Deep Within
Well I was a horrible person and left a terrible cliffie! LOL In my Naruto based fanfics I was a master of cliffhangers! I won't be that mean and wait a week before posting. I'm gonna get this chapter posted as soon as it's done. Once again I am back to my Ivan Torrent Playlist for this chapter and the song is Before I Leave this World. One of my favorites and I keep going back to it for this Fanfic so it's official this song is this fanfics' theme song well more importantly Allen's theme song. YAY! Well onto the next chappie! I love the reviews ^_^
**Warning: There are some spoilers from the manga and some stuff I made up just for the purpose of the fanfic.
Chapter Seven:
~Allen's POV~
Everything was echoing around me and my entire right side burned with pain. Concerned voices were all around me and I knew they were talking about me and I wandered if we managed to get far from the Akuma. I was being carried that much I could tell and from their warmth and scent I knew it was Kanda; that made me really happy. Overall even with the pain I still felt really numb and no matter how hard I try I couldn't get the voices nor Alma's face from my mind.
"I know you all say for us to trust you, but...if Allen really going to be alright?" I heard Lenalee's voice, she sounded so worried and it pained me that I was still not strong enough to open my eyes yet. Sheril probably used a really heavy sedative this time.
"He's probably already awake and listening to us Lenalee. That sleeping drug that we gave him is really heavily. His body will be asleep for another good hour at least. Whatever spooked him had to be pretty bad if it triggered the barrier that would have killed all of us plus the population in a 50 mile radius." I heard Road explain and I inwardly cursed myself. So that's what happened. My panic triggers activated again.
"Listen Lenalee, Allen is very different. Like all of us he was found and taken in." Tyki spoke next and oh how I wanted to wake up this second and shut him up!
"What do you mean by found? Wasn't his parents Mana and Caroline?" Lavi was next to ask and I urged for no one to say anything!
"Yes and no...you see no one knows who Allen's real parents are unlike with the rest of everyone else. All of the Noah children were taken from their families as young toddler children by a facility called the Black Order...yes the name of your school. There is no findings to whether or not the two are linked..." My Uncle Adam began and everyone fell silent. It was too late now, better in finding out now then later.
"All the kids who were taken were put in a program known as the projects...Allen came in later on after being found in a vast wasteland we suspect the barrier he was about to use was destroyed. He was put into the Noah Projects, where as everyone else was put into the Innocence Projects." He continued/
"What's the difference between the two?" Kanda asked shifting me a bit I guess from how heavy I was.
"Here let me carry him, you've been carrying him since the Estate." I heard Skinn say, I felt reluctance in Kanda at first but he soon handed me over to the sweet obsessed man.
"The difference between the two is the Innocence Projects are genetically altered to eventually be soldiers on command. The Noah Projects are inhumanely tested on to see how the tick in hopes to genetically fix the Innocence Projects. Allen was both, and after helping a bunch of children escape he destroyed the facility and ran. Mana found him and took him in and into hiding. Allen helped us find everyone here who was in the Noah projects. Road project Dreams, Tyki project Pleasure, Skinn project Wrath. Jasdero and Devit project Bonds, Lulu Bell project Lust, Sheril project Desire, Wisely project Wisdom, Maashiima project Pity, Fiidora project Corrosion, Toraido project Judgement, Maitora project creation, my son Neah is project Destruction. Then there is me the first of the projects, project Millennium, Mana was the original leader of Akuma and the group was actually created to help those taken and turned into projects." Adam finished explaining and everything fell into a deep silence. I wanted to wake up.
"Well, one thing to get off our chests is that the Black Order and our school are one in the same. It's both a school and training ground for us who were projects under the Innocence title." Lenalee half way spat and you could tell she wasn't proud to be a project.
"Yea even though we work for them all of us projects have our own agenda of finding and protecting the boy who made it possible for us to live up until we were ten then found once more. And I'm guessing Allen is that boy." Lavi then said
"Yes, Allen is known as project Tenshi...and that boy Alma was known as project Akuma and the two were brought in specifically for the day they accessed their abilities 100% and would be put into a large city to fight, just for a test. Alma escaped first and was lost sight of, Allen felt the need to protect others and help others sacrificing his own freedom to do so." Adam answered, I had, had enough.
"Tell...them...truth...Mana..." I chocked out forcing my eyes to open the light instantly blinding me.
"Allen I di..." He began,
"Now..." I said again and I listened to him as he sighed.
"Alma was created completely from human matter and part of Allen's DNA. He was bred to be stronger than him but that never occurred. Mana was the one who created Alma and we suspect that's why both Alma and Mana's group were called Akuma. Mana may have been providing Alma the edge for fighting. So in a way his death was a relief to Lulu Bell and I." He finally told the truth and I felt myself relax knowing that everything was on the table now.
"Well not much news for us except for Alma's part and that explains a lot as to why he's pestering Allen, in a way they're brothers. But it doesn't explain why he wants the amulet." Lenalee said and I let out a sigh before taking a deep breath.
"He wants the amulet because it's the only thing that'll give him the upper hand in killing me. Both him and I were programed to kill each other on the eve of my 18th birthday. Now seeing as you three know of the projects gives away you are projects yourselves...Names since you now know ours?" I asked nudging Skinn lightly to set me down. Kanda was by me first catching me when my legs were about to give out.
"I'm project Lotus, Lavi is project Hammer and Lenalee project Dark Boots. We all have weapons which we can use that harnesses our abilities. Granted we can use our abilities without them but the weapons give it an extra booth. We are three of six who aren't under the Orders control thanks to you back when we were children." Kanda explained using the back tip of his left pointer finger to move some of my hair from my face.
"Thank you Kanda." I said and even though I groaned I didn't fight when he lifted me into his arms. I still couldn't walk and for half an hour I made Sheril know how annoyed I was. Eventually I stopped and got over it apologizing to the man who had a daughter-complex for Road. It was getting dark and group of us continued to walk.
"Hey Allen, what happened back at the Estate." I was shocked to say the least when Toraido spoke jogging till he walked with both Kanda and I.
"I think my abilities are evolving." I explained leaning my head back to stare up at the darkening sky. "I saw the attack moments before it even happened and when I finally realized that it was happening I was barely able to change it. I didn't want to believe I could do something new." I explained and he only nodded.
"Yea I'd be you in that same situation. You're lucky that the bullet only grazed your skin. The reason your barriers activated was because Alma's blood was on it and it was attacking your system, and if Wisely didn't find a way into your head when he had Alma would have had full control over you." He said and all I could to was nod my head. Things were getting serious and it was getting harder and harder to keep up with it. I leaned my head onto Kanda's shoulder trying to somehow clear my head from everything that was occurring. We had a while till we'd get to the emergency van and from there we'd head straight for Minehead and be there within four hours.
"It's okay Allen they won't catch us your Uncle injured three of them so they'll be down for at least a few days." He said and I could only nod my head. That knowledge was a relief and I let out a heavy breath feeling some what of a weight lifted from my shoulders.
"Allen where do we go from the cave in Minehead do you know?" Lenalee asked catching up to us and I sighed.
"Sadly I don't the next images will be shown once we get there...I don't think Timcanpy is the Amulet but the chosen tool that's going to lead us to the Amulet. Either way our lives are in even more danger than before. Soon we'll have not just the Order on our tails but Alma and Akuma are probably using us to get to the amulet. In both ways we are just pawns for something much bigger." I explained pushing my fingers through my hair.
"So how're we going to solve this?" Lavi asked and I sighed glancing over to my Uncle who was also looking to me. He knew what I will decide and I knew him nor anyone else would.
"When we find I will destroy the Amulet." I said begging for no one to ask me how, Kanda would have throw a fit if he knew what my plan was.
"And how would you go about destroying something like that?! It's a relic that gives eternal life damn it!" Lavi snapped and the red head barely missed the punch Kanda threw at him.
"Lavi would it kill you to treat Allen a little nicer?! None of this is his fault you know!" Kanda snapped then let out a breath before turning to me and I felt an icey chill run up my spine.
"And you, like hell I am ever going to allow you to self sacrifice yourself to destroy that thing. I'd rather be forever on the run that have you choose that." Kanda said and I found my mouth hanging open that he knew.
"How did you..." I asked put he set his hand onto the top of my head.
"It was obvious with how you were looking to your family and how they were looking to you...it was obvious." He said and I felt like smacking myself in the face for not remembering that he was so observant.
"Finally someone who knows how to read Allen. Thank you Kanda." Road smiled skipping over to us and standing next to Lenalee.
"What do you mean by that?" He asked and I smacked my forehead.
"You are the first to ever be able to know what I was implying or thinking without having me directly say it. I tend to get into a lot of trouble by keeping things to myself." I explain and I get odd looks from everyone.
"How about we all make a deal and not lie, with the situation we are all in we need to know as much as possible." Lavi suggested and for once I was in agreement with him.
"Sounds like a plan..." I answer and everyone nods but no one says a word after that when we came to an old rickety bridge.
"I forgot about this...Three at a time, and make haste across." Adam stated everyone nodding their heads. Before anything could be decided on who went first, Road quickly skipped across and waved to us from the other side. I let out an exasperated sigh.
"Must she really?" I asked looking up to Tyki who only shrugged. Finally after a while the groups were as followed:
Adam, Tyki, Skinn
Jasdero, Devit, Lulu Bell
Sheril, Wisely, Maashiima
Fiidora, Toraido, Maitora
Kanda, Lenalee, Lavi and Myself would go last the only set of four.
I knew I should be one of the first ones across but if we were caught at least everyone would be safely across the bridge. I was a quick runner so I'd be able to loose whoever caught up to us. But what Kanda had said most likely they wouldn't catch up to us until the cave. Everyone made their way quickly across the old bridge keeping to their groups and soon it was the four of us.
"Okay remember keep four planks away from one another. Allen you're sure you want to keep to the back of the group?" Kanda asked and I nodded my head as we strapped the safety harness that were always left there. For emergencies Adam had bought a 100 harnesses for this purpose if we had more than just our family members among us. And also because since this bridge was so old you needed them. Lenalee was the first one to go hooking the hook link to the rope railing of the bridge and began her way across, making whining noises the entire time. I couldn't blame her, if things went wrong we'd fall the 200 ft drop to the river below us and I doubt we'd live the fall. Lavi was the next one to begin his way across. I took deep breaths slowly beginning to pace back and forth waiting.
"Allen it's my turn if you need to take your time. We may have been told to rush, but you don't have to. Any false movement could cause the bridge to break." Kanda said leaving a quick kiss onto my lips before beginning his way across the bridge. I stepped into the opening of the bridge and took a deep breath and hooked my link to the rope railing waiting for Kanda to step onto that fourth bridge plank before I stepped onto it. As before when all of us as kids would play on this bridge it teetered from side to side a small breeze hitting the one side of my face as I made slow steps across. Kanda was now a good ten planks from me at the half way point of the bridge. I peered over the edge of the bridge and regretted doing so as I whipped my head back around and stopped walking for a moment my eyes tightly shut.
"Come on Allen you can do it!" Lenalee and Road shouted and I began to move again moving again one plank at a time. I didn't stop again until I reached the middle this time seeing Kanda had made it fully across now. Then wind had picked up and it was because it was the middle area and a small breeze was a lot more stronger when you weren't grounded. I was going to make another step when a loud screech was heard and I froze in spot again. I turned around to see the large wooden structure which made up the entrance of the bridge was teetering now.
"Allen lets go now!" Adam shouted, taking a deep breath I knew I wouldn't make it with the harness on. I turned my head back and locked eyes with Kanda and nodded my head to him letting him know what I was doing.
"Shit, Lavi here tie this to you while I tie the other end to myself!" I heard Kanda order and I knew he found the rope that was always left there.
"Allen don't!" Road shouted but I ignored her and quickly unhooked my link to the bridge and made a dash for the other end to Kanda's out stretched hand.
'I can make it...I can make it!' I thought to myself as I felt the bridge under me give way as the crash from the beginning end fell. I quickly hooked myself to the railing again as the bridge and I fell crashing against the cliff side. I let out a pained yell as everything in my sight shook.
"Allen! Are you alright?!" I heard Lavi shout and I let out a grunt.
"DO I bloody hell look alright damn it?! Get me up from here!" I shouted back everything still was spinning.
"Kanda the rope should be long enough, go down and hook him to yourself that way we can pull you up. If we try pulling him up using the bridge it could break and tear apart and we could loose him." I heard my uncle explain.
"Hold on Allen I'm coming for you!" Kanda yelled down to me and I looked up watching him slowly beginning to climb down. I looked below me not only because sand and tiny rocks began to hit my face but also to just be able to get some bearings dangling here. It was once again another near death experience and it was beginning to get on my nerves.
"Hey there sweet thing." I could only laugh when Kanda came down from above me and shielded me.
"Hey...are you my knight and shining armor?" I asked and he laughed a bit to as he began hooking his connector links to mine.
"Wrap your arms around me." He said and I did right as he undid my connector link from the demolished bridge.
"Alright, start pulling us up!" Kanda called up and slowly we were hoisted up and I was finally back onto solid ground.
"When this is over...Uncle Adam please when you rebuild the bridge have it a cement bridge!" I said laying on my back just so happy for my feet to be touching the solid ground.
"I think we're just going to move everything to the other side of the gorge." He said all of us beginning our journey once more. After the bridge it was only a 30 minute walk and we finally reached the van where all of us piled into the five row van.
"To Minehead we go from there...no one knows." Adam muttered starting the van up and drove off down road. I sat by the window in the vary back with Lenalee, Lavi and Kanda. The row in front of us had the twins Tyki and Road, across from them was Maashiima, Fiidora, Maitora, and Toraido. Behind them in the three seater was Skinn, Sheril and Wisely then in the very front was Adam and Lulu Bell.
"Okay everyone you can do whatever just don't get too loud." Adam said turning onto some music station , music filling the van. I smirked when Tyki turned around and held out a deck of cards.
"Wanna play?" He asked and I found my smirk widening.
"You won't cry like a little bitch when I beat you will you?" I asked and soon we began playing as Tyki sat in an odd position. Lavi and Kanda soon joined in and it turned into strip poker. In the end everyone landed in their boxers and I was still the only one fully clothed.
"Remind me to never play a game against you ever again!" Lavi said throwing his cards down as I won the final round.
"Agreed...can we have our clothes back now? Road is giving us strange looks and Lenalee looks about ready to eat Lavi!" Kanda said and I could only laugh handing everyone back their respectful clothing. Road and Lenalee both whining before going back to their female gossip they were doing before the poker game became interesting. Tyki went to conversing with Jasdero and Devit before beginning to teach them how to play the poker game we were playing.
"Well that was sure interesting, Lenalee wasn't lying about you being the best at poker." Kanda said allowing me to curl into him, his arms wrapping around me securely.
"Yea well it isn't my proud talent just something help me get by in a sticky situation." I explained looking up at my boyfriend poking him in the cheek with my finger.
"I don't even wish to know Allen!" He said laughing a bit then leaned his head down and captured my lips with his own.
"Trust me you don't and I pray I never have to use my talents." I sighed before shifting again and getting comfortable before letting my eyes slide shut. I knew sleep was about to become less and less so I wanted to sleep as much as I can. This time for once I had no interruptions in my sleep and everything was just black and peaceful. I was still aware of the conversations around me so I knew I wasn't in a very deep sleep which sucked! No one talked about anything in particular and I was able to sleep the entire four hour drive to Minehead. The place hadn't changed much at all and the climb down to the secret cave was annoying as ever.
"So we're here...now what?" Lavi asked and I could only sigh and head forward into the cave wrapping my arms around myself from the coldness inside. The first thing I noticed was the eerie glow of the tiny river inside then the souls floating within it.
"Well...that's not creepy in the least." Lavi said from behind me and I continued forward walking till I stood in the exact spot I was shown by Timcanpy. I stood there for a while wondering why I wasn't seeing anything.
"Allen?" Road asked coming up next to me.
"I don't understand...me not seeing anything does that mean the amulet is here?" I asked and she only shrugged.
"I don't know but nothing is here. Maybe it takes a bit so we'll hang out here for a while kay?" Road smiled and we sat down and began watching the river of souls float by. It was during that time I saw it. Something shiny in the water. Standing slowly to my feet I ventured into the water careful to avoid as many souls as I could. I ignored the calls to me. Taking a deep breath I allowed myself to lower under the water till I sat on the floor of the river feeling around until I took hold of something that was metallic. The moment I did flashes of a very familiar building popped into my head and if it weren't for Kanda lifting me out of the water I probably would have drowned.
"Allen? Allen!" Kanda shouted patting me onto the cheek and soon I snapped out of it as the images finally faded.
"We need to get to Bristol airport and go to Guangzhou, Guangdong, China and to the one place I vowed never to go to because Cross frequents there." I began muttering putting my hand to my head beginning to slightly rock back and forth.
"You mean to tell me the next clue will be at the brothel of the woman who is dating Cross?!" Lulu Bell asked and I laughed nervously before opening my hand seeing what looked like to be a piece of a circle. A tiny triangle piece. Things just became complicated.
"What is that?" Adam asked and everyone else had that question look as well.
"This is one piece of 14 to that amulet. And we must find all the others before Akuma does." I state and every single person in the cave had a look of annoyance, frustration, anger and neutral. I look to Timcanpy as he landed onto my shoulder.
"Keep this safe kay?" I asked and held the piece to Tim and watched as he ate it, knowing it wasn't really eaten, just in safe-keepings. Things were about to become much more complicated and much more dangerous as we find more and more pieces. I know I promised not to keep secrets but when the time comes I will be the one to destroy the amulet and it will be up to Neah to destroy Alma.
There you have it chapter seven! Hope you enjoyed it. Don't forget to leave a review and let me know what you think. I'll be adding others from the order and more of Akuma in soon! YAY!