Hope In The Midst Of Destruction (D. Gray-man Fanfic)

Chapter 16

It took all Allen had to not flinch or tense at Road's appearance. Luckily it seems she succeeded since neither Lenalee nor Road noticed. However, Road's constant stare on Allen made it very difficult to stay relaxed.

"T-this way little girl...! Please follow me!" Waving goodbye to Lenalee, Allen hesitantly put the pumpkin head back on and proceeded to guide Road to the tent where Allen was currently working at. However, as they just arrived...

"How did you let the money get stolen by a filthy pickpocket?!?!" That was the boss.

"I-I'm so sorry...!!" And that was Miranda.

Alarmed, Allen took one last look at Road before leaving to see what happened.

"Please wait here miss!!"

Seeing Allen, Miranda looked pleadingly at the younger girl.

"A-Allen-chan, I'm sorry...the money was stolen when I was dealing with another customer..."

Taking the pumpkin head off, Allen gave a gentle smile. "Don't worry Miranda-san, Lenalee and I will get it. What did they look like?"

"A m-man with long hair with a brown hat; he ran that way." Looking towards the way Miranda pointed, Allen looked at Lenalee. She nodded and used Dark Boots to travel along the rooftops. Allen smiled once more at Miranda and begun to run the same direction.

Road glanced at Allen as she was running, a weird look on her face.

'She seems familiar...Oh well, that's not important right now.' Road began to walk towards Miranda.

"Useless." Was what the boss said after Lenalee and Allen left Miranda. Miranda, hearing this collapsed crying.

"Why....why is it always like this?!?!?! Why is the Innocence my clock?!?!"

"Oh...? So, your clock is the Innocence??" Miranda froze up and turned her head, only to see the face of a little girl.

Meanwhile with Allen and Lenalee...

'Allen, Miranda and the Innocence...!'

Crown Clown shouted but Allen couldn't do anything when she finally got a good look on the pickpocket.

Her eye transformed. It was an Akuma.

"Lenalee it was a trap!!!"

Just as Allen said that the Akuma transformed, and Allen couldn't breathe when she heard its words.

"She has taken the woman. Road-sama took that woman you protected and her Innocence."

Allen paled, her eyes wide. Miranda and most likely her clock too, was taken by the eldest and cruelest Noah in the Noah clan.

================

Allen knew who they were talking about, and the guilt of leaving Miranda with Road came crashing down on her. But that's not the point, right now Allen has to focus on the Akuma in front of her. The feeling of crushing guilt isn't something new to her, so she could ignore it for now.

She'll cry within her mind when this is all over. For now, she'll hope Road hasn't broken Miranda yet.

"Ice Fire!!"

Allen moved. She didn't think, she didn't hesitate, all that was on her mind was to move, to do anything but be a nuisance.

So, when the Akuma froze their surroundings in a very familiar way, Allen was one step ahead of them. She grabbed Lenalee and jumped up before the ice could get to them.

"Allen?!" Lenalee was alarmed when Allen sudden grabbed her. Allen smiled sheepishly, but her eyes were unreadable.

"Sorry for not warning beforehand, but I recognized those Akuma so I had a feeling about what it was going to do. Sorry again for just grabbing you like that, Lenalee."

Lenalee sighed, looking exasperated and not noticing Allen's eyes. "I'll forgive you since you helped me out, but please warn me next time, okay? I'm an exorcist too." Lenalee turned towards the Akuma. "Right now, we have more important things to do."

Allen nodded, looking at the other two Akuma that appeared.

"I know." And they charged.

This time the Akuma worked together with each other, making it more difficult for Allen and Lenalee.

"Voice of pain!!!" One Akuma attacked, keeping Lenalee and Allen from moving with the intense sound hurting their ears.

'Allen in front!' Crown Clown warned.

Eyes widening, Allen was barely able to register the first Akuma in front of her ready to attack. Quickly Allen jumped away, Lenalee following suit. The Akuma didn't expect that and hesitated.

Allen took this chance to swing Crown Clown at the enemy. Unfortunately, Allen wasn't able to defeat it, but she was able to injure it. Stumbling back, Allen re-balanced herself.

"Earlier you three were arguing and had no intention with working together, but now you guys are cooperating without having to say anything together." Allen began to point out. The Akuas ignored her, not paying attention to the words and more to the fact that Allen talking might present them an opportunity to kill the exorcist. Lenalee did pay attention, wondering where Allen was going with this.

It was Allen's next words that made them flinch. "This Road-sama...she's the reason why you three are working together. And if so, then Road is a Noah from the Noah clan, only they can control Akuma."

'Unless you're Cross,' Clown mentioned.

'Unless you're Shishou,' Allen agreed. 'And Neah too.'

Lenalee was confused. She'd never heard of the Noah clan until today, but she'll ask later. The Akuma were distracted, and that's a chance she won't waste. Allen moved too, and both attacked the fire Akuma together.

"Cross Grave!"

"Waltz: Kirikaze!"

The exorcists' combined attacks took the Akuma off guard. There was no time to dodge it, and when it hit there were only two Akuma left; the fire Akuma was no more.

"D-damn it! Get the exorcists!" The voice Akuma was the first to talk after the death of their fellow Akuma. Immediately the other Akuma sent wind blades at Allen.

Allen was about to move when she heard a voice. A foreign yet familiar voice.

"You guys are too weak, let me have a turn. This is taking too long."

And darkness.

================

"Look at that child, she looks like a delinquent. And that arm of hers is so horrid to look at."

"So hideous! And I hear she talks to herself a lot too. She's a freak."

"No wonder her parents abandoned her. She's not normal. I bet even the circus that picked her up will end up throwing her away soon."

Loud, they were so loud. Did they even know she could hear every single one of their comments? But she's long used to it, it's the norm for her after all. That doesn't mean she doesn't hate them though; she was mature enough to ignore their petty selves.

She wished Neah was back from his trip; his comments always helped her ignore their words.

"Are you Red?"

Red stopped in her tracks and glared at the person who called her out. The crowd went silent at the man who went towards the monster. The man ignored the people and smiled at the child in front of him. Red scowled but that did nothing to deter the stranger.

"And what the bloody hell do ya want?" Red wanted nothing to do with this man. Yet for some reason, he looked really familiar.

"I've been wanting to meet you for quite some time. My name is..." 

Red's eyes widened.