all my reviews again with this chapter.
To explain the first part of this chapter, it's part of an idea I've been playing with in my head that happened before this story started. It involves Road losing her Noah powers and also her memory. And it might have RoadxAllen. So if I ever write a prelude for this story, it'll probably include that part.
And I use the word weird a lot on purpose, and I replaced the Millennium Earl's hearts with these :3
Is that it? Yeah, I think that's it...
The disclaimer that ends this long author's note: D. Gray-Man belongs to you-know-who. Not Voldemort, but the other you-know-who. You know, Hoshino Katsura.
The 3rd Memory: The Night of Broken Memories
"Allen…if I was human, I mean a true human, do you think…do you think they could ever forgive me?"
Allen smiled. "Why wouldn't they forgive you? I would."
I laughed bitterly. "But you're Allen, you're willing to forgive anybody. But the other exorcists…I've killed so many of their comrades. If they had any sanity at all, they'd kill me the moment they saw me."
"Lenalee wouldn't. Lavi wouldn't. Kanda maybe, but the others would give you a chance."
"How can you be so sure?" I asked.
"Because," He patted my head, "I'm Allen."
I threw my arms around him, tears spilling out of my eyes. "Oh Allen, I'm sorry…sorry for doing all of those things. I promise I won't hurt any of you anymore." I stared into his eyes and moved my lips closer to his.
Allen closed his eyes. "Don't promise things you can't keep. The drug will wear off eventually." His left arm twitched.
I stopped just short of his lips. "You still hate me, don't you?"
"What makes you think that? I just pointed out that Komui's drug will wear off soon, and you'll be back to your old self." His arm twitched again.
"You didn't have to say that," I said, anger rising within me, "You could've told me that you could get Komui to create a new drug that'll keep me from going back."
Allen smiled sadly. "But Komui created the drug by accident, and even if he somehow created it again, your body already built up enough natural resistance to be immune to the effects."
I slapped him. "But you could still say I don't have to revert to a Noah again. You could say you love me!" My skin darkened.
Allen activated his Innocence. "But I don't love you, Road. I still hate you." He dove straight at me. "Clown Belt!" Allen's attack came within inches of my face as I flipped back to dodge it.
"I knew it…" Thousands of candles materialized around me. "Well guess what, Allen," I sent the candles flying towards him. "I hate you too!"
"Cross Grave!" Thousands of crosses appeared to counter my thousands of candles. The impact of the blows created an enormous explosion, causing smoke to fill the area.
I opened up a door. "I'm going back to the Earl, Allen. And next time I see you, I'm going to pay you back for this."
"I'll be waiting, Road."
--
Road yawned as she woke up in the back of a carriage. She unwrapped one of the giant lollipops she was saving and started licking it. I'm so bored, Road thought. It's been a week since I was thrust into this fake world by Allen, and I still haven't been able to contact the Earl yet. She stared at the cross in her left hand. And to top it all off, Allen's made me think I have Innocence. Not that I really think this is Innocence but…I can't even use my own powers without an Akuma around. And when there is an Akuma… She thought about the past three incidents where she ran into Akuma. There was that one in the church…and that one that attacked this carriage…and the one at the candy shop… She stared guiltily at the lollipop she was licking. I suppose it's my fault for killing them right away. I always had a bad habit of destroying things that really pissed me off. She lightly touched the pentacle over her left eye. I wonder how you give someone the ability to see the Akuma's spirits…
"Suffer my world of black and white."
Road bit off a corner of her lollipop angrily. "Dammit Allen!" She called out to the sky, "I'm not gonna lose this game of yours, ya hear!?"
"Who's this Allen you're talking about?" A strange looking chubby clown asked from the inside of the carriage.
A strange looking bunny lady pushed the other lady out of the way. "And what kind of game are you talking about?"
A sweatdrop appeared on Road's forehead. "Eh…" Come to think of it, I don't even know if these two are even human!
"IT'S AN AKUMA!!" A voice called out, "It's an Akuma, we're all gonna be killed!"
"Uh, thanks for the ride!" Road jumped off and ran towards the source of the voice. Finally, I can see Duke Millennium again! "Oy, where's the…" She stopped short as she saw a crowd of calm people. "…Akuma?"
"Hmph," A bald man said, "There's no demon here." He hit the head of a small child. "Just look at that, Jean, some strange came running because you said we'd all be killed!" He turned to Road. "Sorry about that, it's just one of his practical jokes. He's just playing around, trying to scare us adults by yelling that there's demons and whatnot around."
"I'm not playing around, stupid!" The boy named Jean said, "There's seriously an Akuma here! My dad told me they're trying to invade our world bit by bit!"
"Yeah, yeah, look, here's some candy."
"Stop treating me like a little kid!" Road bit her lip as Jean pulled out a dirty looking man. "I'm telling the truth! Just now, this homeless man was killed right here by some tough guy wearing a hat! And then he put the Akuma skeleton inside of his body…"
The homeless man put his arm around Jean's mouth. "Don't worry, nothing's going on here. He pestered me into playing with him, and when I started winning he got annoyed and…"
The crowd started walking away. "I knew it," one of the people said, "Next time you cause trouble, we won't even bother to come check it out, Jean!"
"Alone at last…" The homeless man's eyes widened as a pentacle appeared on his forehead. Jean tried to break free. "It's no use, kid, you're de-"
Road stuck a candle through the back of his head. "Aw crap, I really need some self-control." The Akuma exploded. "Your name is Jean, right?" Road asked. "You wouldn't happen to know if there's any more Akuma around here, do you?"
"Kyaaaaaa!" Jean smashed into Road, knocking her down. "You're an exorcist, aren't you!? It's the first time I've seen one! Was that your Anti-Akuma weapon back there!?"
Road pushed Jean off of her. "Listen to me, kid, don't you dare call me an exorcist ever again!"
Jean was already skating away, "Come with me, I've always wanted to talk to an honest-to-goodness exorcist!"
"Did you even hear a word that I said!?" Road got up and quickly caught up to Jean. "How do you even know about the Akuma anyway?"
Jean turned to Road. "You see, my dad's a scientist for the Black Order. But he's always away from home working, and to kill time, I read his research material and found out about the Akuma! My dream right now is to become a famous scientist and create a weapon that will destroy the Akuma all over the world in an instant! But even so…" He looked at Road. "I didn't know exorcists could be such little girls like you."
"L-little!?" Road shouted. "Listen you sexist bastard, do you want to die!?"
"I always thought that exorcists would be muscular looking guys," Jean went on, ignoring Road, "But you're the direct opposite. By the way, how many Akuma have you destroyed by now? How did it feel when you destroyed your first Akuma? How did you get your Anti-Akuma weapon?"
Road grabbed the scruff of his neck. "Shut up and stop asking me so many damn questions!" Road yelled, "You're just a bratty little kid who thinks he can save the world. The Earl would kill a hundred of you before you get the chance to blink! So just shut up about the damned Akuma!"
"…Here." Jean tossed something at Road.
"Eh, an onion?" The onion exploded in Road's face, causing her eyes to water. "Wh-what the hell!?"
"Nya, nya," Jean taunted, "That's my invention, the onion bomb!" He turned away from Road. "Listen you, there's no way I'll just sit quietly and overlook the Akuma's invasion. So don't tell me that I'm no match for the Earl, little girl!"
"I'm taller than you!" He was already too far to hear her. "Dammit, you are so dead, kid!" Road tried to run after him, but tripped. "Grrr…stupid onion!"
--
"Young master!" A weird chubby looking maid was knocking on a door covered in keep out signs. "Young master, Jean, you have a guest, can you hear me? Young master Jean!"
Jean opened the door a crack. "Who is it?" He spotted the young boy standing next to the maze. "Leo!" Jean took Leo into his room and shut the door. "It's been a while, partner! You haven't contacted me since the day of the funeral, so I was worried!" Jean plopped down onto a plushy chair. "You're living with your relatives now, right Leo? It must've been hard when your mom died, but I'll help you with anything. So cheer up, okay!" Leo said nothing. Somehow…Leo seems different. Well it was a major shock when his mom died. I wonder if…there's anything I can do to make him feel better… "Ah, that's right!" Jean said out loud, "Today I saw an Akuma for the first time!" Leo glanced at him. "I continued to patrol even while you were gone, and it turned out that their inner framework was mechanical after all! Also…I saw the face of the Millennium Earl! It was definitely him, wait a sec so I can draw him on a piece of paper! Let's see…" Jean started scribbling on a piece of paper. "Like this!" Jean held up an incredibly sloppy drawing. "Let's hand out this picture and start patrolling together again!"
Leo walked up in front of Jean. "Jean," he finally said, "There's some place I want to take you…"
Outside, Road was pulling on a weird doorbell. "Geh, that stupid brat, throwing some onion thing into my face like that…he is sooooo dead. Come to think of it…how am I supposed to kill him? I can't use the Innocence…" She rolled up her sleeves. "So I guess I'll have to do it the old fashioned way!"
The weird looking maid answered the door. "Yes?"
"Yeah, um, I heard that this was Jean's house, right? Is he in?"
"You're looking for Master Jean?" The maid started falling towards Road. "Yes, I believe he's here." She landed right on top of Road.
"What did you come here for?" Jean asked, snickering. Road was too preoccupied trying to get the maid (who was about 5 times bigger than her) off to reply. Jean stuck his tongue out. "If you're here to tell me about how I'm no match for the earl, then you're wasting your time!"
"Y-you…bastard…" Road muttered from under the maid.
"Let's go Leo," Jean said while skating away.
"Aww forget it," Road pouted. "It's not worth my time to kill him." Her eye started throbbing as she spotted Leo. "No way, is that…?" She clenched her left hand. "No, self-control…I can't kill it right away. I have to follow it back to the Earl." She tried to move. "But first I have to get this fat lady off of me!"
--
Jean grasped the bars of the gate as he stared inside. "Oy Leo, is this the place you wanted to show me? It's the cemetery." He turned to Leo. "Ah, could it be that you just wanted to visit your mother's grave?" He walked inside. "Why didn't you say so? You just had to tell me that instead of being all fishy about…" He bumped into a plump man. "…it?"
The man patted his head. "Good evening, Jean. :3 Pleased to meet you, Jean. :3"
Jean backed away quickly. "Th-that's…the Millennium Earl!?" He threw an onion bomb at the Earl and grabbed Leo's arm. "C'mon, Leo, we're running away!" Leo didn't budge. "Oy, Leo! What's wrong with you? If we stay here we'll be killed by the Earl!"
"Leo…" The Earl interrupted. "Leo died a long time ago. :3 On the day of his mother's funeral. That is nothing but an Akuma that I've sent out to punish you for interfering with me. :3" The Earl said with an evil look.
"Y-you're lying…" Jean said quietly.
"It's true, you annoying little brat." Road said as she entered the cemetery. "I told you you'd die if you kept talking about the Akuma."
"N-no…" Jean stuttered. "You're lying! Leo can't be an Akuma!"
"Whatever." Road turned to the Millennium Earl. "Hey, Duke Millennium, just kill this kid and take me home already."
"Eh?" The Earl asked, surprised. "Excuse me, but may I know who you are? :3"
Road cocked her head. "What kind of joke is that? Ah well, but since you're here, there's no need to keep that eyesore alive anymore." A candle appeared in her hand as her Innocence activated. "Say goodnight, Akuma-chan!" Road tried to skewer the Akuma in the forehead, but Jean steeped out in front of her. Road's arm automatically stopped. "What the hell!?" Road exclaimed, "Stupid Innocence." She turned to Jean. "Get out of my way, stupid kid!"
Jean shook his head. "H-how…how could Jean be an Akuma? I mean, he's my best friend! We even started the Akuma patrol together! The two of us protected the city…" He bit his lip. "There's no way he's an Akuma! What proof do you have that he is!?"
Ka-chi.
Leo transformed into an Akuma, pointing all of his barrels at Jean.
"Leo…"
"Keh…stupid brat." Road stuck her candle into the Akuma. "I thought I told you to stay outta my way." The Akuma exploded, the chain binding its soul shattering. Road turned to the Millennium Earl. "Let's go, Duke Millennium, I'm getting kinda hungry."
The Earl cocked his head. "I really don't know what you're talking about. :3 My dear exorcist. :3"
Road laughed bitterly. "Ha ha, okay, joke's over. It wasn't really that funny to begin with." She held out her hands. "Now take me home, please."
"What home are you talking about? :3" The Earl asked. "You certainly have a strange sense of humor, exorcist. :3"
"Would you stop already!?" Road shouted, tears forming in her eyes. "Would you stop pretending you don't know me!? You know I'm not an exorcist!"
The Earl raised his umbrella as a few hundred level one Akuma appeared. "Well of course you're an exorcist. :3 That's why…" The Earl glared evilly at her. "That's why you must die!" The Akuma all shot at her at once.
Does he really not remember me? Road thought, too stunned to move. Is he really gonna kill me? She fell to the ground grasping her head, her tears flowing freely. Exactly what the hell did you do, Allen!?
The bullets exploded as they hit. Jean stared through the smoke at where Road was seconds ago. "What's…going on? Leo…" Suddenly, a hand grabbed him and carried him out of the cemetery.
"Stay here," A girl's voice said behind Jean. He turned around, and only a woman garbed in a black robe dash back into the cemetery.
Road was still on the ground clutching her head, crying freely. Blood was pouring from her left eye because of all the Akuma she saw at once. Why aren't I dead yet? She thought as her blood and tears mixed. Why? She saw a pair of boots with a supernatural glow emitting from them step in front of her.
"Are you okay?" The owner of the boots asked.
Road tried to look up. "W-who are you?"
The owner of the boots smiled. "I'm Lenalee, and you're lucky I got here on time."