Disclaimer - I do not own D Gray Man or Bleach
Chapter Fifteen - The Journey Truly Begins
When asked the question about Cross Marian's whereabouts the little golem Timcanpy had pointed East and now Allen and Hitsugaya found themselves on their way to China. Reports had surfaced that someone vaguely fitting Cross' description had been seen there and, knowing that they had to go that direction anyway since it was where Timcanpy was pointing, the two youths decided to check it out.
"I don't understand how they can say that it's someone who vaguely fits Master Cross' description," Allen said as he and Hitsugaya made their way toward China. "My master isn't exactly easy to forget and you'd think that someone who had seen him would have no problems telling that it was him."
"Maybe they were subconsciously making an effort to forget," Hitsugaya suggested, growing weary of Allen's constant complaints about not wanting to find General Cross. He was well aware of the fact that the boy didn't want to see Cross again but none the less he wished that Allen would just suck it up and accept his fate. After all, there wasn't really anything that could be done to change the situation. Orders were orders.
"Maybe," Allen said, his voice thoughtful.
"So if you dislike this guy so much then why the hell did you train with him?"
Allen was somewhat shocked by this question and he thought about the answer for a few minutes. "I trained with Master Cross because I was determined to become an Exorcist so that I could atone for what I had done to Mana. So that I could free the other tortured souls who had been bound into eternal hell by the Millennium Earl."
Hitsugaya nodded, somewhat impressed despite himself. When he had first met Allen Walker his first impression had been that the boy was weak however after having been forced to fight at the boy's side he now knew that this wasn't the case. Allen had an internal strength that few others possessed and Hitsugaya felt a new respect for him. But that didn't mean that he liked the boy.
"Oh," Allen moaned, suddenly grabbing his stomach.
"What?" Hitsugaya asked, his gaze shifting to his companion.
"I'm so hungry," Allen whined, a pitiful expression in his gray eyes.
"Ugh," Hitsugaya groaned, shaking his head. "You're always hungry and you're just going to have to deal with it for now. In case you haven't noticed, we're trapped out in the middle of nowhere."
And it was true. The two white haired youths had been wandering around for days and now found themselves traveling through a dense forest. They were both on the lookout for Akuma but it had been unusually quiet as of late. Most people would have been happy about the lack of battles but it just made Hitsugaya uneasy. It seemed to him that the enemy must be plotting something.
Why else would the attacks have stopped all together?
"Does this seem odd to you?" Hitsugaya asked, his teal eyed gaze surveying their surroundings.
Instantly forgetting about his hunger Allen nodded. "Yea. We've been attacked frequently up until now and yet since arriving in this forest we haven't ran into so much as one Akuma. They're up to something."
Hitsugaya nodded, his hand absently going to the handle of Hyourinmaru.
"Oh look," a childish voice called out. "I think they've grown suspicious. This is going to be so much fun!"
Both Allen and Hitsugaya immediately gazed in the direction that the voice was coming from and their searching gazes fell on not one but two people. A man and a young girl were standing on a large tree branch, gazing down at the two Exorcists. Allen's eyes grew wide at the sight of the girl, whom he's had the displeasure of meeting once before.
"Road Kamelot."
"Hey Allen!" the girl named Road called out, waving to the white haired Exorcist as though the two of them were old friends. She held up an umbrella and pointed it toward the taller of the boys. "I've come back to play with you some more. This is going to be so much fun!"
"Watch out for these guys Toushirou," Allen warned as he activated his Innocence. "They're from the Clan of Noah."
"Clan of Noah," Hitsugaya repeated, a strange and far off look appearing in his teal eyes. Once again the voice of someone that he had just met set off strange visions in his mind. It was the same with this girl as it had been with the Millennium Earl.
"You know you really shouldn't space out like that," the man wearing the top hat said, leaping from the tree branch upon which he and Road had been standing. "It leaves you open for attack."
Hitsugaya drew Hyourinmaru from the sheath that he wore secured across his back in one fluid motion and used the glowing blade to block the attack from the man. The Noah appeared surprised that Hitsugaya had actually countered his attack and he jumped back a couple of feet.
"So it seems that you're fairly skilled," the man said, removing his top hat and bowing slightly to the boy. "I am Tyki Mikk and I'm of the Clan of Noah."
Hitsugaya's eyes widened as the Noah introduced himself as though the two of them were at a party and not engaged in battle. And what was more shocking was the fact that he recognized the man's voice. Just like with that girl named Road and the Earl, Hitsugaya knew that he had heard it somewhere before.
"How do I know these people?" Hitsugaya thought to himself as he raised his sword.
"You really should keep your thoughts focused on the battle," Tyki said, pulling his hand from the inside of his top coat. On his hand perched a butterfly, similar in appearance to the Hell butterfly that Soul Society used to communicate. "Or else you're going to become nothing more than food for the tease."
"Not very damn likely," Hitsugaya snapped, swinging the blade of Hyourinmaru.
Tyki had to admit that he was somewhat surprised by the power that the white haired brat possessed and the force of his blow forced the Noah to jump back. A smirk appeared on the man's face as he once again locked his gaze on the boy.
He seemed familiar for some reason.
But why?
"Now who's letting their guard down?" Hitsugaya asked smugly as he once again launched himself toward the Noah. Swinging the blade of Hyourinmaru fiercely, Hitsugaya unleashed an attack of ice. Tyki was once again shocked, having never encountered an Exorcist who could use attacks like this.
"You really are something different boy," Tyki said as he held up both hands. A group of the strange looking butterflies rose up to surround the Noah however Hitsugaya was completely unphased. As an attack this was wholly unintimidating.
Allen's gaze briefly shifted to the battle that his companion was engaged in. Having encountered the Noah before Allen was somewhat concerned for the well being of his companion however Hitsugaya seemed to be holding his own against Tyki Mikk.
"You shouldn't worry so much about others," a sing songy voice called out.
Allen gasped in pain as something sharp slammed into his shoulder. Glancing down the young Exorcist saw that the flesh of his shoulder had been pierced by one of Road's brightly colored candles and, without flinching, he pulled it free and threw it to the ground. Forcing himself to concentrate on his own battle Allen turned back to Road, who wore a maddening smirk on her face.
"Still so much fun to play with," she said as she directed another attack in the boy's direction.
Allen and Hitsugaya fought against the Noah, determined not to lose to the Earl's henchmen, however it was only a matter of time before the two youths found themselves in a losing battle. The Noah had powers that neither of them had encountered and with each injury that they sustained it was growing increasingly more difficult to fight back.
And yet neither youth was willing to just lay down and die.
"Hey bean sprouts!" a voice suddenly called out, startling the group that was engaged in a battle. All four of them, Exorcist and Noah alike, looked up and their eyes widened as a large hammer came crashing to the ground.
"Watch it you idiot!" Hitsugaya screamed as he was forced to dodge the attack.
"Hey," Lavi snapped as he landed on the ground and held up his hammer. "Try to be a little more grateful to the man who just saved your life."
"You haven't saved anything," Tyki said arrogantly, his gaze shifting to the newcomer. "All you've done is add one more name to the list of casualties that the Order is going to have to record."
Lavi merely smirked.
"Waltz Misty Wind!"
"Lenalee's here too?" Allen exclaimed as a whirlwind came out of nowhere, causing the two members of the Clan of Noah to jump out of the way.
Lenalee landed next to Allen, a determined expression in her violet eyes.
"This isn't good, Lero. I think that we should retreat, Lero."
Road looked as though she would be more than happy to take on all four of the Exorcists however Tyki placed a hand on her shoulder. She gazed into his eyes for a moment and then nodded. "We have to go now Allen but we'll come back to play again real soon."
And without another word to any of the Exorcists Road summoned a door through which she and Tyki stepped through, disappearing.
"Damn it!" Hitsugaya swore, irritated that the Noah had retreated. He was now haunted with even more memories that he didn't understand thanks to that Tyki Mikk guy and he desperately wanted to vent his frustrations by beating the man into a bloody pulp.
"What are you guys doing here?" Allen asked, his gaze shifting to Lavi and Lenalee. "Don't get me wrong, I'm really glad to see you. It's just that this was so unexpected."
"Komui thought that the two of you could probably use some help tracking down General Cross," Lavi explained, his trade mark grin plastered all over his face as he gazed at the two white haired youths. "And each of the Generals are being assigned a guard since it's obvious that the Noah are targeting them. We, along with the two of you, are going to be the guard for General Cross. Whether we want to or not, according to Komui."
"I see," Allen said. "Well I'm sure that we'll be very grateful for your help."
"Well," Lavi said, placing his right hand on Allen's shoulder and his left hand on Hitsugaya's. "We should probably continue onward and find somewhere to stay for the night. It's only a matter of time before the Noah regroup and you guys are both injured."
"I'm fine," both of the white haired youths asserted.
"Uh huh," Lenalee said, not even sounding remotely convinced. "We still need to find shelter. And I'm sure that Allen would appreciate it if we found somewhere to eat."
The fatigue of battle was instantly forgotten at the mention of food and Allen nodded his head vigorously. That was the best suggestion that he had heard all day and he was all for finding some place to eat. He didn't even care where at this point.
Knowing that he was outnumbered Hitsugaya nodded his head in resignation. "Fine."
And so the group continued onward, having grown by double. The Cross group now had four members, all determined to find the General and protect him from the Noah. Even Allen now wanted to find his master, so that he could punch him for all of the trouble that he had caused.
A smile appeared on the boy's face at the thought of punching his Master in the nose.
"Hey Allen," Lavi said, waving his hand in front of the youth's face. Allen didn't even seem to notice the gesture. "Check this out, I don't think he sees anything. The bean sprout's totally spaced out."
"MY NAME'S ALLEN!"
"Well not totally," Lenalee said with a smile.
A/N - the first encounter with the Noah and Allen and Hitsugaya didn't fare so well. Can't make it too easy for them after all. And now Hitsu's even more tormented by memories. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a review and tell me what you thought.
Allen: I'm tired... and hungry... I hate my Master.
Toushirou: I hate your Master too.
Cross: 'Pulls out Judgment and points it at the two white haired brats'
The Musician: 'Breaks up yet another fight before it can result in the death of the two main characters'