A Game of Poker, Chapter 28: Battlefront
Title: A Game of Poker
Author: Bookkbaby
Rating: Teen
Warnings: YAOI
Summary: LUCKY Pair. It started as a simple game of poker, but a little white lie from Lavi changes everything. ['If you lose... you spend the night here, with me, and let me do whatever I want with you.']
Warnings: YAOI, which means BOYS LOVING BOYS. If you dislike that, then the back button is easy enough to find. Please click that and leave. Limes are in the future, and lemons. Maybe some OOC, spoilers for the end of the anime later on.
Disclaimer: I don’t own these lovely characters, that honor belongs to Katsura Hoshino. (Though if Hoshino-sama ever has a sale, I call dibs on Tyki… what?) I don’t own anything but a copy of the anime series and all volumes of the manga in English. Anything you don’t recognize (like the plotline of ‘A Game of Poker’) does belong to me. Everything else… not so much. Please don’t sue.
Kudos to the awesome SisterWicked of AssHat Productions (a group I am now a proud member of), who got me started on Lucky and lets me use 'lovely'! Beta’d by N.H. Arawn and Misster Cackles! All remaining mistakes are mine.
Last Time On ‘A Game Of Poker’:
Allen sighed to himself and, with one last glare at the oblivious samurai sitting across from him, he turned back to his lunch. It didn't taste quite as well as it had minutes ago, but Jerry was still an excellent cook and Allen managed to eat the ungodly amount of food he had ordered.
He would have to talk to Lavi and get to the bottom of this once and for all. For Lavi's sake.
And Now, The Continuation
Chapter 28
Battlefront
Lavi stared blankly out the window on the far wall of the library, a pen loosely clenched in his hand and a sheet of paper half-covered in his neat handwriting pinned beneath his arm. Various books lay open on top of the desk he sat at; the ancient manuscript he was slowly translating for Bookman and several translation dictionaries. A few pieces of paper with handwritten notes were resting between the wooden surface of the table and the peeling covers of the manuscript and dictionaries, mostly just notes to help him translate. It was slow, boring work, meaning his mind needed only the slight provocation to wander. The room he was in wasn't particularly interesting; twenty large wooden desks were laid out in a grid five wide and four deep. Each desk was facing the glass picture windows set into the stone wall. Lavi was sitting right in the middle, not even close enough to the numerous, almost ridiculously tall bookcases that spread from the rows of desks almost to the distant walls to distract himself with the titles on the shelves.
As always these days, his thought strayed to one particular subject.
It had been a month. An entire month since he had last visited Tyki, kissed him, been held by him, felt him move inside-
He cut that train of thought off and dropped his pen. He crossed his arms on top of the desk, careful not to crumple the papers as he leaned forward to rest his chin on one of his wrists. He continued to stare out the far window, not really seeing it.
The pain had faded a bit. Time healed everything, or so the saying went, but Lavi could still feel a deep ache in his chest that got particularly painful when something brought back memories of what he had shared with the Noah.
Everything reminded him of Tyki. Overhearing the word 'lovely' in casual conversation, or getting undressed to shower or change for sleep, or even just hearing the man's name mentioned. The rumor mill had mostly moved on to whatever the next scandal was, but Tyki was still a fairly hot topic. Lavi couldn't remember going a day without having heard the Pleasure's name at least once. He had tried not to concentrate on those memories and tried to shove those recollections away, but they haunted him.
His sleep had been disrupted at least three times a week from dreams created by his memories, his sleeping mind taunting him with what he could no longer have. He had woken up each time sweating, Tyki's name on his lips and sometimes even a bit of major discomfort between his legs. Most of his dreams weren't sexual; in fact, most of his dreams were just about that final night, the word 'stay' lingering in his ears after he woke up. He knew he had to have awoken Bookman at least once, but thankfully the old man had always pretended to be asleep while Lavi got himself under control and forced himself to relax enough so that he could fall back asleep. In the mornings, neither ever mentioned these late night episodes.
Allen and Lenalee had gotten steadily more and more worried, but by now Lavi was fairly certain that they had given up trying to get him to talk and were now simply waiting for him to come to them of his own free will.
Kanda had mostly disappeared since that day three weeks ago, right after that rather heartless comment at lunch. Lavi still hadn't quite sorted out how he felt about that, though he had privately decided that he would never tell Kanda how accurate the Japanese Exorcist's statement had been. Lavi had been sleeping with Tyki and it had made him 'stupid'. He had been foolish enough to believe that what he had had was something he would be able to hold on to for a while and then let go when the time came. He hadn't expected its ghost to linger so long.
Bookman had definitely noticed. Lavi had felt the old man's eyes studying him intensely on more than one occasion during the past month. His mentor hadn't asked him any questions yet, probably because Bookman knew he wouldn't like Lavi's answers.
The redhead still tried to act like he always had, but the facade was hard to maintain and it was an enormous drain on his energy. It was impossible to hide the fact that he didn't eat as much as he used to; most of the time he simply wasn't hungry. Jerry had given him more than one concerned glance from the other side of the order window. He still ate three meals a day, but the portions were smaller and no matter what Lavi ordered, it all tasted like stale cardboard and weighed heavily in his stomach.
Still, he was moving on. Slowly, but he was doing it. In another month he was certain his smiles would be more convincing and a month after that he'd be able to laugh like he meant it. Maybe in a year he could look at his time with Tyki without feeling like his heart was trying to rip itself to shreds.
His head leaned to the side, his gaze shifting from the window to the lines of the bookcases. His green eye was still glazed over, obviously not seeing anything in the room.
Maybe in two years he wouldn't even feel anything when he remembered Tyki and in three years.... maybe he wouldn't even see the memories as anything special, just something that belonged to a different person.
His hands clenched into fists and he rested his forehead against his crossed arms. He stared blankly at the papers less than an inch from his nose, an unpleasant numbness spreading from his chest.
Would the memories he treasured so much now eventually be left to collect dust in some back corner of his mind? He knew the feelings he had now would fade and disappear eventually - they had already faded somewhat, though his dreams kept reopening the wound - but somehow he couldn't picture ever letting the memories just rot. They were too close to his heart for him to ever do that.
In those short few months he had been with Tyki, he had become so attached to the man. He had never wanted to name the feeling, knowing that he would have to sever all ties immediately if he ever named what it was that he felt. A Bookman was not allowed to care, let alone do more than care about another person. People were just ink on paper, not actual creatures to be sympathized with.
Still, some part of Lavi had known all along what the word was for the strong attachment he had had to Tyki. The attachment he still had, though it was fraying and slowly beginning to break from lack of contact with the older man.
It had taken time for his feelings to develop into what they were now; they certainly hadn't been this strong when he had first 'lost' a game of poker against the Noah. The tiny thread of attachment he'd had to the man who had taken his virginity had grown into something incredibly strong for the man who had asked him to stay and had held him throughout their final night together, even though Tyki hadn't known then that it was their last time.
In those few short months that they had been together, Lavi had managed to fall-
A piercing sound suddenly filled the air, the noisy shriek of the alarm cutting through his thoughts and disrupting them. Lavi sat up quickly, looking around for the source of the noise.
A small black golem was flying through the air towards him, Komui's voice pouring from the speakers. Lavi's eye widened as the message reached his ears, frozen in shock as the golem drew nearer and hovered next to him.
"-I repeat, enemy attack," Komui was saying, voice shaking only slightly. "All Exorcists, prepare for battle. Enemy has been sighted outside the main gate. All four Noah and the Earl have been sighted. Level Four's have been reported, numbers uncertain. Level Three's, Level Two's, and Level One's, numbers uncertain. Finders report to Lab 3. I repeat, enemy attack-"
Lavi's heart suddenly felt like it was made out of heavy ice and it sank slowly in his chest. The Earl was attacking and from the sound of things, this was supposed to be the final battle. A direct attack on Exorcist Headquarters led by the Earl himself and all the Noah...
The sound of shattering glass jerked his mind back into the real world and he turned to face the windows on the far side of the room just in time for a bullet to sail less than an inch from his head and, from the sound of it, bury itself in the desk behind Lavi's. The redhead didn't need to turn to identify the projectile as an Akuma blood-virus bullet and instinctively threw himself to the side as the sound of the Akuma's canons firing split the air again. The bullet sailed harmlessly overhead as the Exorcist hit the floor, breathing out harshly as he connected to avoid having the wind knocked out of him. It took him only a moment to reorient himself and then he began to crawl, keeping low so the Akuma he could hear entering through the broken window couldn't see him. He had gotten less than five feet from the desk he had been sitting at when the sound of splintering wood met his ears and a sudden gust of wind and a high-pitched squeal came from behind him.
He glanced back over his shoulder, seeing the wooden desk pinned to the desk that had previously been behind it, a still-smoking bullet hole the only indication of what had caused the wood to crumple in on itself.
Lavi faced forward again and his pace quickened, scurrying along the floor as more canons went off. One hit the desk he had just passed, sending it flipping into the air and scattering papers and books everywhere. Lavi winced as one hit his shoulder but continued doggedly on. He needed to reach some actual cover and figure out just how many Akuma he was up against before he could fight. Standing up now was asking to be shot, and without a parasitic type Innocence he was dead if a bullet hit him.
He finally reached the end of the row of desks and shot forwards to hide behind the stacks of literature.
The sound of firing subsided and Lavi pressed his back as close to the shelves behind him as he could. He flattened himself against the bookcase, feeling the spines of various books and the hard edge of the shelves digging into him. His right hand dropped stealthily down towards the thigh-holster he used for his Innocence, silently opening up the top and wrapping his fingers around the head of his hammer.
He peeked out from behind the bookcase, sticking his head out just far enough to see how many Akuma he was up against and what level they all were.
Five Akuma, all level one. At least this wouldn't be difficult, but he'd have to be quick. He could hear the faint sound of distant explosions, meaning that the fight out front had already started.
The sound of more glass breaking drew his attention back to the library. He peeked out again, mentally cursing when he saw more Level One Akuma coming through another window. He could hear the sound of even more approaching and hoped that they were all just Level Ones. This many he could take by himself, but if a few Level Twos showed up he might have some trouble, and if a Level Three was with them he wouldn't stand a chance. Sheer numbers would overwhelm him, especially in such a confined space…
He drew his hammer silently, activating it as the number of Akuma in the room swelled to twenty. He took a deep breath, assessing the situation and trying to pick which seal would work best. Flame Stamp, the one he preferred, was out of the question. The flames would set the books on fire and he might get caught in it too. Heaven's Stamp, however...
He tightened his grip on the handle of Ozuchi Kozuchi. He could use the combination of Heaven's and Fire to create a beast that could go directly after the Akuma. The Combination Stamps were much more contained than the regular Stamps, meaning he should be able to keep any damage to the books at a minimum.
Decision made, he stepped away from the bookcase he had pressed his back to and moved forward, lifting his hammer. He needed a clear view of the room so he could direct his Innocence properly, but he was now in plain sight. The Level Ones sluggishly turned towards him, canons lifting to fire.
Lavi wasn't going to give them the chance.
"Seal of Heaven, Seal of Fire," he said, beginning to bring the hammer down and concentrating on the two elements he was summoning. Their stamps appeared, glowing in midair. "Combo Seal: Strong Thunder of Heaven!"
The two stamps merged just moments before the hammer hit the glowing seal. Instantly, a creature that glowed blue with sparking scales began to emerge from the hammer, slithering out as though the head of Ozuchi Kozuchi wasn't solid metal but was instead a long, wide tunnel. It took only seconds for the dragon-like beast to enter the room completely and it immediately launched itself at the Akuma.
Too late, the Level Ones fired their canons. The blood bullets were absorbed and vaporized by Lavi's Innocence and then it was upon the machines. Within a heartbeat it had destroyed three of the Akuma. Lavi concentrated on keeping the Seals alive, moving more into the room. All of the remaining seventeen killing machines fired at the Exorcist, their programming telling them to ignore the dragon-like creature even now going after them in favor of killing live pray. The redhead shrunk his weapon and held it clenched in his hand as he dropped to the ground and rolled away, knowing he wouldn't be able to defend himself from so many bullets at once. As he rolled, he could feel the Combo Seal break apart and cursed the break in his concentration. He rolled again before getting to his feet and lifitng Ozuchi Kozuchi into the air. He activated his Innocence, already speaking to summon the elements again as the Akuma across the room leveled their weapons at him.
"Seal of Heaven, Seal of Fire," he said, bringing the hammer down. "Combo Seal: Strong Thunder of Heaven!"
The dragon formed by lighting surged through the weapon, flying through the air and attacking the Akuma within seconds. Five fell right away and the other twleve followed moments later. Within minutes, all of the Akuma inside the room had been destroyed. Lavi was sweating slightly and a bit drained, both from keeping the Stamps active for so long and from having to re-summon the lightning beast, but he had no time to rest. He could still hear the sound of more Akuma approaching.
He lifted his hammer again. He needed to get to the front - he couldn't be stuck here. Allen, Lenalee, and the others were probably already out there fighting. The Noah and the Earl were there, fighting his friends, and he couldn't be stuck in some far-off corner of the Order, fighting off small-fry.
"Wood Seal," he said, bringing the hammer down. He hit the suspended seal and a wind instantly picked up inside the room. Lavi concentrated on building it, making it grow stronger and stronger until his hair began to whip around his head and the bookcases began to sway. He brought his hammer up again, and slammed it back into the Wood Stamp before the wind had a chance to die.
The wind began to spiral inside the room, first slowly, then with more and more force. The miniature tornado Lavi had created picked up the heavy desks and bookcases, ripping titles from the shelves and sending them scattering as the furniture in the room was thrust against the wall with the picture windows. The bookcases were just wide enough to rest against the stone in between the windows, creating a makeshift barricade that was thickened by the other bookcases and the desks. Even for Akuma, that would take some time to get through. The blood bullets weren't capable of turning something without a circulatory system into powder. Without something to carry the virus, the bullets would simply lodge in the wood and remain stuck.
It would be dangerous in the library for a bit afterwards, but the virus couldn't survive forever outside of a body. Once it died, the library would be safe ground once again.
Satisfied, Lavi turned towards the door. It was strange to have such a clear path from where he was standing to where the door was. Normally he'd need to navigate through rows and rows of bookcases, but now that all the furniture was against the far wall, the only 'obstacle' in his path was the thick carpet made by the books and documents that had been resting innocently on the shelves minutes ago. Lavi began to trudge over to the door, trying not to ruin anything he stepped on with his boots. He reached the door and got it open, tugging the heavy wood against the small hill of books and papers that had stacked up by it. Once he was clear of the room, he pulled the door shut and began running. The halls here were deserted - of course they would be, especially with the announcement Komui had given - and he cursed, running as fast as he could towards the main gates.
His footsteps echoed on the stone walls as he ran. Those echoes were the only sound he heard for several minutes until he got closer to the battle; the sounds of canons firing, explosions, and gunshots quickly began to overwhelm the sounds of his steps. As he got even closer, he could hear the sounds of choked-off screams and could feel the vibrations caused by the force of the explosions of dying Akuma faintly beneath his feet. He gritted his teeth and kept running as questions formed in his mind.
Was Allen already fighting? Had Lenalee been hurt?
How was Kanda? Bookman? Tyki?
Why was the Earl here?
Was the Earl after Tyki?
His steps slowed for a moment, but then he shook the thought out of his head and kept running. As much as he would have liked to, he couldn't go to Tyki's room and defend him because he was worried that the man might get attacked. He knew that the other people he cared about - as much grief as Bookman and Kanda had caused him lately, he still cared - were in the thick of fighting.
Tyki would be fine. Lavi would go and do his duty and help the other Exorcists.
He picked up speed.
Line Break
The outside courtyard was usually a fairly quiet, if slightly creepy, place. It was half as long as Headquarters was tall and just as wide as the building's base. Near to the building itself, it was bordered by a small, dense forest on each side and, further away from the building, it was bordered by sheer drop-offs on either side. There were dilapidated pillars spaced evenly along the edges of the courtyard. The stone columns had once held up a roof of some kind, but it had fallen to pieces long before the Order had ever used the building as their Headquarters.
Today, the courtyard was neither quiet nor creepy. It was a war-zone and was filled with creatures taken straight from nightmares.
"First Illusion: Hell's Insects!"
Kanda swung Mugen horizontally, tearing a hole in space and summoning what literally looked like insects from Hell. Eight pale-scaled creatures with large red eyes and snakelike tails darted forward towards the Akuma, piercing several Level Ones straight through and causing them to explode. Kanda was not far behind, flipping through the air to land squarely on the shoulders of a Level Two, one that looked like a huge humanoid rabbit. Scowling at the pink-furred creature, Kanda stabbed Mugen down through one of it's ears, holding the blade at a slight angle so it would cut into whatever brain the Akuma could be said to have. It howled in pain, toxic blood bubbling up around the Innocence that ran straight through the creature's head as it thrashed.
Kanda twisted his hand and drew the sword out of the rabbit's skull, leaping down from the Level Two's dying body just before it, too, exploded into dust.
He hit the ground with bent knees, already turning as the sound of the Akuma's canons firing met his ears. Three bullets were headed directly for him. Breathing heavily, he raised Mugen again.
"Hell's Insects!"
The power of the First Illusion shot from his blade, bypassing the bullets and going straight for the monsters creating them. Kanda neatly sidestepped all three bullets, feeling one pass less than an inch from his face. The other two passed behind him and buried themselves in the stony ground.
More Akuma exploded into nothingness, felled by the First Illusion.
Kanda looked around, trying to locate his next enemy. There certainly wasn't any shortage of Akuma to fight; it seemed like the Earl had brought his entire army.
At least the Finders weren't completely useless for once. Kanda had no clue where the Finder's had gotten them, but at least thirty of the robe-wearing rejects had guns that shot something that looked like Innocence bullets. Whatever the bullets were made out of, they were capable of killing a Level One in a single shot. While not a huge help, since the guns seemed to run out of ammunition fairly often and the Finders had no immunity to the blood-virus the Akuma carried, it at least made the Finders a little more useful than they usually were. Some were actually decent shots and were taking down the lower-levels with little trouble.
Still, the number of Finders actually on the field was rapidly decreasing. Most Finders did not have the combat training Exorcists had and had no experience fighting Akuma. They were too slow to dodge and weren't practiced in reading how the Akuma would move or attack.
It was a bloodbath.
Kanda scowled.
Fucking idiots.
His eyes landed on a figure cloaked in white, his hair the same shade as the protective cloak surrounding him and a stark contrast to the black arm with knife-like fingers extending from the palm. The figure was fighting off Level Threes and Twos by himself further down the courtyard from where Kanda was, barely dodging the attacks coming at him too fast for Kanda to keep track of. Just a bit further off in the distance, the Earl was watching the battle with his usual irritating wide smile.
Kanda's scowl deepened and he tightened his grip on his weapon.
Allen was fighting the higher levels alone. Kanda could see other Exorcists by the British boy, killing as many Akuma as they could before they got to Kanda and the Finders; the last line of defense. The Noah and the Earl hadn't even joined the battle yet. At the Earl's side stood the four gray-skinned beings, the group of five just watching the mayhem.
Kanda glanced behind himself, seeing the Finders with their guns. Behind the Finders, he could see the door opening.
Komui and Reever emerged, Reever pulling something covered in a cloth and Komui pushing it from behind. Five more pairs of scientists, each other their own cloth-covered burden, followed the two leaders. Ten more scientists followed, all carrying armfuls of strangely green-glowing rods. Ten more Finders followed behind the scientists, all armed with a gun and each carrying what seemed to be a backpack filled with Kanda didn't know what. The last figure out of the building moved at a dead run, his bright red hair and black Exorcist's jacket the only indications of who he was.
The sound of a canon going off jerked him out of his thoughts and he dodged instinctively, feeling the bullet graze his coat as he pivoted towards the source of the attack. The Level One was less than twenty feet away and closing quickly. Kanda glared murderously at it and lifted Mugen, leaping forward and bringing the blade down to cut it in two. It exploded as he landed behind it.
He turned back towards Komui and the others, just in time to see Komui remove the cloth covering whatever it was that he and Reever had been dragging out. Beneath the cloth was a canon, not unlike what the Akuma had on their bodies.
Kanda's gaze darted across the line of scientists, seeing that the other five pairs were also removing the cloth to reveal canons. Lavi was still running, moving down the three wide steps to the main courtyard and activating his Innocence. Kanda's scowl lessened and he turned towards Allen and the other Exorcists.
His skills could be better used defending a certain reckless dumbass with white hair. The doors were well-defended enough now.
As he ran, he extended his free hand straight out.
"Second Illusion," he said, feeling his Innocence's energy flare in response. "Two Illusion Blade."
His hand closed on the second sword's hilt as it materialized from pure energy and he sped up, eyes focused on the white figure seemingly dancing with the Akuma.
Line Break
Komui crouched next to one of the canons set up by the front door, keeping his ears plugged with his fingers as Reever made a slicing motion with his hand, ordering the other scientists to fire. The scientists who had taken over Reever's station at the first canon fired in time with the others, sending forth a great solid globe made from Innocence energy. They had been tested just a week ago, when the Earl, with an entire army of Akuma, attacking Headquarters directly was thought of as somewhat abstract. Komui hadn't expected an attack any time soon or else he would have been more insistent in getting more guns, getting the canons set up, stockpiling energy cells for the canons and the guns...
He would have insisted in training the Finders more.
He surveyed the battlefield almost helplessly. The Exorcists were somewhere at the far end of the battle, obscured by the Akuma that had broken through the line what seemed like hours ago but had really only been about ten minutes. Few Finders remained standing, but Komui could see the dust-filled cloaks issued to all new Finders by the Order scattered everywhere on the ground. Each empty cloak was one more life that had been lost, each person that might have been able to survive if Komui had just been more perceptive, if he had seen this coming...
He forced himself to keep his eyes open, willed himself to swallow around the lump in his throat as he looked around and saw the bodies of those who had been killed by falling debris or dead Akuma exploding rather than the blood virus. Bodies in pieces, bodies with blood drying in trails from their mouths, noses, and ears, bodies crushed beneath piles of rocks.
He felt bile rise in his throat as Reever ordered the scientists to reload. On autopilot, he took out the old energy cell and grabbed a new one from the small and quickly dwindling pile he had near the canon. He quickly slid it into place, hearing the low hum as the canon began to draw power to form a new canon ball. Even here, so close to the gate protecting the other members of the Order - the ones who couldn't fight, the old, the sick, the injured - they had casualties. One scientist had been killed when an Akuma's bullet had hit the stonework above his head and dislodged a giant piece of rock. It had crushed the man's skull, killing him instantly.
So many dead...
Komui looked out over the field, expression tight. What few fighters they still had were tiring quickly, but they were managing to hold their own. The Earl and the Noah had just joined the fight and Komui could catch bits and pieces of their battles from his position by the gate.
Lavi was pitted against a woman with long black hair tied back into a low ponytail. Komui recognized her as Lulubell, the Noah of Lust who had led the mission to retrieve the Akuma Egg from Headquarters not too long ago. He knew her only from the reports the men who had survived had turned in, but there was no mistaking her abilities.
Lenalee was fighting the Noah of Dreams, though to Komui's frustration he couldn't catch enough of their battle to tell who was winning. His heart was sick and cold with fear for his beloved little sister, but his duty was to protect the doors. Even if he managed to get across the field alive, he would only be a distraction to her. If he proved to be a fatal distraction... the Noah were dangerous. He wasn't about to take risks, especially not when they might result in the death of his only living relative, the little girl he had sworn to protect.
Krory was facing off against a pair of men, one with dark hair and one with blonde locks. They were probably the 'Jasdevi' mentioned in reports about the Ark Incident, but Krory, from what Komui could see, was holding his own against the pair.
Allen had somehow ended up facing the Earl alone. Komui wasn't sure when Allen had given up his arm to form his slightly more powerful sword, but he seemed to be able to go toe-to-toe with the Exorcists' greatest enemy. At the very least, the white haired boy wasn't dead yet, but Komui was sure he had to be exhausted. The Crown Clown was a very visible Innocence and he had seen it try to be everywhere at once; defending Finders, killing Akuma to save their souls, blocking attacks other Exorcists were getting too sluggish to defend themselves from.
The other Exorcists currently at Headquarters - Noise Marie, Kanda, Bookman, Chaoji, and even General Cloud Nyne - were trying to hold off the Akuma. Though the Exorcists and the General were being helped by the Finders who had managed to live this long and still had ammunition, it was impossible to stop all the machines. More and more were getting through and had to be taken out by canon ball, but with how fast the supply was dwindling and seeing how many Akuma still remained...
They would lose. Komui could see the fighters tiring - Lau Shimin was still a white blur on the battlefield, but his fur was matted with his blood and his movements were getting slower and slower. Marie's music was sluggish and even from a distance Komui could tell that the man was getting winded. Kanda, though he tried to hide it, was getting sloppier in his movements and strikes, often taking damage from an attack he should have been able to dodge because his body was no longer functioning at peak efficiency.
Bookman was spry for his age, but he was still old. His chest was heaving, needles flying shakily through the air when they once would have cut through the atmosphere so quickly they would have been nearly invisible. Chaoji was strong, but his punches were moving slower and connecting weaker.
And the Akuma just kept coming. Their numbers had dropped since the beginning, but since all exploded into nothing when killed by Innocence, there was no way to tell how many had died. Komui wondered bitterly if that was the last joke the Earl played on Exorcists - without proof that their efforts were getting them somewhere, it was only natural for morale to fall. Being able to see the number of dead comrades littering the field and not one single dead enemy was difficult psychologically for any soldier. Friends and loved ones, gone in the blink of an eye, and yet the enemy was still there, with apparently no dead and fighting just as strongly as ever.
He heard the canon going off right next to his ear and yelped, covering his ears with his hands. More Akuma died - he could hear the canon balls make contact with the dark matter, even with his hands pressed over his ears - and disintegrated into nothing.
Komui heard the order to reload and scrambled to reload the canon, popping out the now-empty cell and replacing it with a fresh one. He looked at the shrinking pile, counting only four canon balls left before they would have to retreat inside the gate and leave it all to the Exorcists.
Only four, and then he would need to leave not only his baby sister, but all the other people he had come to know and care for, locked out with monsters.
They were going to lose.
Komui stared at his hands, still braced against the canon. They were shaking ever so slightly, as they had been since the first explosion had been heard outside the front gate and the Gatekeeper had screamed that there was literally an army approaching.
The Black Order would lose. This was the main Headquarters, the place where Hevlaska and the Innocence were stored. When the Earl got his hands on the Innocence... even if there was still Innocence out there to find and by some miracle the Heart wasn't here, it would only be a matter of time until the Earl had attacked and defeated the other branches of the Order. Everyone would die and then humanity would follow.
The Earl would win. His 'grand play', his 'scenario' would finally come to pass, and if Komui had only been more prepared; had better weapons, more Exorcists, more guns, more Innocence, provided more training... if he had just done more in preparation for this, then they wouldn't be slowly but inexorably losing this battle.
They were going to lose.
Crushing hopelessness crashed down on him, weighing down his shoulders and he slumped over to rest his forehead against the backs of his hands. He kept seeing faces flash before his eyes; Reever, Jerry, Kanda, Allen, Lavi, the other Exorcists, the Finders, his scientists...
Lenalee.
His shoulders began to shake. Since the Dark Boots were suspected to be the Heart, the Earl would probably want to make sure that the Noah at least captured Lenalee or killed her. If the Earl got his hands on the Heart, it was all over and everyone knew it.
He gritted his teeth.
If only there was something they hadn't used, some resource he had forgotten about and hadn't tapped, something he could use to turn the tide-
His eyes shot open and he sat up, realization hitting him like a lightning bolt. Stunned, he ran his hands over the canon he had just been leaning against as though seeing it for the first time. He lifted his head, looking out over the field and seeing the guns the Finders used, the Innocence-energy bullets screaming through the air and piercing Akuma metal and gears. For just a moment, as he stared out over the expanse of the courtyard, he caught a flash of red hair and the glow of flames.
There was one stone he had left unturned, mostly because it was one stone he did not trust.
He hesitated, but in less time than it took for his racing heart to beat once, he had made his decision. There was nothing left to lose and the time was long past for desperate measures. This would either damn them all faster or it could save their lives, but there were no other options left.
Komui leapt to his feet and began hurrying towards the door.
"Reever, cover my station. I'll be back," he said as he passed the blonde man, moving on without waiting for a reply. "Gatekeeper!"
The Gatekeeper swung the door open to admit him as the white-clad man reached the doorway. Komui sped through, halfway down the hall by the time he heard the door close behind him.
Line Break
Tyki paced the floor of his room, one arm resting across his abdomen and the other running perpendicular to the first with the elbow of the second arm resting on the hand of the first. His other hand was braced against his chin as he paced, ears straining to hear the sounds of explosions and try to create a picture of what was happening in his mind.
He had heard the announcement of the attack by his former family and the Earl at the same time his guards had and had heard his guards, after a brief debate, lock the door and abandon him for the safety of a 'Lab 3'. He had tried to break down the door, but had quickly learned that it was futile and he had given up.
Eventually someone would come to get him. He just hoped it wasn't an Akuma, a Noah, or worse, the Earl himself. His features narrowed into a glare. With the damn manacles on he couldn't even defend himself! Then again, if he didn't have the shackles on they would never have been able to confine him in a room anyway.
What was most frustrating is that he couldn't even see how the battle was going. He had little love for the Noah clan or the Earl and hadn't known any of the Exorcists - bar one - in any sort of friendly context.
It was that one that had him - dare he say it? - worried.
Exorcists had been ordered to the front gate and Tyki had no doubt that the redhead had gone to fight. The boy loved duty, didn't he?
'"I just got sick of sleeping with the enemy before you did."'
After so long, Tyki was still the enemy. After the redhead had told him that he was still himself, no matter what appearance he wore; after he had saved the redhead from certain, painful death at the Earl's hands; after his every limb had been broken for the crime of helping Lavi escape the Earl's stronghold; after giving up the comforts and freedoms he knew as a member of the Earl's inner circle, one of the Noah; after all he had done for the Exorcist, he was still the 'enemy'.
His chest still ached painfully whenever he remembered that morning one month ago. It hurt especially badly when he remember that phrase and the sentence following, learning that the redhead not only still saw him as the enemy, but also didn't see what they had as special in any way.
'"It's not like you gave me anything I couldn't find somewhere else with less hassle."'
Even Tyki had seen their encounters as something special, though he hadn't known why at the time. Most of him still refused to acknowledge it, though he couldn't deny that, as furious as he was with the redhead, the way he wanted to express his anger and frustration was by pinning Lavi to the nearest hard surface and claiming him, marking his body with scratches and bites and hold his hips hard enough to bruise before thrusting in. The thought of ripping out the redhead's organs one by one until Lavi died painfully, choking on his own blood, sickened him.
He wasn't sure how much of that particular fantasy was his black side's influence, but in this case he was more than happy to go along with it. There were a lot of things the redhead had to answer for, not the least of which was making him so worried about someone else when he was supposed to be more concerned with escape plans and his own safety.
He wasn't even allowed to help and, if Tyki knew anything about the Earl, he rarely took half-measures. If the Earl had attacked here, of all places, then it would be with his full force. The Exorcists didn't have a chance.
Lavi might already be dead-
The doorknob rattled, breaking into his thoughts. He whirled to face the door, hands dropping to a somewhat defensive guard. He had learned at least a bit about street fighting from his years as a miner, though now he wished he hadn't relied on his powers so heavily. If the person beyond the door was an enemy, then he knew he stood no chance. Against an Akuma with skin made of metal or a Noah unrestrained by Innocence, his few hand-to-hand skills would be next to useless.
Loud cursing, muffled by the wood, reached his ears and he dropped his guard as he recognized the voice. If he wasn't mistaken, then that voice belonged to none other than the Supervisor of the Black Order's Headquarters. It was hard to tell because of the muffling effect of the door, but the man had interviewed him quite a bit when Tyki had first come to the Order.
There was the sound of metal scraping against metal and the lock clicked. Komui stumbled into the room, beret and glasses askew, bits of dirt, dust, and debris clinging to his usually pristine uniform. The man's chest and shoulders were heaving, face flushed from running from the main gate to Tyki's room.
The Noah stared in surprise for several seconds, then started forward.
"What's going on out there?" he asked, eyes narrowing slightly. "Are we doing so well that you didn't see the need to come let me out of here?"
Komui chuckled dryly, the sound slightly hysterical.
"That depends on who you mean by 'we'," he said breathlessly, fumbling with the key-ring he held in his hand . Tyki watched, stunned, as Komui located a certain key on the ring among dozens of others and motioned for Tyki to hold his wrists out. Dumbly, Tyki extended one hand, tilting it so that the lock faced up.
Komui hesitated only a moment before slotting the key into place.
"Don't make me regret this," the white-clad man asked, voice almost begging. "Please."
Tyki made no response, unable to speak as Komui turned the key and freed him from the first manacle. He numbly moved his other wrist forward and within seconds it, too, was free.
His powers slammed back into him and he stumbled back from the sheer force, only distantly hearing the shackles he had worn for weeks clatter to the ground. He breathed in, his body feeling lighter, like he had been carrying heavy weights around all of his limbs and had been suddenly cut free. He laughed out loud from the sheer joy, lifting his hands and staring at his bare wrists. There were faint marks from where the manacles had rested, but the skin was not abraded or chafed.
On impulse, he shifted forms to his Noah form. He watched with delight as his skin faded from olive to a light gray, feeling the cross shaped scars etch themselves on his forehead. Finally, after so long, he was himself again. Choosing to pass as human was something entirely different than being stuck in that guise and it was incredible to finally choose how he wanted to appear.
The sound of a distant explosion brought him back to the present and he dropped his hands, looking beyond them to where Komui stood, eyes wide behind his glasses.
Tyki smirked, unable to help himself. Komui looked petrified, like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming train. Tyki stepped forward, seeing the man's minute flinch as he did so.
He hadn't remembered what a thrill having this much power at his disposal was.
"Thank you, Supervisor," he said, title only slightly mocking, then disappeared through the floor. The last image he saw before the stone closed over his head were Komui's startled eyes, but he quickly turned his mind to other, more important issues.
His smirk disappeared, replaced by a narrowing of eyes and a tightening of lips.
If Lavi wasn't alive when he got out there, Tyki swore he'd kill him.
TBC…
A/N: There we go! Hope that was enjoyable for everyone! Please remember to review if you Favorite!
Shameless Self Pimpage: I’m posting the first chapter of a new Lucky fic next week. Please look for it next Sunday! The fic will be called ‘Canis Luna’ and is AU, but that’s all I’ll say for now!
Author: Bookkbaby
Rating: Teen
Warnings: YAOI
Summary: LUCKY Pair. It started as a simple game of poker, but a little white lie from Lavi changes everything. ['If you lose... you spend the night here, with me, and let me do whatever I want with you.']
Warnings: YAOI, which means BOYS LOVING BOYS. If you dislike that, then the back button is easy enough to find. Please click that and leave. Limes are in the future, and lemons. Maybe some OOC, spoilers for the end of the anime later on.
Disclaimer: I don’t own these lovely characters, that honor belongs to Katsura Hoshino. (Though if Hoshino-sama ever has a sale, I call dibs on Tyki… what?) I don’t own anything but a copy of the anime series and all volumes of the manga in English. Anything you don’t recognize (like the plotline of ‘A Game of Poker’) does belong to me. Everything else… not so much. Please don’t sue.
Kudos to the awesome SisterWicked of AssHat Productions (a group I am now a proud member of), who got me started on Lucky and lets me use 'lovely'! Beta’d by N.H. Arawn and Misster Cackles! All remaining mistakes are mine.
Last Time On ‘A Game Of Poker’:
Allen sighed to himself and, with one last glare at the oblivious samurai sitting across from him, he turned back to his lunch. It didn't taste quite as well as it had minutes ago, but Jerry was still an excellent cook and Allen managed to eat the ungodly amount of food he had ordered.
He would have to talk to Lavi and get to the bottom of this once and for all. For Lavi's sake.
And Now, The Continuation
Chapter 28
Battlefront
Lavi stared blankly out the window on the far wall of the library, a pen loosely clenched in his hand and a sheet of paper half-covered in his neat handwriting pinned beneath his arm. Various books lay open on top of the desk he sat at; the ancient manuscript he was slowly translating for Bookman and several translation dictionaries. A few pieces of paper with handwritten notes were resting between the wooden surface of the table and the peeling covers of the manuscript and dictionaries, mostly just notes to help him translate. It was slow, boring work, meaning his mind needed only the slight provocation to wander. The room he was in wasn't particularly interesting; twenty large wooden desks were laid out in a grid five wide and four deep. Each desk was facing the glass picture windows set into the stone wall. Lavi was sitting right in the middle, not even close enough to the numerous, almost ridiculously tall bookcases that spread from the rows of desks almost to the distant walls to distract himself with the titles on the shelves.
As always these days, his thought strayed to one particular subject.
It had been a month. An entire month since he had last visited Tyki, kissed him, been held by him, felt him move inside-
He cut that train of thought off and dropped his pen. He crossed his arms on top of the desk, careful not to crumple the papers as he leaned forward to rest his chin on one of his wrists. He continued to stare out the far window, not really seeing it.
The pain had faded a bit. Time healed everything, or so the saying went, but Lavi could still feel a deep ache in his chest that got particularly painful when something brought back memories of what he had shared with the Noah.
Everything reminded him of Tyki. Overhearing the word 'lovely' in casual conversation, or getting undressed to shower or change for sleep, or even just hearing the man's name mentioned. The rumor mill had mostly moved on to whatever the next scandal was, but Tyki was still a fairly hot topic. Lavi couldn't remember going a day without having heard the Pleasure's name at least once. He had tried not to concentrate on those memories and tried to shove those recollections away, but they haunted him.
His sleep had been disrupted at least three times a week from dreams created by his memories, his sleeping mind taunting him with what he could no longer have. He had woken up each time sweating, Tyki's name on his lips and sometimes even a bit of major discomfort between his legs. Most of his dreams weren't sexual; in fact, most of his dreams were just about that final night, the word 'stay' lingering in his ears after he woke up. He knew he had to have awoken Bookman at least once, but thankfully the old man had always pretended to be asleep while Lavi got himself under control and forced himself to relax enough so that he could fall back asleep. In the mornings, neither ever mentioned these late night episodes.
Allen and Lenalee had gotten steadily more and more worried, but by now Lavi was fairly certain that they had given up trying to get him to talk and were now simply waiting for him to come to them of his own free will.
Kanda had mostly disappeared since that day three weeks ago, right after that rather heartless comment at lunch. Lavi still hadn't quite sorted out how he felt about that, though he had privately decided that he would never tell Kanda how accurate the Japanese Exorcist's statement had been. Lavi had been sleeping with Tyki and it had made him 'stupid'. He had been foolish enough to believe that what he had had was something he would be able to hold on to for a while and then let go when the time came. He hadn't expected its ghost to linger so long.
Bookman had definitely noticed. Lavi had felt the old man's eyes studying him intensely on more than one occasion during the past month. His mentor hadn't asked him any questions yet, probably because Bookman knew he wouldn't like Lavi's answers.
The redhead still tried to act like he always had, but the facade was hard to maintain and it was an enormous drain on his energy. It was impossible to hide the fact that he didn't eat as much as he used to; most of the time he simply wasn't hungry. Jerry had given him more than one concerned glance from the other side of the order window. He still ate three meals a day, but the portions were smaller and no matter what Lavi ordered, it all tasted like stale cardboard and weighed heavily in his stomach.
Still, he was moving on. Slowly, but he was doing it. In another month he was certain his smiles would be more convincing and a month after that he'd be able to laugh like he meant it. Maybe in a year he could look at his time with Tyki without feeling like his heart was trying to rip itself to shreds.
His head leaned to the side, his gaze shifting from the window to the lines of the bookcases. His green eye was still glazed over, obviously not seeing anything in the room.
Maybe in two years he wouldn't even feel anything when he remembered Tyki and in three years.... maybe he wouldn't even see the memories as anything special, just something that belonged to a different person.
His hands clenched into fists and he rested his forehead against his crossed arms. He stared blankly at the papers less than an inch from his nose, an unpleasant numbness spreading from his chest.
Would the memories he treasured so much now eventually be left to collect dust in some back corner of his mind? He knew the feelings he had now would fade and disappear eventually - they had already faded somewhat, though his dreams kept reopening the wound - but somehow he couldn't picture ever letting the memories just rot. They were too close to his heart for him to ever do that.
In those short few months he had been with Tyki, he had become so attached to the man. He had never wanted to name the feeling, knowing that he would have to sever all ties immediately if he ever named what it was that he felt. A Bookman was not allowed to care, let alone do more than care about another person. People were just ink on paper, not actual creatures to be sympathized with.
Still, some part of Lavi had known all along what the word was for the strong attachment he had had to Tyki. The attachment he still had, though it was fraying and slowly beginning to break from lack of contact with the older man.
It had taken time for his feelings to develop into what they were now; they certainly hadn't been this strong when he had first 'lost' a game of poker against the Noah. The tiny thread of attachment he'd had to the man who had taken his virginity had grown into something incredibly strong for the man who had asked him to stay and had held him throughout their final night together, even though Tyki hadn't known then that it was their last time.
In those few short months that they had been together, Lavi had managed to fall-
A piercing sound suddenly filled the air, the noisy shriek of the alarm cutting through his thoughts and disrupting them. Lavi sat up quickly, looking around for the source of the noise.
A small black golem was flying through the air towards him, Komui's voice pouring from the speakers. Lavi's eye widened as the message reached his ears, frozen in shock as the golem drew nearer and hovered next to him.
"-I repeat, enemy attack," Komui was saying, voice shaking only slightly. "All Exorcists, prepare for battle. Enemy has been sighted outside the main gate. All four Noah and the Earl have been sighted. Level Four's have been reported, numbers uncertain. Level Three's, Level Two's, and Level One's, numbers uncertain. Finders report to Lab 3. I repeat, enemy attack-"
Lavi's heart suddenly felt like it was made out of heavy ice and it sank slowly in his chest. The Earl was attacking and from the sound of things, this was supposed to be the final battle. A direct attack on Exorcist Headquarters led by the Earl himself and all the Noah...
The sound of shattering glass jerked his mind back into the real world and he turned to face the windows on the far side of the room just in time for a bullet to sail less than an inch from his head and, from the sound of it, bury itself in the desk behind Lavi's. The redhead didn't need to turn to identify the projectile as an Akuma blood-virus bullet and instinctively threw himself to the side as the sound of the Akuma's canons firing split the air again. The bullet sailed harmlessly overhead as the Exorcist hit the floor, breathing out harshly as he connected to avoid having the wind knocked out of him. It took him only a moment to reorient himself and then he began to crawl, keeping low so the Akuma he could hear entering through the broken window couldn't see him. He had gotten less than five feet from the desk he had been sitting at when the sound of splintering wood met his ears and a sudden gust of wind and a high-pitched squeal came from behind him.
He glanced back over his shoulder, seeing the wooden desk pinned to the desk that had previously been behind it, a still-smoking bullet hole the only indication of what had caused the wood to crumple in on itself.
Lavi faced forward again and his pace quickened, scurrying along the floor as more canons went off. One hit the desk he had just passed, sending it flipping into the air and scattering papers and books everywhere. Lavi winced as one hit his shoulder but continued doggedly on. He needed to reach some actual cover and figure out just how many Akuma he was up against before he could fight. Standing up now was asking to be shot, and without a parasitic type Innocence he was dead if a bullet hit him.
He finally reached the end of the row of desks and shot forwards to hide behind the stacks of literature.
The sound of firing subsided and Lavi pressed his back as close to the shelves behind him as he could. He flattened himself against the bookcase, feeling the spines of various books and the hard edge of the shelves digging into him. His right hand dropped stealthily down towards the thigh-holster he used for his Innocence, silently opening up the top and wrapping his fingers around the head of his hammer.
He peeked out from behind the bookcase, sticking his head out just far enough to see how many Akuma he was up against and what level they all were.
Five Akuma, all level one. At least this wouldn't be difficult, but he'd have to be quick. He could hear the faint sound of distant explosions, meaning that the fight out front had already started.
The sound of more glass breaking drew his attention back to the library. He peeked out again, mentally cursing when he saw more Level One Akuma coming through another window. He could hear the sound of even more approaching and hoped that they were all just Level Ones. This many he could take by himself, but if a few Level Twos showed up he might have some trouble, and if a Level Three was with them he wouldn't stand a chance. Sheer numbers would overwhelm him, especially in such a confined space…
He drew his hammer silently, activating it as the number of Akuma in the room swelled to twenty. He took a deep breath, assessing the situation and trying to pick which seal would work best. Flame Stamp, the one he preferred, was out of the question. The flames would set the books on fire and he might get caught in it too. Heaven's Stamp, however...
He tightened his grip on the handle of Ozuchi Kozuchi. He could use the combination of Heaven's and Fire to create a beast that could go directly after the Akuma. The Combination Stamps were much more contained than the regular Stamps, meaning he should be able to keep any damage to the books at a minimum.
Decision made, he stepped away from the bookcase he had pressed his back to and moved forward, lifting his hammer. He needed a clear view of the room so he could direct his Innocence properly, but he was now in plain sight. The Level Ones sluggishly turned towards him, canons lifting to fire.
Lavi wasn't going to give them the chance.
"Seal of Heaven, Seal of Fire," he said, beginning to bring the hammer down and concentrating on the two elements he was summoning. Their stamps appeared, glowing in midair. "Combo Seal: Strong Thunder of Heaven!"
The two stamps merged just moments before the hammer hit the glowing seal. Instantly, a creature that glowed blue with sparking scales began to emerge from the hammer, slithering out as though the head of Ozuchi Kozuchi wasn't solid metal but was instead a long, wide tunnel. It took only seconds for the dragon-like beast to enter the room completely and it immediately launched itself at the Akuma.
Too late, the Level Ones fired their canons. The blood bullets were absorbed and vaporized by Lavi's Innocence and then it was upon the machines. Within a heartbeat it had destroyed three of the Akuma. Lavi concentrated on keeping the Seals alive, moving more into the room. All of the remaining seventeen killing machines fired at the Exorcist, their programming telling them to ignore the dragon-like creature even now going after them in favor of killing live pray. The redhead shrunk his weapon and held it clenched in his hand as he dropped to the ground and rolled away, knowing he wouldn't be able to defend himself from so many bullets at once. As he rolled, he could feel the Combo Seal break apart and cursed the break in his concentration. He rolled again before getting to his feet and lifitng Ozuchi Kozuchi into the air. He activated his Innocence, already speaking to summon the elements again as the Akuma across the room leveled their weapons at him.
"Seal of Heaven, Seal of Fire," he said, bringing the hammer down. "Combo Seal: Strong Thunder of Heaven!"
The dragon formed by lighting surged through the weapon, flying through the air and attacking the Akuma within seconds. Five fell right away and the other twleve followed moments later. Within minutes, all of the Akuma inside the room had been destroyed. Lavi was sweating slightly and a bit drained, both from keeping the Stamps active for so long and from having to re-summon the lightning beast, but he had no time to rest. He could still hear the sound of more Akuma approaching.
He lifted his hammer again. He needed to get to the front - he couldn't be stuck here. Allen, Lenalee, and the others were probably already out there fighting. The Noah and the Earl were there, fighting his friends, and he couldn't be stuck in some far-off corner of the Order, fighting off small-fry.
"Wood Seal," he said, bringing the hammer down. He hit the suspended seal and a wind instantly picked up inside the room. Lavi concentrated on building it, making it grow stronger and stronger until his hair began to whip around his head and the bookcases began to sway. He brought his hammer up again, and slammed it back into the Wood Stamp before the wind had a chance to die.
The wind began to spiral inside the room, first slowly, then with more and more force. The miniature tornado Lavi had created picked up the heavy desks and bookcases, ripping titles from the shelves and sending them scattering as the furniture in the room was thrust against the wall with the picture windows. The bookcases were just wide enough to rest against the stone in between the windows, creating a makeshift barricade that was thickened by the other bookcases and the desks. Even for Akuma, that would take some time to get through. The blood bullets weren't capable of turning something without a circulatory system into powder. Without something to carry the virus, the bullets would simply lodge in the wood and remain stuck.
It would be dangerous in the library for a bit afterwards, but the virus couldn't survive forever outside of a body. Once it died, the library would be safe ground once again.
Satisfied, Lavi turned towards the door. It was strange to have such a clear path from where he was standing to where the door was. Normally he'd need to navigate through rows and rows of bookcases, but now that all the furniture was against the far wall, the only 'obstacle' in his path was the thick carpet made by the books and documents that had been resting innocently on the shelves minutes ago. Lavi began to trudge over to the door, trying not to ruin anything he stepped on with his boots. He reached the door and got it open, tugging the heavy wood against the small hill of books and papers that had stacked up by it. Once he was clear of the room, he pulled the door shut and began running. The halls here were deserted - of course they would be, especially with the announcement Komui had given - and he cursed, running as fast as he could towards the main gates.
His footsteps echoed on the stone walls as he ran. Those echoes were the only sound he heard for several minutes until he got closer to the battle; the sounds of canons firing, explosions, and gunshots quickly began to overwhelm the sounds of his steps. As he got even closer, he could hear the sounds of choked-off screams and could feel the vibrations caused by the force of the explosions of dying Akuma faintly beneath his feet. He gritted his teeth and kept running as questions formed in his mind.
Was Allen already fighting? Had Lenalee been hurt?
How was Kanda? Bookman? Tyki?
Why was the Earl here?
Was the Earl after Tyki?
His steps slowed for a moment, but then he shook the thought out of his head and kept running. As much as he would have liked to, he couldn't go to Tyki's room and defend him because he was worried that the man might get attacked. He knew that the other people he cared about - as much grief as Bookman and Kanda had caused him lately, he still cared - were in the thick of fighting.
Tyki would be fine. Lavi would go and do his duty and help the other Exorcists.
He picked up speed.
Line Break
The outside courtyard was usually a fairly quiet, if slightly creepy, place. It was half as long as Headquarters was tall and just as wide as the building's base. Near to the building itself, it was bordered by a small, dense forest on each side and, further away from the building, it was bordered by sheer drop-offs on either side. There were dilapidated pillars spaced evenly along the edges of the courtyard. The stone columns had once held up a roof of some kind, but it had fallen to pieces long before the Order had ever used the building as their Headquarters.
Today, the courtyard was neither quiet nor creepy. It was a war-zone and was filled with creatures taken straight from nightmares.
"First Illusion: Hell's Insects!"
Kanda swung Mugen horizontally, tearing a hole in space and summoning what literally looked like insects from Hell. Eight pale-scaled creatures with large red eyes and snakelike tails darted forward towards the Akuma, piercing several Level Ones straight through and causing them to explode. Kanda was not far behind, flipping through the air to land squarely on the shoulders of a Level Two, one that looked like a huge humanoid rabbit. Scowling at the pink-furred creature, Kanda stabbed Mugen down through one of it's ears, holding the blade at a slight angle so it would cut into whatever brain the Akuma could be said to have. It howled in pain, toxic blood bubbling up around the Innocence that ran straight through the creature's head as it thrashed.
Kanda twisted his hand and drew the sword out of the rabbit's skull, leaping down from the Level Two's dying body just before it, too, exploded into dust.
He hit the ground with bent knees, already turning as the sound of the Akuma's canons firing met his ears. Three bullets were headed directly for him. Breathing heavily, he raised Mugen again.
"Hell's Insects!"
The power of the First Illusion shot from his blade, bypassing the bullets and going straight for the monsters creating them. Kanda neatly sidestepped all three bullets, feeling one pass less than an inch from his face. The other two passed behind him and buried themselves in the stony ground.
More Akuma exploded into nothingness, felled by the First Illusion.
Kanda looked around, trying to locate his next enemy. There certainly wasn't any shortage of Akuma to fight; it seemed like the Earl had brought his entire army.
At least the Finders weren't completely useless for once. Kanda had no clue where the Finder's had gotten them, but at least thirty of the robe-wearing rejects had guns that shot something that looked like Innocence bullets. Whatever the bullets were made out of, they were capable of killing a Level One in a single shot. While not a huge help, since the guns seemed to run out of ammunition fairly often and the Finders had no immunity to the blood-virus the Akuma carried, it at least made the Finders a little more useful than they usually were. Some were actually decent shots and were taking down the lower-levels with little trouble.
Still, the number of Finders actually on the field was rapidly decreasing. Most Finders did not have the combat training Exorcists had and had no experience fighting Akuma. They were too slow to dodge and weren't practiced in reading how the Akuma would move or attack.
It was a bloodbath.
Kanda scowled.
Fucking idiots.
His eyes landed on a figure cloaked in white, his hair the same shade as the protective cloak surrounding him and a stark contrast to the black arm with knife-like fingers extending from the palm. The figure was fighting off Level Threes and Twos by himself further down the courtyard from where Kanda was, barely dodging the attacks coming at him too fast for Kanda to keep track of. Just a bit further off in the distance, the Earl was watching the battle with his usual irritating wide smile.
Kanda's scowl deepened and he tightened his grip on his weapon.
Allen was fighting the higher levels alone. Kanda could see other Exorcists by the British boy, killing as many Akuma as they could before they got to Kanda and the Finders; the last line of defense. The Noah and the Earl hadn't even joined the battle yet. At the Earl's side stood the four gray-skinned beings, the group of five just watching the mayhem.
Kanda glanced behind himself, seeing the Finders with their guns. Behind the Finders, he could see the door opening.
Komui and Reever emerged, Reever pulling something covered in a cloth and Komui pushing it from behind. Five more pairs of scientists, each other their own cloth-covered burden, followed the two leaders. Ten more scientists followed, all carrying armfuls of strangely green-glowing rods. Ten more Finders followed behind the scientists, all armed with a gun and each carrying what seemed to be a backpack filled with Kanda didn't know what. The last figure out of the building moved at a dead run, his bright red hair and black Exorcist's jacket the only indications of who he was.
The sound of a canon going off jerked him out of his thoughts and he dodged instinctively, feeling the bullet graze his coat as he pivoted towards the source of the attack. The Level One was less than twenty feet away and closing quickly. Kanda glared murderously at it and lifted Mugen, leaping forward and bringing the blade down to cut it in two. It exploded as he landed behind it.
He turned back towards Komui and the others, just in time to see Komui remove the cloth covering whatever it was that he and Reever had been dragging out. Beneath the cloth was a canon, not unlike what the Akuma had on their bodies.
Kanda's gaze darted across the line of scientists, seeing that the other five pairs were also removing the cloth to reveal canons. Lavi was still running, moving down the three wide steps to the main courtyard and activating his Innocence. Kanda's scowl lessened and he turned towards Allen and the other Exorcists.
His skills could be better used defending a certain reckless dumbass with white hair. The doors were well-defended enough now.
As he ran, he extended his free hand straight out.
"Second Illusion," he said, feeling his Innocence's energy flare in response. "Two Illusion Blade."
His hand closed on the second sword's hilt as it materialized from pure energy and he sped up, eyes focused on the white figure seemingly dancing with the Akuma.
Line Break
Komui crouched next to one of the canons set up by the front door, keeping his ears plugged with his fingers as Reever made a slicing motion with his hand, ordering the other scientists to fire. The scientists who had taken over Reever's station at the first canon fired in time with the others, sending forth a great solid globe made from Innocence energy. They had been tested just a week ago, when the Earl, with an entire army of Akuma, attacking Headquarters directly was thought of as somewhat abstract. Komui hadn't expected an attack any time soon or else he would have been more insistent in getting more guns, getting the canons set up, stockpiling energy cells for the canons and the guns...
He would have insisted in training the Finders more.
He surveyed the battlefield almost helplessly. The Exorcists were somewhere at the far end of the battle, obscured by the Akuma that had broken through the line what seemed like hours ago but had really only been about ten minutes. Few Finders remained standing, but Komui could see the dust-filled cloaks issued to all new Finders by the Order scattered everywhere on the ground. Each empty cloak was one more life that had been lost, each person that might have been able to survive if Komui had just been more perceptive, if he had seen this coming...
He forced himself to keep his eyes open, willed himself to swallow around the lump in his throat as he looked around and saw the bodies of those who had been killed by falling debris or dead Akuma exploding rather than the blood virus. Bodies in pieces, bodies with blood drying in trails from their mouths, noses, and ears, bodies crushed beneath piles of rocks.
He felt bile rise in his throat as Reever ordered the scientists to reload. On autopilot, he took out the old energy cell and grabbed a new one from the small and quickly dwindling pile he had near the canon. He quickly slid it into place, hearing the low hum as the canon began to draw power to form a new canon ball. Even here, so close to the gate protecting the other members of the Order - the ones who couldn't fight, the old, the sick, the injured - they had casualties. One scientist had been killed when an Akuma's bullet had hit the stonework above his head and dislodged a giant piece of rock. It had crushed the man's skull, killing him instantly.
So many dead...
Komui looked out over the field, expression tight. What few fighters they still had were tiring quickly, but they were managing to hold their own. The Earl and the Noah had just joined the fight and Komui could catch bits and pieces of their battles from his position by the gate.
Lavi was pitted against a woman with long black hair tied back into a low ponytail. Komui recognized her as Lulubell, the Noah of Lust who had led the mission to retrieve the Akuma Egg from Headquarters not too long ago. He knew her only from the reports the men who had survived had turned in, but there was no mistaking her abilities.
Lenalee was fighting the Noah of Dreams, though to Komui's frustration he couldn't catch enough of their battle to tell who was winning. His heart was sick and cold with fear for his beloved little sister, but his duty was to protect the doors. Even if he managed to get across the field alive, he would only be a distraction to her. If he proved to be a fatal distraction... the Noah were dangerous. He wasn't about to take risks, especially not when they might result in the death of his only living relative, the little girl he had sworn to protect.
Krory was facing off against a pair of men, one with dark hair and one with blonde locks. They were probably the 'Jasdevi' mentioned in reports about the Ark Incident, but Krory, from what Komui could see, was holding his own against the pair.
Allen had somehow ended up facing the Earl alone. Komui wasn't sure when Allen had given up his arm to form his slightly more powerful sword, but he seemed to be able to go toe-to-toe with the Exorcists' greatest enemy. At the very least, the white haired boy wasn't dead yet, but Komui was sure he had to be exhausted. The Crown Clown was a very visible Innocence and he had seen it try to be everywhere at once; defending Finders, killing Akuma to save their souls, blocking attacks other Exorcists were getting too sluggish to defend themselves from.
The other Exorcists currently at Headquarters - Noise Marie, Kanda, Bookman, Chaoji, and even General Cloud Nyne - were trying to hold off the Akuma. Though the Exorcists and the General were being helped by the Finders who had managed to live this long and still had ammunition, it was impossible to stop all the machines. More and more were getting through and had to be taken out by canon ball, but with how fast the supply was dwindling and seeing how many Akuma still remained...
They would lose. Komui could see the fighters tiring - Lau Shimin was still a white blur on the battlefield, but his fur was matted with his blood and his movements were getting slower and slower. Marie's music was sluggish and even from a distance Komui could tell that the man was getting winded. Kanda, though he tried to hide it, was getting sloppier in his movements and strikes, often taking damage from an attack he should have been able to dodge because his body was no longer functioning at peak efficiency.
Bookman was spry for his age, but he was still old. His chest was heaving, needles flying shakily through the air when they once would have cut through the atmosphere so quickly they would have been nearly invisible. Chaoji was strong, but his punches were moving slower and connecting weaker.
And the Akuma just kept coming. Their numbers had dropped since the beginning, but since all exploded into nothing when killed by Innocence, there was no way to tell how many had died. Komui wondered bitterly if that was the last joke the Earl played on Exorcists - without proof that their efforts were getting them somewhere, it was only natural for morale to fall. Being able to see the number of dead comrades littering the field and not one single dead enemy was difficult psychologically for any soldier. Friends and loved ones, gone in the blink of an eye, and yet the enemy was still there, with apparently no dead and fighting just as strongly as ever.
He heard the canon going off right next to his ear and yelped, covering his ears with his hands. More Akuma died - he could hear the canon balls make contact with the dark matter, even with his hands pressed over his ears - and disintegrated into nothing.
Komui heard the order to reload and scrambled to reload the canon, popping out the now-empty cell and replacing it with a fresh one. He looked at the shrinking pile, counting only four canon balls left before they would have to retreat inside the gate and leave it all to the Exorcists.
Only four, and then he would need to leave not only his baby sister, but all the other people he had come to know and care for, locked out with monsters.
They were going to lose.
Komui stared at his hands, still braced against the canon. They were shaking ever so slightly, as they had been since the first explosion had been heard outside the front gate and the Gatekeeper had screamed that there was literally an army approaching.
The Black Order would lose. This was the main Headquarters, the place where Hevlaska and the Innocence were stored. When the Earl got his hands on the Innocence... even if there was still Innocence out there to find and by some miracle the Heart wasn't here, it would only be a matter of time until the Earl had attacked and defeated the other branches of the Order. Everyone would die and then humanity would follow.
The Earl would win. His 'grand play', his 'scenario' would finally come to pass, and if Komui had only been more prepared; had better weapons, more Exorcists, more guns, more Innocence, provided more training... if he had just done more in preparation for this, then they wouldn't be slowly but inexorably losing this battle.
They were going to lose.
Crushing hopelessness crashed down on him, weighing down his shoulders and he slumped over to rest his forehead against the backs of his hands. He kept seeing faces flash before his eyes; Reever, Jerry, Kanda, Allen, Lavi, the other Exorcists, the Finders, his scientists...
Lenalee.
His shoulders began to shake. Since the Dark Boots were suspected to be the Heart, the Earl would probably want to make sure that the Noah at least captured Lenalee or killed her. If the Earl got his hands on the Heart, it was all over and everyone knew it.
He gritted his teeth.
If only there was something they hadn't used, some resource he had forgotten about and hadn't tapped, something he could use to turn the tide-
His eyes shot open and he sat up, realization hitting him like a lightning bolt. Stunned, he ran his hands over the canon he had just been leaning against as though seeing it for the first time. He lifted his head, looking out over the field and seeing the guns the Finders used, the Innocence-energy bullets screaming through the air and piercing Akuma metal and gears. For just a moment, as he stared out over the expanse of the courtyard, he caught a flash of red hair and the glow of flames.
There was one stone he had left unturned, mostly because it was one stone he did not trust.
He hesitated, but in less time than it took for his racing heart to beat once, he had made his decision. There was nothing left to lose and the time was long past for desperate measures. This would either damn them all faster or it could save their lives, but there were no other options left.
Komui leapt to his feet and began hurrying towards the door.
"Reever, cover my station. I'll be back," he said as he passed the blonde man, moving on without waiting for a reply. "Gatekeeper!"
The Gatekeeper swung the door open to admit him as the white-clad man reached the doorway. Komui sped through, halfway down the hall by the time he heard the door close behind him.
Line Break
Tyki paced the floor of his room, one arm resting across his abdomen and the other running perpendicular to the first with the elbow of the second arm resting on the hand of the first. His other hand was braced against his chin as he paced, ears straining to hear the sounds of explosions and try to create a picture of what was happening in his mind.
He had heard the announcement of the attack by his former family and the Earl at the same time his guards had and had heard his guards, after a brief debate, lock the door and abandon him for the safety of a 'Lab 3'. He had tried to break down the door, but had quickly learned that it was futile and he had given up.
Eventually someone would come to get him. He just hoped it wasn't an Akuma, a Noah, or worse, the Earl himself. His features narrowed into a glare. With the damn manacles on he couldn't even defend himself! Then again, if he didn't have the shackles on they would never have been able to confine him in a room anyway.
What was most frustrating is that he couldn't even see how the battle was going. He had little love for the Noah clan or the Earl and hadn't known any of the Exorcists - bar one - in any sort of friendly context.
It was that one that had him - dare he say it? - worried.
Exorcists had been ordered to the front gate and Tyki had no doubt that the redhead had gone to fight. The boy loved duty, didn't he?
'"I just got sick of sleeping with the enemy before you did."'
After so long, Tyki was still the enemy. After the redhead had told him that he was still himself, no matter what appearance he wore; after he had saved the redhead from certain, painful death at the Earl's hands; after his every limb had been broken for the crime of helping Lavi escape the Earl's stronghold; after giving up the comforts and freedoms he knew as a member of the Earl's inner circle, one of the Noah; after all he had done for the Exorcist, he was still the 'enemy'.
His chest still ached painfully whenever he remembered that morning one month ago. It hurt especially badly when he remember that phrase and the sentence following, learning that the redhead not only still saw him as the enemy, but also didn't see what they had as special in any way.
'"It's not like you gave me anything I couldn't find somewhere else with less hassle."'
Even Tyki had seen their encounters as something special, though he hadn't known why at the time. Most of him still refused to acknowledge it, though he couldn't deny that, as furious as he was with the redhead, the way he wanted to express his anger and frustration was by pinning Lavi to the nearest hard surface and claiming him, marking his body with scratches and bites and hold his hips hard enough to bruise before thrusting in. The thought of ripping out the redhead's organs one by one until Lavi died painfully, choking on his own blood, sickened him.
He wasn't sure how much of that particular fantasy was his black side's influence, but in this case he was more than happy to go along with it. There were a lot of things the redhead had to answer for, not the least of which was making him so worried about someone else when he was supposed to be more concerned with escape plans and his own safety.
He wasn't even allowed to help and, if Tyki knew anything about the Earl, he rarely took half-measures. If the Earl had attacked here, of all places, then it would be with his full force. The Exorcists didn't have a chance.
Lavi might already be dead-
The doorknob rattled, breaking into his thoughts. He whirled to face the door, hands dropping to a somewhat defensive guard. He had learned at least a bit about street fighting from his years as a miner, though now he wished he hadn't relied on his powers so heavily. If the person beyond the door was an enemy, then he knew he stood no chance. Against an Akuma with skin made of metal or a Noah unrestrained by Innocence, his few hand-to-hand skills would be next to useless.
Loud cursing, muffled by the wood, reached his ears and he dropped his guard as he recognized the voice. If he wasn't mistaken, then that voice belonged to none other than the Supervisor of the Black Order's Headquarters. It was hard to tell because of the muffling effect of the door, but the man had interviewed him quite a bit when Tyki had first come to the Order.
There was the sound of metal scraping against metal and the lock clicked. Komui stumbled into the room, beret and glasses askew, bits of dirt, dust, and debris clinging to his usually pristine uniform. The man's chest and shoulders were heaving, face flushed from running from the main gate to Tyki's room.
The Noah stared in surprise for several seconds, then started forward.
"What's going on out there?" he asked, eyes narrowing slightly. "Are we doing so well that you didn't see the need to come let me out of here?"
Komui chuckled dryly, the sound slightly hysterical.
"That depends on who you mean by 'we'," he said breathlessly, fumbling with the key-ring he held in his hand . Tyki watched, stunned, as Komui located a certain key on the ring among dozens of others and motioned for Tyki to hold his wrists out. Dumbly, Tyki extended one hand, tilting it so that the lock faced up.
Komui hesitated only a moment before slotting the key into place.
"Don't make me regret this," the white-clad man asked, voice almost begging. "Please."
Tyki made no response, unable to speak as Komui turned the key and freed him from the first manacle. He numbly moved his other wrist forward and within seconds it, too, was free.
His powers slammed back into him and he stumbled back from the sheer force, only distantly hearing the shackles he had worn for weeks clatter to the ground. He breathed in, his body feeling lighter, like he had been carrying heavy weights around all of his limbs and had been suddenly cut free. He laughed out loud from the sheer joy, lifting his hands and staring at his bare wrists. There were faint marks from where the manacles had rested, but the skin was not abraded or chafed.
On impulse, he shifted forms to his Noah form. He watched with delight as his skin faded from olive to a light gray, feeling the cross shaped scars etch themselves on his forehead. Finally, after so long, he was himself again. Choosing to pass as human was something entirely different than being stuck in that guise and it was incredible to finally choose how he wanted to appear.
The sound of a distant explosion brought him back to the present and he dropped his hands, looking beyond them to where Komui stood, eyes wide behind his glasses.
Tyki smirked, unable to help himself. Komui looked petrified, like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming train. Tyki stepped forward, seeing the man's minute flinch as he did so.
He hadn't remembered what a thrill having this much power at his disposal was.
"Thank you, Supervisor," he said, title only slightly mocking, then disappeared through the floor. The last image he saw before the stone closed over his head were Komui's startled eyes, but he quickly turned his mind to other, more important issues.
His smirk disappeared, replaced by a narrowing of eyes and a tightening of lips.
If Lavi wasn't alive when he got out there, Tyki swore he'd kill him.
TBC…
A/N: There we go! Hope that was enjoyable for everyone! Please remember to review if you Favorite!
Shameless Self Pimpage: I’m posting the first chapter of a new Lucky fic next week. Please look for it next Sunday! The fic will be called ‘Canis Luna’ and is AU, but that’s all I’ll say for now!