[Video / Action]

[cursemarked]

[Like many others, Allen has become aware of the haunted house. For the most part however, he's managed to avoid wandering into its halls so far. At least, until tonight. It's still far from dawn, the moon still hangs brightly in the sky, but Allen is outside rather than curled up in bed. The exorcist exhales a puff of air, visible only because of

Comments

[fleurdeamour]

[He didn't want to come in here. He didn't really believe in ghosts, though perhaps he should have figured out that the accounts people were talking about had SOME credibility when everyone started spouting them.

Blonde moment.

So far, luckily, he hadn't seen anything. Except that post...which freaks him the fuck out, because things shouldn't move that fast. Like some horror film...

...but there was a person hurt where it had happened. And he was cute. So Francis opted to find him instead of chickening out. He hesitated to use the communicator, because of the last images he saw from it... so he began recalling things from the video and trying to find him from that. It wasn't too hard, though, since Allen hadn't gone all that far in, so about half an hour later this blond Frenchman is going to walk up and kneel next to him.]

W-wake up monsieur!

[Didn't believe in ghosts before? Welp, there went that theory.]

[cursemarked]

[Allen lay prone on the ground, slumped sloppily against the wall just below a now shattered window. The glass was dusted around the boy's form, implying he had hit the window first, but not hard enough to go clean through. At first, there's no response from Allen. His form remains still, his eyes shut lightly as his breath comes in shallow, but even breaths. Only a breath or two later and the boy starts to stir, the minute movements causing the glass around and on him to shift and fall again.]

W...what... [He winces, one hand lifting up to touch his head to reveal a bloodied stain on the wall behind him. Suddenly, his memory rushes back to him and he jerks upright, immediately yelping in pain. It's as he winces this time that he notices France.] Who are you...?

[fleurdeamour]

My name eez Francis- ...are you bleeding?

[He stands and checkes the back of his head.]

[cursemarked]

[He winces at the touch, blinking his eyes a couple of times.] I must have hit my head when... [God, he doesn't even want to think about it. Allen glaces towards the blonde man to offer him something of a sheepish smile.]

Thank you.

[Though he probably really ought to get his head looked at, come to think of it.]

[[ooc: aaaa sorry for the abysmally slow tags, will speed it up now :) ]]

[Action]

[iplayyoupay]

Allen...

[The name is a snarl. Hauling himself to his feet with an irritated sigh as he snaps his watch closed, Cross leaves the comfort of his study with no small amount of reluctance. Stupid boy. Honestly. If it's not one thing with him, it's another.

Almost half an hour after the transmission's end, the door to the strange house is rather abruptly kicked open, swinging violently into the wall with a bang that echoes around the derelict's vast rooms. A heavy booted foot prevents it from bouncing closed again as Cross makes his way inside, taking in the building's entryway with a derisive sneer.]

My God, boy. Leave it up to you to find the filthiest louse-infested hollow this wretched city can come up with to spend an evening rolling around in.

[And leave it to your Master to make comment on the matter rather than simply coming to your aid, of course. Locating the crumpled heap that is his apprentice, Cross steps over... And nudges the boy's shoulder with the toe of his boot.]

Oh you miserable whelp. Now is not the time for

sorry cross.

[cursemarked]

[The compassion in this rescue is dripping it's so thick. Allen doesn't seem to respond to the toeing, though the action causes the glass resting on the boy to shift and fall from his body. A groan passes his lips, his brows knitting. Somewhere deep in his subconcious, he's having nightmares. It must be the redhead's presence.]

...[The shift from unconciousness is subtle, but his eyes flutter, then crack open bleerily. His head aches, and his sight is swimming, not to mention the throbbing ache of his entire body. With a wince, he lazily lolls his head to one side to peer up at Cross.]

sorry allen.

[iplayyoupay]

[The only thing 'dripping' here is that viscous abomination the boy has so carelessly permitted to be drawn from himself. Yet again. And Cross has no intentions of soiling his greatcoat with it.]

...Ah, so somebody is home. That's a relief. I didn't relish the idea of wasting another three years preparing your successor, and God knows the bookman can't be trusted to press a shirt. ...Honestly, Allen. The best and brightest the Black Order can manage to cough up these days, and you can't hold your own against gravity?

Neah no curr.

[cursemarked]

[A throaty laugh escapes his throat as he lifts a hand to rake through his bloodied mess of hair.]

Oh, did you hate the task that much? I kept my word at least, in the end. Didn't I? [He frowns, despite his good humor. Oh what a headache. No wonder Allen's checked out for the time being.]

[He stands slowly, leaning heavily on the wall he'd been slumped against] You have such un realistic expectations for the boy.

[weaponsofwords]

[So as it turns out, this was a disturbing video to witness, but instead of trying to talk to Allen, Lavi decides on moving.

He's got to be at that new house that appeared, right? New things mean weird things in this city, so that's where the redhead goes, taking off at a run through the streets.

Once inside he slows.] Allen! [He calls out, his voice ringing through the frightening house.] Allen, are you here??

[cursemarked]

[Sorry Lavi, you're not going to get any responses from Allen. Instead, out from the darkness of the mansion rolls Allen's pocket watch, the silver timepiece speeding right towards Lavi as if guided. It stops, standing still for a moment on its side, before falling over with a clatter and opening up to replay the events from before. The image sticks on the pair of golden eyes from before.

In the distance, Allen stirrs, his frame shuddering with a cough loud enough to ring through the mansion as he begins to regain conciousness]

[weaponsofwords]

[Lavi glances down at the communicator, frowning. He picks it up, gaze rather grimly focused on the feed. Not good. He pockets it, head jerking up at the sound of that cough.

Was that..?

Well, it's the best lead he has. He moves in that direction quickly. There's no trace of his usual obnoxious grin on his face, but this is serious business. He turns a corner and catches sight of Allen. His single visible eye widens and he moves quickly to his side.] Allen..!

[He drops to his knees beside him, hand moving to set at his shoulder gently.]

[cursemarked]

[He slumps lower, his hair falling into his eyes to obscure most of his face, though the trail of blood that traces down his jaw should be a clue that he's hit his head pretty badly. After a moment, he mumbles.]

Lavi... not safe here.... You should.... [He frowns, suddenly making a stubborn move to sit up despite his spinning surroundings. Whatever that was terrified him, but he's not going to let it attack Lavi.]