When hearts Collide

I do not own D. Grayman or any of it’s associated characters, nor do I own any songs used within this fic. I do not make any money off of these works of fiction, they are for entertainment only.

A/N: I don't know Kanda's background so I made one up. This chappie is dedicated to Golden Kitsune, fellow writer and dear reviewer. Thank you.

~Paralyzer~
I hold on so nervously
To me and my drink
I wish it was cooling me
But so far, has not been good
It’s been shitty
And I feel awkward, as I should
This club has got to be
The most pretentious thing
Since I thought you and me
Well I am imagining
A dark lit place
Or your place or my place

Well I’m not paralyzed
But, I seem to be struck by you
I want to make you move
Because you’re standing still
If your body matches
What your eyes can do
You’ll probably move right through
Me on my way to you

I hold out for one more drink
Before I think
I’m looking too desperately
But so far has not been fun
I should just stay home
If one thing really means one
This club will hopefully
Be closed in three weeks
That would be cool with me
Well I’m still imagining
A dark lit place
Or your place or my place

Well, I’m not paralyzed
But, I seem to be struck by you
I want to make you move
Because you’re standing still
If your body matches
What your eyes can do
You’ll probably move right through
Me on my way to you

Well, I’m not paralyzed
But, I seem to be struck by you
I want to make you move
Because you’re standing still
If your body matches
What your eyes can do
You’ll probably move right through
Me on my way to you

I’m not paralyzed
But, I seem to be struck by you
I want to make you move
Because you’re standing still
If your body matches
What your eyes can do
You’ll probably move right through
Me on my way to you

You’ll probably move right through
Me on my way to you

You’ll probably move right through
Me on my way to you

Paralyzer - Finger Eleven

Savitar woke late the following night, hearing a scrape outside his door. The sound had him instantly on edge and he sprang from his bed. He pulled the door wide and leapt into the hall, intent on attacking.

He collided with a smaller body and blinked as he and Amir crashed into the stone wall.

“Ow ow ow” Amir groaned.

Savitar stared at him in confusion, his golden eyes widening as he took in the mewling man in his grip. “Amir? What are you doing out here at this hour?” he asked.

The man chortled and drooled a bit, shifting his weight to hold up a dark brown bottle.

“Drinkin!” His eyes closed in a fox-like grin.

Savitar set him down, “What is that? Glenfiddich!”

“Come drink wif me” Amir said with a hiccup.

Savitar chuckled and rubbed a hand over his face, “Well I was going to sleep, but I can’t pass up a bit of the good stuff.”

Little did he know that this was exactly what Tyki Mikk wanted to hear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They bid farewell to Kodari, shouldering packs.

“Where is Amir?” Aleia asked Savitar. The tall man glanced this way and that up the narrow street.

“Guess he’s not coming. We really can’t wait Aleia. I’m sorry.”

She sighed, “I know. Shall we?”

So they began the journey anew.

After passing through the Himalayas, the frozen desert wasteland of Tibet had disappeared into the past. Their surroundings now consisted of lush green, terraced hills, translucent rivers and trickling waterfalls. Aleia even spotted a few palm trees.

The heat confronting them on the Indian subcontinent made it necessary to strip off the extra four layers they had needed to protect them from the frigid plateau they had just left.

Miles passed beneath their feet as they made their way steadily towards Kathmandu.

They stopped one night under a large Banyan tree, the sky above opening to the great black canopy of night, sprinkled with the countless diamonds of stars. Just out of sight was a large rushing river with choppy white peaks.

She sighed, stretching out on her bedroll. The evenings were milder here and she was grateful for that. Oddly enough they hadn’t seen any Akuma yet. She supposed there wasn’t anything of interest to them in these part. Maybe when they got close to a bigger city.

Her mind turned inward, to her life, the way it was, the way it had been. To the Order. She chuckled softly to herself as she wondered if Komui had yet learned that Allen and Lavi were more than Lenalee’s best friends.

And of course her mind went there. To that darker place, of midnight hair and stormy sea gray eyes. Of heated kisses and frozen hearts. Her fingers gently touched the lotus at her throat.

It had, in the last few months, become a touchstone of sort for her. When she was frightened, alone, happy, sad. She touched it, wishing it was the man she could touch.

“You are quiet tonight” Savitar said beside her as he hunkered down close by.

She smiled over at him. They had become very good friends on this journey and she hated to think of the time that would come when she left him behind.

“Thinking” she said, she picked a small twig from the grass and pegged him in the stomach with it.

He plucked it up and toyed with it between his fingers. “Ah you are thinking of Kanda.”

She blushed. Savitar had made it fairly obvious that he was attracted to her, and sadly enough she returned those feelings to a degree. “I am” she replied evenly.

He nodded, “I can always tell when you are.”

Her brows lifted as she rolled to her stomach to stare at him, “How do you know?”

He smiled up at the sky, “Because you always get that far away…sad look when you do.”

She bit her lip.

“Have you considered that a letter may not be waiting for you?” he asked softly.

She didn’t want to think that way, but she was a realist. “Not really. I mean I have. I …just haven’t wanted to.”

His smile was both gentle and knowing. “And what if that is the case Aleia? What then, will you do?”

“I don’t know” she said, the weight in her chest was back, a painful reminder of the many lovers who had left her. “Kill him, beat his ass… something along those lines or equally bloody I suppose.”

“I asked once a long time ago if you knew he had lovers.”

“And I told you I did.”

“There was a reason I was asking. You have also had lovers.”

“Its not a crime.” Though she felt that each one had punished her in turn.

“It’s not… but some lovers leave an indelible mark on us.”

She wondered if he spoke of his wife. She was silent waiting for him to continue.

“Every lover leaves us with a lesson. Though we may not see it for what we feel” he said sagely, “But few leave a mark that refuses to fade. And for some that mark touches the rest of their lives. Poisoning it.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, though she had a good idea of that concept. Because of one particular lover’s failing, she refused to really trust men to this day. Perhaps that was why Kanda hurt so much.

She wanted to trust but there were so many reasons to doubt. Like playing carelessly with a razor. You might grow fond of it, carry it with you everywhere you went, but one day you were going to slip up and it would cut you.

And it was no one’s fault’s but your own.

She clenched her jaw, hand tightening.

Kanda was like that razor. She was like that razor. Truth be told, more often that not, she saw the cut coming long before it fell. She had always believed that she could prevent that. Love harder, love stronger, stand taller.

Life didn’t work that way though. And people could not be changed. They had to make the choice change themselves.

“His curse.” Savitar said then and she nearly gasped.

“What?”

“His curse is the work of a woman. A lover.”

Aleia was reeling. What kind of person would curse a lover like that?

“Was she afraid that he would die and curse him to live then, so that he could come back to her? Is that why he heals so fast?” The thought didn’t set well with her. Of a woman wanting him enough to curse him.

“Hardly. Though she knew it would bind him to her for all his life.” His voice was full of derision, “Of course the story is mostly hearsay and Kanda refuses to speak of it.”

“Savitar, just tell me the story.”

“I warn you, it’s not a happy one.”

“I figured that much.”

“Once there was a woman. A beautiful woman, in Japan. She met Kanda when he was very small, just a boy, but she knew he would be beautiful. She was wealthy, a spoiled young wife of a much older man.

Kanda’s family was not poor, mind you, but the desire for more spurred their decision to send Kanda to her household. Prestige, status….”

“What?”

“While in his parent’s home, this woman paid for his education and his training. All of which he excelled at. When he reached the age of fourteen he was sent to foster in her home. For each month he spent with her, his family received a sizeable sum.

It was the night of his fifteenth birthday that the woman became his lover.”

“That nasty old woman”

“She was but four years older than he.” Savitar replied.

Aleia huffed, “But still, she had lusted after him since he was little kid. That’s just sick.”

Savitar shrugged and continued his story, “She was Kanda’s first lover and so his first love. She never allowed him away from her. She feared he would find another. She surrounded herself with plain hand maidens so that she would shine like a jewel in his eyes. And she did. Very much so.

Her husband grew jealous of her fawning over the boy and demanded he be sent away. There was a quarrel and some say she was beaten. Others say she was slapped a single time, no matter, it enraged Kanda.

She convinced him to challenge her husband in combat and as she expected Kanda defeated him easily. But this woman was not just a woman. She was …a Noah.”

Aleia’s jaw dropped, “What?”

“Kanda didn’t know. No one knew. And its rumored that her gifts were shape shifting as well as foresight. She was the Voice of Noah. Kanda had not yet been blessed with innocence. But he would be. She knew that.”

“She wanted to steal his innocence…erm….again” That just sounded wrong.

“Not quite. She wanted the fighter.”

“Wha…”

“She allowed Kanda to gain his innocence, allowed him to slay Akuma. Even called the Akuma to her so that Kanda remained close, honor bound to protect her. All to make him stronger.”

“Did she love him?”

He shrugged, “Who can say? Perhaps she did. Perhaps he was her favorite pet?”

Aleia rose up and hugged her knees to her chest, “What happened?”

“She was discovered of course.”

“How?”

“Kanda returned from slaying Akuma to find her with her other lover. A fellow Noah. The pleasure. Perhaps you have heard of him.”

She nodded, “Tyki Mikk”. She shivered. He had nearly killed Allen.

He smiled then and went on, “Kanda was enraged of course. But he said nothing. Instead he waited, following her to a tryst. She nearly killed him for it. He fought her viciously, they say that he marked her face with his blade in the battle. When he had nearly killed her, she spoke. Begged him to spare her in the name of love they had once shared.”

“He killed her right?” Aleia would have.

“He did not, though he came to want that very badly. In exchange for his mercy, his compassion, she struck at his family. Leaving bloody tatters of them for him to find.

Rumor says he found her dancing among their remains. It was in that final fight that she marked him. Only she could release him from the curse, and he would heal swiftly. She wanted him to suffer.. always.”

“A..and the ..flower?”

“A whim I suppose. She bound him to it. Bound his very soul. When he dies, she will know. And she will call him back as an akuma to serve her.”

“But the bond…”

“It requires only a strong bond. Hate is just as strong as love if not moreso. You know this.”

“And Mugen?” she asked.

“His innocence allows him to make the weapon stronger, at the cost of his life force. He does not use it often. And only in times of much necessity.”

Aleia silently absorbed all that he told her.

“She also targets his lovers. I am amazed she hasn’t come at you.” he added off handedly.

“That’s why he doesn’t keep them.” she breathed. Realization hit fast and hard. Kanda showed no compassion or love because of the great punishment it had earned him in the past.

He nodded, “That and his trust in love was shattered. Brutally. He can never allow himself to fully trust a woman now. Nor can he ever give his heart fully to one. You see? He is so deeply bound to her that even though it is hate, she echoes in every portion of his heart.”

Aleia wanted to vomit. The idea of that woman, that Noah, toying with him like that. Ruining him like that. Killing him like that.

“I…is there anyway to break that curse?” she asked.

Savitar shrugged, “I can’t say. I’m sure there is a way possible but the answer lies with her.”

“Its why he looks for her, she is the one he looks for.”

Savitar nodded, his eyes catching the firelight in an odd way, and she flinched, looked away and back again.

Only dancing flames. She must have imagined it.

“I believe he cares for you” Savitar told her, “but he wants her more. Wants to kill her, even though it will mean his own death, for she won’t fall easily. Is there, any room for you? For a life together? That is what you want isn‘t it? Someone to spend all your days with?”

Tears welled in her eyes and she rolled away from him.

“I’m sorry” he said then, “I thought you should know…all of it… if there is no letter…you can make a decision with no pretenses.”

She nodded stiffly, “Thank you” she whispered hoarsely trying to keep the tears from her voice. Failing.

Savitar reached over, his hands gently stroking her shoulder, “I will not ask you any hard questions. I simply ask that should that letter, and I hope it’s there for you, not be there, that you will perhaps consider giving me that secret smile.”

She looked over her shoulder at him, eyes wet. “Secret smile?”

He nodded, tracing her cheek. Thumb grazing the crystalline moisture on her lashes “The one that you save for him. I would guard your heart.”

She felt that same heart thump painfully, loudly.

“I want you to be happy with someone who can give you their whole heart. See only you. Hear only you.”

His eyes were more golden now, hypnotic, his voice soothing, “I would hear only your voice. Hear only my voice.”

He moved closer and time seemed to stop, before Aleia could gather breath to reply, his lips were on hers. Hard, yet soft. Demanding her response. His tongue sliding into play with hers as she gave a tiny gasp.

It felt good, but it felt horrible. As though someone had just set fire to her love and her sift the ashes.

This is not what she wanted. Not who she wanted.

Her hands drifted to his loose fitting shirt and she pushed against him.

Turning her head to the side, she broke the kiss. Eyes pressed tightly closed.

“No. I’m sorry. I really am Savitar, but I can’t just throw him away. Not like this. Not without some chance.”

He sat back from her, “I won’t ask you then, for those things that you cannot currently give.”

She nodded, “Thanks.” She rolled over away from him and tried to sleep. She pretended that she had fallen asleep but she was tense and anxious.

Something was wrong.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Earl sat in his study when the door opened and a tall, beautiful woman entered. Garbed like a princess of India, a large ruby brushing her forehead where the mark of stigmata lay.

“Oh! Kyria!” the Earl called out happily, “Its been such a long time.”

She gave him a low, almost mocking bow, “It has.” she stepped closer and pressed her lips to the corner of his grotesquely large smile, “My pawn is nearly in place.”

The Earl laughed, “Good good! So please tell me your plan.”

“I will use that woman” she said, her voice like icy venom, “She will return to the Order and kill the others. Imagine Kanda’s surprise when once again a lover rips his world from him”.

She laughed then, her voice like tinkling silver bells.

“You are not very nice Kyria-chan” he said in an amused tone.

“I will take over her form and use it. Kanda will always be mine. In life… and in death.”

“Yes yes. Go then dear and play your happy games. But won’t Tyki-pyon be a little jealous?”

She smiled, “My dear Earl, he is the Pleasure of Noah, even he has noticed that Kanda is beautiful. Before he dies and becomes my Akuma to control, there is no reason why we can’t share. We are family after all.”

“Will you kill her in India then?”

She shook her pretty head, “No. I need the body alive to have constant access to her memories. I will lock her spirit inside, away and leave her a comatose shell. A puppet to my whims. When she and Savitar return to the Black Order they have to blend seamlessly… at least at the start.”

The Earl kicked his feet lightly to set his chair in motion again, “it’s a good thing we have the remnants of the others. Their special skills make this work a little easier.”
“So true”. Then she turned in a swirl of colorful silk and golden threads and was gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arriving at long last in the Punjab region of India was both satisfying and frightening for Aleia. Her journey was over for a while, but here she would have to face facts about relations between Kanda and herself.

They had encountered several Akuma while traveling and she had been tested as Savitar promised. When he didn’t use his own, whip-like innocence, she worked through her variety of weaponry. She felt more confident at least, in her ability to fight.

Savitar had been true to his word, not asking her for anything more than she could give, but the tension within them increased as they neared his ancestral home. Both asking themselves the same thing do doubt.

Would there be a letter waiting?

After being shown to their respective rooms, she dropped her gear and took a long luxurious bath in the stone basin fonts that peppered his elaborate and beautiful home. Her mind was in a whirl, wondering if a letter awaited her and she was both impatient to see as well as nervous.

“Do you think of me Yu?” she asked to steaming air. But the air held no answers for her and her heart felt a bit colder.

A serving woman came soon after to help her dress in the traditional glimmering sari of India. She was pleasant and spoke softly to Aleia in her nearly perfect English. She was happily wed to the stable master, and had five children. Her name was Indra.

She led Aleia through the halls to the dining room, where Savitar stood before the wall of intricately carved screens that led outside to the well kept grounds. He turned as they entered.

“The post” he said quietly, pointing to the table.

She nodded, swallowing hard and made her way to the tidy stack. Her little fingers shook as she sorted through them. There were two letters for her.

Both from Allen.

She looked around, but Indra spoke, “There is nothing else dear.”

She nodded, taking the letters and clutching them close to her heart. “I’m not very hungry” she said.

Savitar nodded, “I will have Indra bring some tea and fruit later just in case?”

Indra nodded, “I would be pleased to.”

Aleia nodded woodenly, “Thank you.” she turned and made her way from the room. Once the door closed behind her she fled to her room.

She knelt in the center of large bed, her eyes already welling with tears as she carefully tore open Allen’s letters.

They carried word of all her friends. Kanda as usual was always off on mission. Lavi was digging deeper into her research along with Bak’s help. They were making real progress and he thanked her for it. He closed by saying she was missed.

It was signed with love from Lenalee, Lavi, and himself.

Her tears leapt forth with a vengeance. How she had harbored hope that some small word from Kanda would be contained within. She might as well not have left at all, might as well not even have existed.

It seemed that once again…. A lover had forgotten her.

She cried alone in her room for hours. Her newfound strength seeming to fade in light of his indifference.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kanda lay awake in …Aleia’s room.

Her scent barely clung to the linens anymore, slowly having been replaced by his own. How he hated that. He’d even gone so far as to search her belongings for her perfume. Finding none, he’d broken down and bought some.

It had take the better part of the day to find one that remotely resembled her scent and even that was lacking. But it would do.

Without her laughter, her smile or her scent he began to wonder if she was real at all. Perhaps he had imagined her. A woman seemingly made just for him. If not for Allen and the others dragging her name into conversation he might have believed it.

“Did you write her?” Lavi had asked.

Kanda had turned his nose up.

“I’ll take that as a no” the red head had replied, “Did you even read hers?”

Kanda refused to answer with more than a tch. Of course he had, the rumpled paper was currently resting inside of his inner coat pocket closest to his heart. As it had since the day he received it.

How was he supposed to respond?

He pulled her recently perfumed pillow over his face and wrapped his arms around it.

Gods but he missed her.

With that in mind, he resolved to write to her.

It was short, simple, to the point. And said everything he wanted to convey.

‘When are you coming home?

Kanda’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aleia trained harder than ever with Savitar, not wanting to think about her personal life. She hurt inside so badly. Right now she would gladly replace it with a different hurt.

So for three months, she did just that. Traded.

Sleepless nights, painful breaths, swollen eyes.

She could do better.

The burn of tired muscles, the ache of bruises and scuffs.

Savitar watched her train until she collapsed. Then he gathered her into his arms and took her to bed. She was barely coherent. “You shouldn‘t push yourself so hard” he said.

Indra appeared in the doorway, her visage shimmering before she took her true Noah form. She sidled closer to the bed, peering down at the heartbroken woman.

“Don’t worry” she said softly, “I will take very good care of your precious swordsman.”

Aleia forced her eyes open to see two Noah standing over her. One dressed in Savitar’s clothing, the other was beautiful woman with a scar across her cheek. Aleia felt her blood go cold.

She jumped up, stumbling as she fled across the room and out the door in the grounds. She needed room for this fight.

“Tease” she heard from behind her and suddenly something hit her hard in the center of her back, a biting pain flaring to life.

Over her shoulder she saw the black wings of a large butterfly and shrugged ineffectually. Finally she threw herself to the ground, rolling over the Tease, feeling the teeth bite deeper and then the satisfying crack of the thing.

She was her feet a moment later, “Innocence Activate!“ The glowing Bo staff appeared in her hands and she clenched it tightly, forcing herself to relax her grip as Savitar had taught her.

She spun the staff across her palm and sliced at the man, “You are Tyki Mikk” she said with a growl, “That’s how you knew so much about the curse of Kanda’s life.”

He bowed low mocking, blocking her hit with one large hand.

“None of that” he said smoothly.

She blinked, seeing him fade to Savitar and back again. “Oh gods! When?”

“Nepal” he replied easily, twisting away from a potentially painful blow to the kidneys. He delivered a powerful blow that sent her sprawling on the grass. Wind robbed from her lungs.

“You killed him!” she struggled again, making her way to her feet, she lashed out at them with her innocence. But she was tired and Tyki took her down with a painful blow to the midsection.

“It’s kind of what I do.” He smiled as she spit blood from her mouth. How he enjoyed her spirit.

“I would really prefer not to go black in this little adventure tonight. I can think of far more interesting things to do. And believe me they will be less enjoyable for you if I don‘t stay white. I did tell you that I could help you forget all about Kanda Yu.”

Her eyes narrowed and she snarled at him.

She fought then, but he side stepped, clasping her collar roughly. She tried to crush the staff against his broad back. Tyki merely shook her hard.

In her exhausted and injured state she went limp, “I told you not to push yourself so hard. Didn’t I?” he asked, his mouth brushing over hers. His tongue taking in her sweetness mingled with the metallic tang of her blood.

“I do prefer not to hurt you” he whispered near her ear, “Yet at least.”

Over Tyki’s shoulder she saw the woman move closer. Her eyes locked on her, narrowed, “It’s you.”

The Noah woman smiled.

“Just get it done Kyria” Tyki said impatiently.

“Don’t worry pretty. This won’t hurt much.” Kyria mocked, placing a gray hued hand over her heart.

Touch was the link.

The link that she needed to hold this form and it’s memories. She would keep it close until this was over. If it was broken she would lose control of the form and Aleia would wake.

While she was bound by it, any damage Kyria took, Aleia would feel. It was her body after all. It worked nicely. Even if she was discovered early, they would not harm her out of fear for killing their comrade.

“Shush. Does it hurt?” she crooned as her hand slowly slid inside of Aleia’s chest “I bet it does. But that is what you get. How dare you touch him, love him? He is mine.”

Aleia forced the pain down and scowled at her, “He…..was” she spat.

Kyria slapped her hard and smiled in victory as she slowly stepped closer and sank into the smaller woman. She watched the light fade from Aleia’s eyes. Her lashes fluttered and her spirit was locked away in the smallest corner of her being as Kyria took over.


“Now you can just watch what I use your face to do” Kyria said smugly, turning and clasping the lotus pendant around her neck. She did small elegant twirl for Tyki.

“How do I look?” she asked.

He grasped her around the waist, “I do so like this body” he purred.

She laughed at that, “Then we’ll make sure you get to enjoy it often” she replied. Inside Aleia cringed, helpless.

“You can hear and feel everything” Kyria said then, “You just can’t stop anything.” She laughed again, feeling the girl struggle slightly within.

“Time to return to the Order don’t you think?” Tyki Mikk asked.

She nodded, and smiled, “Yes I agree. But I am not walking all that way.”

Tyki sighed, “Fine, carriages and trains.”

She smiled looping her arm through his and walked back inside. The Pleasure’s hand sliding lower to cup her bottom suggestively.

She was a bitch, of that he was certain, and while he would have actually preferred a romp with the little exorcist, this would have to do.

He would enjoy it…. And he smirked when he thought of how Aleia would too. He could practically see her, trapped, there within her own eyes, body arching to his touch.

Oh how he made her sing.

Though she’d never admit it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aleia woke but didn’t wake. She was in some fuzzy shade of half life, seeing through her own eyes as they were someone else’s. She tried to break free, unable to.

Miles passed before her, towns and cities that she had only recently explored. When she was awake, she struggled against the Noah in her body to no avail. At times she saw Tyki watching her, with something akin to sympathy in his eyes.

However that was short lived as he took her body again and again. Kyria moaning easily under his expert touches. But he never seemed satisfied until he looked deep in her eyes and found Aleia, making her writhe and scream in fevered ecstasy.

Her own voice would ring through, resounding with Kyria’s and he would grunt in satisfaction, allowing himself to crash over that edge with them. He often joked that enjoyed his private threesome.

Kyria would merely turn her nose up, “I am more than you need” she would say dryly, looking away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She saw Bak’s face appear before her, his eyes blue and warm, just as she recalled them. She tried to scream out to him, to warn him, but the sound was like bubbles in sea. Breaking soundlessly.

She felt his arms wind around her in a warm welcoming hug and longed to sink into the comfort there. But it wasn’t her that Bak held, but the enemy. A very dangerous one.

She slammed her fists against the invisible box that held her. Struggled and screamed but to no avail.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bak watched Aleia and Savitar closely. Since their arrival two days ago, he’d been uneasy. They were in high spirits it seemed. Savitar had said her training was complete and they wished to contact Allen to open the doorway in the ark.
He assumed they were in a hurry to get her home. Nothing unusual there.

Still, something nagged at him.

Later that night he sought out Aleia and spoke with her. He found her on the outer edges of the grounds, walking near a goldfish pond. She was beautiful in the moonlight. Her every movement sang with ripe seduction.

This is what made him doubt. The Aleia didn’t move like this one did.

“Was there a letter from Kanda?” he asked.

She shook her head sadly, “I guess I should have known.”

He blinked, “Should have?”

She nodded, “I mean I’m not really his type am I?” Her hand made a grand gesture towards herself.

Bak frowned, the look in her eye, the way she spoke, it rang false. “I guess you aren’t” he agreed smoothly, “But you are just mine aren’t you?”

She smiled at him, stepping closer, pressing the length of her body to him and pressed her mouth to his. “I suppose I could be” she murmured, licking his lower lip.

Something was more certainly wrong. Bak chuckled low in his throat, and wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her very close, nuzzling her shoulder, her throat and then his lips touched her ear.

“Who are you?” he growled against her.

She laughed, “What! Who else could I be?”

He held her at arm’s length, “That’s what I want to know because you aren’t her. She isn’t the type to move on so quickly. And she never talks about herself as much as you have in the past two days.”

She hissed at him then, lashing his face with her long nails. He released her, clutching his bloody face. She stood a few feet off, her face curled in a snarl.

“Stupid half breed human! Should have left well enough alone!” Her lovely visage went gray and the marks of the stigmata became apparent. She stalked towards him, faster than he could evade.

“Noah” Bak hissed as she flung him like a rag doll against the fat bole of a tree.

“Tell me Bak” she said as she hauled him to his feet, “Did you ever think of fucking the little pale girl before I came? Or was it only after?” She drove her elbow deep into his stomach making him cough up blood.

“”What do you want?” he panted, grappling with her.

She laughed, backhanding him viciously, “For you to die.” she said simply, “You are weaker, slower, dumber in the eyes of God! Yet you think you can control what happens in this world. Ha! Human vanity. You are little more than cattle for the akuma!”

Bak was bleeding profusely now, using his flagging strength to call Fou. He pressed his hands together, activating the protective spell for the grounds.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aleia tugged Savitar’s sleeve, “We have to go now” she growled. He blinked down at her.

“What’s the hurry?”

“I killed Bak and that little freak of innocence Fou. We need to leave now.”

It was nearly midnight and there was no one in the halls and they hurried to the Ark. Tyki quickly called the Order and waited until Komui picked up the line.

“Bak!” he sang happily.

“Idiot, this is Savitar. We need Allen is he there?”

Of course he was.

“Of course he is. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, we want to use the Ark to come to you. Can he do that for us?”

“Well yes I suppose he can. But Bak…”

“Has already cleared it. There are things happening here, it’s best we get there as soon as you can arrange it.”

“I understand. Be ready in twenty minutes.”

“We’re ready now.”

He hung the phone up and looked back at the woman who lounged against the wall, studying her long nails, picking at them in an attempt to remove the blood from beneath them.

She finally settled for sucking them. She ran her tongue over and under each nail tip, until no trace remained of the half German half Chinese man’s blood.

“Did you have to kill them?” he asked, “This will cause problems later.”

“He knew I wasn’t her. I don’t know how. I will have to be more careful. Damn him! It doesn’t matter. They won’t be found anytime soon, I weighted them and sank them in the lake. Lover’s accident.”

Tyki shook his head ,but replied in a lazy manner, “You really suck at this. Come on.”

They made their way to the science department where the lackeys were already waiting to see them off.

They waved, exchanged pleasantries, promised to write all that nauseating garbage that humans did. Finally, when it was clear that this small handful of humans were all that would see them, Tyki set loose the Tease.

No witnesses, fewer problems.

Aleia screaming inside of herself the whole time. Once inside the Ark, Kyria slapped herself upside the head, hard.

“Shut up you little bitch” she growled, “Your incessant whining is annoying.”

“Is she getting harder to control?” Tyki asked pointedly.

Kyria glowered at him, “Of course not.”

But he didn’t believe her. It wasn’t like her to make such a mess of a mission. Thank the heavens they didn’t have much else left to do. He would be glad to be off to his own pursuits again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The ark opened and Savitar stepped out with Aleia on his arm. They waved and smiled, the great homecoming.

Komui was there to greet them wanting a full debriefing from them. Savitar provided him information on movements of Akuma towards the Asian Branch that it was likely to fall under attack soon.

That was true enough, no doubt the Earl was loosing a level 3 against them to cover the violence done by the Noahs.

Ah that laughing fat man could always be counted on.

“We should send help” Allen said, striding forward.

Savitar shook his head, “We think they will launch an attack here soon. Very soon. Trying to wipe out the entire Order if they are able.”

There were worried murmurs as Komui ordered the security measures tightened.

“Not a great homecoming.” he told Aleia, “For that I am sorry. We will have a party soon I promise.”

She nodded, barely staying upright as Lenalee flew into her arms, wrapping her in a tight hug. Aleia patted her back, “How have you been?” she asked.

Lenalee met her eyes and smiled, “I have been good. I was worried about you. You didn’t answer our letters.”

Aleia waved dismissively, “Oh! I just got so busy. Savitar made me walk nearly all the way to India you know.”

Lenalee let her eyes travel over her friend, taking in the loss of weight and hugged her again, “You are still my beautiful Aleia.”

And inside Aleia reached for her, crying out.

Allen faced her with a warm smile, “Its ok, as long as you are home and safe, I am happy.”

Aleia nodded, “Thank you Allen. Where is Lavi?”

“Mission” the said together glumly. Aleia laughed at that. She had plans for the junior bookman. He already knew too damn much about her kind. If she could manage to pick off the time turner, Lavi, Allen and Kanda in that order, she’d been most satisfied.

Her eyes were already roving, trying to find Kanda. She chuckled to the woman locked inside.

‘Must not have missed you much.’

‘I will kill you, you Noah bitch!’

‘Ah ah, play nicely, the only one dying here is you… after you kill your friends.’

Aleia lifted her eyes back to Allen, “Where is…well…Kanda?” she asked.

It was Lenalee that answered, “In the medical wing. He had just returned two days ago and was pretty badly injured. He has been resting but he knows you are here. I am sure he’s on his way.”

Allen wondered why there was no flicker of concern to cross Aleia’s features when she heard the news, but supposed she was angry with Kanda for his prolonged silence.

Not that he could really fault her.

Her eyes mapped the room again and then she saw him, leaning against the doorframe. His midsection heavily bandaged. His coat was unbuttoned and his hand rested on Mugen.

His dark eyes watched her hungrily. She had lost weight. He wasn’t sure that he liked that. He had liked her very much the way she was, but she was still like water to a parched man.

His palms itched to smooth against her skin, to mold her to his form. His body ached with want for her.

They locked eyes and she lifted her chin, giving him an imperious look that struck a chord of vague familiarity with him. Slowly, their friends parted seeing the tension between the two.

“Aleia” Lenalee began, but Allen drew her closer to him.

“Let them be” he murmured to her. He knew only too well that those two had much to discuss. Besides that Kanda looked ready to stalk across the room and ravage her.

Aleia neared him, her eyes never leaving his handsome face. Then she gave a small smirk and paused beside him, tilting her head back to hold his gaze. Then she continued past him as though he wasn’t there.

Kanda blinked, had she just snubbed him? He was very sure she had. His eyes roved to Savitar, seeing the man smirk at him like a cat who got the cream. His hand tightened on Mugen until the sheathe creaked.

He turned to look at Allen, who merely shooed him after her.

Kanda cursed softly and strode after her.

“Oi!” he called in the nearly empty hall. She didn’t pause, didn’t slow.

“What?” she snapped. Kyria wanted to get to Aleia’s room and subdue the woman once more. She was fighting hard now, her hits and kicks on her box making Kyria’s ears ring.

Kanda grabbed her arm and yanked her back to him, “Look at me” he growled at her. His eyes searching her face carefully.

“No letter.” Aleia said very clearly, “No word. Nothing. How is that supposed to make a girl feel?”

She shrugged from his grip and continued on, using Aleia’s memory to find her room. She opened the door and looked back to see Kanda in the quiet hall. He looked troubled. “Think about it” she said, stepping inside and pulling the door closed.

Once inside she bolted the door, sinking to sit against it, her hands clasping her head. “Stop it!” she hissed. She felt the stirrings of innocence and growled, “It would attack us both.” she warned, “You, me, there is no difference now.”

‘There is. Bak could see it.’

‘And Bak is dead. By the time they know what’s going on here, it will be over and done with and all but too late.’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fou ached. Her body curled protectively around her friend and master. Her power keeping him encased against the cold flow of the water, the lack of air. They were in bad shape.

How much time had passed?

Slowly, with great effort, she pulled them towards the surface, pushing through the layers of rock that had rained down on them in this watery hell. She just had to get Bak to the surface… then she could falter.

Only he mattered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wong and Rou were rushing towards the final underground shelter. The one that no one knew about save the trusted inner circle of Bak. Sadly, it would have to be the base of operations until repairs could be made.

“That level 3 destroyed everything!” Rou sobbed, “So many hurt and killed. Where was Bak? Where was Fou? Where are they now?”

Wong sighed sadly, his stomach in knots, “I can only think the worst” he admitted softly, “neither would have abandoned us that way. It‘s been nearly a week.”

Rou nodded, wiping her face on her dirty lab coat sleeve.

“For now we can only do this. “ he said.

They passed near the underground lake, the surface disturbed by a spattering of bubbles.

Rou grabbed Wong and pointed, “Is it Akuma?” she breathed to him. The older man shuffled her behind him and waited fearfully.

He watched a small flesh colored nub broke the surface, near a rocky outcropping. He nearly whooped with joy seeing the familiar purple marks that followed. But then a crystal bumped the rocks and he watched as Fou struggled to lift it.

She was bleeding, tattered and torn.

“Fou!”

She blinked at him, seeing two fuzzy figures race to where she was. They slowly grew clearer.

“Take….Bak” she whispered and just as Wong and Rou grabbed the crystal, she sank beneath the surface.

“No! Fou!” Rou tugged her lab coat off and dove in after the smaller woman, as Wong tugged the heavy crystal more securely to shore. It shattered then, green fragment spilling to the wet rocks around Bak.

The young man was broken and bloodied. “Master Bak!” Wong cried, gathering him into his strong arms and hurrying towards the makeshift hospital. “Some one! Some one help us!”

Rou broke the surface, gasping for air. Fou tucked firmly under her arm, “I have you Fou” she panted and began to swim for the shore. Several other team members had waded in to their knees, reaching for Fou with gentle hands.

Rou sat in the shallows catching her breath as they settled Fou on a gurney. She opened her eyes and said softly, “Get Allen.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Miranda wiped sweat from her forehead, this mission had been difficult and she had no doubts that without Aleia’s amazing fighting, she would have been killed. Thank goodness this mission was over.

She looked to her partner and voiced just that thought.

Aleia smiled at her, “Yes, this mission is over. For you” she said cheerfully.

Suddenly the golems fell to the ground.

Before Miranda could comprehend what was happening a Noah, Tyki Mikk had stepped from the shadows behind her, and shoved his fist through her chest.

“This is how I nearly killed Allen Walker” he said in a friendly tone, “I won’t make the same mistake with you.”

“Stop talking and do it Tyki” Aleia snapped, “Break her innocence and lets get back. I hate feeling unwashed.”

Miranda’s eyes went wide in horror, “Aleia.. But you…”

The red haired woman shook her head, “Nope, guess again.”

Then Tyki Mikk closed his hand around her heart and wrenched it from her chest. He stared at the still beating muscle for several seconds before he crushed it in his large hand.

“One down!” Kyria sang in Aleia’s voice.

Tyki crushed the innocence but Kyria could still feel it moving within her borrowed body.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Yu….Yu!”

The voice wouldn’t leave him be. It filtered into his dreams. He turned and saw Aleia chained before him. She was shivering and cold.

“Why didn’t you come for me? Why didn’t you send word?”

He flinched, “I wanted to. I did!”

“Stop me” she said in a pained voice, “Stop me, it’s not me. Please Yu, please see that isn’t me.”

He reached for her but she faded, her chains pulling her into a thick blackness.

Kanda woke hard, panting and covered in sweat. He ran his hand over his face, something was wrong.

And then, faintly he smelled Aleia in the air. But looking around she was not in sight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two days later Aleia sat alone at Kanda’s usual table. He had tried to speak with her and she had told him she wasn’t ready to hear it yet. He supposed she needed time and he had given it, though it was killing him.

Word of Miranda’s death rang through the Order. She hadn’t been very popular, too apologetic and scatterbrained but she’d had a good heart and many mourned her.

“Tyki Mikk was supposed to have fallen. Be dead” Komui said, reading the report. Gods how he hoped the days of fighting Noah’s was behind them.

Aleia had shook her head, “I don’t think so.”

Now she sat eating her fish quietly. Lenalee and Allen had finished their meal and left her in peace. Allen stared at her plate for a moment and then continued on.

‘Gluttonous pig’ Kyria thought, ‘Didn’t get enough? Wants mine too?’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Allen passed Kanda in the hall and paused. “Bakanda..”

The taller man stopped, “Moyashi…”

“Does Aleia like fish? I can’t really recall.”

Kanda snorted, “She hates it. Won’t even kiss me if I’ve eaten any.”

“Things are better between you then?”

“I don’t want to talk about this, it’s not your business.”

Allen shoved the larger man to the wall, “Listen to me. Something isn’t right and you know it to. You have been watching her every more and you didn’t look convinced when she turned in that report. She hasn’t said more than a few words to any of us and tonight she was eating fish. Fish Kanda.”

Kanda’s eyes went wide and Allen released him. He brushed the front of his coat, “Savitar has been off lately as well.”

Allen nodded, “I’m going to talk to him. You see about her.”

Kanda nodded, his chest tightening.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aleia pushed open her door and sighed, the bitch within was rattling her cage again. Her constant struggles were wearing on Kyria.

She shut the door and sighed, pressing a hand to her brow.

“Tired?” Kanda asked from the corner.

Aleia’s eyes snapped open and she stared at him, “What are you doing here?” she hissed.

He straightened to his full, imposing height, “We are lovers and this is where we used to sleep together. But we don’t now. Why is that?” he asked, reaching out to toy with her long hair. Lifting a lock to his nose he inhaled. She smelled of rich perfume and green things. Her own unique sweetness missing. “You smell different” he said idly.

“Changed perfumes” she said stiffly.

“I prefer the other” he said.

“I don’t” she snapped.

He closed the distance and crushed his lips to hers, his tongue ravaging her mouth hungrily but only for a moment. Then he pulled back, licking his lips.

“You had fish for dinner.”

“I like fish.”

He chuckled turning from her, then he spun and Mugen was at her chest, “Aleia hates fish” he said darkly, “and you taste and smell nothing like her.”

“What are you saying Kanda? Put that sword away!” she demanded, loudly.

“She never calls me Kanda in private. I know her scent and taste like I know this blade. Both are mine and precious.”

She backed away, “What are you doing?”

“Why didn’t you help Miranda on the mission?”

“I tried!”

“You didn’t. I had a golem follow you. Why were you with the Noah?”

“Yu… this is madness.”

People were tapping at the door and she called out to them, “Help me. Kanda has gone mad!”

Several exorcists and Finders kicked the door open but Kanda didn’t move.

“Kanda Sir!” Roland asked shocked to see such a sight.

“Say his name” Kanda growled lifting his blade, “Mu…Mugen” Aleia wept.

“She would not have cried from this” he went on, pressing the tip of the blade against her, pricking skin.

“Who the hell are you?”

“Aleia!” she shouted, “For God’s sake who else but Aleia?”

“Someone who has her body” Allen’s voice rang out from the hall, “Tyki Mikk had Savitar’s body but he couldn’t resist a little game. Who are you then?”

Aleia looked around at all of them, “Are you all mad?”

“You nearly killed Fou and Bak” Lavi said pushing forward to stand before her.

Kyria lashed out, stabbing at Lavi with a dagger. The blade sank to the hilt and she twisted it viciously. Dark blood welled from his chest and he staggered back.

Kyria stumbled back clutching her head, “Little bitch, shut up, shut up!”

She glared at Kanda, “Kill me you kill her too”

An echoing voice rang out, "Do..n't hurt...my...fr..friends!"

Suddenly her body seized and her small hands flew and grasped Mugen, fingers slicing and she rushed forward.

Kanda blinked as the blade slid into the valley between her breasts.

Blood spattered her lips as she gasped, “Please…..” she whispered, “Stop…me”.

Kanda roared, pulling his blade free and seeing the Noah slip from Aleia’s bleeding body.

‘”Damn fool!” she spat.

Kanda’s hands were pressing against Aleia’s wounds, slipping in the blood. He glared at the Noah, then his eyes widened. “You!”

“Lovely to see you too Yu. My curse wears well on you. Our time here is over, but we’ll meet again.”

She stepped to the windowsill and transformed to a large bird and flew away.

Allen brushed him aside, falling to his knees beside Aleia. Her form pale and cold. “I’ll take her to the medical wing” he said, “Go after her.”

“No”

Allen blinked in shock, “Isn’t that the one that cursed you?”

“Yes”


Allen shoved him, “Then get going you damn fool! You might not get this chance again.”


Kanda looked at Aleia, “I can’t..”

Allen gathered Aleia to his chest, “She’ll understand believe me, you can’t do anything for her here. All you can do for her in go after that Noah.”

“You’ll tell her”

“I will”

Kanda dashed after her, leaping from the windowsill to the spire rooftop racing after the woman that had ruined his life.

“You can’t hold that shape for very long… you have no connection.” he growled. His body was moving but his heart was paralyzed on the floor where Aleia had fallen.