Log...with illustrations! :D
Looks like they're done playing cat and bunny mouse.
Rabi cursed under his breath. How could he have missed that train? He was sure he’d read the time correctly, but he’d apparently been off by a whole hour. Not only that, he’d then found out that the next one due to depart for his desired destination wouldn’t arrive until well after dark. Really, how unlucky could he get? He hoped Allen wouldn’t be too prone to worry about him if he was a little late back, but he was rather afraid that the boy might be in conniptions about it. While he didn’t specify when he’d return, he had expected to be well on his way at least by now. Well, there wasn’t anything he could really do about it. Although it was at least a little foolhardy, the young bookman had been unable to just stay in one place for so long, and therefore had been wandering through the town, far from the ruined building in hopes of avoiding the man he’d met there, but in populated areas in case he did come across him. Now though, the sun had already started to set, and the number of people on the streets was quickly dwindling. He’d started to head back to the station, expecting to arrive there well before his second attempt at a ride homeward departed.
Walking along the streets on his way back to the boarding house he and his companions are staying at, Tiki hikes his rucksack up a little higher onto his shoulder and weaves through the people on the streets. Head down, he slouches along, his mind still curling around his earlier encounter with the strange redheaded man outside of the tumbled building. Who was he....or more importantly, what was he? A police officer he isn't too worried about....but an exorcist he will surely see again, and that will give him another opportunity to puzzle over the mystery of where he had seen him before. So intent on his inner thoughts he almost does not recognize the living subject of them cross down to a side street in front of him. Only hesitating a second, Tiki changes direction and follows the redhead at a discreet distance...perhaps he can get him alone and make him tell his secrets.
Rabi sighed, still lamenting his bad luck as he moved through the streets, unable to help noticing how empty they were becoming. Not that he was afraid of some deserted streets in the dark. It was mostly for Allen’s sake he had been so cautious, and he was eager to finally be able to put the younger boy’s mind at ease with what he had learned. Of course, all that was not to say he himself wouldn’t be relieved to be back in the safety of the Exorcist headquarters, and not walking down the quiet road of a town that had already proved itself less than safe There were only a few people nearby as far as he could tell. The couple across the street was just entering their home, where they would likely remain until the next morning. One or two other people turned corners, vanishing from sight. . Rabi closed his eye briefly as he walked, picking out the sounds around him. He was alone now…almost. Just barely, he could hear someone behind him, though whoever it was wasn’t close enough to pose a threat…for now. Could be a coincidence. But then, it wasn’t the first time he’d thought that today, either. Opening his eye again, he walked on, keeping a steady pace and showing no outward sign that he was at all wary of the other man’s presence.
Tiki keeps following, just casually going in the same direction as the man in front of him. He can tell that the redhead knows he's there, but he is not sure if his identity, that of the passerby or his darker side, has been discovered. Looking around he notices that they are alone, they only people on the darkening street, and he is tempted to confront this tourist to see just what he really is.
Keeping his gaze on the street ahead, Rabi concentrated on his journey. If he had any luck tonight, he’d make it to the train station quietly, without having to ever turn his head to confirm his fears of just who the person trailing behind him might be. Unfortunately, that was not the case, as a sudden loud noise from a nearby alley startled the undercover exorcist, causing him to jump to one side, his right hand instinctively moving to his thigh where his weapon still hid. Despite how much noise had been created, what emerged from the alley was nothing more than a cat chased by a young dog. Irritated at being surprised for something so stupid, Rabi glared at the animals, watching them as they ran past him, but his gaze stopped following them when they passed the only other occupant of the street, lifting from the man’s feet to his face, causing him to tense slightly in recognition of the last person he wanted to find out was there. The reaction only lasted an instant, and he heaved a sigh to try to calm his nerves again, then brushed back his hair before looking back at the man, the smile from earlier once again on his youthful face as he addressed the man, fully in character once more. “Well! Fancy meetin’ you here in a place like this!”
Although he had to quickly sidestep the sprinting animals, he doesn't slow or change his pace, just moving like the other man's presence is truly just a coincidence. Smiling in a friendly manner, he comes up to the young man, "Hey there. Isn't it a little late for sightseeing?"
Walking carefully backwards in order to stay facing the man, and to prevent him from getting too close, but still managing somehow to appear as though the strange movement was just another of his eccentricities and not paranoia, Rabi kept going in the direction he’d been headed in the first place. “Ain’t sightseein’ this time, friend.” He smirked at his own words. “Got places to go, yeah? People to see, promises to keep and all that.” Damned if he was going to let this guy make him into a liar, especially after all the times he’d assured Allen nothing would happen to him on this errand. He vaguely thought if he stalled the man until he got to the station, he’d be home free, but he knew well that the likelihood of that happening was slim. It was still quite a ways away, after all.
Tiki watches the redhead walk backwards, wondering idly if he'll trip as he goes. "Places to go and people to see? Don't we all, though?" He smirks, a bit of his darkness creeping into his expression, although it is hidden in the dying light of the street. The Noah still doesn't know who the stranger is, but watching him walk backwards and evidently in a rush to be away from him, he has a sneaking suspicion that the redhead might know him. Curious...and also troubling, who else would know him but an exorcist?
Rabi laughed a bit, stretching his arms over his head and turning back to the road ahead, though he made sure he stayed acutely aware of the man’s location. “Ah, well, this is true, I suppose. Hope you’ll forgive me for not stoppin’, would love to, but I’ve got an appointment to keep, an’ I don’t fancy bein’ late.” Though his cheerful demeanor never faltered, his mind was racing with his options. Even though the man’s behavior was rather more normal than his own, Rabi was growing more and more certain of his identity, and given that, there was no way in hell he was going to let the redhead get away. Still, he was determined to keep the upper hand as long as he possibly could.
"Naw, I don't care, you're heading the same way as I am." It is true, in part, he does need to travel in the same direction as the strange redhead is going, although this is sort of a long, roundabout way for him to go. He is certain now that he knows the man, although he still cannot place him, and that if he follows him he will find out this evening. It may not be the smartest idea, especially if he turns out to be someone of true danger to himself, like an exorcist, but he will not be able to rest until he knows for certain. He was hoping that following along behind anonymously would give him the clues that he needed to puzzle out this mystery, but now with the stranger aware of him, he would have to work it out differently. Sighing and adjusting his bag on his shoulder, he thinks that at least if he gets too irritated trying to find out his companion's identity that he could always just kill him in the secluded alleyway. He'd like to avoid random killings, but it may be unavoidable if he cannot place the danger this man represents.
Gee, surprise, surprise. Rabi grimaced, still turned away from the other man. “That so. Well, guess they do say there’s safety in numbers, eh?” He smirked at that implication. “Guess ya prolly saw when those mangy beasts tore outta here, but I been a little on edge after what I heard at the pub earlier.” Sliding his hands to his pockets again, he allowed the man to come a bit closer, but was still on the watch for any sudden moves, though he rather suspected that the taller man was as determined as he was to go as long as possible without revealing himself. That was fine, he could play this game, too.
"Oh yeah? What'd they say down there?" Tiki walks along a little to the side and behind the other man, just a curious pedestrian. Something, a way that the shorter man spoke or how he held himself, made Tiki almost positive that he knew who the Noah really was. If he knew, and he was pretty sure that he did, why did he not confront him, attack him? An exorcist wouldn't waste any time trying to kill him, and a police officer would try to arrest him, it was a curious move on the redhead's part. Was it because of their deserted location or the darkness that was steadily lengthening the shadows around them? He was unsure, but he knew that it put him at a disadvantage to be known and not be familiar with his adversary.
“About there possibly bein’ dangerous people hereabouts? Of the sort I’m not quite crazy enough to go lookin’ for?” He grinned up at the man. “I don’t fancy dyin’ at all, a’course, but nothin’d be worse than a death far from home, don’t ya think?” He shook his head. “Be weeks, maybe months afore anyone ya knew even found out, if they ever do at all. Kind of a scary thought, really. Though I don’t know why any killer would come after little ol’ me, but then again, who am I to fathom why those sorts do any o’ their killin’s at all!” Despite the danger he was fully aware he was in, Rabi laughed. He knew he was only delaying the inevitable, rambling on about nonsense like this. And couldn’t he have picked a much less charged topic to be rambling about? Whatever happened to small talk about the weather, really? Though with any luck, the man would decide that nobody would be stupid enough to talk about serial killers to someone they knew really was one and not suspect the redhead of being more aware than the average traveler should be.
Chuckling, Tiki shakes his head, running his free hand through his messy wavy hair. "So, kid, you gonna tell me who you are or just going to ramble on for hours until we get to wherever the hell you're goin'?" He's sure that the redhead knows who he is, the last few sentences of the other man's nervous chatter proved it to him and it is in his best interest to find out now, in this quiet alley. Tiki looks over the rim of his glasses at the smaller man, watching him carefully. He does not want to get caught unawares if the other man decides to attack instead of talk.
Rabi tensed at the question, stopping in his tracks. He’d known it was only a matter of time before the man lost patience with his prattle. He didn’t make a move against him, though, instead, surprisingly, he once again laughed out loud. He hadn’t had to fake the sound, the game had been amusing while it lasted, but he wasn’t quite willing to drop his character yet. “I gotta tell ya, I’m impressed! I must commend ya, you’ve played your part perfectly.” Grinning genuinely, he turned his head over his shoulder to face the taller man. “Alright then. I’ll show ya mine, if you show me yours…” He lifted a hand to tap the center of his forehead, the place where he no longer had any doubt his companion bore the cross symbols in another form on his own. “Noah.”
Tiki grinned in return, he knew that the other had figured him out, and only one type of person would know him fully, "Yanno, I wasn't even looking for you, but you guys just keep finding me." Still grinning, he tips off his glasses, stuffing them in his pocket. He doesn't really need them anyhow. "Exorcist."
It didn’t surprise Rabi that the man knew him for what he was as well, and he rather wondered how long he had, but it was really a moot point anyway. It was true that only an Exorcist would know about his type at all, and as the Bookman’s apprentice, Rabi knew more than most about the dark family. “I gotta admit it was a challenge. Wasn’t sure for the longest time…It’s been a while since I last seen ya, and I didn’t recognize ya with your clothes on.” He smirked, turning to face the taller man fully.
"Er...what?" He blinks, obviously taken aback. He would remember if they had met while he was naked, after all, and it had been some time since he had last indulged in company. So then, who would have-oh. Tiki laughs, shaking his head, a little embarassed at his lapse of memory. "Yeah, well the last time I saw you, you didn't talk so much." And he was busy getting his ass kicked by a certain irritating white-haired boy, but that's something he would like to readily forget. "Well, this explains why you were so interested in that building...come to check out your friend's handiwork?"
Pleased with Tiki’s reaction, Rabi grinned wider, tilting his head to one side. “Really, kid never ceases to amaze, does he? He always seemed like such a nice lad, too. Helpin’ old ladies across the street, feedin’ puppies an’ all that. Not quite so innocent when he was beatin’ the pants off you lot. Was quite a shock, really, I had no idea he had it in ‘im.” That was definitely the truth. Rabi often wondered what else his friend had to deal with, having to grow up around that General Cross, but he always ultimately decided he didn’t really want to know. Man probably scarred the poor kid for life.
The taller man frowns, reaching into his pocket to remove a beaten cigarette and lighter. "Yeah....me neither." He lights the cancerous stick, snapping the lighter closed with a bit more force than necessary. Stupid kid, he does not need to be reminded of how badly Allen beat them...or how well he cheated. "So is this the part where you tell me what an awful person I am and try to kill me for the honor of the Order and your friend?" He exhales, a cloud of smoke haloing the Noah before rising to the sky, making it look for a moment as if he was burning. His voice, quiet and mocking, quite clearly showing what he thinks of the idea of righteous retribution.
Smirking at how obviously irritated the man was by that statement, Rabi shook his head. “Now why would I do that? Especially for the Order. Ain’t like I’m really one of ‘em, after all.” That’s right, he was only on their side by chance. Bookman lost no opportunity to remind him of that. “Besides, callin’ a serial killer an awful person’s kinda redundant, innit? An’ I know better than jus ‘bout anyone there’s no point at all in tryin’ to preach to a Noah.” He shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets again as he watched the man smoke.
Tiki's eyes automatically go to the other's shoulder, checking for the silver insignia that he knows is either hidden or not there. If he's not really an exorcist, but knows about his family...then who is he? "Not one of the Order?" He snorts in amusement at the other man's last comment. "Oh really? How many of us have you preached to, kid? You're still alive, so I'm gonna assume zero." Curiosity sufficiently peaked, he steps forward, cigarette between his lips as he reaches out to move aside the folds of the redhead's jacket, looking for the black and silver giveaway underneath.
Rabi instinctively steps back out of the other man's reach. Like hell he's gonna let him close enough to touch him. "What's wrong, ya doubtin' your guess now?" He smirked, unclasping the coat to pull the fabric hiding the Order's insignia aside, revealing it completely for the Noah. "Make no mistake, I am an Exorcist." He let the coat drop again, and brushed a few strands of his red hair away from his eye. "Anyway, you'd be right there, but that's 'cause I know better than to try in the first place. Before your little sister stepped up in that town in Germany, hardly any of the Order knew ya even existed."
Tiki lets his hand fall back to his side, smirking. Smart kid, not letting him get too close...although his intentions were innocent, for the time being. "Yeah, she likes her games...." He sighs, if Rhode hadn't gone off on her own like that, they would have been in a better position to wipe out the exorcists....but no one could tell her differently, of course. Taking a long drag off his cigarette, he regards the shorter man in front of him for a moment. He is indeed an exorcist, no one else would be stupid enough to wear that jacket, but there is something off about him, with the way he words his sentences and how he speaks about himself in regards to his calling...he narrows his eyes, smoke drifting up from between his lips to the bloody sky. "But you did, didn't you?" He exhales completely, flicking ash off to the side. "Who are you?"
“Right again. It’s my job to know, after all…or it will be.” Rabi chuckled softly. What a fit Panda’d have if he ever found out about this. He’d throttle his apprentice three times over, that’s for sure. And yet, the young Exorcist wasn’t inclined to stop now. “I know exactly who and what you are…Tiki Mick.” Unafraid, he gazed back at the man evenly, declining to answer the question just now. Of course, anything he knew of this particular Noah himself, including his name, he’d heard from Allen or deduced himself, the hidden histories could not offer much that was more specific than general information on the family itself.
"Your job to know?" He looks at the exorcist, feeling very left out of the loop. Tiki knows that he isn't the smartest person in the world but he does consider himself mostly in the know as far as his enemies are concerned. However, with this man he is lost and that bothers him, being the one who is caught unawares. The redhead is something more than an exorcist, something unique, and he is determined to find out what. Chuckling, he shakes his head again, smiling through the light haze wryly. "Looks like you have me at a disadvantage, exorcist, I still don't even know your name." He takes another drag, considering the other man with an even and amused gaze beneath his disheveled black hair. "I wonder what your little friends said about me..."
“Plural, is it? Then you are the one that hurt Yuu.” His expression darkened for a moment, memories of the day he dragged his friend through the rain from that alley resurfacing, but he forced his anger away, not even noticing that his accent had vanished. “My name is inconsequential. In fact, it isn’t even my real name, and the only reason I still have one at all is because my old man hasn’t keeled over just yet.” It didn’t matter at all whether he told the man what he was called or not, especially after what else his notoriously loose tongue had already let slip to the enemy, but he was strangely unwilling to answer him straight, continuing to stubbornly dance around his identity.
"Yuu?" He has to think for a moment, finishing his cigarette and dropping the butt to the ground, crushing it beneath his boot. As he remembers, he smiles at the young exorcist, stuffing his hands back into his pockets."Ahh yes, I remember him now. I was surprised how easy a catch he was, I thought you lot shared information." Smirking, his voice teasing, "I see you've gotten better with that, though." He starts walking, careful steps around the shorter man, appraising him. "So you don't have a name? What a bummer, names are our identities in this world...and the next, as I'm sure you know." He stops, smiling as he regards the shorter man. "No name and a wealth of knowledge....you're quite a mystery."
Rabi clenched his fists, having to check himself as the Noah spoke of his friend. That should never have happened. Not to Kanda. Reminding himself that the older boy was almost recovered, and that it couldn’t happen again, he lifted his head to watch Tiki, smirking again, though it was not quite as cheerful as the expression he’d previously worn. “A mystery? Is that so. Don’t think I’ve ever been called that before, not to my face, anyway. Really, I’m flattered.” Of course, the only reason he hadn’t was probably because usually Rabi was more inclined to talk a person’s ear off rather than so obviously withhold information. His friends didn’t have time to be mystified when he was acting normally.
The Noah's smile deepens with satisfaction, he can see the anger in the redhead's expression and it makes him happy. The young exorcist isn't as unflappable as he appears to be. "Hey, glad to be of service." Tiki chuckles, searching through his memories for someone, some order or type of person that would fit the little clues that his companion has dropped. Didn't the Millenium Count mention someone once, a keeper of knowledge, neither black or white?
“I bet.” Rabi returns the smile pleasantly, though there’s something about the one the older man wears that he finds disconcerting. If Tiki found out just how important the boy he’d left for dead in an alley had somehow become to him…No, he had to be more careful and play the part of the perfect bookman’s apprentice from now on. They weren’t his allies, and certainly not so close as friends. Just happened to be on the same side of a war, is all. It was perfectly logical in theory, but could he really be so impartial, even if it was just an act? Above even his indiscretion of what should and shouldn’t be said to outsiders, that was something his mentor berated him about during his lectures, a weakness as a bookman.
"Hmm...." Tiki fishes out another cigarette, lighting it with practiced ease as he continues to inspect the shorter man. What was it that he had heard? Something about...a librarian? No...but it had something to do with books...references and being a mostly neutral entity, although in this case he was on the exorcists' side. "The Millenium Count mentioned someone like you once....a person who retains all the knowledge of our wars and history..." The answer comes to him so suddenly that he smacks his palm into his forehead, tsking at himself. "I remember now, although the way he spoke of him, I thought you'd be a little older...." Tiki frowns, looking down at the shorter man. "No...you said you still had your own name, so that would make you..." His lips curl up, the frown dissapating into a smirk." ...An apprentice."
A little surprised that the Noah actually knew of the bookmen, Rabi raised an eyebrow as he watched him, offering an impressed smile. “So you’re not just a pretty face after all. Though it doesn’t surprise me at all that the Earl would know about us…The bookmen have been around a long time, after all…though not as long as he has.” Rabi didn’t know what purpose the mastermind behind the Akuma had for telling his servants about such a rare profession, but he didn’t see how Tiki’s knowledge of who and what he was would really change anything between them, for good or ill.
"Nothing is as old as he is...well, not much at least." His suspicions confirmed, he takes a slow drag off his cigarette, fingers cupping it to his lips as he nods to himself in satisfaction. This young man is proving to be way more interesting than any of the other exorcists so far. "So, kid, that makes you quite the odd character then. Is it true that you play for both teams?" Tiki is intrigued, he has only briefly heard of the bookmen, and he never really paid any attention to them...until now. It was hard not to be curious when there was a living example of such an unknown persuasion in front of him.
Rabi blinked at the question, taking a moment to understand just what the Noah was asking him, then frowned slightly. “…I told you, I’m an Exorcist. Even if it’s only by chance.” He wondered just how much the Earl had told him about the keepers of the hidden histories, how much he really knew. Within the Order, there was nobody who saw the two of them as anything but allies, even among the few who knew better just what it meant to be a bookman. They were conformers as well, after all, and using Innocence as a weapon against the Akuma was a distinct trait of the elite members of the organization.
Tiki sighs, rolling his eyes at the response. He was hoping for a little more information, he could plainly see that the other man was an exorcist, even without the half offended reply the redhead gave him. "I can see that, kid." Taking another drag, his mind reminds him of his duty as a Noah and a colleague of the Earl....to retrieve and destroy Innocence. He sighs again, this time in faint regret, he was enjoying this conversation with the strange young exorcist....it's the first time he's spoken to one on a subject that didn't involve their imminent death. Ah well. "I didn't really expect you to tell me anything, but it would have been nice, save me the trouble of finding out and all that."
“What, still not satisfied after what I already told you? Not like you really needed to know even that. Bookman or not, a guy who wears this cross is your enemy, isn’t he?” Rabi smiled again at the man, starting to believe he couldn’t possibly really know anything other than what he had already revealed that he knew about what a bookman was, the bare basics of a definition. He glanced behind him at the clock tower that rose above the train station he’d originally been headed to. He still had a fair amount of time, but if this lasted much longer… Rabi turned back to the Noah, grinning cheerfully. Almost a shame, really. “Been fun times talking to you, but I wasn’t lying when I said I had places to be. You gonna let me go, or are we gonna rumble?”
Chuckling, Tiki follows the other's man gaze to the clock tower. "Well, I'd hate to keep Allen Walker waiting for your report, I'm sure he's dying to know all of what he did." The Noah smirks, taking one last pull off his cigarette before throwing it behind him, exhaling a cloud to the sky like a volcano before eruption. "You're right about one thing, kid, anyone wearing that cross is my enemy, even someone as weird as you." Shrugging, he lets his hands rest at his sides, his gaze falling calmly on the other man as he regards him, a panther waiting for a chance to attack or retaliate. "I'll tell you what, just because we've had such a nice chat, I'll let you decide how this plays out." He isn't sure why he isn't taking the opportunity to just snap his hand forward and rip out the exorcist's heart right now, maybe it's because he's in his white form, or because he's already beaten up so many exorcists lately....or it could be because he's starving, but something makes him prolong it a little longer. Rhode would pick on him about being lazy, but thankfully she wasn't here to tease him.
Surprised at the man’s words, Rabi raised a brow. Although logically, he knew he shouldn’t trust Tiki, something about the man gave him the feeling that the offer was indeed sincere. He’d been almost certain the Noah wouldn’t let him go so easily, but who was he to argue? “Hah, really? Well, thanks for that. As much as I’d like to stay and play with you some more, I already missed one train today, and I’d hate to have to wait until morning for the next.” Of course, he’d already determined if he wasn’t on this train by the time the whistle blew, he’d just make his own transportation and catch up to it. But Tiki didn’t really need to know that the redhead had that capability.
Tiki grins at the response, he had thought the exorcist would say something along those lines and he wasn't disappointed. They could be so predictable sometimes. "Tell your friends hi for me...I'm sure I'll see you all soon." His grin turns a bit sinister and he chuckles, thinking that although he's losing one exorcist today, he's sure that he'll get a chance to see him again....all of them. Perhaps next time he'll know more about the mysterious redhead, too....and he's also sure that poor little Allen, hiding away in his secret headquarters, will not be pleased to hear that his friend met danger on an errand from him. Really, not a bad situation for him, and he'll even be able to make it back to the bunkhouse in time for dinner.
“No doubt.” Rabi grinned back, the expression vaguely mischievous on his own face. Strangely enough, he was actually almost looking forward to another encounter with this particular Noah. Allen would think he was crazy for sure if he knew. Not that the boy really needed to know just what had transpired on this little errand. “Well then, guess I’m off.” He smirked, unable to resist one more parting shot. “A good night to you, sir, until we meet again.” His suspicion of the man’s heritage outside of being a Noah was a guess, but a well educated one, and the last sentence was said in perfect Portuguese.
Tiki blinked, obvious surprise showing openly on his face before it dissolves into amusement, a soft chuckle leaking from between his lips. "Good one, kid. I'm sure we'll see each other soon." The Noah waves, a quick little twist of his wrist almost reminiscent of a salute in wry humor. Whoever this kid is, he's earned his interest, and he's looking forward to the next time they'll meet. Tiki makes a mental note to track down the Millenium Count for some info on these Bookmen, especially this intriguing one who seems to know more than he should about Tiki.
Still smirking, Rabi lifted his hand in a light-hearted salute of his own as he turned away and once again walked down the road, smiling to himself. Although his outside manner was calm, his heart was pounding from the adrenaline of the experience and the realization of what had just occurred. He had just met a Noah. Talked to him at length and revealed himself to him, even. And he was walking away from the encounter unscathed.
I'm pretty sure that might have been too much fun for everyone involved. XD; omg. And I guess I could have done more doodles, but it's not much more than practicing expressions if people are just talking, I guess. :D; Maybe if I'm inspired again later. XD;
Rabi cursed under his breath. How could he have missed that train? He was sure he’d read the time correctly, but he’d apparently been off by a whole hour. Not only that, he’d then found out that the next one due to depart for his desired destination wouldn’t arrive until well after dark. Really, how unlucky could he get? He hoped Allen wouldn’t be too prone to worry about him if he was a little late back, but he was rather afraid that the boy might be in conniptions about it. While he didn’t specify when he’d return, he had expected to be well on his way at least by now. Well, there wasn’t anything he could really do about it. Although it was at least a little foolhardy, the young bookman had been unable to just stay in one place for so long, and therefore had been wandering through the town, far from the ruined building in hopes of avoiding the man he’d met there, but in populated areas in case he did come across him. Now though, the sun had already started to set, and the number of people on the streets was quickly dwindling. He’d started to head back to the station, expecting to arrive there well before his second attempt at a ride homeward departed.
Walking along the streets on his way back to the boarding house he and his companions are staying at, Tiki hikes his rucksack up a little higher onto his shoulder and weaves through the people on the streets. Head down, he slouches along, his mind still curling around his earlier encounter with the strange redheaded man outside of the tumbled building. Who was he....or more importantly, what was he? A police officer he isn't too worried about....but an exorcist he will surely see again, and that will give him another opportunity to puzzle over the mystery of where he had seen him before. So intent on his inner thoughts he almost does not recognize the living subject of them cross down to a side street in front of him. Only hesitating a second, Tiki changes direction and follows the redhead at a discreet distance...perhaps he can get him alone and make him tell his secrets.
Rabi sighed, still lamenting his bad luck as he moved through the streets, unable to help noticing how empty they were becoming. Not that he was afraid of some deserted streets in the dark. It was mostly for Allen’s sake he had been so cautious, and he was eager to finally be able to put the younger boy’s mind at ease with what he had learned. Of course, all that was not to say he himself wouldn’t be relieved to be back in the safety of the Exorcist headquarters, and not walking down the quiet road of a town that had already proved itself less than safe There were only a few people nearby as far as he could tell. The couple across the street was just entering their home, where they would likely remain until the next morning. One or two other people turned corners, vanishing from sight. . Rabi closed his eye briefly as he walked, picking out the sounds around him. He was alone now…almost. Just barely, he could hear someone behind him, though whoever it was wasn’t close enough to pose a threat…for now. Could be a coincidence. But then, it wasn’t the first time he’d thought that today, either. Opening his eye again, he walked on, keeping a steady pace and showing no outward sign that he was at all wary of the other man’s presence.
Tiki keeps following, just casually going in the same direction as the man in front of him. He can tell that the redhead knows he's there, but he is not sure if his identity, that of the passerby or his darker side, has been discovered. Looking around he notices that they are alone, they only people on the darkening street, and he is tempted to confront this tourist to see just what he really is.
Keeping his gaze on the street ahead, Rabi concentrated on his journey. If he had any luck tonight, he’d make it to the train station quietly, without having to ever turn his head to confirm his fears of just who the person trailing behind him might be. Unfortunately, that was not the case, as a sudden loud noise from a nearby alley startled the undercover exorcist, causing him to jump to one side, his right hand instinctively moving to his thigh where his weapon still hid. Despite how much noise had been created, what emerged from the alley was nothing more than a cat chased by a young dog. Irritated at being surprised for something so stupid, Rabi glared at the animals, watching them as they ran past him, but his gaze stopped following them when they passed the only other occupant of the street, lifting from the man’s feet to his face, causing him to tense slightly in recognition of the last person he wanted to find out was there. The reaction only lasted an instant, and he heaved a sigh to try to calm his nerves again, then brushed back his hair before looking back at the man, the smile from earlier once again on his youthful face as he addressed the man, fully in character once more. “Well! Fancy meetin’ you here in a place like this!”
Although he had to quickly sidestep the sprinting animals, he doesn't slow or change his pace, just moving like the other man's presence is truly just a coincidence. Smiling in a friendly manner, he comes up to the young man, "Hey there. Isn't it a little late for sightseeing?"
Walking carefully backwards in order to stay facing the man, and to prevent him from getting too close, but still managing somehow to appear as though the strange movement was just another of his eccentricities and not paranoia, Rabi kept going in the direction he’d been headed in the first place. “Ain’t sightseein’ this time, friend.” He smirked at his own words. “Got places to go, yeah? People to see, promises to keep and all that.” Damned if he was going to let this guy make him into a liar, especially after all the times he’d assured Allen nothing would happen to him on this errand. He vaguely thought if he stalled the man until he got to the station, he’d be home free, but he knew well that the likelihood of that happening was slim. It was still quite a ways away, after all.
Tiki watches the redhead walk backwards, wondering idly if he'll trip as he goes. "Places to go and people to see? Don't we all, though?" He smirks, a bit of his darkness creeping into his expression, although it is hidden in the dying light of the street. The Noah still doesn't know who the stranger is, but watching him walk backwards and evidently in a rush to be away from him, he has a sneaking suspicion that the redhead might know him. Curious...and also troubling, who else would know him but an exorcist?
Rabi laughed a bit, stretching his arms over his head and turning back to the road ahead, though he made sure he stayed acutely aware of the man’s location. “Ah, well, this is true, I suppose. Hope you’ll forgive me for not stoppin’, would love to, but I’ve got an appointment to keep, an’ I don’t fancy bein’ late.” Though his cheerful demeanor never faltered, his mind was racing with his options. Even though the man’s behavior was rather more normal than his own, Rabi was growing more and more certain of his identity, and given that, there was no way in hell he was going to let the redhead get away. Still, he was determined to keep the upper hand as long as he possibly could.
"Naw, I don't care, you're heading the same way as I am." It is true, in part, he does need to travel in the same direction as the strange redhead is going, although this is sort of a long, roundabout way for him to go. He is certain now that he knows the man, although he still cannot place him, and that if he follows him he will find out this evening. It may not be the smartest idea, especially if he turns out to be someone of true danger to himself, like an exorcist, but he will not be able to rest until he knows for certain. He was hoping that following along behind anonymously would give him the clues that he needed to puzzle out this mystery, but now with the stranger aware of him, he would have to work it out differently. Sighing and adjusting his bag on his shoulder, he thinks that at least if he gets too irritated trying to find out his companion's identity that he could always just kill him in the secluded alleyway. He'd like to avoid random killings, but it may be unavoidable if he cannot place the danger this man represents.
Gee, surprise, surprise. Rabi grimaced, still turned away from the other man. “That so. Well, guess they do say there’s safety in numbers, eh?” He smirked at that implication. “Guess ya prolly saw when those mangy beasts tore outta here, but I been a little on edge after what I heard at the pub earlier.” Sliding his hands to his pockets again, he allowed the man to come a bit closer, but was still on the watch for any sudden moves, though he rather suspected that the taller man was as determined as he was to go as long as possible without revealing himself. That was fine, he could play this game, too.
"Oh yeah? What'd they say down there?" Tiki walks along a little to the side and behind the other man, just a curious pedestrian. Something, a way that the shorter man spoke or how he held himself, made Tiki almost positive that he knew who the Noah really was. If he knew, and he was pretty sure that he did, why did he not confront him, attack him? An exorcist wouldn't waste any time trying to kill him, and a police officer would try to arrest him, it was a curious move on the redhead's part. Was it because of their deserted location or the darkness that was steadily lengthening the shadows around them? He was unsure, but he knew that it put him at a disadvantage to be known and not be familiar with his adversary.
“About there possibly bein’ dangerous people hereabouts? Of the sort I’m not quite crazy enough to go lookin’ for?” He grinned up at the man. “I don’t fancy dyin’ at all, a’course, but nothin’d be worse than a death far from home, don’t ya think?” He shook his head. “Be weeks, maybe months afore anyone ya knew even found out, if they ever do at all. Kind of a scary thought, really. Though I don’t know why any killer would come after little ol’ me, but then again, who am I to fathom why those sorts do any o’ their killin’s at all!” Despite the danger he was fully aware he was in, Rabi laughed. He knew he was only delaying the inevitable, rambling on about nonsense like this. And couldn’t he have picked a much less charged topic to be rambling about? Whatever happened to small talk about the weather, really? Though with any luck, the man would decide that nobody would be stupid enough to talk about serial killers to someone they knew really was one and not suspect the redhead of being more aware than the average traveler should be.
Chuckling, Tiki shakes his head, running his free hand through his messy wavy hair. "So, kid, you gonna tell me who you are or just going to ramble on for hours until we get to wherever the hell you're goin'?" He's sure that the redhead knows who he is, the last few sentences of the other man's nervous chatter proved it to him and it is in his best interest to find out now, in this quiet alley. Tiki looks over the rim of his glasses at the smaller man, watching him carefully. He does not want to get caught unawares if the other man decides to attack instead of talk.
Rabi tensed at the question, stopping in his tracks. He’d known it was only a matter of time before the man lost patience with his prattle. He didn’t make a move against him, though, instead, surprisingly, he once again laughed out loud. He hadn’t had to fake the sound, the game had been amusing while it lasted, but he wasn’t quite willing to drop his character yet. “I gotta tell ya, I’m impressed! I must commend ya, you’ve played your part perfectly.” Grinning genuinely, he turned his head over his shoulder to face the taller man. “Alright then. I’ll show ya mine, if you show me yours…” He lifted a hand to tap the center of his forehead, the place where he no longer had any doubt his companion bore the cross symbols in another form on his own. “Noah.”
Tiki grinned in return, he knew that the other had figured him out, and only one type of person would know him fully, "Yanno, I wasn't even looking for you, but you guys just keep finding me." Still grinning, he tips off his glasses, stuffing them in his pocket. He doesn't really need them anyhow. "Exorcist."
It didn’t surprise Rabi that the man knew him for what he was as well, and he rather wondered how long he had, but it was really a moot point anyway. It was true that only an Exorcist would know about his type at all, and as the Bookman’s apprentice, Rabi knew more than most about the dark family. “I gotta admit it was a challenge. Wasn’t sure for the longest time…It’s been a while since I last seen ya, and I didn’t recognize ya with your clothes on.” He smirked, turning to face the taller man fully.
"Er...what?" He blinks, obviously taken aback. He would remember if they had met while he was naked, after all, and it had been some time since he had last indulged in company. So then, who would have-oh. Tiki laughs, shaking his head, a little embarassed at his lapse of memory. "Yeah, well the last time I saw you, you didn't talk so much." And he was busy getting his ass kicked by a certain irritating white-haired boy, but that's something he would like to readily forget. "Well, this explains why you were so interested in that building...come to check out your friend's handiwork?"
Pleased with Tiki’s reaction, Rabi grinned wider, tilting his head to one side. “Really, kid never ceases to amaze, does he? He always seemed like such a nice lad, too. Helpin’ old ladies across the street, feedin’ puppies an’ all that. Not quite so innocent when he was beatin’ the pants off you lot. Was quite a shock, really, I had no idea he had it in ‘im.” That was definitely the truth. Rabi often wondered what else his friend had to deal with, having to grow up around that General Cross, but he always ultimately decided he didn’t really want to know. Man probably scarred the poor kid for life.
The taller man frowns, reaching into his pocket to remove a beaten cigarette and lighter. "Yeah....me neither." He lights the cancerous stick, snapping the lighter closed with a bit more force than necessary. Stupid kid, he does not need to be reminded of how badly Allen beat them...or how well he cheated. "So is this the part where you tell me what an awful person I am and try to kill me for the honor of the Order and your friend?" He exhales, a cloud of smoke haloing the Noah before rising to the sky, making it look for a moment as if he was burning. His voice, quiet and mocking, quite clearly showing what he thinks of the idea of righteous retribution.
Smirking at how obviously irritated the man was by that statement, Rabi shook his head. “Now why would I do that? Especially for the Order. Ain’t like I’m really one of ‘em, after all.” That’s right, he was only on their side by chance. Bookman lost no opportunity to remind him of that. “Besides, callin’ a serial killer an awful person’s kinda redundant, innit? An’ I know better than jus ‘bout anyone there’s no point at all in tryin’ to preach to a Noah.” He shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets again as he watched the man smoke.
Tiki's eyes automatically go to the other's shoulder, checking for the silver insignia that he knows is either hidden or not there. If he's not really an exorcist, but knows about his family...then who is he? "Not one of the Order?" He snorts in amusement at the other man's last comment. "Oh really? How many of us have you preached to, kid? You're still alive, so I'm gonna assume zero." Curiosity sufficiently peaked, he steps forward, cigarette between his lips as he reaches out to move aside the folds of the redhead's jacket, looking for the black and silver giveaway underneath.
Rabi instinctively steps back out of the other man's reach. Like hell he's gonna let him close enough to touch him. "What's wrong, ya doubtin' your guess now?" He smirked, unclasping the coat to pull the fabric hiding the Order's insignia aside, revealing it completely for the Noah. "Make no mistake, I am an Exorcist." He let the coat drop again, and brushed a few strands of his red hair away from his eye. "Anyway, you'd be right there, but that's 'cause I know better than to try in the first place. Before your little sister stepped up in that town in Germany, hardly any of the Order knew ya even existed."
Tiki lets his hand fall back to his side, smirking. Smart kid, not letting him get too close...although his intentions were innocent, for the time being. "Yeah, she likes her games...." He sighs, if Rhode hadn't gone off on her own like that, they would have been in a better position to wipe out the exorcists....but no one could tell her differently, of course. Taking a long drag off his cigarette, he regards the shorter man in front of him for a moment. He is indeed an exorcist, no one else would be stupid enough to wear that jacket, but there is something off about him, with the way he words his sentences and how he speaks about himself in regards to his calling...he narrows his eyes, smoke drifting up from between his lips to the bloody sky. "But you did, didn't you?" He exhales completely, flicking ash off to the side. "Who are you?"
“Right again. It’s my job to know, after all…or it will be.” Rabi chuckled softly. What a fit Panda’d have if he ever found out about this. He’d throttle his apprentice three times over, that’s for sure. And yet, the young Exorcist wasn’t inclined to stop now. “I know exactly who and what you are…Tiki Mick.” Unafraid, he gazed back at the man evenly, declining to answer the question just now. Of course, anything he knew of this particular Noah himself, including his name, he’d heard from Allen or deduced himself, the hidden histories could not offer much that was more specific than general information on the family itself.
"Your job to know?" He looks at the exorcist, feeling very left out of the loop. Tiki knows that he isn't the smartest person in the world but he does consider himself mostly in the know as far as his enemies are concerned. However, with this man he is lost and that bothers him, being the one who is caught unawares. The redhead is something more than an exorcist, something unique, and he is determined to find out what. Chuckling, he shakes his head again, smiling through the light haze wryly. "Looks like you have me at a disadvantage, exorcist, I still don't even know your name." He takes another drag, considering the other man with an even and amused gaze beneath his disheveled black hair. "I wonder what your little friends said about me..."
“Plural, is it? Then you are the one that hurt Yuu.” His expression darkened for a moment, memories of the day he dragged his friend through the rain from that alley resurfacing, but he forced his anger away, not even noticing that his accent had vanished. “My name is inconsequential. In fact, it isn’t even my real name, and the only reason I still have one at all is because my old man hasn’t keeled over just yet.” It didn’t matter at all whether he told the man what he was called or not, especially after what else his notoriously loose tongue had already let slip to the enemy, but he was strangely unwilling to answer him straight, continuing to stubbornly dance around his identity.
"Yuu?" He has to think for a moment, finishing his cigarette and dropping the butt to the ground, crushing it beneath his boot. As he remembers, he smiles at the young exorcist, stuffing his hands back into his pockets."Ahh yes, I remember him now. I was surprised how easy a catch he was, I thought you lot shared information." Smirking, his voice teasing, "I see you've gotten better with that, though." He starts walking, careful steps around the shorter man, appraising him. "So you don't have a name? What a bummer, names are our identities in this world...and the next, as I'm sure you know." He stops, smiling as he regards the shorter man. "No name and a wealth of knowledge....you're quite a mystery."
Rabi clenched his fists, having to check himself as the Noah spoke of his friend. That should never have happened. Not to Kanda. Reminding himself that the older boy was almost recovered, and that it couldn’t happen again, he lifted his head to watch Tiki, smirking again, though it was not quite as cheerful as the expression he’d previously worn. “A mystery? Is that so. Don’t think I’ve ever been called that before, not to my face, anyway. Really, I’m flattered.” Of course, the only reason he hadn’t was probably because usually Rabi was more inclined to talk a person’s ear off rather than so obviously withhold information. His friends didn’t have time to be mystified when he was acting normally.
The Noah's smile deepens with satisfaction, he can see the anger in the redhead's expression and it makes him happy. The young exorcist isn't as unflappable as he appears to be. "Hey, glad to be of service." Tiki chuckles, searching through his memories for someone, some order or type of person that would fit the little clues that his companion has dropped. Didn't the Millenium Count mention someone once, a keeper of knowledge, neither black or white?
“I bet.” Rabi returns the smile pleasantly, though there’s something about the one the older man wears that he finds disconcerting. If Tiki found out just how important the boy he’d left for dead in an alley had somehow become to him…No, he had to be more careful and play the part of the perfect bookman’s apprentice from now on. They weren’t his allies, and certainly not so close as friends. Just happened to be on the same side of a war, is all. It was perfectly logical in theory, but could he really be so impartial, even if it was just an act? Above even his indiscretion of what should and shouldn’t be said to outsiders, that was something his mentor berated him about during his lectures, a weakness as a bookman.
"Hmm...." Tiki fishes out another cigarette, lighting it with practiced ease as he continues to inspect the shorter man. What was it that he had heard? Something about...a librarian? No...but it had something to do with books...references and being a mostly neutral entity, although in this case he was on the exorcists' side. "The Millenium Count mentioned someone like you once....a person who retains all the knowledge of our wars and history..." The answer comes to him so suddenly that he smacks his palm into his forehead, tsking at himself. "I remember now, although the way he spoke of him, I thought you'd be a little older...." Tiki frowns, looking down at the shorter man. "No...you said you still had your own name, so that would make you..." His lips curl up, the frown dissapating into a smirk." ...An apprentice."
A little surprised that the Noah actually knew of the bookmen, Rabi raised an eyebrow as he watched him, offering an impressed smile. “So you’re not just a pretty face after all. Though it doesn’t surprise me at all that the Earl would know about us…The bookmen have been around a long time, after all…though not as long as he has.” Rabi didn’t know what purpose the mastermind behind the Akuma had for telling his servants about such a rare profession, but he didn’t see how Tiki’s knowledge of who and what he was would really change anything between them, for good or ill.
"Nothing is as old as he is...well, not much at least." His suspicions confirmed, he takes a slow drag off his cigarette, fingers cupping it to his lips as he nods to himself in satisfaction. This young man is proving to be way more interesting than any of the other exorcists so far. "So, kid, that makes you quite the odd character then. Is it true that you play for both teams?" Tiki is intrigued, he has only briefly heard of the bookmen, and he never really paid any attention to them...until now. It was hard not to be curious when there was a living example of such an unknown persuasion in front of him.
Rabi blinked at the question, taking a moment to understand just what the Noah was asking him, then frowned slightly. “…I told you, I’m an Exorcist. Even if it’s only by chance.” He wondered just how much the Earl had told him about the keepers of the hidden histories, how much he really knew. Within the Order, there was nobody who saw the two of them as anything but allies, even among the few who knew better just what it meant to be a bookman. They were conformers as well, after all, and using Innocence as a weapon against the Akuma was a distinct trait of the elite members of the organization.
Tiki sighs, rolling his eyes at the response. He was hoping for a little more information, he could plainly see that the other man was an exorcist, even without the half offended reply the redhead gave him. "I can see that, kid." Taking another drag, his mind reminds him of his duty as a Noah and a colleague of the Earl....to retrieve and destroy Innocence. He sighs again, this time in faint regret, he was enjoying this conversation with the strange young exorcist....it's the first time he's spoken to one on a subject that didn't involve their imminent death. Ah well. "I didn't really expect you to tell me anything, but it would have been nice, save me the trouble of finding out and all that."
“What, still not satisfied after what I already told you? Not like you really needed to know even that. Bookman or not, a guy who wears this cross is your enemy, isn’t he?” Rabi smiled again at the man, starting to believe he couldn’t possibly really know anything other than what he had already revealed that he knew about what a bookman was, the bare basics of a definition. He glanced behind him at the clock tower that rose above the train station he’d originally been headed to. He still had a fair amount of time, but if this lasted much longer… Rabi turned back to the Noah, grinning cheerfully. Almost a shame, really. “Been fun times talking to you, but I wasn’t lying when I said I had places to be. You gonna let me go, or are we gonna rumble?”
Chuckling, Tiki follows the other's man gaze to the clock tower. "Well, I'd hate to keep Allen Walker waiting for your report, I'm sure he's dying to know all of what he did." The Noah smirks, taking one last pull off his cigarette before throwing it behind him, exhaling a cloud to the sky like a volcano before eruption. "You're right about one thing, kid, anyone wearing that cross is my enemy, even someone as weird as you." Shrugging, he lets his hands rest at his sides, his gaze falling calmly on the other man as he regards him, a panther waiting for a chance to attack or retaliate. "I'll tell you what, just because we've had such a nice chat, I'll let you decide how this plays out." He isn't sure why he isn't taking the opportunity to just snap his hand forward and rip out the exorcist's heart right now, maybe it's because he's in his white form, or because he's already beaten up so many exorcists lately....or it could be because he's starving, but something makes him prolong it a little longer. Rhode would pick on him about being lazy, but thankfully she wasn't here to tease him.
Surprised at the man’s words, Rabi raised a brow. Although logically, he knew he shouldn’t trust Tiki, something about the man gave him the feeling that the offer was indeed sincere. He’d been almost certain the Noah wouldn’t let him go so easily, but who was he to argue? “Hah, really? Well, thanks for that. As much as I’d like to stay and play with you some more, I already missed one train today, and I’d hate to have to wait until morning for the next.” Of course, he’d already determined if he wasn’t on this train by the time the whistle blew, he’d just make his own transportation and catch up to it. But Tiki didn’t really need to know that the redhead had that capability.
Tiki grins at the response, he had thought the exorcist would say something along those lines and he wasn't disappointed. They could be so predictable sometimes. "Tell your friends hi for me...I'm sure I'll see you all soon." His grin turns a bit sinister and he chuckles, thinking that although he's losing one exorcist today, he's sure that he'll get a chance to see him again....all of them. Perhaps next time he'll know more about the mysterious redhead, too....and he's also sure that poor little Allen, hiding away in his secret headquarters, will not be pleased to hear that his friend met danger on an errand from him. Really, not a bad situation for him, and he'll even be able to make it back to the bunkhouse in time for dinner.
“No doubt.” Rabi grinned back, the expression vaguely mischievous on his own face. Strangely enough, he was actually almost looking forward to another encounter with this particular Noah. Allen would think he was crazy for sure if he knew. Not that the boy really needed to know just what had transpired on this little errand. “Well then, guess I’m off.” He smirked, unable to resist one more parting shot. “A good night to you, sir, until we meet again.” His suspicion of the man’s heritage outside of being a Noah was a guess, but a well educated one, and the last sentence was said in perfect Portuguese.
Tiki blinked, obvious surprise showing openly on his face before it dissolves into amusement, a soft chuckle leaking from between his lips. "Good one, kid. I'm sure we'll see each other soon." The Noah waves, a quick little twist of his wrist almost reminiscent of a salute in wry humor. Whoever this kid is, he's earned his interest, and he's looking forward to the next time they'll meet. Tiki makes a mental note to track down the Millenium Count for some info on these Bookmen, especially this intriguing one who seems to know more than he should about Tiki.
Still smirking, Rabi lifted his hand in a light-hearted salute of his own as he turned away and once again walked down the road, smiling to himself. Although his outside manner was calm, his heart was pounding from the adrenaline of the experience and the realization of what had just occurred. He had just met a Noah. Talked to him at length and revealed himself to him, even. And he was walking away from the encounter unscathed.
I'm pretty sure that might have been too much fun for everyone involved. XD; omg. And I guess I could have done more doodles, but it's not much more than practicing expressions if people are just talking, I guess. :D; Maybe if I'm inspired again later. XD;