Fork in the Road

Lenalee was waking up. She smiled when she saw Allen. Now everyone was back together.

"Allen…" she put her hand on his cheek.

"I'm back." He smiled. "Lenalee, I'm sorry."

"If it's about Suman, you saved him Allen. Both you and Teal saved him." She glanced at her friends.

"Actually Lenalee, I couldn't do much because I was blown off. Allen was the one who really saved him." Teal said. Lenalee smiled at both of them and said 'Thank you'. Allen placed his hand on Lenalee's and a tear rolled down his cheek out of happiness. This moment was short lived. A large pentacle appeared underneath Lenalee and she was sinking into the ground.

"Lenalee!" Allen grabbed Lenalee's hand, but was pulled in. Teal grabbed Allen's ankle and was easily pulled in after Allen. Lavi grabbed Teal's ankle, Kanda, Krory and Chaoji tried to help the others but they were all pulled into the ground.

Everyone was falling from the sky and landed on top of each other. Teal looked up. Her body felt heavy because Lavi, Kanda, Chaoji and Krory were on top of her. It was hard to breathe. She looked at the sky. The same bright purple and black pentacle that pulled everyone to the ground was in the sky and it vanished. Teal looked around a bit and all she could see were beautiful white Mediterranean style buildings.

'I know this place. It's not like those other weird feelings I had lately where I felt like I know something but I've never been to those places before.' Everyone got off the human crash landing pyramid.

"We're in Noah's Ark. This is what I used to get here. One of the doors leads outside." Allen said. Kanda gave Allen another evil glare.

"Don't stare at me! I didn't do this!"

"Hey, guys, there's something under Lenalee." Krory said.

"A pumpkin headed umbrella?" Everyone was surprised.

"Get off me, you stupid fat exorcists!" It screamed.

"So you did this?" Both Allen and Kanda were threatening the umbrella with their weapons. "Get us out of here now, if you want to survive."

"There are no exits." The umbrella's voice changed to the Earl's voice.

"After hundreds of years of faithful service, this ark is no longer functional. Well done, Lero." A balloon in the shape of the Earl came out of Lero's mouth.

"You exorcists will accompany this ark to the after life. In 3 hours, you will cease to exist. Cute girl, aren't you so lucky you have friends to go with you so you won't be lonely? I'll see to it that no one misses you." The balloon vanished. There was an earthquake.

The group tried every door they could find that wasn't about to fall. Lenalee was being carried by Krory and Lavi. When there was another earthquake, the two accidentally let her go. Allen was able to catch her with his clown belt.

"You think there is a way out? We've tried several doors already." Said Lavi.

"There's only about two hours left" added Krory.

"Actually, there is one way out." A voice said behind them. It was the scruffy looking man from the train. He was holding a rusty key. Allen, Lavi and Krory all reacted. How could he get in here?

"Hey," Kanda said, "that person has a murderous aura around him."

"He's Tyki Mikk." Teal frowned. Tyki smiled and hit Allen.

"Why are you still alive, boy? I got into some trouble for not making sure you were dead." He tilted his head back and his glasses came through his head. His skin changed from a white tan color to a grayish color.

"There is one way out. Road has the ability to teleport through dimensions without using the ark. She can make a door for you. Let's continue our game from the train. How about your lives for the exit. And this time, no cheating." He tossed the key towards Kanda.

"You Noah are immortal, isn't that cheating?" Allen remarked.

"The Clan of Noah are mortal too boy. We only seem like Gods because you are so weak. I wish you luck to get to the exit. It will be placed at the ark's highest point." A door that was shaped like a heart came from the ground and Tyki vanished into the door. The group moved further in the ark. There was much discussion among the exorcists.

"You think he's telling the truth?" Chaoji asked.

"If he is, we don't have much of a choice. And how do we know this isn't a trap?" Allen asked and looked at the others for help.

"Here, give me the key, Allen. I might be able to see something."

Teal wrapped her fingers around the key. She waited a few moments and nothing happened. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The dizziness started. The ark disappeared. She saw the key being used to open a door that looked like a child's mural. Then that disappeared and a room with the same type of mural on the sky had another door that said 'Noah' in big letters in a far off building. A library with no visible door briefly appeared and then finally, there was Road's door. Everything came back.

"Teal, what did you see?" Krory asked.

"First, we have to go through a door that has a child's mural on it. It's blue with butterflies..., stars... and ...rainbows. As crazy as it sounds, it's the first door."

"We've seen many doors and they are all white. Did you see where to find it?" Teal thought for a moment. In her vision, the mural just appeared. Perhaps you had to turn the key to any door? She remembered there was a big arch way that was neatly carved. It had marble steps at the door. She looked around. Behind the group was the door that she saw.

"Let's try that one." She gave the key to Allen. He turned the key and the mural was on the door. He then stuck out his hand in front of everyone.

"We're getting out of here. All of us." Everyone put their hands in except for Kanda. But he nodded in agreement. When they went through the door there was a barren landscape with one building on the other side of the room.

"Is this the right room?" Lenalee asked. Teal nodded. They started to head towards the brown building in the distance. The group was about to proceed but they stopped when Kanda signaled them to stop.

"Kanda, what?" Allen began. Kanda shushed him. A few feet ahead of them there was a large figure that seemed somewhat frightening. His silhouette was very large both height and width. It was Skin Boric. Teal heard an eerie voice that was coming from him. "Never forgive, never forgive."

And another voice was saying 'Wrath… Wrath…'

"Go on ahead," Kanda instructed. "I'll fight this guy. He's after my General." There was another earthquake.

"This room is starting to go!" Teal said.

"I'll stay with Kanda and you guys go on ahead." Allen raised his arm.

"You have got to be kidding thinking that I'd let you fight with me."

"But Kanda…" Kanda threatened Allen and the others with his sword.

"Get out of my sight, or do I have to kill you first?"

"Kanda, calm down." Kanda unleashed his Hell's Insect attack. They hit everyone except for Lenalee.

"You idiot, Kanda!" Allen shouted.

"We should leave you behind!" Chaoji shouted. They started to head to the next building.

"I'm gonna beat you to a pulp when we get back, Kanda!" Teal shouted.

"Good luck with that." Lavi said.

Everyone was leaving but Lenalee stayed behind. Teal noticed that Lenalee stopped and she stopped to wait for Lenalee.

"Kanda," Lenalee called, "promise me that you'll follow us afterwards?" No answer. Teal turned her attention to Skin and then turned to Lenalee.

"ANSWER ME!" 'Eep! Didn't know Lenalee could be this scary.'

Kanda turned to them. "Alright. I promise. Now hurry."
Teal offered her hand to Lenalee for support and they ran off together. They came to the brown building with a door with the word 'Noah'.

There was nothing but a long hallway. It felt like they were walking for a very long time. The exorcists and Chaoji were fast walking down the hallway. For some reason, Teal started to cry and stopped.

'What? I'm not even sad.'

'Goodbye… Wrath.' That woman sounded like she was weeping.

"Hey, Teal! You okay?" Lavi called back. Teal figured that he noticed that she was crying.

'I have to make up an excuse.' "I'm okay. My foot twisted to the side and it hurts."

"Do you need one of us to help you?" Allen asked.

"No, no, it's alright. Happens to me all the time. I can walk." She was waving her hands.

"Also, can you tell us where the next door is? Is it in this hallway?"

"All I saw was that the door was somewhere in a library. I didn't see anything else but a library and Road's door." She shook her head.

"What's that sound?" Chaoji asked. There was a rolling sound coming towards them.

"Over there!" Lenalee pointed out.

"Liquor bottles?" Teal and Allen turned pale.

"You got bad memories too, eh Allen?" She turned her head to Allen.

"Worse. MY MASTER COULD BE HERE!"

"Hee, there's a bomb in one of these bottles. If you don't find it, you'll all go boom exorcists." A voice echoed through the hall.

"A bomb?" Everyone stood there for a second and then scrambled to find it.

Allen was rambling about one of his experiences with his master. The exorcists were somewhat impatient because this was not the time to be remembering things like that.

"The most expensive liquor that Master made me buy was this one!" He held up a fancy green bottle with a creepy look in his eye while he was still in his recollection mode.

"It's the bomb!" screamed Lavi and Krory at the same time. Allen snapped out of it and checked the time left. It only had five seconds left.

"Toss it!" Teal waved her arms vigorously. Lavi made his hammer bigger and pitched the bottle like a baseball.

They continued walking for a little while then iron bars blocked their path and they could not retreat either. There was a loud rumbling from above them and the ceiling had spikes on it and it was falling.

"We're going to be skewered!" Chaoji shouted. Something else fell and scattered all over the floor.

"Cards?" Lenalee asked.

"Collect the cards that we say in three seconds or we'll drop the ceiling." The same voices from before called from above.

"Three of a kind!" Allen rapidly collected the cards and presented his hand.

"Bingo! Next, Full House!" Allen picked up five more cards and he had a full house.

"Wow, Allen, you're really fast." Everyone was amazed.

"This is a piece of cake." He said proudly.

"Ok, Royal Flush!" Allen collected the last hand in a blink of an eye.

"That is correct! But we'll still drop the ceiling anyway." The ceiling was coming down rapidly. There wasn't enough time to go to either end and escape. Lavi increased the size of his hammer and everyone crawled to the other side where Allen created an exit. Lavi quickly followed.

At the end of the hall, there was a game room. There were large checkered squares that were black and red. In the middle of the room, there was a roulette board.

"Kay, what gives?" Teal asked. "What challenge have these smart alecks set up this time?"

"Let's keep moving." Allen said.

"Hold it! If you don't complete this challenge, you'll go boom! And if everyone doesn't join in, you'll all go boom! The bets are your lives. Which will it be, red or black?"

"You all better let me handle this." Allen said. Most of the group knew about Allen's invincible gambling methods and they knew better not to argue. Allen walked up to the board.

"Step on the black." Everyone did so. The roulette started spinning. Everyone's eyes were anxiously on the ball. The ball landed on the red. Allen swiftly and secretly kicked the table and the ball landed on the black.

"Hey, you cheater! You just kicked it!"

"You have any proof of that?" replied Allen with a smug look on his face. "I refuse to be called a cheater by people who don't show themselves." He was starting to look like a devil again.

"Fine. We will. Go to the next room and we will show ourselves."

Allen turned around and was staring at the end of the hallway as they were about to move forward.

"What is it Allen?" Lavi asked.

"I thought I heard something. Like something breaking." The hallway was starting to go. Everyone ran down to the other hallway on their right. Krory carried Lenalee and everyone was sprinting to escape the crumbling floor."

"Lenalee, please get one of my blood bottles."

"This one?" Krory drank it and he was powered up. He grabbed everyone.

"Hold on," He dashed down the hall. Chaoji lost his grip and fell.

"Chaoji!" Allen cried.

"I got him!" Teal activated her weapon.

'Wind, take form' Her blades merged with her boots and they took the form of skates. She grabbed Chaoji and was able to catch up to Krory. They landed in a library. There was a large pillar in the middle of the room.

'Phew… Man that hurts my back.' Teal thought as she stretched out her back. She took a quick look around and this was the same library that she saw.

"The door is in here somewhere. I didn't see exactly where, but I know it's in this room." Teal informed the others. "My guess is that there has to be a switch or something to open it."

"Yo, exorcists." Everyone turned around. Two Noah boys who were about 17 sat on the large pillar with golden guns pointing at each other.

"Name's Devitto." The black haired boy spoke.

"And I'm Jasdero. And together, we are Jasdevi! Hee!"

"Ja-Jasdero."

"D-Devitto?" I could feel myself smile at them. They were the first ones who I could really see clearly in my world.

*bzzt*

"Promise us… When we meet again, we'll all become stronger."

"Kay!"

*bzzt*

"I want you to know that… I-I love you."

*bzzt*

'What is 'love'?'

'An unknown power that brings people together and will bring happiness among them.'

Oh my god. This can't be right! The Noah that are right in front of us are the same boys from my past? I'm not sure how I should feel about this… I'd rather not fight them, but I will perform my duties as an exorcist.

"Allen Walker," everyone's attention turned to Allen.

"We have nothing against you personally…" said Devitto. He and Jasdero pointed their guns at Allen.

"But we have a grudge against your master, so we're going to take it out on you. Hee Hee!" Jasdero finished his sentence. They started shooting at Allen.

'Blue Bomb!' They fired the guns and there were large blocks of ice.

'These too can freeze things!' Allen thought. He was dodging the ice bullets left and right.

"Red Bomb! Red Meteor!" A humongous fireball was heading towards Allen.

"Cross Grave" a white cross appeared and shielded Allen from the attack.

"We're not finished!" They taunted. Another one was heading straight towards Allen. This time, Teal, Krory and Lavi stepped forward.

"Hey, you two quit picking on Allen!" Lavi made his hammer bigger. Krory was behind it, ready to hit it and Teal was on top, ready to be launched. The meteor was less than a few feet away from them. Lavi and Krory launched Teal to the meteor and with the help of Lavi and Krory, she spun beside it to make it change direction.

"Uh oh, they changed its course." Jasdero laughed. They loaded their guns and pointed them at the meteor.

"White Bomb!"

"What's going on here?" Lenalee asked.

"I think it's those guns that are giving them special powers." Chaoji suggested.

'It's not the guns,' Lero thought evilly.

'Those are just ordinary guns from the black market. Keep wondering and suffer, then die!' Lero cackled.

"Oh, Lord Jasdevi, Stop! Stop! Didn't the Earl send you to hunt down Cross?" Jasdevi shot at Lero who barely missed the bullets.

"Shut up. Or do you want more holes?" Devitto snarled.
"We couldn't find Cross anywhere in Edo, pumpkin head!" Jasdero shared the same expression.

"The Earl said Cross might show up at the ark. So we came here in case he showed up." Devitto started.

"In the mean time, we are going to distract ourselves with his disciple." Jasdero shouted.

"And we are going to make him pay the bill Cross stuck with us!" They both shouted at the same time. Everyone was stunned.

"We went all over the world searching for him. We arrived in a town where we thought he was. When we got to the inn he was staying at, all we found was a note on his bed. It said to meet him at the Pig's Tavern. When we got there, he tricked us into going there to pay off his stupid tab! The work kept pilling up and we couldn't pay off the tab so we had to take the bill." They were literally on their knees bawling their eyes out.

"When hunting down someone and they leave a note, whatever you do, don't follow what the note says. Obviously, they almost always lie." Teal said. She was trying very hard not to laugh.

"Shut up, stupid girl!" They shouted.

"He left us with one hundred Guineas!" Jasdero sobbed. He held up a booklet that was fairly thick.

"He's like the devil! Pay up, disciple!"

"Whoa, what's with Allen?" Allen was in severe depression. He was on the floor muttering words like 'debt'

'one…hundred'

"Allen, snap out of it!" Lavi shook him to snap him out of it.

Allen stood up. His black side seemed to be awakened again. He literally looked like he had horns like the Devil himself.

"A mere 100 guinea? Compared to the debt he left me with, that's chicken feed."

"Chicken feed?" Devitto shouted.

"You wanna die?"

"My master isn't like the devil…" he growled, "He is the devil himself! If you're gonna get involved with my master, you have got to expect money trouble!" Everyone was still shocked. This was very awkward. Jasdevi burst out laughing.

"Let's get serious!" They fired their guns a few times and finally "Purple Bomb!" Allen seemed to land a direct hit on the twins but there were two dolls lying on the floor.

"Ha Ha! Fooled you!" Everyone looked around. The room was dysfunctional. There was fog all over the place and there were balls everywhere. There was purple paint like masks on the exorcist's faces.

"What is this?" Allen asked.

"Trick glasses," said Jasdevi. The exorcists looked around and around but they were no where to be found. Their voices echoed everywhere and it was very hard to tell where it was coming from.

"Look at the floor!" Lenalee shouted. There were thousands of keys just like the one they had.

"Allen, do you still have the key?" Lavi asked in panic. Allen searched his pockets but it was no where to be found.

"Sorry about that, but it seems your precious key has gone into hiding. If you want it, just pick it up!" Jasdevi taunted. "It's not so easy with the trick glasses on is it? And as long as you're wearing them, you won't be able to see us either. That'll teach you to make us mad disciple."

Everyone was trying to get the trick glasses off but nothing they did would work.

"I'm sorry everyone." Allen groaned.

"Don't be so hard on yourself Allen; it's not your fault." Lenalee was trying to comfort him. Krory was scanning the area trying to spot Jasdevi.

"Hey, they call these trick glasses, right?" Teal said to Allen and Lenalee. They nodded. "They're just trying to fool us by thinking there is more than one key. If we find it, everything should go back to normal."

There were eight red meteors heading towards them. Everyone had their backs to each other and stood there in shock. Turns out, the real one hit Chaoji. Teal and Lenalee were treating him; Krory and Lavi were keeping watch for other attacks. Allen was away from the group, with his claw ready.

"We'll just have to force them out of hiding!" He used his Clown Edge attack on air but no luck.

"Think you can hit us, fool? Green bomb!" They screamed. Allen was trapped in a jelly like blob. Lavi got him out and apparently, he used a bit too much power with his fire seal.

"Arystar, what are…?" Lenalee began. She threw her coat on Chaoji and she was in her black strapless minidress. Krory silenced her.

"Please be quiet young lady."

"Allen," I'll handle the trick glasses, you worry about protecting the others okay? They can't fool a Bookman's successor with this trick. I memorized what the key looked like the moment I laid eyes on it."

"Good. Find it in 60 seconds. After you find it, take Lenalee, Chaoji and Teal out the door and find the next one. I'll throw Krory after you."

"Blue Bomb!" Jasdevi shot another ice bullet and nearly froze Allen solid. "Find the key, Lavi!" Allen shouted as Lavi took a step towards him. Krory freed Allen and then threw Allen to the shelf.

"You don't have to be so angry, Count." He said faintly.

"What was that for you grey haired jerk?"

"I'll kill you!"

"Duck, Brat!"

Krory hit the empty space where Allen landed.

"Missed…" He opened his hand and strands of blonde hair fell out.

"Krory, can you see Jasdevi?" Allen asked.

"No…but I can sense them. My blood rages to sink my fangs into them." He laughed evilly.

"Nice people don't say that." Allen said.

"Move as I direct you, Allen. We're going to get them." He opened his hand and blonde hair fell out. Krory picked up their movements again and dashed towards them. He ran up the bookcase and then straight down the bookcase to corner them.

"Allen! They're right in front of you!"

Lavi summoned a gust of wind and all the keys that were on the ground were gone. They were surrounding Lavi on the archway. There was a great big ball of floating keys surrounding him.

Teal stayed with Lenalee and Chaoji. She was watching Allen and Krory on the other side of the room. Allen was grabbing on to what seemed like air. She was scanning the area to see if she could figure out where the door was.

"Miss Exorcist," Chaoji got Teal's attention.

"Eh?"

"Why don't you help the others? We'll be alright."

"It looks like they're alright over there. If something else happens, I'll go help them. But for now, I'm staying here."

'I can't fight them. I don't want to fight them.'

-
"So, he's from the Clan of the Bookman?" Devitto spoke. He and Jasdero had been quiet for some time.

"I see. They're working for your side now, eh?" He finished.

"Doesn't his hair make you mad? It reminds me of Cross!"

Jasdero shouted. "It's muddying my pure heart!"

"And the disciple won't pay the bill to boot." Devitto replied calmly.

"Pay up disciple!"

"NEVER!"

"Slimy…" Jasdero and Devitto said at the same time. Something was grabbing Allen's arms. It wasn't Devitto or Jasdero. It was slimy, smelly and sticky. Allen let go of Devitto and Jasdero and tried to back off but the creature got him stuck in the mud. The creature had many skulls in its body and now it trapped Krory too. They couldn't move against it. The twins were laughing their heads off.

"Devour them, Jasdevi hatred!" they ordered. The creature swallowed Krory and Allen.

"Allen! Arystar!" Lenalee shouted. She ran to the creature.

"Lenalee! No! I'll help them! You stay with Chaoji!" Teal was about to run after her but Chaoji was now being attacked by a giant snake.

"Jasdevi fear! Destroy him!" They shouted. Teal now had to fight off the snake because Chaoji couldn't fight on his own. She went in front of Chaoji, in her fighting stance. The snake faced Teal and it changed form. Teal stood her ground. She was terrified on what Jasdevi Fear would change into. It changed form into a dark figure of a shadow woman.

'Time's up. You can't escape your fate.' Teal started to walk backwards. Her fear over came her and she was powerless to do anything. The illusion world vanished and everything was silenced. 'No matter how hard you try, you will die.' The woman hissed.

"Move! C'mon, legs! Move!" Lenalee's cries broke the silence.

"Lenalee…" Teal saw that Lenalee's legs gave out and she was suddenly silenced and couldn't move. Jasdevi was near her.

"Stay away from me!" She shouted at the shadow woman. She activated her Innocence and sliced her in two. 'Even if there's no point in fighting back, I won't stop fighting until the end.' Jasdevi fear disappeared.

Jasdevi was standing there, holding Lenalee in a bubble. Teal dashed up to Jasdevi and slashed them but they dodged it. Teal stared at where she thought where Devitto and Jasdero were. Jasdero was still hanging on to Lenalee. Devitto had a mark on his cheek because Lenalee punched him.

'Spell of Wind, Air Twister' Teal kicked a twister to them and they moved out of the way quickly and she followed them closely.

"What the-? How the hell did you find us?" Devitto shouted. Jasdero just stared at her.

"Don't tick me off and don't you dare hurt my friends. Release Lenalee or you'll have to face me."

Devitto and Jasdero both shot their guns at her. "Green bomb!" Something big was heading her way. She jumped backwards and was hovering in air.

'Secondary Spell of Water: Freeze' Teal's underside of her boots turned to steel like ice. She turned the blob into ice, shattered it, and sent the shards towards Jasdevi. At the speed they were being sent at, the shards sent Devitto and Jasdero against the wall and they were pinned to the wall by their jackets.

"I told you, don't tick me off. It may be the worst mistake you ever made." She said. Lenalee was now on the ground in her bubble and Teal started walking to Lenalee.

"You alright?" Teal asked. She pulled something from her bag that was around her waist. It looked like a silver handle of some kind. She flicked it and a blade appeared.

"I'll let you out. And let me guess, they're standing right behind me, aren't they."

"Good guess, exorcist." Devitto hissed.

Teal punctured a hole and slipped the knife in the bubble but Jasdevi shot it away before it could go in. She turned to Jasdevi and they had their firearms pointed at her. She kicked off the ground and jumped backwards. Jasdevi chased her and shot various bullets at her. She was able to dodge most of them.

As she was focusing on where they were, the same voice who said 'Wrath' said 'Bonds… Materialization…'

"What kind of exorcist are you? You haven't even hit us yet!" Jasdero taunted.

"And what about your threat? 'Don't tick me off, or it'll be the worst mistake'?" Teal waited them to shoot a little more then she charged and attacked them. When they were on the ground, Teal was able to attack and give them decent damage. Their presence was just enough for her to get an idea of their location and attack them with her blades. After dealing a few hits each, they started to evade her and tried to get enough space between them to start shooting but she wasn't making it easy.

"Hmph. You're the ones who wanted to fight? Then fight instead of being cowards." Teal said when she could sense they were near her. She could hear them laughing.

"Cowards? Us? You're the one to talk." Teal followed the voices and tried to slash at the source. There was wind on both of her sides indicating they moved to where she was before.

"You're just frustrated that we all have you cornered, exorcist."

'Yellow Bomb!' Teal was blown away to Allen and Krory's direction and was knocked into the wall.

"You okay?" Allen sat Teal up when she was knocked down. Teal nodded and started breathing heavily.

"Any luck with the Earl?" Teal asked as she was putting pressure on her shoulder. They shook their heads. "I tried to get to Lenalee but they fought me. I've noticed that they only rely on their powers and do poorly for close combat."

There was a large flash of light coming from the archway. The trick glasses had vanished from everyone's faces. Everything was back to normal.

"Well done, Lavi! You found the right key!" Chaoji shouted. The room was empty again and the archway had turned into the next doorway.

'The door way was in the most obvious place.' Teal smacked herself on her forehead.
"I...Found you!" Allen and Krory shouted. They punched Devitto and Jasdero and sent them flying to the wall.

"That…Felt good." They sighed.

"Allen, why didn't you use your claws?" Krory asked. Teal picked up her knife and let Lenalee out.

"I wanted them to pay for what they did to Lenalee." Teal just remained silent she went by Chaoji making sure he was okay.

'Why does it have to be this way?' She thought to herself. 'I wanted to see them again and they're the enemy. Even this is better than not meeting again. In all honesty, I don't want them to die. Please, God, if there's any way to save them, let me be the one.'