A/N: I know it has been a long time and I'm so sorry ;( have been busy with real life and trying to survive a few 16h shifts at work. But here's some more stuff for you to read on!
Question: I'm complementing on whether I should draw some random illustrations to this or not. What do you think? ;) I did some sketches of Allen/Evelyn just out of boredom the other day, see, but I'm doubtful of showing them to anyone. Haha :)
Also, more Noah action or do we start bringing in the exorcists soon? ;)
Chapter 3: Heating the fire
It was yet another day in the house of Camelot, but no one could deny the tense and murderous atmosphere that wafted all over.
Sheril was mad. Not moderately mad and pissed, but absolutely enraged! Despite all their threats and torture they applied to his red-haired bastard of an assistant, Bookman was yet to utter a word during their "visit".
It was beginning to look like they needed to up their game to the next level again.
"What was Road's relationship with the 14th?" he snarled at the man's face for the hundredth time in the last hour.
Bookman stayed silent and Sheril cackled almost manically. "You do realize that that little runt's time is almost up, don't you? They're Fiidora's germs, and he can take them out, but there's a limit to how long he can keep them at bay before they go on rampage and destroy that pretty ginger's body inside out."
It was once again only silence that greeted him and Sheril almost snapped completely. Instead, to relieve some pent up frustration, he smashed his foot onto the unconscious boy's stomach, and in morbid glee he watched as he gurgled some blood out of his mouth. Sheril gave a small manic giggle.
The doors to the room opened and Wisely came in bouncing in glee.
"Come on now, daddy Desires. Don't be so rude to the guests. I'm sure we're all worried about sis's condition, but I think smashing their faces in isn't the best way to encourage them to talk." he said, smiling widely at the bloody mess.
"Wisely, darling!" Sheril went from blood lust to daddy mode in a split-second and went to greet the recently adopted member of his family with a tight hug.
"But you know, your sister is still missing! And I can't help but worry that traitor might have his hands on her by now! My darling baby girl is in danger!" Sheril whined and rubbed his cheek on Wisely's head, the other looking indifferent to the affections he was receiving.
Lavi coughed on the floor, slowly regaining consciousness.
Sheril released the boy in his arms and turned his gaze on the battered red head.
"Up already? Truth to be told, after all those things we did to you, I'm surprised you can still even breathe, ginger."
Lavi raised his head a little, unsure where he was. Bookman opened his eyes a little, concern burning inside of him for the boy. It was true he was likely already too old to train another individual to carry on the Bookmen duties, but speaking about certain affairs to the Noah would break all the codes and rules that had been set up for thousands of years and greatly affect the war. He was torn, but kept his calm and his mind clear of thoughts.
Wisely was looking at the elder Bookman with a curious expression, his finger placed on his lips.
"You're really a funny one, aren't you? There's absolutely no thoughts running in your head every time I get to see you."
Bookman opened his eyes and stared blankly at the fifth apostle, who merely started back.
Sheril walked over, grouched and grabbed the hold of the red hair stained with blood and raised his head to his eye level.
"Do you see that?" he turned the head towards Bookman. "That old fart couldn't give a shit about you. We've beaten and tortured you so much these past weeks and he won't answer a single question for us."
"T-...that's.. the.. w...way it's... m...meant... t...to be..." Lavi struggled, his voice scratchy and his throat was slightly bent the way the Noah was gripping him.
Sheril snarled and smashed his head on the floor in anger. Lavi groaned and coughed up more blood.
Bookman looked tense, but made no indication he had heard that sickening sound of skull connecting with the stone floor.
"OOOOH!" Wisely grinned, looking at the old man. "He's finally getting a little mad! I can see it in his mind. Not so calm and collected after all, are you?"
Sheril gave a laugh and smiled at this revelation.
"Fetch Fiidora, will you? I think we need some more corrosives planted in that poor, poor boy's body."
"Right-o!" Wisely said and brought his hand into a salute, bounding his way out of the room. He came to a halt, however, and twirled back to look at Sheril.
"I think I hear Rhode!" Wisely exclaimed, looking slightly surprised. "It's faint and far away, but it's definitely her!"
Sheril twirled to look at Wisely.
"You mean my baby girl has regained her powers and is somewhere out there? Why hasn't she come home yet?" Sheril whined, having clearly forgotten about the other two in the room already.
"I dunno. Maybe she isn't fully healed yet or something? The thoughts I feel are a little weak and I was always able to hear other Noah better than humans, if I deliberately sought out to them, so..." Wisely said, looking slightly doubtful.
"Then we have to go and look for her!" Sheril shouted, running out of the room as fast as possible. "Oh, Tricia will be delighted, she's been so worried!"
Wisely gave a last doubtful look at Bookman, before he bounded after Sheril, the akuma guards taking their place besides the door as he did.
Link's eyebrow twitched as he sat legs crossed on the bed.
"She said she cares about /her/ and that we're outsiders that naively think we can affect the war?" Link repeated. He was staring at a red-faced Johnny, who had moments ago come running through the door, looking aghast with a paper bag in his grip.
Johnny nodded.
"Then this means she at least has some connections to the Noah..." Link mumbled. God damn it. Even if she currently didn't remember it herself, it was now questionable whether she was siding with the Noahs or not.
"But if Rhode... if Rhode technically could be on our side now... I mean she did say the Earl might kill her and all..." Johnny started, gripping the paper bag in his hands harder. Link sighed and stared at him sternly, before talking gently.
"There's something fishy going on. I know I didn't tell you much, but... Allen is ... is not 'Allen' anymore. The body change wasn't the only thing that happened. She claims to be a woman named 'Evelyn'. There's more to her, I can tell. Hell, she admitted there is.
Whether or not she's still Allen or Evelyn, she's got severe amnesia, that's for sure, and she's not very trusting. She's still willing to stick with us, but is rather reluctant to talk about any details she still remembers. However, I think we need to question about her loyalties a bit more before we set out."
"Evelyn?" Johnny said, looking straight at Link. "But... what about the 14th? Or Allen for that matter? Maybe I was right, after all..."
"Right?" Link said, looking up from his hands. Johnny scratched his cheek, looking sheepish and feeling rather embarrassed.
"As I was walking out there, I thought that maybe... just maybe it's another curse, you know? I dunno... Allen did have a run in with the Earl before we left the city and... who knows what happened! I only got there after he attacked Allen."
Link looked surprised and considered the option. A curse or a spell that had addled the brains and body; making something force out the Innocence? Be it as it may, the way she had talked to him made him wonder...
"If it was that, I'm sure we'll notice it later, but for now... let's at least pretend she's Evelyn. But to be honest... I'm starting to think she's not kidding. Last night... she, uh... when she was throwing up, she... mentioned both the Earl and the 14th, saying she wasn't the latter."
"Not 14th?" Johnny picked up on that.
"Don't look that happy yet." Link grumbled. "She may have said that, but there's only so much we know about her as it is. Especially when she mentioned it's likely there's someone out to kill her."
Johnny frowned.
"Where is she now, by the way?" Link blushed at this immediately the sentence left Johnny's mouth.
"She... uhm... I left her to bathe downstairs. She was feeling uncomfortable without a proper bath as she woke up."
"So she's going to need clothes to change into, right?" Johnny gave a small smile. "I'll go give this to her then."
"She should recognize you, if you give her your name. I told you were my companion. But what's in that bag, anyway?" Link asked. Now it was Johnny's turn to blush a little.
"Rhode gave these and said they may fit Allen. It looks like a dress and some... underwear." Johnny explained. "I'll just go and get these to her. I'll ask for some breakfast on the way."
He exited the room and headed towards the hallway downstairs. Johnny walked past the innkeeper, asked for a small breakfast and headed to the bathroom to drop off the bag. When he came face-to-face with the door, he knocked.
"Who's there?" came a soft reply.
"Uhm... this is Johnny Gill, I heard Link introduced me already, but... pleased to meet you anyway. I... I picked up some clothes for you as you were asleep. Again, I heard the innkeeper's wife lent you some already, but... after all, having your own would be better, right? And ... and I-"
The door had opened slightly, to reveal an extended hand.
"I thank you, Johnny Gill. I'd open the door and show you myself in all my glory, but... alas, I think you might not appreciate it as much I'd hope."
Johnny blushed beet red and fumbled with the bag. "Anyway, I got these... actually it was Rhode that got you these, but... I..." he stammered, looking horrified at what he'd just slipped out.
"Can I see them, please?"
"Yes, here, take them!" Johnny thrust the bag into the hand, before running upstairs to talk to Link again.
Evelyn leaned her back on the door and listened as the man ran, she supposed, in slight panic back to wherever that Link guy was.
"Rhode, eh?" Evelyn whispered. That name sounded familiar, but she couldn't explain why, nor the fact that why she had felt saddened the moment she'd heard it. She padded in front of the sink and the mirror, still half-naked in a towel, and placed the bag in the sink.
She proceeded to dry herself off and rummaged the bag to reveal the underwear that, she noticed as she dressed, were a perfect fit. This Rhode person... she must have known her well... wait, she? Evelyn grabbed her head as she felt a twinge.
"Maybe I'm just imagining things..." she said to herself, now digging out the dress. "Imagine... dreaming... dreams... my precious Dreams..." she fondled the dress and some tears fell on the fabric before she could stop herself.
It was a simple, light blue dress with long sleeves and a square neck line. She put it on and, as the underwear, it was a perfect fit. As the hem fell completely down, it reached just below her knees.
She straightened the sleeves out and twirled. It really fit her perfectly. But Rhode... but it couldn't be, right? She... she really couldn't have been /her/ Rhode...
At this point of time, she might not remember everything, or almost nothing at all, but Neah... at least she remembered him planning to assassinate the whole family and...
Evelyn massaged her temples. Her head was really hurting and she felt sick to her stomach. There was a constant dull ache at the back of the skull that she was pretty sure was an indication of how the long forgotten memories were starting to slowly surface again.
She looked at herself in the mirror. The reflection was of an unknown young woman, that much she could tell, and she was crying softly. She raised her hand to touch the red line starting from her jawline up to her pentacle, and continued to fondle her slightly damp white hair.
"Cursed..." she whispered, wiped her tears and decided that it was time she faced those two idiots she'd somehow come across.
She hung the towel on the rack to dry off and made sure the tub had drained. Grabbing the bag from the sink, she opened the door and walked down the hallway.
That Link had mentioned Neah... she wasn't sure what their intentions were, but at least... maybe, they wouldn't try and kill her. Link had sounded somewhat sincere when answering her questions and that Johnny...
"Out already?" Charlene smiled over the counter top of the reception desk.
"Yes, thank you very much. I feel so much re-freshened now." Evelyn replied, flashing her a small timid smile. "I left the towel at the rack, I hope you don't mind."
"Don't worry about a thing, dear. Just glad you're feeling so much better now."
She thanked Charlene and continued to walk up the stairs to their room, but she felt hesitant to actually open the door. They seemed to know her, but she didn't know them. She sighed and decided to face the music.
After all, she could bombard them with questions later and hopefully have some honest answers.
Johnny sat on the chair next to the bed in silence, while Link was pacing the floor; both complementing the options they currently were presented with.
"I say we say mention nothing of Road or the Noah for the moment, if she doesn't mention them herself. Let her talk at her own pace, but if there's any funny business..." Link fell silent. "And if she asks anything, we answer. And I think we need to move as soon as possible. Despite what Road said, we need to consider that the others might know where we are located."
Johnny nodded, still nervous about slipping the name to her. There was a small knock and the door opened to reveal a timid looking Allen.
"Hello."
"Welcome back. Feeling much better, I suppose?" Link said tersely, his eyes landing on the dress.
"Yes, thank you. So much better. And thank you for the clothes, Mr. Gill." Allen smiled politely. Johnny was about to say something, but she stopped him and continued teasingly. "Even though I know you weren't the one to actually get them for me."
Link coughed. "I... we were talking about relocating somewhere else. And as you put it yourself, you're willing to stick with us for the moment. I know you're not exactly in the position to remember much about anything, but have you got any suggestions as to what we should do? Your opinion matters as well."
"I'm not exactly sure where we are at the moment so... wherever you think is fine for the time being." she whispered, shifting her eyes between the two men, feeling hesitant. "But... if possible, I wish to find and meet Road. You seem to know her as well, so I thought that maybe..."
Johnny gasped lightly and Link tensed.
"Something wrong?" she asked, looking puzzled.
"... ... admitting you know Road... you must remember something about the Noahs. Are you on their side or are you against them?" Link said, fearing the worst. The 14th was allegedly one to go against the Earl, but this person was something he wasn't so sure about.
"Noah?"
Johnny looked dubious and Link continued. "They're a group of people, including Road, whose goal is to bring forth the end of humanity with the lead of the Millennium Earl. The ones with Innocence are doing their best to stop and kill them as we speak. Which side are you on? If we're to go about together, I think we have at least the right to know this."
She had started shaking violently, biting her lip lightly; and both the scientist and the Crow feared she'd faint or burst into tears.
"I... neither."
"Neither?"
"Neither." she said with determination in her eyes. "And that is all on this topic. You might be helping me, but do note this: your inquiries on this is making me even more dubious of what your intentions are. I haven't forgotten that you're clearly aware of who Neah is."
Link stared at her and she stared back as intensely as she could. He wasn't sure whether or not to talk about the 14th in a more direct way, but decided to evade the topic.
"That may be the case, however I think we should decide upon our new move. And figure out a way to contact Road for you, if you like. But do note this, we're on the run from some officials and the Earl is determined to find you, so we must be careful about it."
Allen said nothing, her eyes blazing with unknown passion as she turned her gazer to stare at the floor.
"And as it's getting chillier day by day, I think it's only fitting we get you a coat while we're at it." Link added. Johnny merely looked on, a sour face gracing his features.