Akirina: I understand that there are some details in these few chapters that will raise questions. But I will explain all these in the sequel to this story.
Chapter 17
"Komui!"
Komui jumped at the sudden shout, his elbow knocking over his cup of coffee, sending it to the ground with a loud crash. He knew that voice.
"Allen?" he looked up, seeing the white-haired youth at the doorway to his office. Wondering why no one had told him about the appearance of the General, he stood up, going to the boy. "Where have you been? We sent a team to search for you and Kanda—"
"There is no time left to talk about such trivialities. I heard that the war between us and the Noahs have started. How is it progressing?" Allen asked.
Komui stared at him, a little shocked. "Allen… it has been two months since the war started."
"What?" Allen stared at him in shock before he turned to Kanda. "Two months! We haven't been gone for that long, have we?"
Kanda shook his head. "We spent two weeks getting to your father's hideout. But we shouldn't have been out of touch for that long."
Allen frowned. "Damn it. I forgot that there was some kind of time management error with the Ark."
"What?"
"We were staying in the Ark for what we thought was a week. Incidentally, ever since the Ark accident two years ago, time inside the Ark passes more slowly that the outside world. Which means that what was a week for us is more than a month for you." Allen explained to the two men. "Never mind that, how has the war gone so far? Are the Noahs winning? How many casualties?"
"It's nearing a million." Komui replied grimly and Allen grimaced at his expression. "They're deploying all their forces on us. The Exorcists are overtaxed—there are too little of us. Krory has been to the infirmary several times and the doctors say that his condition is deteriorating… due to his Innocence and the war."
Allen cursed. "Parasitic Innocence. I nearly forgot."
"The Noahs are gaining the upperhand. I estimate that it will be a couple of days before we are defeated. The other Exorcists are close to keeling over from exhaustion." Komui continued.
"Then you'll be glad that I have found another accommodator, then." Allen gestured towards the doorway and a timid girl slipped into the room. "Komui, this is Mei Lin."
Komui smiled at her. "It's nice to meet you, Mei Lin." He told the little girl. Then, he turned to Allen. "There is a new Exorcist too. Timothy Hearst, also known as the Phantom Thief G."
"Is that so." Allen pondered over this. "Kanda, take Mei Lin to the Science Department and introduce her. I need to talk to Komui." He instructed. Mei Lin looked at him curiously.
"Are you going to fulfill the prophecy, Allen?" she asked.
Allen ignored Komui's curious look. "Yes, Mei Lin." He replied, smiling gently at her.
"Then you'll need this, then." She held her Innocence out to Allen. Allen smiled wryly at her actions.
"No, you can keep that. I'll ask for it when I need it. Bye, Mei Lin." He watched her leave the room, knowing it would be the last time he would ever see the child again.
"Allen, is there something wrong?" Komui was studying Allen, a frown set on his face. Apparently, he had picked up something from his conversation with Mei Lin and knew instinctively that something was wrong.
"Nothing, Komui." Allen returned to business. "Now, I need you to tell me the specifics of the battle. Where are the Exorcists posted and which Noahs have been seen at the battleground…"
Wisely stiffened abruptly when he felt a change in the 'voices' he was listening to. Although he couldn't hear the thoughts of the person, but he would know that tone from anywhere.
"Earl, he's back." He announced to the man who had dropped his disguise and was sitting on the roof of a tower, surveying the battle scene.
"Kill him."
"Huh?" Wisely stared at the Earl. Surely he knew that the only person able to defeat Neah was not him—his mind powers were not particularly effective on the other Noah since he could use his destructive powers to stop Wisely. "Earl, you know that I can't kill Neah—"
The Earl sighed heavily. "Very well. I shall take care of the rat myself, then." He stood up and stared into the sky for a few moments before uttering, "I did not want to do this, Neah."
Raising up the umbrella, Lero, the Earl aimed a ball of dark matter down at the battle scene. He watched as it destroyed a few of his Akumas and killed a few of the humans but missed the Exorcists. Then he turned away.
"Come on, Wisely. Call Road. We'll see that the rat doesn't rise again."
Who will you choose, Kanda? Me or Allen?
The words echoed within the recesses of Kanda's mind. Who did he love? Neah or Allen? He was perfectly aware that he was in love with both of the personalities residing with Allen's body. But what was Neah implying? He knew that Allen would leave… was Neah saying that he was a choice to choose him or Allen?
"Kanda…" the small voice of Mei Lin sounded. He glanced at her, waiting for the little girl to speak.
Mei Lin swallowed when she met his gaze. "You will have to make a choice between the two of them, Kanda. And you can only choose one. Don't waste the choice on someone whom you know will not return your feelings."
"What?" Kanda stared at her in surprise.
"Choose wisely." She told him, then hurried into the room, leaving him in the dark corridor. What had she meant? Kanda was seized by a burning desire to grab the child and ask her what she had meant. But Mei Lin could not possibly understand what the situation was right now… Could she? Kanda shook his head. He turned to check on Mei Lin and noticed that she was already making friends with the scientists. They would take care of her, he knew. Then, he turned down the hallway, seeking Allen—no, Neah—out to ask him more about this.
"They're drawing closer to the old Headquarters."
"What?" Komui glanced at Allen in surprise. "Why? How do you know that?"
"There's a patten." Allen traced his finger in a cross on the map. "The intersection of their attacks meet here." His finger tapped on the spot that was where the old Black Order Headquarters were. "Ironically, it's where the previous battle took place."
"You mean—" Komui broke off, realizing what Allen was saying.
"Yes." Allen smiled, "They will end this where is first begun. Very fitting."
"He's started to move." Wisely told them. "He's going through the Ark…"
"Where on Earth does he think he is going!" the Earl seethed. "He doesn't think that he could elude us now, does he?"
"I don't know—" Wisely replied rather absent-mindedly, his concentration focused on Neah, determined not to let him go.
I'll see you at the final battleground, Wisely.
Wisely stopped, his eyes wide. Neah had just spoken to him. And he had done it without letting any of his other thoughts slip. How?
"Wisely?" Road called, looking at her sibling anxiously. Wisely had never been surprised before—due to his mind powers—but this was her first time seeing him shocked.
Wisely turned to her, a dumbfound expression on his face. "He spoke to me. Neah."
A loud blast shook Wisely out of his shock as he turned to look at the Earl, who had just destroyed a whole town. He looked angry—no, wrathful. Nothing could describe the expression of utmost fury on his face. And for one moment, Wisely could hear the sibilant hiss of a demon tongue in echoing within the thoughts of his brothers and sisters—and even his own.
Then, it was gone.
What was going on? Wisely shook his head.
"What do you mean, he's gone!" Kanda yelled at Komui. The other man cowered behind his desk in fear.
"Allen said that he was going to the place where all the Noahs were going to gather… He said they would surely assemble at the old Black Order Headquarters and he would take the opportunity to stop them, he said…" Komui stammered.
"You fool!" Kanda shouted. "He's going to get himself killed!"
"Well…" Komui hesitated. Kanda threw him a dark glare.
"What else have you not told me?" he spat.
"Allen took a suitcase with him. He said that it contained the weapon that would drive the Noahs away…" Komui said.
Kanda cursed and stormed out of the room, preparing to go after Allen. He was stopped by Komui when he was about to step out of the office.
"Oh, yes, Kanda," Komui called after him. "Allen said you needed to make a decision. Him or Neah?"
Kanda scowled. What the hell did that mean, anyway?
Two days later…
"It's been a long time since we've met, 14th."
Allen barely spared the Noahs a glance. "Yes, Adam, it has been a long time."
"It's a pity everything has to end like this."
Allen turned to the Earl with a smirk on his face. "Who said everything will end here?" he asked the Earl with a smirk on his face. "It's only the beginning of the end."
As he said this, the scene in front of them was swarmed with Akumas, Exorcists, Finders and Noahs. Adam scoffed at what Allen said. "Does that matter? You are going down in the end, anyway."
"Are you sure?" Allen activated his Innocence. "I don't think so, Beelzebub."
Adam frowned at him. "Who?"
Allen scoffed. "Don't think that will fool me. I can see you acting through Adam. Although I'll commend you on focusing on Adam since he is our leader."
For a moment, Adam thought he heard a strange hissing and deep growling. But he shook his head and it was gone. Allen only looked strangely triumphant. "See, you're losing control over them." He spoke to the air.
"What are you doing?" Adam asked, starting to doubt that Neah was mentally stable. Then he dismissed that notion. Noahs never had any mental illnesses. They were special beings that could not get affected by any human malady.
"Talking to Beelzebub." Allen replied. "Although, I bet you wouldn't believe me."
"Of course." Wisely agreed from beside Adam. "Although I can hear him."
"I can see him." Road added.
Allen looked at them in surprise and noticed that Road's eyes kept flickering to the position that Beelzebub hung above Adam. "So that's why the two of you were following him." He muttered.
"It was strange that we could see and hear him and the others could not." Road said. "And the Earl started strangely after you left, Neah."
"I know." Allen nodded and they all stared at the demon. It spat and hissed, twitching its fingers again. But Allen-turned-Neah reached out with his powers and slapped the tendrils away.
It recoiled and hissed angrily, controlling Adam and making him launch at Neah, pulling out its sword from Lero. Neah leapt back and pulled out the reverse of Adam's sword—his own Sword of Exorcism.
"You know, this sword can slice away the control you have over them?" Neah smirked at the invisible demon before he pulled away.
Adam growled at him. "Stop sprouting nonsense!" he charged at Neah.
But Neah flipped out of the way and perched himself on the edge of the roof. "I'll see you on the battleground below." He waved cheerily and fell out of sight. Adam rushed to the edge and hissed angrily when he noticed that Neah had made use of his Innocence to grab on to a protruding flag pole and lower himself to the ground carefully.
"Damn that rat!" Adam growled and turned to Wisely and Road. "You will forget about this idiotic idea of helping the 14th!" he shouted at them. "Have you forgotten his betrayal to us?"
"He never betrayed us, Earl." Road answered.
"It was us who were being manipulated."Wisely added.
"Nonsense!" Adam roared. "Your friendship with that traitor has addled your brains!"
"Look at what is behind you, then!" Road cried. "See what has been controlling you all along!"
Adam tried to turn around when a feeling of lightheadedness struck him. He waited for it to pass and then turned back to the other two Noahs. "There is nothing there." He said.
Wisely and Road held their heads in their hands. Then finally, Wisely spoke. "I'm sorry for being so rude, Earl. I don't know what came over us."
Adam grunted. "It was that rat that tricked you. He's very good at manipulation, so don't trust him."
"Yes, Earl, we'll look out for him."
Allen weaved among the Akumas, destroying them as he passed them. He had to get to part of the battlefield where all the Noahs were so that he could carry out the Final Exorcism when the opportunity presented itself. He knew that the remaining three Noahs were following him, so he did not need to worry about the number of Noahs being incomplete.
He caught sight of a familiar female Exorcist in front of him and dived to take the attack that was meant for her. She gaped upon seeing him and Allen grinned at seeing her again. "Hey, Miranda."
The Noah that had been delivering the attack widened his eyes upon seeing Allen and jumped back.
"Well, we meet again, boy." Tyki Mikk said in recognition.
Neah could feel himself getting weary under the combined attacks of Adam, Tyki, Road and Wisely. It had been half an hour since they had started combating against each other and Neah knew that he could not hold up much longer. He needed someone to take the attacks so that he could carry out the Final Exorcism.
"You fool." A light breeze brushed by him and Neah found Kanda holding Tyki off, his Tease an inch away from the back of his head. "Why did you leave without me?" Kanda shouted at Neah over the dying cries of the Finders and the battle of the Noahs and Exorcists.
Neah grinned. "I thought you would reach on time. Now help me to hold them off. I need to prepare."
And then, he was gone. Kanda cursed the boy as he tried his best to keep the Noahs off with Miranda's help.
"What's happening?" Miranda asked as her Innocence started to glow a bright yellow. "Kanda—" She turned to see Kanda's Innocence glowing a bright green.
"The idiot got it." Kanda sighed as he watched a small cube dislodge itself from his weapon and disappear into the sky.
He saw the Noahs stop in their tracks and suddenly cry out, their eyes transfixed on the glowing mass that was Innocence gathering in the sky. It grew brighter and brighter until everyone on the battlefield was forced to close their eyes. Only the Noahs continued watching, unable to close their eyes and turn away from the sight before them. There was a hiss and growl as a black figure appeared in the sky, black strands connecting it to the Noahs. With a bright flash of green light and they disintegrated.
The Noahs cried out as the strands disappeared. Meanwhile, the glowing mass in the sky separated into fourteen different coloured masses and descended into the Noahs. Their skin grew lighter until it was shining and with a loud tearing sound, wings burst out of their backs. Their hair grew lighter until it resembled a light grey—each one of them had different shades of gray. Road had gray with dark blue highlights and Tyki had gray with purple highlights and so on, each highlight in the Noah's hair according to the aura of the Innocence that had entered their body. Their eyes remained a brilliant gold, although they were starting to glow.
The demon gave a loud cry and disappeared. As did the Akumas, their containers destroyed and their souls free to leave.
Adam straightened and looked around at the battle around them. In a rich, resonant voice, he called to his brothers and sisters. "It is time to go, my siblings."
Lulubell sighed. "A millennium's worth of work to look after." She agreed. Then she turned to Neah, who had appeared in their midst. "Are you coming with us, brother?"
"I suppose," he answered in a sweet melodic voice. "But I have to see someone first."
"The Choice, huh." Tyki said. "Hurry on, then."
"Of course." Neah inclined his head and sought the crowd for the blue-haired samurai. "Kanda." He laid a hand on his lover's shoulder. Kanda had his eyes shut from the brilliant light that still lit the whole battleground up. But he would have recognized that voice from anywhere.
"Neah?"
"It's time. Do you wish to remain here or return with us to the world of the dead? Since you were 'reborn', in a sense, as a Second Exorcist."
Kanda hesitated. Then he replied. "Here."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes." He was sure about his choice then, Neah concluded.
"Next one: who do you choose? Me or Allen?"
Kanda remained silent. Finally, Neah prompted. "Kanda?"
"…I can't choose."
Neah sighed. "Wrong answer, Kanda. There is only one person you can love completely. Last chance."
"I can't! I love you both." Kanda replied desperately and Neah pitied him.
"Goodbye, Kanda." His sigh was a soft whisper in the wind. "I love you, BaKanda." Warm lips brushed over his once and then they were gone.
Kanda slammed his eyes open, realizing what he had just done. "Beansprout!" he called, reaching out. But the angels were gone. Even Neah was gone.
Neah had taken Allen and they had left.
Kanda collapsed to the ground. He should have realized… realized that Allen was the only one who reciprocated his feelings… not Neah. Only Allen. Because Neah was the part of the angel's existence that was wholly unhuman and Allen was the one that was wholly human—the one that was human could feel while the other couldn't.
And he had only figured this out when Allen called him by that nickname he had made up for him. A nickname that Neah never used.
But it was too late. He was gone.
Kanda collapsed onto the ground and howled to the skies.