Back to Square One
Teal woke up in the hospital wing. Her body ached all over. She had bandages on her neck, cheek and right leg. The parts that hurt the most were her left wrist and her right ankle. 'Please tell me it's not what I think it is.' She brought her wrist over her head. Her wrist was soaked in blood and another cross was added. 'The Gods are against me.' She sighed.
"Oh, Teal, you're awake." Miranda said.
"Hello, Miranda, hello, Lenalee. You guys feel any better?" Teal sat up and brought her legs on the left edge of the bed. Lenalee and Miranda nodded.
"Don't you even think about getting up, Miss." A voice snapped. It was the main nurse of the ward. "Your healing powers may have sped up your recovery a bit but you are seriously injured."
"What?" Teal yawned.
"You are losing large amounts of blood from your wrist. And your ankle is broken."
"How broken are we talking?" Teal asked nervously.
"As in you need to get it amputated."
"What?! Great, now I'm going to have heart failure." She flopped back on her bed.
"You kids don't have any sense of humor. Your ankle is going to need a cast for the next few days. If your powers help, it will be about half that time. Now, we have to give you stitches on your wrist to stop the blood from flowing."
"No, that's not necessary. My wrist sometimes bleeds like this. Stitches won't help."
"Very well. Your powers are putting me out of business." The nurse smiled.
'Believe me, sometimes I don't want them whatsoever.'
"Your wrist bleeds often?" Miranda was shaking and looked like she was going to scream.
"Yeah. I don't really know what triggers it to bleed abnormally. The only time it bleeds is when there's another cross added. When I was younger, the doctors tried everything to make it stop. All it did was add on to the pain and not fixing anything. So I learned to deal with it."
There was a melody that could faintly be heard in the hospital wing. The nurse came to put a cast on Teal's ankle.
'I wonder where Allen learned to play that melody.'
After the cast was put on and it was dried, Teal took her crutches and headed toward the ark. Luckily for her, most of the Science team was working on other stuff and hardly anyone noticed her. The hardest part was climbing up the steps.
She walked through the gate and made her way to the Musician's Room. She tapped on the door. Allen was in a ball and his face was in his knees while he was sitting on a chair. Timcanpy noticed Teal and flew to her to greet her. Teal noticed that there was a long trail of food on the floor.
"Allen?" Allen looked up. "Teal, is something wrong?" She paused for a second.
"Umm… Where'd you learn to play that melody?" She opened her hand for Timcanpy to land on it.
"Those characters that make up the score… My foster father and I made them up together. I don't know how to play that melody but seeing those characters jogged my memory. Why did you ask me about that?"
"Just curious." She shrugged. "We should get back to the infirmary before the nurse notices we're gone."
All of the exorcists were at the cafeteria. Everyone was happy to eat whatever they liked without the hassle of waiting or cleaning up afterwards. There was a man who was slightly taller than Allen who approached the table everyone was sitting at. He had blonde hair that looked like it was cut around a bowl, two dots that were vertically in between his eyes and he had a burgundy uniform on. He was holding out a pie in front of Allen.
"Nice to meet you, Allen Walker, I am Inspector Howard Link. I will be monitoring you. I made some pumpkin pie. Help yourself."
'Inspecting him?!' Everyone thought. "Don't mind if I do. Bon Apetite!" Allen said as he was reaching for a piece.
"Hold on, Allen!" Lavi was holding him back. Lenalee got up and left.
"Link, why is Allen being monitored? Aren't you overreacting?" Teal asked. Link sat down. "It was the Order's decision. Have you ever heard of the 14th?"
"The 14th?" Allen asked.
"The Noah Clan that we know originally had 13 members. But a 14th was born and erased from the Noah Clan records."
"So what does this have to do with my supervision?" Allen asked. Link was grabbing something from underneath the table.
"First, you must answer all of these." Link put a huge stack of documents on the table. They were twice the height of Allen. "Hand all of them in after you wake up."
"Holy crap!" Lavi exclaimed.
"Oh, my god." Teal said slowly. "I think the Science Department has it easy."
"This has got to be done in one night?" Lavi leaned over to peek at Allen's document that Allen grabbed.
"Since it's too noisy here, I guess we'll move to the library." Link said.
"Eh?! In the library all night?!" Allen was terrified.
"The library isn't that bad Allen." Teal said as she was getting her crutches.
"Yeah! We'll read books beside you so you won't get lonely." Lavi stated.
"Please hesitate." Link gave a scornful glare.
"Actually Lavi, I'm going to look for General Cross."
"Where'd that boy under supervision go?" Jerry asked. Miranda wasn't really paying attention to the conversation and didn't know that Allen was being watched.
"Supervision?" She asked.
"Our dog is being watched." Lavi made a gesture with his fingers to make dog ears.
Teal moved slowly with her crutches. 'It's not easy using these things. Good thing that I use my arms a lot. If I were General Cross, I would… Be drinking… I guess that would be a start.' Teal wandered around the entire main floor searching for him. She was about to give up when she heard someone complain about their wine. Turns out, he was by the library with another General that Teal hasn't met yet.
"You stupid idiots! I told you to get us White Romane Contie Bouquets!" Cross yelled.
"But… even with our money that is way too expensive." One of the guards said.
"General Cross!" Teal called out, "May I speak with you?"
"Is she one of your students as well, Marion?" The other General asked. "I pity her if she was."
"No, I wasn't trained by anyone. General Cross just asked me to bring a package here and that's how I became an exorcist." Teal replied. The other general just gave a short chuckle. Cross moved up the stairs to where Teal was.
"What is it?"
"I have a few questions actually. About the Deceiver."
Cross sighed in grief. "If that's what you came here for, I'll talk with you later. I have to go to Central after I'm done here and I ask that you come along then I'll answer your questions." He went back to the couch where the other general was. It wasn't the answer she was hoping for but it will have to do.
*bzzzt* How did I end up in the Musician's room? *bzzzt*
Teal was lying down on the sofa in the Musicians room. She blinked hard and there was a tall figure standing next to her. His body was shadowed and his large coat was white.
Teal thought it was the Earl but she realized it was the shadow she saw in Allen's reflection. "You're… the 14th. Right?" The figure nodded.
"Allen said he should've been the only one to read the score. Was the Deceiver able to read the score too?"
"No. I haven't even met the Deceiver. She vanished thousands of years ago."
"Then, why can I read it?"
"Obviously, you've forgotten my words when I gave you some advice. Your memory is the key." Teal paused for a moment then she remembered something.
She straightened her posture and said, "I never left my house when I lived with my brother. When I was with Jasdevi, we never seen you before. I've never seen you when I was a yanki or when I was with Shishou. How could I have learned that song from you?" The figure looked down at her.
"If you knew the truth, it will cause you pain."
"I'm ready. I'm ready to face the truth. Nothing could hurt more than what I'm going through now."
"You are brave. I trust that you can choose the right path once you hear the truth."
*bzzzt*
Teal sat up and rubbed her eyes. 'One answer down, a billion to go.' She thought to herself. When she got out of bed, she noticed that her ankle didn't hurt anymore and the cast was gone. She ran her finger over her ankle and she could tell her powers sped up her recovery. She laughed to herself. 'At least I don't have to wear that bulky thing anymore. I was finally getting the hang of the crutches. And I have to return them.' She got dressed into her gray t-shirt and her long dark pants. She carried the crutches under her arm, turned on her golem and headed on out.
On the way to the infirmary, Teal passed the Science Sector where almost all the Science Team was working. There was a sign that was blocking the entry. It said 'Chemistry Group Only'.
"Hey Teal!" Teal turned around.
"Oh, Allen, Lavi good morning! And good morning, Link." Teal said.
"I thought you broke your ankle really bad." Lavi commented. He noticed that Teal's foot was no longer in a cast and her ribbons on her legs were very visible.
"Yeah. My powers sped the healing process. My powers even dissolved the cast. I'm just going to the infirmary to return these."
"How long have you had these healing powers?" Link asked suspiciously. He had a notebook in his hand as if he were writing notes for a job interview. Teal felt uneasy.
"I don't know… I had them for a really long time."
"I see… And I notice that the only thing that your powers can't heal is the mark of Noah on your wrist. Is that correct?" Teal stared at her left wrist. Her wrist was slightly bleeding and now there were 4 and a half crosses on her wrist. She nodded. 'Somebody please change the subject.'
"Good morning over there!" It was Reever.
"Good morning Reever!" Allen returned his greeting. He looked up. "Hey, that's the plant's egg. You brought it from the ark?"
"You investigatin' it?" Lavi added.
"Yeah. We're trying to find out more about akuma. Like how they are modified and stuff like that."
"More importantly, how about you start fixing my hammer?" Lavi grabbed Reever's collar.
"Lavi!" Teal smacked him on the back of the head. "You know, you can show a bit more respect." She pouted.
"It's alright, Teal." He turned his head back to Lavi. "We have a lot of people collapsing from overwork and we'll get to it as soon as we can."
"Alright, see you later!" Teal continued walking to the infirmary. She turned around and called back, "I'll meet you guys at the Cafeteria."
'Great, another thing on my 'To Do List'. Don't get on the bad side of Central. They already suspect me as a traitor. I know about the laws of Central. If I'm tried for treason and I lose, I'll be thrown out of the Order for sure. Even worse, the Noahs could find me and the war is going to end. Hell with that! I'm going to do my best. I'll never betray the Order. Now that I control my Noah powers, I won't use them again.'
When Teal was outside the cafeteria, she saw that Allen had already ordered. Lavi was just in line with Bookman. Link was right beside Allen, carrying an armful of cakes. Allen was taking a cart full of meat.
"Walker, you are a growing young man and you need to eat your vegetables."
"Humph! I see that goes the same for you since you grabbed nothing but cakes." Teal couldn't help herself from laughing. She walked over to them. "I see that you two are lively this morning."
"Tell me about it…" Lavi groaned. "They've been at it as soon as you left for the infirmary."
"Well, what can you…" She dropped onto her knees and clutched her head. There was a voice in her head that said 'Lust…Lust…Noah's Lust…' At the same time she fell, Allen's eye activated.
"Allen?! Teal?! What's wrong?" Lavi shouted.
"Akuma! There's so many of them!"
"There's a Noah here! The Noah of Lust!"
"We're under attack!" Both of them shouted at the same time. They ran out of the cafeteria. With Lavi, Link and Bookman behind them.
"They are in the same room as Reever and the others! They're after the egg!" Allen said.
When they arrived there, there was a huge black wall blocking their way. Lavi picked up the sign and threw it against the wall.
"It didn't budge?!"
"Stand back Lavi!" Bookman said. Bookman, Allen and Teal all attacked the wall at the same time and there was no scratch. Link pressed his ear against the wall. "I can't hear anything." Teal then placed her hand on the wall and closed her eyes.
"What are you doing? You can't move the wall with one arm while all three of you couldn't even scratch it." Link said.
"Shut up, Two Dot." Lavi said. "It's at times like these when her ability comes in handy."
In Teal's vision, she was on the other side of the wall. The large number of level 3 akuma did not notice her. She saw that Science Members were beaten and lined up in rows, lying down. She saw the Noah by the egg, stroking it as if she lost a pet and it was just returned. The Noah was a tall woman with long dark hair and she was dressed in a Branch Head's White uniform. Teal heard a noise and there were three or five figures that came from the wall. They were skeletons with coats and one passed right threw her.
"We have all the researchers. We don't have much time so be quick about it." The female Noah ordered. Everything came back.
"We have to use the ark! The Science Team members are injured and these… skeleton like things ("Skulls" Link interrupted her. )are going to do something horrible to them!" Teal said frantically as she was heading to the Science Section with the ark gate.
"Teal wait!" Lavi grabbed her arm. "I don't think they're just after the egg! If they find you here, they'll try and take you back and you will be turned against us by the Earl."
"Lavi, I appreciate your concern. I'm an exorcist! There's no way I'm gonna let others die because of what I did or didn't do! I can't let that happen again!"
"Again?" Link asked.
"Now's not the time! Let's go!" Teal said as she followed Allen and Timcanpy to the ark. When Allen opened another door and jumped through it, Teal saw that they arrived too late. Some of the Science team members were killed. And another skull was in the group. 'They're creating skulls?' Allen defeated the one that had his finger on Reever, who was standing up and was carrying a gun.
"I won't forgive a single one of you." Allen said. Bookman had just landed from the ark and activated his acupuncture Innocence as well.
"Our move." Teal said. Her shoes had been converted into her aura boots and she jumped high in the air.
'Spell of Heaven: Heaven's Meteor!' She came down with her meteor attack and destroyed several akuma around her. Allen used his 'Cross Grave' which eliminated several more. The bad news was that there was more akuma and it didn't seem like they destroyed any. The akuma countered attacked and fired back at them.
'Heaven Compass: North Crime!' "Get on, kid!" Bookman shouted at Allen. Teal was flying beside Allen as they were destroying akuma in their path. Once again, more came at them. This time, Teal used her spell to protect Allen from getting hit so he could power up his attacks.
Teal then heard the Noah's command to the akuma. 'Keep the exorcists busy until we recover the egg.' Teal looked down and she realized that more skulls have been created.
"Allen! We go to get to the skulls! They made more skulls out of the Scientists!" She dove down to the skull's direction. Akuma were blocking her but she and Allen cleared her way. She couldn't tell if Allen was behind her and she didn't have time to look back. She was focusing on getting to the researchers.
'I can't use my meteor attack now, I might hurt some of the researchers. However, earth is easier to manipulate.' Teal's direction changed again because just before she activated her attack, the Noah was trying to take the egg back in the black ark. There was a mouth, a gate under the egg.
'Oh, no you don't. Spell of Wind: Mystic Twister!' Teal got close enough to the Noah and knocked her way from the egg.
"Get away from Master's egg." The Noah snapped at Teal. Her arms changed to scythes and started to attack Teal. The scythes were growing and Teal barely dodged them. She blocked them with her blades and she tried to cut them enough to make them vanish. Teal spun around and kicked the Noah away a fair bit of distance away.
"Bookman!" Allen shouted. Teal turned her head and Allen was blown back by a giant akuma like the one she fought with Kanda in Edo. After he was blown back, Teal flew out to help him but another group of akuma forced her back as well. Teal was being held by on group of akuma while Allen was being held by another. They were both near each other. The Noah walked up to them.
"Don't kill the boy. He's the requirement for the player left behind by 14th. We'll bring him back with us. As for the girl," she walked over to Teal and yanked her left arm. "Make sure the girl is alive. Master says that she is the Deceiver and must be brought back no matter what."
"You can take us back over my dead body." Teal snarled. 'Spell of Fire: Flame Body' Teal's body was extremely hot to touch and the akuma that were holding her melted their hands off. Teal finished them off but was unable to get to Allen because the akuma already took him to the ark's mouth that was under the egg. Allen made one last struggle but the Noah struck him on the back of the neck and he lost consciousness and reverted back to his original form.
Teal attempted over and over to get to Allen but she was blocked by akuma. The akuma did grab hold of her a couple of times and they were about to hit her on the back of the neck so she would lose consciousness. Teal moved her whole body so she could protect her neck.
'Spell of Fire: Fire Wall!' A large pillar of fire burned her and all the akuma that were near her were destroyed.
"Kill the remaining exorcist and the other researchers." The Noah ordered as she vanished through the mouth of the black ark. Two akuma who were holding Allen were half way through the mouth as well.
"Allen, please wake up!" Teal shouted. After she destroyed a couple of akuma, she jumped to find Bookman. But still, no luck. More and more akuma were swarming around her. If only she could get something to hold the akuma back, even for a second, she would be able to help Allen or Bookman.
There were two bright lights that flashed one after another. She looked to where Allen was and they were in a rainbow colored barrier. The second one was where Bookman was. Reever and two other Science team members where shielding him.
"You think that we'd let you just take him?" Bak's voice shouted.
"Don't underestimate the Science Division!" Reever shouted back.
'Alright, it's my turn. Spell of Darkness: Midnight Illusion!' Teal created an illusion for the akuma so they would see more than one Allen, Reever and Teal herself. All the akuma attacked each one they saw. Some of them attacked and destroyed each other. Luckily, most of them were away from the Science team that was in rows.
"Reever! Get Bookman to safety! I'll get Allen!" When Teal moved, all of the illusions were moving as well to the Allen illusions. One akuma broke through the illusion and shot her in the arm, knocking her to the ground by the Science members that have fallen.
"Allen! Get up! Get up!" Johnny, one of the Science Team members, shouted. Allen responded to his calls and attacked the akuma that were holding him. Teal quickly got up and noticed that two more exorcists came to help. They were Marie and Miranda.
'Time Record, Activate!' "Target encircled. I'm going to draw out time." She said. 'Reverse!'
"Hey, perfect timing, you two!" Teal shouted. The egg was starting to reappear from the mouth of the ark and Allen was hanging on the top. Teal glided up to protect Allen.
"Feels pretty good, riding the ark." Another voice came near them. This time, the Generals have entered the battle.
On General who Teal hasn't met yet, went up to the giant akuma and attacked it. His Innocence was a double end saw blade that was spinning. He sliced the akuma's face and it was destroyed.
Allen and Teal headed to the area where Reever and Bookman were and they destroyed the akuma that were trying to break the barrier. Teal went through the barrier and grabbed Reever, Bookman and the other men.
'Spell of Wind: Sonic Steps' She used the vibrations and ran faster than the speed of sound to get the others to safety.
When Teal turned around, there were five more giant akuma that all of the level 3's turned into. Teal went near Allen, who was by the Generals.
"Well, look on the bright side, at least the battle might be a bit easier." Some Science members screamed because the giant akuma were right near them. There were thorns and vines that were surrounding all of the members on the ground. They rose up and created a very thick barrier.
"Looks like Tiedol is protecting the members so now we have to worry about those ugly guys." Cross retorted. "You two stay here." Cross commanded. Cross and the female General Teal saw with him yesterday went down by the barrier General Tiedol created. Cross pulled out his gun and the female general pulled out her whip and the monkey on her shoulder transformed into a great big monster that had energy balls on its fist. It was standing behind the general now.
"Go!" She commanded. The monkey charged at one giant akuma and used the energy on its fists to tear it down.
Several headless angel symbols appeared on another akuma and several bullets were maneuvering through the air and shot the akuma until it was down. There were some level threes left over and three of them charged at Cross but were defeated before they could come anywhere near them.
The pile of mutilated giant akuma were muttering 'Exorcists' before they were defeated by the other general. All of the other exorcists watched in amazement. Unfortunately, with the number of akuma that were defeated, they emitted their poisonous gas.
"C'mon, Teal, let's help the others." Allen said. They jumped down to where Reever and the other scientists were. The gas was very thick. Marie and Miranda and the generals were near them as well. Marie was trying to contact Komui on the outside. Allen and Teal were tending to the scientists and they were suffering from the effects of the gas.
"The gas is poisonous to our bodies. Very few are immune to it." Tiedol explain. Allen's eye suddenly reactivated.
"Reever, you and the others should get to higher ground to avoid the gas." Allen commanded.
"No… I'm fine." Reever coughed as his arm was over his mouth and nose. "Some of my guys that they altered were being taken to the gate inside. I've got to stop them."
The generals, Miranda and Marie moved closer to the egg. After a couple of minutes, Allen and Teal heard Miranda scream. They turned around and she was being engulfed by water. After she was engulfed, the water formed a body like form. Marie used his Innocence but it had no effect on it.
"The Noah of 'Form'. She can transform herself into anything." Cross said.
"Miranda!" Teal said. She stood up and was about to go to Miranda's aide. This time, Allen stopped her.
"Teal please do what I say. Stay here with the others. I'll help Miranda."
"Alright, be careful. But if you look like you need help, I'm going after you." Teal said. The water body was grasping on the top of the egg. The egg was sinking again. Teal was watching the generals trying to destroy the egg. The general with the saw blade was the first to strike. The Noah was able to fire it back.
"Destroy the egg, Lau Shimin!" The female general commanded. 'I guess that monkey's name is Lau Shimin.' Teal thought. Lau Shimin was also forced back and it was turned into a small monkey again. Even Cross's gun had no effect. Marie used his string Innocence again to hold the egg. The generals activated their Innocence once more.
"They're attacking the egg with full power! And the Noah is using her as a shield for the egg!" Teal cried. "What in the world are they thinking?" The Noah pulled Miranda out of her body and pinned her down against the egg.
"Unless if you know a teleportation spell to get her out of there, I don't think you can do much now." Reever said.
"Teleportation… Oh! That's right! There is something I can do." Teal said. "I used a switching spell in Edo to help Lenalee. As long as they don't go far, I can switch places with Miranda."
"Are you nuts?" Reever yelled. "She'll kill ya if the generals don't!" Teal gave a small laugh.
"That is where you're wrong, Reever." In a blink of an eye, Teal was gone and Miranda was in her place, unconscious. Teal felt and enormous pressure pushing on her chest.
'Too easy.' She smirked. 'Spell of Water: Flowing Body' Teal's body dissolved into water and she went through the egg. Her body returned to normal and she saw that Allen was inside the egg, already destroying it.
"Sorry Allen, but this was the only way Miranda could get out." She said. Allen nodded. "Did she see you?"
"Nope, I think the only one who saw me disappear was Reever and the other Science team members." They continued destroying the egg. There was no further damage they could do from the inside and Allen busted them out. The Noah was on top of the egg as it was crumbling.
"Stop that! Any further damage and it will be destroyed!" She shouted. Teal and Allen ignored her cries.
"Hold on to me." Allen said to Teal. She grabbed his right arm and she watched the Crown Clown's cape destroy the egg.
"Damn you! Allen Walker!" The Noah shouted as the egg made the final blow.
"Alright, my turn." Teal said. 'Spell of Wind: Sonic Steps' Teal used the vibrations of the egg being destroyed and she and Allen made it out of the black ark. When they made it to the surface, Allen glared at General Cross.
"You're despicable." He said.
"Hey, I just trusted you to make it through, Idiot Apprentice." The mouth of the black ark vanished.
"Hey," Marie said as she and Allen landed, "Teal if you're here, where's Miranda?"
"She's by Reever, the Science team and General Tiedol." Teal pointed to the direction where Tiedol's barrier stood. The gas had cleared up a bit and Reever and the others were taking care of her. Allen's eye suddenly reactivated. He was scanning the area of where an akuma was. There was a ghostly laughter that can be heard all over the Science Lab. Allen turned in the direction of the fallen giant akuma.
"Allen, what is it?" Teal asked.
"We missed one."
"Where?"
"I can't see its soul." Allen replied gravely. Ever since Allen's eye evolved, others can see souls as well.
"Wait, every time an akuma evolves, the soul keeps on losing its form right? When we saw the level 1's they looked like a person without the skin. When they were level 2's, they looked like mummies and lost most of its original form. Level 3's they were just an eye. And… Oh God. Please tell me it isn't what I think it is." Teal stared in the same direction as Allen in horror.