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Synthetic Soldiers

5 – A broken promise

Allen ran to his synchronization chamber as fast as his small legs would allow him, which was quite fast because of his enhanced physical prowess. The heartfelt talk he had with his hurt friend moments ago powered him up, not allowing him to hesitate or try to think things through.

There was, apparently, no security system or stationed guards around it. He supposed that was because all of the lab personnel were people in positions of trust, and the two Apostles would never try to enter their respective torture rooms willingly.

Stepping inside of it, he took a quick look around, making sure he was truly by himself. The chamber was circular and the ceiling was very high. The only furniture were the chairs and desks in a platform where the scientists usually sat, so they could have a better vision of the proceedings. Wires and machines with purposes unknown to him were set along the wall. Yuu expressed curiosity about this room a couple of times, but never entered in it. It wasn't like Apostles would take comfortable tours through such places. Allen himself had conflicted feelings about it.

Every inch of the spacious chamber was filled with his Innocence. There it was, floating in the air in a barely visible form. It ran over the floor, spiraling everywhere and touching the ceiling – but carefully avoided any human being. Any human but himself, that is. His Innocence, in its vaporous form, touched him, trembled with his every action, and even entered his body every time he took a breath. Allen doubted others could see it as well as he could, but the scientists often commented that he seemed much more in tune with the weapon than Yuu was with his.

He didn't have much time. Allen wanted to concentrate, to forget Yuu for a moment, forget the whole reason for which he was here, because it made him nervous and distressed. Still, he believed the resolve that came to him at the thought of his dear friend was what would give him even the smallest chance of actually succeeding.

Hello, he said in his mind, knowing it could hear him. There was no other explanation to the way it shivered and shimmered, leaving the corners of the room and concentrating around him.

I need your help today. Please.

Never before had he asked without the interference of the laboratory workers. It had always been as he was tormented in the circular magic seal. Would this new situation change anything?

It is me, he urged, worried about the way his words seemed to bring no results different from the usual ones. It was everywhere around him, but that was no novelty. Allen then tried to concentrate, to plead, to focus on his left arm which was the only part that always called to his Innocence, even if it was never able to hold it for long. He walked in circles, trying to summon many emotions of determination, of fear, even of rage. Anything that would make it answer his call. But his efforts bore no fruit, making Allen feel alone and troubled in this expansive room. The awareness that the clock was ticking and other people would be here soon only increased his worry.

His best friend was terribly hurt, laying broken in that bed, waiting for death to take over… and he had lied, because he didn't truly understand how to synchronize. Had he known, he would have done so long ago.

With that thought in mind, he didn't have to try very hard to conjure any strong emotion. It was there, raw, desperate and incredibly genuine, hurting as much as, or perhaps even more than, the times where he contorted over the seals drawn to ruin his body.

His body shook because of his worry. Why won't you listen? He asked in indignation. He was doing his best, it all depended on the Innocence, now. Would it abandon him? Was it truly the enemy, the way Yuu always told him? It's me, he called, Allen Walker!

Those words finally had an effect on the ethereal mass, but it wasn't the one he expected or hoped for. The Innocence froze, its particles inert in their places around him. He felt the loss of the weak connection he had with it. What was happening? It had never responded to him in such a way before, even in those moments of insanity where Allen cursed it, temporarily blaming it for his pain. What had he done wrong today? He just claimed to be himself…

He just claimed to be… him…

"You… don't recognize me, do you?" he whispered, speaking out loud in here for the first time. There was no change in its behavior, as if confirming his suspicions. Allen stood there without moving a muscle, understanding what was happening, and this knowledge weighed heavily on his shoulders. His constant failures at synchronizing had never been due to the lack of a special step, or the need for a secret procedure.

He'd always wondered about what Alma had done in order to finally manage to do it. It was hard to broach the subject with Yuu. The boy would try to look nonchalant or simply annoyed at the questions, but pain was visible in his eyes. The most information he managed to get out of him had been that Alma had started acting strangely. Alma had been spacing out, speaking nonsense and sometimes keeping to himself. Yuu had attributed that behavior to Alma's weakening ability to recover from his wounds.

But in truth, Allen now realized, Alma had been getting his memories back.

Yuu never did, his only memory of the past being that of a flower, such a small and simple thing, unable of being compared with everything that Allen could see…

…and Yuu was notoriously the Apostle with the weakest connection to his Innocence.

So, Allen simply wasn't the Exorcist this Innocence was looking for.

Or, at least, it thought so.

And he could understand why, to a point. Being born here, he had a different personality. He'd never felt truly connected to this old persona of his. He knew he was Allen Walker, and not because the laboratory let him keep his first name. No, the memories revealed the last one, and much more. He'd seen many things through Allen Walker's eyes. The root of the problem was that he had always felt like a mere spectator, a watcher of someone else's story. As if he was invading someone else's mind, when he knew he wasn't. Being Allen Walker was his only chance at freedom, his only connection to the outside world he wished so much for. He knew that, he'd always known that…

Thus far, however, he had been hesitant. Fully accepting these memories had a strong impact on his mind. Allen was recently born and shoved into a world of pain… he was justifiably unstable. But he didn't absolutely hate his life. Not a hundred percent. Because he had been growing a mind of his own, his thoughts, ideas, feelings… and sometimes he felt like he would lose his connection with those new aspects of him if he let the old personality take over. It was as if he was a different entity from Allen Walker, someone invading the deceased young man's brain and, as soon Allen Walker returned, he, the mere 'Allen', would be erased from existence.

No matter how challenging one's life was, it was very difficult to just give up. The survival instincts were always there. He – and Yuu himself – were proof of that.

It all made sense. The Innocence had been searching for its companion on him, but couldn't find him, and thus refused to answer his plea. He'd never allowed the new imagery to completely take over. The memories were a relief, a beautiful dream, but also felt like an invasion. They came without his consent, and whenever they wished to, interfering with his day and sometimes leaving his mind a mess. He'd been afraid of them, and carefully separated his mind into two places, one that was filled with the thoughts and experiences of his new life, and one that stored those of Allen Walker's.

But he had no right to be like this anymore. His weakness had allowed them to stay in the hands of their enemies for months; had allowed Yuu to be maimed for long enough that he was now in his current state. It was cruel, it was wrong, and absolutely unacceptable. A boy of a few months in a body of a few years would manage nothing by himself. It was time for Allen Walker to be let out.

There was no blinding light, no pain, no spectacle with his newly made decision. But there was a great change.

The white haired boy smiled, trepidation mostly gone. The Innocence shimmered and touched him once again, as if probing him and trying his body and mind.

I'm sorry, but we have no time for this. But you are used to being in a hush, are you not? We've always lived on the run…

He extended his left arm with practiced ease, and spoke words that would never come to the boy's mind otherwise.

"Crown Clown, activate."

Gasps behind him alerted Allen of other people's presences, unnoticed by him until now, but he paid them no heed. The Innocence was gathering around his arm, with more confidence than ever before, becoming a liquid before painfully slicing through his skin and entering his body through his veins, blemishing his previously white arm with a dark color, and hadn't that been what they wanted? He gladly accepted the pain of the invasion. Where a young boy would have cried, he stood firmly and resolute, because he knew he had gone through worse things before.

"He is doing it! Oh my God, call the others, quick! He is doing it!"

"Allen?"

"That's it, that's it!"

Why are you cheering for me? Thought Allen amidst his trance.

"Continue! It's going to happen, it is going to happen!"

"Finally, after so long…"

This isn't going to end well for you.

He'd never expected the change to happen only on his arm. A parasitic Innocence affected the whole body, becoming one with its host. Feeling it running like fire him filled an emptiness he hadn't realized was there, and it took some moments before it finally stabilized on his left arm. He raised it, testing his muscles and opening and closing his hand in front of his eyes.

His left arm had always felt wrong without this.

Welcome back, old friend.

He turned around, facing the scientists that had entered the room. Their eyes shone with excitement and their mouths sported enormous smiles, but their enthusiasm faltered when they were faced with sudden determination and strange look in their Apostle's eyes.

"Apostle. Lower your weapon."

This wasn't a scientist's voice, but a Crow's. And it was so hard for the magicians to actually speak to him; they usually silently took him everywhere he was wanted at, and didn't utter a word even when Allen tried to resist. If they were talking now, they must be very alarmed and wary of him.

"Apostle. Lower your weapon."

Naturally, Allen ignored him once more, eyes carefully surveying everyone around him, and the only exit. The command was repeated for the third time, and Allen knew they were giving him a last chance. The Crow were getting in fighting positions, and he jumped.

It was always very easy to move or, at least, he supposed it was easier for them, the Apostle children. Their bodies were enhanced in order to withstand being maimed for long periods of time, and this came with many advantages. From fragments of memories of harder moments in his past life, Allen knew he'd never had this ease in jumping, in running, in dodging. Yet, thanks to whatever they did to him, this was all too easy. The only chance of the personnel to restrain him lied with the Crow, and only because they worked with advanced magic.

But now, Allen had his Innocence.

It was easy to get rid of the first two who advanced on him, spell tags ready in their hands. Allen didn't know what they could do, but a feeling of dread inside his heart made him feel like it could be nothing pleasant. So he slashed at them without thinking of anything else. They were, in the end, humans with extraordinary knowledge, but ordinary bodies. If he got past their stratagems and simply hit them, they would be out of commission quickly.

And that was exactly what happened.

Commotion broke out, and the third and last Crow member in the room advanced, while chanting something. Allen had just enough time to get out of his range, almost getting hit by a ward of strong electricity. Not reaching its intended target, it ruined the chamber, breaking the place apart. Everyone would stop underestimating him now, and there was no time to hesitate. He slashed through the this last person, and it was with a much stronger hit; the Crow flew away from him, spraying an arc of blood.

Most scientists were frozen in their spots, and one even stared at the exit longingly, but with fear of trying to escape. Twi was the only one to narrow her eyes and step towards him, filled with the same air of authority she always carried around her. Allen hated himself for it, but he did feel a little scared of her. He had been conditioned to.

Allen threw Twi out of his way with more strength than necessary. When his heart reverberated with excitement at her pained gasp and the crack of her bones, he finally acknowledged it: he hated them all, and it was a hate stronger than he ever thought. He hated them, some more than the others, but it was hate all the same. He hated Twi and her superior looks, her nonchalant expression as he thrashed and screamed. For doing nothing for their pain. He hated her for scolding him as if he was a child. To her, Allen was just a lab rat. Who would speak with laboratory animals? He wanted her arrogant and confident face to twist, he wanted her to bleed and plead.

A scientist stepped between Allen and the wheezing Twi.

Of course.

"Allen, please."

"No pleases," he said softly, sounding annoyingly childish, yet… that was what he was. A child. The fragments of memories gave him an advantage, but they were too little for him to truly consider himself a completely changed person. Edgar's eyes widened when he heard the white haired boy's voice. He wasn't used to having Allen speak directly to him.

Allen hated him too, because he pretended to be good, wincing when Allen screamed, looking guilty when the boy was hurt. Trying to engage him in conversation and give the boys small and senseless gifts.

But he did nothing to ease their pain… and thus, was the same as everyone else. Allen would see every one of them dead, every single one, for what they did to him and to –

Yuu.

He stopped.

What had he awakened his Innocence for? Hadn't he said he wanted to save his friend? Hurting his enemies wasn't his priority. He would get rid of anything that got in his way, but he wouldn't be tempted by the amount of power he suddenly wielded, he wouldn't be tempted by the vulnerability of his tormentors.

The Allen who screamed for revenge was the hurt, vindictive child. The one who was going to save Yuu was the adult, born long ago. He couldn't forget his role.

So he turned away, forgetting about Twi and Edgar, and running towards the door. To his surprise, the daft man tried to get on his way yet again.

"A-Allen, don-"

"I have no time for this," he simply said, before kicking the man out of his way. In the end, Edgar was a commonplace person. It was the Crow he had to worry about.

But even then, after he dodged and attacked the hooded members of the organization, he knew it.

Exorcists were the true powerhouse of the Light forces. Not the ordinary soldiers, not the Crow and other students of magic rituals and science.

The Exorcists' power was natural, and the strongest, as long as they learned to be one with their weapon. As long as they synchronized to perfection, working towards a goal both Innocence and Accommodator believed in.

That was what he had preached to his friends and followers, years ago. What got him targeted by the Black Order in the first place.

"That boy… he shouldn't have such control over his Innocence!"

That's what you get for awakening the dead. This weapon is one I have handled for years.

"We are not yours to control," he said, and watched as the Crow who spoke widened his eyes, mask broken and discarded in the floor meters away. Allen felt those black eyes were somehow familiar, but didn't dawdle.

The clock was ticking.

And he wasn't so arrogant as to think he would be able to leave this place easily. He could control his weapon, yes, but he knew that it had been better than this, once.

He ran at his maximum speed through the corridors, the image of Yuu's health state still fresh in his mind and increasing his sense of urgency. His Innocence and his seal powered his moves together, turning him into an almost invisible flash as he made his way towards his friend's room. Still, he couldn't help but feel he was being too slow.

He got intercepted, and would either dodge or attack his enemies powerfully, depending on their potential strength. His control over his arm was better than that of a recently made Exorcist but still somehow faulty, and his attacks would sometimes miss the targets and hit the building instead. It eventually startled trembling in instability, and he could hear crashes of pieces of concrete and metal falling down, but ignored them. His chance of surviving was already small, and it wouldn't do to fight while trying to keep this place intact, so he could only hope it would hold on.

It was with relief that he finally reached the correct door, slamming it open and entering in.

"Yuu! I have-"

There was no one in the room. Startled, he looked around the place with a rising anxiety gripping his chest. What was happening?

"Yuu?" he called uselessly, going so far as looking below the bed and see if the other was there. But no, there was nothing. The bed sheets were still crumbled, so he couldn't have been gone for too long. Allen put his hand over the bed. It was cold. At least if it were still warm, he would know the boy was near. How could this be? Yuu stayed in that bed for a whole week! Why did they have to take him now of all times?

Did he…

NO!, his mind screamed, unwilling to continue with that thought. That's right, that couldn't be. It had to be something else. Throwing one last anxious look to the room, he left it, running once again in the maze of corridors of this wing of the laboratory.

What would they do with Yuu, that would require them to take him out of his bed? The boy certainly was in no condition to leave by himself. Where could he be? He had to go back to the room he shared with the older boy, and hope to find him there. That would only complicate things, though. The place would be the most filled with Crow, and they were now alert about his rebellion. Going back there would only complicate his escape, and they could even find a way to seal the water passages before he got there.

But it's not like he had a choice. He would get his friend, one way or another.

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Nowhere.

Yuu was nowhere, he simply couldn't find him.

"Yuu… Yuu…"

And then the surge of determination and power that was taking control of him moments ago quickly vanished, giving place to despair and confusion. He was terrified. Where could the other boy be?

In that moment of weakness, his enemies appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. It seemed like those were faster than their unluckier counterparts that fought Allen earlier. Already done with their chants, they threw their tags towards the boy so quickly he couldn't avoid them, this time. It seemed like there were much stronger Crow members ready to fight.

The seal tags glued in his skin and were activated. Terrible pain took over his whole body as it was set on fire; he was used to torture, but this was one of a new kind. He fell to the floor as his flesh was eaten by the flames. Someone was screaming in the background, but Allen paid them no mind – it wasn't like he could. He thrashed as he was melted to the bones, his Innocence apparently as hysterical as he was. It grew to enormous proportions and destroyed nearby walls and the floor around him. Was he going to die? Yuu…

No. He wasn't allowed to die.

His arm expanded and attacked the nearest Crow, ignoring the terrible state of the rest of his body. Bones were crushed, flesh tore apart, and he didn't care. Not while he was being so hurt, himself.

The second Crow met a similar end. It came to a point where Allen was attacking recklessly, merely wanting to get rid of his assailants in order to survive. This one lost his head, so he knew this was, at the very least, his first kill of the night.

Now there was only one person, and he advanced on him, ready to kill once more and find himself alone again. Yet it was like his brain gave a shout, and he steadied his claws a couple of centimeters away from the person's face.

Edgar was no danger.

But he was no friend, either.

"Allen," was the man's soft whisper. He was plastered with blood, the blood of everyone Allen had hurt in his escapade; the blood of killed Crow, and of his wife, perhaps. Edgar's cheeks were being washed by his constantly flowing tears.

"Yuu," Allen said in a barely understandable whisper. "Where…"

More tears spilled from the Edgar's eyes. "Allen…" it wasn't hard to imagine why he seemed to be in such a broken state. Not only was this place a whole mess and many people were hurt or dead, but Allen himself was not an easy sight to deal with. His seal worked furiously, trying to rearrange his flesh around his bones. Around the hurt boy the building trembled, and debris fell from the cracking ceiling.

"Where is he?" snarled Allen, refusing to listen to the man's blabbering. Edgar closed his mouth, but seemed to hesitate before finally making his decision. He most likely knew what was going to happen if he didn't, and Allen was a mass of carbonized, slowly healing flesh and anger. He wasn't going to stop and talk.

"T-the synchronization room. But that is because-"

Allen's heart almost stopped, and his eyes widened so much it was painful on his mending skin.

"Synchronization?" he whispered brokenly, and dashed away before the scientist could answer him.

No, no, this can't be, screamed Allen inside his mind as he ran, ignoring his pained body's urges to please stop. He is in no condition to get hurt. He is surely going to die. What are they thinking? No, please no, please no!

It seemed to take him years to finally reach the feared place, but it actually took no more than a minute. He kicked the door open, and it hit a wall far away. For a moment, he winced, angered at his carelessness. If his friend was inside, he would have gotten hurt by it.

But there was no one, he saw with desperate eyes. The place was empty, but that didn't calm his heart.

Because the air still cracked with the remnants of harmful energy, the painted seals in the floor blurred by apparent thrashing. And the blood… there was blood in the floor. It was fresh, he could recognize it anywhere and, for the first time in that day, the smell of iron made him want to vomit.

Another sound of falling concrete reverberated not too far away. This place was falling apart, and Yuu…

He simply couldn't find the boy! He would search every corner of this laboratory again, then. He would destroy walls in his way, and find any secret passages. He would…

Loud crashes reverberated around the place. The systems started turning off and darkness encompassed everything. The whole building fell apart, and only his reflexes helped him get out of the way of the first heavy, falling ceiling pieces. Earth trickled from the broken walls, and he knew there was no time. No, no, no.

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He hadn't been fast enough. The building collapsed with him inside, and he had no idea of what his progress was by that time. Bent into an awkward and painful position, and still deeply hurt by the attacks issued by the Crow, he gasped and struggled. It took time and perseverance for him to be guided by a thin line of light that caressed him, until he could finally move the last piece of the ruined building that held him down. The white haired boy got out of the debris, gasping and coughing uncontrollably, until the fit finally subdued. Allen could still feel his fast regenerating seal working, repairing mutilation that would have killed a normal person. His Innocence, however, was exhausted, and out of commission.

Allen was finally under the sun rays. The air was fresh and the breeze wasn't that of ventilation tubes, but the one provided by nature. The sky was a beautiful blue, painted white by a cloud here and there. But he couldn't see any of it.

Because, somewhere inside that monstrous crater of twisted metal, concrete and destruction, was Yuu.

His dear friend, who he had wanted so much to save, had his grave built by Allen himself. This was his final place of rest; Laboratory number six, the place he had been born in, the place he never, ever left.

Allen's loud sobs echoed in the dense forest.

"I… promised you…"

Yuu was there, but he was dead. It wasn't like he could hear Allen.

"You won't die. Wait for me."

"I promised you we would leave…"

Yet, he couldn't stop himself from speaking. Allen trembled uncontrollably. Tears flooded his eyes and dropped over the ground, unrestrained; his words were barely understandable.

"I swear we will be out of here soon."

He saw Yuu's face in his mind. The thin preteen, so pale, with the silky dark hair he liked to tie in a high ponytail. His beautiful eyes, framed by long lashes. His many smirks, snarls, pouts, complaints. His few and treasured smiles. His tentative hugs. His unstable temper, and his innocence. His purity. His obliviousness of someone who grew inside of a tiny box without any windows, and was never let out.

"What does the sky look like?"

"Yuu, please forgive me. Please. P-please. I…"

"Now that I think of it, I… I really don't want to die."

Letting out a wrathful scream, he punched the wreckage with all the hate he could muster; a good part of it fell apart under his small fist. He went on and on, because he had so much energy, because he simply couldn't rest. Allen gasped and trembled as he made a crater in the already ruined place. Eventually, however, his emotions of pure sadness started giving way to a new, stronger one. His eyes still leaked fresh, hot tears, yet the despaired expression slowly morphed into one of pure hatred.

But as with everyone who once felt filled with anger and sorrow, his energy eventually ran out. It took him a long time to calm his breath, and to state his resolution with a rasping, tired, but furious growl.

"I am going to destroy them."

The Black Order.

Because he didn't follow through his promise to his friend, but he had another, one that was set deep in his heart. It was made in a time that felt like so long ago, when he lived in another body… when he lived another life.

His promise to his comrades of the past. His promise, now made also to Yuu.

Allen Walker wanted to destroy the Black Order, and now he had more drive than ever to do it.

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A/N: Next chapter, we're back in the present.