[ P R I V A T E no entering kthxbai ]

[penny pen pen]

`Paopu~Fruit` && penny pen pen
p r i v a t e

xxxx

[`Paopu~Fruit`]

Lenalee Lee

And there you stand opened h e a r t- opened doors,
full of life with the world that's wanting more.

It had happened on one terrible day. Everything seemed normal enough- the dark haired girl was goofing around with her friends, with her brother watching closely to make sure that none of them would lay a hand on her. Her, Lavi, and Allen hadn't had a mission in a while, and it was certainly nice to relax for a while. Though, all good things must come to an end, right? Kanda and Allen had gotten into a fight again, trying to see which one of them was stronger. Lenalee sat on the sidelines, biting the inside of her cheek nervously. She hated it when her friends fought- she didn't want them to hurt each other. Though, the red head had merely grabbed her hand, telling her it'd be alright. After all, it was always alright. Allen and Kanda would walk away, hurt but not broken and the girl would still continue to worry. This happened every time they were all together, it seemed.

The building seemed to shake, and her eyes grew wider. Allen had already known what was on her mind and grabbed her- the girl grabbing onto Lavi to urge him to come. Kanda, of course, following 'unwillingly'. The Science Department was giving their all, but there were too many Akuma of all sorts. Level ones, twos, threes, and sadly, even a few fours. And in the middle of all of that? There was the Millennium Earl. It truly was a devastating sight to see, but the Exorcists knew they had to at least try. Lenalee activated her dark boots, going after as many Akuma as she could. Although she was afraid that she could very easily die, just as she almost had when she lured the Level Three Akuma away from the boat, she had to save her friends, her home, and her brother. It all seemed to be a blur after that- that is, until she noticed her brother's cries for her. She turned her head, watching the building crumble in front of him. Komui had been begging her to come with- to get away. The girl simply smiled, shaking her head 'no'. She just had to convince herself she'd be fine- that everyone would be fine. Then, she was back after the Akuma. Another thing had caught the attention of the dark haired girl- the sounds of a large crash. Her eyes widened, seeing the white haired boy, covered in blood and falling towards the ground. Lenalee rushed to catch him, laying him down on the ground. Even with her best attempts, Allen wouldn't wake up. Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, and she just felt herself being yanked away.

"Allen!" She screamed, sitting up. A hand lifted, running her fingers through her hair. It was almost always the same- the Akuma, Allen, Komui- she didn't even know where the hell Kanda had run off to. Sometimes it was different- sometimes Allen would wake up, telling her she should have saved him. Sometimes Allen would turn into Komui- and sometimes, even Lavi or Kanda. Always, Lenalee was covered in blood that wasn't hers. The guilt consumed the girl, and it had even been a while since her and her red headed friend had been on the run. They were looking for other Exorcists that would possibly be able to help- trying to get to the other branches. It wasn't as easy as it seemed as the Akuma spread, trying to find the girl who was rumored to have The Heart. Her eyes moved towards the redhead, smiling lightly. At least they had gotten away, right? At least...a part of her world was still remaining. Her world wasn't completely full, and she knew it never would be- especially if she didn't find the one family member that hadn't been killed by the Akuma when she was just a small child. The girl hugged her knees to her chest, burying her face into her knees. She had even told Lavi a few times that she didn't think she should go on- that she should just give herself up while he ran, but he simply wouldn't have it. Lenalee had always valued her friends over herself, but it had never come this far. There were instances where she knew she could die, but she didn't. This time, she knew she would die if she went towards them- the only person left to save was the tall boy that had saved her life when Headquarters was attacked.

Lenalee lifted her head, looking towards the red head. They had stopped somewhere to rest for the night. They had gone days without sleeping since then, but it was always hard- especially since she couldn't sleep very well at all. If the Akuma did find them, she wouldn't have much of a choice if she did really want to fight. "Lavi...?" She said, slightly hoping that she had woken him up with her outburst. She wanted to talk- to just hear someone's voice. The girl needed to know that her world wasn't gone completely. Lenalee needed to know that she still had something to live for. Once again, her legs stretched in front of her, gripping her thighs in her flurry of emotions. She was angry, upset, depressed, furious, worried- it was nothing like she had ever, ever felt before. "I want to go home..." She said quietly, directing it towards herself. The dark haired girl they couldn't go home- they could never go home.

But I can see where the lights start to fade.
The day is done and your smile has gone a w a y .

May I be your shield?

[penny pen pen]

xxxx

EzraxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxLavi

the secret agent and the bookman

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

A month. Lavi counted the days; it had been a month since he and Lenalee had been on the run. A month since Lavi had to protect the extremely fragile teen. A month since he'd lost his best friend in the fire. The redhead had counted the days ever since he and Lenalee had managed to escape from both the Noah and the Akuma. Lavi had no idea whether the others were alright, and he hardly remembered that day, just for his own mental health. The only thing the bookman could remember were the screams of his comrades, and the laughs of the Earl. Just the sound made his blood boil, but Allen wouldn't let him take on the Earl; how like Allen.

Countless nights Lavi stayed awake, running on the bare minimum of sleep every day. Mainly because the redhead had to be on the lookout, to make sure no one took Lenalee while he was sleeping. Over the weeks, staying awake had become more of a necessity than sleeping. Even if Lenalee persisted, Lavi knew that he was far more stubborn than the girl, and he could probably last on little sleep much longer than she. Turning on his back, Lavi's green orb observed the starry night. The moon was glittering, as usual, though everything about the night appeared normal to the redhead. After all, it was the only thing to look at other than Lenalee sleeping, or the area around them.

Lavi sighed, sitting up, running a hand through his hair. I really need sleep... He thought to himself, almost dozing off, before snapping back. No...I have to...stay awake. Slowly, Lavi's thoughts slurred, and his vision faded into black as he fell back down, lulling into a peaceful slumber. Though, it seemed now a days, nothing that was peaceful lasted forever. Lenalee's scream broke Lavi's slumber. The redhead shot up, his eye seemingly bloodshot from lack of sleep. It was written all over his face, and body as well. A large, purple bag hung under his eye, and he was noticeably skinnier and paler. "What? Allen? What?" Lavi asked, wide awake now. Did Lenalee have another nightmare?

The bookman sighed, running a hand through his hair. If only the kid was still here... He thought, shaking his head. No matter in moping, though, right? Allen wouldn't have wanted it. Lavi knew that for sure. But still, the silver haired kid wouldn't leave his head. When Lavi slept, he came to him, and when Lavi was awake, the countless memories the two spent together ran through his head, like a sick, twisted film that was on repeat. "You alright?" Lavi asked after a few moments of silence, scooting over to the younger female, worried obvious on his otherwise tired features. "...I want to go home, too." Lavi said, looking back to the starry sky, not wanting to further worry the female by his condition. "But...we can't. We...we don't have a home anymore...this is our home. Well...for the moment." Lavi sighed, shaking his head. I could have helped. I could have saved him! Lavi gritted his teeth, turning away from Lenalee, "I'll keep you safe though, I promise." The redhead tried covering up the heavy amount of regret from losing his fallen friend, but his attempts seemed in vain, as Lavi couldn't completely cover it up.


Meanwhile, Ezra remained awake, in the Noah's humble abode. It had been a month since she'd managed to become one with the Noah, mainly to save her own tail, and to secretly help the Black Order, while pretending to help the Noah in return. All in all, the situation was very, very confusing to the newer exrosist, but she knew it had to be done. Especially after the brutal battle at the Black Order's castle. I wonder if anyone's up... Thought Ezra, sitting up from her bed and stood, pulling over a large sweatshirt, she assumed to be from Skin or Tyki, as it went passed her pajama shorts.

Yawning, Ezra stepped out of her room, wandering through the darkness of the Noah's residence. Truthfully, the place scared the s**t out of her, but it was that or dying by their hands, something she didn't want to experience. What time is it, even? She asked herself, running a hand through her jet black hair, rubbing her tired sky blue eyes. It felt odd, being the only real human in the Noah household, but she figured she'd get used to it over time. Rhode had already befriended her, and she felt herself growing close to her, despite her being an enemy.

Making her way into the living room, the short girl, standing at only 5'4", climbed into one of the chairs, staring into the fire that blazed calmly in the fireplace. At least this place is peaceful...somewhat... She thought, only doubting her words as she recalled when she first came here. Most of the Noah family freaked out that an exrosist was here, and if she remembered correctly, she was almost killed. The blackette still had scars from that day, but she chose to act as if they weren't there. Then again, had it not been for Tyki, one of the older members, Ezra probably would had been dead. After a few minutes of gazing into the crackling fire, the exrosist could feel her eyelids slowly dropping, until she was barely awake at all. She probably wouldn't even notice if someone came in and pushed her out of the chair-wait, scratch that. But she probably wouldn't notice if someone took her back to her room or something of the sort.

[`Paopu~Fruit`]

Rhode had kept him busy, to say the least. The girl hadn't found another person that could quite keep her interest such as the white haired Exorcist had. And he had to admit, that boy was interesting, to say the least. Really, with Rhode being this upset, he was starting to regret that they had killed Allen Walker at all. Sure, she had made friends with that girl who pleaded so help them, but it wasn't the same. Rhode didn't kiss anyone but the Earl. He had to wonder exactly what her intentions had been with the boy. The dark haired girl would cling to him, telling him that she needed someone to play with- that Allen really couldn't be dead. It wasn't fair, she'd say. Tyki could only act like the older brother he seemed to be to her, telling her it'd be alright and that she would have plenty of victims that catch her intention in the future. The boy thought it was almost as if the boy had broken up with her, and the girl was crying to her best friend. Though, finally Rhode fell asleep, giving Tyki his own sort of rest. The dark haired man let out a sigh, standing up from the 'younger' girl's bed and exiting her room. It had been a month, why couldn't she just forget? There was something strange that had gone on between them, and he really regretted them meeting if it kept him up late all of these nights. Unlike Rhode, he wasn't one to sleep in.

The tall man began walking to his room, yawning a little as he entered one of the main rooms in their 'estate'. Although Tyki did enjoy the life with his family, he did miss being able to train hop and play cards, cheating everyone out of their money. Humans were interesting to him, to say the least. They were...subjects that he wished to study, almost. Because of this, he was rather happy that he had saved that poor Exorcist who wanted to help them. Tyki could get his fix of the human world without ever leaving their estate. Well, except for finding that girl who was rumored to have The Heart. That stupid girl- they didn't even know if she had The Heart, but it wasn't like the Millennium Earl to ask questions first. If he thought someone had The Heart, he'd kill them with his own hands. This chase made it harder and harder for Tyki to enjoy the fact that he did have some human interaction. It was a scrawny girl and a boy with bright red hair- why was it so hard to find them?!

The boy sat in a large chair, looking towards the fire that was surprisingly still going. Though, he heard a small movement from his side, he saw that human he had saved. He had pitied her when she first came, she was surely going to die, and yet- she didn't fight back at all. Tyki couldn't help but remembering thinking that she was an idiot, that there must be something wrong with her. The black haired girl just pleaded, asking to help them. Unlike the other Noah(mainly Debitto and Jasdero who had a fun time 'playing' with her), he stepped up and made her case. A bit of a smile fell on his face, thinking he would have been a lawyer if he could really have a normal human life. They listened, saying she had a couple weeks, and if they suspected her of anything, the Millennium Earl would use her as bait for the dark haired girl on the run, and if that didn't work- he'd simply kill her. Although he didn't exactly want that, he knew he wouldn't be able to defy the large 'man'- they'd be looking for a new Noah that represented pleasure.

Tyki kept his yellow eyes locked on her, but eventually stood up and walked towards his room once more. He laid on his bed, wishing for sleep to come. But the fact that Ezra probably shouldn't be sleeping in the main room was tugging at his mind, and he sat up, groaning. He grabbed two blankets from his bed, walking back towards where he had seen the girl. The black haired girl was still there, sleeping on the chair. He couldn't help but think it must have been uncomfortable- but he was quite a bit taller than her. The boy couldn't help but notice she wore one of his sweatshirts- just something he had picked up while he was gambling with people. The boy laid the soft blanket on the girl, and sat back in the chair he had been in before. Tyki didn't want to try to move her, afraid she'd wake up, so he just attempted to curl up in his own chair, moving the blanket so that it might cover at least most of him. Though, it was uncomfortable, and the dark haired boy just couldn't sleep. Oh well, he thought, I'll just stay here until she wakes up, then. The man let out a yawn, moving his eyes to look at the fire.

Tyki Mikk

Well he never was the bestxxxxx
at following the trends.

[`Paopu~Fruit`]

Lenalee Lee

And there you stand opened h e a r t- opened doors,
full of life with the world that's wanting more.

The girl looked over towards Lavi, realizing he had been asleep. Her face turned bright red in embarrassment, looking away from the boy. He had slept even less than she had, and if he fell asleep, it'd be a good thing for the both of them. Lenalee wished her outburst hadn't woken him up, really, but she did like the fact that she was able to realize that someone was actually there. The girl smiled as she kept her face towards her outstretched legs- she had always tried to keep her smile, even in the worst of times. Although Lavi certainly hadn't seen much of it since Allen died, and Komui was suspected of being dead, she continued to try. At least then, things didn't seem as bad- she thought that just maybe, it would give her a little bit more energy to keep going. All the dark haired girl could do was hope that they could make a better tomorrow.

Her eyes moved back towards the redhead, still wishing she hadn't cried out like that as she woke up. Lavi looked tired- he always looked tired now. The junior Bookman had dropped his duty as, well, a Bookman in order for her to be safe. He could be safe if she was able to gather up the courage to leave him and run back towards Headquarters, or somehow get to Japan where the Noah had at least once resided. "I-I'm fine!" Lenalee said, smiling. "It was just another nightmare. It's alright." She continued, hoping that the more she said it, the more she'd believe it.

The girl looked back towards the grass, trying to imagine what Komui would be doing if he were alive. Well, she knew what he would be doing- he'd be doing his best to search for her. He wouldn't admit that she was dead until it he saw it. Then, the overly dramatic man would scream- or perhaps, this would actually be one of the few times he would be serious. Lenalee didn't really know, but she wished that if he were alive, he wasn't worrying about her. Her mind wandered towards the white haired boy, trying to figure out what he'd be doing as well. Though, she already came to the conclusion of what he'd be doing- he'd be running with them. Allen would have found them a long time ago- he always did. Every time his friends were in trouble, he was there to help. When the Earl almost killed her, the boy seemed to come out of no where and saved her. Lenalee bit the inside of her cheek, wishing she was oblivious to the whole thing, wishing she had perhaps been in the Asia Branch instead with Komui, Allen, Lavi, Kanda, Miranda, and Krory. Sure, it was selfish to think about everyone else being attacked while the people she loved remained untouched, but her friends were her everything. Now- she had possibly one person who was her everything- Lavi. The only other thing that could possibly keep her going would be the hope that her brother was alive.

Lenalee turned her head towards the boy once again, watching his face as he looked towards the stars. He was upset- she could tell. This wasn't only affecting her, and she knew it- she had always known it. He must have thought about the Bookman as much as she thought about her brother- he probably thought as much about Allen as she did. She wanted to ask him if he thought Komui or Panda were alive, but she didn't want to hear him lie and say he was sure of it. Her own eyes moved towards the sky, smiling to herself. They were the warriors of God, and now more than ever, she was angry at him. She had hated him, forgiven him, and now the only thing left in her body for him was hate. "I wonder where other survivors would go..." She said, pulling her knees to her chest once more. The female Exorcist wondered if they were all together, if the other branches had been attacked. Though, she knew the one that would most likely be okay would be the Asia Branch. Bak could change the shape of the building, and Fou was there the protect it as well.

Her chin rested on her knees, trying to pick out what she wanted to say, exactly. It was going to be hard to speak, she knew it. As long as he could, Lavi would continue to try to protect her, even if she didn't want it. "I'm sorry, Lavi." Lenalee started, biting her lower lip as she continued to try to figure out exactly what she wanted to say. "You...shouldn't have to protect me." The dark haired girl took a deep breath, continuing to look towards the stars, tracing them with her gaze. "No, not when I can be protecting you." Everyone seemed to know how highly she ranked her friends- even more so above herself. She had one left, and she'd rather him be safe then him dying while he tried to protect her. The Heart- what they thought she had, it was what they were after. At this point, she wished Hevlaska never gave her back her Innocence- that she was still just a normal person. But, even then, Lavi was trying to protect her. "Without me, you can be safe to find the others." Lenalee turned her head towards him, revealing a large smile on her face. He wouldn't go for it, but it was worth a try. She had to get her thoughts outside of her mind. Perhaps, eventually he would become too tired of trying to protect her and agree to it. She'd be happy, then. Lavi would be happy.

But I can see where the lights start to fade.
The day is done and your smile has gone a w a y .

May I be your shield?

[penny pen pen]

xxxx

EzraxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxLavi

the secret agent and the bookman

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Completely unaware of the Noah's presence, Ezra continued to sleep, albeit her sleep wasn't the most comfortable. Or peaceful, for that matter. Nightmares haunted her dreams, and the fear was obvious on her otherwise peaceful features. The black haired female saw both her mother and her father, and her two little sisters.

Ezra grew up in a rather peaceful little neighborhood, though Ezra was always the little troublemaker. It wasn't that she was a bad child, she just wanted to explore the world. She remembered telling her mother she'd be an adventurer that explored the world's deepest secrets, and then she would be famous for it. Her mother would always laugh, and tell little Ezra that she would help her every step of the way; wrong. The young child's mother left her and her family weeks later. For the next following months, Ezra's dad would remain in his room, getting drunk off of sake. Eventually Ezra and her now five year old sisters would get into all kinds of trouble, just to get their father's attention. Their deeds often ranged from fighting in school, or stealing from people off the streets.

After what Ezra thought was a year, her father came out of what he said was depression. He married a few months after that, and Ezra and her sisters enjoyed their step mother. She was nice, compassionate, and she taught the black haired child a lot about life, albeit the lessons were sometimes pessimistic. At first the sisters thought their mother was crazy, but over time Ezra realized that her step mother was simply being logical and she wanted to have Ezra realize that life wasn't always filled with sunshine and candy canes.

They all lived like a family until Ezra was about ten, when her entire family was attacked and killed by the akuma. The black haired child managed to escape. The thing that continuously reminds her of her struggle to get away is the scars around her neck and collar bone area. From then on she wore bandages, to both hide the scars and to heal the wound. Once on her own, Ezra ventured into the town, helping many of the local towns with playing the piano, sweeping, and helping people in the Inns. The little child did this until she was about twelve, when she was found by Cross Marian. At first Ezra was extremely cautious around the man, but she eventually warmed up to him, granted, Cross wasn't one of the nicest people.

But alas, Cross saw the potential in the small child and brought her back to the Black Order, where she was to be put to strict training. Hevlaska found innocence in, surprisingly enough, the bandages around her neck, and from then on, the bandages stood for something other than a shield. They were now a weapon. Training was terrible, her sleepless nights made it even worse, and then when she began training again, Ezra thought she was going to die. But it was both Cross and Lenalee that helped her through her times at the Black Order. Over time, the black haired teen grew close to Lenalee, considering Cross was rarely around. The female helped Ezra with many things, as well as controlling her Innocence. And for that, Ezra was grateful.

Eventually, Ezra began to feel as if she had a family. But that was, unfortunately, short lived, with the death of Allen Walker. Of course, this was years after her joining the Black Order, but Ezra found the white haired male like a friend, and she missed him dearly. And Ezra assumed Allen would hate her forever if he knew she simply threw herself at the feet of the Noah, fully aware that she would probably be dead within a few months; though the black haired woman's loyalty was with the Black Order, she would try and keep her secret hidden for as long as possible-and maybe, just maybe, she would be able to help her friends.

(But I digress, Ezra wasn't dreaming of her whole childhood the entire time.) Ezra soon awoke with a start, breathing was raspy and hard. Her memories of the akuma attack when she was just a child and the sight of her family was the only thing that ever plagued her mind to a point where she would freak out, and right now, the black haired female was hoping that no one was in the room, it wasn't that early, after all. Then again, Ezra wasn't exactly aware of the time. Sitting up, the teen ran a hand through her hair, looking down at blankets. I don't remember getting blankets? Puzzlement ran over her features, until she noticed a rather familiar character in the room. Tyki? Did he give me the blankets? Ezra wasn't too sure, but she knew the male wasn't comfortable. "...Tyki, you should sleep...in a bed, that's comfortable." She said bluntly, though quietly, as to not disturb the male should he actually be sleeping. But with the discomfort on his face, Ezra highly doubted it.


Lavi's worried features softened, if only a little. "Well...if you say so, Lenalee." He mumbled quietly, supressing a big yawn as he stretched his arms as well as his back. The redhead was shocked that he was even able to function. Truthfully, the redhead felt like a robot. A bit, fat, robot. Like the dance, only not as cool.

Standing up, Lavi hopped around, trying to make the deep sense of exhaustion leave his system, though the redhead knew that the feeling wouldn't leave him. It was like cancer without a doctor. He would eventually die from it, and he knew it. Unfortunately. It's as if I've become a pessimist over the times... He thought to himself, irritated more at himself than anything. Lavi knew that if he was around, Panda would kick his a**, right then and there for being such a sissy. Not sissy in the lacking strength area, but letting something get to him so badly. A bookman shouldn't care so much for people, Lavi would remember him saying. But the redhead couldn't help it. The male loved everyone like his family, granted, Lavi wasn't sure whether the strong word would be an exceptional one, but it was the only word his slow mind could thing of at the moment.

"They're probably like us, either on the run, or going to the Asia branch." Lavi replied, trying to be truthful, but it was obvious in his strained voice that he was trying to ease hopefulness in there somewhere, but it appeared to be useless. Lavi figured he'd be fine if he had some sleep, but he knew that that wouldn't be happening anytime soon. But wait, was he going crazy? Or was Lenalee seriously apologizing to him? "What?" Lavi asked, surprise easy to pick out from his voice. And, for the first time in ages, Lavi chuckled. Perhaps it was because Lavi's want to make Lenalee happier, or whether he was going crazy, but alas, it was a start. Sitting down next to the black haired female, Lavi smiled, "Lenalee, I'm not protecting you because I have to. I'm protecting you because I want to. There's a difference y'know." He replied, smiling. "After all, isn't that what friends do?"

Friends, it seemed like Lavi hadn't used that word in some time now, it was amazing that he still knew the definition and what a friend was. He thanked Lenalee and Allen for that, they showed him what he was missing, as a bookman. "Me? I don't need protection, Lenalee. I'm not the special one, here." He said softly, shaking his head. "If I die protecting you, then I'll know that I haven't lived my life in vain." Lavi stated, smiling. Sure, that was pretty damn corny, but it was how Lavi felt, and Lavi wasn't one for lying-most of the time. "Besides, imagine how Komui would react if he found out you died." Said the redhead, knowing well of Komui's little temper tantrums. They weren't pretty-Lavi couldn't even imagine how he would react if he said "well you see, I let Lenalee off on her own." Lavi sighed, cringing while shaking his head. "You should sleep, it'll be morning soon."[/b

[`Paopu~Fruit`]

The man was pretty uncomfortable, but made the best of it. He continued to try and try to find a position that worked, and when he thought he had it, it would slowly become painful on his neck or side. Though, after what seemed like forever, the tall Noah seemed to have found something that was...not exactly comfortable, but decent. Tyki's eyes remained on the fire, trying his best to become tired now that he had found something that didn't make him want to just leave the girl there and not even care if Debitto and Jasdero had decided that shooting an rogue Exorcist was more fun than...well, whatever they did. Tyki tried to stay out of the matters of the two insane brothers. Sure, they were his family, but that didn't mean he had to know everything they were doing all of the time. He seemed to only want to keep company with Rhode(which would normally cause him to hang out with Lero as well) and this new girl. Yep- Tyki was a ladies man. His eye lids fell, continuing to try to fall asleep. No, he wasn't just going to leave Ezra there- he wasn't that idiotic.

A familiar voice knocked him out of his half-asleep state, but not bothering to open his eyes. "So should you." He merely stated, opening his eyes to look at the human. "You shouldn't be sleeping out here, especially if Jasdevi may be around." Tyki stated- his eyes tracing the scars that were visible from the first day she had tried to join the Noah. No one had really wanted her there, but she didn't gave up. He knew that must have taken a lot for her to do- especially after they killed the infamous Allen Walker and left many for dead. After all, the humans without Innocence weren't going to get in their way- they were just people they could kill for fun. Though, if only they had known that they could have gotten to Lenalee so much easier if they had seen the similarity between her and a certain branch leader.

The man moved in the seat, turning so he was actually sitting in it- not just trying to curl up into a comfortable position. He blinked a couple times, trying to figure out exactly what the morning meant. Rhode, the Earl, probably more searching for that stupid Exorcist. Yeah- he could handle that. He'd had to go through more on less sleep- that's just how being a Noah tended to be sometimes. Sure, it wasn't the best way to live, but it got the job done. With the Millennium Earl wanted them to kill Allen Walker, by god- they went out and killed him, even though it took quite a while to find him. As soon as he returned on the mission, though, he was squashed like a bug. A bit of a frown fell on Tyki's mouth, remembering playing cards with the younger boy. "You probably need more rest- I'm sure we'll be looking for Lenalee more tomorrow." He said, running a hand through his hair. He was stressed, and it was probably rather obvious, but he wouldn't let it get to him. He couldn't understand why the death of that white haired kid was so...aggravating, to both him and the small female Noah.

The man's eyes looked into the fire, trying to play with theories about Allen in his head. Though, after a moment or two, he turned towards the young girl. Tyki let out a bit of a sigh, curious- about Allen, Lenalee, and even Ezra. "Did you know him? Allen, that is." He didn't know why it was so interesting to him, exactly, but he had to know. Was her head tossing and turning as much as his was?

Tyki Mikk

Well he never was the bestxxxxx
at following the trends.

[`Paopu~Fruit`]

Lenalee Lee

And there you stand opened h e a r t- opened doors,
full of life with the world that's wanting more.

Lenalee watched him stand up, worried that he wasn't going to get enough sleep. She didn't want Lavi to get sick or be too tired to do anything if the need arrived. The dark haired girl had been trying to get him to sleep all the time, but he insisted that she needed it more than he did. The girl stood up as well- and if he told her to go to sleep, she would simply refuse. After all, she had obviously woken him up, which meant that he truly did need it more than her. Lenalee could wait until the morning- she was sure she could. "Ah- Lavi. You should really try and sleep again. I don't want...anything to happen to you, especially if you're too tired." She didn't know if he could really understand how she could worry about him while her life was on the line, but she needed to worry about him. She thought it was obvious that she cared about her friends more than her own life, and that since he was the only person around to even think about worrying about, that's what she was going to do to keep her world balanced. Before, she had plenty of people to care about- people who she wanted to depend on her. The science division, Komui, Kanda, Allen, Lavi, Miranda, Krory. They had all been cheering for her, and she only felt like she had let everyone down. She wanted to grab onto Lavi- knowing he'd tell her that it wasn't her fault and everything was alright, but she wouldn't believe it herself. "Please, Lavi?"

Closing her eyes, the girl nodded. It was true, if they were alive, that they would probably be going to the Asia Branch, but there was no guarantee that they were alive at all. The girl let her head hang a little, trying to figure out exactly what she needed to do or say. She knew that she needed to do something, for the both of them. They needed hope, didn't they? Tears began forming in the corners of her eyes, but she tried to force them back. The girl lifted her head, smiling as brightly as she could- the tears obvious but refusing to fall down her face. "I'm sure that they're all there already!" Even if they were, Lenalee wondered if they'd be heading there. It was only after the attack that they had realized how much danger they put everyone else in. So many deaths had been their fault, and not just during that attack. Without Miranda, the people on the boat on their way to Japan had died as well- every single one of the crew. And yet, they seemed to be happy- just like she knew she would if Lavi would let her go out on her own. She could lure the Noah away from him, and he could go to the Asia branch, they wouldn't chase after him(unless of course, it turned out that he had The Heart).

She knew he wouldn't have let her go, but the chuckle she hadn't expected. Her eyes widened, almost as if she didn't know what it was like to hear his laugh anymore. The dark haired girl had missed it, she had to admit. Though, it didn't help the tears. They began falling down her face, thoughts continuing to run to her about how she couldn't let him do this, she had to protect him. Though, she just continued to look at him with shock, the tears running down her cheeks. Though, her face changed into a smile that wasn't to try to give reassurance- it was just because for a moment, she was happy to have heard him laugh. Though, Lenalee was brought back to Earth as he sat down next to her, and the tears continued to roll down her face- not sobbing nor expressionless. Her violet eyes moved towards the sky, trying to recollect her thoughts. She needed to be stronger now- she needed to not cry. "Bookmen aren't supposed to worry about people." She said, trying to distance Lavi in her mind. It would be easier that way, wouldn't it?

As he said he didn't need protection, the girl looked back towards him. She didn't know what to do or say really, but she knew she needed to do something. "I don't want to be the special one." Lenalee paused for a moment, trying to figure out what else to say. She could only keep coming back to the fact that she knew he couldn't possibly understand that he was the only thing left for her- and he couldn't die, and she couldn't go back home. "No, it's not 'special'. It's a curse. I'm the cursed one." She said, her voice getting lower. It was true- Lenalee felt like she was cursed. Her friends, Komui- she shouldn't be allowed to see them again. Lavi shouldn't be allowed to be around her. "If you die, I might as well die along with you." Of course, that was excluding the reality that if he died, she probably would be captured and killed, or whatever they intended to do with her. No- if he died, she would go willingly. The girl was thrust out of her thoughts, hearing the name of her brother. Komui- yes, he would probably try to kill him at first, but he'd eventually figure out that it was for him in the end. After all, she wondered if the Noah would figure out if she was related to him and try to use him against her.

The reality of her death was closing in more and more as the days had passed, but she had never felt so close to it as she did now. The dark haired girl would die either willingly or by force- depending on if the redhead had died as well. "I don't want to go to sleep. You should, I'll keep watch." Lenalee said, feeling empty. She wouldn't be able to see Komui again because they'd always be on the run. If Lavi let her go, they could both head to the Asia branch, and she could hug her brother goodbye. She could hug who ever might have found their way there and tell them goodbye. The science division, Komui, Bak. They were people she wanted to be able to see again, even if she knew it was for a last time. Lenalee could explain to them that this is the only way it could be- the same way she had to explain to her brother that she needed to try to reconnect with her Innocence. She'd be able to tell him she loved him, and that's why she had to do this- so that he'd be safe. Knowing him, even if she said it, he'd try to keep her there, which would put everyone in danger. She knew...that everyone would have to get her to leave the Asia Branch. "Don't you want to see everyone one last time?" She said quietly, unsure if Lavi would even hear her. It hadn't even been directed at him- she had meant it only for herself. She wouldn't let Lavi come with her if she was able to distract the Noah from her friends- her family.

(Totally thinking something has to happen with Lenalee soon. xD Either she's kidnapped by the Noah or she tries running to them. xD)

But I can see where the lights start to fade.
The day is done and your smile has gone a w a y .

May I be your shield?

[penny pen pen]

┎xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx┒

No reason for existence, to be or not to be...
It's just a scene of madness,
all the signs I was too blind to see.

back on wasted places, the end of time's been reached,

covered human faces, I can't get no sleep.

Like a force of nature, pain is flooding me...

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

┖xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx┚

Ezra sighed, waving a hand of dismissal, and sitting back down in the chair, crossing one leg over the other, while also crossing her arms across her chest, seeming unfazed when Tyki claimed she should sleep, as well. She was an exorcist, not a regular human. By definition, she was a person chosen by god to carry out his acts of, well, exorcising the demons from normal human beings. Ezra was never a normal child, Cross told her that early on. "I don't need sleep," Ezra stated simply, shaking her head. "I can still function with or without sleep, Tyki." Stated the black haired girl softly, shrugging. Glancing off to the fire, Ezra sighed, "Yes, that would be a bit of a problem, considering they'd kill me in my sleep if I was out here." It was rather funny, how much she was hated. At least, even though she was hated, it gave them something to do. Or plan for, at least. However, had Ezra been in their position, she'd probably want herself dead, too. She'd just have to consider it a miracle that she actually hadn't died.

It really had been a rather interesting few months, Ezra had to admit that much. First, Allen Walker was killed by the very people she was now currently living with. And on top of that, they'd almost killed her, as well. They could have, too, since she'd never actually activated her Innocence. A rather pale finger ran across the bandages that were held tight around her neck. Still, the wound the Akuma had given her was still sore, sometimes throbbing if touched. But that was probably what happened when someone almost got their head severed off. Even now, Ezra was still amazed she was alive; but, the sight of her family was what drove her on the most. Many people had told her to just forget about her family, but she couldn't bring herself to do so. The traumatic memory remained forever sketched into her mind, never to be erased, no matter now hard she tried. The sadness played onto Ezra's bright blue hues, widening and deepening in color. The tears that were shed so long ago replayed on her eyes, but the exorcist refused to let them fall, instead giving her eyes a more glossy look.

The velvet voice that belonged to Tyki brought Ezra out of her thoughts, however; the girl looked up to him, shrugging. "I'll probably try to rest, if only a little, later on." Her eyes returned to their normal, stoic look; it was obvious that the girl had a heart of stone. Running a hand through her hair, Ezra pushed herself out of the chair again, walking over to one of the glass windows, peering out into the brush of the hilly mountain top that surrounded their rather large estate. Her eyes followed the trees until they laid onto the white clouds that fluttered overhead, creating a rather peaceful setting. Peaceful, at the Noah's estate; Ezra snickered. How fitting, she thought to herself, lacing her fingers behind her back. The sun was just beginning to rise, making the black haired girl realize just how little sleep she had gotten, considering the only sleep she'd really gotten was from napping for how ever long, in the chair. ...Where would Lenalee and Lavi go? She asked herself, tilting her head to the side, remaining silent. Perhaps...the Asia branch? Ezra concluded, looking down to the wooden floors. Surely they would aim to go there, considering Bak's powers... Well, now the Noah would have a set location, find a path leading them to the Asian branch-they would probably find the duo on the way. "We won't need to look for long," Ezra said quietly, though never turned to face the Noah.

Turning to the side, Ezra walked ever so slowly, across the room, still facing the windows. The sun was still rising, only now the sky was painted with brilliant shades of purples, blues, greens and even some oranges. Leaning against the glass, Ezra simply watched the clouds roll bye, crossing her arms. There was silence between the two, though not for long. Ezra stiffened at the question, remaining silent before letting out a long sigh. Uncrossing her arms, Ezra tilted her head to look back at Tyki, "Allen...I knew him, yes." The exorcist replied, pushing away from the glass, gracefully crossing to stand in front of the fire, the colors flickering through her clear blue eyes. "Granted, I never talked to the boy much, but I still knew him." Ezra stated, shrugging, looking to Tyki once more, observing the man's facial expressions, before smirking slightly, gazing back to the fire, "...you feel bad for killing him, don't you?"

[penny pen pen]

just take a breath, I pull myself together.xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

s o m e t i m e s I wish I could s a v e you,
and there's so m a n y things I w a n t you to k n o w.
I w o n 't give up ' t i l l it's o v e r,
i f it takes f o r e v e r, I want y o u to know...

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I know why the caged bird sings

Lavi blinked, looking over to the girl standing in front of him, giving a tired smile, "Well...that makes two of us, then." Lavi straightened up, sighing. Looking up to the sky, the bookman noticed the sun rising, "No need, the sun is rising-we'll have to start moving, soon. Who knows when the Akuma will show up again." Stated the redhead, running a hand through his hair and yawning, I'm sure we'll reach the next town, soon... We need to start heading towards the Asia branch. He thought to himself, putting a hand on his hip and looking away. They'd probably be safer there than anywhere else. Fou could protect the large building, while Bak could change the appearance of the building. There, they could rest, and eat, amongst other things. After that, Lenalee could stay at the branch while Lavi searched for other people. Lenalee was the one they were after, and Lavi wouldn't let her death hang over his head for the rest of his life. Not after Allen...

The redhead glanced over to Lenalee, smiling. "I'm sorry, Lenalee..." He mumbled, knowing how much his refusal would hurt the younger female. Rubbing his tired eyes, Lavi had almost forgotten what it was like to sleep-to eat-to do anything other than run. That had become his life, now. Running; running until his legs could take no more. His legs had forgotten the feeling of rest, as he was always moving. His stomach had forgotten the taste of food-the only food it had seen for some time now were bits and scraps. Lavi generally gave the rest to Lenalee, claiming he didn't need it. As long as he had some energy in him, he could push on for miles, until his tank went empty and he nearly passed out. These episodes occurred more and more frequently, but Lavi pushed it off as if it was normal, albeit it was not. Closing his eyes, Lavi shook his head, "But...I need to stay awake." He said, opening his emerald hue, only to look at Lenalee with a serious expression, "Besides...I'm not even sleepy anymore." The redhead realized that his lie would be completely obvious, but he had to try and remain positive.

Lavi glanced at her, frowning slightly when he noticed the tears forming in the girl's eyes, though refusing to fall. Poor girl...she must be going through a lot...I have to be strong, He thought to himself, nodding, while straightening up. Listening to Lenalee, Lavi let out another quiet chuckle, looking out into the distance, "Yeah, maybe." He said, trying to keep a more positive sound to his voice. He knew that he'd be faking it, and it wouldn't be genuine, but it would fuel Lenalee to be positive-happier. A happy Lenalee was better; for Lavi's mental health, anyways. Blinking, Lavi noticed tears running down the face of the younger girl. Why is she crying? He asked himself, though didn't voice the question, instead, just wrapped his arm around her shoulders, in a sort of comforting hug, looking up to the sky. The sun had begun to rise, painting the sky in many colors. Lenalee's statement, albeit true, shocked him. Why would Lenalee, of all people, say this? Looking down at her, Lavi felt almost hurt by her words, but hid it behind his tired expression. Frowning, Lavi looked back to the sky, "I guess I'm not your ordinary bookman then, huh?"

"...you're not cursed Lenalee." Lavi said quietly, shaking his head, "You're very special, putting what the Earl thinks aside." The redhead nodded, sliding his arm off of Lenalee's shoulders, lacing his hands together, sighing. "You care so much about people, even about the people that sometimes don't deserve it," He said, shrugging, looking at her, trying to smile, "That's what makes you special; your generosity." Lifting up a hand, he wiped away the tears with his thumb, chuckling. "Don't let anyone or anything tell you different." But Lenalee surprised him again with her words. Lavi sighed, shaking his head. When will she get it? "Lenalee, I'm not going to die-nor will I allow you to die." He said, frowning, a serious expression replacing his once joking expression. "You have to go on, even if I were to die. If you die along with me, then everything I now stand for would be done in vain." He said quietly, running a hand through his hair.

"I'll sleep when we get to the next town, deal?" Lavi said, holding out his hand to shake hers. Lavi knew that Lenalee would probably agree, since he said he would actually sleep. Though, whether he would be able to sleep depended on whether Akuma or the Noah showed up. Lavi sincerely hoped that they didn't, though. Lavi knew his health was deteriorating from lack of sleep, water, and food. Eventually, he'd probably start hallucinating large tables filled with food or something of the sort. Blinking, Lavi looked at Lenalee, "...I see them, all the time." He said, more to himself than her. "Everyone's in my dreams, all my memories I've had. Both as a bookman and as an exorcist." Looking down, Lavi's head hung low as he laced his hands together, "They'll always be with me. In my heart, as well as my dreams." Though Lavi didn't notice it, a small tear ran down his face, landing on his fingers.

Whiping away at the annoying water that ran down his tired and dirt stained face, Lavi stood up. "The next town shouldn't be too far from here, we can eat and sleep there." He mumbled, though his voice slurred the more he spoke. His footwork was weakening, too. But Lavi didn't notice it as he said, "C'mon..." Starting off. But something broke. Lavi's vision turned black as he fell to the ground, eyes closed, passed out. As the sun rose over Lavi's unmoving body, it became more and more obvious as to how bad he was. His clothes were piratically hanging from his extremely skinny body, and his hair was matted with dirt and dry mud. His face was worst, scars decorated the tan boy's skin, as well as the now obvious tear stains against the mud. Lavi's physical appearance was so bad, he was sure to die if he didn't get to food soon.

[`Paopu~Fruit`]

Lenalee Lee

And there you stand opened h e a r t- opened doors,
full of life with the world that's wanting more.

The girl sighed, looking towards the boy. He wasn't going to stand for her not sleeping at all. It seemed no matter how hard she tried, she was the one to fall asleep, no matter how much she protested. The dark haired girl hated it more than anything- she wanted to be able to sit there and let him rest. He needed it more than she did at this point. It seemed like she had had plenty of time to sleep while they were on the run. She wanted to tell him that it'd be okay- that she could watch out for the Noah that were after her. "Lavi, you need it more than I do right now." Lenalee protested, Though, his comment about how it was turning into morning made her eyes widen a bit. She looked up, seeing the colors start to come back to the sky. "You can sleep, we don't have to go anywhere today. They won't find us, Lavi." She said, mainly trying to convince herself. Lenalee bit the inside of her cheek, knowing Lavi wouldn't agree with it. The redhead was too stubborn for his own good- it was obvious now. The dark haired girl sighed, listening to his apology. She hated him for how he tried to force everything upon her- sleep, food, water, even. It wasn't fair- he shouldn't be doing this because of her. He had his own life to worry about, it wasn't fair that he had to worry about hers. She could get by. "Lavi- you can't stay awake much longer! It's not good for you." She pleaded, hoping that it would eventually get through to him.

The laugh that had escaped her lips had given her just a small bit of hope. They could be happy- couldn't they? They could get through this, and none of them had to die. It was hard to believe, but it was also hard to believe that she had beaten the Level 3 Akuma on her own, which resulted in her hair burning off. It was hard to believe Lavi had opened up so much, despite what Panda had tried to stick. It was hard to believe that Allen had died. They could do the impossible- they had to do it. She listened to his awkward hopefulness, laughing a little to herself. Lenalee wanted to thank Lavi for chuckling- for showing some sort of sign that he could still show some emotion other than the pain and suffering they had gone through. Though, her voice just couldn't find the words. She smiled lightly as he wrapped his arms around her, trying to recollect her thoughts. After Lavi had responded, she felt terrible. She shouldn't have said something so terrible to her friend- the person that had dragged her away from Allen's dead body. It must have been really hard on him, and she knew she couldn't even begin to understand having the pressure of being both an Exorcist and a Bookman. Though, she had said it for the smallest possibility that he would listen to her- that he would let her go and she could let him be free of her- of the Noah.

"If I'm not cursed, then Allen shouldn't have died. They should have just taken me and been done with it." She said, refusing to let the tears fall down her cheeks once more. If you looked at her, it was obvious that it was hard for her to say it, but she tried to hide her pain for her friend through her self-hatred. "I'm not special, though. If the Black Order hadn't found me, Hevlaska wouldn't have put this Innocence inside of me. Komui would be free, and I would be just a normal teenage girl." She said, the tears falling once more. And I wouldn't have met Allen or Kanda...I wouldn't have met you. She thought, closing her eyes. Lenalee didn't want to tell him what she thought, because she didn't want to imagine her life without her friends. She wanted to be normal, but she wasn't sure if Lavi, Allen, and Kanda were more important than her need to not have Innocence inside of her body. Her violet eyes opened, staring at the red anklets that wouldn't come off of her feet. No, they're more important. A small smile fell on her face as her hand moved to play with the ring. If they weren't, she wouldn't have begged for Hevlaska to try to put her Innocence back in her body. She wouldn't have endured that pain all over again, and she would have just run away. The dark haired girl hated whatever sick God would let people die while his 'children' tried to figure out how to make weapons for him- it wasn't fair. She didn't know what type of God would let innocent people die just for him. It wasn't normal- it wasn't logical. Lenalee scoffed at the word 'generous'. If he had known what was going through her head- that she wished she had the ability to just be selfish, he wouldn't have said that. No, he would take it back instantly.

Lavi's voice changed and she could tell that she wasn't going to like what she heard. He stated he wasn't going to die, but she knew the reality of the likelihood of both of them dying. She wouldn't be able to get by without her redheaded friend. Lenalee didn't want to admit that he was right, she needed to at least try if he died. She would have been completely heartbroken, and she would have no one there- no one to tell her she wasn't going to die. No one to try to make her sleep while he got none. There wouldn't be anyone to stay strong, no matter what happened. No one would lie to her and tell her that it was all going to be okay, and that everyone else was safe and sound- that Komui, Kanda, Miranda, and Krory were safe. The only thing Lenalee could try to do was attempt to go on, even if it only worked for an hour or so. If she was killed then, maybe he'd forgive her in whatever heaven may await them. The dark haired girl turned her head to look at Lavi, blinking a couple times. She tried to imagine what it'd be like without him here, without him telling her to go on. "Lavi..." She said, trying to figure out exactly what she was trying to say. She almost looked like she was in shock, but her face softened after a moment. Shaking her head, Lenalee's mouth curled into a small smile. "Nevermind. It's not important."

Lenalee smiled, listening to his proposition. She moved her hand to shake his, glad that he agreed to it. She wouldn't let him try to wiggle his way out of it, either. Even if he claimed he needed to look out for Akuma, she wouldn't let him. After all, the redhead had made a deal. The girl smiled, listening to him talk about the people being in his dreams. It didn't register at first that he hadn't slept in days- that he hadn't been able to dream. He wouldn't have been able to see them all the time like he said. Well, she didn't realize it until it was too late. The girl watched him stand up, and it popped into her head. "You don't slee-" But the boy had fallen to the ground. The dark haired girl's eyes widened, moving to lean over him. "Lavi!" She screamed, shaking him with one hand. The tears once again filled her eyes, and her jaw fell down. She couldn't have him die- not now. Lenalee gulped, watching a tear fall onto his face. "You can't die! Not now, Lavi!" She screamed, resting her head on his chest. She had to think of something and quick. She didn't know how she'd be able to get him help as quickly as she could.

Lifting her head slightly, the girl looked down towards the red anklets. She didn't know if it'd work, but she'd have to try it. He would have tried using his Innocence for her, right? Lenalee took a deep breath, moving her body so that she could let her lips press against his forehead. "Don't worry Lavi, this time, I'll protect you." She said, resting her body on one knee and her head laying on the other. Lenalee didn't even know if her Innocence would activate with the small amount of energy she had. She'd have to keep trying, though. The girl concentrated, but nothing was happening. Her fears about not being able to sync up with her Innocence was becoming more and more real. Clenching her eyes closed as tight as she could, she had to beg. Like she had begged to get her Innocence back in her body, she would beg for it to help her save her friend. "Please, help me save him." She whispered, but it wouldn't work. Lenalee lifted her head, turning towards Lavi. The girl clenched her fists tightly, determined. "Please!" She screamed. The girl smiled, watching her heels turn into a pair of dark red boots with a butterfly on the heel. She had to hurry before her Innocence drained her energy completely.

Lenalee moved towards him, trying to position him on her back well enough so he wouldn't fall off. Giving him a piggy back ride wasn't exactly the hardest thing to do- not like she would have thought. He certainly had lost a lot of weight, and she didn't blame him for passing out. She needed him to wake up, though. She needed to hear his voice again. The last thing she really heard him say couldn't be that he wasn't going to die. The dark haired girl stood up, looking in the direction they were heading before they had decided to stop and sleep. The girl activated her Sound Shackles- the simplest power her Innocence gave her. It allowed her to move the speed of sound, but she hoped that it would be fast enough. The girl began running, holding onto Lavi's legs for dear life. If he fell off of her back, she'd have more to worry about than him dying because of lack of nutrients, she'd have to worry that he'd break his bones. The girl ran as quickly as she could, feeling his chest rise and fall on her back. As long as she paid attention to that, Lenalee knew she could keep going. As soon as the town fell into view, she came to a stop. She was grateful for her Crystal Type Dark Boots. Before, they were heavy and hard to work with, but now they acted according to how she felt. Lenalee fell to her knees, Lavi falling off of her back. She felt weak- the Innocence having drained the hour or two of sleep she had had that night. "Help!" She screamed before crawling so she could lean over her friend.

A few people walked out of their homes, half asleep and not expecting to see a girl sobbing as she clung onto a boy. "Please help me!" They heard her scream, suddenly realizing what was going on. A few people hurried towards them, others running into homes to wake other people up. They grabbed Lavi, and urged her to come along, but she couldn't stand up. Her Dark Boots and the lack of energy had made it so she could barely even try to stand up. Someone picked her up, following after the people who picked up Lavi. She hoped that he'd be alright- he had to be alright. They put them in a place that seemed to be like a doctors office, placing Lavi in a bed next to her own, but Lenalee protested. She wanted to be next to Lavi- she wanted to be able to make sure he was alive- that he was going to be alright. The people in the town refused, telling her they had to put him up to an IV. Though, after about an hour, she stumbled over to his bed, laying down next to him, afraid for his life. Feeling him breath left a smile on her face as her vision began to blur, and she fell asleep.

But I can see where the lights start to fade.
The day is done and your smile has gone a w a y .

May I be your shield?

[`Paopu~Fruit`]

A small laugh escaped his lips, listening to the young Exorcist as she spoke about not needing to sleep. The currently gray skinned man put his elbow on the arm rest, letting his chin fall on his hand. Ezra was telling him he needed sleep, and yet she denied the fact that she- a human, needed sleep? He just found it amusing. Weren't humans supposed to be the weaker of the two, anyway? Well, at least when it came to things such as needing sleep. After all, they had destroyed the infamous Allen Walker- the Exorcists couldn't be too strong, could they? Though, perhaps that girl that was rumored to have The Heart. He bit the inside of his cheek, hating the fact that they were chasing a rumor. Though, besides Allen Walker, she had the only Innocence that had protected her on her own free will. That had intrigued the Earl. Closing his eyes, a smile fell on his lips. "I don't need sleep." He merely said, wondering if she'd realize how contradicting her statement had been. If she could function without sleep- so could he. He was a Noah, after all- sometimes the Earl would demand they go on and find someone before they could ever imagine being able to sleep. "At least they probably don't hate you." He said, opening his eyes once more. He knew that if they really did hate the girl, she would probably have been dead long ago. After all, they were more than capable of getting into her room and shooting her in her sleep, they just didn't. Or perhaps it was the mere fact that they acted like teenage boys- and in that sense, they loved their sleep as well. Tyki didn't know, but he knew she wasn't going to die anytime soon.

Tyki's eyes scanned the girl, watching her run her fingers lightly over the bandages. They had been there since before she attempted to join the Noah, which resulted in her almost dying. And although he never asked, the man had always wondered. He couldn't just figure out what she was hiding, but he didn't want to ask. Not because he thought it would be rude, but it would be more fun to find out for himself. Like the brothers, he also indulged himself in his own bit of fun, though it didn't involve torturing people. He liked to cheat them, watch them squirm, or more simply, just try to analyze them without their consent, making them feel uncomfortable. Sometimes it wasn't even his intentions, but it did amuse Tyki. Though, the man was a bit shocked, seeing her eyes change from normal to having a glossy overlay. He sincerely hoped this girl wasn't going to cry- after all, he had Rhode to try to comfort as well. Even if the younger looking girl didn't cry, it was still a pain to try to stop her from throwing a temper tantrum that could quite possibly cause the end of the world.

The man scoffed, listening to her talk about how she would get rest later. He knew how early it was getting, after all, he had been awake all night. The man didn't even need to look out the window to know the sun was probably about to start rising, meaning they would be off once more to look for the Exorcist that he currently hated more than anything. "When do you suppose later will be?" He said, moving to look at her as she found her way to the window. He had been right- the sky was starting to gain it's colors once more. Tyki then noticed the girl once more, realizing that she was probably once more deep in thought. He wondered what this girl thought about- was it the Black Order? How she betrayed them? He assumed that was the reason, and had even wondered her intentions at times, though he'd never admit it. She seemed to like it there well enough, and he wouldn't object to her being there. After all, if he did, he was sure she wouldn't be alive much longer after that, considering he was the reason she was alive. Though, hearing her voice knocked the reality that she was indeed there back into his mind. He hadn't exactly heard what she said, but he could fill in the blanks with what he had heard. "Do you have an idea as to where they might be hiding?" He asked, wondering if she had known this for a while. If she had, it was quite possible that Lenalee and that redhead could have already come and gone.

After Tyki's question, his yellow eyes stayed on the girl, trying to figure out her reaction. Though, she didn't need to speak for him to know the answer. The fact that she had closed up like she did- just tightened her whole body was proof enough. Then there it came- the sigh that would be her admitting that she had known him. He had gotten this down from playing cards with people. When they realized they were going to be cheated out of everything- even their own clothes, they stiffened up and did the same type of sigh. "He must have left a large impact on you, though." He said, keeping his eyes locked on her. Though, as her voice drifted to his ears once more, it was his own turn to stiffen up. Though, he thought it over in his head, trying to come to a calm decision- realizing that lying would be best. After all, if anyone had heard him state that although he didn't have nearly as much fun as Rhode, he still found it rather fun to torture the white haired boy by playing with his friends- or even just a good game of cards. "No. I don't regret killing Allen, though I do wish Rhode would stop claiming she's heartbroken and will never love again." He said, smirking. Sure- it wasn't all true, but it wasn't all a lie, either. He was sure that Ezra had heard the other girl's rants about how she wanted to continue playing with Allen and that they were too cold hearted for killing her 'beloved' Allen.

A change of subject was called for, he thought. Yes, a change of subject would be very nice. His eyes scanned her face, watching the reflection of the fire dance upon it. Tyki could easily change the subject to turn towards the dark haired girl, couldn't he? Wouldn't that get her to stop questioning how he felt about killing Allen? It was worth a try. "Those bandages- they're not from us." He started, lifting his chin from his hand and cocking his head a bit towards the side. "How did you get them?" He asked, trying to come up with as many questions in his head as possible. Though, he couldn't really think of many. After all, he had only known this girl for a month, and he had asked her all the impersonal questions he had needed to before that night. A bit of a smirk fell on his face, even though the question hadn't been directed at her. "Lenalee- she's like Allen, isn't she? She cares for her friends more than anything, right?" Tyki started, standing up from his own chair to stand a foot or so behind the girl. "Is there anything we should know that would help us?"

Tyki Mikk

Well he never was the bestxxxxx
at following the trends.

[penny pen pen]

┎xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx┒

No reason for existence, to be or not to be...
It's just a scene of madness,
all the signs I was too blind to see.

back on wasted places, the end of time's been reached,

covered human faces, I can't get no sleep.

Like a force of nature, pain is flooding me...

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

┖xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx┚

Ezra blinked, figuring that the Noah probably wouldn't listen to her no matter what she said. Running a hand through her hair, she crossed her arms, staring up to the ceiling, then looking back to the brunette haired man as he spoke again, "...Indeed. I think I would most definitely be dead if that was the case." She said, more so to herself than Tyki, shrugging off the thought. Though, she was sure that if the Noah didn't kill her, one of the members of the Black Order would kill her. After all, almost none of the members knew why she was joining with the Noah. If her hunches was correct, all of the Exorcists were told to kill her if she was seen. Great... Ezra sighed, shaking her head, gazing out to the window. She was sure Malcom C. Rouvelier was already forming an army to either kill her, or the Noah. And, unfortunately, she was growing close to some members of the Noah clan. This...could end badly. Considering her fierce loyalty to those she actually cared about. Ezra mentally cursed herself for having such loyalty.

"At night, silly." Ezra replied, chuckling softly, looking down at the ground; they would probably begin to search for Lenalee. Good thing Ezra had already had an idea as to where they would be. And knowing Lavi, he would be in such a weak state, that it would be easy to overpower the duo. After all these weeks, it still amazed Ezra that she could go along with helping the enemy with finding her friends. The female Exorcists had always been good friends, mainly because of their similar pasts and deep hatred for Rouvelier. Ezra remembered always trying to stand up for Lenalee, and almost used her Innocence against him once (when she was little she had anger issues.) That would always end in either being hit or being yelled at and locked in her room for days on end. The Exorcist knew that if the Noah didn't kill Rouvelier, she would do it herself. Clenching a fist, Ezra let out a sigh, calming herself down, as she turned back to Tyki. "Hm? Oh, they're probably heading towards the Asian Branch; that's the only place I see them going." She stated, shrugging, placing her hands on her hips, "Though I imagine they'll make stops in between the Black Order and the Asian Branch, for rest and food."

"He did," Ezra said, a bit irritated with herself for feeling such emotions. Ever since the death of her parents, she'd sworn to herself to not feel remorse for people around her; to be an emotionless...robot, as Komui said before. "Unfortunately, but eventually it'll be as if it never happened." Sure, Ezra was probably seeming cold, but being cold sometimes got people places in life; if someone was too nice-well-that would just severely suck for them. Ezra looked just in time to see Tyki tense up, and automatically knew one thing- He's lying. But the black haired woman could understand why the Noah wouldn't want to tell her; after all, she was just an Exorcist, someone he could kill with the snap of fingers. Someone he probably didn't care about-she was more likely than not, just a pawn to him and the other members of the Noah clan. "Poor Rhode...I'm sure she'll get over it...perhaps." Ezra said, though sounding a bit unsure of herself; Ezra had never "loved," so she could never sympathize with those whom had lost loved ones, but she could always try, right?

It was silent for a few moments, before Tyki broke it. Pain circulated throughout her neck, causing the girl to flinch ever so slightly, "When I was little, my parents were brutally murdered by Level 2 Akuma," She stated, looking back over to Tyki, her face appearing to be emotionless at the subject, "Obviously, I'm still alive, though barely, I ran away before I could die as well." Said Ezra shrugging. Lacing her hands behind her back, it didn't seem to effect her when Tyki stood a foot or so behind her. If he was trying to be creepy, he was failing miserably at doing so. "Yeah, she is." Ezra said, frowning, It's a rather large weakness. Stupid girl. She thought bitterly; though the girl wasn't bitter because she hated the girl, mainly because anyone could use her friends against her and then she would break. "Well, you just said her biggest weakness, Tyki." Replied the Exorcist, smirking, though refused to break her eyes away from the fire. "Hurting Lenalee's friends will ultimately hurt the girl, herself. If you have one of her friends-you could easily lure the girl straight to you." Ezra replied, shrugging.

Now she was beginning to wonder her true colors. Ezra knew that none of the other Exorcists would ever give the Noah information, even when threatened with death. Now Ezra could, and would understand, if the Black Order or Exorcists tried to kill her. However, unfortunately for them, Ezra was a rather powerful Exorcist, believe it or not. The black haired girl simply chuckled at the thought, figuring that if it truthfully came down to it, she may actually help the Noah. After all, they were nicer to her in her first days than anyone at the Black Order ever was. It was like she was stuck in a rock and a hard place. If she betrayed the Black Order, which she did, she would be sentenced to death. And if she betrayed the Noah, she would die. Either way, it seemed like death was at her door, lovely.

[`Paopu~Fruit`]

The Asia Branch? Yes- there was some stuff that the Noah had on that place. It had been facilitated by the Chan family for generations- the current person being Bak Chan. Along with that, there was a girl who was almost the personified version of the building- a girl that would get herself killed if it meant that the people inside were safe- as long as the people inside were still being looked after by Bak. The dark skinned man nodded to himself, coming to the conclusion that the other girl's theory was reasonable enough that they could more than likely go off of it. He bit the inside of his cheek, hoping that they would finally have the little girl with The Heart. He had stopped listening almost completely after that, not taking in the fact that she was talking about Rhode's affections for the deceased white haired boy.

Though, hearing her speak about the Akuma that killed her parents made him snap out of it. His yellow eyes moved away from the girl, gazing at the window behind them. It really was starting to get bright, and he wasn't exactly happy about it. He was tired, but he could function well enough. He'd be able to kill the dark haired girl if he had to. "Sad." He merely said, knowing Ezra may very well take it as sarcasm. He didn't mean for it to come that way, but it just did. He moved back towards the window, peering around at the scenery before responding. "Hm. I half expected for her to have something closer to her." He said, not realizing how deeply Lenalee cared for her friends.

Platforms could be heard walking down the hall, a girl with pale skin with a red lollipop in her mouth and an umbrella in the other hand. A smile appeared on her mouth, hearing the voices of both the Exorcist and the person she loved to play with. The small girl moved into the room that was occupied by the two, leaning on the door frame. Rhode had her human appearance on, despite the fact that most of the Noah would ridicule her. Though, she did have to admit that she truly did hate that the boy she claimed to had fallen in love with had been killed. She wasn't entirely sure if that's what she had truly felt, but the oldest Noah knew that there was something different about that Exorcist. "Rhoooode! Why are you taking me Lero?!" The umbrella cried, breaking the silence of the room. The girl with spikey hair smiled, tightening her grip on Lero before skipping over towards Tyki.

"Tyki~ The Earl says it's time to go and find Lenalee! Can I be paired up with you?" She pleaded, hanging onto him by wrapping her arms around his neck. Though, the Noah of pleasure had other ideas. After he had heard about Ezra's plan, he was determined to go along with her. After all, her Anti-Akuma weapon couldn't attack a human and he wanted to figure out exactly what was with her. "I'm sorry but I already promised Ezra that I'd go with her." The small girl whined, pretending to cry into his shoulder. Though, the boy wrapped his arms around the girl, picking her up in a tight hug. "I'm sure Lulubell isn't going with anyone yet. Maybe you should ask her?" He said, watching the girl move to the ground. She whined, pulling the sucker from her mouth and pouting. The man patted her on the head, trying to get her to go away. He loved her, but it seemed that the Earl had wanted them to go in smaller groups to cover more areas. The girl spun on her heels, stomping out of the room.

"Shall we?" He asked, looking towards the black haired girl. Once she accepted- they were on their way in the direction of the Asia Branch, checking as many of the towns as they could. It was hard, he had to admit. After all, they were looking for a needle in a haystack. Well, two needles in a haystack. It seemed like they had gone to a million towns before they even had been told that they had seen someone with the description that they had given them. And finally, they were in the small town that the redhead and black haired girl had arrived in many hours before. In his human form, him and Ezra walked towards a person who resided in the town, asking where their 'friends' were. Of course he didn't realize that Ezra had really been friends with the two of them- if he had, he may not have used that excuse for looking for them. He might have said that they had broken a law of some sort, but it was alright.

He looked towards Ezra, a bit of a smile falling on his face. He opened the door for the girl, walking in behind her. There they were- the black haired girl sleeping next to the redhead. He was going to grab Lenalee, but he turned towards Ezra. She had stated that her friends were her everything- meaning that it would hurt her more if they decided to take the boy instead. "Shall we?" He whispered. Waiting for the okay, he grabbed Lavi and picked him up bridal style. Though, violet eyes flickered open, trying to figure out what was going on. And with that- Tyki, Ezra, and the boy they had decided to kidnap were leaving.

As soon as Lenalee realized what was going on, she had already laid her eyes on the three. First- there was Lavi- her world. Then, there was Tyki, a man who had killed tried to kill her more than once. And the black haired girl- a familiar face that she had seen before in her dreams of the Black Order coming into ruin- a girl she had assumed had run to the Asia Branch. Her eyes widened, watching them leave with him. She sat up, begging her body to react to her Anti-Akuma weapon, but it wouldn't activate. She could feel the tears stinging at her eyes, falling onto her legs. The dark haired girl begged for her boots to activate, but they refused. She didn't know what to do. Her friend had switched sides, and the person she had spent most of her time in the Black Order with was being kidnapped. She couldn't chase after them without her boots. Without her boots, Lenalee was helpless.

Tyki Mikk

Well he never was the bestxxxxx
at following the trends.

[penny pen pen]

┎xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx┒

No reason for existence, to be or not to be...
It's just a scene of madness,
all the signs I was too blind to see.

back on wasted places, the end of time's been reached,

covered human faces, I can't get no sleep.

Like a force of nature, pain is flooding me...

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

┖xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx┚

"Not really," Replied Ezra, shrugging. It's not like I was very old to remember much, anyways. She thought to herself, shaking her head. "The only thing Lenalee holds closer to her friends is her brother, Komui." She stated, "However, I'm unsure as to whether the man's actually alive or not." Ezra said to herself, looking up to the ceiling with seemingly bored eyes. She wanted to get out, to move, to fight. But of course, they'd actually have to find the pair before anything could happen. Sad. She thought to herself, shaking her head.

Blinking, Ezra looked down to the older female Noah as she made her way into the room, only saying a quiet "Good morning Rhode" as she made her way over to Tyki. Figuring she should actually get out of her night clothes and into something more presentable, Ezra quickly made her way to her room, closing the door silently as she pulled off the sweater and her pajamas. Pulling on black shorts, Ezra then put on a black tuxedo top, and then slipped into her 'moon armor,' otherwise known as her anti-akuma weapon, which she'd never actually shown to anyone in the Noah clam, a rather unfortunate thing for them, or something.

Walking back into the living area, Ezra was passed by Rhode, though the air she gave off suggested that Tyki did not wish to go on the mission with her. Looking at him, she gave him a somewhat confused look when he asked her if she was ready. Of course, Ezra nodded her head, but the girl was still quite confused at her current situation.

Reaching the current town, Ezra looked around, waiting for a normal civilian to come her way. Once spotted, she walked up to him, pulling on a nice smile, "Excuse me sir, may I inquire if you've seen a girl about yeigh (sp?) high, with long black hair and a male about yeigh high with spikey red hair and an eyepatch?" She asked, tilting her head to the side, batting her eyelashes as she laced her fingers behind her back, waiting patiently for the man to answer while Tyki stood silently behind her. The man nodded, appearing to recognize her simple description, stating that he had passed out last night when they reached town, and was currently stationed in one of the nearby hotels. Smiling, Ezra nodded a thank you, before turning serious again and motioning Tyki to follow her.

Two two made their way into the hotel, and Ezra once again smiled kindly and told the receptionist that they were friends of the pair and wanted to see them since they'd been out of town for some time now. It was at times like these where the female was thankful that she could lie through her teeth so easily. Once they had their destination, the pair walked up to their room, Ezra seeming calm and collected, like always. The Exorcist remembered many people saying she was a distant cousin of Kanda, simply because of their personalities. But she just laughed it off while Kanda sat there, mumbling obscenities, like always. Quietly making her way into the room, Ezra nodded a thank you to Tyki, and looked over to the two Exorcists that slept soundly. It was really amazing that they actually survived such an attack; then again, it was also surprising she survived a level two attack when she was only about six. Turning to face Tyki, Ezra nodded, walking over to Lavi, shaking her head. Bad Lavi, letting your guard down. She thought.

Snickering, Ezra only made one glance towards Lenalee, whom had a rather mortified expression, before turning back to Tyki and following him out. Lavi, completely unaware of anything that was going on, simply lay lifeless in Tyki's arms, a complete and total sitting duck, as the saying went. I'm sure the Earl will be happy... Ezra thought to herself, shrugging the thought off, and the two walked out of the Hotel with no trouble at all. Today, indeed, seemed like it was going to be a good day. So long as no one tried to attack them, she was fine. Though, Karma had other ideas. As the pair were out of the hotel, something caught Ezra's attention. It sounded more like the cocking of a gun. Stopping, Ezra turned, only to have a gun from none other than an Akuma in her face. Well...this is lovely. She thought to herself, however, not wanting to kill the Akuma, considering the side she was now currently on.

"I'd be thankful if you told them to not kill me, Tyki." Ezra mumbled after a few moments of staring down the feeble Level one. He wouldn't put up much of a fight, anyways.