Requiem of Time: Chapter Five - Allen
"We're finally here, Kevin." Allen smiled as they stopped before the entrance of a walled town in the middle of Germany. He was so tired - it had been four or five days no with sleep - but he had finally reached his destination.
Kevin had his hands on the straps of his pack as he stared at the large walls curiously. "And you believe there is an Innocence candidate in there, Marshal Walker?"
Allen stuck his hand through the gap between walls. A green light most associated with Innocence flickered and crackled. Allen pulled his hand out, unharmed. "Yes, I do." Kevin stared, dumbfounded. Clenching his fist a few times after the sensation, Allen continued, "Unfortunately, it only allows those carrying Innocence inside, so you must remain out here. In fact, from what I've heard, this may take a great deal of time. It might be best if you took residence in the nearby town, Kevin. I will call you when it is done."
Kevin had more than a few questions, from how Allen knew about the town to how he knew how long it would take, but he respectfully didn't ask them. Exorcists were Exorcists, Marshals more so, and he was just a Finder. Nodding once, he turned to leave.
Allen was halfway through the gate when he stopped. With the green light swirling around him like fire, Allen said, "Please refrain from contacting the Headquarters until I have the candidate. Thank you." He stepped the rest of the way, vanishing from sight.
Kevin stared at what appeared to be an empty street - where Allen had just vanished to - before finally sitting down near the gate with a sigh. He would wait there everyday, leaving only to sleep at the recommended next town, until the Marshal returned, no matter how long it took.
Smiling behind his facemask, Kevin pulled out a sketch book and began working on an old project. Ever since he had worked for Marshal Tiedoll two years ago, he had always kept one around with him. He hoped one day to show Froi his works. Praise from him would mean much to the young Finder.
Allen smiled as he strode from street to street, each person he came across ignorant of their predicament. There couldn't have been more than fifteen repeats so far, although it was impossible to tell, and he was sure Miranda was tearing her hair out in frustration and worry.
She was harder to find than he thought she would be, however. Allen checked her home first and found it to be empty. From there he moved to the alley he had first met her in and later the bar the introductions had been made at.
From what he had observed of Lenalee, Allen figured that she would not remember either and thus be following the same track everyday. However, for the life of him he could not remember what that path was. He sighed. Looking up suddenly, Allen sweat-dropped when he realized he was lost.
Allen kept a sharp eye out for Miranda as he passed through alley after alley. Of the few people he saw, none were even close to the woman he was searching for. Finally, he stumbled back onto a main road and oriented himself. Shaking his head at the futility of the search, Allen walked back to Miranda's house and let himself in. She would come to him.
****
Allen had completed his seventh floor of cards in the tower he was building when the door finally opened. He was to his feet in a flash, the tower collapsing in a messy clutter. He opened his mouth to explain himself, but his words caught in his throat at the sight of person. Thin as a reed, with cheeks sunken from malnourishment, she had brown hair pulled into a bun with loose strands all over the place. Wide, frantic eyes completed the assembly, and they appeared to be locked in that position permanently.
This Miranda Lotto looked nothing like the woman he knew, whose brown hair was much longer and styled in a wild manner, wore an Exorcist's coat and pants, and had a much more curvaceous body. The difference took him off-guard.
Miranda moved faster than he did, with her wide eyes growing even wider at the sight of him before tearing with joy and smiling. With her door still open, she leaped into him hard enough to throw him to the floor and hugged him tightly. "Allen!"
The white haired Exorcist was stunned, at what she did as much as what she said. Didn't that mean-? Didn't that mean that she…? "Miranda?" he croaked, not sure if he heard her right or if it was just a sleep-deprived hallucination.
Miranda continued to hug him as her tears of joy turned to tears of relief. "Oh Allen I was so scared! I kept thinking your wife was going to come and kill me and since I don't have my anti-Akuma weapon I can't fight back and I know she doesn't remember me and without you I know there's no way I could have won and I was so scared!"
Allen finally closed his mouth and a wide grin spread across his face. Unable to help it, he began laughing. It was almost too good to be true.
Miranda's ramblings cut off sharply at the sound of him laughing, but she relaxed once she realized it was genuine. Not insane. Allen is not insane, Miranda thought fiercely.
Lifting both of them to their feet, Allen finally took notice of where Miranda's arms were: around his coat. It meant nothing really - at least, he thought it meant nothing - but ever since Rhode had asked him to leave his coat open he always noticed exactly how people hugged him. Miranda was always around his coat, but Cloud Nine always brought her arms inside, hugging his flesh. Lenalee was usually on the outside, although there had been a few times she had gone inside as well. Rhode, Allen thought with an amused grin, also went inside, although she had this trick she could do with her shoulders that always removed his coat completely. Still, he was sure it meant nothing.
Back on her feet, Miranda moved her arms to grip his shoulders and began examining him closely, turning him whatever way she wished. "You haven't been sleeping," she chided with motherly concern. When Allen opened his mouth, she cut him off. "Don't lie to me, Marshal Allen "Musician" Walker! I know those bloodshot eyes better than anyone."
Allen grinned sheepishly. When Miranda used his full title, he knew better than to argue.
"And knowing you," Miranda continued, "you have probably been pushing yourself to your limits for no reason whatsoever." Suddenly, she let go of his shoulders, and Allen stumbled as she had practically been holding him off the ground. "See, you are barely on your feet! You are getting a proper night's rest tonight - No arguing! - and we will talk about what has happened after and only after that."
Allen's teeth clicked as his mouth shut and just nodded. Over the years, Miranda had expanded her role as a support Exorcist into 'supporting' them at all times, Akuma or no. Trying to go against her wishes was as bad as arguing with the Head Nurse at Headquarters. She was going to do what she thought was best for you and you were going to like it.
Seeing his nod, Miranda's stern look dropped and she smiled pleasantly. "Now, would you like something to eat? I have tea." Allen couldn't help but chuckle as she dragged him into the kitchen. It was good to have Miranda back.
****
As opposed to her former commanding presence, Miranda was a different person entirely when they finally retired for the night. She held her dress before her almost-white shift when she entered the room, eyes downcast and a blush on her cheeks. Her hair was out of its bun, looking more familiar to Allen if not as long.
Not meeting his eyes as she reached her bed, Miranda muttered shyly, "I'm sorry that I'm not as beautiful as the other women you take to bed."
Allen, sitting upright in her bed already, laughed at that. Tired as he was, the sound came out almost ragged, and he missed Miranda's sharp look at the sound before relaxing. "Miranda, you are the only one who actually apologizes when I barge into their sleeping life." He felt ready to pass out right there, nightmares or no, but he forced himself to smile up at her. "Besides, you have nothing to apologize for in looks. Put some meat on your bones and let your hair down a bit and I bet you can get Lavi to "STRIKE!" you."
Miranda put her hands on her cheeks in horror, and she appeared scandalized by the blush tingeing her face. "Let my hair down?!" she almost screeched.
Allen blinked at her, too tired to think of why she was acting that way. "Yeah, it looks better like this, not the bun."
Miranda had a hand over her heart as she glared at him. He really needed to work on his phrasing. Abruptly, she realized she had dropped the dress she had as a buffer between her and his eyes and blushed again. Thick as her shift was, she still felt embarrassed. She blew out the candle rather quickly before going under the blankets.
Tired as he was from days of no sleep after a horrid night of nightmares, Allen was out rather quickly. Miranda smiled as he curled up against her, much like a child to a mother, and wrapped an arm around him protectively - from the nightmares, if need be. He really had seen too much in this world. Looking innocent as a babe in the moonlight filtering through the window, Allen truly didn't deserve half of what he had to deal with. With an eye that belong to Mana, a mind to the Fourteenth, a hand to humanity, and a hand to the Akuma, how much of Allen belonged to himself?
And he's not insane, Miranda thought firmly. She prayed to God he wasn't, although she couldn't ignore the ice clawing her insides. Lenalee is wrong. I know she is.
****
Breakfast the next morning found the pair deep in discussion.
"So you're saying Lenalee didn't recognize you or anything when you were at the Headquarters?" Miranda asked for clarification, surprised. "But she was taken right after you. It happened too fast to see everything, but I know I saw you and Lenalee taken first."
Allen shrugged in his gold-lined black coat. "I can only tell you what I saw," he said around a mouthful of food.
Miranda frowned into her coffee cup before taking a sip. "That's strange." Lifting her eyes she saw Allen still shoveling an ungodly amount of food into his mouth. Keeping him around was going to really ruin her with her current jobless status. "So what are we going to do now?"
Allen shrugged. "Wait for Lenalee, I suppose. Perhaps we could find a job at the carnival or something until then. When the time comes we'll send you and your Innocence back to Headquarters so that you may have your anti-Akuma weapon back."
Miranda licked her lips. "And Rhode?"
Allen winced, a truly pained look entering his eyes. Miranda immediately regretted asking and wished she could take it back. It was strange seeing Allen, the man better known as Marshal Walker, looking so unsure of himself. Strange enough he looked so much younger, but worse to see such a foreign expression on his face after so long.
"I-I don't know," Allen finally whispered. By his silence after, Miranda knew not to pursue the topic.
Finishing the rest of her coffee, Miranda changed the subject. "Ready to head out?" Allen nodded glumly, setting down his last plate on top of the giant stack. Miranda deadpanned at its size; she really was going to go broke, even in a town that rewound itself each day.
The moment the duo started outside, the kids began their song. What they didn't expect, however, was that Allen would be there and that he would not approve.
"Miranda, Miranda, Unlucky Woman Miranda!" They chanted. "Hated and Dark and Cl- Urk!"
Allen grabbed the lead boy, Peter, by the scruff of his neck and lifted him until they were eye to eye. "An unsightly child, aren't you?" he muttered disdainfully after a brief inspection. Dropping the boy, Allen quickly removed Peter's beanie and fixed his scarf. A second later Allen tucked his shirt in straightened his pants.
Allen ran an eye up and down the boy before nodding once. "There, now your mother will be proud. You really should be nicer to others, you know. Miranda is a good friend of mine, and I would appreciate it if you would stop teasing her. Thank you." He smiled.
The other boys stared, gob smacked, while Peter didn't even bother lifting his jaw. Then, sense came back to them and they ran, Peter yelling, "Crazy old man!" on the way.
Allen blinked as they disappeared from sight. "Old man? Hey Miranda, do I look like an old man?" He turned to see Miranda giggling into her hand.
"My knight in shining armor, Allen, and yes, you do look like an old man. I think it's the way you walk," she exclaimed before latching herself to his arm pleasantly. He was the counter to all the misfortune in her life, intentionally or not.
"Oh," Allen said as they headed out. "I could have sworn it was the hair." Miranda laughed.
****
The next day found them at one of the town's many stores.
"How about this one?" Allen asked again, already on his fifth hat. This one was a black top hat with a black ribbon blending almost seamlessly with the fabric.
Miranda considered it before shaking her head again. "I'm sorry, Allen. I guess I'm still a fan of the one with silver and pearls."
Allen looked at her, surprised. "I haven't worn that one since before I was promoted Marshal, years ago."
"I know, but it looked good with the silver on the Exorcist's coat and Crown Clown."
Allen snapped his fingers. "Crown Clown! Here I was thinking about black and gold, but I'm definitely going to need some silver or white in there." Looking through the store's vast selection, he sighed when nothing really stood out right away. "What I wouldn't give for my last hat…"
"Speaking of, where exactly did you get that one?" She liked that one too; it did go better with the Marshal coat. Allen liked his hats just right. Browsing through a shelf, Miranda suddenly hooked her foot around its wooden leg and promptly fell to the ground, the shelf falling as well. Hats spilled everywhere, causing the owner to groan about unlucky women.
Allen smiled as he helped her back to her feet and righted the shelf. As he picked up the fallen hats, he answered, "It was a gift."
"From wh-" Miranda's mouth clicked shut suddenly.
Allen smiled sadly at her despite her slip. "No, it wasn't from… Rhode actually. It was from Tyki, on my wedding day. It was an acknowledgment that the past was "water under the bridge," specifically him forgiving me for attempting to exorcise him as long as I forgave him for eating a hole in my heart."
Miranda stared at him as he began chuckling after that, cheerfully placing the last of the top hats back on the shelf. She shivered at the sound, forcing herself to believe it was a natural sound at something he thought was funny. Damn you, Lenalee…
Before his hand left the last hat, Allen paused. Smiling he picked it up and tried it on. "How about this one?" Black fabric, black ribbon - like the one before - but there was a gold pattern sewn into the ribbon. "At least until I get the Crowned Clown back."
Miranda considered it, repressing her darker thoughts down. "Maybe… Here, let me see your deck of cards." Allen handed it to her, confused. Smiling, Miranda took one particular card and slid it into place behind the ribbon. Allen looked at it and smiled too - the ace of spades, similar to his last hat.
After purchasing and donning his new top hat, Allen and Miranda set out again. Turning a cruel grin towards Miranda, Allen asked, "Do you want to get back at those kids?"
For once, Allen wasn't alone in laughing darkly.
****
"Nooooooooooooooooo!"
Allen just found out that, due to Miranda's uncontrolled Innocence, his hat was no longer with him the next morning.
****
"Target rounds the corner in five seconds… four… three… two… one… Now, Miranda!"
Miranda jumped out with a triumphant shout, hurling a lollipop as hard as she could towards the arrogant bully. The sweet spun in one arc, two, three… And the boy snatched it out of the air with a surprised look.
Smirking at Miranda, Peter started up the chant along with others as he licked the thrown candy. "Miranda, Miranda, Unlucky Woman Miranda!"
Allen frowned from his hiding place. That idea hadn't been one of their best yet, but what kind of kid had that kind of reflexes? "Achoo!" Allen suddenly sneezed. Looking back up, he noticed the lollipop was gone from the kid's hand, Peter looking surprised at his hand. Beyond Peter, Allen noticed the swirl of colors pressed against a far wall, held in place by a glowing yellow bolt.
Allen blinked at that, and looking down at his arm he noticed his Innocence was in its gun form. Huh, when did that happen? he asked himself in feigned ignorance. Looking back at the kids, he smirked when he saw them running away and screaming again.
Miranda shook her head as she reentered the alley. "I don't think my luck is good enough for this, Allen."
Allen just smiled, deactivating his Innocence. "Don't worry, we have time and as many tries as we need. We'll get them, Miranda."
****
"Here they come," Allen whispered next to her.
Miranda laughed darkly, pulling off the wheel for the cart of tomatoes. Moving to the other side, she gave the cart a little push to the side. Both Exorcists watched as the cart teetered back and forth, going further and further each time. Just as the boys were next to it, it tipped its furthest - a tomato began rolling as gravity did its work - and threatened to spill its load onto them. Then, the moment passed and the cart leaned back the other way.
Both Miranda and Allen watched with wide eyes as the cart leaned their way and a pile of tomatoes poured out on them.
****
"Operation mushy plum is a go!" Allen informed, a pair of binoculars in his hands.
Both were on the roof of a building, waiting for the boys to come into their sight. Miranda held a sling-shot loaded with, as the name suggested, mushy plums. She chuckled as she pulled the rubber. The boys came into sight, Peter at the lead. Pulling back even further, Miranda tried to aim the childish toy.
SNAP!
Allen watched, surprised, as the rubber snapped, recoiling mushy plums onto Miranda's face. Before he could comment, however, Miranda slipped and slid off the roof, screaming the whole way.
Now alone, the Marshal blinked at the place Miranda had fallen. "There's always tomorrow, I suppose."
****
Pimpin' Peter and his gang watched as a suspicious man with white hair approached, cloaked in black with his hood up. Before Peter could ask what the man wanted, the stranger held his arm up to signal silence - a deformed arm in an horrific red color. The boys took a step back at the sight of it, disgusted.
They heard the stranger chuckle darkly, the sound coming in deep reverberations. "You boys look brave… but are you brave enough to enter that alley-" he pointed "-now that the witch occupies it?" Still chuckling, the stranger continued on his way.
Looking around at each other, the boys all shrugged and entered the alley.
They huddled closer together as it began to get darker, a black canopy above blocking off the sun. Near the end was a collection of worn cloth, junk, and other sinister things gleaming in the shadows. Just before they reached that end, one of Peter's friends whimpering - where was the witch? Don't witches each children? - they heard a sound behind them. They spun on their heels.
A form stood there, a wide brimmed, pointy hat giving it away as the witch. It wore a patchwork cloak with it, masking most of her features. The witch cackled madly, brandishing a gnarled stick: her wand.
As one, the boys screamed, and the cackling only increased. In a moment of panic, Peter grabbed the closest object, in this case a trashcan lid, and chucked it at the witch. The laughter stopped short as it made contact with the witch's head. Catching the idea, the other boys began grabbing things and hurling them at the witch.
In no time, Miranda was buried under a pile of trash and junk and watched helplessly as the boys ran away free. She screamed in frustration.
****
Miranda and Allen peaked their heads out from the alley they were hiding in. This time they couldn't fail. In fact, Miranda made sure it was Allen doing most of the work so that her luck wouldn't be a factor. They chuckled darkly together - a scary sight.
Suddenly, the duo heard a large 'thud' behind them. Neither turned around, searching for those dreaded bullies. The heavy, metal arm of an Akuma gripped Miranda's shoulders, spiked claws threatening to dig into her flesh. It's other hand, a curved blade, was bared and in preparation for use.
"Where is the Innocence?" The Akuma droned automatically, waiting for an answer before it killed its target.
Miranda kept looking while Allen made a shooing motion behind him. "Go away, we're busy."
The Akuma, a Level Two, blinked at that. Didn't humans usually run away in fear? It's curiosity, a benefit of leveling up, got the better of it and it asked, "Doing what?"
Neither turned to look at it. "We are trying to get back at these kids who keep bullying Miranda. They deserve a taste of their own medicine."
Without warning, the Akuma released Miranda and was crouched next to them, also peaking its head out for any sign of the kids. "Oh, I love pranks."
Miranda and Allen froze at that, turning to face each other with wondering gazes. Then, as one, they turned to the Akuma. And grinned. "Welcome to the team."
****
"Rrrrroooooaaaaaarrrrrr!" the Akuma roared at the boys trapped inside the alley. Peter and his gang were clutching each other in fear, too scared to scream or run. The Akuma was big, big enough to prevent the boys from slipping around it, and was decorated with blades and guns. Not to mention it had the metallic head of a lion, marred only by the mask-like face that most Level Ones and Twos had. "Time to eat puny humans!"
One of Peter's friends made a strangled cough, the closest any got to a scream. One wet himself. They shook like leaves at the mere sight of the Akuma.
"Stay away from those boys!" a voice suddenly shouted from the other end of the alley.
Akuma and boys alike turned to see a woman standing there, holding herself up defiantly before the fearsome demon. Peter's eyes widened when he saw that it was Miranda of all people coming to his rescue. He promised himself right there he would never pick on her again… If he got out alive.
Screaming, Miranda charged and threw something at the Akuma. A large cloud of smoke appeared and engulfed the Akuma. By the time it cleared, all were surprised to see that the Akuma was gone. Miranda stood there with a smug look, hands on her hips and staring at the place the Akuma had been.
"Thank you so much, Unluck- I mean Miranda!" Peter shouted, and the others were quick to agree.
Miranda turned to face them and opened her mouth to speak, but then time slowed down. A black cloaked figure jumped down from the roof just before her, drawing a large sword along the way. The sword was twice as long as Peter was tall. They stared in mute shock as the newcomer turned smoothly and slid the sword home inside Miranda's stomach.
They could do nothing but watch as the woman who had just saved them, the woman they picked on whenever they could, fell back with a shocked look on her face. They covered their eyes, afraid of the coming blood spurt. When they could finally peak through their fingers, they saw Miranda lying on the ground, not moving, with the giant sword still stuck in her middle.
The black cloaked man turned to face them, chuckling madly. After the Akuma, they had the adrenaline to run 100 miles. And run they did.
Allen blinked as four little blurs passed by him, not seen again afterwards. It was then he began laughing, and the 'dead' Miranda joined in, wriggling on the ground with the sword still through her. A booming reverberation told them the Akuma had reappeared and joined in as well. The three laughed in their own ways - Miranda in triumph, Allen darkly, and the Akuma in regular good-humor - until another black cloaked form came streaking through the air and crushed the laughing Akuma flat.
Allen and Miranda's laughter died to little chuckles as the Akuma exploded into a large cloud of smoke. They turned knowing looks to the newest-comer.
Lenalee stood there, clothes still ruffling from the force of the explosion. The Exorcist's coat bared proudly in place of a black dress told them what they needed to know.
Brushing off her uniform that ended much too soon for a modest woman of the later 19th century, Lenalee turned a neutral look towards Allen. "Marshal Walker, you really should be more careful with Akuma, especially a Level Two," she cautioned with a respectful voice.
With one hand in the pocket of his open coat, Allen smirked at her. "You can stop the act."
Lenalee gave him a blank look. "…What do y-"
"We know, Lenalee," Miranda added meaningfully.
Lenalee stared at her dumbly. How could I forget Miranda would be able to tell Allen he's not alone? Well, there goes that. Sorry, Lavi. After sighing, she gave them a sheepish smile. "Caught me."
****
"You two go on ahead," Allen suggested after greetings and explanations. "If Lenalee is here, that means…" He couldn't finish, but the pained smile told them what he meant.
Miranda smiled back and gave one nod. "Of course, Allen. We'll meet back at my house." She then turned a decidedly cool gaze towards the female Exorcist. "That gives Lenalee and I a chance to… talk alone."
Allen didn't pick up the tone, only nodding before leaping up to the roof and moving for a good vantage point to the entrance of the city.
Lenalee gulped as Miranda practically dragged her the rest of the way.
****
"So Marshal Walker is in there?" the Finder Toma asked mildly as he set up his tarot cards.
Next to him, Kevin hummed in assent, consumed by his newest drawing. He had completed much of his sketch book waiting for the Marshal. "Yes, he somehow knew about an Innocence candidate inside before any of his Innocence fragments responded.
"Interesting," Toma muttered before drawing a card. The joker, paired with the ace of spades. Significant and wild (or perhaps 'meaningful and random' - it was hard to tell with just playing cards), an unusual combo. "Very interesting." He set them apart from the rest.
A rumble not too far away had both Finders look up from their hobbies. Strangely, they found only a little girl with an umbrella standing on the road before the gates of the town. They watched, silent. She wouldn't be able to get in, they knew, and watching Innocence work was at times interesting. How could one walk out while walking in?
But this girl didn't do that, much to their surprise. She stopped before the gate, inspecting it rather than simply entering it. Then, after testing it with a hand, she held her umbrella before her and entered - without exiting.
Both Finder's were on their feet and glanced at each other, sketchbook and cards forgotten.
"Perhaps that umbrella was actually an anti-Akuma weapon?" Toma suggested.
Kevin glanced worriedly at the town. "I hope so." Neither mentioned that not only did they not know her as an Exorcist, she was too young to be this far from Headquarters without an accompanying Finder.
Toma glanced down at the cards he set to the side, particularly the jester with his spiked hat and clown-like clothes. "Interesting indeed."
****
Allen watched from the roof of a nearby building as Rhode crossed the Innocence barrier and came out a charred and eroded mess. He shook his head as she began regenerating. "Always so masochistic, Rhode-chan."
Rhode tapped the umbrella against her boot to clear the last of the dead skin. Feeling a pair of eyes on her, she look up at the roof of a nearby building. She stared at the empty spot long enough for Lero to ask, "Rhode-sama, lero?"
The eldest Noah shook her head in answer. Then, she smiled. "It's time for some fun!"
****
"-know he is not!" Miranda was shouting as Allen stepped inside her house. He stared at her, surprised. Shy, introspective Miranda was standing, red-faced, and breathing hard while Lenalee sat at the table with her hands folded under her chin, returning a frosty gaze until Miranda broke off the staring contest when Allen entered.
"Is something the matter?" Allen asked, still only halfway in incase he should come back later.
Miranda shook her head forcibly, but she appeared to be cooling down. Lenalee finally turned gaze away to smile politely at Allen. The green haired Exorcist only said, "Welcome back, Allen."
Uncomfortable, Allen just said what he came to say, "I was wondering if any of you are interested in going to the bar downtown."
Lenalee's smile didn't change as her eyes slid back to Miranda and she answered, "It might be best if you go alone, Allen-kun. It'll give us a chance to finish up." He didn't need to be told twice.
As he left, Allen couldn't help overhearing Lenalee's cold voice saying, "Do not deny that you've seen signs such as…"
Allen took a booth for himself at the bar, surprising the serving woman with the sheer magnitude of the food requested. He considered ordering a drink as well, but with all that was happening he knew he couldn't afford the luxury at the time. He needed to be at his best when the time came to face… Rhode. He was suddenly having second thoughts about refusing a drink.
Allen briefly wondered what Miranda and Lenalee had been arguing about, after all they had to know he was coming here to get started on the action, but dropped the thought just as fast. It wasn't his business.
Halfway through his meal Allen's eye activated, revealing three Akuma sitting down at the bar stools, but he ignored them for the most part. After finishing his meal and politely wiping his mouth with his napkin, Allen stood meaningfully. It was times like this he wished he had his hat.
"Everyone, I believe it would be best if you left the building right now."
The patrons looked at him with confusion or curiosity, but no one moved. That was, no one moved until the three Akuma dropped their disguises and Allen activated his gun. Then they all ran.
Barrel of his left arm pointed at the ground, Allen tucked his right hand into his stomach and performed a polite bow. "Good afternoon, Akuma."
"Hey, doesn't the gold mean that he's a Marshal?" the smallest one asked.
The biggest made a hum that sounded like a brick wall collapsing. "Yes, I think it does."
The last just grinned. "Against the three of us that doesn't matter. The Millennium Earl will be pleased if we bring him a Marshal's head."
"Yes," Allen agreed pleasantly, "he would be very pleased to have my head." He then aimed his gun. "But unfortunately for you I don't intend to let him have it. May your pitiful souls find rest in the next life."
"Voice of Pain!"
"Wind Splitting Sickle!"
"Ice Fire!"
The Akuma only had time to hear the word, "Fools," in their mind before it happened.
Allen smirked, jumping to avoid the attacks and allowing his Innocence to protect him from the sonic waves. Three shots, three bolts. Each mask was pierced cleanly and suddenly, with the glowing bolts moving almost too fast for their eyes to see. Allen smiled as they exploded, seeing past the smoke as the chains binding the trapped souls snapped and they floated free into Heaven, thanking him as they went.
Hmm, you're faster now… and stronger, Allen noticed of his Innocence, you will do well until I can complete you, Crown Clown. A warm feeling in his arm was its acknowledgment. One didn't need to ask Cloud Nine to know that Innocence had a mind of its own. Smiling, Allen returned to Miranda's house.
****
On the roof of the bar, Rhode watched Allen leave. Her feet dangled off the edge, kicking back and forth with Lero propped against her shoulder. "A marshal, huh?" She grinned in glee. "This should be fun."
****
Allen didn't know why Miranda wouldn't let him get close to Lenalee over the next few days, at least for all her shyness Miranda insisted Allen sleep in her bed only, but he was glad when the third day finally rolled around. Before getting sent to the past, Rhode had ground the day of their first meeting into his head until he knew it flawlessly.
"Come one, come all," Allen shouted. He was dressed in normal clothes, intentionally leaving his Exorcist coat inside the circus tent, yet he wore a giant pumpkin on his head as he juggled knives and balanced expertly on a colorful ball. "The Horror play "The Pumpkin and the Witch" is on today at theater Pieter."
Next to him, Miranda was in a better costume portraying a witch. With her body still malnourished, she played the 'creepy' part excellently. "Tickets anyone?"
The crowds swelled for them, as Allen knew they would, and soon their hirer gave them a brief break. Instead of spending it with Lenalee in an alley, Allen quickly ran to the hat shop and purchased the one he and Miranda had chosen earlier. Butterflies and anxiety had a party in stomach as he slid the ace of spades into place and donned his hat.
Allen walked slow and determined, knowing he would meet Rhode along the way.
He had spent many hours wondering exactly what he was going to do when he met his… former wife again. He knew he could play it by memory, hopefully well enough to where Rhode liked him again for the same reasons as before… which was a problem. She had revealed to him that his innocence (not the arm) was the initial spark, and from there her feelings had changed to accommodate his new personalities as he grew into what he was. Without that spark, Allen knew he had to fake it or risk losing his wife for good, and faking it would hurt more than the other.
However, Allen also knew he had other options. For one, he could try to charm her instead of replaying his old self, using the personal knowledge that a husband knew from experience to bring her back to him. However, that, like faking a naïve innocence, would hurt him too much - knowing that he was manipulating her into liking him made her nothing more than a puppet, not a wife. Not his wife.
That left him with one last option, the one that felt worse than all the others yet he knew he had no choice. He would walk forward… with a smile.
Still carrying the pumpkin head in one hand, Allen's smiling façade didn't crack when she rounded the corner. Spiked blue hair, eyes so dark that you could only see the purple when the light hit them, and a lollipop so painfully familiar that Allen wanted to just rush forward and hug her till she loved him back.
He didn't, though. He continued walking without a stumble, without a second glance, acting as if she didn't even exist. And hoping beyond hope that somehow, someway, she was sent back like the other Exorcists were, so that she was his Rhode still.
But she wasn't. Her eyes were half-lidded, which he knew she did when hiding disdain. Her stance was cocky, leaning on one side with a fist on her hip, not the loving 'ready to pounce' one he was familiar with. There was no sparkle in her eyes when she saw him, no shout of his name, no lounge into his arms, no kiss that he knew would taste like that lollipop she was holding. No, she was not his Rhode.
And his heart broke.
Strange, really, how that made his mask that much easier, so much more a mask. Allen would have smiled if he wasn't already. A genuine smile while his heart bled. Irony was beautiful.
"Hey, pumpkin-head," she called out to him. Her voice, not his name. Allen wondered if it was a good time to laugh, and his lips twitched as if about to. "Where can I get tickets to "The Pumpkin and the Witch"?"
"If you just follow me, miss, I can show you where," Allen replied cheerfully, tipping his new top hat in favor of the pumpkin head.
Why isn't she laughing, Allen wondered incredulously as he led her back to the circus tent. The irony was just so terrific. Of course… She doesn't know, Allen reminded himself suddenly. There's a phrase about ignorance, isn't there? "Ignorance is agony." This time, he did laugh softly.
Miranda on the ground with her tickets stolen and a pickpocket running away came and passed too fast for Allen. He didn't know if he was looking at memory, déjà vu, or following the plan, and he didn't care. The Akuma that appeared at the end was different, however, so Allen guessed it wasn't the former.
Spinning the pumpkin head on his finger, Allen simply laughed as the Akuma attacked. Lenalee was next to him, intentionally sloppy. She stopped, however, at the sound of his laughter. She stared at him with hard eyes as the special Akuma incapacitated him, Allen's choking sobs stopping there, before allowing herself to succumb to it as well.
Her last thought, before the darkness took her, was, Miranda is wrong.
****
Waking up was sobering for Allen, and he cursed himself for losing control like that. Had the Fourteenth been around, Allen knew he would no longer have possession of his body. Using the pain in his arm as a seal, he promised that his mourning was over. From here on he would do what he had to do, be as hard as he had to be, and best of all be himself while doing it.
"Yes, black definitely looks good on you…"
The voice was painful, but Allen knew better than to let that pain consume him.
"Mistress Rhode, why are you making her look pretty?"
That was an Akuma. Allen would save its soul.
"Weapons like you wouldn't understand… An Exorcist doll is a rarity, you know."
And Allen's mind spiraled back…
Rhode shook her head at Allen when he tried to enter the arc. "Allen, get back over here." He complied wordlessly.
Rhode hummed to herself as she unzipped his coat, causing Allen to raise an eyebrow. To his surprise, Rhode didn't follow up with anything too mischievous. "Keep that unzipped, it looks much better." Who was he to refuse that smile?
She didn't stop there, either. Rhode straightened his top hat, angling the pearled and embossed silver insignia to the side just so. She then ripped off his eye patch, exposing his cursed eye. A large black pentacle was revealed, one covering his entire eye instead of resting above it - the fourth level of his curse.
Rhode waved the eye patch at him chidingly. "You need that eye to stay alive, Allen Walker, and I'm planning on you staying alive long enough to meet my parents and marry me."
Allen grinned, abashed. "I've had more Exorcists than Noah trying to kill me for this eye."
"And that's why you should join us, Musician," Rhode muttered absently, buttoning the sleeves of his coat up so that his gloved hands were visible. They had had that argument enough for it to no longer matter. Allen did not need to refuse. From there, Rhode moved to undoing and redoing his ponytail.
Giving him another once-over, Rhode finished with, "Now if we could just get you a good pair of boots instead of those tattered shoes, you would definitely meet my satisfaction."
"I'm not one of your dolls, you know," Allen muttered bitterly, but his fond smile ruined the effect.
Rhode smiled up at him. "Of course you are. Exorcist dolls are rare, and my own personal Allen Walker doll is by far my favorite."
Allen plucked out one of the countless dolls drifting through the air around him. "But you already have this." He was holding a plushy version of himself.
Rhode rolled her eyes before jumping up and wrapping her legs around him so that they were face to face. Her legs were inside his coat, wrapping around him intimately. Her arms were inside as well. Allen suddenly didn't have a problem with leaving his coat open like that. After a long kiss that tasted like the caramel Rhode had just ate, she said, "Don't argue, Allen… I'll see you next Friday."
Shaking his head to clear the flashback, Allen saw that Rhode finally noticed him. "You're awake?"
Allen forced himself to meet her gaze. She wore his coat, evident by the black and gold, as well as his new hat. Behind her he could tell that Lenalee was in a similar position as she was before, although he had already freed the Akuma that made her go insane the first time. Interesting.
"What did you do to Lenalee?" he asked neutrally. His arm stung like none other, but he ignored it for now. There had to be five or six bolts in it.
Rhode hugged the green haired Exorcist sitting like a statue in the high back chair. "So her name is Lenalee? What a cute name!"
Allen forced himself to ignore her for the moment - she was not his wife - and spared a glance at Miranda. Her hands were bolted into the grandfather cloak, although this time she took the pain without noticing it, more concerned for him than something as easily ignored as pain. Had they really changed that much? Miranda gave him a nod to portray that she was alright.
"So Rhode," Allen addressed, "I'm guessing that Lenalee is currently trapped inside your dream world. Let's say we make a bargain on letting her out." She liked bets, and Lenalee truly was in danger.
Rhode smiled suddenly, turning over to him in the oversized coat and the top hat about to fall off. "You know me?"
"Somewhat," Allen replied, smiling back. With a grunt, he ripped his arm out of the wall. His smile remained in place as his Innocence healed before their eyes. "Just as you know me."
Rhode walked over him and bent over so that they were face to face. "And your eye tells you I'm human?" Her smile was dangerous.
Allen's was nothing less. "Of course." He plucked his top hat off her head and stood up, setting it on his head the way she once showed him. "So our deal?"
"Rhode-sama! Do not make deals with the Exorcist, lero!" the umbrella warned futilely.
With a snap of her fingers the three Akuma were a buffer between the two of them. Allen noticed that one was a Level Three, the others just regular Twos. So she was bringing out the big guns early. "These Akuma defeated you before. If you can beat them this time, I'll-"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Following the gunshots, all three Akuma exploded. Allen smiled at her pleasantly. "I guess I win."
Rhode laughed behind a hand. "I knew there was something wrong with you being captured so easily earlier, Marshal Walker… Well, a deal's a deal." Lenalee's eyes drifted open. She took in the predicament with a hard look yet made no other reaction. Rhode then laughed cruelly. "It's too bad Miranda wasn't included."
The sharpened candles appeared around the impaled woman, but Miranda didn't let out a sound. She watched Allen.
Allen barely turned his head before shooting all the candles down with his gun. He turned his smile back to Rhode who looked annoyed. "You aren't being any fun, Allen."
That phrase dug into Allen's heart, so he hardened it further. He continued smiling as he drew his sword. "Then let's play, Rhode, without those other two."
Rhode's eyes widened in surprise for once. "That sword- It looks like Millenie's." Then she grinned and hopped onto Lero, using him as an aerial surfboard. "You may not be any fun, Allen, but you make up for it if you want to play with me." Rhode prepared to send Allen to her dream world, but she stopped as something began appearing between her and Allen.
Allen, too, stared at the black apparition appearing between the two of them. Knowing Rhode's abilities, he knew that wasn't her doing, so he had no idea what it could be. It wasn't him, nor Lenalee, and Miranda couldn't even use her Innocence properly yet. Just the same, he was on guard.
The apparition finally solidified, revealing a dark grey, almost black, cloaked figure of some sort. When it turned to face him, Allen almost dropped his sword.
"Crown… Clown?"
AN: And FINALLY I bring to you my favorite chapter yet. Not just length at a dandy 8k words, but I rather liked the Allen/Rhode moments here. And as anyone who knows me will sigh at hearing, the pairing is subject to change. It's just too early to set things in stone, and I want to get a feel of my audience before Rhobellen makes its lasting appearance.
