WARNING! This story contains SPOILERS and YAOI! Also a few minor OCs, so don't kill me.
GASP! Thank you for the reviews everyone! I wasn't sure how the story would go over and I'm glad people seem to like it! ^_^ A little peek into future chapters...let's just say the planning stage for the story took a VERY interesting turn. To me at least.
MitarashiiDango: Ah! I was actually wondering about the paragraph size when I wrote it. My laptop has rather large fonts as default, so I wasn't sure how it would show up. I shall break it up more now.
WinterMission: I'm still floating back and forth between yaoi or not. The story is as much a surprise to me as to you guys, really. I'll suddenly be writing and then realize something showed up I hadn't planned. o.o;;
Edit: WinterMission: Yes, it's a yaoi story now. ^_^;;
Rated: T [for violence and language] Bold: Used only in dreams or flashbacks to indicate the main character's lines. Italics: Used to indicate dreams, flashbacks, and thoughts.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter Two: Mirror Image
Clear the way, people. Yuu Kanda is coming through.
That was obviously the message that seemed to emit from the young samurai's body in anger-filled waves, because the hallways seemed strangely deserted. The talk with Allen had made his head spin, half from the beansprout's idiocy and half from his own confusion. Why the hell did he care what kind of attitude Allen gave off? It didn't affect his own personal space. And it wasn't his problem. Kanda decided to justify his anger with the fact that it simply annoyed him. If something annoyed him, it didn't deserve to show its face. Or live. A smirk grew on Kanda's face and he felt slightly more satisfied as he approached the door to his room.
At that exact moment, something beeped in his pocket.
Pausing to blink in confusion, Kanda shoved his hand in his pocket and fished around for the ringing golem. Who the hell could that be? The golem left his hand as soon as it was freed from his pocket and hovered in front of him, picking up.
"Hey, Kanda-san~! Would you please come to my office? There's an old....friend...who wants to see you."
A friend? Yea, right. Kanda rolled his eyes, but something about the stiffness of Komui's voice made him answer cautiously. "Exactly...who is this so-called 'friend'?"
"Oh uh...you'll know him when you see him. Just come as soon as possible. Won't do to keep a person like him waiting."
And with that, Komui hung up. Kanda blinked again and pocketed the golem. His face screwed up in thought. The only male who Komui would call a "friend" was...wait. "Won't do to keep a person like him waiting"? His eyes widened in realization. Oh hell no...oh f*cking hell no...
The exorcist drew in a sharp breath and his hand instinctively flew to the hilt of his prized blade. He changed directions and headed straight for Komui's office, taking long strides. If he didn't know any better, he knew exactly what shrewd, determined face would be awaiting him in the office. Reaching the door, he didn't bother to knock and thrust his hand onto the solid oak, throwing the door open wide. There was Komui, standing at his desk. Next to him on the left, Howard Link, and beside Link stood Reever with a nervous expression. To Komui's right was...
Kanda's grip tightened on Mugen's hilt as he beheld a face from his dark past. The door swung shut behind him with a soft click.
::
Allen had started out with full intentions of returning to the cafeteria. His meal was unfinished. That's how it started. How it ended was...a different story. Glancing around him for the fifth time, the boy sighed resignedly. Yes. He was lost again.
No matter how many times I walk through the Order, I always seem to get lost. Am I really that bad with directions? Allen thought ruefully. He was somewhere in the west wing; of at least that he was certain. Or was it the east wing? No, it was the south. Crap...
The white-haired exorcist stopped walking and leaned on a windowsill, looking out at the clouded grey sky. Thunder seemed to be in the forecast for today. He took a few moments to watch the dark clumps of fluffy foreboding gathering into a larger, blacker mass. Eyes suddenly narrowed, trying to make something out. Wait...is that...? A face grinned at him from the swirling cumulonimbus. Yea...of course it is. Allen wanted to turn away, but the face kept him in a trance with its immobile emotionless smile and blank dead eyes. It was mocking him.
"Al-len..."
The eerie voice flickered through his brain and Allen's gloved hands both clamped over his ears.
"Al-len..."
His breathing quickened and he glared back at the taunting face, as if merely looking at it would cause it to burst into flames.
"Al-len..."
Just as he was losing his ability to hold back from punching the window, Allen caught sight of something from across the lawn. The castle that the Order had turned into Headquarters curved around on one side, allowing someone who was standing in one wing to look across the lawn and into the windows of the wing parallel to it. Narrowing his eyes, Allen managed to make out the face of someone walking by, the stained glass of the window casting colors on his expression.
"...Kanda?"
Yes, it was definitely Kanda. The samurai held a look that nearly made Allen gasp out loud. He was wearing a face of dark contempt, almost self-hatred. It reminded the young boy of the face he, himself, made as he stared at his reflection in the mirror this morning. Hopelessness. Pain.
Though there was another emotion threaded in Kanda's eyes. Pure anger, which wasn't unusual, but the way he was staring at the back of the person in front of him made Allen take a closer look. That...man! His breath caught in his throat and he started running towards the place where both wings would meet, keeping his eyes fixed on the small group of people walking with Kanda. Komui was trailing behind with Reever, talking about something in heated discussion. And there was Link, just ahead of them, a few feet behind the angry Kanda. And leading the party was...him.
Allen nearly bumped into Lavi as he ran, pausing to smile apologetically. "Sorry, Lavi! I'm in a rush!" The redhead laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "No problem, Moyashi-kun~!" Allen was in such a hurry, he didn't bother to correct the nickname. As soon as he was out of hearing range, Lavi's smile disappeared and he quirked an eyebrow. "That was odd..."
White hair fell in his eyes as Allen finally drew near the converging point of the hallways, and he skidded to a stop, placing his back to the wall. Carefully, he peeked around the corner. The group was standing near the elevator, and Reever stepped back, obviously ordered not to go any further. He narrowed his eyes and muttered under his breath as the face of that certain man turned around and came into full view.
"Leverrier."
::
"Now, I'm sure you understand all the procedures and requirements from the years past. This will be no different. And don't you give me that look, Number Eight. You had a four-year vacation. I expect excellent results."
"For the last time...my name is Kanda. Get it right." Kanda gritted out between clenched teeth. Inspector Leverrier was getting on his last nerve. He had to look down slightly so that his dark bangs hid the look of pure hatred in his eyes. Leverrier simply grunted.
"I don't care what your name is, your identification number from Central is eight." He stepped onto the elevator and Komui followed, shrinking behind the controls and not saying a word. Kanda reluctantly stepped on as well, standing as far away from the inspector as possible. Pushing several buttons and pulling a rather large lever, Komui booted up the elevator and it began its long descent. No one seemed to notice a small white-haired spy making his way swiftly to the stairs.
The trip downwards was filled with an awkward silence. Kanda's arms were folded as he kept his gaze away from either of the two men, angrily staring off into space. Leverrier had a rigid grin and Komui hunched over the elevator controls, not wanting to be involved. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they reached the lowest level. Darkness surrounded them and several stone-faced watchmen were posted on all sides. A soft glow indicated the presence of Hevlaska, and all three stepped off the elevator to meet a small crowd of masked scientists.
Immediately, Leverrier nodded to Kanda. After glaring at the inspector for several minutes, the tall boy complied by stepping onto a platform and unsheathing his precious sword. The scientists bustled around pressing buttons and turning on different devices. All were unfamiliar faces to the samurai, indicating they were from Central. Komui stood in the shadows silently, an unwilling participant in what was soon to happen. As the platform rose towards Hevlaska, the celestial being spoke in a soft echoing voice.
"Malcolm, are you sure about this? Previous results have proved...ineffective."
Leverrier tapped his foot impatiently. "You're forgetting that this is Number Eight. Just obey the orders and do as you were told." He grunted, glaring from Hevlaska to Kanda slowly. Hevlaska's light dimmed slightly, showing her disagreement, but she turned to Kanda, bending over pick him up gently.
"Activate your innocence."
Knowing there was nothing to do but comply, Kanda sighed and swiped his finger along the back of the razor sharp blade, his innocence flickering across the entire length until the sword was enveloped in a sharp blue glow. Hevlaska paused momentarily, then touched her nose to his forehead. The exorcist's body trembled for a brief second and then stopped. Hevlaska's glow increased and Kanda shut his eyes.
"Current innocence synchronization...eighty-nine percent."
Leverrier's face broke into a cruel smile. "Great, that's nearly twenty percent greater than the last time we had a session. Make sure you record every detail." The last comment was directed to Howard Link, who nodded silently and began writing swiftly in a notebook. Turning back towards Hevlaska and Kanda, his smile widened. "Begin now." Hevlaska's glow settled into a bright shine. Her echoing voice held a melancholy tone.
"...Now artificially increasing synchronization rate."
::
Allen's heart pounded as he took the stairs three at a time. His feet hit every step securely and he launched off within a fraction of a second, determined to reach the bottom level as soon as he possibly could. His mind whirled with questions.
What on earth are they doing? Since when does Leverrier see an interest in Kanda, and why did he call him Number Eight? What don't I know!?
He took one shorter flight of stairs in one leap, knees bending as he landed solidly on the platform before continuing his descent.
Whatever they're doing, it can't be good. Seeing Hevlaska isn't a normal thing. Maybe for beginning exorcists...or exorcists who are having problems with their innocence, but Kanda's an experienced fighter, and as far as I know, he has no problems.
Allen's lungs took in a good large breath of air as he cleared another flight of stairs in one jump, nearing the bottom level.
Okay...what do I know about Kanda? He's an equipment type exorcist. There's a tattoo on his chest that no one knows the purpose of. And something about him being...a second exorcist?
He knew about third exorcists from his run-in with a group of them not long ago. Third exorcists were akuma who had been altered to fight against other akuma. They were really a living contradiction, and he found them immoral. But what was a second exorcist? No one seemed to know. Allen shook his head and tried to focus on the purpose of Kanda seeing Hevlaska.
The only other reason they could possibly be down there is...
He stopped with a lurch, his eyes widening, as he realized the almost certain reason. His heart leapt into his throat and his mind instantly conjured up memories of that face wrenched in pain and anguish, powerless to control itself.
No...No!!
Allen's efforts were doubled and he started taking two flights at a time. The urgency of his mission was increased in that instant. He had to stop them. He couldn't let it happen again. Not to anyone. Not to Kanda. Teeth gritted in desperation, tears began stinging at his eyes. He had failed once before, and he wasn't about to repeat that.
::
"Ninety-six percent...ninety-seven percent..."
Hevlaska droned the numbers out; Link recording each of them as they came. Komui's face was one of sheer disappointment and Leverrier bore a widening grin, simply gleaming of cruelty. Kanda's grip on Mugen's hilt had tightened drastically, knuckles white. His entire body was shaking with the amount of innocence that flowed into it from the sword, and his face was wrenched in pain. The exorcist coat had come undone in the front, fluttering open to reveal his tattoo, which had activated and spread clear up to his collarbone. Every surge of energy that pulsed through him was agony, and Kanda was doing all he could to keep from crying out.
"Ninety-eight percent..."
The samurai's eyes were forced open and started gaining a white glow. His body continued to convulse and the tattoo spread a tiny bit more. Hevlaska paused to look at Leverrier.
"We're reaching his breaking point. Any further and he could d-"
"What did I say? I said push him until he breaks. Number Eight has insurance against the worst case scenario."
"That will only last for so long."
"Then take advantage of it while it's still present!"
Hevlaska continued without a word. Suddenly, the doorway to the stairwell burst open and out tumbled a panting figure. Leverrier glanced over at who would dare to disturb a confidential session, and the scientists paused until they received a scalding glare from Link to continue what they were doing. Allen Walker looked up after catching his breath, eyes widening quickly at the sight of Kanda and he faced Leverrier, glaring angrily.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?! Haven't you learned from past experiences? This doesn't work!! You'll kill him!!"
The Inspector's eyes narrowed and he was inwardly fuming. He loomed over Allen, speaking to Hevlaska. "Just keep going. I'll handle this little problem." His glare spoke of command and he lowered his voice until it was a cold steady hiss. "This is none of your business. You have enough suspicion placed on you already; I would suggest you leave this situation alone and pretend you never saw it."
Allen shook, hands balling into fists. He opened his mouth to yell at Leverrier when Kanda cut him off. His head turned painfully to the side and blue, glazed-over eyes filled with pain found Allen's grey ones. His words cracked as he voiced his surprise.
"M-Moy...ashi?"
Hevlaska spoke.
"Ninety-nine percent..."
The white-haired exorcist could only stare in horror as Kanda finally lost control and screamed in pain. A white glow emitted from his eyes and mouth and his entire body convulsed; the hand clutching Mugen shaking uncontrollably. With a heart-stopping sound that cut through Allen's chest, the sword shattered into pieces and Kanda's hand opened up, falling limp. The pieces of Mugen fell to the floor, tinkling the sound of failure until a soft clatter of the hilt joined it. Hevlaska instantly stopped the synchronization, and Kanda passed out, the glow from his body fading. The tattoo had crawled all the way up his neck and beginning down his back, stopping the moment he fell unconscious. Allen tried to find his voice. Leverrier sighed in annoyance and kicked at a shard of the broken anti-akuma weapon.
"Fix it, Lee. I won't settle for less than one hundred percent. We'll try again once he's recovered."
He stalked to the elevator and Link followed him, Komui simply nodding in sheer guilt. The scientists began cleaning up the equipment and Hevlaska set Kanda's body down gingerly on the platform as it lowered down to the floor. Finally, Allen found his voice as two men came to carry Kanda to the infirmary. Tears streaked down his cheeks and he bolted towards the broken exorcist, the distance between them feeling like miles.
"KANDA!!!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well then! For some reason, I'm not entirely pleased with how this chapter ended. It feels...cheesy. I don't know. What do you think? Questions? Comments? :D Next chapter...Numb.