Ashes And Rain

DGM

Chapter 19

Barrel Of Threats

Sheryl inhaled a deep, relieved breath. His hand remained on his chest as he walked through some trees and to a pond. Dozens of thoughts ran through his mind as he contemplated about what he's seen. Lord Millennium would be pleased that he gathered valuable information, but Cross' student appears to be a threat already. He wondered what the Earl would think about this.

The Noah of Desires was only supposed to trail them and watch, follow them around like a lost puppy. Then that Japanese looking exorcist got in the way of that plan. Sure, beating those exorcists would be a piece of cake-mhmm, sounds good-but the Lord told him to ignore contact at all cost. "Eh?"

His younger brother, Tyki, was eating a koi fish. Sheryl couldn't stand the thought of eating koi fish raw. They had to be fried or cook. Something. "Don't you think you'll get yelled at by the Lord Millennium by eating all the fish again?" Sheryl said in a straightforward and serious tone.

Tyki stood up straight and threw the fish bone on the ground. "Shouldn't you be trailing the exorcists?" Was his sharp retort.

"Awww, but I wanted to see my brother. You didn't miss me! Tyki, that hurts!" Sheryl whined, trying to hug Tyki, but was forced back in exasperation, Tyki's hand stuck on Sheryl's face/ "Come on, give me a hug!"

"Knock it off! You're a grown man." Tyki sneered, scrunching his nose slightly in disgust as he recollected nasty memories. "Maybe if you get some real sanity I'll give you a hug."

"At least I'm not a rebel."

"But you're a politic."

"Due to orders."

Tyki drops his hand then stuffs it in his pocket, giving Sheryl a look that told him to follow. "The transfer is almost done." Tyki makes small talk, noting flat facts Sheryl of all people ought to know.

"Cross is on his way to Edo." Sheryl's word made Tyki pause for second before walking beside him again. "He has a posse with him. All exorcists, fresh and ready to fight."

Tyki contemplated about what Sheryl said. Cross was coming there after all, but what for? To fight? Or something else? He shouldn't know anything, but this man was meddlesome and could always figure out about anything he's interested in or needs. What a pain. Still, this wasn't what he cared about. "Was there a kid with white hair?"

His brother stared at him for some time before answering, smiling. "Yes, I assume that's Allen Walker, no?"

"Yeah, that's him." Tyki grinned. Now they could have a rematch. This time, he'll kill the kid and destroy the fragment of innocence he possessed.

Sheryl saw Tyki's golden eyes twinkle with pleasure. Oh, the irony. Tyki must have finally found a challenge. "Didn't you meet Allen in China? Using your 'white' side?"

"That's right. . . he appears to be so innocent, but he cheats out the ass. Cheap sake."

An eyebrow swerved upwards with a sole question. "Poker, again, Tyki?"

"Shut up. I lost each time. That's-"

"Why you want to fight him again, or is it something else?" Sheryl interjected.

"There's something odd about that boy. That mark he has on his face, I mean. It's like the akuma."

Sheryl nodded thoughtfully. It did look similar to the akuma markings, but he found out why. Just how did he get that ability, though? "That's because it has something to do with the akuma." Sheryl finally lets Tyki in on the secret. "The boy can locate akuma and decipher what level they are somehow, using that very odd eye of his."

Eyes were on Sheryl. He could feel them glaring holes in his back. Not the mad glare, but something else. "How is that possible?"

"If I knew I'd be telling you right now."

Tyki wanted to shove Sheryl. Did he have to be so blunt? So stupid? Why did the Earl keep Sheryl here anyways? Isn't he supposed to be busy? He hoped he leave soon. Sheryl is such a pain.

OxOxOxOxOxOxOxOxOxO

The exorcists stared at the city in front of them. There were so many buildings and many were tall, others were short. It was interesting enough, but creepy as hell at the same time. It was abandoned for sure and many of the exorcists were going to have to ask why later, but they reached their destination. Some were still asking why they didn't even think about asking Cross or Allen about why there were so many akuma here and no humans since they anticipated this. "We're here." Allen breathed inaudibly.

"Allen, take care of them." Cross mumbled.

Allen gazed at Cross as he started walking away. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find an easy way to the egg. You and the others will distract that fatass, he's right in the center of town, can't you see him? Or have you forgotten what his face looks like?" Cross even went far enough to use his effort to point at the Millennium Earl.

"General Cross, I don't think it's wise to leave all of us here to fight when there's so many akuma and the Noah Clan. Not many of us-" Bookman stopped, seeing Cross' stern face.

"You'll do fine. . Enough to the extent to live. I'll be watching. Allen is in charge for now. . . Keep him from doing anything stupid."

Allen twitched with annoyance. He just said Allen was in charge-not that Allen would order them around much-then he tells them to make sure he doesn't do any stupid actions! What sense does that make? "Just go! And hurry up. We're not your puppets." Allen grumbled, running through the streets.

Cross smirked. He's getting cocky. I'll wipe that attitude away soon. . . Now, we just have to wait until the Earl retreats and opens the ark.

Lavi and Lenalee were neck and neck with Allen. Kanda had bolted ahead by a foot, literally, a foot. If Allen sped up just a little bit he would be matching Kanda's pace. Krory was holding Miranda as they ran and Bookman watching everyone and everything from the back. "Do you think it's smart to let Cross leave alone at a time like this, Walker?" Bookman asked, his question forcing everyone to eye the teen.

Allen bit his lip, thinking back on everything that has been going on lately and what Master Cross has been saying. How odd was the red-haired drunkie? He was acting totally bizarre as of late. Was it because of the mission. "I trust Master. I know. . . I know he won't abandon us. I'm sure if he absolutely has to, he'll interfere." Allen said, holding back most of his cusses and biased opinions, not wanting to scare anyone at this point. "I just ask you all trust me about this."

Kanda snorted. Trust the beansprout? How rich. . . . Right now it didn't matter. So long as the mission was a success and they hurry this up. He had a bad feeling about being in his homeland. . . What was going on? What were the higher ups hiding?

Allen stops suddenly, finding the Earl's face and jumped on a rooftop not far away from the tallest building in Edo. That's where the Noah were. Tyki was the only one any of them recognize. Except Allen. He recognized the Earl all too well.

The others had long since followed Allen on the rooftop and akuma floated over them, their heads shining with a purple light. Allen didn't like the light. Not because it was bright, but the shape they took. A colored in purple pentacle. Only the size and color were different from his eye and their foreheads. "They haven't noticed us yet." Krory said aloud.

". . . What should we do? Cross said distract them. How do we do that?" Lenalee asked.

Honestly, Allen didn't know. He was positive the enemy were aware of their presence in Japan so they might have their guards up. Then there were so many akuma. The best idea was to make the enemy know they were there, believe it or not. See, they had to get the Noah to separate. "We should try and take out as many akuma as we can with one blow." Allen said, invoking Crown Clown.

Kanda actually agreed as he unsheathed Mugen, running his fingers from the tip of the sharp blade and down to the hilt. Lavi grinned, taking his Iron Hammer out of it's pocket hoister and twirled it in his hand. "I got this one, don't worry little buddy. You can either go in with my attack or after, whatever." Lavi said. "Big hammer, little hammer, grow, grow, grow!"

Lenalee covered her mouth to keep herself form laughing at Allen's ridiculous expression. She almost forgot he hadn't seen any of them fight. All he's seen is Miranda's Time Recovery. For a split second.

Allen adjusted quickly to the hammer, making sure nobody outside their group noticed it. Not even slightly, not one was looking.

Lavi raised his hammer and Allen watched the stamps circling around it in the sky. "Fire Stamp: Hellfire and Ash!" Lavi says as he slams his hammer against the stamp and on the rooftop, the symbol being slammed against the roof. A small gust of wind surrounded the hammer before the edges light up a bright orange-red. Flames rushed off the ground in a serpent form and heads to the sky, eating many akuma it seems and then heads to the Noah on the building. Immediately, the Noah ran out of the way by either using an akuma to lift them in the air or jumping on the ground if desperate enough. The Earl stayed where he was, though. "Take that."

Earl's eyes brightened with the snake flying at him, but he stayed there in a peaceful manner. His grin getting a little smaller. "They're here already?"

The fiery snake swallowed the Millennium Earl and Jasdevi just had to scream, "THE EARL HAS BEEN EATEN!"

("Hii!")

Allen grimaced, sensing the Earl was perfectly fine. He took a stance that signaled was ready to pounce. As the flames died, Allen leaped forward, using his left claw to try and strike the Millennium Earl. One way or another, the Earl managed to gain a sword during this moment of Allen's attack and defended himself. The sword was oversized, black with a silver-gray cross in the middle of the long, thick blade.

Allen shuddered as he met Earl's golden, curious eyes dead on. He couldn't help but wonder if the Earl recognized him, though it meant little meaning had he not or if he had. He felt like his soul was being pierced by the eyes of the main foe to the Order. Still Allen didn't let him sense these feelings and instead cringed and hissed as he struggled to keep his arm where it was, trying to force the sword away to land a good hit on him. "~Hello~." Earl said bittersweetly.

Tyki's eyes widened in shock. How did Allen move there so quickly? Hell, what was the small boy thinking attacking the Earl so fast, so closely. He was better off using his projectiles. What were they called again?- Crown Edge! "Whoa, who's he?" Debitto asked amusingly, putting his hand over his eyes and squinting with a gleaming smile. "He looks fun. . . To kill."

The Noah of Pleasure smirked, sitting in the akuma's arm that held him up. "He's my prey."

All eyes stayed on Allen and their most questionable foe. Both pushed each other back, but then using whatever they could to their advantage, they shot themselves forward and repelled several attacks at the supplementary or extra. Allen's left arm kept landing on the sword and the sword on his arm, neither being able to hit the other. Once again, the Earl withdrew, but instead of doing the same, using Crown Belt, Allen gripped his sword and followed the opened enemy. He swiped his claw in the air. "Cross Grave!" Allen hit Earl's chest, sending a massive amount of force through him and a yellow cross formed there, etching on his skin and on his outer attire.

Earl looked at the cross as Allen leaped backwards, his grip leaving his sword. A puff of smoke let the audience know about an explosion-with the small sound of a bang, too. Allen furrowed his brows. Something wasn't right. The smoke drifted thinly and lessened as a black orb with a glowing purple outline came flying at Allen in midair. It hit Allen directly, right above his stomach and partially his chest. The great power sent him into a building, crushing the entire house on top of him. "Allen!" Lenalee activated her Dark Boots and flying over to him, floating in the air, searching for any sign of Allen. Steam wallowed unpredictably in the air above the crumbled house. "Allen!"

Digging his way out of the board and nails, Allen gasped for air. He had a hard time breathing from the dust and the sudden pulse through his veins because of Earl. At once Lenalee was at his side, him hunching over, tightening his hold on his chest and Lenalee set her hands on his back and upper shoulder, a look of concern showing. "Allen?"

He took a few more gasps, then narrowed his gray eyes at the Earl. From there it looked as if nothing had been done to him. His coat had been tinged on the hem and where Allen had struck him, but not a drop of blood or a sign of a cut anywhere. He was in his utmost best condition unlike his previous opponent. Lenalee saw he wasn't going to respond and faced the Earl, glares being directed at Allen for walloping the Noah leader.

The Earl's sword shape-shifted into a standard pink umbrella with a pumpkin head. This umbrella Allen was accustomed to. Lero, he believed, they called the talking plump. The chubby Earl used Lero as an easy access to the ground from his past position. He landed not far from the exorcist he had just knocked in the house. His eyes didn't really notice Lenalee and remained solely and wholly on the boy. "I presume," His words were slow and spine-chilling. Just as Allen remembered. "You're Allen Walker."

Lenalee took a step back, chest welling in fright. The Earl was offsetting and she felt messing with him would end it all. His looks were appalling, but nevertheless scary. A glint shined on his glasses as he tilted his head, taking a few steps forward before stopping at the crumbled home. Lenalee had to be shaking because Allen turned towards her, grabbed her wrist and pulling her close. "Go, help the others. I'll deal with him." His whispers tickled her ears. This time, unlike any other, his words made her shiver painfully. She couldn't do that, but she knew she couldn't fight him. How could she oppose the Earl right now? "Please, Lenalee."

Millennium Earl cocked his brow up, nimbly twirling Lero in an easeful manner. Was this child ignoring him or making a plan? This kid. . . was intriguing. Nothing like Cross personality wise and more. His fighting skills were much like that of the General's. To say the least, Allen was half of his expectations. . . At first glance. He must say, Allen has grown since their last vague meeting during that snowy Christmas day. He was still surprised about Allen's actions that night. He had only one main wonder about this young man: How much has he changed?

Allen released Lenalee, harshly standing up straight and Lenalee winced when she heard something in his body crack, making him palm his aching chest. There was no blood, but the pang was cruel. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you know my name, Earl." Allen said, monotone.

Lero stopped moving in a circular motion, now being rested on Earl's tan plaid coat. His grin got intensely frightening as it broadened to an impossible amount. "Before we do too much, ~Allen~, I have a question for you." Earl pointed Lero at Allen's left eye. "That's where the unfinished akuma scratched your eye years ago and now it's morphed into that, a red, filled in pentacle with a line running down your cheek amazingly. It's beautiful, really, but it does something. I want to know what. What is it that makes your eye so special? I wonder how close it is to my suspicions, let's see if you can confirm them."

Lenalee thought she saw Allen flinch with pain, not from body pain, but from the question. In fact, Allen's glow in his eyes died down and glazed over like ice on a pavement. It was not anger, far from it. It was sadness. And it was killing both of them. "It allows me to locate akuma now." Was Allen's blunt answer.

"Oh? Sheryl was right. This is going to be a bothersome ability. It gives you exorcists quite the advantage. I guess it was worth experiencing that night." Earl said.

"No, no it wasn't. In case you don't know, it's a curse." Allen lightly growled. Lenalee took a step back from the denseness. Maybe she should leave like she was asked to. "But you're not here to talk about my eye all night."

"And you're not here for a chat either." The Earl retorted, lifting his tinged coat angrily. "You've attacked me and ruined my favorite coat. You'll have to pay."

"Lenalee!" Lavi shouted.

Lenalee spun around immediately to meet an akuma. A level two? No, she was wrong about that. It was so different and more human-like compared to level two's. This one was purple and tall, tall and slim, with an orange fuzz of hair on top of its shiny head.

On instinct, Lenalee floated in the air and used her leg to block its fist that had been aimed at her head a second ago, but when the fist made contact with her leg, pain seared through it, feeling broken, or worse, shattered. Because of this, Lenalee fell back on the ground, a few meters away from Allen. The overly worried exorcist was rushing to her aide when the Millennium Earl got in his way. "Uh-uh-uh, Allen. Be a good boy and let the girl fight alone."

Allen gritted his teeth, watching Lenalee behind Earl. She shakily got to her feet and then the level three akuma attacked her again, sending her farther away. "Lenalee!" Allen tried to get past Earl, but was slammed into the ground. He started the fight, now he was going to have to pull through it.

Lavi started running in Lenalee's direction with Krory, but Tyki got in his way, or to be exact, got near his side, separating Krory and Lavi. He waited for a minute due to debating on who he should target since Lord Millennium took his prey. "I'll have to settle with you Junior." Tyki muttered, walking towards a messed up Lavi on the ground. Tyki's hands glowed with a purple lighting, probably his defensive tease. Lavi doubted it was his Noah powers by what he heard. "If you stay like that, however, I'll end up kill you."

Lavi crawled on his knees for a moment, tightly holding his hammer. It seems as he tried to thwart the akuma from hurting Lenalee much further, Tyki thwarted him from helping her like Earl had Allen. He was going to rely on everyone else to help Lenalee this time. It appears Tyki is the only other Noah taking action.

"Lavi!" Krory yelled.

"Go help, Lenalee!"

"But you-"

"I'll be fine. You ought to worry about this guy." Lavi brought his hammer closer to his chest, smirking. "I'm gonna kick his ass."

"Like last time? Ha, don't make me laugh." Tyki rolled his eyes inwardly to himself. Last time Lavi couldn't move a finger, but he was interesting enough. "Remember those words."

Five Minutes Later. . . . .

Lavi was losing his energy from all the swings his arms and hammer had been through. He actually lost count of how many rooftops and buildings he's destroyed which would earn him a good bruising from the old Panda. He'll scold Lavi for recking history so easily and without hesitation. It wasn't quite hesitation. More along the lines that he kept missing this FREAKING MOLE! He officially hates whack-a-mole, that game he made when akuma go underground and pop up or heads to the skies and rushes down-that's when it's whack-a-bird.

Moreover, TYKI WAS PISSING HIM OFF!

It didn't matter what he did or how he moved. Tyki always ended up pouncing at Lavi, knocking him off balancing, sending him tumbling, sending him crashing, or cutting Lavi's body. Every so often he heard Allen shout or Lenalee yell, and the others scream. Krory got stuck with trying to obliterate a seemingly impossibly tall akuma with combined three's and two's. He hadn't recognized and one's earlier, but there may be some.

Getting a few glances here and there he could tell it was hard to fight this monstrous akuma. He noticed how they couldn't pierce the body at all. Krory's teeth nearly snapped out of his mouth from just trying to bit it, sucking the blood out of it. Even now his vampire powers made Lavi pale. Just like right now. He hoped they would find it's weakness and get rid of it soon. This thing was also a nuisance for him. He had almost been stepped on eight times!

One thing Lavi saw was that it was completely disoriented and lost any common sense. It lacked intelligence by nine kilometers and more. Naturally, if you got on it or got near it, it swat you away because you were like a pestering bug. It still had it's instinct to kill exorcists. "I would keep your eye on your enemy if I were you." Tyki's voice oddly sounded from somewhere.

Lavi turned and twisted his body around. Where was he? Lavi's question was soon answer when Tyki erupted form a well beside him, making Lavi jump back as Tyki swung at him, landing a hit on Lavi's chest. Well, Lavi almost had the tuck-n-roll down. He just forgot to tuck. He'd be lucky if he didn't have a concussion after this. "Dammit."

Tyki paced leisurely his way. A smug look on his face that angered Lavi to no end. He was a whole lot like Kanda, smug and all, but Tyki hardly cared about anything. . . Well, neither did Kanda, but at least he had self-everything! This man had nothing, no pride, no respect, nothing. Just anything for the thrill of killing or thrill of being an overly obnoxious-snobbish-rude attitude directed at others to make them act edgy. Last time he had the impression he was somewhat of a classy gentlemanly type enemy. Pfft, he was so wrong, or at least, Tyki acted differently this time.

Lavi got in a defensive stance, knowing he couldn't hit Tyki currently. Not in his state. Tyki really did work fast at wearing the opponent down. "Baka Usagi."

Out of surprise-again-Lavi spun around and his Iron Hammer just missed sending Kanda to Timbuktu. "Kanda!"

The Noah groaned with impatience. Another exorcist. He didn't mind fighting morethan one, but it takes out all of the fun. "What business do you have here?" He tersely inquired.

Kanda raised his sword, threatening to hurt Tyki if he had to. "Tch, stay out of this." Kanda directed his eyes at Lavi. "I can't find her anyway. The only commotion is coming from those fools who can't destroy one of those akuma, or the beansprout."

"Then go help Krory and the others." Lavi grumbled, turning towards Tyki. "Lenalee will be-"

"If you say fine I'll cut your throat." Kanda interjected, pointing the tip of his sword at Lavi's throat and drawing blood just to prove his point. "I'll take care of this guy. You get those idiots over there to deal with. Destroy the akuma and go find Lenalee."

"Excuse me!"

"I just did."

Lavi glared at Kanda, then at Tyki. Why did they let Cross go again? . . . To find the egg, that's why. He said he knew where it was! . . . Guess it's in an area not easy to get to. "What about Allen?" Lavi whispered.

"He can die or fend for himself."

"You're so mean."

Kanda was getting fed up with Lavi. To make him get away, Kanda kicked him. Lavi groaned and whined because Kanda was being such a big bully, but got the picture and left. Kanda stood tall and eyed Tyki like he would disappear. Thinking about what he had taken on Lavi's and his fight, it could happen. "Hey, I was fighting him. I don't want to fight you, girly." Tyki aggravated Kanda already.

"Too bad."

Tyki sighed, pushing back his hair just for it to fall back in his face. "You strong?"

"Stronger than any of those pathetic fighters."

"Stronger than Allen? Or the General?" Tyki snorted. "Yeah right, but let's see what you got. Maybe you're just as strong as Allen?

Kanda lunged at Tyki, eyes strait. "Don't ever link me in. . . With that beansprout!"

Tyki chuckled. "Beansprout? I suppose it fits him."

At that exact moment, Allen fell on the ground beside them, causing Tyki and Kanda to break apart. All that mattered to Tyki was that he was able to block Kanda's attack. "Yo, Allen." Tyki waved, earning a Crown Belt to runs towards him and scratch his cheek. "What was that for? I'm not your opponent. I just thought you'd like to know you have a minute before the Earl jumps your rear end."

Allen couldn't tell you how wrong that sounded, but then that's probably because he'd been around Cross far too long. "Get out of here beansprout." Kanda snarled.

"IT"S ALLEN!"

Tyki looked up at the Earl who hovered over Allen. His sword was in his hand now. Frankly, he didn't think Allen was any match for the Earl. The chubby man was playing around with him and he was still being kicked around. "Oi, keep your eyes on me." Kanda yelled, cutting Tyki's arm just as he backed away, the fighting pair getting far away from Allen and Earl. "I'm your opponent."

"Sorry prettyboy, I don't swing that way."

Kanda's face was priceless, need it be anger or some other emotion-humiliation. "Okay, okay. I'll get serious. Just remember you asked for." Tyki said.

The fighting wasn't as good as I hoped it would be for this chapter, but it will be better in the next one in case this start doesn't atisfiy your tastes. I swear the next fight scene will be better. I just had to get the action started. Can you believe I'm almost at chapter 20 after 14 days-2 WEEKS? Awesome! Just wondering, what fight scene would you like to see first. Lenalee's, Kanda's, the group's, or Allen's?

So the usual. Review please, and thanks for reading. Love y'all.

I mentioned this a few chapters ago. It's just for fun, but I'll try it one more time.

Anyone wanna guess my age?

~ ~ ~ Anon Novelist ~ ~ ~