A/N: Hello readers! Hope you're ready for another short chapter.(x And thank you to Manu259 (x2), Lena-luvs-cats, melovecats, jy24, and Amelia Loves Anime for all taking the time to review! Really appreciate it! Enjoy!^-^
Disclaimer: Sigh. Go away. I don't anything, you butts.
Chapter 29
Time Frame — Morning of March 19th, 1896
—3rd Person POV—
~Allen~
It was once they'd arrived at the train station the next morning, that Lenalee turned to him and asked once more, "Allen, are you sure about this? I mean, we still have a couple days left of Spring Break," she pointed out, lips pursed. "You should stay with us and enjoy yourself a little longer. Please?"
"Aw, don't give me that face, Lenalee," Allen smiled nervously, scratching the back of his head and then heaved a sigh. "I'm sorry, Lena. But I was looking over the numbers last night," he explained, expression darkening, "And the General has begun crossing the line. The last time he accumulated this number of debts was when—well, that doesn't really matter anymore, does it? But I suspect something big must be going on for him to be spending such ridiculous amounts of money, and I'm going to find out what."
Lenalee nodded in defeat. "Do you… do you think it might have something to do with Lavi and Chomesuke?"
Allen adopted a thoughtful look before shaking his head. "I don't think so. I noticed a slow rise in the numbers a bit before we left, and I really doubt they'd influence his spending habits to such a degree. Anyway, I should get going, before I miss the train."
"Oh alright, but be careful, okay? And please don't take too long," she ordered, launching herself into his arms in a quick hug.
Allen briefly wrapped his arms around her. "I'll be fine." He gave her a chaste kiss on the forehead, and quicker than Lenalee would like, he'd slipped away and boarded the train.
Fortunately, from the dates and addresses along the list of bills, Allen gathered that General Cross was stationed somewhere rather than on the move; a small town located along the coast of Italy. It took a train ride, a boat journey along the English Channel down to France, and three additional train rides before Allen finally made it. He was feeling irritated, exhausted and very unhappy with the serious dent in his wallet caused by all the train tickets.
"Damn you, Cross," Allen cursed as he stumbled through the small train station, dragging his suitcase along. Luckily, with it being the small town that it was, it didn't take long for Allen to discover whether General Cross was still sticking around. And instead of bothering to check into an inn to drop his stuff off, he headed straight for the bar Cross was bound to be loitering.
"Hey! Children aren't allowed in here—"
The deep, rough voice was cut off by Allen's nasty glare. "Do I look like I give a flying fuck?"
"Why! If it isn't my idiot apprentice!" a tall redhead chuckled drunkenly. "What's the matter brat? Were Komui's robots too much for you to handle?"
The bartender was smart enough to back off as Allen trudged over and sat beside the General, his suitcase dropping onto the neighboring seat with a muffled thump. "You're a fucked up mess," Allen stated bluntly, before dropping his head into his hands, massaging his temples in an attempt fend off the rising headache. In a much quieter and somber voice, he asked, "What's the matter, Cross?"
Allen found it slightly surprising how Cross didn't even attempt to hide anything. Instead the General threw his head back as he downed the alcohol, and answered as he slammed the shot glass back down, "Neah's a fucking idiot."
The Millenium Earl. Allen furrowed his eyebrows. "I didn't realize you were still in contact with him."
Cross waved it off. "Occasionally. There really isn't much to talk about nowadays, but the fucktard's really done it this time—hah! There's a surprise." Clumsily, Cross waved for the bartender to bring him more alcohol, and with a scowl, Allen quickly interfered.
"What the hell?!" Cross demanded, expression becoming fierce.
But Allen wasn't going to back down. He wasn't that stupid little kid anymore. "You need to calm the fuck down," he growled in a low voice. "You don't have the money to be spending on this!" That quickly caught the bartender's attention, so Allen dragged Cross to his feet and only paused long enough to throw a wad of money on the counter, before hauling the General out of there.
"You have some serious balls, kid," Cross growled, only wrenching away once they'd exited the dingy bar.
Allen rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever. Now, what the hell did Neah do that's got you getting totally smashed?!"
"Nothing you need to be worrying about, brat," Cross grumbled, heaving a sigh. He rubbed at his face in an exhausted sort of manner. "Look, I don't know what the hell it meant when Neah told me to do this when the time was right, so fuck it. Here, this is for you." Allen could only stare in bewilderment as Cross dug into the inner pockets of his Exorcist coat, before the General brought out rumpled and aging envelope. The paper almost looked fragile in Cross' rough hands, and before Allen knew, it was being shoved into his own.
"W-what?" he could only stammer.
"All those stupid questions you've been asking me since you were a kid? Why your hair was white; why you were cursed to see the souls of the Akuma; and hell, something you've probably been asking yourself since we last each other: why you're a Walker. It's all answered in that letter." Cross didn't wait for a reply and strode off.
Allen's throat was suddenly dry, eyes wide as he gazed down at the envelope, mind racing a million miles an hour, because Cross had just confirmed it. Being a Walker wasn't a coincidence; he might truly be related to the man called Neah Walker. And this letter… this letter…
With a shake of his head, Allen's hands slightly trembled as he carefully pocketed it away.
But Cross was already gone. And whatever issues he appeared to be having with Neah weren't about to be resolved anytime soon. Allen groaned. "Fuck, those debts can only get worse from here…"
A/N: Shorter than the last chapter, but I'm not really in the mood for writing today. Anyway, hope you liked it!(: And let me know what you think!
And in reply to melovecats' review: Hello! I'm glad you like this story! As for your own FanFiction, you first need to get an account on here before you do anything else. If you do have one, or have gotten one, shoot me a PM and I'll be happy to answer any more questions.(: