(Untitled)

[crowningdarkly]

[One of the hallways is filled with a monotonous ticking sound. Follow it, and you'll find Allen - still bandaged up in a few places from his ordeal with Kanda - scribbling furiously along the walls in one of the bare, empty rooms. His cloaks and furs lay in a rumpled pile next to a metronome sitting in the middle of the floor - that's where the

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[recall_tragedy]

[Worried akuma peering at you.] ... Allen? Or... brother?

[crowningdarkly]

[Oddly, it has a relatively calming effect. Mana. He really misses you <3]

I-I can't stop it.

[recall_tragedy]

[He runs forward to grab your arm and try to pull you back.] You have to... You have to stop. You can do it, don't give up...

[crowningdarkly]

[And, contrary to the reaction most people pulling him away have gotten, Allen does stop. But that won't stop him from staring at the music on the walls.]

... I can't get away from it...

[recall_tragedy]

It'll be OK. [He embraces you, and then looks around for the source of the ticking, hoping that shutting that off will make things better.]

[crowningdarkly]

No.

[Not returning it the embrace, but he does take a breath.

The metronome in the middle of the room. Kick it over, it might stop?]

[recall_tragedy]

[He runs over to the metronome and gives it a good kick, causing it to topple.]

[crowningdarkly]

[Peering at Mana over his shoulder with a look that seems to ask why he made it stop.]

... I'll still hear it.

[recall_tragedy]

[He just stands there for a few moments, not really sure what to do.]

[crowningdarkly]

I'm losing.

[recall_tragedy]

[He steps forward, staring at the score on the wall.] That's...

[He manages to pull his gaze away and look at you instead.] I'm sorry, Allen. [Because he now has a good idea of what's going on.]

[crowningdarkly]

[Staring at it as well, reaching out to stroke the notes etched into the wall in an almost tender sort of way.]

You knew.

[recall_tragedy]

Yes. [Because there's really no point in lying now.]

[crowningdarkly]

[Trembles. Somehow, he can't quite bring himself to be angry about it. Just can't.]

... I won't... it won't stop.

[recall_tragedy]

[He walks back to your side, once again staring at those notes.]

[crowningdarkly]

[He's considerably calmer, with Mana closer. On edge, still, but somehow calm. Perhaps it's also Fourteenth, inside, trying to behave for his brother. Still running his fingertips over the notes.]

... it's everywhere, Mana. I hear it everywhere.