Beloved
A -man story
ch5. Something to protect

The first thing he noticed when he woke up was the fact that he was still alive. The second, he couldn't feel his feet, hands, or really, anything. And finally, someone with fluffy brown hair was carrying him on his back. He tried to jerk away and throw a fit or something! However, he could barely move. The only thing that gave away the fact that he was now conscious was the small moan he made when attempting to wine.

"Oh, you woke up already?" The man said as he turned his head, moment when Yuu realized he was being carried by the Exorcist general. "That's quite a shock! I was expecting you to be unconscious for at least another full day. But I guess it must have something to do with those healing skills the report mentioned, huh" He tried to protest again, but the result was the same: nothing.

"If you're trying to do something, I would suggest you stop and instead try to sleep some more and gain your forces back. A level two used its power on you a while back and paralyzed you completely; though, I don't expect you to remember."

As the man stopped talking, Yuu noticed something dreadful: they were already close to the edge of the forest. A few more minutes and they would reach the village. The second that happened, the moment he calls in or whatever, those bastards from CROW will show up and drag him back to that God-forsaken lab and do who-knows-what with him! While all this thoughts made their way into his head, he desperately tried to move again.

Tiedoll kept walking, but glanced back to see the child's panicked face. He had kept quiet all this time, but he too had questions that needed answering. For one thing, the report wasn't very specific. It did say that Yuu was involved, however that did not mean he did it; and what about that "other" experimental subject.

"You know, back at the Asia Branch, I heard you were actually pretty close to Assistant Chief Chang" Surprisingly, even though the child was still paralyzed, Tiedoll still felt that small twitch. Hit a nerve have I… "When I first joined the Order, I was stuck either outside on the field or at the Headquarters, I only found out there were other Branches a few years later! That was actually quite embarrassing now that I think about it."

"Back then, I was on a mission with a crazy friend, another Exorcist, Axel Deli. He's also a general now, by the way. We ran into some trouble with some level three's and got pretty badly injured. Axel actually lost part of his left hand, all the way to the elbow. We were in China and I panicked like a clown, but then the finders assisting us lead us to the Asia Branch deep, deep into the jungle. There, I met Doctor Edgar and Branch Chief Twi. They personally contacted Headquarters to let them know we were still alive and assured us they will take care of us until we were better. Doctor Edgar was the one who gave Axel his artificial arm. He even included his innocence in it! Now, it just looks like it's Parasitic, but it's actually something like a glove."

"Before I left there, I also met Bak, though he was still young then, just an energetic teen, running around and causing more trouble than help. Though, to be fair, he was quite brilliant. I'm sure that he could easily become the Branch Chief of the Headquarters. Though, there was that other Chinese man, what was his name now… Kami, Komi, Komu something like that… You know, he said he joined the Order to protect his sister who was forced to become an exorcist because she was compatible with Innocence. Bak too, said he would continue on his family's legacy and protect their honour."

Tiedoll slowed down his peace and looked up to the night sky, shimmering with stars "I too became an exorcist to protect others. So did Axel and mister Yeegar, even Cross, though he probably won't ever admit it. That idiot's too much of a jerk to open up." Just a few feet away was the end of the forest. He could already see light from the little town and hear the people chatter. "Say Yuu, don't you have something to protect?"

"General!" He smiled as he saw the two finders running at full speed, screaming like idiots and tripping on ice all the way to try and reach him. They looked like two children on Christmas.

As he also quickened his phase a bit, he had to admit though that he wasn't expecting to hear the quiet sobs or feel the small hands gripping his jacket, nor the small whisper of a voice that came from behind him. He was a bit shocked, but then, as the finders finally stopped falling all over and reached them, he had a sincere smile on his face "Then you should do all in your power to protect it"

Both Edgar and Alexander shared a confused look before eying the General "What do you mean? Protect what?" Tiedoll suddenly burst out laughing and passed them, hurrying towards the inn "Oh nothing, nothing, don't mind me!" "What's that supposed to mean!?" "IS THAT YUU!?" Alexander jumped, startled by his companion's sudden scream and was about to yell back at him, but his words finally registered. He turned to look at the general's back and was just as shocked to find the child there. "HOLLY %^#*$"

Tiedoll, however, ignored all the not-so-nice choice of words the other two were throwing, still happy about the boy's response from earlier. "I do"

A/N: HEY guys! Happy new year! SORRY about the huge wait on this chapter D: I really am! I promise to deliver the next one faster…maybe.