...How long has it been since I updated? Let's see-ALMOST ONE MONTH. I apologize for not updating and I know that some of you understand that I sometimes don't have enough time to update but I'd still like to say sorry.
I feel like I'm starting to lose my spark here...tell me what you thought of this chapter alright? It would do me good if I could get your opinions.
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Chapter 26: I'm Not Dying Today!
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Nova's POV
...Huh? Where am I?
I lifted my head to see that I was in a familiar looking white room. It wasn't Avon's room, but it gave off a nostalgic feeling. I patted down myself and noticed that there was no pain from my back wound. Hm. Strange. So this wasn't in reality then.
"Hello? Is anyone there?" I called out, my voice echoing around me. I could've sworn I felt something/someone's presence in here. I took a few steps forward, glancing around a bit: nothing but white walls. Then the light tap on my shoulder came.
I whirled around to see a girl my age smiling back at me. She had bright emerald eyes that looked strikingly recognizable…where had I seen them before? I caught the black stripes on her cheeks, her orange hair and widened my eyes in realization. Why was she a human? How did she even get inside me?
"Tigress?" The girl nodded back at me with a cute little chuckle. I gaped at her in bewilderment for a moment before closing my jaw, trying to compose myself.
"I suppose I should explain myself then," Tigress quietly said as she held my astonished gaze. I saw the look in them; very serious and dangerous. "I couldn't show you yet because it wasn't the right time, but the reason I'm here is because of my one power that I've kept up until this time. It allows me to merge with your own body, providing you with my strength and speed. However, I have limited time.
"I saw your condition and decided that you could use my power. After all, you looked a little sheet white before I merged with you. By the way, why were you so scared? I know you-you aren't afraid of dying, so why were you pale?"
I stayed silent for a moment, contemplating on what the answer should be. I wasn't afraid of dying, Tigress saw that. So then what is it? I closed my eyes recalled the stricken look in Kanda's eye when he met my gaze. That frightened me. His expression showed it all: he couldn't bear to lose me. He wouldn't know what to do if I were gone.
It seems we think alike.
I wasn't scared of dying; I was scared of leaving Kanda alone.
I remember the expression in his eyes when he realized that Tyki was the one who was in my room that night. He was scared for me. Even though he couldn't realize it himself at the moment, I caught on to his emotions. Those eyes that looked into my own were ones that knew of someone important getting ripped away from him; of having the imaginary knife carving the portion of his heart out as his important person drifted away.
I didn't want him to experience that again. That's why I was afraid.
"…I'm scared to leave him alone," I quietly answered, finally understanding. I met Tigress' gaze and smiled, seeing her nod.
"Good! So, now that you've realized why you're afraid-how about you back into that battle?"
"I can only help you for a limited amount of time however. I can take your pain away to help you increase your chances of winning but as soon as I exit your body, it'll all come rushing back. You understand?" I listened to her words carefully, nodding when she finished.
Tigress grinned, revealing two rows of sharp teeth. She put her hands on my shoulders, her eyes closed when her form began to shimmer. As she shimmered, she moved closer to me, soon walking into me and turning in my direction. I closed my eyes as well, her conscience settling in with my own.
"You've got ten minutes," Her voice echoed inside my head.
Don't worry, that's all I need.
The moment I opened my eyes, I knew that Tigress was within me. I could feel her fighting spirit inside me, wanting to burst out in all directions. If that's what she meant by lending me her power, then by all means, I'll let this beast loose.
I gathered my surroundings and caught Kanda's gaze. Immediately, I smirked as I caught his expression: shock. No one knew that Tigress had lent me her strength. Just me. I suddenly felt the grip around my heart slacken a bit. My eyebrow twitched in irritation as my katana formed in my hand.
"...Oi, how long are you going to just-stand there!" I flipped the blade so that it faced towards me and sunk it into Tyki's side, hearing him groan in surprise. As soon as I felt his grip on my heart weaken, I pulled the blade out and moved forward, his hand disappearing. All in seconds. I spun on my heel and exploded off the ground, slamming the palm of my hand into his chest. Time slowed for a moment and I heard a few bones snap as he stared down at me with the most bewildered expression. I smirked as time resumed its normal speed, and sent the man flying into his mass of Tease.
I righted myself just as Kanda and Lavi came running over, still gaping in shock. I met their gaze with a raised eyebrow and smirked. "What, you didn't actually think I would die from that did you?"
"You-He-What?" Lavi spluttered out, a confused look still in his eyes.
"Let's just say that Tigress is helping me out. That reminds me, we don't have much time so why don't we-" Before I could finish my sentence, I ducked and jumped back, just as Tyki came down from above, breaking the ground from the impact of his landing. Kanda and Lavi immediately moved aside as I landed on the ground lightly, instantly changing my katana to my machine gun.
Aiming it at the still Tyki, I fired without hesitation. The empty shells landed all around me, clinking on the floor. When I stopped, I heard his low laughter start up again and frowned, taking my scythe out. Smoke from the gunshots cleared as Tyki stood up, a hand over his wide eyed face. His laughter soon grew into a roar as the Tease on the walls fluttered towards him at blinding speed, crashing down as if a wave. Kanda and Lavi rejoined my sides, their weapons ready as the darkened figure in front of us met our gazes.
I clenched my jaw when I saw Tyki's form: he looked like a knight, a silver mask over his face and his hair grown long. Some sort of dark energy was surrounding his shoulder blades and the aura he gave off...was more than terrifying.
Knight Tyki extended an arm towards us and opened his mouth to say something. I was expecting to hear actual words, but in its place was a loud, "GRAHHHHH!" making me cringe. I barely had enough time to react to the dark energy that was shot at us. I dodged it with Tigress' speed and was surprised to see the energy continue making its way towards us. Was this thing a part of him?
I gripped the staff of my scythe in anger, feeling Tigress' energy rising within me. I need to use as much of her strength as I can before I'm back to my old-pain feeling self. Or if anything happens.
Tigress, I'm going to use all of the power your giving me right now.
"Go ahead! Use it all if you have to! I'll be alright...I hope,"
I could sense her hesitation for a moment before it was thrown aside. The dark energy was looming in fast. I felt the air around me stir as Tigress offered up all her strength. Then I was covered in a green hue of energy. I could feel my heart racing. And Tyki was just standing there. I tensed up as the pent up energy inside me felt like it was about to burst. I put one foot back, ready to run.
"KANDA, LAVI, MOVE!" I yelled as I took off, only a streak of light green. With a steady yell, I focused the power into the blade of my scythe. Its purple blade suddenly began to pulse a blue color, the blade growing in size. When I came in shooting distance of the monster Tyki, I jumped into the air, scythe raised high above me. Its enormous blue-purple blade towered as I swung it forward, a yell escaping my throat.
The impact of my scythe was so strong that the ground where Tyki's feet was standing on, caved in. I had the blade of the scythe half into the man's shoulder, but it looked like it didn't even injure him. I panted in exhaustion as I stared at the blade; the blade that almost completed slashed Tyki in half. Said man turned his head down to me and stayed silent for a moment. I narrowed my eyes at him, remembering that I couldn't be afraid. I wasn't going to die here.
I can't.
But how do you defeat a guy as strong as him?
Before I could even react, something menacing and cold slipped through me. One of the strips of dark matter from his shoulder blade. A spurt of blood escaped between my lips, eyes wide as the strip slipped out and a foot slammed into my torso, throwing me into the air. I heard Tigress' cry of pain echo inside me and suddenly felt a drop in energy. No...
"Nova! I don't know what's happening but-!"
I slammed into the ground, rolling to a stop on my back as my body flared with pain. I heard a thud next to me and turned my head to see the bloodied body of my tiger, barely breathing. Eyes wide once more, I reached out and settled my hand on her fur, feeling the sticky wetness of her blood staining my hand. Tigress…you…
Approaching footsteps hit my ears and I heard the clatter of a katana land on the ground. Kanda's worried expression came into view as he pulled me into his arms carefully. I muffled my cry of pain as he looked at me, his eyes asking the question. The roar from across the room interrupted my answer. We both turned our heads just as Tyki took off from the ground, coming at high speed. Immediately, I was placed on the ground once more, Kanda already moving in front of me.
He raised Mugen at the right time, Tyki's armor clashing with his blade, sparks flying. Kanda yelled as he shoved Knight Tyki back, delivering as many blows as he could, leading the Noah away from me. As soon as I realized what he was doing, I forced myself to my elbows, feeling the blood soak in the front and back of my jacket.
"Oi, you okay?" I was up on my knees now when Lavi appeared, his emerald eye widening when he saw my wound.
"No, but I'll manage. We have to do something to stop him. Or else he'll kill us all for sure." I glanced over at Tigress and shook her slightly, hearing her growl. Her Innocence colored eyes blearily opened, her body healing-to my surprise-slowly as she got up to her feet. With Lavi's help, I stood up and we turned to the progressing battle between Kanda and Tyki. Kanda noticed that I was up on my feet and leaped back over to us, looking slightly relieved.
"Oi, Usagi, get her out of here. She'll only become a nuisance if she stays here any further." He coldly stated, his onyx eyes sliding over to meet my own. I gaped at his sentence, eyes narrowed dangerously as I aimed my katana at his throat.
"Don't push the insults," I hissed, half in anger and half in pain. Kanda rolled his eyes before glancing back over to Lavi with a nod. He looked back at me for a moment and surprised me when he raised a hand and touched my cheek for a second. Then he turned, his back to me uttering, "Go,"
I stared back at him for a second more, keeping the image in my mind before nodding, allowing Lavi to lead the way. Tigress nudged my hand, moving in front of me as we reached the door. Lavi went to open it but a wave of dark matter came after us. I raised my machine gun at it, about to fire, when Kanda's figure appeared in front of us, blocking the matter from coming towards me.
"What are you waiting for you idiots?" He growled as he stood his ground, meeting Tyki's masked face.
"Mugen, stay with me this time,"
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Lavi's POV
"Man, Kanda's really in love with you, you know that?" I mentioned as we neared the infirmary as quickly as we could. Nova snorted at my question, followed by a painful wince.
"That jerk insults me half the time and you think that's love? I hate when he always takes the fight from me. After all I did…" I glanced over at her to see a disapproving look in her eyes but a smirk on her lips. "Hey, hurry up so you can go help out Allen and the others. I'll be fine going there on my own."
I blinked in disbelief, checking her condition again. With two chest wounds, she looked like she barely had enough strength to stand. I shook my head, disagreeing as we continued our walk hastily down the halls. Tigress walked ahead of us, also appearing to be badly wounded. These two…
"You look like you can barely walk on your own two feet," I pointed out as I spotted the banner of the infirmary not far ahead of us. Nova again scoffed and was about to retort when an explosion made us both stumble.
"…Okay that was either from Kanda's side or Allen's side." I muttered under my breath as we kept going.
Within minutes the two of us reached the infirmary doors. Tigress scratched at the door hurriedly while Nova and I knocked like our lives depended on it. The door was pulled open suddenly, the Head Nurse greeting us with a shocked look on her face. She caught Nova's condition and pulled the door open wider for the both of us to step in.
"Geez, you exorcists, going through all of this trouble…" I heard her mutter behind me as I helped Nova over to the bed of the infirmary.
"Thanks Lavi," Nova gasped as she pressed a hand against her wound, closing her eyes in pain. I nodded and turned on my heel, ready to head back.
"Take good care of her, Head Nurse." I said before making my way back out, seeing that disapproving look in the Nurse's eye as I left.
I activated my Innocence as I started running back over to the Science Division, worry clawing at me. I hope they're okay. Allen should be holding up fine as well as Lenalee. Hopefully they've already noticed some of their attack patterns. I could see the doors to the Science Division and heard the yells of fighting inside. Another explosion erupted from within, throwing me off of my feet. I instantly stumbled up and ran back over, peeking over the doors to check out what was going on.
I widened my one emerald eye when I saw Avon flying in the air with black wings. I recognized Victoria's face but her blue eyes had turned red. And the Shigai that held her captive was holding that familiar looking red sword. Lenalee was doing all that she could to fight back, in her Level 2 form and moving at the speed of sound. Allen with his activated Innocence as he aimed at the Master, shooting with immense intensity.
I caught a look on Sam's face and saw the cruel, cold look in those blue eyes of his. He held in his hand some sort of white staff, jumping around to evade Allen's attacks. I narrowed my eye when I caught something peculiar. There were blue veins creeping up Sam's neck…strange. That didn't happen to Nova, so what's going on with him?
"Is this all you've got girl?" Avon spat acidly as she slammed the front of her sword into Lenalee, sending her crashing into the ground. Lenalee slid to a stop but immediately leaped to her feet just as Avon landed in front of her.
The Shigai drove her arm up and my breath hitched in the back of my throat when I saw Lenalee soar through the air, blood escaping between her clenched teeth. That was when I decided that I should make my appearance. Activating my Innocence, I dropped the end of the hammer and extended the staff, catching Lenalee midair and away from Avon. Lenalee wiped the blood with the back of her hand and looked up at me with thanks.
"How have you been holding up?" I asked as I set her down on the floor. She had a serious gleam in her eye in as she looked up at Avon with intense focus.
"Not good, she's seen through everything I have. And they're after Allen too," She replied hurriedly, glancing over at Allen with a wide eyed expression. I followed her gaze and saw the silver haired boy holding up against the Master's staff, his left arm pushing back the weapon as much as possible.
Hmm, this isn't a good situation…where is that old panda anyway? He said he'd be helping out. So-where is he?
I glanced around the room for any sign of him being here. None. Suddenly, Avon's creepy wide grin caught my eye and I immediately shifted in front of Lenalee, barely raising the staff of my hammer to block the blow of her foot against it. Lenalee and I were sent flying back against the wall, both falling on our sides. Avon's laughter filled my ears as I heard her feet land on the ground lightly.
"You think that you puny humans can defeat beings like us? You simply don't have the mere strength to go on par with our level. Just pathetic," She spat bitterly, her expression filled with extreme disgust. I clenched my jaw at her thoughts, bothered by the way she saw us humans as. I slowly helped Lenalee on to her feet and froze when I recognized a familiar presence.
"Oi oi, do you think that's what you should say to a human who's about to kick your ass?"
Lenalee and I both looked up when we saw the dark red hair covering the white mask and that perverted smirk of his. He held a silver gun to the back of Avon's head, his hand steady as his lips fell into a frown. I couldn't believe it. General Cross…here?! After he's been missing for who knows how long?!
"Master!" Allen's astonished voice called out, filling the room. The General simply popped a cigarette in his mouth, lit it, and turned his face to him, a glare in his eyes.
"Don't talk to me you filthy brat," He nonchalantly growled back as he took a drag, exhaling as Allen deadpanned in silence. I caught Avon's shadowed face and narrowed my eye when I saw her shoulders shake as she softly chuckled. The gun pressed to the back of her head shifted as her head moved.
"Really…this is what you humans are? You think that someone like him can beat me? You're mistaken. Completely and utterly mistaken. I'm the Master's right hand man for one reason. That is so that I can eliminate the likes of you without any effort at all. Yet he has to fight the one we're here to kill," Avon stated as she lifted her head, meeting Lenalee's gaze with the scariest, wide eyed expression. Her pupils were small and frightening as she faced us.
General Cross simply narrowed his one eye suspiciously at her words and casually glanced over at his stupid apprentice to see him barely hanging on to the fight as he aimed his now gun transformed arm at Sam. However the General could immediately see that something was wrong with him. He sensed another presence within the boy. The Master is it?
"Master! Why don't you just let me handle the silver haired boy? You don't need to-" Cross Marian bit down on his cigarette as he pulled the trigger of his Innocence, Judgement. Avon's head lit up with the explosion and we were all silent for a moment. Cross Marian lowered his gun as he stared down at the side of Avon's head that was blown off as she lay on the floor. He took a drag from his cancer stick and continued to stare at the still Avon for a moment more.
"Oi, idiot brat and his friends," He sharply called out, making me jump slightly as he turned to glance at his apprentice. "Beat this son of a creature while I take care of the one you call Master."
"W-what?" Allen stuttered out as he gaped at his master who looked absolutely certain of his words. His eyes wandered down at Avon's unmoving body and back up at him again. I did the same; however knowing that there was still no way that a Shigai could die that easily.
Cross sighed loudly as he waved for Allen to come over, taking the cigarette out of his mouth to hold in between his fingers. "I'm saying for you to come over here so that you won't get your sorry ass kicked by that bastard. You idiot brat," He muttered as he rolled his eyes in annoyance. Allen gaped at him for a second before his expression turned into anger and hatred, his expression going dark.
"Ah? What was that? You think I'd die from fighting this idiot? Oi! While you were gone, doing who knows what, I was here training myself so that I could beat your sorry ass for laying your freaking debts on me!" Allen shouted angrily as he brought up his fist and shook it at Cross.
"Gaha! Happy to oblige mister General! This kid wasn't that powerful anyway," the Master's booming voice hollered in a deep voice as he appeared behind of Allen and smacked him in the back, sending him flying in my direction. He crash landed into Lenalee and I, knocking us to the ground as Cross made his way over to the Master.
"Is anyone else coming to help?" I called out to the red haired General, seeing him shrug nonchalantly.
"Well Klaud's down in the basement and Sokaro is who knows where? So no," Cross replied as he stopped in front of Sam, catching the blue veins that were crawling up his neck. His red eyes narrowed as he took it in.
"Oh, you think that the two of us and that Noah are the only ones we brought here? You know we're after someone else don't you?"
My head snapped down at Avon's voice, watching in shock as the blasted part of her head started to mold itself back together. Lenalee, Allen and I jumped away from the Shigai, appearing behind her as she got on to her hands and knees, soon onto her feet. Now I stared at a completely normal looking, unharmed Shigai. Cross' bullet did nothing?! Avon stared at us for a moment before giving us a wide grin.
"Avon, you talk too much. Just tell Tyki to send them out." Master ordered as he still faced the smirking Cross Marian.
"Right," Avon said as she smiled, closing her eyes for a second. Then she snapped them open with a wide and creepy grin, pulling out her blood red sword in a flash.
"I hope you're ready to die," She whispered, bringing the blade close to her neck as her pupils grew small with bloodlust. I positioned my Innocence in my hands, as did Allen, ready for her attack. Lenalee floated up into the air, waiting intently.
Then with her grin getting wider, she pressed the heel of her foot into the ground and exploded, heading straight for us with a crazed laugh.
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Kanda's POV
As soon as Nova and Usagi left, I didn't hold back anymore. Activated in my Double Illusion Sword, I was slashing as quickly as I could at the armored Tyki but it seemed like nothing was getting past him. Even the huge slash that Nova made in his side was already healed. So now that they're gone, how am I supposed to defeat a monster like this? Those black streaks or tendrils kept coming at me as if they had their own brains, blocking my attacks on their own as Tyki just stood there. Tch, this man infuriates me.
"Guess I'll use these," I muttered to myself as I flipped in the air and dodged the black tendrils lashing out at me. I crossed my blue blades together and closed my eyes for a moment before opening them, eyes dangerously serious.
"Eight Flower Mantis," I jumped off of the ground and immediately executed my attack, slashing my swords on Tyki's back eight times. The shape of a pink flower appeared as I leaped away from him, blood spurting from the wounds. I watched as the slashes soon began healing again. Tch, what an annoying nuisance.
Tyki turned around with his mouth open wide, his head tilted to the side in silence. For a moment he didn't do anything, nor did those black tendrils. He was quiet. I tensed in anticipation when the Noah stretched his arms out to his side and roared into the ceiling, shaking the entire room. Silence came in for another second before something slammed through the window of the training room, rolling down on the floor and getting up on their feet next to the Noah.
I froze when I recognized who they were: Level 3's. So it wasn't just them coming here...but why would they need to have them here? As soon as I thought of that question I immediately knew the answer: Nova. They're here to kill her. To get rid of her for good. As I came up with this assumption, I caught the Level 3's smile over at me, the colors of red, blue, and green, looking back at me.
"Hm, realize our little plan exorcist?" the blue Level 3 ask as he shifted his head slightly, the others chuckling. I scowled, instantly activating another one of my skills, this time using the power of my tattoo. I could sense the atmosphere in the Level 3s posture and narrowed my eyes, knowing that they could see the three dots that were my pupil and the veins around my eyes.
"Yeah, that's why I'm not letting any one of you past me." I smirked as I bent my knees into a defense stance, feeling my speed and strength increase thanks to the tattoo. The ever so silent Tyki stayed quiet as he pointed over to the door. Instantly, the Level 3s grinned and leaped over in that direction. Already anticipating their moves, I appeared in front of them and blocked them from barging through with the blade of Mugen. I sensed their agitation and looked at their masks with a frown.
"I said, I won't let any of you pass me!" I yelled as I slammed my foot into the ground and shoved the three of the akumas forward, throwing them back with a push of my blade. Yelling, the Level 3s slid to a stop in front of Tyki, clearly angered now.
"Grrr, you stubborn human. Do you want us to pummel him down or will you?" the green one asked as he turned his head over to Tyki. There was a moment before he nodded and the Level 3s all remained quiet.
"Uh, what was that?" the red one inquired hesitantly, not quite understanding the released Noah's answer.
"I think he meant to let him do the work and let us do our job." the blue one replied as he faced his red helmet friend before glancing at me.
"Hmph, whatever. Let's just go, this guy thinks he can hold us back here then huh?" the red one said as he fully faced me, clenching and unclenching his fists.
"Just wait and see bastard akumas," I growled as I moved into a defensive position, preparing for the worst.
The three akumas all grinned as they poised themselves, all setting one foot behind them in preparation for an explosion. I smirked and bent my knees, a shadow passing over my face as I waited for the right time. As soon as I felt the tiniest vibration beneath the ground I acted and crossed my blades above my head, clenching my jaw when three pairs of feet landed on top of the blades, almost crushing me into the ground. I glared up at them with my three pupiled eyes and tried not to give in to the creaking of my bones.
"I'll die before I let any of you crash through this wall!" I yelled as I quickly removed my blades and moved to the side of the three of them, kicking one of them in the side so that they could crash together, all in a matter of seconds.
"Damn you, what is this exorcist? He's way stronger than that girl I fought back in Egypt." I widened my eyes at what the red Level 3 muttered under his breath and appeared in front of him, both of my blades already sunk into his gut.
"...what did you just say?" I growled as the other two Level 3s got behind me, locking me in. The red Level 3 grinned at my sentence and seemed amused by my reaction. If my suspicions were right...
"What, was that girl who I beat the life out of, your girlfriend?" I slipped my blades out and slammed by foot straight into his stomach, sending him flying. I whirled around on my other foot and sunk my blades into the other two, slamming them into the ground, hard enough to form craters.
"In fact, she is. Now I'm definitely going to make sure you all don't come out alive." I glowered as I stood up and faced the red Level 3 akuma with wide eyes.
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First off, I just wanna thank everyone who will read this for being sooo incredibly patient. I know I've been out of contact with fanfiction for nearly a month...sigh. It's just school and well everything! Well this long chapter is kind of a treat for you all since I haven't updated in like 6 weeks! I did put a lot of action into it. Hope you all enjoyed that. It was a lot of fun to write. :) Oh yes and please do give me your opinion. If you don't get what I'm talking about, look at the message before the chapter starts.
I wanna thank everyone who's reviewed/read/and who will review this story for giving me so much support even if I haven't been updating regularly. You guys are all the absolute best! Just simply amazing people.
Hopefully I'll update again next week. See you then!
Oh and what did you think of the unexpected visitor?
FallenWing21