^^: Cain is Adam's first son, not brother, and he ended up killing Abel, Adam's second son. Bible Adam has no brothers. So... Hm.
Requiem of Time: Chapter Twenty-Two - Lenalee
"…What kind of riots?" Lenalee asked slowly.
Bak rubbed his eyes tiredly before looking back at her. "Chaotic, destructive riots, with no known intent or cause. They have just broken out suddenly, in random locations, at different times, yet all showing the same signs. All the way from here to well into Europe, past this Branch's reach. Your brother informed me that even Western Europe has had its fair share of these riots, although to a lesser extent."
Riots? Lenalee certainly didn't remember hearing about those in her first life. Sure, she had been in Japan at the time, but this sounded serious and like something she would have been told about afterwards. Noah had been known to cause senseless destruction, after all. Wars, riots, political shifts, you name it. This, however, had Time shifts written all over it.
Lavi had warned her, and she had a sinking feeling this somehow had something to do with it. Somehow, one of their (Crowley's, Allen's, Lavi's, Miranda's, or even her own) actions could have accidently sparked these sudden riots.
"Deaths?" Lenalee asked.
Bak shook his head. "Not from Akuma, so far. Only those when the riots gets out of hand, and that happens often enough."
The two discussed the new occurrences for a while longer before Lenalee finally left, deep in thought as she paced the halls. It didn't take long before her thoughts shifted from the riots to her so-called friends.
They had all left to Japan together, leaving her behind with just Bookman, who she couldn't exactly relate as a friend due to the memory gap. When they got back, she was going to give each of them a piece of her mind… especially Lavi. She understood his drive for Chomesuke, but to leave without even telling her? No, that would not be forgiven easily.
Her face must have been scary, as most of the workers who usually greeted her suddenly turned and found new things to look at as she stalked past. Only one wasn't easily intimidated by the dark look on the usually pretty Exorcist's face. "Yo, Lenalee."
Lenalee snapped out of her thoughts to see Fou coming from the other way, hands locked behind her head. Come to think of it, she hadn't seen much of the Guardian Deity since the whole Suman Dark situation. "Hello, Fou."
"Walker got you in an angry bundle?" the angel asked casually.
Lenalee blinked at that. How had she known? "More or less."
Fou waved an arm as she continued walking again, past Lenalee. "Go easy on the guy. He's been through a lot, you know?"
Lenalee watched her go for a moment. For some reason, she had gotten a flash of the Fou she had known before being sent back to this past. The two were very similar, of course, but there was something in the way she said Allen's name with a touch of affection or how it sounded like she actually knew exactly what he had gone through… But that had to be her imagination. The stress was getting to her.
Lenalee turned to continue wandering, when suddenly an ear-piercing scream was heard. She turned sharply, crystal-type Dark Boots activating, and was suddenly by Fou's side.
The girl had a scowl on her face, body hovering off the floor unnaturally, with a white light emitting from her eyes. "NOT THIS TIME, BASTARD!" Fou gritted her teeth, growling with effort and pain. Both of her sleeved hands were pressed tightly against her stomach, in an attempt to hold something in. Lenalee, with a dollop of fear, had no idea what was going on. "FUCK YOU! AAAARGH!"
Lenalee's eyes went wide when a hole suddenly opened up in Fou's stomach - what she had been trying to hold closed - the angel screaming as it became wider and wider. A sudden shape rose from the hole, one that was frighteningly familiar to Lenalee. Instantly, she understood the situation. The white gate of Allen's Ark had broken through the defense Fou maintained over the Asian Headquarters. And since the Noah currently held the Ark, this was the gate the Level Three came through to kill Allen, and later what he took to reach Edo the first time.
An almost jester-like, blue Level Three floated through the Ark, and it looked down on her with a grin. "Ehehehe, what do we have here? An Exor-" Mach 2 in an instant, with a white boom included, Lenalee kicked right through the Akuma. An explosion followed.
"Troublesome Akuma," Lenalee muttered bitterly, before turning to face Fou.
The girl had managed to free herself of the hole and the gate rising from her stomach, though she now looked exhausted and the gate was still standing. "You sure showed him, Lenalee." Fou spat, and it landed on the ground crimson.
"Are you alright, Fou?" Lenalee asked, wrapping an arm around the girl to help her stand.
Fou waved her off. "I'm fine, and I've already explained the situation to Bak." Fou stumbled forward a few steps, closer to the gate cramping the hallway. She took a deep breath to steady herself, and then turned a sly smile towards Lenalee. "You better hurry, you know, if you want to help Allen."
Lenalee's eyes widened when she realized what Fou was hinting at. To ride this gate and enter the Ark, so that she could help Allen when he got there. He had asked her not to come however… Lenalee's eyes turned half-lipped as she started walking towards the gate. Asked her not to come, and taken everyone else. She stopped just before entering, turning a smile of thanks to Fou. "Take care."
Fou grinned back, and waved once. "Just take care of Walker." Lenalee nodded and entered, black garbed form disappearing into the white shape.
****
Fou all but collapsed once Lenalee vanished, leaning against the wall and resting her eyes. Not near as bad as the first time, with her, Walker, and Bak all near death via disintegration. So much had changed since those peaceful days. Remembering how fast Lenalee had disposed of it, she smiled. So much…
She could feel Bak and the others approaching fast, and in no time the man was kneeling before her - both hands on her shoulders - and asking if she was alright while everyone else gawked at the Ark gate. Such a kind man, Bak. He didn't deserve what was to befall him. At hearing his voice, she opened her eyes and smiled.
"I'm fine, Baka-Bak. Now help me up." The man leaned down to do so, wrapping both his arms under hers and began to lift. While he did so, she leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "Remember the promise you made when you were first raised Branch Head, the one I told you to ignore?" That stopped him from letting go once she was back on her feet. She knew he did. "I'll go with you."
"F-Fou?" Bak stuttered, baffled as to what had brought that on.
Flash!
"Fou!" the newly named Director Bak said sharply when he finally found the angel kicked back in his new office. She lifted her head lazily at his voice, looking not a care in the world at his new rank. He should have figured, but that wouldn't detour him now. He stopped before his desk, ignoring how it should have been him in the chair and her standing, and took a moment to gather himself. "Fou, I want you to know that before I die, I will release you from the sealing my great-grandfather performed, so that you may return to Heaven."
The look of shock on the normally detached angel's face was near priceless. She had it a long time coming, though. Although she looked young, no older than thirteen or so, she was in truth millennia old, and had spent more than thrice his lifetime bound in the cavern known as the Asian Branch Headquarters. Bak assumed his great-grandfather had meant to release her in his lifetime, yet had died before he had the chance.
Soon, though, Fou covered her face with one of her sleeves. "Baka-Bak - you really do deserve that name!"
"Wh-What?" Bak was taken aback. He had been sure she'd have overjoyed.
Fou lowered her sleeve enough for Bak to see her glaring crimson eyes, but not her smiling - pleased - mouth. "While I'm sealed down here, I can do something in this war. I can fight, even if I can't do much against Akuma, and I can protect everyone in this building - including you, Baka-Bak! - while if I'm released, once again I'd be called to the sidelines. Besides, I got nothing to look forward to, going back there. Everything I need is down here." Let him take what he would from that.
Bak looked hopelessly confused, and Fou gave him no chance to puzzle it out, waving obtusely. "Forget about it."
Flash!
No! No! No! No! This couldn't be happening! This was all wrong!
"Bak! Bak, can you hear me?! Say something!" Fou was crying, she knew she was, but the water from fire sprinklers washed them away unnoticed. In her arms, Bak Chan lay bleeding the last of his life away. His heart still beat, slowly, but his eyes were closed and his conscious long gone. "No, Baka-Bak, don't leave me here alone! Please, Bak, at least take me with you!"
Fou choked back a sob as she cradled Bak's head to her chest. "Take me with you…"
Now on her feet, Fou leaned back and grinned at him. Bak gave her a wondering stare for a moment longer before they both turned towards the Ark gate. She gave a prayer of luck for Lenalee, keeping silent of her own knowledge of the gate.
She'd give one for Walker, too, but knowing him, he didn't need it.
AN: Well, a short chapter, with a large chunk dedicated to Fou at that. Oh well. Anyways, I had planned on Allen getting reuniting with his Rhode by December 25th (as a Christmas present for icedragon54 (and so she stops protesting)), but with that being only four or five days away, it's not going to happen. However, I'll do what I can.
And so, my dear, precious readers, until next time!
