Chapter 10
Idiots
Allen woke up feeling groggy. His body ached with sore muscles and wounds alike. He personally wanted to throttle the Noah for his rough treatment with a needle.
The boy sat up in the soft bed reluctantly, testing the pristine whit bandage on his shoulder. It was well done; sturdy yet flexible. At least Tyki had done one thing right.
"Are you awake, Allen Walker?" The boy's head swung towards the voice, narrowing onto the fat man seated against the wall before him.
"Millennium Earl," he said quietly. "What are you doing here, in this room?"
"Still so polite, even when angered. I'm here to check on my prisoner," he explained with a cheerful chuckle that began to make Allen wary. "It would seem that Tyki patched you up well."
"Why didn't you just tell him to let Road kill me?" Allen demanded bitterly. "Why do you have to toy with me like this?"
The Earl's light-hearted demeanor changed in an instant. He became serious and hard.
"Because I need to be able to use you as my puppet," the Earl replied simply. "Had you stayed with Cross, I do not doubt that you would have become a formidable enemy with great strength and power. Here and now, however, Allen Walker is nothing more than a defenseless boy, and a maimed one at that."
Allen's hand sought out what remained of his left arm, a stub. His eyes sparked with a hatred so deep and strong that it mildly impressed the Earl. But the said man would rather see a different kind of fire burning there. More determination, more conviction and defiance.
"Indeed, you are not even worthy of being an adversary at this point," concluded the Earl. He rose up, ignoring the protests of the boy and walked out of the room. He locked the door just to be on the safe side.
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Outside, Road was waiting for him patiently against the hallway wall.
"What do you think?" she asked solemnly, no trace of a child's emotions in her childish face.
"He does have the potential of wielding his Innocence once more. Our original assessment was correct in that aspect," he admitted.
"But...?" She prodded.
"He has to want his Innocence. He needs to come to terms that it is a part of him, not just in body," said the Earl calmly. His eternal grin widened as an awful, perfect idea formulated in his skull. "I want you to use one of your doors to show him a human village being attacked by Akuma. I want you to remind him of what he fights for."
The girl twirled on a single toe thoughtfully.
"After that, can I make him into a doll?" she asked eagerly.
"Of course. And if he doesn't regain control of his Innocence, you may do whatever you wish with him."
Road grinned her characteristic grin and leaped off. The Earl watched her leave.
"Poor little Allen Walker," he sang."You are certainly doomed whichever way you go."
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Kanda scowled at Toma after the door had been slammed in his face yet again, a result of his rather...aggressive questioning.
"Are you sure this is the right town? The same one that you found Walker in?" he demanded angrily. Toma, to his own credit, remained seemingly unfazed by the youth's open display of anger.
"Yes sir. I pointed out the street in which we met earlier, in which he told me he was being held prisoner in a mansion by the Noah."
Kanda 'tched' in frustration but turned on heel to continue on.
The next place that they came upon was, of course, a grand mansion that had beautiful gardens and wonderful architecture. Even Kanda seemed impressed by this one's estates.
They were about to knock on the elegantly crafted door when it suddenly opened.
"Oh my, visitors?" Asked a strangely dry voice. Inside stood a handsome man in his mid-twenties. His dark curls were slicked into a ponytail, and a beauty mark beneath his left eye was very distinctive.
"I am Tyki Mikk," the stranger greeted them politely. "My brother, Sheryl Camelot, is not here right now. May I help you?"
Kanda opened his mouth to speak, but Toma beat him.
"Sheryl Camelot?! The Portuguese Prime Minister?" He exclaimed.
"Yes. Did you not know?"
Toma shook his head in awe. The Japanese Exorcist rolled his eyes and took in a deep breath.
"We are looking for a twelve-year-old boy. He stands out greatly—"
"The Prime Minister is very protective of his daughter," Tyki interrupted. "We have seen no boys, nor are there any on this property."
"Sounds like Komui," muttered Kanda. Louder he said, "Thank you for your help."
Tyki watched the two depart, whistling once they were out of earshot.
"What idiots. How has this war been going on for so long when people like that are on the other side?" Tyki wondered.