I forgot to mention this at the beginning of the last chapter. I will be following the manga until about the point it's at currently, ch. 216 roughly, before it completely switches to my own plot. I will have a few of the anime's fillers in here though, but not a lot. I find that most of them annoy me.
Anyway, enjoy. And feel free to review. :)
By the next morning, Katsu's heart was beating frantically, her chest heaving and sweat collected against her skin. She woke with a start, immediately jumping out of her bed on high alert. The familiar jittery feeling of adrenaline rushing through her veins kept her attention sharp as she searched for those abominable little devils. Due to the seemingly endless adrenaline, it took a few extra moments for Katsu to realize she was in her room at the Order, safe.
With this realization, Katsu shakily collapsed onto her bed. Her limbs twitched as she stared up at the ceiling, trying to calm her racing heart. Even still, Katsu's fingers instinctively ran across her collar bone, tracing the raised scar that decorated the skin like a necklace.
For the rest of her morning routine, Katsu worked on auto pilot. When she pulled on her Exorcist jacket, her finger traced against her scar again, shivering at the feeling of the uneven flesh. With a deep breath, Katsu proceeded to put on her bandages on her arms, thankful that she got Johnny to shorten her sleeves to her elbows. She ran her fingers through her short hair and pulling on her pants before deeming herself presentable. Silently, she made her way towards the cafeteria, stomach growling.
As Katsu travelled through the halls of the Black Order, her mind managed to push past the constrictive protective barriers her brain set up, allowing her to think. She didn't think of much, though. Too wary that the smallest thought would resurface the memories she'd been trying to keep down for the longest time. She wasn't going to let those demon spawns get to her.
She shivered as that thought was the door way that the negative thoughts needed. They already had.
As a result, when she entered the cafeteria, the noise of the multiple conversations happening around her fell on deaf ears. She continued to walk like a robot until she stood before Jerry waiting to order. Her mouth moved and vocal chords worked without her realizing what she said. She only knew for sure that she had ordered something sweet and sugary and in large quantities. Her brain was lingering on those three horrifying words.
"-tsu? Katsu? Are you alright?"
Katsu blinked, her brain finally reburying the nagging thoughts for a later date. She turned to face the person who had spoken. Like a flick of a switch, any and all numbness left her system as the day's previous events returned to her. The only visible sign of any change within her was the twitch of her brow, as she stared back at her brother. God, why did he have to look like her? Why did he have to look just like her?
It makes me more like them, Katsu thought sourly.
"Fine." Katsu snapped.
Allen's head tilted, as a curious, empathetic gleam flickered in his eyes. "Are you sure? It looks like you haven't slept."
Lip twitching, Katsu turned her back to the silver haired boy. "Stop caring. I told you I'm fine. If anyone should know if I'm fine or not, it would be me."
Jerry appeared in the little window with her food, his own empathetic look in his eye. "Here you go, honey. Cheer up, alright?"
With a curt nod, Katsu precariously balanced her many plates full of all things sweet and started towards the only somewhat empty table in the cafeteria; the one by Kanda. On her way, she overheard Jerry tell Allen, "She just had a bad mission is all. She'll be fine by tomorrow."
Katsu frowned as she set her food in front of Kanda's. A brief glance in her direction was the only indication that he recognized her presence. The twitch of his lip, his silent approval.
This was why Katsu enjoyed Kanda's presence. He didn't try to fill the air with pointless small talk, or bother her when it was obvious she was trying to deal with something on her own and didn't want to be bothered. It was a breath of fresh air for her.
In a fluid motion, Katsu sat and dug into her food. Her taste buds barely registered the sweet taste of the sugar as it coated her tongue. The only thing she focused on was the slow buzz that began to over ride her system as she consumed more sugar. As the buzz rose, so did her mood and the more she forgot about that horrid dream. Not to mention it was nice to have a full stomach.
Amongst her hurried inhaling of her food (there really wasn't a more accurate word) Katsu registered Kanda's growing agitation. She took the moment to slow her eating and push through her robot defenses to absorb her surroundings. Amongst the mindless chatter was the quite obnoxious conversation taking place at the finders' table behind Kanda. They were discussing a recent finder's death-the one that had been on the mission with Katsu, she was depressed to recognize. Katsu could usually see no problem with that. She even mourned with them. But they were talking much louder than the other whispers around the room. And they weren't saying very nice things about "the Exorcist that had been on the mission with him."
Katsu's fist clenched, and her muscles tensed ready to spring up and yell at the offending finders. She knew she failed everyone during her mission. Especially the finder who had been with her. She knew this, and she beat herself up about it plenty. She didn't need these worthless, powerless finders to critique her too. It's not like they would have been able to do any better than she did. All the finders could do was find, hold back and die. And die they did. It was almost as if they died faster than cockroaches could procreate.
Kanda beat her to the punch, much to her dismay. In a much calmer fashion than Katsu had been planning. "Be quiet! My meal tastes bad when you talk about dead people and trash talk Exorcists."
The burly finder behind Kanda spun around in his seat glaring. Had his eyes been lasers, Kanda would have had two holes in his head. "Your meal tastes bad? That's how you respect those who have died?"
"No," Katsu snapped, "It's how we respect people who have no respect to those who tried their best. You don't see us trash talking you lot when you die on us, or don't prove your usefulness time and time again. Nor do we mention how replaceable you are in an attempt to make you try harder."
The finder turned his glare on Katsu. "How can you be sure it's always our fault? If you guys did your jobs properly, maybe there would be less finders dying out there."
Katsu faltered, but tried to hide it beneath a glare. She had tried her best. She did try to save him.
Kanda quickly came to her aid. "If you are so afraid of dying, leave. As Katsu said, you're easily replaceable."
The finder cried out in rage, "I have no fear of death. But I won't stand around and watch my comrades die while being disrespected!" He raised his arm to throw a punch at Kanda. Kanda easily avoided the attack, as if it had been performed at a snail's pace before spinning around and grabbing the offending finder in a choke hold. With a resounding gasp, the entire cafeteria turned their attention onto the three of three.
"Do not force your anger onto those that have the power of Innocence simply because you are jealous. If the Innocence had seen something within you, you would be an Exorcist and not a measly finder," Kanda reprimanded.
"Stop it." All eyes turned to face the new voice. With a twitch of her brow, Katsu realized it was Allen. He gripped the wrist Kanda was grasping the finder with. "I know it's probably none of my business, and I have nothing to do with this, but this won't solve anything."
Katsu stood up, glaring at Allen, her hands resting against the table. "You're right. It is none of your business. Back off and stop getting in the damn way."
Blank eyes met fiery ones in a stare down. Allen was the first to speak, breaking the silence. "I apologize for whatever it is that has you angry at me. I'm also sorry that you had an unsuccessful mission, but I really don't think you should take it out on other people." He glanced over to Katsu to signal that his comment was directed at her too.
"You don't know when to shut up, do you Moyashi?" Kanda growled, glaring furiously at Allen.
Allen's attention returned to Kanda, as the red hand around Kanda's wrist tightened, forcing him to release the finder.
"My name is Allen." He retorted.
"Che, I'll bother remembering it if you don't die in a month."
Katsu wanted to blow up at Allen, accuse him of not really being sorry. Tell him that it was completely his fault for messing her life up her already messed up life in the time span of less than twenty four hours. She didn't however, afraid of his answer. Instead, she simply left the room, leaving the two Exorcists in a glaring match that would hopefully not burn the entire Order down.
Not an hour later, those two had been sent on a mission. Katsu spent the rest of the morning with Lenalee and her brother, attempting to clean her brother's office, with little success. The only thing that was successful was Lenalee and Komui attempting to cheer Katsu up until she ended up blowing up at them. Lenalee proceeded to hug her while Komui watched on with knowing eyes, sipping at his coffee. (He was also doing that for the entire time "they" were cleaning.)
Katsu stood awkwardly as Lenalee embraced her. "So it was them again last night? You dreamt of them?" Lenalee asked softly, after listening to Katsu's long rant.
Katsu nodded mutely. All will to talk had left her body after her explosion.
"They aren't going to hurt you anymore. You are stronger and you have us and the entire Order supporting you. You know none of us would allow them to hurt you."
Katsu shook her head. "But they are," she whispered. "And it's as if they're mocking me with Allen's presence. What cruel twist of fate gave me a twin?" Katsu fought off the tears that were prickling the corners of her eyes.
Lenalee didn't reply, simply expressing all her sympathies through her hug. "Not all siblings, let alone twins are like that. You and Allen don't have to be like that." She whispered into her ear, comfortingly, before she let go with a reassuring smile. "Why don't you get some lunch. I'm sure that will help make you feel better."
Taking a deep breath, she nodded. Though, Katsu didn't move until she felt sure that there were no more tears threatening to fall. With a small smile to Lenalee and Komui, she left the room and headed towards the cafeteria.
She was alone, downing another unhealthy amount of sweets when it happened…again.
Like a flick of a switch, the sight of her food in front of her disappeared. All she could see was an unchanging blanket of darkness, as if the lights in the room had gone out. Katsu knew however that the lights had not gone out in the cafeteria. Katsu kept her attention downwards, towards her food. She didn't want the others in the room to react negatively to the eyes that she knew were now red.
She took the darkness in stride though, it wasn't uncommon for her to lose her sight in random intervals. At the very least she wasn't in a battle with akuma.
With the loss of her sight, she was now able to clearly hear all the whispered conversations in the room as well as a faint, pleasant, happy piano melody. Katsu easily recognized the call of Lenalee's Innocence.
A warm flush of Innocence being activated shook Katsu from enjoying the sound of Lenalee's Innocence. It was the same warm feeling Katsu had felt last night when she met Allen…
Her eyes widened. It couldn't be possible. Allen couldn't also be connected to her random blindness, could he? What could possibly trigger it if he was? Was it a reaction that occurred before he activated? No, he had activated the night before and she still had her sight. Was Allen unable to see right now during his mission? Or was it another reaction that only she was subject to?
Katsu stood, planning to head back to Komui's office and demand his opinion when she stumbled, crashing back on to her chair as if she had just been thrown through a wall. The chair fell over and she hit the ground roughly. Her chest felt tight and her head was sore. Quivering, Katsu tried to stand again, a hand cradling her throbbing head.
"Katsu?" Katsu turned slowly at the sound of Jerry's voice. "Is something the matter, hon?"
Katsu shook her head, "I'm fine, just tired. Lost my balance." She smiled reassuringly as she pushed herself up off the floor. Carefully, she made her way out of the cafeteria with experience, holding her right arm out to keep her from walking into a closed door. Her slow but steady progress paid off when she made it to the door without collapsing.
She never made it out the door, though. She managed to turn the handle before gasping out in pain as she felt a claws pierce through her shoulder. Katsu's hand moved from her head to her shoulder, tightening her grip on the door handle.
It took her a moment before she realized that her hand was wet. Gasping, Katsu fought the instinct to bring her moist hand in front of her blind eyes to confirm her suspicions. She knew, despite the visual evidence that she was undoubtedly bleeding.
Mere seconds after this realization that pain tore through Katsu's middle. It felt as if three spears pierced her simultaneously. Katsu stumbled back and fell to the ground at the invisible force. She hit the ground with a thud, other arm falling across her stomach. A wordless cry falling from her lips.
Distantly, as her consciousness faded, Katsu recognized the feeling of blood soaking through her Exorcist robes and into her bandages.
Shorter, I know. But if you dislike the cliff hanger, blame my friend. She suggested that I split this chapter and the next for dramatic effect.
Anyways, reviews are much appreciated. So are suggestions. I'd love to hear what you think of Katsu and the story so far. I may update a little bit quicker for I have the next two weeks off (FREEDOM XD)
Happy Holidays Everyone!