Mizu: I am so SORRY that it took me so to write this chapter! I must have written it, deleted it, and rewritten the whole thing like fifty times! I never meant for it to go so long without an update. Disclaimer: I do not own -Man. And judging by how long it took me to get this latest chapter done, that's a good thing.
Hidden Demons: Catch me
That was it…that was the key and there was no way to deny it because the proof was right before their eyes. Allen didn't have any memories of his time as a demon. He didn't remember being changed. He didn't remember killing his parents or watching his sister die in front of him. He didn't remember what happened to his uncles. And the reason for that was simple. He didn't remember because he couldn't remember his demon memories. The only memories he held were from the past…
From the past where he was a human.
"Fuck," Lavi cursed, running a hand through his hair as he stood.
"What?" Allen blinked, clearly confused with how his friends were acting.
"I-I'll go get N-Nii-san," Lenalee said once she was able to stand.
"Komui's here too?" Allen asked.
"Find him fast, Lenalee," Lavi stated.
"Right," Lenalee nodded before activating her innocence.
Allen's eyes nearly bulged out of his head when he saw Lenalee speed off through the door.
"That's Lenalee's weapon," Lavi explained as he pulled out his hammer, "And this is mine."
Allen stared at Lavi for a moment before looking at Kanda, "And you, BaKanda?"
"This," Kanda said, holding up the sword, "The sword that you got for me from Japan…three years ago."
"Th-Three!?" Allen gasped before lowering his voice to a whisper, "Three years…?"
"Allen?" Lavi sighed before he questioned the boy again, "Are you sure that you don't remember anything else?"
He shook his head before groaning, "My head…Why does it hurt so much?"
"Lavi, why don't you go get that Link guy and the two crybabies?" Kanda suggested.
"S-Sure," Lavi nodded, eyes wide after being called his actual name instead of a stupid rabbit.
Allen sighed as soon as the redhead left, "Seriously, what happened Kanda?"
Kanda said nothing as he picked up each and every nurse one by one and carried them out of the room. Deciding that he didn't care that they were going to be left in the hallway, that's where he put them. When he returned, Allen's face seemed to lose all color.
"Wh-What happened to them!?" Allen demanded.
Kanda shrugged, "Either scared witless or sensory overload."
"From what?" Allen questioned.
"You," Kanda said simple, pulling out two pillows from under the bed.
"M-Me!?" Allen squeaked, "Why me?"
"Cause you unleashed an unreal amount of power before you woke up," Kanda stated, "Sit up."
Allen, stunned from the news, slowly did as he was told. He held himself up as Kanda stuffed the pillow behind him, "I-I did what now?"
"Just what I said," Kanda said, "Lay back."
"H-How?" Allen asked as he laid back so that he was now propped up, "H-Have I really been asleep for three years, Kanda?"
"…Sort of," Kanda said, staring at the boy.
"What do you mean, "Sort of" ?" Allen asked, afraid of the answer.
Kanda sighed. He looked around the room before his eyes settled on a full body mirror. Quickly moving it to where Allen could see himself, he nearly dropped it when the boy yelped.
"W-What happened to my hair! A-And what is with this red scar or marking or whatever it is!" Allen shrieked, hands flying to his face, "Did Lavi pull a prank on my while I was out or something!"
"No. That's just how you look now," Kanda said before smirking, "The hair does help you live up to your nickname, Moyashi."
Allen glared at his friend, "Really? My name's Allen, bastard. Do you really have to start teasing me the second I wake up?"
Kanda chuckled slightly before reaching over and literally ripping off the boy's shirt.
"K-Kanda!?" Allen squeaked again, face quickly flushing.
"Moyashi," Kanda said firmly, "Look at yourself."
"Huh?" Allen blinked dropping his arms to see all the scars that riddled his body, "W-What the…"
"Your body hasn't been asleep for the past three years," Kanda stated, "You've been fighting constantly in hopes of finding something."
"What? What on earth could I be searching for?" Allen asked, hands tracing over the large scar going over his right side.
"…You never returned to us when you left for Japan," Kanda said, so quiet that anyone else would have sworn it was a whisper.
"What?" Allen gaped, eyes wide.
Kanda nodded, "For the past three years, Lenalee, Lavi, and I have had no idea where you were."
Allen was silent for a few moments, "…So where was I?"
"In plain sight," Kanda sighed.
"But how come you didn't know it was me? I mean, yeah, with the hair and the scar I can understand not thinking so at first but just not knowing it? How many people do you know with silver eyes?" Allen almost scoffed.
"He means that you died back in Japan and never returned to them," Leverrier's voice sounded from the doorway.
Kanda whipped around to see Lavi with his hands clasped together and bowing his head while Link, Krory, Miranda, and Leverrier walked in.
"What do you mean died?" Allen questioned, silver eyes narrowed.
Kanda and Lavi nearly smirked. Even with only his human memories, Allen didn't trust this guy one bit.
"I mean exactly what I said," Leverrier smirked, "You, the demon hunter Allen Walker, died at the hands of the Earl. And you, the demon, or more specifically, the fourteenth Noah, was born with the loss of your mother and father's and two uncles' lives plus the loss your humanity."
Not caring the punishment, both Kanda and Lavi jumped for the man's throat. The only thing that stopped them was that Allen's weapon had activated and was forcibly holding them back. Everyone watched as he easily controlled his weapon to the degree that it could wrap itself around him and help him stand.
"W-What did you just say?" Allen whimpered, face paler than it had ever been in his life.
"You are no longer a hunter, Walker," Leverrier stated, "That part of you died three years ago."
"Not that part!" Allen snapped, "What you said about mother and father!?"
"Oh yes," Leverrier smirked again, "You killed them after your demonic birth."
Allen would have fallen to the ground if not for his weapon, "A-And Uncle Mana? Uncle Neah? Th-They're both-"
"Dead? Yes," Leverrier nodded, taking some sort of sick pleasure in Allen's misery, "Tyki Mikk is the one who was responsible for Neah's death but the one responsible for Mana's was you."
Tears suddenly filled silver eyes, "A-And what about b-big sister? Please tell me I didn't kill her…please…"
"You didn't," Leverrier stated.
"Oh thank god," Allen cried, bringing his right hand up to hide his tears.
"But you are the reason that she's dead," Leverrier chuckled.
"Liar!" Kanda snapped, fighting against Allen's weapon.
"Don't you dare listen to him, Allen!" Lavi shouted, "You aren't to blame for anything that's happened!"
"Foolish young hunters, he-" Leverrier started to say as Allen stared at Kanda.
"Shut up!" Kanda barked, "Listen Moyashi. If anyone was responsible for your sister's death then it would have to be me. We were out fighting against the demons outside of the barrier when that bastard Tyki Mikk came up out of nowhere and caught me. To protect me, who was stupid enough to go out without a weapon, she threw herself in front of me at the same time as you did. The bastard decided to then override your memory barrier and torment you by killing her in front of you!"
A resounding smack was heard throughout the room. Kanda's eyes widened before narrowing at the person who dared to smack him.
"You damned hunter will speak only when told to speak!" Leverrier ordered, rubbing his hand.
"Bastard!" Lavi shouted, he, too, now fighting against Allen's weapon.
Allen just stared at the scene before him. None of this made sense. He had of course known how the Earl could change a human's body into the holder of a demon and how he could awaken dormant demons. But how did he become a demon if he was born a hunter? Wasn't it impossible to be both? How was he able to kill both of his parents, two of the greatest hunters on the planet? He knew that none of them had the answers but the only person he could even hope to have known wasn't there.
The sound of a gun cocking drew Allen from his thoughts. Standing before him was just the man he was thinking about. He was holding his favorite weapon to the Hitler wannabe's skull, cigarette firmly in place in his mouth.
"I think you might want to reconsider barking orders when you are the only one here that doesn't have any, so to speak, "powers," Malcolm," Cross Marian smirked.
"Mr. Cross!" the two boys gasped.
"G-General Cross!" the other spectators gaped.
"Bastard," Leverrier hissed.
Silver eyes filled with tears once more as Allen let go of his weapon before he literally ran into the redhead's chest, "Uncle!"
"…He's his uncle?!" Lavi and Kanda shouted, "What the fuck!"
"Damn it brat," Cross scoffed, "It's hard to save your ass if you won't let me go."
"T-Too damn bad!" Allen cried into the man's chest before looking up with watery silver, "I-Is it true? Is everything this guy said true?"
Cross sighed and pulled the boy into a hug, "Yes..."
Allen's eyes seemed to shake as power suddenly seemed to roll off the boy's body in waves, "…no…"
"Moyashi?" Kanda questioned.
"Mother…Father…big sister…uncles," Allen growled out as Cross released the boy and slowly backed away, "T-They can't be dead…They were just here alive! They were just talking to me the other day!"
"They are dead boy," Leverrier sneered, oblivious to the rage building inside the young teen.
"Shut up!" Allen screamed, hands flying up to clench his pure white hair, "They aren't dead! There is no way that father would die! He would protect the others!"
"Allen! Calm down! They're gone!" Cross snapped.
"I told you to shut up!" Allen roared, body unleashing an unprecedented amount of energy that blew out the windows and knocked out a good portion of the wall containing the door, "You're lying! Mother and Father were strong! There's no way that they could really be dead! "
"Shit," Cross cursed, "Don't make me repeat myself again! They are gone! Dead! They will never return so calm the fuck down!"
"Allen!" Lavi shouted.
"Of all times to set up a barrier, it has to be now!" Cross shouted, aiming in gun quickly.
Allen screamed out his pain for all to hear as he clutched at his head. Suddenly a rolling wave of power exploded out from the screaming youth sending everyone in the room flying through the hole in the wall. While many of those thrown tried to recollect their bearings, a translucent glowing orb of green surrounded Allen. His screams became muffled as the orb seemed to solidify.
"Brat, don't lose yourself in the grief!" Cross ordered but it was no use.
"Lavi! Kanda!" Lenalee's voice screamed as she, Komui, Reever, and Johnny ran up to them, "What's going on?"
"Mister Chuckles here decided to break it to the poor kid that his entire family is dead," Lavi growled as he and Kanda used their strongest death glares on the Adolf look alike.
"What!" Komui snapped, "You knew how mentally unstable Allen would be if he ever regained his human memories! You knew this! We've warned you and warned you not to pull a stunt like this!"
Leverrier just shrugged with his smug smirk firmly on place.
Reever gritted his, "You don't get it, do you?! With what you just pulled, you could kill him and then we'll be out one of the strongest bloodlines of hunters that we've ever had!"
"Wait, kill him!?" the three friends gasped.
Miranda nodded sadly, "It's true…the proof is right in front of us right now…"
"What are you talking about!" Kanda demanded.
Krory weakly pointed at the glowing orb that contained the still screaming Allen, not even able to look at it, "See that orb? It's a barrier that Allen's body created because he felt so much pain that it triggered the safety mechanism in his brain."
"With the sudden onslaught of emotional trauma placed onto his weakened mind's state, he's gone into shock," Johnny whimpered, "The barrier that he created to protect him from us is going to drain his limited reserves and leave him too weak to fight off the tortures his mind will create for him. He'll basically stay like that until he falls into a coma where he will quickly perish…"
"How do you know that that will happen!" Lenalee cried.
"Because this sort of thing can and has happen to many hunters," Komui stated sadly, "If something happens that weakens our minds even a fraction and then a great trauma befalls us, we can go through the same thing…"
"Isn't there some way to snap him out of it!?" Lavi pleaded.
Most people there that knew what was going on just shook their heads solemnly.
"To snap him out of it, we'd have to get into the barrier and force him out of his pain induced trance," Reever whispered, "But no one can enter these kinds of barriers. Not even the strongest hunters…"
"The only ones that could ever enter them were Allen's family due to their ability to create the strongest barriers in the world at will," Komui added, "But even then they were only successful in saving a falling hunter once…"
"Only once?" Lenalee repeated, face draining of color.
Komui nodded, uncharacteristically silent.
"I don't know about you idiots, but I'm not giving up on that idiot in there," Cross grunted as he cocked his gun, "He's got a lot of debts of mine to pay off so I'm not letting him off the hook so easily."
"Che, like hell I'm going to let that damn Moyashi just go and die on me," Kanda growled, drawing his sword, "He's already dragged me through enough shit to get this far and he owes me some damn explanations."
"We finally just got him back," Lavi stated, commanding his hammer to grow.
Lenalee nodded, her boots flaring back to life, "And we sure as hell aren't going to let him go ever again."
There was no signal to start. The three friends simply charged at the barrier. Their weapons all collided with the barrier surrounding their dear friend only to be sent flying straight back. Cross was shooting at the barrier at specific intervals as if trying to locate some kind of weakness in it. Seconds later, Kanda let out a roar before charging at the barrier again followed by Lavi and Lenalee. Each of the three younger hunters desperately attacked the only thing that separated them from once again reuniting with their old friend. After fifteen minutes of failed attempts, all four hunters were still at it. The rest of the people gathered there had given up but they hadn't. They pressed on, determined to make it through.
"Dammit Moyashi!" Kanda roared, bringing his sword down as hard as he could, "I always knew that you were like an overemotional woman but this is pushing it even for you!"
No one knew if it was because of their relentless attacks on the barrier or if it was simply because Allen had heard Kanda's insult. All that they did know was that the three friends were suddenly pulled into the barrier before it locked the rest of those gathered out.
Cross sighed before lowering his weapon, "Looks like it's all up to them."
"H-How did they-" Reever started to ask.
"Those three are all Allen has left of his old life," Cross stated, taking out a new cigarette, "They are also the only people in the world that he will be able to trust now."
"That doesn't answer the question, General," Komui stated.
"Look you idiots," Cross growled, nodding his head back at the barrier, "Allen has basically just woken up from a three year sleep. Everything around him has changed. Hell, even his body has changed. He just found out that not only was he turned into a demon, but he killed or was directly linked to the deaths of his entire family. He doesn't remember a single thing from the past three years. So you can't blame the kid for being scared out of his mind and trying to find some kind of comfort in this difficult time for him. That comfort is him allowing his closest friends see him at his breaking point and hoping that they will save him."
"I-I see," Komui nodded, understanding spreading throughout the group.
Cross sighed again before speaking once more, "However, even if he survives this ordeal, Allen will in no way be out of the woods. If anything, it has just gotten even harder for the boy."
There wasn't anything in the room. Nothing. It was as if everything has simply disappeared. It wasn't even a room anymore. It looked like a never ending space of glowing white with a slight green tint to it. That was all that there was to see. Just white space. And a single figure curled up in a ball in the middle of it all…
The three friends looked around themselves for a moment before noticing the figure. Slowly, they each made their way towards the figure, not wanting to spook him. The figure's shoulders were shaking severely as he cried to himself. White hair lightly clung to his cheeks as tears slid down his skin, a few tracing the bright red scar that covered the left side of his face. He wore a white, long sleeved shirt with a stiff collar that was held together with a red ribbon that matched his scar. A dark vest covered most of his torso and the shirt beneath it was tucked neatly into his black pants that clung to his skin. These pants were also tucked into black knee high boots. The entire outfit was one that none of the friends had ever seen but it seemed to fit the figure nicely.
"Allen," Lenalee whispered as she knelt beside the trembling figure.
Slowly, the boy opened his pure silver eyes to look at his three friends. They all could see the confusion and pain that filled him clearly. Lenalee quickly pulled the poor boy into a tight hug as she fought not to cry. Lifting his hands slowly, Allen wrapped his arms around his dear friend to return the hug. Soon, he was clenching at her shirt as the tears started to streak down his face again.
"Th-They can't be gone…Th-they were just here with me," Allen whimpered into her shoulder.
Lavi knelt beside the two and placed a hand on Allen's back, "I'm sorry buddy. They really are gone."
"No…" Allen cried weakly, burying his head further into Lenalee's shoulder.
Kanda said nothing as he too knelt beside his precious friend. Tear filled silver eyes looked up at him, searching for anything that would tell him that it was all a lie. Anything that would give him hope that what the man had told him earlier wasn't true. Anything that would allow him to stop his tears. No such thing was found in Kanda's deep midnight blue eyes. Instead of offering false hope, the normally stoic teen simply opened his arms to his friend and offered his shoulder up to him. An offer that was instantly taken.
Allen quickly rushed into the raven haired teen's arms, desperate for the comfort only Kanda could provide. He needed Lenalee's as well but for now, what he needed more was Kanda's blunt, I-don't-care-that-you-can't-accept-it, almost rough comfort to help him pick himself up.
The second Allen was in his arms, Kanda held him as close as he could. He still didn't understand anything of Allen's feelings for him other than just knowing that what the boy felt towards him was something greater than he had ever felt for anyone. What he did understand was that Allen didn't need to be babied. He just needed someone to allow him to soak their shoulder with his tears to get it out of his system. He just needed to borrow someone else's power for a little bit before he began to sort out things for himself. Thankfully, Lavi and Lenalee understood this as well. Both friends did nothing more than either rub the white-haired teen's back or place a hand on his shoulder. No comforting words were exchanged. Just simple gestures to show their once lost friend that he would not be alone after he dried his tears.
After what seemed like an eternity, Allen finally pulled away from Kanda, mismatched hands quietly wiping away his tears. The boy's body jumped a few times from hiccups that snuck out despite his wishes. Taking in a deep, shaky breath, Allen looked at his three friends before smiling sadly.
"Thank you," he whispered.
Lavi and Lenalee just smiled warmly back at the boy.
"Che," Kanda sounded, ignoring the slight upturn of his lips.
"So…has it really been three years since they died?" Allen asked.
"All but Catriona," Lavi sighed, "She died recently saving Kanda just like he said earlier."
"I see," Allen said sadly before looking at his hands, "What about me? How is it that I'm within the barrier?"
"Apparently, you as an insanely strong demon that no barrier can keep out," Lenalee stated.
"And all these scars?" Allen asked, running his hand over his left side.
"You've gotten into a lot of fights with other demons," Lavi explained, "But the one on your right is supposedly from you using your weapon to suppress your demonic powers."
"I still have my weapon?" Allen blinked, before remembering what took place before his body formed the barrier, "Oh yeah. I do."
"Still slow as ever, Moyashi," Kanda snickered.
"My name is Allen, BaKanda! I would expect you to have at least remembered that much!" Allen snapped.
"A-Actually Allen," Lenalee whimpered, drawing the youngest's attention, "The Earl put a cap on our memories too and we didn't remember who you were until after we met you again, running away to you here, and then meeting your sister. In fact, none of us even knew about hunters and demons until a short time ago."
"R-Really?" Allen stuttered, eyes wide.
"Sadly yes," Lavi sighed, running a hand through his hair, "We could vaguely remember how you looked and still had all of our memories of our time together but your name had been sealed from us."
"When we realized it, even Kanda went on a rage trying to remember what we called you," Lenalee giggled when Kanda's face suddenly flushed.
Lavi chuckled at the fuming raven, "We eventually just took to calling you Moyashi because that was all we could remember for a name."
"Great…" Allen groaned before sighing heavily, "This is all too much for me to take in at once. Plus this barrier takes so much energy to keep up."
"How'd we get through anyway?" Lenalee asked.
"Barriers aren't that complicated in actuality," Allen stated, stretching as he stood up, "IF the person wishes to speak to someone outside the barrier, it is very easy to get inside it."
"Then how come no one has ever been able to save a falling hunter?" Lavi asked.
"Most falling hunters are too overcome with their pain and grief to even think of letting someone in," Allen stated, "But if you are persistent enough to get through to them that you want to help, it is possible to save them. Though I've only been able to this once myself."
"W-Wait…You were the only one to save someone who had put up distress barrier like this?" Lenalee gasped.
"No," Allen chuckled as the white space slowly began to shrink around them, "You guys just did it too."
"What's happening now?" Kanda questioned, quick to his feet.
"I'm canceling out my barrier," Allen stated simply, looking at his right hand as he clenched it a few times, "I used quite a bit of my energy on this so someone please make sure to catch me as soon as it's gone."
"Wait…Catch you?" the three friends blinked as the last of the white space disappeared and Allen's body suddenly fell towards the floor.
Mizu: I actually have a few things planned but not a full plot line for this story…so if you guys have any ideas at all for this, totally feel free to shoot them my way.
Allen: You better had not be planning what I think you're planning.
Mizu: *laughs evilly before smiling sweetly at readers* Remember that I love all reviews and suggestions~! Ciao for now~!
Allen: Darn it Mizu! What are you planning this time!