Tainted Innocence [Tyki Mikk]

Chapter #28

Smoke exhaled from between his lips as he took a step into the Ark. His red hair, grown and kept long and unkempt, was as unruly as he was. He pressed his lips into a thin line as he traversed through the old Ark, having been incredibly familiar with the workings of it.

Still looks the same as always.

He chuckled to himself when he scoured the area, bored out of his mind. Technically he wasn't alone and had the company of a woman, even if she was dead. Grave of Maria counted, right? A woman is still a woman, regardless whether they were dead or alive, was all that mattered in Cross Marian's books.

He was cloaked in a shield of invisibility to any and every one, except for Mei and Sin.

When he placed the cigarette between his lips again, he left it there. Not one to walk aimlessly, he skilfully chose the right twists and turns to get to his location. He was one of the only people who knew the old Ark like the back of his hand – and he was grateful since it allowed him to almost 'teleport' to whatever destination he desired.

Of course, having the Grave of Maria helped too.

He found the door that he was looking for. Before he grabbed the handle, he stiffened. The hairs on the back of his neck stood straight. The ominous feeling he got as he stood in front of the door was tremendous that a bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face.

"Woah, there..." He breathed, almost chuckling at how unbelievable it was.

Looks like she wasn't kidding.

He took his hand off the handle and pressed his fingertips lightly to his face where his new mask covered. The old one got bloody so he threw it out. The new one was just a replica of the old.

He remembered the time in which Apocryphos decided it was a good idea to get rid of him. Cross wanted to laugh out loud at how comedic it was – he couldn't even kill a single bug, yet he yearns to kill the one that was more favoured than he?

What a joke.

How he escaped, was easy. He already had a way out and just made use of it. All Apocryphos did was force him to use it. The former exorcist didn't even want to leave just yet, since his pupil was in the stages of getting his life eaten up by the 14th.

But since it already happened, all he could do was move on with his plans.

Initially he didn't want to go through with this, but the more that he saw the world through others' experiences, slowly, he started to become sick of it. He had his own duties and honestly he couldn't give a shit about the world, but forcefully getting fed memories screwed up his thoughts so much he started to see differently.

The man felt the ashes of his cigarette fall to the ground and took it as a cue to open the door.

A bright light blinded his vision as he stepped foot outside. He took a quick glance at his surroundings, making sure he knew where he was. He was sure the Ark wouldn't change locations so easily, but since he doesn't always use the door there wasn't a problem with making sure.

It didn't really matter to him, as long as he completed his mission.

The mission that Mei entrusted to him.

~~~~~

Nea lifted his hand and stared at it for a moment, wondering if he was able to use the Innocence residing in Allen's body. He wasn't sure whether or not he would be compatible for prolonged use – especially since he was technically not the accommodator.