Disclaimer - I do not own DGM or Bleach.

Chapter Twenty-Five - Trapped Within the Ark

"Does anyone else think that something should have happened by now?" Lavi commented off handedly, his gaze idly shifting between each of the members of the group. They had been making their way through the white town for awhile now and yet nothing of interest had happened. And what with the Noah that was roaming around this seemed somewhat odd. Why exactly hadn't they made a move against them? What could they possibly be waiting for?

"It does seem kinda odd," Allen said, his gray eyed gaze glancing at their surroundings. He had expected that the Noah would act against them before now because he was convinced that they wouldn't be allowed to simply walk up to the tower without opposition. After all that would be a stupid move on the part of their enemies that the white haired youth was convinced they would never make. "I thought for certain that they would have tried something by now."

"Maybe they really will let us get to the tower," Krory said hopefully, although his voice showed that he didn't really believe the words that he was speaking.

"I doubt that very highly Krorykins," Lavi said, shaking his head. It wasn't as though he didn't want Krory's words to be true it was just that he was more of a realist. And that scenario just wasn't realistic. "Most likely they're just waiting for the opportune moment."

Following along at the tail end of the group Hitsugaya was only partially listening to this conversation. He was also of the mind that it was strange that they hadn't been attacked as of yet but this wasn't the most pressing thing on his mind. The teal eyed youth was still focused on the fact that he had managed to destroy the Akuma with powers that he didn't even know he possessed. Nor did he know how to consciously use them.

Not that using them was such a good idea since Allen was still angry at him over the last time that he had inadvertently used them. Of course Hitsugaya didn't really blame him; after all he'd destroyed the soul that was trapped inside the Akuma. Something that both of them had been striving to prevent.

"Unacceptable," he growled, clenching his hands into fists. While the boy was still determined to get to the bottom of what exactly was going on with him he was also determined not to lose control like that again.

Because the consequences could be disastrous.

"Are you alright back there chibi?" Lavi questioned, breaking into Hitsugaya's thoughts and causing him to glare in anger.

"DON'T call me that!" he snapped, his mind effectively removed from his rather angsty thoughts. He had noticed the fact that Lavi gave everyone an annoying nickname, with perhaps the exception of Lenalee, but he was determined that he wouldn't allow the red head to get away with calling him that.

"See?" Lavi said, acting as though nothing had happened. Compared to the outbursts that he so often heard from Kanda, Hitsugaya's reaction was mild. He didn't seem even remotely concerned by Hitsugaya's threatening attitude, smiling as he turned to Allen. "I told you guys that I could snap him out of it. You just have to know what you're doing is all."

Hitsugaya tilted his head slightly to the side, forgetting his anger for the moment as he was seized by confusion. "Snap me out of what?"

"I called out your name three times," Allen said, his voice containing only a trace of the anger from before. It seemed that he still hadn't completely forgiven Hitsugaya but he wasn't furious about it any longer either. "And you just stared into space like you hadn't heard a word I said."

"I'm sorry," Hitsugaya said, running a hand through his unruly white hair. This caused it to stand up even more than it normally did but the prodigy wasn't the least bit concerned about this fact. There were much more pressing things occupying his mind at the moment. "I didn't hear you." He was quiet for a minute before forcing his thoughts away from the fact that he felt as though he were steadily losing his mind. "So what was it that you wanted?"

"We were just going to ask if you thought it weird that no one has bothered us since Tyki left," Allen replied, his gray eyes boring into the smaller boy. There was something strange about his companion, aside from the obvious fact that he was a soul. He had an unusual power and that, coupled together with those occasions when Hitsugaya's eyes had changed colors, made Allen feel somewhat nervous.

"It does seem out of character for them," Hitsugaya said, thinking back to his previous encounters with the Noah. In his experience they weren't exactly a passive lot, which led him to believe that an attack was imminent. "But I'm sure that it's only a matter of time before one of them makes an appearance. After all it would be too simple for them to merely allow us to reach the tower. Unless of course he was lying about the exit."

"That's a possibility," Lavi commented but Allen shook his head. "I'm fairly certain that he was telling the truth. The Noah may be many things but they don't generally lie. Tyki said that there is a door at the top of the tower and I'm convinced that he was telling the truth."

"I think that you're right," Hitsugaya said, his voice quiet and a thoughtful expression on his face. "After all if he'd wanted to merely kill us then he would have made an attempt when he first appeared. I think that he wants to make a game out of this."

Allen nodded his head in agreement. "I think that you're right. But I'm not going to play along with this stupid game. We're going to make it to the top of that tower and we're going to get out of here."

This said Allen quickly began walking down one of the paths. He traveled a few feet before he noticed the fact that the others weren't following him. Turning his head the white haired teen gazed at them questioningly.

"Um Allen," Lenalee said, sounding as though she hated to say the words that were on the tip of her tongue. "We've already been that way."

A slight blush rose to color his face as Allen mentally bemoaned the fact that all of these paths looked the same. And of course his lousy sense of direction didn't help matters any. "Sorry," he said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

Walking back over to the group Allen chose another direction and this time the entire group followed along behind him. The group traveled in silence for awhile, each seeming to dwell on their own thoughts.

"Do you think Tyki knew that Allen had a really bad sense of direction when he chose this game?" Lavi questioned after awhile, breaking the silence.

Allen turned to glare angrily at Lavi. "Fine. If you aren't happy with the way that I'm leading then maybe it's your turn."

"Alright bean sprout," Lavi said, the smile still resolutely on his face. Walking to the head of the group the junior bookman gazed around for a minute before choosing a direction and beginning to walk.

With Lavi at the head of the group it wasn't long before they made it to the tower that was located at the highest point of the Ark. The red head didn't verbally comment on the fact that he'd managed to lead them to the entrance of the tower but the smug look on his face said it all, just as plain as words would have.

It was a look that Allen pointedly ignored as he once again assumed the role of group leader. Opening the door the Exorcists entered the tower, their guards heightened now that they were in the building where they suspected at least one Noah was lurking.

And more than likely there would be more than one since they rarely traveled alone.

"Everyone keep an eye out for anything strange," Allen said as they stepped inside.

"This whole situation is out of the ordinary," Hitsugaya commented dryly, once again finding himself at the back of the pack. "And I'm fairly certain that things are only going to get worse from this point on."

"You're both such happy little rays of sunshine," Lavi quipped, hoping to lighten the mood. The junior bookman realized that the situation was serious but it was simply in his nature to joke around, even at times such as this.

"And you're going to be one dead rabbit if you don't shut up," Hitsugaya stated, his tone calm and his expression serious.

"Man," Lavi said, his one visible green eye focused on the white haired boy. "You've been spending too much time with Yuu. He's rubbed off on you."

"That's not true," Allen said, a slight smirk appearing on his face. "He was like that before he met Kanda."

Lavi seemed vaguely surprised. "You mean to say that the universe created TWO of them?"

"I'm definitely going to kill him later," Hitsugaya muttered under his breath, adding the red head to the list of people who were going to suffer once this mission was complete. As it was it was a very long list but of course the white haired captain was willing to put in the time and effort to cross off each and every name.

Starting with General Cross and working his way down from there.

"Look at that evil gleam in his eyes," Lavi said, pointing at Hitsugaya and making it a point to maintain his distance. "Whose murder are you planning?"

"Yours among others," Hitsugaya replied without even a moment's hesitation.

Lavi shuddered, taking a step back away from the smaller male. "You shouldn't even joke about something like that."

"Who says that I'm joking?" Hitsugaya asked in the same serious tone.

Lavi took a few more steps away from Hitsugaya, coming to a stop only when his back touched the wall.

"Scared of your own teammates… that's pretty pathetic."

"Pathetic, hee hee!"

The group of Exorcists gazed around as they heard these voices but there wasn't any signs of anyone nearby. They seemed to be alone in the corridor and yet the fact remained that someone had been speaking to them.

"You should be scared of us and not people on your side," the voice taunted from somewhere out of sight.

"I refuse to be scared of someone who won't even show their face!" Allen exclaimed, gazing about angrily.

"You'll see that soon enough," the voice stated. "Just follow the corridor."

Curses were muttered throughout the group but ultimately they knew that they didn't have a choice. This was the only available path so they had to take it if they were to have any hope of reaching the top of the tower before the Ark was completely destroyed.

"Let's go," Hitsugaya said, the first to speak as well as the first to move forward. A couple of moments passed and then the others followed suit.

A/N - Another chapter over and done with and the group has made it to the tower. Hope that you enjoyed!