Author's Notes:
Again, a delay. I somehow forgot updating because all of the stuff I should be doing for university. And chapters with fight scenes take me incredibly long to do, because it's tedious stuff. I'm happy once the Crowley arc is over.
Disclaimer: D.Gray-Man belongs to Katsura Hoshino
Kapitel 20: Determination
Ellen walked away from the park of the hospital with hurried steps and only slowed down when she got on the main road. She let out a shaky breath and leant against a building's wall, hand on her chest. Thinking about the last mission was disturbing the young girl and made her tremble with grief and anger. She had failed, utterly failed as an exorcist! It was her duty to save those poor trapped souls! It was not their fault that they were chained to the machine bodies, it was not their fault that they had been called back! They were so pitiful, so wretched and she…! Ellen could have saved it, if she had been stronger, if she had been faster and if she had been more determined. Had she known that a soul could be destroyed, then she would have acted earlier – but she had not! There were so many things that she had no idea about. It made her angry and frustrated; why didn't General Cross tell her about it?!
"On a second thought", Ellen mused in the uncharacteristically foul temper she was in, "this man is an utter failure in his profession as master! Goodness! Why had he not informed me of these crucial things?! Why have I not read about this?!". Ellen covered her face with her hands, as if to shelter herself from the sickening image of the soul's agony. It had reached out to her and cried for help and then, with nothing more than a sickeningly small and unspectacular "poof" it had been gone. Just gone.
"Why did she do that?", Ellen asked herself, lowering her hands, "how can a human girl be that cruel?!". Ellen raised her head and looked into the greyish sky. The snow was still falling gently, but the sky looked awful; cold and dirty with white clouds. Even though it was cold there were a lot of people on the street. Ellen decided that it might be best to walk around to be able to get her mind off the mission, even if just briefly. She pulled her hood over her head and started walking down the road. That her left eye was damaged bothered her, because her field of vision was limited and there was a dull ache in the left side of her face.
After only a short while Ellen slowed down and stopped in the middle of the road. She was breathless, but not because she had exhausted herself, it was because she was terrified.
"What is wrong with me? These are just normal people!", Ellen mused, "Why am I so scared?! If there are Akuma I will see them!". She looked left and right, but couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. "Am I so nervous because I am blind on my cursed eye…?". Ellen stared ahead as people passed her and a cold shiver seized her, making her whirl around. But there was nothing there. No Akuma, not even a human who looked at her suspiciously.
"You're an exorcist, right?", a young voice asked and the metallic clicking of a pistol being charged reached her ears. Something hard was pressed against the back of her head and the young girl froze. The next thing that happened was a huge impact which threw her down on the floor.
"That was close!", Ellen turned onto her back and sat up, "What are you doing down there, Ellen?". Rabi was standing on a huge metallic hammer, the Akuma destroyed by fire.
"Get up! It seems as if our enemies arrived!", he said, grinning. While Ellen still stared up at him, the people around them started screaming.
"Mord…!", some shouted, "ein Mörder!". While the screaming of the mass got louder, Rabi just looked down at Ellen calmly, as if they weren't there at all.
"There are many people on such wide streets, Ellen! Such open spaces are dangerous!", he said and jumped down from his hammer, still holding on to the metallic pole. "An Akuma can get near you easily! You have to see everyone as an Akuma", he said and Ellen stared up at him wordlessly. He extended his hand and helped her up on her feet, Timcampy fluttering around Ellen's head as the hood dropped down. "With your eye you can detect Akuma, but you can't see with it at the moment, right?".
"I… I am sorry", Ellen apologized, but then she frowned. "What? My eye?"
"Not everybody sees Akuma, didn't you know? You're the only human on earth who has seen an Akuma's soul. We normal people can't seem them". Ellen just looked up at him in confusion and shook her head.
"But how…", Ellen started and Rabi looked down at her with a smile, while his hammer shrank in size.
"Mmh?". He didn't get to say more because a metallic ball was thrown at them, and the impact lifted them off their feet. Rabi landed on his feet and pushed his headband up.
"Oha! A new one!", he said and looked up at a building's roof, where a level two Akuma was standing. It shot another ball in their direction and Rabi swirled his hammer around. "Grow! Grow!", he shouted, "full size!". Ellen raised her head and stared up at the huge hammer and how easily Rabi seemed to wield his weapon.
"Goodness! This thing grew huge!", she thought in disbelieve.
"Get your head down, Ellen!", Rabi called "Throwing things around in such a huge street is damn dangerous, Akuma!". He hit the ball of the Akuma, smashing it to pieces but hitting a building as well.
"Ah!", he said and Ellen sprang up on her feet.
"It can even destroy houses!", she concluded in her head, not really positively impressed by the sheer power Rabi's Anti-Akuma weapon seemed to have.
"Haha… No problem! Komui will pay for the damage!", Rabi said carelessly, his hammer shrinking again. "Anyway, we should disappear from here…", he suggested with a grin.
"Halt!", a voice called and Ellen looked over to the people. A police officer came through the mass, while other people pointed at them.
"The boys there! Those in the black clothes! They killed a person!"
"You there! Don't move!", the officer shouted.
"Oh. A police officer!" Ellen said, as he approached them.
"You are arrested! Come with me!", he said and grabbed Ellen's arm, pulling her.
"Oh, no. Please listen! We…", she frantically said. But she didn't have to continue as Rabi pointed his weapon at him, pulling Ellen back against him.
"S… Stop! What are you…", the officer said and Ellen looked up at her fellow exorcist in surprise.
"Rabi?!", she asked in surprise as she saw his dark expression.
"S… Stop!!", the police officer repeated, but then he suddenly turned part of his body into a metallic weapon, pointing at the two exorcists. Ellen stumbled back in fright, but when the Akuma started firing at them, she raised her claw, blocking the attacks, while Rabi did the same with his hammer.
"Another one of those! Looks like they want to try their guns on us!", Rabi shouted, jumping backwards, "let's go!". Ellen still stared at the Akuma in disbelief, but was wise enough to follow Rabi until they reached the station, where a lot of wagons were standing on the rails.
"Your reactions are pretty slow, Ellen!", Rabi said, "When you only start preparing for a fight when an Akuma shows its true shape, you'll die!"
"I... am sorry", she repeated, pretty bothered, "… Why did you realize, Rabi? I though you could not recognize them?". They came to a halt in the middle of the abandoned part, wagons all around them.
"I don't recognize them. But I suspect everyone! Everyone that approaches me!", he said and Ellen looked at him. "A human I might have known yesterday, might be an Akuma today. That's how our enemy is!", he said and a lot of people started to come out of the wagons, staggering as they approached them. "But I am sure you know very well, Ellen! We are at a disadvantage!", he said and looked at the young girl next to him, "other than you with your useful eye, we cannot distinguish between human and Akuma.". Ellen took her eyes off the people approaching them to look up at Rabi and saw his pained expression, even though he smiled. "But contrary to the other exorcists do I consider humans to be the allies of the Earl", he confessed, to which Ellen could not reply but with a shocked expression. Before she could make up her mind, they were attacked again and separated.
"Rabi!", Ellen shouted in distress, her arm invocated. She saw the hammer sticking out, waving eagerly.
"Don't worry! They're just level ones!!", she heard Rabi shout and saw him approach the Akuma. "Okay! Come on!". Ellen squeezed her eyes shut, then she changed her weapon to its gun form and started aiming at the Akuma, taking them down one by one, even though they were still in partly human shape.
"I consider humans to be the allies of the Earl", Ellen recalled Rabi's words in her head, "why? Why?! That is so cruel!". She stopped when she could hear a human woman's scream and turned to her left. An Akuma was dragging a woman with him.
"Help meeeeee!", she cried, as the Akuma held her in front of him with a grin. Ellen was feeling sick again, gritting her teeth in agony.
"I am such a fool… I started doubting myself and my determination once I found out that the Noah clan… that humans are my enemies…", Ellen thought, starring down at her feet, the woman not far away from her, reaching out. "But Rabi's words made me realize my mistake… I never knew the fear and the insecurity of not knowing my enemy. I didn't know that Akuma existed and once I was confronted with them I could see them. I never was afraid of the horrors of an enemy one could not see. But I see know that this is what my friends face all the time!". Ellen raised her hand, her expression pained, but she was also angry, angry at herself for being so ignorant. "Rabi and all those who became exorcists, see humans as potential enemies whenever they have to battle. And in order to be able to fight against those Akuma in human disguise they face their fear and the danger. So they can protect those humans who are dear to them". Ellen raised her cannon and killed the Akuma who was holding the woman. The woman screamed and ran over to Ellen once she was free, where she instantly dropped to her knees, sobbing pitifully. Ellen lowered her weapon to kneel down as well.
"Are you alright?", she asked the woman, but instead of an answer she was faced with a gun pointed at her forehead. Ellen didn't flinch, but just fired her weapon. "You are too slow", she said quietly and the woman dissolved. Ellen rose to her feet and continued fighting. "I have decided to take this path! I also need to decide to accept everything which is connected to my profession!"
--
It seemed to Ellen like hours, but eventually all that was left of the Akuma raid were destroyed wagons, fire and smoke. She was exhausted and lying on her back on top of a wagon, her feet dangling down over its edge.
"How many did you get?", she heard Rabi's voice and opened her eyes.
"About… 30 I would say", she replied, still not sitting up.
"Which means that I've won! 37!", Rabi called which made Ellen frown.
"… I do not count such things", she answered and heard Rabi laugh.
"I can't help it. It's a habit of mine to always remember such things", Rabi said and sat up, while Timcampy came fluttering up to Ellen. "We've destroyed 70 together… They attacked just like that! Maybe they wanted to get rid of us while Linali and you were still injured", Rabi mused, "or maybe they had another objective… I wonder if things in the hospital are alright…". As Ellen heard that she sat up, but as she put weight on her Innocence arm it stung and a cry of pain escaped her.
"Are you alright?", Rabi asked and came to the wagon, holding up his hands, "you're still not entirely healed, right? Come on. I'll help you down". Ellen sighed and climbed over the edge of the wagon, where Rabi was able to reach her. He put the girl down on the floor and then rammed the pointed tip of his hammer into the ground.
"Yes… I would rather have a weapon such as yours. Equipment type was its name I remember. This parasitic type is a bother…", she said and Rabi smiled at her.
"Well, you try to pay attention and heal up. Yu would be angry with me if you got hurt". Ellen huffed with red cheeks.
"I appreciate your concern, but I do not think that you have to take care of me. It would surely be in everybody's interest if I were able to take care of myself. And I do think that I can", she said and Rabi just laughed amusedly.
"You're pretty stubborn. No wonder Kanda fell in love with you", he said and looked to the north, "the hospital was in that direction, right?"
"Yes, it was", Ellen answered, but then she turned back to Rabi with a frown, "I am sure that this was not the reason for Kanda's feelings. At least I hope that my stubborn nature was not my most appealing quality".
"Nooo. Of course not. Yu said that you're intelligent and beautiful and gentle and whatnot. He used a lot of adjectives I didn't even know were in his vocabulary", Rabi said with a grin and held out the pole of the hammer to Ellen, "come on, hold on to that", he said and put his hand around the pole and his free arm around Ellen's waist.
"What?", she asked, but grabbed the pole and Rabi's shoulder and before she knew what was happening they soared through the sky.
"Up to the hospital! Grow!!", Rabi shouted and they continued to dash trough the sky, Ellen holding on to the pole and Rabi with all her might.
"Oh Rabi, I do not like it!!", Ellen shouted as the buildings kept rushing by under their dangling feet. The hospital came into sight but they were not slowing down, "Rabi!!"
"Uh. Calm down! Everything's alright!", he said but they still didn't slow down and consequently crushed into the wall of the hospital. The next thing Ellen knew was that she crashed into a pile of papers in Linali's hospital room (she guessed, because Rabi's control of direction with his hammer seemed to be good, but the rest…).
"You flew with that thing again, Rabi?", a startled Komui asked and Rabi rose up from the dust, with a huge grin on his face.
"Hahaha! I'm sorry! It's really useful, but the slowing down is a bit complicated. But it was funny, right, Ellen?", he asked and looked down at her. She was still holding on to his shirt, even though she lay on the floor next to him, another figure as well.
"You stupid, little…!", Bookman said darkly, and Rabi and Ellen both backed off, when they saw his glare and his bleeding nose. "What were you thinking?! Idiots!", he shouted and Ellen and Rabi hurried to get up on their feet again. But it seemed that Bookman's anger was mainly directed at Rabi, while Ellen was free to turn around and find Linali and Komui standing at the other side of the room.
"Linali! You are awake again!", she said and smiled in relief. Linali didn't even get to answer, as Komui stepped forward, interrupting Rabi and Bookman's arguing with the clearing of this throat.
"Now that we are all assembled, let us leave! The carriage is ready for departure", he said and Bookman nodded, ushering the other two "brats" out of the room, so that they could all get ready.
--
"Don't tell Yu, that I made you fly with my Innocence, he would get angry!", Rabi asked when he and Ellen waited in the carriage for Komui and Linali to arrive.
"His anger would suit you well, it was dangerous after all!", Ellen said with a frown.
"I kept a firm grip on you!", Rabi justified himself and Ellen had to laugh. "Good, we understand each other!". Ellen smiled at him and looked out of the carriage's window. It was still snowing.
"How long have you known Kanda? Are you good friends?", Ellen wondered and turned her attention back to Rabi. He smiled at her and nodded.
"I'd say that we are good friends! He wouldn't agree, but you know him! We've known each other for two years now. I must say that I was pretty surprised to find out that he was in love with someone! I always teased him about it and he said that it was too bothersome. Seems that you convinced him otherwise".
"I do not know. He did not like me at the beginning… I was too weak in his eyes – physically and emotionally. It is truly puzzling how he should have come to develop feelings for me…", she said with a frown. Rabi looked at her and then he had to burst out laughing, which earned him a glare from the old Bookman. "Why are you laughing? This is embarrassing!"
"You should loosen up a bit, Ellen! Who cares what reasons he had! He is in love with you and does everything he can to protect you! You should enjoy that a bit, we are in war after all! I heard that you're a noble girl, but you could start acting your age!"
"Start acting my age? What do you mean by that, Rabi?", Ellen wondered a bit put off.
"Well, you're so serious! That's fine in a battle, but when you interact with other people?"
"Not everyone needs to behave as foolishly, as you do, fool!", the Bookman said and turned to Ellen, "do not listen to him. Showing how well-bred one is, is no crime", he continued and Ellen smiled at him, albeit a bit uneasily.
"Thank you, Mister Bookman", she replied and the old man nodded. Rabi made a grimace, then he turned to Ellen.
"You spoil my fun! I would have liked to corrupt you bit, Yu would surely be very surprised! Maybe he would even like it!", he said and the young girl frowned.
"I do not know…"
"Come on! I don't know! That's easy! I don't know, speak after me!", Rabi exclaimed loudly, with a huge grin plastered on his face. Ellen just continued frowning and was glad when Komui and Linali came into the carriage, interrupting Rabi. The carriage departed and Rabi pulled a mock disappointed face.
"Well. I'll just get straight to the point; your next mission", Komui started once the carriage began moving. "Are you ready?", he asked and the three young exorcists nodded. Komui looked very serious. "Recently… A general was killed". Ellen widened her eyes, listening intently to what the supervisor was saying. "It was General Kevin Yeegar. Even though he was the oldest of the Generals, he always fought at the front".
"General Yeegar was…?!", Linali gasped, hand in front of her mouth.
"He was found in Belgium", Komui said after nodding shortly, "He hung at a church's cross, back facing forward. The words God Hunt were etched into his back".
"God Hunt?" Ellen repeated quietly, while Rabi lifted his hand in recognition.
"It's about Innocence again, right?", he asked and Komui nodded again.
"Correct. Because the Generals are looking for compatibles they always carry a few pieces of Innocence with them. General Yeegar had eight pieces with him. Which means that including General Yeegar's Anti-Akuma weapon, nine pieces of Innocence have been stolen".
"Nine…", Ellen said, a disturbed frown on her face as Komui continued explaining.
"After he was taken from the cross everything for his survival was done. But his injuries were too grave. However, until his last breath he continued singing a song". Komui looked at his notes and recited the words.
"How peculiar", Rabi said with interest.
"Excuse me, Mister Li. But what is meant by the precious heart?", Ellen wanted to know. Komui sighed, lowering his head, before he continued his explanation.
"The heart is one Innocence out of the 109 pieces. It is the core; the power source of all the other Innocence pieces. This is what the Earl searches, because it enables him to destroy all the Innocence pieces just by destroying the heart"
"And where is it?", Ellen wondered but Komui just shook his head.
"We don't know. Maybe it's already in our possession, maybe it already has a compatible… Anyway, the Earl searches for it and General Yeegar was the first victim. We assume that the Earl suspects the heart with one of the Generals – an exorcist with immense power", he said.
"Well. It would make sense if that powerful Innocence is compatible with someone on General level!", Rabi said with an interested smile.
"Yes, but even a General might be in trouble if he is faced not only with hordes Akuma but also with the Noah, who now appeared on the side of the Earl", Komui continued, "that is why all the exorcist will be divided into four groups. The aim is to escort the Generals", Komui looked at Ellen and she met his gaze uncertainly. "I will send you to General Cross…!"
"Indeed…", was all the young girl managed to say.
"The Generals receive their mission from my superiors and if they have enough missions they set out and act on their own. That's why we can never be entirely sure where the Generals are". Komui looked at Ellen and raised his hand, index finger pointing at Ellen. "However, three of them report monthly, that's why we can more or less trace their movement. The problem is the fourth General! General Marian Cross!" Komui pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, while continuing with a disapproving frown. "As you know, General Cross hasn't contacted us for 4 years. There are many rumours that he's either dead or has abandoned his mission… I placed my bets on the latter… BUT…!!". Once again, Komui pointed at Ellen, which had her move back slightly in concern. "But then you appeared, dear Ellen!", he put his hands on her shoulders, staring at her. "You are his apprentice!"
"I… I am deeply sorry that I have to disappoint you, but I do not know where General Cross is at the moment!", Ellen answered and Rabi decided to speak up again.
"Don't shake her, Komui! How should we find him when we don't even know where he is!"
"Well… You'll be lead by Tim"
"Timcampy?", Ellen and Rabi asked and turned their heads to the golden golem that happily munching the curtains.
"Cross is a scientist you know, and he built Timcampy. He will know where his owner is, no matter his current location. And now we also have Ellen who knows how Cross is moving! He is trapped!!". Ellen was not really convinced and neither were the others.
"If we find you, master…", Ellen thought and looked out of the window, "then I will have a lot of questions to ask you… You should better be prepared"
To be continued
Note:
Now's the time for a few clarifications! Firstly, Ellen does not know that her cursed eye changes when Akuma are near-by. She also doesn't know that she is the only one that is able to see them. Secondly, uhm, no, I did not want to translate Rhode's song. I guess everyone knows it… XD I also get tired of rewriting the story and I'm sure you're getting tired of reading what you already know… This calls for more filler missions to keep us entertained! And thirdly, I am bit confused because I always thought that Marian was Cross' first name, but is it actually the other way around…? It's just because I had a look into my copy of the fanbook and am now… well, yes, confused.
Other than that; not much happening. I'm looking forward to another filler chapter maybe a "wait a minute, what is Kanda doing?" chapter. Because that's what actually comes in the Manga, but I'm not too sure on it. I guess I'll surprise you with something random. lol