Chapter 100 - Friends in a Bottle / Despair and Hope

[Schwindelmagier]

Okay, guys.... it's time. I wanna revive this awesome and gorgeous fanstory of us and so, I'll just post what we have so far from Chapter 100. The parts were written by Rai and me. So, chapter 100 will be some kind of start of the second round. I couldn't stand this state of abandoning anymore. So, have fun with Chapter 100. Rosa, I hope that you can continue with chapter 101.


Chapter 100

Rai's part:

Right after they arrived at the HQ Stephanie, Flames and Belle were sent into the basement to receive special treatment. This morning Rinvak and Tabby wanted to visit them but the science department did not allow it because the leader in charge, Zane, declared the basement to be the quarantine station and only the high ranking scientist had permission to go inside.
Tabitha rushed into Zane’s room. „How dare you putting Stephanie and the others into quarantine? They are or friends and not some kind of contagious illness!” Her hand were shaking she knew what she had done now was stupid but the last days were too much for her.
Rinvak arrived a few moment later. She was just as angry but she knew screaming wouldn’t worry Zane she decided to wait for his reaction before acting.

Zane put some reports written in braille on his desk and began his speech.
“I don’t know what you mean Miss Brown. I acted according to the rules and chief Epsteini signed it. Exorcists on the brink to become fallen are either put into intensive care or given the mercy-shot. Would you prefer the second?” He smiled as he could hear Tabbies breathing growing heavier. “Our main objective is to save the innocence that means as long as we can’t send them to the European branch we have to make sure they do not jump into battle. If you two could please leave now I want to plan their journey.” Tabby wanted to start speaking again but Rinvak pulled her back into the hall and out of Zane’s office.

The sun was about to set in Yucatan. The silence was only disturbed through a silent sobbing and a sudden sneeze. “What’s wrong Amaterasu? Was the water too cold for you?” Anlen looked at her pitiful brother. “If hadn’t waited so long to pick me up I might have gotten so ill.” replied Amaterasu sipping hot rum. Anlen tried to suppress her laughter. After all she could have picked him up earlier but he was simply too much fun to watch. “Anyway,” she said,” we will arrive at our brother’s camp soon. So be prepared” She went back to her crew leaving her relative alone.

A few hours later they arrived at the new camp. Jacques was already waiting for them and prepared a huge feast. “Today is a day to celebrate my brother and sister. I have found something very interesting here in Chichen Itza.. But rather than talking about it I will show it to you tomorrow. For now let us eat and drink our fill.” Both Anlen and Amaterasu noticed how delighted the former priest was. For Amaterasu this could either mean he would have fun as well or the end of the world. Anlen showed no real interest. If it could neither be eaten nor sold it has nothing to do with a pirate.

The dinner went on peacefully until Jacques had a request for Anlen. “My dear sister could you please bring Marigold something to eat? She already killed three akumas who tried to get near her she does not allow anything else than a Noah in her private rooms.” Anlen thought of objecting but on the other hand she’d like to get away from this tiring dinner. She took a plate and went out of the tent.

The ruins of Chichen Itza were in a surprisingly good state and she could hear people talking in some of the buildings. “Jacques really made this place his new home.”, thought the pirate.
When she arrived at Marigold private chamber she felt the other Noah’s massive energy vibrating in the air. Stones and rocks where flying around in circles and even Anlen could feel some force trying to pull her up. “Marigold! I’m here to bring you some food!” The Noah looked into the room and saw her sister sitting on a luxurious bed.

Anlen approached the girl slowly trying to keep her feet on the ground. Marigold gave her no attention and kept writing on a piece of paper whispering and crying. The Pirate looked on the paper and started to read. “FREedOM, I want to be ME! I wAnt tO LivE. I want FREEDOM.” The paper was filled with these words written in several layers over and over again. “So you want it too eh? I fear freedom is for humans only Marigold.” Anlen tried to comfort her sister. After all she sat in the same situation. Marigold looked at her, tears filled her eyes again. For the first time after her Noah blood awakened Marigold spoke to someone else than herself. “But we are humans too.” She whispered in Anlen’s ear.

Amaterasu entered Jacques chamber inside the main Castillo. “Anlen just spoke to me. She said she is going to take Marigold with her and leave me instead. If you refuse I should answer she does not care.”
Jaqcues looked at his brother and smiled with his demonic smile. “That does not matter brother. Since you are going to stay I might as well tell you what I found.” He opened a wall behind him and began talking. “Follow me I’ll explain while we are walking. Did you know that this place was used as the religious centre to pray to Kulkucan, to you may be known as Quezalcoatl?” The noahs went deeper and deeper into the maze of tunnels.

“But what exactly was this goddess? The natives even sacrificed humans to her. We know many religions were based on the strange effects of innocence but this place is different. They prayed to something that survived the great flood and the victory of the innocence.” The deeper they got the more Amaterasu sensed a vile stench like dozens of rotten akumas. “Off course I had to do some experiments to revive it. The time of it’s sacrifices was long over when we arrived here. Even the earl forgot about her.”

Jacques lighted another torch and threw it on the floor creating a burning oath before them. The light gave the expression as if the being in front of Amaterasu was moving but after a second of terror he noticed it was just a statue. On a throne shaped like a serpent’s head a woman was sleeping. The priest took a step forward and turned around. His grin was even more terrifying than usual. “What you see here might be the Akuma of the highest known level! She killed whole civilisations with a move of her finger. She might not have a human mind anymore but she still obeys to all of our wishes! As soon as we revived her the fated time will come! Judgement Day!” He started to laugh. His laughter awakened all of Amaterasu’s primal instincts. The days of disaster will soon begin.

Magier's part:

Tabby and Rinvak tried to calm down outside the headquarters. While Rinvak was leaning against the cold wall, Tabby looked up into the sky. Gray clouds covered the once blue sky over Washington D.C. but now rain was about to come up. It would most propably last for the rest of the day and dwindle not until next day. The weather perfectly resembled the exorcists' current temper. When was the last time when something worked out as expected? The only hope they had was a single feather of a birth found at the former camp of their opponents. But at the moment, it was of no use anyway since they had not enough exorcists who could rival the Noah. And who knows what awaits them there? Another berserk Noah?
The girls sighed. Dealing with Akuma and Noah was already enough so why did their leader have to steal their last remaining sleep by letting them worry about their friends who were put into quarantine? Sometimes, the thought of marooning Zane in a desert far far away from headquarters pleased Tabby deeply.
"Loine was indeed a work-a-holic but Zane is not quite right in his head", Tabby muttered with discontent.
"It's about to rain. Let's go inside again", Rinvak said when several drops bewetted the ground in front of her feet, forming puddles of dejectedness.
"Alright. But you should know that my fist is always prepared to punch a certain someone's face."
The girls were about to head back when a sudden voice sent chills down their spines and caused them to freeze in their movement. They turned around with wide-opened eyes looking for the source of a familiar voice.

The rain was like a protective curtain raised between the girls and the person the voice belonged to. They could just make out the outlines of the person in front of them but the voice echoed within their bodies like the ringing of a bell.
"It was quite a pain in the ass to find the new headquarters of yours", the voice said.
Tabby stared at Rinvak with a scared look. The voice was so familiar and yet so scary. Like a father who had to put his foot down in order to punish the naughty children. The silhouette became blurred by the rain which was so heavy by now that the exorcists were soaked to the skin. The rain dropped down their hair, along their foreheads and noses over the pale faces until it lastly merged with the puddles on the ground. The person approached the girls, slowly but strong-minded. Black boots churned up the puddles when they carelessly stepped into them and left blackwashed water behind. Black ink sidled the water like a snake, separating on spots were drops touched the surface and uniting where it was calm and undisturbed.
"It can't be...", Tabby whispered but she could not rely on Rinvak's sober mind anymore because the girl was as flabbergasted as herself. The figure was now close enough to be recognized. His appaerance was completely different from what they remembered. His walk was more self-conscious, his body more muscular than before. His eyes were dominated by gloom, his face was stiff. No hint of a smile was shown on it, no joy of reunion.

Lione lifted his white-gloved hand. For a short moment of time, a smile appeared on Tabby's face. She lifted her hand in order to meet the handshake but instead of celebrating his return, Lione pushed Tabby away and just went on walking, passing the two girls by without loosing his look.
"I have no time for friendly handshakes. I have to speak with a person who owns at least a little bit authority", Lione said coldly and headed towards the main entrance of the headquarter. Sad and confused glances followed his path.
"We did not see you for months. What happened to you?", Rinvak asked but failed to subdue the fear in her voice.
"The time, no doubt, has changed me", Lione answered and disappeared into the headquarters leaving two desperate girls and their shattered hope lost in the rain.

Anlen lifted her head. The pattern of the wooden table was printed on her cheek and remains of alcohol dropped down the edge of the table and disappeared into the darkness of the night which weighed heavily on her shoulders like a curse. While she had been drinking, the pirate's head had sunk onto the table's surface, beaten by headache. The liquor had poured out but Anlen had not cared about it at all. Nobody was nearby. Amaterasu and Jacques had vanished without a trace, Marigold was still in her chamber, apparently preparing for a new journey, and the rest of the crew was most probably on the ship napping with a bottle rum in their hands and salt meat between their teeth. Hence, Anlen was all alone, gone astray in deep thoughts like a lost sheep.
"What did you mean by 'We are humans, too'?", Anlen whispered into a green curtain of hair. "Do you consider a person who is living for more than 200 years by now a 'human being'? Are you kidding me?"
Anlen's arm swung around in order to find a hopefully filled bottle on the dark ground. Her finger tips finally touched the cold glass of a bottleneck, she lifted it and downed the drink with one gulp. This however gave her head another meeting with the table's surface.
"But what are those feelings if I am not human? I am no human being yet I am not dead because I can still feel something... So I am just a... monster? Seems so."
Anlen laughed but it froze when she sensed the presence of someone familiar behind her. When the girl turned around, she let go of the empty bottle because she was suddenly drugged with fatigue. It fell to the ground, shattered and Anlen slided off the wooden bench and landed prone on the grass.

Amaterasu approached her. As fascinating the Akuma was for his brother as scary was his laughter for Amaterasu and he had immediately fabricated an excuse to be able to escape from the dread downstairs. Yet he was sure that it was not the last time that he would see this 'thing'.
"Seriously", Amaterasu said."I can't bear his laughter. It's sending chills down my spine. Don't worry sister, you are not the monster. It's him."
He kneeled and gently touched Anlen's hair. It was so soft and silky that he felt like running his bare hand through it. A well-known feeling. But before he could proceed, a piercing pain went through the palm of his hand. He looked down just to find a dagger piercing through it. The threads of the white cloth began to break loose and color red where the dagger bored through the glove and his skin. Smirking, his other hand clawed at the hair and pulled Anlen's head upwards so that their faces were barely separated by the strained atmosphere.
"I thought you were asleep, sis."
"I'm afraid I have to disappoint you. I only snoozed for a little while", Anlen answered not less arrogant. "You should know your position, Amaterasu. Don't ever think of touching my hair again or the dagger will not just pierce through your dirty hand."
"Believe me, I know my position. But what about you? Human being... monster... You can't even decide!"
"SHUT UP!", Anlen screamed and pulled out the dagger with force. Blood spilled and stained her face. But the male Noah seemed unimpressed by her rage.

"I think I can consider this a honor: I've never thought of meeting you again, at least not in these holy halls... Lione Parcoeur."
Zane's voice echoed through the great hall of headquarters like a breaking wave. Everyone who heard Lione's name being said headed towards the entrance. Angry and happy faces were mixed up but they all shared the same feeling of curiosity which could not be suppressed. Zane stood on a balcony and looked down at Lione just like a ruler who stared at his subjects with an icy, merciless look. He was the new, officially nominated leader and Lione nothing but an exorcist who commited desertion. In other words: a traitor. Or so Zane thought. Meanwhile Tabby and Rinvak arrived at the place of unwelcome reunion. The members of the Order were standing around Lione, observing the whole scene. But they were spread in the whole hall and still far away enough in order to avoid contact with Lione. Nobody knew what exactly had happened to Lione and why he had been gone for months, so Tabby could not blame them for looking at him like an odious yet fascinating animal that could go mad in the twinkling of an eye. When Lione raised his voice, the whispering stopped and everyone became silent for the time being. At least since now, everybody noticed that he had not lost anything of his former strength. He had even gained new, unknown one over the past few months.
"Get off your throne, leader", Lione said. "I wanna talk to you, between man and man, you know."
The quiet resentment which Lione had put into the single word "leader" caused Zane to bore his fingers into the stony balustrade. He had done everything for the Order, he did not run away like a certain someone and betrayed the Order and his friends. The exorcist in front of him had no right to speak with him in such an insupordinate manner. Zane tried his best to answer Lione's naivety with a heroic smile. He calmed down and addressed Lione with a soocing voice.
"You don't know the situation you're currently in, do you? You are no leader anymore, you have no right to order me, Lione Parcoeur, not anymore."

Then, a scream of a whistle echoed through the hallways of headquarters and not even a second later, Lione was surrounded by a bunch of security guards.
"You are placed under arrest, Lione Parcoeur. Your commited crime should be well-known to you: Desertion", said Zane who was already sure of his victory but he was not aware of Lione's slightly changed personality. Yet, the time when Zane should get to know it approached faster than expected. Within the twinkling of an eye, the guards darted at Lione but they were no challenge for the former leader. He dodged the attacks with some simple movements while Rinvak and Tabby were looking at the scene with a worried and a startled eye. If they interfered with Zane's order, they would just give him another reason to punish them. Nonetheless, Lione was their friend, wasn't he? Somehow, both of them started to doubt this fact. He wasn't any longer the Lione they had known long time ago. A seemingly stable puzzle of memories began to fall apart. Slowly but surely, they would lose a dear person... forever.

Lione's movements were artful and quick. The exorcist perfectly knew where he had to set his foot in order to dodge the seemingly plebby attacks. While Lione was avoiding the guards' efforts to catch him as if he had not done anything else in his whole life, he began to unbutton his black coat. Zane was apparently irritated by Lione's ignorant temper. This guy did not take his arrestment seriously and Zane was on the edge of attacking himself but he did not want to lose his face by doing such a ridiculous action in front of everyone and go mad. Lione avoided a punch for the last time by ducking down. He threw his coat away and ripped his white shirt off, baring his naked, surprisingly muscular upper body. Tabby and Rinvak would have blushed if the situation wasn't that serious. However, the strange symbol on Lione's back deflated them. A symbol of ancient times was painted on his back with black ink.
"His Innocence... evolved", Rinvak stammered while trying to observe the fight as good as possible. Some members of the Order who had gathered together at the edge, shrunk back and Zane could not believe what kind of enormous power he felt there. It gave him a chill and conquered his lungs and throat, thus, making him unable to produce a single word of fright that would have possibly escaped his mouth. Lione placed his right hand on the stony ground and the symbol on his back began to move at that very moment. The winglike signs spread out and extended over his arms to the ground where they formed a circle under his feet. The winglike signs burgeoned, escaped the circle's grip, became reality and spread. The black wings clapped up and down once before they touched the ground with enormous power and caused a quake. The guards were sweeped away by the blast and the ground around Lione was smashed into pieces, leaving a small crater behind. This noisiness should have awakened even the last dormouse in the backmost corner of the HQ. Lione stood up and passed by Tabby and Rinvak in order to pick up his jacket of which he shook off the accrued dusk. Victory was his. He turned around to focus Zane with an impish smile on his face and did not pay any attention to the two exorcists who were staring at the crater in front of their dusky boots, being paralyzed by fear.
"I think we should talk in a room with less audience, Zane", Lione said. "I am sure we will be unimpeded in your office."
Zane nodded slowly and pointed silently at a hallway to Lione's left that directly led to his office.

Anlen's fist closed around the blade which cut the flesh of her hand and added more blood to the red glimmer that already covered the dagger. But it sufficed to calm her down. The blood shone in the moonlight like a light of hope. It was a proof of being alive after all. Maybe she still had a chance to remain human. She threw the dagger away and it disappeared somehwere in the surrounding darkness of the silent night. Gently touching her caused wound, Anlen stared at her brother. The hole in his hand was about to close but the hand should be barely usable for the time being due to the enormous loss of blood. Anlen was content with the result.
"Let's deal with our problem just like true men of sea would do it", Anlen said grinning. "Let's play Russian roulette."
Amaterasu answered with a smile, bowed assent and pointed at the wooden table. Anlen fished a card game out of her black coat. A skull decorated the clubs ace.
"How fitting", Amaterasu thought and sat down while Anlen was taking out a six-shot revolver and placed it on top of the table.
"You know the rules. There's one bullet in one of those six chambers. I don't know where it is hidden and you either. We will play a nice card game and the winner of the round can take the revolver and gamble with the other's life", Anlen explained, shuffling the cards. "The chance of discharging the first round is 17%. Let's start."

Owls were their silent observers, mice their heedful audience. The moon-drenched trees cast a shadow on the faces of the utterly fearless players. Nobody wanted to lose the own pride and deepest concentration was maintained until the final move had been done. Anlen rose and when the disastrous shadow, thrown by crows who passed by, disappeared, Amaterasu could feel the cold steel of a barrel being pushed against his forehead, accompanied by a mischievous smile.
"I guess we can call this a checkmate", Anlen said, almost laughing like a madwoman who cornered the victim and was about to viscerate it. But to Anlen's disfavor, Amaterasu did not show any signs of acrimony. It was quite the opposite. He had the same smile on his face when starting the deadly game.
"I don't think so", he replied certain of victory, achieving a look of confusion in Anlen's eyes. "You cheated. Typical of a pirate."
Anlen did not understand how Amaterasu could show up the fraud. It had only happened to her once in a lifetime, decades ago, shortly after becoming a Noah. When she was thinking about it, the game then had proceeded exactly the same way. The pirate badly tried to remember the opponent's face but she failed, as if someone had erased some memories from her mind. When she wanted to demand an explanation, Amaterasu had already disappeared, being swallowed by the depths of the night. She would not see him again and already would have left the camp when the curtain that was covering old memories began to disappear.

[Djmewmew]

ACK. HOW DID I MISS THIS WAS POSTED? I SUCK SO MUCH. I'LL HAVE TO READ THIS TOMORROW. :x

I'll call Rosa and tell her to get moving, she just got back from camp on Sunday and prolly hasn't caught with anything yet.

[Raijatsu]

nya finally ^^
Great chapter magier-chan I really liked how you continued my idea and added Lione into the plot again!

Gosh I really had to reread some older parts to remember what was going on again XD

[Schwindelmagier]

Thanks for the comments, both of you. :3
Yeah, I assume I should review some older chapters, too. But I hope we can finally continue now.
I set the stepping stone, so now make use of it.