Cross My Heart
Author's Note: I'm sorry for once again taking FOREVER to update. I had to prepare for 3 A.P. exams, a Spanish final, work, sleep, eat, attempt to go to school...not that it really matters. I wish I could guarantee updates will get faster because I'm out of school for the summer...however, knowing me (and I do know myself quite well, in my opinion), I will get busy with other things or just not have time to write, which is not something I want to do. ANYWAY, have fun reading. (And, if you reviewed, I will FINALLY answer you...at the bottom!)
Chapter 4: Overwatch
Komui knew he should be happy that Kanda had returned relatively unharmed from the Ark. At least the boy wasn't dead…yet. One look at the cursed mark on Kanda's chest was all Komui needed to know the truth. Kanda wasn't going to heal unless Komui thought of something…and quickly.
He could only guess at how much time Kanda had left, and the numbers were depressingly small. Komui was a scientist, and he was better suited for repairing Innocence weapons and creating robots than dealing with curses and ancient sorcery. In the end, Komui was powerless to help Kanda, but the Chinese scientist sure as hell wasn't going to give up, no matter how small the chances for Kanda's survival were.
When he found the time, Komui sat in the infirmary next to Kanda's bed and read every book on curses he could find in the Order's extensive library. So far, after two days of pouring over large volumes written at least two centuries before, Komui knew how to counter grudges, hexes, and foot fungus, but he was no closer to his goal than he had been before. Nevertheless, Komui did not give up. In fact, the failures made the Chinese scientist even more determined in his quest, and he refused to leave the infirmary until he had succeeded.
"Supervisor, this is the last book in the library dealing with sorcery," Bookman said while placing the thick, dusty volume on top of one of the numerous piles of books surrounding Komui.
"Thank you for your help, Bookman," Komui said with a tired grin. He placed the book in his lap down on the floor and rubbed his aching eyes. "I thought there might be information about Kanda-kun's curse somewhere in the Order's archives…I'm sorry for sending you on a wild goose chase."
Bookman shook his head. "It was nothing, Supervisor."
"I've kept you from your duties, Bookman, so I apologize for that as well."
"I think my apprentice enjoyed his little break, but don't be sorry. He will simply have to catch up now."
Komui chuckled at the evil smirk gracing Bookman's aging face. "Then I shouldn't delay you any longer, should I?"
"Good luck, Supervisor," Bookman murmured before heading for the exit. Komui reached for the book he had been reading, and he had just found the page he had been on when a soft cough caught his attention. Komui slowly lifted his head, and his lips turned up in a grin as Chloe made her way towards him.
"What brings you here, Chloe-chan?" he asked when the red-haired girl finally settled down on the floor in front of him.
"If I said I was coming to see your handsome face, would you believe me?"
Komui raised an eyebrow at Chloe's sarcastic response. "I think I should tell Matron that you're still too injured to leave the infirmary after all."
"Sorry Supervisor. I'll cut to the chase, then," the red head said while leaning back on her hands. "I need to visit the Asia Branch for…research purposes. Is there any way that I can go, say…today?"
"You are aware of the inspector's order, correct?"
"Orders aren't always meant to be followed."
"What are you researching?"
Chloe avoided her supervisor's inquisitive gaze. "Something."
"What sort of something?"
"Something."
"I can't let you go if you don't give me a better answer."
Chloe let out a frustrated sigh while running bandaged fingers through her loose hair. "I'm being vague to keep you from getting in trouble with the inspector, okay? I'll tell you everything when I'm through."
"You said the same thing before you entered the Ark with Toma," Komui stated thoughtfully.
"The more time I waste, the less time he has." Chloe scowled at the incredulous expression on her supervisor's face. "Don't stare. Say yes already!"
"I want you to take Lenalee-chan with you," Komui said after a moment. A small grin made its way up Chloe's lips, and she got to her feet as swiftly as her injured body allowed her to and headed for the door. "I expect you to be back here as soon as you find what you're looking for!" Komui called before the red head disappeared into the hallway. A soft chuckle was the Chinese scientist's answer, and he let out a long sigh while rubbing his tired eyes once more. "Good luck, Chloe. Good luck."
It hurts…
No shit, he told himself. Of course it hurt. Wounds were always painful.
Is this what dieing feels like?
He couldn't die…he wasn't finished yet.
The petals…they've all wilted.
No wonder his body wasn't healing. There was no life left to be used.
Death is coming…
Damn it! He wasn't ready…not yet!
…how long can this body endure?
Giving up was not an option. He was going to live no matter what.
"Komui, would you like to tell me why Lenalee and another exorcist showed up and asked to borrow my library?"
Komui couldn't help but smirk as he leaned back in his chair. "Sorry, Bak. Chloe was very adamant about using your library for her research."
"Did the red head happen to tell you what she was looking for?"
"She wouldn't divulge that information, unfortunately."
"She didn't want the inspector to be on your case, did she?"
"Exactly."
"Smart kid."
"Chloe is quite intelligent."
"Anyway, how's Kanda doing?"
"Not very well," Komui replied with a frown. "But he is stubborn. He isn't going to give up just yet."
"He doesn't have long left, does he?"
"No, he doesn't."
"It's a shame. I wish we could do something for him."
Komui made a noise of agreement. "Chloe will manage to find something."
"Very optimistic view of the situation, Komui."
"I do my best to stay positive."
"And Walker?"
"Allen continues to blame himself for Kanda's condition, but Lenalee-chan has been talking with him the past few days. I'm sure Allen will be back to his usual self in no time."
A long sigh echoed across the line. "He takes responsibility for everything, even when the situation is out of his hands. That kind of mentality is highly self-destructive."
"Allen is strong, and he has people that count on him. He won't give up so easily."
"He's too stubborn for his own good."
Komui chuckled, and he glanced up at his office door when he heard a soft knock. "Come in," he said while placing the phone receiver down on his desk. Bridget stepped into Komui's office once the door was opened, and she cleared her throat as she straightened the stack of papers she was holding.
"Supervisor, I have mission reports from Exorcists Krory and Lotto. They returned about ten minutes ago. Exorcist Miranda Lotto was taken to the infirmary for treatment, and Matron says that Miss Lotto will be able to return to her duties within the next few days."
"Thank you, Bridget," Komui said as his secretary placed the papers on a clean corner of his desk. The woman briefly nodded her head at her superior's gratitude and quickly left the same way that she had come. Komui picked up the receiver and held it to his ear once more without even glancing at the reports.
"You're busy as usual, it seems."
"Lucky me."
"Anyway, I should go check on the exorcists. Who knows what kinds of trouble those two could have gotten into by now?"
"Hey!" Komui hissed in annoyance. "Did you just call my Lenalee-chan a troublemaker, Bak?"
"…Um…no…?"
"You did too!"
"What was that Wong? You need my help in the lab? I'll be right there!"
Komui couldn't help but smirk when he heard a loud 'click' from the other end of the line, and he replaced the receiver back on its cradle while reaching for the new mission reports just waiting for his seal of approval. Komui knew all about Bak's infatuation with Lenalee, and it was his duty as Lenalee's older brother to make sure he protected her from all the men wishing to take her away! Bak was so easy to tease, too. But, for now, Komui needed to do his duties instead of making fun of his comrade. As he read over Krory's report, Komui reached for the mug of coffee sitting beside the phone, and he frowned when he saw that it was empty. That wouldn't do.
"Bridget, can you bring me some more coffee?"
When night came, Allen Walker found himself wandering the Order's dark, empty hallways…again. Sleep had eluded the exhausted boy for three days now, and he was running on willpower as he trudged forward on his pointless journey through lifeless corridors. If Link knew of his charge's midnight strolls, he chose to remain silent about it, and for once, Allen was grateful to have the junior inspector as his roommate. Unless it threatened Allen's life or the Order's integrity, Link wouldn't say anything to Levellier. Thank God for that.
Allen was somewhat thankful that he was awake, despite the major consequences—headaches, fatigue, loss of coordination, etc—that plagued him with each night he spent trekking around the Order. His dreams were filled with memories that weren't his own, and he always woke to a strangely familiar voice singing in his ear. It frightened Allen to know that there was some kind of…entity just floating around inside his head listening in on his thoughts and conversations. Hell, he'd even felt the Noah within him surface once before in the battle with the level 4 in France. It was sickening…and, to keep from having to hear the falsely sweet voice upon waking, Allen refused to sleep. Not such a brilliant move in the end, but it solved his problem momentarily, which was all that he truly wanted. He'd worry about the future when it came to pass.
He drew to a halt as he neared the infirmary, and a dark look crossed his young face when memories of recent events crossed his already frazzled mind. Before he could dwell on the past for too long, Allen noticed something…glowing in the infirmary. Yes…glowing. Such an odd sight drew the white-crowned exorcist to move closer to the source, and he poked his head through the slightly open infirmary doors out of curiosity. Allen grimaced when bright light assaulted his dilated pupils, and he shielded his eyes with his hand as he stepped further into the infirmary. The source of the light came from the direction of Kanda's bed, and Allen could vaguely make out a dark silhouette standing within the light. Before he even realized what he was doing, Allen was standing beside Kanda's bed, and his eyes widened when he saw exactly who was leaning over Kanda.
"C-Chloe-s-san?" the British exorcist stammered.
The red-haired girl didn't reply, but the subtle bow of her head led Allen to believe that she at least knew he was there. She was staring intently at the palms of her hands, and Allen silently watched as odd characters began to materialize above her hands. So that was the light he had seen from the hallway…
"Espero que este trabaje," Chloe murmured while closing her eyes. She flipped her hands over so that her palms were facing Kanda's exposed chest, and the characters floated down and hovered over the Japanese exorcist's chest as they increased in size. Chloe chanted softly as white light began to pour from her hands, and the characters turned blue for a brief moment before the brighter light covered Kanda's chest. Kanda's cursed mark, which had curled around his back and across his abdomen, began to glow as the intense brightness flowed into his body. The black markings disappeared as the light flowed into Kanda's chest, and Chloe murmured something in a foreign tongue when the light flickered for a moment. (1)
"Allen, can you do me a favor?"
The white-haired exorcist started at Chloe's sudden inquiry, and a faint blush decorated his pale cheeks as he nodded.
"Could you go check and see if Lenalee made it to her room? We left quite early this morning, and she was practically asleep on her feet when we got back," Chloe asked while glancing at her comrade from the corner of her eye.
Allen stared at the red head in confusion. When had they left? Inspector Levellier had ordered all exorcists to return to Headquarters when Kanda was brought back, and all Ark gates leading out of the Order were heavily guarded by the "third exorcists." How had Chloe and Lenalee managed to get past the half-akuma without raising alarm?
"Sure," the British exorcist replied after a moment. He ignored the urge to start interrogating his fellow exorcist as he moved towards the infirmary doors, and he vaguely heard Chloe mutter a "thank you" when he reached the hallway.
For the second time in a single night, Allen Walker made his way down the Order's deserted hallways. However, his once aimless wandering now had a greater purpose, and he felt useful once more even though his task was simple. When he reached Lenalee's room, Allen found the door standing slightly open, and he quietly stepped inside his female comrade's quarters after not getting a response from its occupant. Lenalee was sprawled out on her bed in a rather unflattering position, and Allen blushed as he made his way across the room. He tip-toed over to the bed and carefully removed Lenalee's shoes—taking care to keep his eyes on her feet as he did so—before pulling the disheveled blankets up to her shoulders. Lenalee smiled as she murmured something unintelligible in her sleep, and she grabbed a fistful of Allen's trousers when he turned to leave.
"…Allen-kun…don't…that tickles…" she whispered with a soft giggle. Allen's eyes widened in shock, and he could feel his face heating up as Lenalee's whispers continued. He gently loosened Lenalee's strong grip on his clothing and tucked her arm back under the blankets before scurrying out of the room as fast as stealth would allow him to do so. Allen leaned against Lenalee's door once he had closed it behind him, and he willed the heat blazing in his cheeks to fade before someone came along. He shook his head after a moment, scattering his lock white locks, and willed the new thoughts plaguing his mind to disappear from existence. Lenalee deserved someone better…she didn't need to focus her affection on a coward like him…
"Allen-kun, what are you doing outside Lenalee-chan's room?"
The British exorcist let out a soft yelp when he heard Komui's voice, and his heart attempted to hammer its way out of his chest as the Chinese scientist walked towards him.
"K-K-Komui-san, I was just c-checking on Lenalee like Chloe-san asked!" Allen stammered out with a nervous laugh.
Komui eyed Allen for a moment, and the British boy cowered underneath his supervisor's "sister-complex glare of doom." At Allen's frightened reaction, Komui's expression brightened, and he glanced around the empty corridor with a slight grin on his face. "Where is Chloe now?"
"The infirmary," Allen replied. Komui's eyes widened at the boy's answer, and he took off down the hallway in a dead sprint with his slippers slapping loudly against the stone floor. Allen stared after Komui for a few seconds in confusion, but, once his rattled mind finally rejoined reality, Allen quickly followed after his supervisor.
He had grown rather accustomed to the darkness—more so than he would ever admit. The darkness was his solace. No troublesome things could bother him there. He was untouchable.
Wake up, Kanda-kun.
It was only a matter of time before his sanctuary was taken away. He knew that, but he still fought against the demanding voices ordering him to wake from his pleasant slumber. He could hear inaudible whispers floating around him as he reluctantly swam to consciousness. Why couldn't they just let him be? All he wanted was to rest a little longer…
If you continue to sleep, then you will never grow any taller.
Ah. He should have known the voice of reason was coming. It sounded like Tiedoll. What a bother.
You had better get up or I'll kick your ass, Bakanda!
Since when did his conscience sound like Moyashi? He must have gone insane.
OHAIYOU, YUU-CHAN! (2)
Shut up, Lavi, he wanted to growl at the red-haired Bookman apprentice. Using people's first names when they specifically told him not to…unforgivable.
Kanda, please wake up.
Great, even Lenalee's voice was present in his thoughts. Maybe a little more sleep would do some good…
"Jeez, Yuu-chan sure is taking his sweet time waking up!"
Damn. So the voices weren't just in his mind.
"Up until yesterday, his body was dying. Kanda needs rest so he can heal properly."
If that was the case, then why were they even here? Where was here anyway? Obviously not his room, since everything smelled like antiseptic and bleach. Ah…it was the infirmary.
"Bakanda, hurry up and wake up already!"
Stupid Moyashi. Just leave already!
"As much as I hate to say this, I need the three of you to leave."
Matron was officially on his good side. She had made the nuisances leave him be.
"Get some rest, Kanda-kun. You need it."
So she had known he was faking. Whatever…the idiots were gone. He could sleep and drift back into the darkness, where he could forget that he had almost died; where he could ignore the idiots to his heart's content; where he could finally rest without his thoughts drifting to the lotus; where he could feel…free.
Buenas noches Exorcista. (3)
Gold eyes broke through the darkness. He remembered feeling his life draining away as those same orbs danced with glee before him. He remembered his body moving against his will. He remembered feeling Mugen's familiar hilt resting comfortably in his hands. And he remembered Mugen slicing through something definitely not akuma-like. He remembered it all. The blood, the pain, the death—every last thing. It had all begun with those gold eyes.
"Frere Jacques, Frere Jacques, dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?" (4)
That lullaby…it couldn't be…not here!
"Sonnez les matines, sonnez les matines. Ding dang dong, ding dang dong." (4)
Wait…the voice was different. It was much brighter…more innocent than the other.
"You won't be able to heal if you don't rest."
Really? And here he thought he was already healed…
"I thought you would be more pleasant considering how close you came to dying. I guess I was mistaken."
Who was this new idiot?
"Hurry up and go to sleep. I'll make sure she doesn't invade your dreams."
She? What the hell was the idiot blabbering on about?
Before Kanda could even comprehend what was happening, his entire body was enveloped by heat, and he sank back into the welcoming darkness without any trouble. He drifted into the abyss without protest, and sleep took Kanda away from the woes of reality, much to his fatigue-ridden body's utter joy.
Translations:
(1) Chloe's line: It's Spanish for, "I hope this works."
(2) It means "Good Morning" in Japanese, or so I've been told.
(3) It means "Good night Exorcist" in Spanish.
(4) Yes, it's the same lullaby from Chapter 3. It's French. If I wasn't lazy, I would provide a translation of the song. However, the internet isn't lazy, so use it!
Okay! Kanda has been healed! Yay!
Sorry...it's 1:30ish in the morning...I'm running on little sleep and lots of willpower/natural hyperness that happens when one doesn't get enough sleep to function properly.
Anyway. I said that I would reply to reviewers ~
Pyschomantium: Thanks! I can't promise rapid updates, but, now that I can spend a great deal more time writing, I believe the story will flow a bit easier in my mind and will transfer into the computer at a faster pace. Oh, and no, I have not had the privilege of studying many foreign languages. I'm currently taking Spanish through my high school, but I was taught a few French phrases when I was younger, so I decided to branch out a bit. I'm also of German ancestry, and while I've never had the chance to visit Germany, I have German acquaintances. I really wish I was fluent in languages other than English. And who knows...I'm contemplating certain relationships between the characters still, but I'll keep that particular one in mind! (As I typed this up, I confused myself. I apologize in advance...even though it comes AFTER the novel of a message I just typed up...XD)
ERBurke I'm glad you like my use of different languages. I've read quite a few stories that have had foreign phrases without translations, so I decided to provide them for my story because I didn't want to frustrate or confuse the reader. Been there and hated it. I hope you continue commenting so I can improve my writing! :) (sorry, for some reason, ffnet wouldn't let me put the periods in your screenname..._)
Lathya: I had Chloe bring Kanda's Innocence onto the Ark because...well...I'm still trying to finalize Chloe's Innocence in my mind. When I figure out its form, I'll most likely go back and change it...but for now, I will be lazy. If you have any suggestions of your own, feel free to let me know! :)
All right...that's about it then. As I've probably said every chapter...please leave comments. If you like it, great. Let me know what you like. If you hate it, okay. Let me know what you don't like. All forms of constructive criticism are welcome! Ja na!