Fullmetal Exorcist – Chapter 21 – The Falling Pin
"What?"
"General, sir…" Fury trembled. He had never seen the Chief so emotionally worked up. The pieces of a broken ceramic cup of coffee lay in the pool of brown beverages. No one paid attention to that.
"She's locked herself up…?" Roy repeated his subordinate's words. "Just this evening?"
"Yes…"
The black haired man stormed out of the room, with Hawkeye running after him. The blond woman stopped at the door, and turned to the other people in the office.
"You people stay here!" She ordered, and then shot her glare at Leverrier. "And you, too."
"Yes, ma'am," Leverrier sighed, reaching for his cup of tea again. Hawkeye immediately went downstairs for crowd control. The scream earlier was going to worry everyone...
"WHY DID YOU STOP ME!" A white haired teen shouted at a green haired girl as the smoke cleared from a loud explosion. He was enraged, completely enraged, that she had saved him when he could've saved that Akuma…
Lenalee lost control and slapped him with all her might. The world echoed for him as she was furiously panting after a long fight. The sound of Road's cackling didn't help, either…
"BECAUSE WE'RE FRIENDS!" She yelled at the boy, who stopped short of his rage, but a small bit of tranquil fury overwhelmed him.
"You…"
The Elrics, Kanda, Lavi, Winry and Road were running their hardest up the stairs. They didn't bother to take the elevator.
"Hey, Yuu!" Lavi shouted. "Why the heck would Lenalee lock herself up?"
"You moron!" Kanda shouted. "She probably found out about that stupid beansprout and is moping over it! Why else would she do that?"
"Wow!" Lavi was taken aback. "You can read emotions so easily, but you none at all-"
"Shut up, Lavi!" Ed fumed. "We don't have to joke around! We need Timcampy! And it's inside the room with Lenalee!"
"Um… Come to think of it… we haven't had the chance to talk since then, so…"
Lenalee stopped before him, and Allen set down his luggage, with a solemn expression upon his face. Lenalee didn't turn around just yet…
"About that time… I'm sorry!"
Allen's loud apology caught the attention of all the passersby. The conductor stopped to stare at the impending drama as well. Watching a girl put down an Exorcist seemed intriguing, apparently. Allen proceeded to life his head up, but Lenalee slammed the paper bag of groceries upon his head, stopping his actions.
"Don't raise your face up yet. I still won't forgive you." Lenalee's cold tone made him freeze, and he didn't bother to resist.
"Ah… yes…" he simply agreed.
"Allen… you're so selfish," the former declared. "You're the only one who can see Akuma's souls so you carry everything on your shoulders and fight by sacrificing yourself."
Everyone was silent as Lenalee still kept her hands on the paper bag as if rested on Allen's head.
"Does being friends mean anything to you?"
No answer.
"Don't insult me! Why can't we fight together?"
Lenalee was unable to see the guilt-stricken face of Allen as she began to form tears in her eyes.
"I hate… your left eye… I hate it…" She whispered.
"I'm sorry…" Allen replied. Lenalee let go of the paper bag and, stumbling backwards, finally fell to her knees as the audience gasped at her reaction. Allen hastily snatched the bag off his head, and bent down to his knees.
"Lenalee…" Allen tried to comfort her. "Thanks for saving me…"
Lenalee defiant got up to her feet and turned her back on him, as he looked skeptically at the girl.
"I'll save you many more times!" she declared, and she sprinted away into the train car. When she realized Allen hadn't gone after her, she turned back, poking her head past the door.
"What are you doing? Hurry up and get on! If we miss this one, the next train going to Rome won't be until tomorrow!"
"Ah…" Allen was flustered as he picked up the luggage and grocery bag. "Okay!"
They raced to the door of Winry's room, seeing that Komui had already been there, banging frantically on her door. He repeatedly called her name, but no answer came from behind the woodwork.
"She's not answering?" Roy frowned deeply, receiving a slow nod from the horrified Supervisor. He turned to his staff and the Exorcists that had just arrived.
"Anyone have the master key?" He called, but all he got was shaking heads.
"Damn it…" Roy swore under his breath. They could break it down, but the thought of how much damage it would make was not good at all.
"Yeager! General Yeager!"
Allen and Lenalee rushed themselves in the beating rain, only to find the remains of the Exorcist General's carriage, and destroyed Akuma. Allen examined the rubble, but found nothing. He got down to his knees in defeat, while Lenalee searched about the area, and she gasped. Allen did the same. A finder stood in the rain by the clearing in the forest, his head bowed. The two ran to the Finder in panic.
"Terry!" Allen demanded. "Where's the General?"
"He's…" The Finder choked on his words, and he turned in the direction left of him, and Lenalee and Allen did the same…
They saw… the two Finders assigned to the General gathering about a large oak tree, and upon that tree, the swishing of torn black cloth… Blood… red… deep red blood on the limbs of the tree, and of a human…
Allen gasped again as he dropped the suitcase in his hands. Lenalee placed a hand over her mouth to prevent herself from screaming. Allen took slow steps towards the fallen human… but as the fog cleared, Allen gasped once more.
Lenalee dropped her own luggage and fell to her knees, clutching her head to take out the memories of the dying General. Allen bowed his head and closed his eyes, but the twitching of chains, made him look up… the General's arm was twitching…
"General?" Allen gasped, and then he turned to the Finders.
"Get more Finders, and contact the Supervisor!" He ordered, and they set to their work, believing that the General could be saved somehow. Lenalee was still crying as a comforting arm wrapped around her and helped her up.
"It's okay… Lenalee… Everything is going to be all right…" Lenalee looked Allen, and nodded. Little did they know just how bad the situation was…
"Lenalee..." Komui pleaded. "Open the door, please…"
The sobbing continued, and Kanda finally lost his patience. Drawing his Mugen, he glared at everyone, telling them to back away. Lavi paled, knowing exactly what he was going to do.
"Hey, Yuu, isn't that a bit overrated-"
"Shut up, stupid rabbit!" Kanda shouted. "This is urgent!"
Lenalee screamed at the top of her lungs at the horrid sight of Suman Dark, who had become a Fallen One. Allen looked worriedly at the girl as she fell to her knees, clutching her head in agony. He bent down and wrapped his arms around her.
"Lenalee… what's wrong?"
Still clutching her head, she slowly tried to get up, but fell down again.
"A… Fallen… One…"
Allen gasped at Lenalee's words.
"He failed in the eyes of God…" She gasped. The memories that horrible experiment continued to haunt her as Allen's warmth was calming her at the same time.
"Why did he have to become a Fallen One?" Lenalee cried. "He was a host! An Exorcist! He's Suman Dark!"
"Suman… Dark…?" Allen muttered, and Lenalee nodded.
"He had a parasitic Innocence, just like you…" She added."I knew he'd gone missing after an attack on Sokaro's team in India, but… Why did he have to fall? What happened to him?"
She buried her face into Allen's chest as he turned to the strange torso like creature with a sympathetic expression on his face.
"How… did this happen?"
Slow footsteps made their way up the stairs, whistling a tragic tune. Brown hazel eyes flitted to the carpeted steps. Apparently Mustang had a flair for pretty things, he thought to himself.
His black long coat was slightly brushing against the banister he held onto, his red hair billowing as he picked up the pace. Glasses bobbed up and down the rim of his nose as he maintained a fast power walk. The time was urgent, so he had to make haste.
Lavi and Lenalee watched the gruesome details of Allen's adventure to save Suman and attacked by Noah, and she had gone to her knees to cry for Allen's cries. Timcampy's recordings stopped, and Lenalee and Lavi were left staring blankly at the area before them.
"Allen…" Lenalee muttered.
Lavi clenched his fists until Timcampy fluttered to him, and he let it perch on his hand.
"It looks like this is where he must have separated from Allen… When the Noah came and broke Allen's Innocence, he tried to at least protect Suman's Innocence."
He watched Lenalee struggle to a small patch in the clearing of the thick bamboo forest, where lay a bloodstained layer of fallen leaves. She examined the red splotch in the green.
"Bloodstains," She confirmed, and a single teardrop fell on her hand. "He was here… but he's not here… He's not anywhere!"
Allen was injured or maybe dead by that Noah, and she and Lavi could do… nothing… He was gone… he was gone… he was gone…
Why had she forgotten?
Why did she not remember?
Why, when the answer to Allen's name was so obvious, did she rack her brain over that?
"Why?" Lenalee questioned herself allowed. She buried her face in the mass of blankets and pillows, and Timcampy was attempting to pull her hair to make her go open the door.
Miranda stared at Lenalee's still blank face as she offered the younger woman towels. She wondered why, but Bookman stopped her from asking.
"Her heart is still in disarray," he explained briskly. "Lady Lenalee regrets that she had left Allen alone last night. She blames herself for it…"
Lavi gave an irritated snort, and a shattering of glass resounded in the cabin of the moving ship. Lavi's fist was slightly bleeding from the shards, but Lenalee didn't react.
"Enough," Lavi scolded her. "It couldn't be helped. We were fighting for our lives last night. There's no way we could've saved him. This is WAR! It can't be helped! Give up and stand!"
Lenalee's eyes quivered and the tears fell freely again so quickly, many wondered if her eyes had run dry yet. Lavi stuttered nervously at her response to his forceful words, only to be scorned by the other Exorcists on the ship for making her cry… but he was right. The objective was finding Cross, no matter what the price.
She remembered a strange book Lavi handed to her one time, about Alchemy… For something to be gained, something of equal value must be given up… the law was unfolding itself right here… right now… but why did it have to be Allen… she didn't know… probably God just hated her that much...
"Lenalee! Lenalee!"
The cries were increasing, and everyone outside panicked, and eventually a riot increased. Roy grit his teeth. This would only frustrate the poor girl even more if they crowded her front door. He made action to clear the crowd, barking orders at everyone to get back to work.
Lenalee woke up to see Allen, alive and well, with his warm smiled.
"Lenalee!" Allen was overjoyed that she was awake.
"Allen…" Lenalee said weakly.
"Yeah…" Allen answered back. "I'm sorry…"
Lenalee looked at him, not knowing what he meant, but seeing his downcast eyes, she eventually figured out the problem.
"Forgive me, Lenalee…"
"Why are you saying sorry?"
Lenalee took her weary hand to meet Allen's face, who was surprised by her statement.
"If it's about Suman…" Lenalee struggled to get up. "You saved him, Allen…"
Lenalee stroked the stray lock of white hair affectionately.
"That's why he didn't die in vain…"
Allen was shocked that she knew everything he went through to save Suman, but all his attempts had failed.
"I'm positive you save his heart…" Lenalee smiled. She continued to run her fingers through his silver hair.
"Welcome back… Allen…" She smiled, and the tears in her eyes fell, and Allen's eyes welled with the salty tears as well, although he was unaware of it.
"I'm… back…" He muttered.
The scientists were quickly passing news that an Exorcist who was visiting was having a violent nervous breakdown, but that was just a hyperbole, but they believed it.
Any mention of the subject died down as Hawkeye past the working subordinates, her eyes sharp, and her glare as frightening as possible.
"Get back to work," Hawkeye said coldly, and she looked out the window, praying that Roy would stop this madness.
"Krory!" Lenalee tried to get past Allen, who was keeping her away from the door they had left, leaving Krory behind to deal with Jasdevi. "Even though he was injured… he… We have to go back!"
"Lenalee…" Allen tried to calm the girl down, but she refused.
"Let go of me!" She swat away Allen's arms. "We can't keep getting separated!"
"Lenalee!" Allen raised his voice, and Lenalee silenced herself once Allen placed his hands on her bare shoulders again. He lifted his hands to the sides of her face.
"Don't worry," He reassure her. "We'll definitely go home together. That means Krory and Kanda, too. I'm not giving up."
Lenalee stared dumbfounded at Allen as his grip tightened.
"I'm struggling and struggling to protect everyone," He explained. "This isn't the strong Lenalee I know…"
Lenalee let the tears fall freely down her face. Allen then gave a weak smile.
"You're older than me, aren't you?" Allen reminded her.
"G…Go away…" Lenalee gasped. Komui dared to take one more step.
"Lenalee…"
"I said!" Lenalee shouted. "Go away!"
She didn't want anyone to come… No one… because they were not going to do anything… and Allen was gone… She realized the sinking truth. Allen was gone… He couldn't have survived a whole year… He just couldn't have… If he was dead, what did she have to live for?
They came to the new headquarters with a small party for the entire Order as a grand opening of some sort. Everyone was up and alive, and cheering and proposing toasts in prospect for a good victory in the Holy War.
It was the four of them once again: Kanda, Lavi, Allen, and Lenalee. Talking amongst themselves, Lavi finally decided to drag Kanda away, rambling on about some female scientist with blond hair. The Destroyer of Time and the wielder of Dark Boots were left alone, and Allen decided to take her to an open balcony overlooking that currently calm ocean that swayed ever so gently in the moonlight.
The first thing Allen did was smile, and the girl smiled back. Although younger than her by just a year, he had grown half a head taller than her. She couldn't help but admire the boy for being such a good partner and friend for so long.
He reached out his hand and began caressing her hair the same way she herself had done to him when he came back to see her. She blushed at the warm touch that brushed by her cheeks, and he continued to wear that nice smile that could make anyone melt.
"You should grow your hair long…" He commented. "You're pretty when it's long…"
"I've been considering it…" Lenalee's eyes wandered to the open sea below. "I just worry that it'll get burned off again."
"You don't have to worry about that… Lenalee…" Allen stopped stroking her hair and placed a hand on her shoulder. "By that time, you battled a Level Three. It was difficult back then, but now, you're capable of battling a Level Four. If a Level Three tries to go up against you, I doubt it'll stand a chance against you."
Lenalee laughed quietly, and continued to stare at the ocean below.
"Allen…" she found a new subject. "Don't you think standing here feels dangerous?"
"Why do you say that?"
"We 're right on top of the sea, and from here, I see sharp rocks…" Lenalee observed. A pair of arms then wrapped around her, and she instantly flushed red.
"You don't have to fret about that…" Allen comforted her. "If the balcony does break, I'll use Crown Clown to get us out. But I'm not sure how Link would react when I use my Innocence for something so small."
They laughed at the thought of a raging Link over a trivial matter, or even Komui thanking Allen a million times over for saving Lenalee "from a horrible fate." Silence fell over them, and Allen let go of Lenalee. She felt alone for a moment, as the biting cold came back to her system, but the hands returned to her shoulders, but this time, the face of a charming silver haired boy was gazing straight at her.
"I love you," He finally declared. "You know that?"
"I have…" Lenalee's face turned pink again. "And… I do… too…"
Allen cupped Lenalee's face by his hands and the two drew closer together. The silence between was so great one could hear a pin drop.
"That's it!" Ed gave up. He would destroy the door! Kanda followed suit, and the two crouched to launch themselves, but Lavi and Al refrained them, and they kicked and screamed.
The noise was deafening, and nothing could be done.
The world felt like slow motion for her as she saw Allen collapsing within a circle of CROW members, and she dropped the books she was holding, spinning on her feet.
"Allen!" Lenalee ran forward, but was blocked Link's outstretched hand. Allen squirmed under the bindings as they wound about him more and more… The sight hurt Lenalee… she couldn't bear it… cannot see it…
"D-damn you!" She shouted. "Link! Let me go!"
"I'm sorry but, these are my orders…"
"We don't care about your damn orders!" Lavi shouted. "Let Allen go!"
Allen was struck down onto the floor, and he gasped in pain, and Lenalee finally lost it.
"No! Stop it! At this rate-"
Leverrier proceeded to stomp on Allen's abused head, and the boy shrieked as the impact of the man's heel ground him into the marble floor. After a round beatings, Allen immediately was placed under chloroform, and he faded away, and his movements weakened by the second. Lenalee tried to reach as far as she could for Allen.
"Allen! No!"
"Timcampy…" Lenalee muttered. The golem looked at her.
"What do I do?" She asked it, and it didn't answer, but she knew.
Stop acting like this and have people help you.
"But… how…?"
Lenalee returned to the Order with a slightly strange feeling. She felt like she had forgotten something back at Central, and she wasn't sure what or who…
Arriving at her bedroom, she saw a gold glint step in, and there she saw it.
A golden golem with angel-like wings, a gold plated cross on the side facing her. At the back, a golden cloud like tail bloomed. The strange object aroused nostalgic happiness, and she reached out to it, and, like a bird, it perched on her outstretched finger.
"I wonder if you belong to someone…" She said to it, and it didn't answer. "What is your name?"
"Timcampy." A strange speaker, as expected from a golem, voiced out its name. The speaker sounded like a teenage boy, but still, anonymous. Lenalee stared blankly at it, and smiled.
"Timcampy? That's a fancy name for a golem."
For once, she thought she heard the voice before, and she didn't bother to think any more about it after on.
Everyone gasped as a looming shadow fell upon the Exorcists. People sputtered, but no one dared to say his name. Roy frowned.
"Idiot," He growled at the newcomer. "You had the master key all along."
"I needed it, you know," the new man sighed. "You can't get much if you aren't in control…"
Hey, Allen...Come to think of it, I never asked you this before, but...do you like Tim? I asked you to keep hold of him for me but...To be honest, I was always planning on giving him to you. I've told Tim he can do as he likes from now on. You may not want to listen to me, knowing that I'm carrying on the 14's will…But in case you're thinking you're being made to walk a path the 14th and I chose for you...I just wanted to tell you you're wrong. A path is something you create as you walk it. The ground you've trodden hardens, and that's what forms your path. You're the only one that can create your own path. So stop wearing that mask of "Mana". Walk on your own. If you haven't given up yet, that is.
"Out of the way," A gruff voice stopped the clamor, and Lenalee looked up, her purple eyes still glistening as she heard several people gasp.
"G…General…" Lavi sputtered, and he, like everyone else, cleared the way.
"Breaking down like that…" the familiar voice scolded Lenalee. "I'm sure you're much stronger than this…"
Lenalee herself was wide-eyed, surprised at the newcomer. Long red hair… half of an opera mask… this was all too real. His face was different however, wearing a face of sympathy, something he lacked since his earlier days.
"General…C…Cross…?" Lenalee asked. The tired red, brown eyes looked over the girl, and the said man sighed.
"You seem happy today," Cross brought himself to Lenalee's level, looking at her straight in the eye. "Now, I understand that you've just remembered my idiot apprentice. So please calm down."
"Y-yes… sir…" She still sniffled a bit, and she bowed her head. "General… I-I'm sorry…"
"It's all fine," Cross got up. "I was expecting this would happen."
He then turned to the crowd still waiting at the door as he walked out while Winry entered the room herself with Road. Lavi was suddenly getting a rising feeling that Cross really did get softer, that is until…
"Now what are you people doing here?" He barked in a hotheaded manner. "Go back to work!"
Several scientists squeaked and run for their lives downstairs. The Exorcists and Komui were left still standing in front of the General.
"Ah, Komui," Cross frowned. "Haven't seen you in ages…"
"Cross…" Komui flatly answered back, and reached into his pockets. "I was going to hand this back to you when we would meet again."
He withdrew a black leather holster form his pocket, and tossed it to the General, who caught it expertly. Cross stared at it, and scowled.
"I'm not going to Fall, right?" He warily asked. Komui shook his head.
"You didn't do anything," the Supervisor reasoned. "I guess you're just paranoid when you got shot by-"
"That little brat called Envy?"
Everyone could his fingers twitch in irritation. Ed looked at his own master, Roy, who seemed unfazed, but the glint in his black eyes were visible as Komui left them to see Lenalee. Envy… Ed thought… now who would that be?
A/N: I was planning to write Lenalee's angst chapter in a different way. What happened originally was that they returned to the Black Order, not move to the silver Shield, and Al presents to everyone Timcampy, which he found back at Laboratory Five. He mentions Allen's name, and then Lenalee takes Timcampy and runs out, as her memories floor her mind. Then everyone surrounds, and Link suddenly appears, making Lenalee even angrier, but Komui reluctantly uses his special sleeping darts on his sister, who afterwards falls unconscious. That was what could have happened, but I didn't feel like strecthing this story longer than it should be, because I agree that Allen needs to be back in action asap. Even though he did get his own spotlight for a chapter and a half, I think it's about time he shows up in the following arc, which is going to be pretty interesting.
Preview: Chapter 22 - The Stormy Night
Lenalee has recovered from her memory of Allen, and she is resolved to find him as soon as possible. Roy and Leverrier work together for once to pinpoint the location using Timcampy. Alphonse and Ed find Izumi and exchange words about Allen Walker, seeing if she knew anything about the 14th's motives. The Shield plans to head out to the location the next day, so the place is bustling. Road is worried about her half-brother. Hoeinheim and Link take the stage again, having had sped their way to London. On the night before, Kanda and Alphonse talk about Allen and wonder what Allen would be like when they finally find him.