Author's Notes:
Puah!! insert random curse word This took me an eternity to write! My longest chapter as of now. I really had to force myself to sit down and type! I had half of this chapter written before I inserted the filler mission. But I must admit… I don't really enjoy just retelling the normal missions. But it had to be done… sigh It would have been fun if Kanda had been there but NOOOO… Pah. At least it's got Rhode… Oh… I am really tired, so I haven't done enough editing. I will do it later on, please excuse any writing mistakes and general stupidity…
Now, I present to you the Rewinding Town Arc!
Disclaimer: D.Gray-Man belongs to Katsura Hoshino
Kapitel 18: Destruction of ideals
Despite what it had looked like form the outside, the town was buzzing with noises and masses of people were on the streets.
"Oh my, seems like the Innocence has also influenced the way the city is perceived from the outside", Ellen said and hurried to get out of the way.
"But why hasn't anyone tried to leave the town yet! These people should be in an uproar", Linali said as the two girls started to walk the main road. "But everything seems perfectly fine"
"Your brother suggested that time rewinds itself. The people might not even know of this, they might forget about what happened and just relive the same day again and again", Ellen said and shuddered, "awful, is it not?". Linali smiled and patted her head.
"We just need to find the Innocence – if there is any – and everything will return to normal. This won't take long". Ellen nodded and looked down the main street. "Let's split up and investigate a bit!". The girls parted ways; Linali took the main street, while Ellen walked into an alley. The white haired exorcist walked around, observing the people, until she realised that they were looking at her strangely. A little bit self-conscious the noble girl pulled up her hood to hide her white hair, even if that didn't change the fact that she was wearing a rather strange uniform or that Timcampy was flying next to her.
"Sir Tim, please hide yourself in my coat, people are staring at you", she said and the golem flew against her forehead, probably complaining, but did what she told him to do.
Ellen could find nothing out of the ordinary while going through streets and allies. She got some pamphlets and the newspaper, but nothing spoke of strange phenomena which could point her towards the Innocence. She walked through a few narrow allies, until she found herself in an empty backyard.
"Dear goodness. Where am I?", she wondered and turned around. There were only small allies between rows of houses leading away from the backyard. Timcampy found his way out of Ellen's hood and started flying. "Do not pretend to know where we are". But Ellen still followed the golden golem, until she felt a jolt of pain in her left eye. "Akuma?", she wondered and invocated her Innocence into its gun-shaped form. She sped up her steps and came out into an empty street. Across from it there was another ally between two high houses and there she saw an Akuma – a level two – who was holding a black dressed woman against the wall. Ellen changes the gun to a sword and crossed the street.
"Good evening to you, Akuma", she said and as it turned, letting go of the woman, Ellen charged. It only took a few blows of her Innocence to kill the Akuma and she was unharmed. "Are you…", she started but the woman had already disappeared. Ellen blinked. "She is very fast…", she remarked, then the girl sighed. "But I have the feeling that she might be important for this mission…" Ellen took out a sheet of paper advertising a circus and a pen. She kneeled down and started to sketch the woman so she could show it to Linali when they met up.
"All done", Ellen said and put the paper and the pen back into her coat. "We were meant to meet Linali at the restaurant at noon. Let us hurry", she told Timcampy and left the ally in order to get back.
Linali was already sitting at a table when Ellen arrived. She sat down opposite her, where food was already waiting.
"Have you ordered for me?", the white haired girl asked and Linali nodded with a smile, "thank you, dear Linali. I was getting hungry", she confessed and started to eat.
"I expected it! But have you found out anything?", the Chinese girl asked and Ellen nodded.
"It would surprise me if there is no Innocence involved, because I found an Akuma and destroyed it of course", Ellen told her and tapped her spoon to her lips, "it attacked a woman and I would assume that she has a part in this"
"And why?", Linali wanted to know and Ellen shrugged.
"I cannot tell, it was just a feeling", she replied and Linali smiled.
"Well, you might just be right! So where is this woman?", she asked upon which Ellen took out the paper from her coat pocket.
"Have a look at this. I thought that we might have to look for her again", she said and handed it to Linali, who took it wordlessly. The Chinese girl looked down and saw some vaguely connected lines which might resemble a human if you really squinted.
"What is this supposed to be?", the girl asked, "And why have you let her get away?"
"She runs incredibly fast it seems", Ellen answered and continued eating, "that is why I have drawn a picture of her". Linali frowned and looked back down at the picture.
"A picture of her? You mean this here?!", she asked the British girl, who raised her head.
"Yes? Do you think it looks strange?", she replied and looked at her work of art. Linali started laughing and shook her head.
"Kind of. I would have expected you – the educated young lady – to be able to draw very well! Oh. I hope I didn't offend you". Ellen continued eating, but shook her head.
"Not at the least, my mother has taken me to the museums to study the geniuses of artwork innumerable times. I think she hoped that I would improve, but in drawing I am hopeless!", she said with a amused smile.
"I should introduce you to General Theodore, he draws very well, I am sure he would want to teach you"
"General Theodore? Is he a general like Master Cross?", Ellen asked.
"Yes, but he's a very protective of his students and treats them like his own children. He's very nice. And he's also Kanda's master". Linali observed how Ellen's face changed.
"Really?", she asked with a smile, "but I cannot make a fool of myself in front of Kanda's master!", she added and Linali laughed.
"Dear Ellen, you worry too much!", she exclaimed and Ellen chuckled.
"Probably. But tell me; have you been successful?", she wanted to know and Linali shook her head.
"I've tried to get out of the town, but I always ended up inside again, even after I tried to leave through a hole in the wall…"
"Consequently we cannot leave this town for now…", Ellen concluded and sighed, "how bothersome". Linali laughed.
"You sound like Kanda if you say this!", she told Ellen, who blushed and pouted, "But don't worry. If you solve the case and find the Innocence, we'll get out of here".
"Do you think that it will be an easy task? Komui looked troubled… or tired. I am not really sure which", the British girl said and Linali sighed.
"He's worried, that's why he works too much… We have not been able to tell the Earl's movements… It's been very calm lately… Like the calm before the storm, if you understand…", she explained and Ellen again tapped her spoon against her lips in thought.
"I guess I do… but…", before she could even end her sentence, she widened her eyes and stared at a spot next to Linali.
"What? What is it?", she asked, but Ellen just raised her hand and pointed next to her.
"There she is! The woman I was talking about!". Linali turned around and indeed saw a woman, a coat drawn over her head as if she tried to hide. But as Linali wanted to talk to her, the woman jumped up, opened the window and climbed out, all while screaming like mad. Ellen reacted and reached for the hem of her dress.
"Rennen Sie nicht weg! Wir sind Exorzisten!", she shouted and the woman turned her upper body to the other girls.
"E… Exorzisten…?", she panted and Ellen tried to pull her closer.
"Wieso flüchten Sie denn, und dann auch noch durch das Fenster...?", the British girl asked, perched out of the window.
"Oh… Entschuldigung, das ist schon eine Angewohnheit von mir…", she told her.
„Ellen, I never knew you knew German, that's pretty useful!", Linali said as the Ellen helped the woman climb back into the restaurant.
"That is part of my mother's education… I really do find it to be of great help", she said and the woman took a seat opposite the two girls.
"I… I can understand you, so you don't need to talk in German", the woman said, "but… but I will probably make a lot of mistakes! Excuse me! Excuse me!".
"D… Don't worry!", Linali tried to calm her, "Why don't we start with you telling us your name?". The woman calmed and nodded.
"I'm… I'm called Miranda Lotto. I'm very happy that I found someone who also knows that something's wrong here", she said and started to laugh, "Whenever I told other people they called me mad. It was so terrible, I've already thought about suicide…..", she said, still laughing in a way which was rather creepy. It was quite obvious to the other girls that this poor woman was shattered.
"Miss Miranda… Can you still remember how everything has started?", Ellen wanted to know.
"Only I… Only I know that yesterday was also today and today will be the same as yesterday...", she stayed silent for some time, still with the creepy smile on her face, then she bolted forwards and took hold of Ellen's hands. "Please! Please help me! Or I'll go crazy! You! You've already saved me from that strange thing! Please continue helping me so that this stops!! Bitte!!"
"Please calm down, Miss Miranda! We will help you! We will find out what has caused this strange phenomenon", Ellen assured her, but Miranda started crying.
"But even if you do find out, nothing will change!", she yelled.
"Something must have happened on the real 9th of October. Do you know what this might have been?", Linali tried to calm her. Ellen turned her head to her side as a strange tingling sensation went through the left side of her face. She looked at the customers of the inn and her eye turned colour. There was something wrong; Akuma!
"Linali, leave the inn with Miranda. These people", she started and the customers rose from their chairs silently, "they were watching Miss Miranda. Why is she unaffected by the rewinding of time? Why are Akuma after her?". She invocated her arm and the humans turned into a bunch of level two Akuma. Miranda widened her eyes and shouted in fear, but Linali reacted very fast, invocated her Dark Boots innocence and took a hold of Miranda. She smashed a window open and disappeared, leaving Ellen alone with the level two Akuma.
Three months ago, Ellen would have been paralyzed by the fear, but now she was confident, even if faced with level two Akuma. She didn't lose time and started attacking right away and it didn't take her long to reduce the number of Akuma to only three. But then she got into the attack of one of them and dropped to her knees because her head seemed to burst from the pain. She could evade another attack, but was hit on her right leg with some king of bluish fire. The three remaining Akuma came together and started arguing about how they wanted to kill Ellen. The girl grimaced, but raised her weapon to attack them.
"Hey! What are you doing! Quite cowardly of you to attack while we're talking!". Ellen just frowned and readied herself for the next attack, but the three Akuma stopped. And before Ellen could do anything, they shot upwards and disappeared through the roof.
"What…? Where did they go?", she wondered, but as people started peeking in through the destroyed windows of the inn, Ellen decided it to be better to disappear. The order would pay, but she didn't want to be held responsible for the damage.
It didn't take Ellen long to find Miranda's house, as Linali was waiting in front of the door.
"There you are! I was worrying about you!", the Chinese girl said, "are you hurt?"
"Just my leg…Nothing serious", Ellen answered with a smile and followed Linali inside of the house and to Miranda's apartment.
"Come Ellen, we need to look at your injury", Linali suggested and led her into a room. Ellen saw that Miranda was sitting at the floor, both of her hands on an old grandfather clock, muttering to herself. "Were you able to destroy the Akuma?", Linali asked and Ellen took of her coat and rolled up her trousers so Linali could take a look at her wound.
"Three of them escaped… It was quite a peculiar situation; as they prepared to attack me they suddenly disappeared", Ellen said wincing slightly as Linali cleaned the wound.
"Well… You were lucky, Ellen. It is still dangerous for you to fight against so many Level two Akuma", the older girl said, bandaging Ellen's leg. "Your new weapon requires a lot of energy, doesn't it? You can't keep it invocated for too long. Am I right?".
"Yes, that is true…", Ellen said, getting up again, "but I got quite a bit stronger, even though I haven fought Akuma since the mission with Kanda". Linali smiled up at her and nodded.
"That is true! And you even grew a bit". Ellen turned to look at her, beaming happily.
"Really?!", she asked joyously and Linali nodded with a smile, then she handed her back her cloak. Ellen put it back on and turned to look at Miranda. "So… What is Miss Miranda doing?". The Chinese girl sighed.
"After I explained everything to her, she hasn't moved one bit…", she said and Ellen frowned. Ellen could hear the depressed Miranda muttering things while cleaning her clock. "She's been like this since we returned…"
"Miss Miranda…", Ellen hesitatingly said, approaching her, but Miranda cut her short.
"Nothing! I can do nothing! You have incredible power! Hurry up and save the town!", she shouted and Ellen kneeled down, putting her hand on Miranda's shoulder.
"Yes… Yes we will help", she said gently, smiling and Miranda stopped shouting. She turned to look at the girl in front of her, tears leaking from her eyes. Ellen continued smiling. "But in order to do that, we need your help. You are connected to these occurrences, dear Miranda". Ellen folded her hands and brought them up in front of her face, still smiling. "Please work with us. Let us go back outside tomorrow and find out what is wrong". Miranda looked at her disbelievingly, tears still running. All of a sudden she froze and rose at stiffly. Ellen lowered her hands and looked up in confusion.
"Miss Miranda?", she asked at the unmoving woman. But after some silent moments passed by, Miranda suddenly turned and climbed into her bed. The young exorcist just stared after her and got up on her feet. "You go to bed?!", Ellen called in frustration, not believing her eyes.
"Something's strange…", Linali mused behind her, and she turned and widened her eyes, "Ellen! Look!", she shouted and Ellen turned her head. All the surfaces of the room were covered by clock faces in different forms and through the windows they could see that the same happened to all the buildings outside. "What is this?!"
"Not possibly Miss Miranda's clock!", Ellen shouted and looked at the grandfather clock, which seemed unaffected by these strange happenings. Suddenly the hands of the clock began moving backwards at fast speed and all the clock-faces were being sucked into the clock. Ellen caught hold of the window frame and reached out for Linali.
"Linali! Take my hand!", she called and the Chinese girl grabbed Ellen's hand so that she didn't get sucked in as well. As the dials passed them, Ellen and Linali saw little scenes of the day displayed in them. "Might it be sucking in the time that passed today?!" As the last dial disappeared, the hands of the clock pointed at seven and the sun suddenly shined into the room. Linali and Ellen turned towards the window in surprise.
"It is morning?!", Linali shouted and Ellen just widened her eyes.
"But that… That is impossible!", the white-haired girl breathed. Meanwhile Miranda sat back up in bed, rubbing her eyes.
"Huch? When have I gone to bed?", she wondered and the two other girls stared at her in disbelief. While Miranda got out of bed again and sat down with Linali, so the girl could explain what had happened, Ellen started inspecting the grandfather's clock. She touched it but saw her hand go right through it.
"My goodness", she whispered and extended the other arms, which disappeared as well, "Linali! Linali have a look!". Linali and Miranda turned around and saw Ellen sticking her head inside of the clock.
"AARGH!", both screamed in fright and Ellen withdrew her head to smile at them, still keeping the hands inside. "What are you doing?!", Linali shouted.
"My beautiful clock!", Miranda added and Ellen continued giggling.
"We cannot touch this clock. I tried to and you see what happens", Ellen explained and withdrew her hands, "it seems as if there is only one person who can touch this clock. And this is Miss Miranda"
"What?", Linali asked in surprise but it was true that Miranda was putting her hands on the wooden surface of the clock without slipping inside.
"First the winding back of time", Ellen started, looking up at the dial, "and now this. This must have something to do with Innocence".
"R… Really?", Miranda stuttered and looked up as well, "that my old clock could cause all these strange things to happen…". On a sudden a frightening thought seized her and she turned around, facing the two exorcists. "You don't want to destroy it, do you?! My only friend!!". The two girls raised their hands, backing off slightly.
"Calm down…", they said at the same time.
"But tell us Miranda… Do really have no idea why all of this could be happening?", Linali asked sceptically, "There has to be a reason why the clock started doing these things". Miranda frowned and Linali continued: "Try to remember. What happened on the real 9th of October?". The woman touched her hand to her forehead and continued frowning with a troubled expression.
"On this day… I lost my job for the 100th time…" Ellen blinked in surprise, but was polite enough to stay silent. "I was done with the world, because I had failed so many times… I was drinking and thinking about my bad luck… I remember saying that my life doesn't really mean anything and that the next day shouldn't even come…". The girls widened her eyes.
"Maybe it was that…?", Linali said, "It has to be!"
"You mean that Innocence granted Miss Miranda's wish?", Ellen asked, what caused Miranda to stutter:
"But… That can't… I have only lamented without thinking much… Why should a clock even do that?!". Linali looked at her in amazement.
"Miranda… Could it be that you are he compatible to this clock?", she asked and Ellen turned to her.
"You think so?", she asked and Linali put her hand to her mouth, thinking.
"If the clock fulfils Miranda's wishes, it could be that they synchronized". Miranda just looked at them in confusion.
"Compati-what? What is that?", she wondered, but Linali just put her hands on Miranda's shoulders.
"Try to tell the clock to undo this phenomenon!". Still in confusion and slightly embarrassed, Miranda put her hands to the cool glass of her clock.
"Dear clock. Please make the time become normal again", she said and Linali and Ellen hurried to fetch the newspaper, opening it instantly.
"The 9th of October…", Ellen read out and the two girls sighed, Miranda letting her head drop. "Oh well… Let us just start at the very beginning…"
Three days later Miranda and Ellen were standing in front of a theatre, both dressed up. Miranda had a witch costume and was handing out advertisement pamphlets for the latest play and Ellen was balancing on two colourful balls, juggling, and wore a pumpkin with a scary face etched into it on her head.
"Today is the opening night of our new horror play "the pumpkin and the witch", here in Pieter Theater!", Ellen called out to the people in a cheerful voice. A group of small children had gathered in front of her and she was performing more spectacular balances, earning herself clapping and cheering of the little ones, while Miranda was handing out pamphlets and told people about the ticket sale. After a while the director of the theatre came, grinning brightly.
"Well done you two! You deserve a break!", he exclaimed, patting Ellen on the shoulder when she jumped down of the balls gracefully. "You're really doing an excellent job! The tickets sell incredibly well! If you continue the good work I might employ you!"
"Really?", Miranda asked and smiled thankfully.
"Ellen!", someone called and the girl turned around, finding Linali stand at the entrance of an alley. Ellen excused herself and followed Linali, taking of the pumpkin.
"How is it going?", Linali wanted to know and both sat down on some wooden boards.
"Very well! The director sad he might employ us if we continue working as well as we did", Ellen answered and Linali smiled in relief. After long pondering the two had concluded that the Innocence probably reacts to Miranda's pessimism. The best way of getting her out of her depressive mood, was getting her to be more optimistic. To find work for her seemed like a good idea, but was more difficult than they had expected. "At least the Akuma do not trouble us now… I would like to finish the mission before they come back…"
"Hm… Yes… But it's difficult; in these three days Miranda already lost her work 5 times…". Ellen sighed and got up, putting the pumpkin on the floor. She sat on a coloured ball, doing a handstand.
"I'm impressed how good you can do such things!", Linali said and Ellen smiled.
"My uncle taught me how to do it. I sometimes worked as a pierrot for him. We often travelled and he got his money with street performances or performing in inns and bars. He taught me all kind of funny things. But I never knew that they would be useful!", she answered with an amused smile and sat up on the ball, "and thanks to Kanda's training my arms are now stronger and I can do even better".
"Even though you led a good life with your mother, you must have visited a lot of places with your Uncle!", Linali said joyously, smiling brightly.
"Oh yes. I enjoyed myself. The life I lead with Mana was simple and sometimes even difficult, but it was wonderful…", Ellen said smiling gently, "You have been an exorcist for a longer time, right? When have you entered the Black Order?".
"Since I can remember I have been at the Order… My brother and I are orphans you know… Our parents were killed by Akuma when I was still very young… And when people found out that I was compatible with the Dark Boots I have been separated from Komui und brought to the order…", she said and Ellen looked at her with a sad expression, "I was not allowed outside… And I felt imprisoned by the Dark Order until Komui came three years later… He entered the Black Order and became supervisor of the science division just for my sake", Linali continued with a smile.
"Mister Li… He is such a good man…", Ellen said, clearly touched by Linali's story.
"Yes… He is… And I fight for my brother…", the Chinese girl continued, smiling gently. Ellen looked up into the sky thoughtfully, then she bent down and picked up the pumpkin.
"Siblings… How nice it must be…", she said and smiled.
"Hey you! Pumpkin!", the voice of a girl called and Ellen turned to say a young girl with standing in front of them, "Do you know where I can get tickets for the play?", she asked and Ellen jumped off the ball, putting the pumpkin on her head.
"Of course!", she exclaimed with a singing voice, putting her hands on the girl's shoulders, "You can buy them right over there, dear Miss!", she turned around and waved at Linali, "I have to go back!". Linali thought to herself how cheerful Ellen was and happily waved back at her. Ellen took the little girl by the hand and led her to the theatre, but as they arrived, loud voiced greeted them.
"What do you mean by that?!", Ellen could hear the director shouting. "A thief stole all the money?!". Miranda was sitting on the floor, apologizing with a shaking voice. "You idiot!!". Ellen let go of the girl's hand.
"Please excuse me for a while. Wait here", she said and ran over to Miranda, kneeling down next to her. "Miss Miranda!"
"I… I am so sorry, Ellen! I was busy with a customer and then…"
"Have you seen the thief?", Ellen asked the crying Miranda.
"It… It was a man with a brown coat and long hair… He ran in that direction", she answered and pointed to her left.
"Linali!", Ellen called, but the young woman was already up on a roof.
"I will look from up here!", she said and started running away. Ellen took the pumpkin from her head and smiled at Miranda.
"You do not have to be afraid… I will catch him!", Ellen said and put the pumpkin down. Miranda just looked at her.
"Ellen…", she whispered and Ellen rose up on her feet and started chasing the thief. Ellen ran through half of the street until she caught up with Linali.
"He follows the river!", the girl called, jumping down from a high building with ease. Ellen nodded and arrived at a bridge. She looked down and could see the man running next to the river. Ellen and Linali hurried down and cornered the man.
"Don't try to escape! Hand back the money!", Linali shouted but a short jolt of pain seized Ellen and her eye transformed.
"Oh no…!", she exclaimed and Linali turned to her with a confused expression, but just that moment the man transformed into an Akuma. "It was a trap!", Ellen shouted and Linali and she backed off slightly.
"Hehehehehe. We have the woman!", it said with a sneer, "The woman you tried to protect. Our Miss Rhode has her". Ellen frowned, her eye still activated.
"Rhode…?", she repeated the unfamiliar name, but before she could ponder about it, the Akuma attacked. The two girls could evade but the next attack made all the water freeze over. Ellen tripped and landed on her behind, wincing slightly.
"Everything has frozen!!", Linali shouted and Ellen started to tremble.
"C… Cold!", she shouted and held her arms. Linali turned to look at her.
"Where is your cloak, Ellen?", she wondered and Ellen managed to smile.
"I… I have left it at the theatre", she confessed, still trembling.
"Let's start, exorcists!", the Akuma called and the other two Akuma, that Ellen had failed to destroy three days ago, appeared as well.
"I wonder how long you'll be able to stand the cold…", the Akuma with the three heads side.
"You will die! Die! Die! Die!", the Akuma called and the two women got ready to fight.
"Miranda…", Ellen thought and closed her eyes, "How unfortunate! But I first have to concentrate on these Akuma!", Ellen lifted her hand and invocated her sword weapon. As she did it she felt a numb pain going through her. "What… What was that?". She squeezed her eyes shut and touched her forehead because she felt a bit dizzy. But the Akuma gave her no time to recover and she started to fight as well. Linali defended her against the attack of one Akuma, distracting it and Ellen changed her hand into its claw form, attacking two Akuma at once.
"What is that? I feel weak", she thought, clutching her chest, "my heart… It beats so fast!"
"Ellen! Ellen is something the matter?!", Linali called and Ellen pulled herself together. The three headed Akuma made the ice beneath their feet crack and Ellen sank into the floor. The ice rose up her legs and prevented her from evading.
"Are they working together now?!", Ellen rose her arms to guard herself against the ice fire attack of the Akuma, but as she could not evade she was fully hit by it and immediately lost consciousness. The last thing she could hear was Linali's frantic calling:
"ELLEN!!"
Ellen awoke to the sound of a hammer, hitting something hard. She slowly opened her eyes, feeling nothing at all.
"Where… Am I…", she wondered, staring into nothingness.
"E… Ellen…!", a voice penetrated her numbness and she raised her eyes to see Miranda, her hands pierced by thick nails, chained to her clock. Ellen took a deep breath, her sight clearing.
"Miss Miranda…", she whispered and all at once soaring pain seized her. Her body felt as if it was burning and especially her left hand hurt. She turned her head and saw that her left hand, still invocated, was nailed to the wall. The Akuma grinned at her and Ellen grit her teeth.
"She looks good in black", she heard a voice say.
"But Miss Rhode. Why have you dressed her up?", another voice asked.
"You weapons don't understand such things!", a girl answered, "Not everybody has an exorcist doll!". Ellen looked in the direction of the voices and could see Akuma and a small child in Ellen's uniform, gathered in front of a chair. The girl noticed that Ellen had regained consciousness and raised her hand.
"Oh! Awake again?", she asked and Ellen was able to see that Linali, dressed in an unfamiliar black dress, was motionlessly sitting on the chair.
"Linali!!", Ellen called, but could not move because of the nails which kept her chained to the wall.
"Stop shouting, you idiot!", an Akuma called, "you are talking about the doll of our Miss Rhode!". The young girl embraced Linali, patting her black hair.
"Linali? That's a cute name", she sang and the three headed Akuma turned towards Ellen with a wide grin.
"She gave it her all to protect you, you know?", it said, laughing evilly. Ellen gritted her teeth, staring at the small girl.
"You were with me to buy tickets, were you not?", she slowly started, observing the young girl, "Rhode… Is that you?" The girl smiled and Ellen just looked at her with a pained expression, not able to understand what was going on. "Why are you on the Akuma's side…?". It made no sense to Ellen, because she couldn't see a soul attached to the girl. "You are not an Akuma… What are you?". The girl sneered.
"I am a human", she said and Ellen widened her eyes in disbelief, "what? Can't Akuma and humans be friends?", Rhode asked innocently. Ellen just shook her head.
"Akuma are weapons to kill humans!", she said but Rhode just laughed.
"Weapons exist because humans want to kill other humans, right?", she said and Ellen observed how the skin colour of the girl changed to a dark greyish tone and cross marks appeared on her forehead. "The Earl of Millennium is my brother. We are the chosen humans, we the Noah clan!".
"N… Noah Clan…?", Ellen whispered, "you are humans…?". She just shook her head, "no… No that cannot be…!". Ellen squeezed her eyes shut and with ripped her claw free from the wall, leaving holes in her arm. Rhode just widened her eyes, but as Ellen was panting loudly, her claw lying outstretched in front of her, the young Noah chose to approach her.
"Why are you so angry now? Don't you believe me when I say that we're humans?", she asked and kneeled down in front of Ellen. The girl extended her hands while Ellen just silently stared at her, and embraced her. Ellen could feel the warmth of the young girl's body; she could feel her heart pounding against her own chest.
"Warm, isn't it…? That's the feeling you get when two people embrace…". Ellen shuddered and lifted her claw.
"If you are a human, like us… Then why…", she breathed desperately, her claw shaking. She could not bring herself to attack, she just could not! This was a young girl, a human, even though she sided with the Akuma and the Earl. "I… I cannot…". Rhode grinned.
"Like us?! How wrong you are!", she exclaimed and grabbed Ellen's claw brining it down on her own face. Ellen widened her eyes in shock and saw the girl drop down to the floor, "she has attacked herself… Why has she…?!". But before Ellen could react, Rhode's hand grabbed Ellen's torn shirt. Ellen nearly screamed as she saw the state in which Rhode's face was in; torn and burnt flesh showing the white big eyes and the skull underneath the flesh.
"We carry the Noah genes. We are the chosen ones! We are not like you!". With this Rhode crabbed one of the nails and stabbed it into Ellen's cursed eye. The girl started to scream in pain, while Rhode just laughed in delight. "I don't care about humans, you can all die! And even God wishes for the death of this rotten world, that why he gave the Earl the Akuma". Ellen held her hand to her bleeding eye-socket, trembling, but she managed to get up on her feet. Tears of pain ran down her cheeks, but she invocated her weapon.
"What you speak of is not God! It is the devil!!", she shouted.
"What's the difference?", Rhode mockingly asked and Ellen, even though she felt exhausted and was hurting all over, started to attack. But the Akuma blocked her path and smashed her against the wall, where she laid motionlessly, her invocation dissolved.
"It seems that three Akuma are too much for your body", the girl could hear Rhode comment. The pain was hard to bear and the only thing Ellen could hear right now was the pounding of her own heart. Her breathing was laboured and she was crying.
"I… I have to…", she hissed to herself. She opened her eyes and could see how the burning candles, which were pointed like icicles, rushed towards the defenceless Miranda. Ellen pushed herself up. "I cannot wait for people to save me!". She ran towards Miranda and guarded her with her claw.
"E…Ellen!", Miranda breathed and Ellen just hissed in pain, but then she pulled the nails out of Miranda's hands. The woman dropped to the floor and crawled away as fast as she could.
"Help!", she breathed and threw herself against the wall. "Ellen!", she shouted as saw that the white haired girl hadn't moved from the spot next to Miranda's clock. The shirt of the girl was torn and blood stained, and also her white hair had red spots in it. Tears dropped down Miranda's face and she trembled. "E… Ellen? Please… D… Don't die! You can't die, Ellen…". Ellen turned her head and smiled at Miranda. Her pale face was blood stained and tears were running down her cheeks.
"It…", she whispered gently, "it is okay…". Miranda starred at her in amazement and even though she was trembling, she clenched her hands and ran back towards Ellen, embracing her and shielding her against the approaching Akuma.
"What are you doing, woman?", the Akuma asked and Miranda started to laugh despite her fear and the despair of not being able to do anything.
"Ha ha… Yes… What am I doing? But… But…"
"Humans can't do anything!!", the Akuma shouted. Right at this moment the clock started to glow, engulfing Miranda and Ellen in light. Ellen didn't really see what was going on, but the felt her pain subsiding bit by bit as dials rose up from her body. She heard the ticking of a clock and sat up in surprise. Not only has her clothes been fixed, also all of her injuries had disappeared.
"Ellen! You can move?!", Miranda shouted and Ellen turned towards her. She studied her for a while and then she smiled.
"I see… You are compatible after all…" She took a deep breath and got up on her feet, clenching her Innocence hand. She invocated and her hand shot out of the barrier. She grabbed the chair Linali was sitting on and brought it inside.
"Linali!", she called and felt her pulse. "Ah… She is alive!". She breathed a sigh of relief. "She does not seem to be hurt… Maybe it is because of the Akuma's attack…"
"E… Ellen. Is she alright?", Miranda asked and Ellen smiled at her.
"It will be alright if she stays in this time barrier". It only took a few moments until Linali regained consciousness and looked at them in surprise.
"Oh…", she said, blinking up at Ellen, "what happened? And what about these clothes…?"
"Miranda and her Innocence have saved us…", Ellen said and smiled.
"W… What? I have… But how?", the black haired woman stuttered. Ellen looked up at the huge floating dial, its hands turning fast.
"The Innocence you control has absorbed the time in which we were hurt", Ellen explained and looked at Miranda with a gentle and grateful expression. "Thank you, Miranda…". She turned to Linali and the young woman nodded. Together they exited the barrier and started attacking. Ellen was able to kill the three headed Akuma and looked up where Rhode was standing on her speaking umbrella.
"Rhode!", she called and Linali looked up at her.
"What? Who is that? Wasn't she at the theatre? Is she an Akuma?". Ellen shook her head.
"No… A human", she replied and Linali lowered her head.
"I see". Meanwhile Linali was drawing glittering letters into the air.
"E – L – L – E – N. Ellen Walker", she said, „the girl who is able to see the souls of the Akuma". Ellen frowned and looked up at the Noah, who just grinned. "To be honest, I've already heard quite a bit about you from the Earl. You've become an exorcist to free the souls of the Akuma? And all of this trouble only because your beloved father cursed you". Ellen remained silent, looking up at Rhode as calmly as she was able to. This situation was dangerous, she had to keep a cool head. "Don't make rash decisions", she recalled Kanda saying.
"Kanda… What should I do?", she thought and grabbed her chest, her heart beating against her hand. Rhode smiled, almost gently.
"That's why I've decided. If I mess with anyone of you, then it should be you, Ellen". Ellen widened her eyes in surprise and gazed up at Rhode. The girl crossed her arms behind her chest.
"Hey you", she called to an Akuma, "Self-destruct".
"What?", the Akuma asked, clearly as surprised as Ellen was.
"Umbrella! Countdown!", she ordered and licked her lips.
"W… Wait a second, Miss Rhode! Why…? And I've even evolved so nicely", the Akuma tried to argue with her as the seconds were counted down by the talking umbrella. Ellen narrowed her eyes and stared up at the calm Rhode.
"What are you doing?!", she demanded and Rhode started grinning.
"Don't you know what happens if an Akuma is destroyed without the help of Innocence?", she asked casually, "for example by self-destruction. Heh. The soul will be destroyed as well, but you surely know that". Ellen froze and Rhode's laugh voice rang in her ears: "Then you cannot save the soul anymore!!".
"Stop it!!", Ellen cried and ran off, her weapon ready for attack.
"Ellen no! You won't make it!!", Linali shouted, but Ellen didn't pay any attention to anything other then the Akuma.
"I have to destroy it! Before it explodes! I have to! I must be able to make it!!", she thought, but the loud scream of the Akuma reached her ears and it exploded. Ellen felt a hand tug at her and she was thrown back, Linali holding her tightly. But Ellen saw. She saw how the Akuma skeleton was destroyed, she saw the hand of the soul reach out to her, saw it's pleading face as it tried to escape, Ellen heard it scream for help and then, with nothing more than a faint "pop" the soul was gone. Ellen stared into nothingness, Linali's weight holding her down, Rhode's laughter ringing in her ears. Her eye stared to hurt and the scar started bleeding.
"Iaaah!", she shrieked, pressing her hand against her eye.
"Ellen!!", Linali shouted, but Ellen just pushed her way, tears in her eyes.
"Why have you stopped me?!", she shouted her whole body trembling. Linali startled, clearly surprised by Ellen's outburst, but then she pressed her lips together and slapped the white-haired girl.
"Isn't that obvious?!", Linali shouted, tears in her eyes, "we are friends! I will protect you, no matter what!". Ellen just stared at the floor in shock, but then Rhode appeared again, laughing, as always.
"Amazing! I didn't expect you to throw yourself into the explosion! Not bad!"
"You…", Ellen managed to say between clenched teeth.
"What about the other woman? Do you think she's okay?", Rhode asked and Ellen looked up to the time barrier. She saw and Akuma rush towards it and got up on her feet invocating her weapon. She shot with her gun, but the Akuma managed to evade. But Linali got it before it could do any more damage. Rhode glided down to the floor and slung her umbrella over her shoulder.
"You destroyed it! Oh well, let's finish for today. I had far more fun than I expected", she commented and casually started walking away. A door rose out from the ground and Rhode grinned. "Bye-bye!". But before the she could go through the door she felt the gun of Ellen's Innocence pointed at the back of her head. Rhode smiled.
"You are such a nice girl, Ellen", she said and Ellen trembled, tears running down her face. "You hate me, don't you? Shoot", she challenged, "your hand is a weapon as well. Ellen drew in air through her nose and she couldn't even hold back the little sobs that fought their way up her throat. "But an exorcist that cries because an Akuma has been destroyed? That won't do!", Rhode continued walking away, "One day you'll be all on your own if that continues", she said and disappeared in her door, "see you, Ellen!". The door closed and Ellen let her weapon drop to her side and clenched her fist. But all of a sudden the floor started trembling.
"What is this?!", she shouted and everything started breaking down. The ground gave away underneath Ellen and she fell into nothingness. But the next moment she was back in Miranda's house.
"Oh? Is this not Miranda's… Why am I here?", she wondered.
"Ellen!!", Linali called, "something's wrong with Miranda!!". Ellen stumbled to her feet and ran to another part of the house.
"Miranda! You have to stop the Invocation!", Ellen said, but Miranda frantically shook her head.
"Nooo. If I do that… If I do that, all of your injuries will return! That's senseless!". Ellen reached out and put her hands on Miranda's shoulders.
"Stop, Miranda…", she gently said and Miranda looked up at her, tears dropping from her eyes, "we owe it to you that we are still here now… That is all we need", she said and smiled, "my injuries will heal, I am sure of it! I can bear with them!", Ellen said, smiling brightly. Linali nodded.
"That is true, Miranda. Please… Stop the invocation…". Miranda lowered her head and sobbed.
"If I live…", Ellen thought to herself as Miranda lifted her hand to stop the Invocation, "all my injuries will heal… Even though scars might remain…"
To be continued
Notes:
This got far longer than I hoped… I think it is rather boring, but I still tried my best… I was thinking about putting Ellen in a dress as well… But she actually had a lot to learn in this chapter, it wouldn't have worked out. I was also debating with myself if Rhode knows that Ellen's a girl… Well, now she does. I hope I won't change my mind later on.
Well. Sorry about the German. I don't think it's necessary to translate… X3
Next chapter: RABI!! :D
Oh... Feedback would make me happy :3