Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / D. Gray-man Fan Fiction ❯ Ice On Ice ❯ The Tombstone of Memories ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

SailorStar9: Chapter 2 goes up. This is Chapter 3.
 
Disclaimers: I do not own both the animes. However, I do own the pairing, I hope.
 
Chapter 3: The Tombstone of Memories
 
***************************************************************** *************************

“Allen's father was also an… Akuma?” Jean gasped.
 
“Yes.” Ami replied, stepping forward and already activating her Innocence.
 
“We weren't related by blood.” Allen added. “However, Mana… my father…”
 
“Adopted him who was abandoned at birth because of his in-born Innocence and raised him as if he was his own.” Ami remarked, now standing beside her junior.
 
***************************************************************** *************************

Flashback to the young Allen walking on a pathway with Mana Walker in front of him. The young Allen then fell onto the ground, panting in exhaustion.
 
“Don't stop.” Mana told him. “Keep on walking.”
 
***************************************************************** *************************

“Mana taught me many things.” Allen continued. “Things one needs to live. He taught me how to live, even if I was alone. But… when the time came when I was really alone, I didn't know what to do. When Mana, my father… died…”
 
***************************************************************** *************************

Flashback
 
“Mana?” the young Allen knelt down beside his adoptive father. “Mana! Mana! Mana!”
 
“Allen.” The dying Mana Walker grasped the child's wrist. “Listen, Allen… no matter what… don't ever stop.”
 
“No, Mana! Please don't die!” Allen wailed.
 
“Keep on walking, no matter where to.” Mana added.
 
“Don't leave me all alone!” Allen cried.
 
Mana's grip tightened, “Keep on walking, Allen! Until… the day… you die…”
 
“Mana…?” Allen gasped as Mana's grip loosened.
 
“No…” the boy breathed, unable to shake his adoptive father awake. “You can't be dead! Don't die! I don't want you to die!”
 
Another flash and we're taken before Mana Walker's gravestone, where Allen was sitting.
 
Hi, how are you this evening?” the Earl of Millennium greeted the child.
 
“Shall I revive Mana Walker for you?” he asked. But in order for me to do that, I need your cooperation. More specifically, your voice that has a connection with Mana.
 
“Bring Mana…” Allen echoed.
 
“That's right.” The Earl of Millennium replied. “I can bring Mana back from that world you detest so much.”
 
“Mana will…” Allen breathed. “Mana will come back?”
 
The Earl of Millennium laughed and summoned a skeletal Akuma.
 
“That soul of that person so important to you will return from the other world.” The Earl of Millennium told the child.
 
“Mana!” Allen screamed with all his might.
 
A purple beam of light descended from the sky, engulfing the Akuma. As it flared in purple flame, a red line signed Mana's name onto the Akuma's forehead.
 
“Mana…” Allen smiled.
 
“Allen…” the Akuma choked.
 
“Mana…” Allen walked towards the Akuma.
 
“How dare you…” the Akuma scolded. “How dare you turn me into an Akuma! I'll curse you Allen!
 
Raising his black scythe, the Akuma sliced down at the child.
 
“How dare you turn me into an Akuma!” the Akuma demanded, grabbing the child with his black vines.
 
“Allen Walker, you are now mine.” The Earl of Millennium remarked as he watched. “Now, Mana Walker, kill this boy and wear him!”
 
“I'll curse you, Allen!” the Akuma droned.
 
Just as Allen thought he was going to die, his Innocence activated, pushing the Akuma away.
 
***************************************************************** *************************

“I didn't understand what had happened.” Allen added.
 
***************************************************************** *************************
Flashback

The Earl of Millennium laughed as he retreated.
 
Meanwhile, Allen's newly-revealed Innocence continued crawling towards the Akuma, bringing the boy with it.
 
***************************************************************** *************************

“My left arm activated and started to move on its own, rushing towards the Akuma that housed Mana's soul.” Allen revealed.
 
***************************************************************** *************************
Flashback
Mana…” the child wept. “Stop, don't do this to Mana! Run! Run, Dad!”
 
“Allen!” the Akuma told him, as the activated Innocence neared him. “I love you… please destroy me. Please destroy me, Allen.”
 
“Mana!” Allen screamed as his anti-Akuma weapon came down on the Akuma.
***************************************************************** *************************

“The one who taught me who the Earl of Millennium was, what Akuma were, and who taught me what happened to me was Master.” Allen remarked.
 
“Allen's master…” Lenalee gasped. “General Cross.”
 
***************************************************************** *************************

Flashback
 
“The souls within an Akuma have no free will.” General Cross said, appearing behind the child. “They are imprisoned for eternity,, and become toys of the Earl of Millennium. There's no way to save them apart from destroying them. Another one born with an anti-Akuma weapon, eh? What an unlucky fate… you too are someone with God within them, an apostle. Won't you become an Exorcist?”
 
***************************************************************** *************************

“Ever since that day, I've been able to see souls of Akuma.” Allen revealed. “At first, I thought it was the curse that Mana put on me. So to atone it, I became an Exorcist . But eventually, after seeing so many Akuma, I understood. Their tears are not of hatred, they're the deep love they have for the one who turned them into an Akuma. As if to express why they weren't strong enough to keep living, that's why I decided… not to become an Exorcist to atone, but to live! This curse is my guiding light!”
 
Activating his Innocence, he added, “Akuma are such sorrowful beings. They should not be in this world. That's why… I will destroy them!”
 
“Allen… I should have killed you back then.” The Earl of Millennium told him, before jumping onto the Akuma he created. “You can see the souls of Akuma? You want to save them? If you think you can, then show me!”
 
“Allen!” Jean gasped as the Akuma fired.
 
“Allen! Ami-nee!” Lenalee called out as the bullets rained on the senior-junior pair.
 
“There's no need to worry.” Allen assured them as the smoke cleared. “I had no choice but to be shot in order to save Jean.”
 
“But with this grade of attack, we can't be killed.” Ami added, the four icicles that formed a shield to protect them receded to the ground.
 
“Allen…” Jean gasped.
 
“Since the virus is ineffective, do you think shooting me will work?” Allen asked.
 
Ami smirked, “Please don't underestimate us.”
 
“My left hand with the anti-Akuma weapon activated, has superhuman strength and is as fast as the speed of sound, so the bullets and even the hard body of an Akuma, are rendered useless against my hand. This is a weapon that exists in order to destroy your weapon, the weapon of God.” Allen revealed.
 
“Of course,” he smiled at his senior beside him. “I'm nowhere as fast as Ami-sempai.”
 
“Cheeky, aren't we?” the Earl of Millennium snarled and raised his umbrella. “Well then!”
 
“There's an Eastern proverb that comes to mind here: Even if you have a bad guy, just shoot a lot and you'll hit something.” The Earl of Millennium said, summoning his created Akumas. “I do have a lot of Akuma, and it'd be a shame to let them go to waste. Go, Akuma Cannon!”
 
Allen used his arm to deflect the bullets as Ami summoned another three icicles to protect herself.
 
“Allen!” Jean gasped.
 
“Allen! Allen!” the boy cried out.
 
“You die as well.” The Earl of Millennium told the child.
 
At that, Lenalee sprung into action.
 
“Innocence, activate!” she called, running to bring Jean out of harm's way.
 
“Lenalee?” Allen blinked.
 
“Take care of him.” Lenalee told Toma before going back into the battlefield.
 
“Lenalee's an Exorcist too?” Allen gasped as the Chinese girl took to the skies. “That's an anti-Akuma weapon?”
 
“That's right.” Toma replied. “She can flutter in the sky like a butterfly, and hit the ground with a force stronger than steel. That's Mistress Lenalee's anti-Akuma weapon, Dark Boots.”
 
“Incredible!” Allen breathed in awe.
 
“Another one's appeared?” the Earl of Millennium remarked. “But that's okay. Since I'll take care of you in due time as well!”
 
The Akuma the Earl of Millennium was riding on, fired its bullets at Lenalee, who ran on the fences around the graveyard. Stopping for a moment and using the momentum as leverage, she leapt, crushing one of the Akumas under her feet. Allen joined in the battle, smashing through an Akuma with his Innocence. Ami too, joined in the massacre, summoning a huge ice bolt from the skies that pierced through another Akuma. Lenalee then jumped onto one Akuma after another, destroying them as she landed.
 
“You're quickly becoming an eyesore. Hurry up and disappear!” The Earl of Millennium hissed as his creations were demolished one by one.
 
At his command, the Akuma he was on fired its guns.
 
Lenalee leapt to avoid the attack which blew up an Akuma behind her, the backlash knocking the female Exorcist off the skies and sending her crashing into a nearby cathedral.
 
“Lenalee!” Allen gasped, rushing to her aid.
 
“Are you okay?” he asked, upon reaching her.
 
“I'm fine…” Lenalee opened an eye.
 
“Now you two can die together!” the Earl of Millennium declared.
 
Allen, bearing Lenalee, jumped out of the way as the Akuma carrying the Earl of Millennium fired its bullets, demolishing the cathedral.
 
“If we don't hurry up and destroy the Akuma, the whole town is in grave danger.” Toma noted, shielding Jean with his body as the rubble fell around them.
 
“Destroy…?” Jean blinked. “Akuma are weapons of evil created by the Earl… an enemy of mankind… beings which must be defeated… I thought… he understood…”
 
***************************************************************** *************************

Flashback
 
“Wow, this is bad, Leo!” Jean told his friend. “Akuma wear the faces of the people they've killed!
 
“So that means we'd never know who could be an Akuma!” Leo remarked.
 
***************************************************************** *************************
 
Jean watched as the three Exorcist s battled the remaining Akumas.
 
The one who taught Leo about the existence of Akuma was me... we patrolled together too! I thought that he understood that the Earl of Millennium was bad! Even so… you… you were so shocked by your mother's death… that darkness grew in your heart? He thought as the battle raged on.
 
“…iot…” he wept. “You idiot… you wanted to see her again… you wanted to see your mother again so much that you'd turned her into an Akuma? I can't see the souls of Akuma like Allen can... so I don't know if Leo's mother is really crying or not! I don't know, but… damn it! I'm sorry Leo… for telling you about the plan for the Akuma, and how to destroy them… I only knew about their mechanics! I didn't know anything about people's hearts! The souls within the Akuma have no free will… and become… the toys of the Earl of Millennium, for all eternity.”
 
Akuma are such sorrowful beings… they should not in this world! That's why… I will destroy them! Jean thought back on what Allen had said.
 
“Destroy them, Allen!” Jean yelled as Allen slashed at the last Akuma. “Destroy Leo! Send Leo into nothingness!”
 
The Earl of Millennium laughed at the futile attempt as Allen landed on a roof.
 
“Everything will be over with this one attack.” Allen declared, extending his arm. Just then, Ami arrived on scene, the eyes on the snakes of her Caduceus glowing a watery blue. Raising her weapon, she summoned an ice dragon.
 
“Koori Draco!” Ami unleashed the ice dragon, instantly freezing the reminding Akumas in place.
 
“Allen, now!” she shouted.
 
“Right!” Allen nodded.
 
“I will cleanse this pitiful Akuma's soul!” he declared, running down the side of the roof and jumping up to attack.
 
“Cross Grave!” he unleashed his attack, marking the reminding Akumas with a light cross on their bodies, and they exploded.
 
“Oh no! It seems as if Level One Akumas just aren't a match for you now!” the Earl of Millennium's umbrella chirped as it carried the Earl of Millennium away.
 
“I haven't a choice now!” the Earl of Millennium replied, opening the umbrella and walking on air, as he retreated. “Let us meet once more!”
 
“Earl!” Allen shouted.
 
“However, all you have just read is only but the prologue of the book.” The Earl of Millennium added. “Akuma across the world are continuing to evolve. From here on out is the true climax of the story. I am the creator of Akuma, the Earl of Millennium. I will exorcise this world of its corrupt `god', and together with the Akuma, lead this world to its end. No matter how much you Exorcists struggle, there's no way you can save the world now! That's for sure!”
 
“The prologue… of the book…” Allen echoed, before he collapsed on fours on the ground.
 
“Allen!” Jean gasped.
 
“Allen!” Lenalee ran towards him.
 
“I'm fine…” Allen replied. “I'm just a bit tired is all…”
 
Jean then threw himself onto him and wept.
 
“Jean…” Allen blinked.
 
“Just… let me stay like this for a while…” Jean wept. “Since… it'll be all over soon…”
 
***************************************************************** *************************

Back in headquarters….
 
“Lenalee, where have you been?” Koumi cried as he glomped his sister. “You left without saying a word! How cruel!”
 
“From Jean?” Russell blinked as Allen handed him a box.
 
“Yes.” Allen replied. “But I think you might want to open it carefully.”
 
That said, he lifted his activated Innocence to block out the smoke as the mechanical onion exploded once Mr. Russell took it out.
 
“Looks like he took one from his son…” Reever remarked as the smoke spread.
 
“If making a toy like this makes him happy, he's got a long way to go.” Russell retorted.
 
“Jean said the same thing.” Allen replied.
 
***************************************************************** *************************
Flashback
 
“One day, I want to be where my dad is. But first, I've got to study and get stronger, because I know the way I am now I can't do anything. So, tell him to wait until then, Allen. Jean told the Exorcist.
 
“Right.” Allen agreed as they knocked fists. “Let's both do our best.
 
***************************************************************** *************************

“He's crying.” Johnny remarked as Russell wiped off his tear.
 
“Russell is?” Reever added.
 
“Well, isn't that a rare sight?” 65 commented.
 
“Shut up!” Russell rebuked. “It's because of the onion, you moron!”
 
“You're still green too, you know?” he turned to Allen. “Exorcists shouldn't go off and act on their own accord! But thanks to you, Jean was saved. Well, let's put this thing to rest. I've got to take a vacation and go to see Jean.”
 
“Mr. Russell…” Allen smiled.
 
“It's unfair for you to punish him all yourself!” Russell added. “I'll have to scold him a bit myself!”
 
Allen stopped smiling as he recalled Mana's words. Don't stop. Keep on walking!
 
Mana… he added mentally.
 
***************************************************************** ***********

SailorStar9: And another chapter ends. Read and review.