Something tells me this won't end well…

But anyways...

Just… a bit… more…

-o0o-

Blood in the Water

-o0o-

There was blood.

Blood in the water.

Bodies in the water.

He was running in the water, stumbling along the way, struggling to keep going.

He was exhausted and dizzy and bleeding, but his work was far from done. No, it had scarcely even begun.

"Dammit!"

He continued to swear and curse, pausing only briefly to look over his shoulder where Krory stood tall, weakened by blood loss, but no less ferocious. For a brief moment, he felt fear, uncertain that Krory even recognised him in his current state. If he was attacked, then he could only do so much after all, because‒

Unable to see much alternative, he hauled Timothy's prone body from the shallows, praying to any deities that might be listening that he did not cause further injury to an already broken back. "Dammit, Tim…"

Timothy wasn't even that tall, yet Narain still struggled under his weight as he dragged him towards the shore, much too aware of how each step jarred them both. "Tim, if you die on me now, then I swear I'll‒"

-o0o-

"Narain?"

Blinking awake, Narain was momentarily confused by their surroundings. They were hiding out in a warehouse of some sort, and going by the eyes currently on him, he must have nodded off on his own. "Sorry, you lost me there for a sec."

Going by their expressions, it had been more than just a couple of seconds. "Are you okay, Narain?" Lenalee asked, her concern perfectly evident. "You don't look so good."

Well, he did not exactly feel very well either, but all things considered‒ "I'm fine. Just a bit tired, that's all."

They all were, albeit some more than others. Then again, considering the situation at hand, it would have been stranger for them not to be tired ‒ physically, mentally or both. Considering everything, Narain was honestly surprised that there weren't more exorcists snapping from the pressure. Of course, the current situation was obviously far extremer than what the exorcists usually dealt with, so maybe it was only a question of time. Then again‒

Narain startled violently as someone ‒ Lavi, the Bookman Apprentice ‒ decided to take matters into their own hands. In this particular case, 'matters' happened to be Narain's wrist, or more specifically the bracelet wrapped snugly around it. "It could be an unknown effect of Crystal Type Innocence," the redhead muttered, mostly to himself.

Tired or not, Narain quirked an eyebrow at that. Going by the expressions he caught out of the corner of his eye, he wasn't the only one. "Crystal what now?" Timothy spat, suddenly so very close. To Narain, he seemed both angry and concerned, which was interesting, because last thing Narain recalled, Tim was still awfully pissed out about‒

"An unknown side effect?" Narain repeated, because really. "I'm tired because I'm slightly anaemic and because I'm still coping with this whole Innocence Accommodator thing. It puts a shitload of strain on the human body, and I haven't exactly had a lot of time to adjust."

Because it did fit, more or less. Of course, Narain hadn't exactly broadcasted his symptoms to the world. As such, his recent confession was met with no slight amount of surprise and disapproval.

Then the apprentice moved aside to make room for his master. The small lantern was also brought closer. Though mildly annoyed, Narain subjected himself to the impromptu examination, if only to put their minds at ease. After all, Narain knew that he wasn't seriously anaemic. He hadn't lost a lot of blood after all, and he hadn't even activated his Innocence more than maybe a dozen times, and only twice in battle. It was entirely possible that he might have been pushing his luck with that. Then again, Narain had reasoned that some experience was better than none, and unlike Krory, he wasn't a natural at fighting, and he lacked the years of training Timothy had. Narain might have been pushing his luck, but being of some use was better than being of no use, right?

"I'm fine, really."

Bookman let out a slight snort at that, but said nothing.

Feeling eyes upon him, Narain smiled.

-o0o-

Lavi felt like an idiot, especially afterwards, when they were back on the road, advancing on Edo. Even knowing what lay ahead of them, he could not help but feel just a tad distracted by it all, more specifically by the trio moving just behind them.

Timothy Hearst.

Arystar Krory III.

Narayana Agni.

Timothy Hearst, teenager, French. Likely Parisian, judging by the accent. Accommodator of a parasitic Innocence, allegedly ingested orally and through force.

Arystar Krory, late twenties, Romanian. Likely a noble of some sort. Accommodator of a parasitic Innocence, allegedly through being bitten by a carnivorous plant.

Narayana Agni, allegedly sixteen years of age, Indian. Medical student. Accommodator of an allegedly parasitic Innocence, allegedly ingested orally and willingly roughly two weeks prior.

And, last but not least, the missing 'Allen', Timothy's little brother, another accommodator of a parasitic Innocence, kidnapped by some Noah called Tyki Mikk.

All of them were very curious on their own, but no less curious as a group. Timothy Hearst was standoffish and obviously prone to keeping secrets, as was to be expected from an apprentice of Cross Marian. Arystar Krory meanwhile seemed content not to know all the details, and Narain, well, where was one supposed to start on that guy? He was social and volunteered some information, all while being decidedly tight-lipped about other things. He also seemed quite clever, both in general and when it came to people; Timothy Hearst would rather have avoided them altogether and Arystar Krory would likely have followed Timothy. Narain meanwhile seemed decidedly keen on building bridges between their group and the Cross Retrieval Unit, even if it meant causing a bit of conflict in their own group.

However, something that was decidedly interesting was the fact that Narain had effectively distracted them all from asking more questions about how each of them had become accommodators. He had invoked Timothy's ire, playing off on the other's anger, cornering him into telling them about Allen and about the ambush in Calcutta. But he had said something very interesting then, at least in Lavi's private opinion. After all, Narain had claimed that he had gone after them to warn them about the Noah, which of course begged the question as to where he had gotten his information. Back then, the revelation of the Cell Roron had effectively derailed the conversation, distracting from the fact that Narain had failed to mention his original source, much like he had failed to mention from where he had received his Innocence. Or, to be specific, from whom.

Of course, it was a bit late to start asking about such things now that they were already en route to Edo. Besides, two weeks had already passed; no matter how Narain had received the Innocence, it had obviously chosen him as its accommodator. Had it not, then Narain would have become a Fallen One rather than merely anaemic.

It was a bit late to ask, but still.

Lavi paused in his step, turning his head slightly.

The trio behind him immediately took note. Narain stopped first, Krory stopping about half a second later; they both seemed mildly surprised. Timothy meanwhile, carried on Krory's back, shot Lavi a decidedly dark look all while Narain just smiled pleasantly.

It was a bit late to ask, but there was the definite risk that this might just be his last opportunity to do so, whether it was for the sake of recording history or to satisfy his own curiosity. "Narain, can I talk to you for a sec? I need to ask you something."

-o0o-

Once upon a time, there was a family; a sickly daughter, her mother and her father, forcefully conscripted to fight in a hidden war. The man missed his daughter but fought on, having been assured that his daughter would receive treatment as long as he did. Still−

Still, faced with death, that of his comrades and his own impending demise, the man's resolve had faltered. "Please don't kill me!" he begged. "I'll do anything!" he promised.

Finally, at long last, the enemy stepped back and tilted their head slightly, giving him a decidedly considering look. "Anything, you say?"

The enemy's tone was that of mockery, but it did not matter. "Anything."

-o0o-

He picked up the phone, fearful that his gamble would fail. But it did not and he dutifully reported the information he had just received to the enemy.

"Pleasure doing business with you," the enemy said, clapping him on the shoulder as he tried not to shudder, knowing well what those hands were capable of.

-o0o-

"I must hurry."

Pain.

"I must hurry."

Pain.

"I must−"

He felt it then; the first stab of rejection. He knew he did not have a lot of time, days at best, a few hours at worst.

"I don't want to die…" he whispered. "Just let me see her one more time…"

-o0o-

The old doctor had regarded him as though he was something unseemly, but allowed him in even so. Perhaps it was the silver on his coat, perhaps it was not. Then there was the young man, the doctor's apprentice, who had talked with him, helped with the procedure and even arranged a travelling pack and walked him to the train station. He found it difficult to convey just how grateful he was, but he tried, he really did, even though the young man had ultimately seen right through him.

It had been a frightening experience, a sudden transformation and interrogation. Still, even in a state of duress, he had not completely failed to register the expression that had crossed the other's face at the mention of Allen Walker's name in connection to the enemy's list; shock, dread, desperation.

Suman stared after them as they took off, so caught up in it all that he scarcely made it onto the train, pack in hand, unaware that he would be dead within little more than a day's time.

-o0o-

There was blood, blood in the water, theirs and his own.

There were bodies in the water. Two of them. One of them completely unmoving.

"Please don't be dead," he thought, advancing. "Dammit, Tim…"

Krory was there, bloodied but alive, but there was no telling for how much longer. Sometimes, people accomplished inhuman feats only to perish towards the end of it all, having spent everything they had and more. Even so, Narain hardly paid it any heed, because Tim was−

Without finishing the thought, Narain hauled him towards the shore and started doing compressions, eyes burning with tears, praying no broken ribs would puncture his lungs. "Tim, if you die on me now, then I swear to the Gods I'll‒"

-o0o-

"Wake the dead?"

The man scoffed and immediately resumed packing his medical supplies, muttering under his breath. "Of all idiotic things‒ Wake the dead? The dead are not sleeping, son, the dead are dead and the souls have moved on. Such is the proper way of things, in proper order: Birth, life, death, rebirth. It is a very simple concept; even the dumbest fools ought to grasp it."

It was Lady Urmina who had summoned the man to the palace to have a look at Narain's broken jaw. Truthfully, Narain would rather not have talked to him, with or without the broken jaw. Truth to be told though, it was the man, later known to him as Master Manu, who had done most of the talking.

"That sister of yours is dead, and soon, she will be born again as someone or something else," he said, regarding Narain with narrowed eyes. "Even if you choose to follow her into the afterlife, nothing says that you will be reunited."

Narain knew that; it was precisely because he had known that that he had done it, because if Mina wasn't Mina and no longer with him, then what was the damned point?

"Grief, much like any strong emotion, warps human perception," Master Manu stated, closing up his bag. "It blinds us to the things that lie beyond it."

Despite the pain, broken jaw and all, and despite the fact that he was pretty done with the situation and life in general, Narain had still felt the need to ask. "What lies beyond it?"

-o0o-

Darkness.

-o0o-