Cross My Heart
Author's Note: Greetings and salutations! I've FINALLY updated! *Insert "Happy Dance" here* I'm excited for this moment because it's been over a year since Chapter 16 was posted! Writer's block is a terrible thing! Terrible, I tell you, terrible! It also didn't help that I had school work and extracurricular stuff…being a freshman in college does not mean you get more downtime (as I naively assumed). Anyway, I tried to make the chapter as long as I could as penance for my long, long absence, so enjoy!
WAIT!
Because I'm such a mean author and answered a couple of the reviews I saw when I finally got to log in again, I'm going to answer all of the reviews from Chapter 16 again (so some people might get two responses from me)!
Lathya: Only noises, huh? Will I squeal out of you this update? ;)
"": Thanks for saying my story is awesome! It's been many more than a few months, but I'm back! (FFnet wouldn't let me type your sn without the quotations for some reason...)
TwilightNinja00: Thanks! Like I said, sorry it took so long to update. School can be no fun, especially when it consumes all my writing time!
Melty-chan 93: I finally posted! And, I still haven't taken any French classes! (Thanks for your compliment, though! It made my day!)
Alice Serenity NightingGale: HERE'S ANOTHER CHAPTER...finally!
eliade-dark: Well, I'm glad someone isn't equating my OC as a Mary Sue. I guess that means I'm doing a good job, huh? And about the Spanish thing, you're right, and some day I'll get around to fixing it. Thanks so much for your input! And yes, writing/speaking in random Spanish sentences is a lot of fun, especially when you want to confuse people!
NOW, HERE WE GO!
Chapter 17: Sortie
Komui knew pacing around the command center was futile. Doing so wouldn't change the situation. He wanted so desperately to be sitting in front of a console, but Central's scientists were already working away at every single one. All the Chinese scientist could do was watch and listen from the sideline.
"Supervisor Lee, come look at this!" one of the Central scientists suddenly called.
Komui rushed to the man's side and glanced down at the numbers popping up on the glowing console.
"What do the numbers mean?" Komui asked.
"Those are rough measurements of Dark matter output by every level of akuma the Order has encountered thus far. We have used those measurements to estimate the positions of the akuma within your building," the man replied with a wave at the different colored dots spread across the console. "However," he continued while pointing at a blinking red dot on the screen, "I wanted to show you this. The Dark matter output is over the previously recorded amount for any akuma, and other readings have indicating that this is no low level akuma, it's a—,"
"—Level 4," Komui finished for the scientist.
"And not just one. There seems to be at least seven, maybe even ten in that one area."
Komui glanced over at Leverrier standing only a few feet away. He knew the inspector had heard every word of the conversation.
"Continue monitoring the situation," Leverrier finally said before turning to speak to another scientist.
"Inspector, we need to send them back-up before the Level 4s can do any harm to Hevlaska or anyone else," Komui said while approaching the man.
"I didn't ask for your opinion on the matter, Supervisor."
"With all due respect, Inspector, the exorcists can't last much longer. They're only human!"
Leverrier rounded on Komui with a dark glare.
"Those fools defied my orders and chose to go there. I don't have to send—,"
"Inspector, the Ark has just been used!" another scientist exclaimed, interrupting the impending argument.
"Patch me through to the Ark room!" Leverrier shouted.
"Inspector, is something wrong?"
"Who just went through the gate?"
"Two of the Third exorcists, Sir. They said they were under your orders to go to the battle zone."
"I gave no such order! Why didn't you confirm this with me?"
"You told us the Thirds could access the gate at any time so long as you ordered it. We didn't think to ask, since they only move at your command."
"You fool!"
Komui couldn't help but smirk when the Inspector started screaming at everyone in earshot.
"General Tiedoll, did you get that?" the Chinese man said softly.
"I'll let Cloud and Sokaro know to be on the lookout for them. Meanwhile, we'll be ready for the Level 4s should they come our way."
Komui tried to hide the relief from his expression as the inspector stomped past him with Link at his heels.
Kanda didn't hold back his frustrated yell as he cut down another akuma. Lenalee sent him a worried look that he chose to ignore in favor of charging at a nearby Level 2. Unfortunately for the Japanese exorcist, Lenalee caught up with him a few minutes later after destroying the final akuma in the hallway.
"Kanda, are you all right?" she asked.
"Why wouldn't I be?" he replied with a frown.
"I was just worri—,"
Lenalee let out an alarmed cry as the ground began to shake violently, and she tumbled into Kanda when the vibrations intensified. The opposite wall exploded before the exorcists' eyes, sending large sections of stone and a large quantity of dust slamming into the wall only a few feet from them. Once the dust and the ground settled, Kanda and Lenalee cautiously approached the debris.
"Kanda, Lenalee, get back!" Chloe shouted as she emerged from the newly made hole in the wall.
The rubble shifted and a section of the destroyed wall abruptly shot toward the red-haired General. Chloe leapt over the large stony mass and reached over her right shoulder as a white and a black blur burst from the debris. There was a mighty clang, and the resounding shockwave of sheer power sent Kanda and Lenalee to their knees when Chloe and her opponents clashed in mid-air.
"More! More!"
"I wanna see more!"
"¡Cállate y morir, pendejos!" (1)
Kanda got to his feet in time to watch Chloe knock her attackers back through the hole in the wall they had both come through. Chloe glanced over at Kanda and Lenalee while lowering the glowing sword in her right hand.
"Lenalee, is your transmitter still working?" she asked while sliding her weapon into the sheath resting across her back.
"It should be, but what happened to yours?" Lenalee asked.
Chloe tucked her hair behind her left ear. The small black transmitter cap was covered with some kind of white film, and the shell of Chloe's ear was covered in blood and burns.
"Tell Tiedoll there're only a couple left and I've got the situation handled, so stay behind the barrier until we tell them we're through here," the red head stated while reaching into her pants pocket.
Lenalee took a few steps away to relay the message. Chloe reached behind her back with her other hand and produced a large silver pistol from her waistband. Kanda stared at the weapon's intricate markings and tried to remember just where he had seen them before.
"Bellerose, is that what I think it is?" Kanda said as the red-haired girl pulled her other hand out of her pocket.
"If by that you mean a gun, then yes," Chloe replied while gently pushing the cylinder to the left side of the gun. "They teach you lots of fun things when they want to turn you into a super soldier," she continued as she loaded something into each section of the cylinder. "Isn't that right, Madarao, Tevak?" she said while pushing the cylinder back into place.
The two Third exorcists stepped out of the shadows and approached Chloe and Kanda.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't glad to see you two," Chloe said to the half-akumas. "How much trouble are you getting in for this?"
"Nothing we can't handle," Madarao said.
Chloe shook her head and mumbled something under her breath along the lines of "My insolence seems to be contagious."
"Do you know what we're dealing with?" Tevak asked.
"Well, there were ten Level 4s. Now, there are only two," Chloe replied as she shoved the now loaded gun against her back in the waistband of her pants. "Follow me. The trap won't hold much longer."
"Komui, I'm happy to inform you that Lenalee-chan is all right."
"Thank you, General Tiedoll. How is everyone else doing?" Komui asked as he leaned back against the wall.
"As well as we can, given the situation. Chloe-chan's barriers are continuing to hold, and we are sending teams of three just outside the barrier to deal with the remaining akuma that come too close to cafeteria. That way some can rest, at least."
"That's good. Where is Lenalee now?"
"She's with Yuu-kun and Chloe-chan."
"They aren't in the cafeteria with you?"
"No, they aren't. Lenalee-chan and Yuu-kun were the last two I sent out to search for any more survivors since they were uninjured. They seem to have run into Chloe-chan along the way, as well as the two wayward Third exorcists, according to Lenalee-chan."
"One moment, General," Komui said while pushing off the wall.
He headed straight for the scientist that had pointed the highly evolved akuma out on his radar-of-sorts.
"Can you tell where the exorcists are in the building?" Komui asked.
The man pushed something on the keyboard and several green dots appeared on the console.
"Most of the exorcists are clustered in the cafeteria," the man said. "There are five located here, near Hevlaska's chamber."
"Where were the Level 4s?"
"Near Hevlaska's chamber," the man said while pointing at a place near the five blinking green dots.
Komui thanked the man and staggered back over to his place against the wall.
"You get that, Tiedoll?"
"I did. According to Lenalee-chan, Chloe-chan said that there were only two Level 4s left to deal with. Lenalee-chan also told me that Chloe-chan said she had the situation covered and not to leave the barrier until they finished and contacted us."
"Why is Lenalee the one telling you all this?"
"Chloe-chan's transmitter seems to have been 'fried,' in so many words. Any communication with Chloe-chan's party will most likely come from either Lenalee-chan or Yuu-kun."
"Stay safe over there, and please keep me posted," Komui said with a frown.
Tiedoll didn't reply, but Komui wasn't expecting one.
The Chinese scientist sighed and passed a hand over his face. He had so many questions and too few answers, and that never boded well for anyone. There was no telling why the Earl suddenly decided to attack Headquarters again. Leverrier had Central's Science Department monitoring for attacks on other key locations, but no other branches were reporting akuma sightings.
There were only three reasons Komui could quickly think of to explain the second attack on his branch: the Earl was attempting to retrieve Allen Walker and the Fourteenth by force; the Earl wanted to destroy Hevlaska and the Innocence pieces she possessed in the hopes that all the exorcists' Innocence would deactivate; or, the Earl was merely assessing the exorcists' strength before moving along with his twisted plans.
Komui had a gut feeling, however, that the attack had a much more sinister purpose behind it, and he prayed that everyone would be alive and safe when this long day was finally over.
With five exorcists, taking down two Level 4s shouldn't have been this hard.
Chloe and Kanda both cursed when they saw one Level 4 grab Lenalee in mid-air and throw her directly into Tevak as the Third exorcist lunged, and the female exorcists slammed into the landing with enough force to crack the top layer of stone. The pale-colored akuma grinned and raised its arm in the fallen exorcists' direction. Chloe was in the closest position to intervene, so she dropped her defense and sprinted toward Lenalee and Tevak, leaving Kanda to cover her back.
Kanda used Mugen to block the salvo of bullets the black Level 4 was shooting at Chloe's back, and the Japanese exorcist remained where he stood even when the dark-colored akuma lunged toward him. Madarao lunged from behind the black Level 4 and raised his transformed hand. The akuma didn't even bother turning its head as it lifted its other arm, and Madarao scrambled out of the way as several bursts of Dark matter flew towards him as well.
Chloe kicked the Level 4's limb aside as it began to glow, and a large ball of Dark matter careened into the wall several meters away from Lenalee and Tevak, showering the unconscious exorcists in dust and debris. The red-haired girl scowled and kicked at the akuma again. The white Level 4 caught Chloe's ankle and smirked while twisting her leg, but Chloe pushed off on her free foot and allowed her body to turn naturally. The akuma's expression morphed into surprise when Chloe's other boot slammed into the side of its face, and Chloe easily broke the Level 4's grip on her ankle as it flew back from the force of her kick. The red-haired girl rolled to her feet when she hit the ground and reached for the gun tucked into her waistband. She fired off four shots—two at the white Level 4 and two at the black Level 4—and the two akuma drew back enough for Kanda and Madarao to retreat to the landing as well.
"Madarao, cover Lenalee and Tevak," Chloe said while glancing over at her comatose comrades.
The Third exorcist nodded and chanted under his breath. A glowing ring appeared around Lenalee and Tevak, and Madarao took up a position in the center of the circle. Kanda glanced at Chloe only to find her staring intently at the black Level 4.
"Bellerose?"
"Something's not right," the red-haired girl replied.
"Care to be any more specific?"
"Would if I could."
"Whatever. Let's just get this over with," Kanda said while placing his left hand on the flat of Mugen's blade. His murmured "Sangenshiki" began the uncomfortable but necessary drain on his life. (2)
Chloe unsheathed her own sword as she shoved the gun into place at her back. The blade began to glow once again, and Chloe rolled her shoulders while taking a step closer to Kanda.
"Which one?" she asked.
"Black," Kanda replied.
The red-haired girl nodded and turned her attention to the white Level 4. After a moment, both exorcists leapt at their chosen akuma.
In a whitewashed room far, far away from the besieged building, the dark-haired Noah of Pleasure sat cross-legged in front of the red-haired Noah of Despair with a puzzled expression on his face.
"You want to borrow my Noah power?" Tyki Mikk finally said.
"I do," Charlotte said.
"Why?"
Charlotte smirked and lifted her left hand up to eye level. Her palm shimmered and began to glow faint blue.
"The Earl wants to know just what makes the Order's prized Second tick," she replied. "Maybe then he will finally wake up."
"I thought the seal couldn't be broken," Tyki said in confusion.
"Not by us. At least, not yet. That's why I need your help, Tyki. The Earl wants my research done before he gets back from his business trip."
The Noah of Pleasure shrugged while running a hand through his hair.
"All right, I'll help. What do you need me to do?"
"Hold out your hand and imagine using your ability to pass through any object or space."
Tyki did as asked, and Charlotte held her glowing hand over his and closed her eyes. After a few seconds, Tyki's hand went numb, and the sensation quickly spread up to his forearm. He tried to move his hand, but his body refused to obey him. Tyki growled in frustration and frowned when Charlotte giggled back at him.
"I'm almost done, promise," she said as the numbness crawled up his bicep.
Several more moments passed, and Tyki's entire arm was nothing more than an unfeeling dead weight somehow staying suspended in mid-air thanks to Charlotte's strange magic. Feeling suddenly returned to Tyki's arm in a painful rush, and he grabbed his arm as Charlotte dropped her glowing hand into her lap.
"Thank you very much for your help, Tyki," she said while opening her gold eyes.
"What did I do?" the Noah of Pleasure asked as he massaged his sore limb.
Charlotte's smirk widened, and she chanted something under her breath.
"Close your eyes and watch your contribution to my research at work."
Tyki eyed the young Noah of Despair suspiciously but closed his eyes anyway. His curiosity outweighed his cautiousness. He wanted to see just what this enigma of a Noah had in store for the exorcists.
Kanda held back a pained groan as he pushed himself to his feet. The black Level 4's last kick had broken through his guard and slammed into his gut. The initial blow cracked three of his ribs, and the rough introduction to the wall finished the job and broke them. Kanda wasn't worried about his ribs, though. It was the attack itself that bothered him. When the akuma's foot connected with his abdomen, Kanda felt like something crept across his skin from the contact. He lifted up his shirt to examine his stomach for any signs of something, but all he saw was dried blood, grim, and bruises.
The Japanese exorcist looked up when he heard a crash to his right. Chloe spat out several curses as she stumbled away from the wall, and she placed a hand on her side with a frown. She shook her head and glanced over at Kanda.
"Kanda, I don't think the Level 4 will die from blood loss should it get a massive nosebleed from staring at your rather attractive abs for too long," the red-haired girl said with a smirk.
The Japanese exorcist flushed while pulling his shirt back down.
"Stop screwing around and get back to work, Bellerose."
"As you wish, Kanda-sama."
Kanda almost rolled his eyes at the red head's mid-battle antics, but he settled for scowling instead as he lunged at the black Level 4.
Fighting the Level 4 had proved to be very frustrating for the Japanese exorcist. He couldn't find an opening long enough to use any really damaging attacks. The Level 4 was fast, nearly faster than Kanda with Sangenshiki increasing his speed, and it seemed to be unnervingly adept at predicting his moves. Kanda could feel his frustration at the stalemate starting to overflow and pushed it back down before it started to affect his judgment.
"Is that all you've got, Exorcist?" the Level 4 said while lazily blocking an overhead strike with one arm. "You're no fun to play with, weak—,"
"Shut up."
The black akuma careened head-over-heels backwards for several feet, and Kanda sprinted after the tumbling Level 4 with an angry cry.
"Bakuhakuzan!" (3)
Mugen slashed across the akuma's body as easily as always, but Kanda could sense that something was off as he skidded to a stop behind the Level 4. The Japanese exorcist turned around and frowned at the akuma-less space in front of him. Normally, that particular attack would leave some evidence of the akuma's destruction behind, even with a direct hit. Kanda quickly scanned the area but saw no trace of the black Level 4 whatsoever.
"Nice try, Exorcist."
Kanda whipped around and found himself face-to-face with the black Level 4. The Japanese exorcist felt something cold and cylindrical press against his left side, and dread washed over him when he saw the akuma's red eyes flash to gold then back to red.
"Now, it's my turn."
The akuma's gun reported loudly, echoing eerily throughout the nearly destroyed chamber. An agony-filled cry rang out a second later, and a body smacked down onto the landing with a sickening thud followed by a glowing sword that hit the newly cracked stone with a harsh metal clang.
"BELLEROSE!"
Translations:
(1) ¡Cállate y morir, pendejos! – This phrase means "Shut up and die, assholes!" in Spanish.
(2) Sangenshiki – For people like me who pretend they know Japanese, this means something along the lines of "Third Illusion (Style)."
(3) Bakuhakuzan – Again with the Japanese. Yeah…I don't know what it means, but Google's nifty translator might? It's much more accurate than I am.
Guess who's a cruel author? *Raises hand* Yeah, me. Chapter 16 left off with a sort-of cliffy, but now Chapter 17 just leaves you dangling right over the edge!
Not to worry, folks, the author has a plan! See, I'm getting a week off to do whatever I want, whenever I want, so Chapter 18 should be out in a snap! No more year long waits for you, my friends! At least, that's the plan…oh bother.
Review if you want to! It helps kick start the author if you do!