Cross' Second Pupil

Chapter 34: Strategy

~Two days later~
In the room where Allen's Innocence is

Allen is still continuing activating his Innocence, but it fails and Allen is thrown off as recoil and hits one of the pillars by his head.

"Owww..." Allen groans as he rubs his head from the pain. "... Still no-go..."

Allen looks at his Innocence particles.

"I can synchronize just fine, so why won't you turn back into a weapon!?" Allen says. "HEY, INNOCENCE!"

"Even worse, it's starting to turn back into particles almost immediately. I can't even get it to form an arm-shaped weapon anymore." Allen thought. "Just when I can't be wasting time here... damn it! I have to hurry back to them with Alice."

Allen remembers the dream about Alice.

"I can't get that dream about Alice out of my mind. I have to hurry...!"

Allen buries his head with his hand. Bak then enters the room with his folder and sees Allen sitting by the pillar.

"Walker?" Bak says and starts walking towards him.

Allen immediately stands up accidentally knocking Bak down.

"I'm not giving up! I'll activate once more!" Allen declares.

"BFUT!" Bak grunts.

"Ah? Huh?" Allen says and he turns and sees Bak is lying on the floor with his papers scatters on the floor. "Bak-san!"

"That really hurt!" Bak moans as he has a nose bleed.

"I'm sorry!" Allen apologizes. "I was thinking about something, so I didn't hear you come in, Bak-san."

"Take a break already, Walker! You haven't even slept for the past two days!" Bak yells.

"But..." Allen says and notices the scattered papers. "Ah."

Allen starts to gather all the papers from the folder.

"I'm sorry Bak-san! I made a mess of your data files..." Allen apologizes.

Allen then sees pictures of Leenalee in all the papers.

"WA―!" Bak screams and quickly grabs all the pictures from Allen's hand.

Allen looks at Bak and a blush appears on Bak's face.

"I'm not a stalker..." Bak says. "I am absolutely, positively NOT a stalker."

"Do you like Leenalee?" Allen asks.

"UUGH..." Bak grunts.

Then hives appear all over on his face.

"BAK-SAN!?" Allen calls.

"DON'T LOOK! W-when the great me gets extremely agitated, I break out into hives! DON'T LOO―K!" Bak screams and he faints.

"Wait... Someone help!" Allen yells.

~Later~

Bak is lying on a futon bed while Won is cutting apple.

"The Equipment-type and Parasite-type activate differently?" Allen asks. "Is that possible?"

"Yes. It's something that is based on senses." Bak says. "The Anti-Akuma Weapon that Parasite-types have come from the Innocence that dwells within their body, correct?"

"Yes." Allen answers.

"I thought it was hives..." Allen thought.

"However, the conformers with the Equipment-type do not have the same physical connection with their Innocence. In addition, it is difficult for the Innocence in Equipment-type to be mastered. Even synchronized, the mighty strength of the Innocence is hard to keep in check. That is why we 'alter' the Innocence into Anti-Akuma Weapons." Bak continues. "The weapon form restrains the Innocence's power, and it enables the conformers the synchronize with it more easily. In this manner, Equipment-types are able to synchronize with a weapon they've created and activate. But the Parasite-types synchronize with the raw, unaltered form of Innocence. Excuse me fore saying this... but Parasite-type conformers are like weapons, restraining the power of the Innocence with their bodies. They are the Anti-Akuma Weapons."