I apologise in advance for the last three chapters. I can't write action and fight scenes to save my life, so I ask you to use your imaginations to fill in the extensive gaps in the description!
YAY FOR REVIEWS!
CrimsonKitsune333- I am very grateful for the (lol)10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 cookies, but is now suffering from a sugar high and can't sleep- therefore ended up finishing the fic days ahead of schedule. AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!
fallendemise21- yes it was pretty fast, I hadn't even had chance to get off the site before it popped up!
CatherineIshida- I feel like I've copped out cos I haven't actually written in the scene where Lenalee spills the news, but I needed to take some time over it and will be posting it as a separate piece at a later date!
Mad-micky- and because you were anticipating the chapters with bated breath- here they are!
Signrain- well here you are then, the next chapter! I totally agree, there should be more AreKan in the world.
Allen-Is-Mine- hehe yes indeedy. Hope you didn't make too much mess!
Babo123- O_O'. I… love you too…
MiniBloodyMurder- why would you say that? It HAS to have a happy ending! It took some doing, but I got the sunshine and roses in there!
knux33- I dedicate chapter 'Bob' to you.
Chapter Twenty-Nine- Bob
Last Time:
"So anyway, three locations, three teams. Two generals to a team. Kanda and Allen, Cross and Cloud and Sokaro and Tiedoll." Komui ran his eyes over the gathered exorcists. "With the addition of Danny, since I'm sure this team will need his innocence, you are all together." He looked like he wanted to say something else, but in the end just shook his head.
"When do we leave?" asked Jim hesitantly.
"As soon as everyone is gathered and briefed. Two days at the most."
Allen hadn't realised just how many exorcists there actually were. He stood in the dining hall where everyone had been told to meet, since Komui's office could never have accommodated them all, leaning against the wall with the other five generals. He allowed his mind to wander a little, since there didn't seem to be much going on as of yet- Komui still hadn't appeared. As he looked over at the gathered exorcists, some of whom had been part of the Order longer than he had, he wondered why only Kanda and himself had been promoted to general in the last few years. They weren't that much better than the others, right? Or maybe they were, far be it for him to question his own power levels in relation to the others. He knew he was stronger than they were, he just hadn't expected the gap to be quite so large.
He also vaguely noticed the other generals, except Kanda, who of course was trying his damnedest to ignore everything, kept casting him furtive looks, as though expecting him to do something… Noah-y.
He was half-tempted to turn and shout 'boo!' at them just to see what would happen. On second thoughts though, attempting to frighten a group of people who wouldn't hesitate to draw their weapons on him was perhaps not the way to go. Well, he'd probably be safe from Cross, if only because the older man would be too busy watching the others blow him to fine dust. The redhead wasn't too happy with Allen right now since the younger man had suggested he was going grey.
Once he might have been disheartened by their attitude, their distrust, but nowadays he didn't let such things bother him. He'd already been through that once, he'd learnt to deal with it, and though it sounded almost unbearably mushy, as long as his friends supported him, he'd be fine. He grinned at the thought as his eyes sought out Lenalee and Lavi standing among the other exorcists, chatting happily to Miranda, Krory and Chaoji. Jim and Danny were standing to one side, annoying Lanel. Allen couldn't tell whether it was working or not- despite Lanel's increasing humanity, his face was still hard to read. Saying that though, he'd changed a lot in the last year, and Allen wondered whether Lanel would be able to go back to his previous life with the Avira once the war was over and he was allowed to go home.
Allen caught his old master looking at him and offered him a cheeky grin and a half wave. Cross looked like he was going to bite through his cigarette if he carried on grimacing like that, Allen thought, his grin widening. When Cross' face started to blend in with his hair Allen figured he should probably to prod a response from the now scarlet-faced man.
He turned away to see Kanda watching him covertly from the corner of his eyes, an amused expression on his face. "So, now you're a big, bad Noah, you're willing to risk death to wind up Cross?" the Japanese man muttered quietly so only Allen could hear.
"What's life without a little risk?" he whispered back, leaning his head against the wall and closing his eyes, bringing his hand up and rubbing it across his face with a tired sigh, his light mood dissolving in seconds. "What's taking so long?"
"Tch," Kanda snorted beside him. "Idiot supervisor probably fell asleep."
"Right everyone!" Komui exclaimed, bursting through the doors exuberantly and making a couple of finders fall over in shock. "Are we ready to get this show on the road?"
Along the wall to Allen's left, the large scary form of General Sokaro shifted as he groaned loudly at the supervisor. "We've been ready for the last two goddamn fucking hours!"
"Well, it's my job to make sure everything's ready…"
"And it's my job to kill things" he hefted his innocence meaningfully "so get on with it!"
Komui cleared his throat and adjusted his beret. "So… Allen?"
Allen nodded and left the room, heading off to the science department and the Ark, slipping through the portal and heading straight for the piano room. He could do this job without using the instrument now, but it wouldn't do to let everyone know of this new ability.
Once Allen had left the dining hall Komui consulted his clipboard. "Right, Team One, you're off first, so if you'll all go to the Ark entrance now and wait for further instructions?"
Tiedoll smiled serenely at the exorcist that moved forward, his own students Marie and Choaji, Kat, the new girl that Allen had picked up a couple of months ago named Kat, and one of his older students, another girl, as well as one of Kanda's past students, and two new finds of his own. Seven exorcists and two generals against who knew what. Sokaro brought up the rear, sneering at the very young looking team members who walked before him, following the fizzy-haired general like ducklings.
Automatically the two remaining teams gathered up, waiting for their orders. Cloud cast her eye over the assembled members of her own team- Krory, Miranda, Bookman, one of Allen's and one of Kanda's ex-students, the one that Sokaro had found, but refused to take on and her own singular find. It puzzled her that the youngest generals had been more successful at finding accommodators than the older ones, but it still wasn't enough. There had only been twelve new finds in the last few years, and only eleven of them were still alive. While she was checking over her own team, Cross was checking her out, apparently unconcerned about the other members of their nine-man group.
The others gathered 'round Kanda, though only Lavi seemed brave enough to stand within arms length of the man. Either that, or the redhead was trying to keep as far away from Lenalee as possible.
Komui consulted his watch thoughtfully. "Alright, team two, up you go, they'll be ready for you now."
0o0o0o0o0
Allen was bored. He sat on the piano stool purely because it was there, dragging his boots across the floor. The first team, plus the number of finders that the teas had also been assigned had already passed through without problems and he was waiting for the second team to arrive before he opened the link to the second of the Earl's locations. Somehow he didn't think that either of the two teams would encounter the Earl wherever they headed. The message alluded that Millennium wanted to talk to the Noah and would most likely be waiting to see which location Allen and his team turned up in.
He wondered what would happen if all the exorcists died today. Who would find the future exorcists of the Dark Order ready to try again if they failed?
"Idiot!"
Cross' voice startled him from his musings abruptly. "Yeah, yeah, keep your grey hair on" he muttered, double checking the connection.
"I know you just said something uncomplimentary about me under your breath, you're dead when I get my hands on you, you filthy brat."
"It's not like I could say anything complimentary, I don't tell lies" Allen said over the speaker, and heard General Cloud laugh in response.
"You're lucky I have better things to be doing right now, idiot, or I'd kill you for that" Cross told him, lighting a fresh cigarette.
"Uh-huh, I look forward to best efforts" Allen grinned. "That door on your left. Bye now. Don't get killed, eh?"
"Good luck, idiot."
Heaving a sigh once the second team had vanished; he left the room and went down the empty white streets to wait for his own team. It wasn't long before the rest of the team and their finders, each of which was laden down with medical supplies and light talisman equipment were standing before him. He and Kanda might have had the smallest of the three teams, but he knew that, aside from the fact that they all already knew about the Noah, even the carefully selected finders had been briefed, they were all his friends and he could trust them at his back as they went into this. He looked 'round at them and opened his mouth to say something, but found Kanda's hand clamped across it before he'd even got a word out.
"Shut up. No long-winded goodbyes or noble speeches. You can say whatever mushy thing you want to say once we get back home."
Allen pulled a face, but nearly all of the expression was hidden behind the hand so it was mostly lost and completely ignored. He rolled his eyes instead and gestured to a door further along the street on the right. Kanda still hadn't removed his hand from Allen's mouth, as though expecting that as soon as he did Allen would start spouting some self-sacrificing and utterly embarrassing shit that would make him want to puke. He figured if Allen stayed silent for now, everyone would be happier. He kicked Lavi towards the door with a firm push on his backside from his booted foot, and the others followed the redhead in the direction in which he was pointed in oh-so helpfully by the long haired general.
Once all curious eyes were turned away, Kanda removed his hand from Allen's mouth and replaced it with his own before the other man could spoil the moment and speak. Allen was a little peeved that Kanda was making him stay quiet and decided to play dumb while the other man kissed him. He pointedly looked everywhere but at Kanda and kept his arms firmly at his sides and tongue in his mouth as though completely unaffected by the kiss. Kanda rolled his eyes. Little shit. He moved one of his hands away from where they were resting on the younger man's waist and slid it between them, grasping hold of Allen and squeezing gently. Allen squeaked in surprise, eyes darting to where the others were walking away, chatting amongst themselves and apparently not noticing what was going on behind them. He looked back at Kanda who was watching him carefully at the same time as licking the roof of his mouth and pressing his palm firmly against the front of Allen's coat-covered groin. Allen's look turned murderous as he realised what the older man was doing and decided that if he wanted to play dirty, dirty he would get.
So he arched slowly into the hand, moving his hips in a way to increase the pressure, but he still didn't kiss the man back, instead slipping his hand into Kanda's coat pocket, and ripped a hole in the material so he could slip his whole hand through it, where he then proceeded to unzip Kanda's fly and stroke him.
Kanda's dark eyes widened in surprise when he realised what Allen was doing and tried to pull away, but a sharp tug on his belt warned him not to move.
"Moyashi, what…" he hissed through clenched teeth as he tried to stop himself making a noise and drawing attention to what Allen was doing.
"You started this" Allen whispered back, removing his glove one-handed by rubbing the cuff against Kanda's body, and slipping the material over Kanda's hardening length. "I know I wouldn't want to walk around in a mess, much less fight in one" he smirked at the questioning eyebrow.
"It'd be a shame to waste the other glove" Kanda replied and drew the white material off Allen's left hand and went for his fly, the style of Allen's coat meant he only had to lift it a couple of inches to get proper access.
"Where's Yuu and Allen?" Lavi asked as he reached the door, turning around to find that the two generals were missing. Lanel pointed further down the street where two black blobs were still standing close together.
"They're probably spewing sweet nothings before the battle" Jim said in disgust, though he quickly added, "but I bet it's really cute and romantic and I uh… Xanthe! Come here and let me murmur sweet nothings to you!" when his girlfriend turned a razor sharp piercing glare at him.
"Shall I go and get them?" asked Lenalee
Lavi frowned at her. "No. I'll go. I wouldn't want you to push yourself." He seemed to realise what he was saying and added, looking a little red and flustered. "You look really tired and we've got a big fight to come, so just save your strength, alright?"
She rolled her eyes, but gestured Lavi to go right ahead.
Lavi approached quietly. He wanted to hear anything romantic and sweet for possible blackmail material and knew if they heard him coming they would go back to being all stoic and silent, and in Kanda's case homicidal. Funny thing though, he couldn't actually hear anything at all.
Allen's face was pressed against Kanda, his forehead resting on his shoulder, so Lavi couldn't see his expression, and from what he could see, Kanda's back was extremely tense, as though he was forcing himself to be still. He slipped a little closer, keeping to the shadows of the doorways. Maybe Allen was crying and Kanda was being all nice and soothing, whispering endearments and comforting phrasings and grunting and… what?
Lavi suddenly fell very still. Oh dear Lord they weren't, were they? Kanda bucked once, accompanied by another of those rough hoarse noises he'd just heard, like it was forced out from behind clenched teeth against the will of the person making it. He decided to leave right now and try and convince himself that his friends weren't doing that, and maybe Allen had just punched him in the stomach or something.
"S…s…so clo…s…se… f…faster Moyashi"
"I'm… ah… try…trying BaKanda! It's h…hard to con…concentrate with your hah…hand down my pants!"
Lavi ran.
"Well, where are they?" Lenalee asked once he'd come back, an odd green tinge to his face. Lavi shook the blanket flashback from his mind. "They're a little... busy. They'll be coming… uh; they'll be here in a minute"
Lenalee blushed and giggled, putting her hand over her mouth to cover the noise. "And Kanda calls you a rabbit!"
Lavi shuddered, and his face flushed further when Allen and Kanda walked up behind them, apparently unconcerned about anything and either not noticing or ignoring the awkward looks everyone was giving them.
"So, we ready to go?" Allen asked once they'd reached them.
"We are now you've come" Lenalee said with a perfectly straight face.
They both looked at her, and then around the group, finally settling on Lavi who looked like all he wanted to do was curl up in a corner and cry. Jim was patting him on the shoulder in a comforting way.
"Where are your gloves?" asked Lenalee, as though she didn't already have a sneaking suspicion.
An evil look passed over Allen's face as he watched Lavi cringe. "They got all dirty" he said. "They were just no use any more." And he looked slightly vindicated when Lavi appeared to start rocking back and forth. "So, are we ready?"
0o0o0o0o0
"I don't think the Earl is here" Tiedoll said, sounding a little relieved. Sokaro just growled. "Dammit, I was looking forward to a real battle. Not even a Noah. This isn't worth my time!"
Tiedoll put out an arm to stop the large man before he could walk away. "If the Earl isn't here" and he gestured at the milling Akuma, then the other teams are in danger. But we can't leave these Akuma to wander freely."
Marie came up beside the two generals. "There are a large number of Akuma three miles that way, but they are disappearing quite fast. I think that is Cross and Cloud's team. The Earl is not with them."
Tiedoll looked back across the field, his kind face pulled into a thoughtful frown. "The as the supervisor suspected, the Earl's true target is Walker. We have to hurry."
"We need to get their attention. If they're left to wander about, they may attack an innocent village. Any ideas?"
"I have one" Choaji said from behind them as he lifted a rock three times as big as he was over his head.
"Let 'em have it, boy" Sokaro said, "but don't get in my way."
0o0o0o0o0
There were Akuma everywhere. Neither of the Generals knew where to start. The exorcists at their backs spread out in a line, facing the gathered Akuma. The machines appeared to have been laying in wait for them. They probably had been, after all, the Earl had been aiming to divide their forces.
"Well shit, this doesn't look good" Cross muttered around the lightly smoking cigarette. Beside him, Cloud reached up and stroked a finger along her monkey-shaped innocence. "Indeed, it could be better." She shot him a sidelong look. "You're not afraid are you, Cross?"
He snorted inelegantly. "Of course not. I was merely commenting on the fact that the Earl isn't here."
"And that's not good?"
"Not when it means he's somewhere else, like the location of one of the other teams."
"We'll have to make this quick then, the other teams will need our help" Cloud replied, looking behind her at the other exorcists, gaining a brief nod from Miranda. She'd keep them safe as long as they got this over with quickly.
"Let's get to it"