Nothing but a Memory
"Lavi! Help me!" Lenalee was a bit of a mess. Her pony tails were off, leaving her with very long hair that kept getting in her eyes and the dress she wore on top of her uniform was partly shredded but her uniform was slightly damaged.
"I can't find Allen, Teal or Suman anywhere."
Lavi was exhausted from the battle on the ship. Teal went with Lenalee last night and Allen was carried off by an akuma. Now they were missing? 'I hope they're alright.'
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Someone was walking in the forest near Allen's location.
"It smells like death. This fog is so thick, I can't see a thing." Suddenly, a weird creature appeared in front of her. Its body was long and had a green glow.
'What the? I-I-is that… a dragon?! I must be seeing things.' The dragon was tugging her a bit.
'It wants me to follow it?' The girl followed the dragon.
'That's weird it just disappeared. I was seeing things. What am I doing—here??!' She tripped over something and landed on her face. 'Ow, my nose! A card?' Beside where she found the card, she found Allen. 'Oh no, he's hurt bad.'
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"Lenalee, you sure you don't want to rest?" Lavi was using his hammer to reach the village where Lenalee had to leave Allen and Teal.
"I'll be fine. After I got that girl to safety, I went back to find them. I looked and looked but I couldn't find them anywhere." Lavi gritted his teeth.
"Don't worry, they'll turn up eventually." In the distance, Lavi and Lenalee saw some explosions. It was defiantly from akuma.
"Come back here you little pest!" Screamed one of the akuma. Timcanpy was dodging the akuma's shots left and right.
"That thing is fast, it must be on Lero's level." Said one akuma.
"Oh yeah? It won't escape from my homing missiles." Said another. They fired some missiles straight at Timcanpy. Timcanpy detected something and headed towards Lavi and Lenalee. Lenalee was able to destroy the missiles. "Timcanpy!" Lenalee shouted with relief.
"Ack! An exorcist!" Lenalee destroyed some of the akuma with her 'Ring Dance' attack. Whatever was left was left was destroyed by Lavi's fire seal.
After the battle, Tim led Lavi and Lenalee to where he left Allen and Teal. Lenalee was by the pool of blood where Allen was. Lavi was looking at Timcanpy's video memory.
"Teal and Allen got separated when Suman sent a final attack. Allen had to maximize his Innocence to get Suman out. Allen and Suman landed here and Suman was destroyed by a Noah."
Lenalee's eyes started to water. She was thankful to Allen and Teal because they saved his soul.
"Allen encountered the Noah and he tore off his arm. He was about to destroy Allen's Innocence when Teal showed up. She told him to get help and she started fighting the Noah. That's about it."
Timcanpy felt like he was detecting something. He pointed east. He signaled Lenalee and Lavi to follow him. They ran after him and shortly, they found Teal by a pile of rubble that was an akuma. Teal was lying on her back. One arm was across her stomach, the other was beside her head. Her Innocence that vanished before was back on her arms, in their normal form. She was covered in dirt and dried blood. Her sleeve was soaking in blood from her wrist to her elbow.
"Teal!" Lenalee ran to Teal and was shaking her by her shoulder. "Teal! Wake up! Wake up!" Teal remained motionless. Lenalee checked for a pulse and for Teal breathing.
"Lavi, she's alive!" She exclaimed. Teal felt very cold and her pulse was weak.
"Lavi, do you read me?" Bookman's voice transmitted through Lavi's tear shaped golem.
"Yep. We found Teal but we can't find Allen."
"Come back to the ship now."
"But what about…"
"A missionary has arrived. Come back immediately."
Lavi picked up Teal and he, Lenalee and Timcanpy went to the harbor.
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Soon…
Lavi was still carrying Teal. Her eyes opened a little bit but they were vacant. They saw everyone looking depressed and a hooded figure on the dock.
"It's been a long time, Lenalee." Lenalee smiled and nodded.
"You're from the Asia Branch."
The figure lowered his hood. He was a white haired man that had a beard and brows that shadowed his face.
"We have located Allen Walker. He is in our custody now."
"He is?" Lenalee was more relieved than before. Both Teal and Allen were okay. "May I see him?"
"I'm sorry, miss. You and Allen Walker will depart ways here in China. You must go to Edo with your comrades." Lenalee's heart sank. Allen was found, but he was probably dead.
Anita asked, "How are we supposed to get to Edo? Our ship has been badly damaged from the battle last night, repairs will take days."
"Not to worry, there is a new exorcist that will accompany you. She is Miranda Lotto."
A skinny, brown haired woman came from the ship. She was wearing a new Order uniform and was carrying a suitcase.
"Will every stand back a minute please?" She activated a record-like Innocence that was attached to her sleeve.
'Time Record, Activate! Time Recovery' The ship's repairs were gone in a few seconds. Everyone was amazed.
'Uh Oh, was I not supposed to fix the ship?' Miranda jumped into the harbor. "I'm sorry! Let me die!"
"Lavi, get Miranda out."
"Why me, Old Panda?" Bookman kicked Lavi into the harbor as well.
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Soon… Aboard the Ship
"These are the latest uniforms," Miranda explained, "Komui figured your old one are pretty worn out right now."
"They're so light and easy to jump around in." Lavi commented and made a jump. The uniforms were a bit less bulky than the old uniforms. Instead of the bulky shoulder guards, there were thinner ones. And they had more zippers.
"Lenalee, here is yours." Miranda handed the uniform to Lenalee. She remained silent and was regretting leaving Allen and Teal. Her uniform was similar to the one she had before but there were two long sides at the bottom of the uniform and it came with shorts instead of a skirt. Teal's was just the same.
"I'll put Teal's by her bed so she can put it on when she wakes up." Miranda said. Bookman came into the room.
"She won't wake up." Everyone started at him. First Allen's dead, now Teal's dead. What next?
"Teal isn't dead, but she is in a very deep sleep. This may sound strange, but she lost her heart."
"Old man, how could she still be alive if she's lost her heart?" Lavi asked.
"Her heart is like everyone else's but there is another part of it that is missing from her body. It is an uncommon phenomenon that occurs when one person goes through an extreme change emotionally. First, an event must occur where one has no emotions left and nothing matters. Then if another event occurs that triggers the emotions to return, it impacts the heart and the crystal part forms. That part of the heart has powerful properties and it can not be reached by anyone. However, if one person has a strong will to help another, the heart is unprotected and it can be released if it comes in contact with another powerful force and there is a chance it may never come back. Unless if that heart is returned, she will not awaken."
Lenalee started feeling even guiltier than before. None of this would've happened if she had stayed with Allen and Teal. Lavi smashed the window with his fist.
"Snap out of it!" he shouted at Lenalee, "this is a war! These things happen!" A tear ran down Lenalee's face. Bookman started to choke Lavi.
"Sorry about that Lenalee, I'll make him pay for that."
'Pull yourself together,' Bookman whispered to Lavi, 'know where your place is. You are not an apostle of God, you are a Bookman. We only exist to record history, nothing else.'
'Right, sorry Old Panda' Lavi received another smack. He was allowed to have friends but his business was writing history. Bookman glanced out the window.
"Allen Walker is prophesized to be the 'Destroyer of Time'. Meaning he is the only one who can destroy the Millennium Earl. If that is true, he is very much alive."
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Time… Millennium…
'What is this place?' Allen was in a strange world. The water is black, the moon has a face. Wha? Lenalee!' Lenalee was in the lake crying. Everything was destroyed. What happen to the world? The war? Why is Lenalee so alone? I have to help her.' Allen reached for the lake but something grabbed his hand. It was some sort of demon that resembled him and was smiling wickedly at him. 'The water, it's freezing! Let go! I have to get to Lenalee!'
The water froze. On the water, there was another figure. Standing there. It was a woman, her body was mostly shaded. She was tall and had dark hair.
'Who are you? Did you do this?' The figure just stood there.
'Answer me!'
"Allen Walker, you've lost sight of what's truly important. If you don't recover what you lost, everything will be nothing more…" she pointed at the ice "than a memory."
"Wait! Where I am I? What happened?"
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Allen woke up in a hospital bed. He was bandaged, had an IV in his arm and he was alive. 'How am I alive? That Noah killed me. I saw him put that butterfly in my chest and I felt myself dying. It was so cold and scary.' Allen sat up and saw a girl sitting on the floor with her head buried in her arms on the bed. He heard someone talking.
"Thank you," Allen could hear Komui's faint voice. Was he here?
"Don't thank me, Komui, I'm not the one who saved him," There was another voice but it was louder, and they must be on the phone with Komui.
"It's been a while since I thanked God like this." Komui said.
"His Innocence was so determined he should live, so it filled up the hole in his heart. And after Fo brought him, most of his injuries were recovering rapidly."
"Was there anyone else in the area that could've helped him?"
"Fo looked around for a bit after she dropped Allen off but there was nobody or anything that could've helped him."
Allen waited for the conversation to be over and then he heard the man walk away. He waited until his footsteps were gone before he got out of the bed.
'So that's why I'm alive. My Innocence helped me. And what happened to Teal?'
Allen started walking down one hallway that led to another hallways that led to somewhere in the building he was in.
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"Sorry, Wong. I let my guard down. I didn't think he'd be able to move in his condition."
"Allen!! Allen where are you? You are very sick!" Wong cried.
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Allen came into a large room with a dead end. There was a wall with very large and strange mosaic. He was still in pain from the battle. His eyes were starting to water.
"Allen," Teal's voice echoed from somewhere. Allen looked around. Teal wasn't here. He was probably imagining things. "Allen, you're not imagining things." Teal's voice was clearer. She was standing right beside him. Allen stared at her in disbelief.
'Is she a ghost?'
"I'm not a ghost. Hey, nice place here. You're pretty lucky they found you Allen." Teal walked around a bit and leaned against a pillar.
"Teal, how?"
"Can I read your mind? Dunno. Allen… why are going there?" Teal's voice changed and sounded like that man he heard earlier. The man was standing against a pillar. "Why not just turn back? That door won't open."
Allen turned to the door. "I promised my father… I swore to him I'd keep walking forward until the day I die."
"Allen, have you considered switching sides?" Allen was confused about this question. What did he mean?
"Since you lost your Innocence, maybe you should consider working for the Science Division or some other division. I'm sure God won't punish you if you did that."
"No thank you." Allen seemed to calm down a bit. "I want to return to the battlefield with my friends." The man came out of the shadows. He was the same height as Allen, he had blond hair, a black beret, and he wore the white Science Division Uniform.
"Very well. Komui said you might say that. Your Innocence still lives."
"Really?" Allen was relieved. There was still hope for him yet.
"But before we…"
"You stupid IDIOT!" An angry female voice yelled across the room and the owner of that voice kicked the man in the head. She turned to Allen.
"What were you thinking, going off on your own?! You could've at least woke me up and introduced yourself."
"Did you have to kick me instead of him?" The man who was talking to Allen had a bloody nose.
"You!" she pointed at the man, "introduce yourself."
"Very well, I am Bak Chan, and that man over there is Wong. This is Fo, the guardian of the Asia Branch."
"Pleased to meet you, I am Allen Walker. Thank you for saving me, I owe you a great debt."
"You're welcome," Fo was extremely annoyed.
Bak lead Allen to a room where it was very foggy. Allen wasn't sure it was fog because it had a greenish tint to it.
"What is this?" Allen asked.
"This is your Innocence," Bak replied.
"When I carried you, this fog was following me and I could hardly see."
"You are going to reactivate your weapon." Said Bak.
"Oh! I almost forgot, Fo?" Allen was looking at Fo, "Did you see another exorcist nearby where you found me?"
"No. I didn't see anything after I found you. I saw a ghost or something that lead me to you but nothing after that. Why?"
"Because, my friend was with me when she tried to protect me from the Noah. I saw she shielded me but I don't know if she's dead."
"Is she your girlfriend?" teased Fo.
"Wha?? No, it's not like that, she's one of my best friends." Allen was waving his arm rapidly.
"Allen, did she have blue hair?" Wong asked. Allen nodded. "I saw her. She is with your friends. I don't know if she's alive or not." Allen thought he was going crazy. If Teal was with the others, how could she be here?
"Let's do this." Allen said. Allen looked up at the fog that was his Innocence. He wanted to fight with his friends again.
"Ah, good, they haven't started yet." A voice came from behind Allen. There were three department members. Two were young looking men the other was a young girl who was about 18.
"I can't find my glasses," the girl stated.
"They're on your head." Said the other boy.
"What are you three doing here?" demanded Bak.
"Don't you three have work to do?"
"Ah, c'mon director." Said the first voice, "let us stay, please? We're new and we haven't seen an Innocence before."
"Alright, Allen this is Shifu, Li Kei and Lo Hwa."
Allen smiled. "How do you do?" Lo Hwa fell in love with Allen the second she saw him.
"All right everyone, stand back."
'Innocence Activate!' Allen's arm was taking form.
"I did it!" The arm disappeared back into fog. Allen did this over and over for hours. The Science members were talking together trying to come up with a theory on why Allen can't keep his arm very long. Bak came up with an idea.
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The next day, Bak lead Allen to the same room he walked into the day before.
"What are we doing here?"
"You are going to fight for your life. Fo!" Fo came out of the mosaic wall.
"It's not my job to baby-sit him. Stupid Bak. You have to give everything you got against me boy, I'm pretty tough." Fo's arms changed into blades. She slashed at Allen, but was able to dodge them. She was able to kick him in the stomach and sent him flying into a pillar.
"You need to activate your Innocence soon boy, otherwise, you'll be crow meat."
Allen stood up. "Alright, let's call it Operation Cornered Rat." Their battle began.
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Lenalee got changed into her new uniform. She was thinking about what Lavi said about these things happen in war. She knew it was true. Casualties do happen. It was hard on her because Lenalee thinks it's her fault that Allen is probably dead and Teal lost her heart.
'I have to focus on the mission. We need to find General Cross. I'm going to work extra hard for Allen and Teal.' Lenalee didn't have anything to tie her hair up with so she went to see if Anita had something.
"If things go well, we should be in Japan in two days," Anita heard a knock on her door.
"Sorry to bother you so late. Do you have something I could tie my hair up with?"
Anita combed Lenalee's hair and placed some bronze clips in her hair.
"These belonged to my mother."
"Oh, then you must treasure them."
"It's alright. She was planning to give them to me when I turned 18. Ever since she was killed by an akuma, I haven't been able to put them on."
"Did your mother fall in love with General Cross too?"
"Yes."
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Lavi was up on deck, thinking about what Bookman said. "I'm not their comrade," he told himself, "a Bookman has no need for a heart." Something was looking over the ship. Below deck, Miranda was feeling pain.
"Miranda, what's wrong?" asked Bookman.
"There are repeated recoveries on deck. The ship is under attack!"
Everyone rushed on the deck. There were clouds and akuma were firing from behind them. 'Title: The Corpse of an Exorcist' A different kind of akuma had attacked Lavi.
'Fire Stamp!' Lavi's hammer wasn't enough to destroy it.
'A level 3?'
"Title: Why do you keep recovering"? Bookman activated his acupuncture Innocence, Heaven Compass.
'Heaven Compass, North Crime!' Bookman was able to pin the akuma against the beam.
"Why have you come here? You weren't sent here to hunt humans for fun were you?"
"Title: Eishi was created from the soul of a Japanese artist and was sent by the Earl to… to… get her."
"What does the Earl want with 'her'?"
"Don't you want to know about Cross Marian?" The akuma knew about General Cross. It cackled. The akuma grabbed Bookman.
"I'll tell you what you want to know, if you will be my model." Eishi took Bookman in the sky.
"Old Panda!" Lavi went after him.
'Heaven Stamp!' He was able to make the akuma let go of Bookman. Bookman was unconscious. "Old Panda!"
"Lavi, get to the ship. I'll fight it off. I'll be back soon." Lenalee raced by him.
"Lenalee, that thing is Level 3 or higher! Be careful!" She was able to kick the akuma. The akuma sank and landed far from the ship.
"Lavi, listen to her," mumbled Bookman. Some akuma nearby started shooting them. Lavi used his hammer and went back to the ship.
'Title: Are you the one I'm supposed to retrieve?' The akuma landed on the surface of the water. He was staring at Lenalee then at her Innocence.
'Sound Shackles' Lenalee was able to land on the surface as well.
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Back on deck, the akuma shots were heading towards Miranda. She couldn't defend herself from them. Sailors shielded her with their bodies.
"What are you doing?" she screamed in terror, "You'll be killed and I can't turn back time for the dead."
"We've been hit may times before. We might as well defend you, Madame Exorcist." Before the shots could hit again, something blocked them. It was Lavi's hammer.
"You two!" Bookman shouted at Lavi and Krory, "Take care of the akuma in the clouds, I'll watch over the time record."
'Heaven Compass, Divine Needles of Protection: East Crime!'
Bookman had turned the clock that was hovering above the ship into a spiked circle. The shots couldn't reach it. Suddenly, something wrapped around Miranda's record on her wrist. It was like a chain made of dark matter.
"What?" Miranda tried to remove the chain but she couldn't.
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Lenalee's fight wasn't working very well. She couldn't do any decent damage to Eishi. Her feet started sinking. Her Innocence wasn't deactivating how could this happen?
"What did you do to the ship?" Lenalee shouted.
"Eishi has the ability to control gravity. I will feast my eyes on your friends' bodies as they sink to the bottom of the ocean. I received word that the one we have been seeking has been found. The others will now die." More eyes came from his head.
"Who are you talking about?" demanded Lenalee.
"The Earl has told us to come here to retrieve someone. Either way, you'll never see her again!" Eishi summoned chains around Lenalee causing her to sink to the bottom. She couldn't fight it away, even with her Innocence. She sank to the bottom.
'Maybe there is a way to get rid of these chains. I think if I maximize my Innocence, it should neutralize this for a short time. Allen, I'm a little scared. You maximized your Innocence to save Suman. I believe you'll come back to us, so I'm going to fight because I want to see you again.'
'Title: The Maiden that sank into the Depths.'
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'Ah! I can't sleep! My eye! It hurts! But why?' Allen awoke with a start. His eye just activated for no reason and started to throb. He started walking down the hallway towards the arena. He had been fighting Fo for hours but he felt like he needed to continue to fight so he could help the others.
"Allen, is something bothering you?" Teal came up behind him. She had a worried look on her face.
"Is this going to become a regular thing with you? You pop up any time you want and it's gonna give me heart failure!"
"You don't have to shout you know. You'll wake everyone up. Look, I can talk to you in your head so you don't have to use your mouth." Teal put her hands on her hips.
"Yeah, if anyone sees me talking to you like this, they'll keep me here longer because I'm a lunatic."
"I never said that."
"I'm worried about the others."
"So am I. But you can't go anywhere until you restored your arm. You should go back to bed." She stood in front of Allen and blocked his path.
"Teal, tell me something. What happened that night when you shielded me? Are you dead? And how come I'm the only one that can see you?"
"No. I'm not dead. I don't know what happened. All I know is that I'm alive but I'm not in my own body. Or maybe I am dead and I'm just an earthbound spirit. And since you can see souls, maybe that's the reason why only you can see me."
"Earthbound spirits?" He asked nervously.
"Ghosts who are trapped on earth because they have unfinished business. I guess that would make sense. Wait a minute, can I try something? Advanced warning: this might hurt a bit."
"Sure. What are you going to do?" Teal hit him on the back of his head and Allen and he fell.
"Okay, I'm alive." She smiled. "If I was dead, you wouldn't be able to feel that."
"That hurt!"
"I told you it would. Maybe I should've hit you harder so you would go back to sleep. Get my drift?"
"Alright. You win." Allen bumped his head against Bak's head and Bak dropped his papers.
"Walker, what are you doing up?" Bak asked.
"I couldn't sleep. Oh, I'm sorry, I made you drop your papers. Here, I'll help you get them."
Teal knelt beside Allen.
"Pervert!" Teal shouted. She walked up and slapped him but her arm went through his head.
'Teal, have you already forgot that Bak can't see or hear you?' Allen asked her.
'No, I haven't forgotten. He took pictures of Lenalee.' She said angrily. Allen looked at the documents.
"Bak, do you like Lenalee?"
"These weren't photos that were taken without permission." Stammered Bak.
"G-G-Go back to the infirmary." He ordered.
Allen started to head back to the infirmary. Teal started to feel dizzy. So did Allen.
'Teal, what's happening?'
'My dimensional scream.' The hallway vanished. There was nothing but water.
'Innocence Maximum Power, Activate!' Everything came back.
'Teal that was Lenalee! She had to maximize her Innocence. She's going to be paralyzed. I need to fight Fo now!'
'Allen, we can't do anything now.'
"How is it that Bak can't see, feel or hear you but you are able to hold me back?"
"Get some sleep." Teal said more sternly. "Or do I have to knock you out and drag you?"
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"Le…na…lee… La…vi… Ary…star"
On the ship, Teal was able to sit up for some reason from her bed. Her eyes were still blank. She mumbled the names of her friends then stopped. Her new uniform was beside her hand and she touched it. When she touched it, the new uniform went on her and her old one was on the bed. The room was half flooded.
"So there you are," sneered a sailor that was an akuma. He took a step towards Teal. She stared into space and didn't do anything.
"What's the matter? Can fight back?" he taunted. He picked up Teal and carried her above deck. The ship was coming back on the surface of the water. The chain around Miranda's record disappeared.
Another sailor noticed him with Teal.
"Hey, what are you doing with her?" Lavi had cleared the clouds away and they revealed where the akuma in the sky were. He sent Krory to get them. The akuma transformed.
"Die exorcists!" He started to fly off. Lavi used his hammer.
'Extend!' He was able to catch up to the akuma. 'Combo Seal, Violent Heaven Skies' He summoned his fire-thunder snake to the akuma but he purposely dropped Teal. She fell in the ocean because the akuma dropped her at a high speed.
"Teal!" Lavi couldn't catch her. She was falling deeper and deeper in the ocean. There was a mysterious glow that could faintly be seen.
"Lavi, don't go off the ship! There still could be akuma." Shouted Bookman.
"But Teal will drown!"
"We'll get her!" Shouted some sailors. They dived off the ship but something prevented them from reaching the water and they were brought back on the ship. Lavi couldn't do anything but wait. Further more, he was anxious for Lenalee to return. From what seemed like hours he couldn't wait for them anymore.
Krory had just landed on the deck. Red snow and explosions in the sky followed him.
"It reeks of Crimson, how delightful." He smirked.
"Let me go!" Lavi was struggling against the sailors.
"You're injured! We'll find them."
'Extend!' Lavi extended his hammer and knocked down the sailors.
"Lavi," said Miranda, "Please don't hurt them. They risked their lives for us."
"Teal and Lenalee are your friends and comrades aren't they? Aren't you even worried about them?" Lavi snapped.
Miranda's eyes watered.
"You're our friend too, right Lavi?" Lavi didn't know what to say. He was split between his friends and his duty as a bookman successor. He nodded.
"At least bandage the parts that may have been wounded." Pleaded Miranda.
"I'll be fine." He took off with his hammer in search of the girls. There was nothing but endless water. Lavi started to hurt all over. There was still no sign of either of them anywhere.
'This is bad. My wounds are starting to come back. I hope I find them soon.' Something zoomed by Lavi. It stopped a few feet in front of Lavi. It was Timcanpy.
"Tim? What are you doing here?" Lavi lost his balance on his hammer and fell in the water.
'Uh, I hurt so much that I can't swim. I can't even use my hammer.' Something grabbed Lavi. It put Lavi on its back. Lavi could see that it was long, smooth and had a glowing green light surrounded all around it. It had Lavi's hammer in its claw. As the creature swam up to the surface. As they were swimming, Lavi noticed something else with the same glowing light heading to the surface. As Lavi and the creature reached the top, Lavi looked beside him. It was a crystal with Lenalee concealed within it. Holding Lenalee was a yellow akuma with bright white eyes, a knight's helmet with a yellow head like mouth in it.
"Are you junior?" Lavi was stunned. How could an akuma know him?
"What did you do to Lenalee?!" He shouted.
"Nothing! I am on your side. This is the girl's Innocence! I was altered by Cross Marian. Please help me, this thing hurts to hold!"
Lavi didn't trust the akuma. What if it was a trap? Timcanpy landed on the akuma's head.
"Tim, you're landing on the wrong head!"
"Oh, you must be Timcanpy. You're bigger than I thought. Please help me Junior!"
"Alright." Lavi nodded and gritted his teeth. He wanted to help Lenalee, no matter what. Now he only had to find Teal. He'd go back to the ship then look for Teal again. The creature that Lavi was sitting on speed towards the ship with the akuma following it. Lavi was hanging onto its horns for dear life.
Soon they arrived at the ship. The akuma placed Lenalee on the deck and the dragon lowered Lavi as well then went beside the crystal as if it were guarding it. Everyone was heading to the deck. Anita was nearby trying to get to Lenalee but something stopped her.
'What is this? My head is going to explode! The Innocence is too much!'
Bookman stepped forward.
"Everyone who is not an exorcist, stand back!" They did as they were told. Bookman glanced at Lavi, the akuma and the dragon.
"Lavi, what happened?"
"I don't know. I fell off my hammer this…"
"Dragon," finished Bookman.
"Right dragon, saved me and when we got to the surface I saw this akuma with Lenalee in that crystal. According to the akuma, the Innocence has saved her."
"Why hasn't this been heard of before?" asked Bookman, "if it had been, think of all the others that would have been saved."
"Maybe it's the Heart. Or the Dragon could be the Heart. It's made out of Innocence." The akuma was behind Lavi. Lavi used his hammer to try and back it away.
"I wouldn't take it! I'm on your side remember?! General Cross altered me!"
"How do we know that?" snarled Lavi.
"Stand down Lavi. This akuma speaks the truth. General Cross is the only person in the world that can alter akuma." Lavi deactivated his hammer.
"Oh, sorry about that. But how could the Dragon be the Heart? Is it because it's only a legend or…" The crystal surrounding Lenalee was vanishing. Lenalee had her hair cut to a boy's length. Her legs had strange patterns on them and her uniform was torn a bit. Lavi, Krory and Miranda rushed to her side.
"Lavi," Lenalee opened her eyes and was crying, "am I still apart of this world?" Lavi smiled and gave her a hug. "You crazy kid." His and Lenalee's wounds disappeared due to Miranda's Innocence. Lenalee was able to sit up and put her uniform back on. She tried to stand up but her legs couldn't move.
"Master exorcists! Look!" shouted a sailor. The dragon that was on the deck was vanishing as well. As it was disappearing, Teal appeared from the vanished dragon. Her baby blue eyes were still blank. She glanced at her friends and she was standing in her new uniform. She took a few steps towards her friends.
"Le…na…lee…" She slowly reached out for Lenalee.
"Teal!" exclaimed Lavi he gave her a hug too. "You were the Dragon! And you are awake too!"
"La…vi…Kro…ry…" Teal collapsed in his arms.
"Maybe you aren't awake." Lavi said with a little disappointment in his voice.
"I have been sent here by General Cross." The akuma said.
"He says that you must return immediately."
The exorcists looked at one another. What should they do?
"Let's keep going." Said Lenalee. "It would be a betrayal to those who died for us."
Lavi carried Teal to the cabin below. Krory carried Lenalee below. The akuma was pushing the boat at high speeds.
---------------------------------------------------
'Wow, akuma are amazing.' Lavi thought. "How long can you keep this up Chomeske?" Lavi shouted out the window.
"Chomeske? Is that your nickname for me? It's kind of cute. I have to hurry. I don't have much time. I can take you as far as the Izu peninsula."
"Time?"
"That's personal matter."
Lenalee sat beside Miranda on the couch with her crutches beside her. Lavi was sitting Teal up on the bench by the window. Teal's head fell on his shoulder. Bookman and Krory were standing.
"Bookman, Miranda's getting worse. The recoveries are draining her." Miranda was looking extremely pale. She couldn't keep up the time record running on the ship until Japan.
"If I deactivate my Innocence…" she choked, "your injuries will return and the others will die."
"It's alright Miranda; you don't have to carry this burden on your own" Lenalee cried. Chomeske stopped the ship and the exorcists went on deck with Chomeske. They all put cloaks on and Miranda put a cloak on Teal. Krory carried her out. Anita, Mahoja and three other men were on deck. It was raining.
"Where are the other seamen?" Lavi asked.
"Please forgive them. They are having a party below. I figured they want to enjoy their last moments." Replied Anita.
"You mean you are the only survivors?" Lenalee asked. The sailors nodded.
"We shall accompany you on your journey." Said one of them.
"Fight exorcists!" Some voices off the speaker called. "Fight and win for all of us! We are with you in spirit!"
"My men…" said Anita. The exorcists went into the life boat. The sailors followed. Lenalee extended her arm.
"Anita, Mahoja, you next." Anita extended her arm and touched Lenalee's short hair.
"You have such beautiful hair. Don't let this war make you lose it." The boat began to lower in the water. Anita and Mahoja were not survivors. Lenalee burst in tears.
'I promise Anita. I'll fight for you. And we are going to win.'
Lenalee told herself. As the boat left the ship, Miranda's Time Record vanished over it and everything disappeared into the sea.