Disclaimer: I don't own D. Gray – Man

Spoilers: There will be some if you have not seen all of the anime.

Timeline: Seven years after the first 2 chapters.

Pairing: Eventual Tyki Mikk x Ellen Walker (when Ellen's older)

Warning: None

Original Story: A Backwards Story

So important notes:

1) Allen is genderbent in this story. So Allen is a girl.

2) The 14th stuff in the past never happened. (this hasn't changed from the old story)

3) Mana will be taking Mightra's place as the Thirteenth.

4) Pairing will still be Poker Pair, so Tyki/Ellen.

It was a Wednesday night, the Clan of Noah had just finished their family dinner together.

Normally, the Noah only came together for a family meal every six months. The whole of the Apostles of Noah coming together to update the others of the progression of the Clan's goals and plans. The meals served more as a meeting then as a get together for family.

Though that wasn't to say that the current awakened Noah were not close, just that none of them really felt the need to be together to feel that way. The family closeness and bonds of the Noah Clan were complicated.

Or so that was what Tyki had been told. The now sixteen year old young man understanding in a way, because even though he had only met a majority of the Clan a few times, he felt an extreme loyalty to the odd group of basic strangers.

The Noah of Pleasure sighing as the Akuma maids started to clear the table of all the families' dishes. The next part of their family dinner getting ready to begin. The Third Apostle of Noah being filled with a deep dread, because tonight was a special night for the Clan of Noah.

Tonight, was game night.

Shortly (about eight months) after Tyki's awakening, the Earl (with some prodding from Road) had decided that one night a month, all the awakened Noah would come to the Ark and have a nice family dinner together. After the meal was finished they would begin the nights 'activities'. In short, the Noah Clan's game night would begin.

The idea was that each family member would get a chance to pick a game, or activity, and every member would be required to participate. Road having argued that it would be good for more real family bonding, as all of the awakened Noah would have to attend and share something that they thought as fun.

Tyki had the feeling that this whole 'family bonding' thing had something to do with the fact that the young Fourteenth was not allowed to leave Noah's Ark. The Noah of Pleasure assuming that the seven year old must get lonely with it just being her and whoever happened to be staying aboard to keep her company.

The Third Apostle of Noah had asked the Earl about the family's Fourteenth before, and the First had simply explained that it was for her protection that she stay within the Ark, that such a new and young memory needed to be protected. The Millennium Earl explaining that since the fragile looking child had an Innocence attached to her body, it would make her easy prey for certain individuals to find and do her harm.

Still, the Noah of Pleasure felt that keeping the girl a basic prisoner on the Ark a little over kill, it wasn't like any of the family would just let something happen to her, Innocence or no.

But then, the child also had no Noah abilities to speak of and would be a liability in a battle if it came down to it. The young Ellen Walker was a thin, meek, and frail looking child and looked more liable to burst into tears if someone even so much as raised their voice to her.

The Third also didn't understand why the wretched Innocence that had so appallingly infected one of their family hadn't just been outright destroyed...

Anyway, Tyki was letting himself get side tracked.

Tonight was family game night, and so far family game night had not been going over to well.

Road having had the first turn at picking, and her game of "Nightmare Blitz" had not been as entertaining for everyone else as much as it had been for Road.

Skin's version of tag was entertaining but costly, the game requiring that they hunt and destroy Akuma, without using their Noah Abilities, for points and whoever got the most point would win.

The Earl had chosen the simple game of Go-Fish as his favorite game, and surprisingly, there hadn't been any insane twists added.

Tonight was Tyki's turn to choose the families poison. He of course chose his favorite game, which was poker. So this found all of them sitting around the dinner table, after their plates had been cleared, looking over the cards they had been dealt.

To Tyki's right was young Ellen, the seven year old girl looking confused, yet absolutely astatic, at her hand of cards. The girl seemingly just happy to have all her family present.

Sitting to her right was Mana, the girl's adoptive father. The man helping his daughter play the game by giving her whispered pointers on what to do with her hand (not to mention funneling her extra candy so she could keep playing), which Tyki pretended not to be able to hear (or see) out of niceness to a beginner.

Mana Walker had to be the best poker player at the table, next to himself of course. The Noah of Talent winning almost as many rounds as himself, and if the man hadn't been discreetly keeping his daughter afloat, then his winnings would be almost even with Tyki's.

Road was sitting next to Mana, the twelve year old giggling wickedly as she played with, and arraigned, her cards.

Skin sat next to Road, and the large man frowning at his cards to drooling at the piles of candy around the table. The Noah of Wrath would have had a larger pile if he's simply stop eating and sneaking a piece here and there.

Lulubell sat next to the Noah of Wrath, the young woman looking at her cards with a perfectly blank face, and Tyki made a mental note to keep an eye on her. Lulubell's poker face as almost as good as his and Mana's.

The Millennium Earl sat to Lulubell's right, his big grin never leaving his face as he looked over his cards. The round and large man pulling two cards out of his hand and placed them into the discard pile, as it was currently his turn, the First Apostle of Noah then drawing two more cards from the deck.

After a short few moments of thought, the Millennium Earl started off their last game for the night by anteing in five pieces of candy. Everyone else following, then the Earl placed his bet of three candies.

Tryde sat to the Earl's right, the man looking absolutely board out of his mind. The Second apparently really bad at card games, the man having lost all his candy about two games ago and was now out. One of the more frowned upon rules of game night being that no one was allowed to leave until whatever game or activity they were playing had been completely finished.

Sheryl sat between Tryde and Tyki and he seemed to be very much enjoying being in the presence of his family, much like Ellen. His older brother had always been a very social person, and very family oriented.

Although all he seemingly wanted to talk about tonight was the young woman that he had just recently met at the local market. Tricia, a young blonde haired woman that was the daughter of a widowed seamstress.

Tyki having to remind the Fourth having to take his turn, Sheryl taking only a second to glance at his cards before seemingly randomly choosing one to toss carelessly into the discard pile before drawing a replacement.

The Noah of Desire then, not even looking at his new card, tossed in five candies into the pot. "Raise." His older brother called out, before turning back to a disinterested Tryde to continue their one-sided conversation about the new 'love of his life'.

Tyki could only sigh and shake his head at his brother, the man was going to lose everything he had if he didn't start paying attention. Though, now that Sheryl had finished his turn, it meant that it was finally the Noah of Pleasures turn.

Tyki eyed his five cards thoughtfully. He held in his hand three sixes, a King of Hearts, and a Four of Spades. The young sixteen year old removed the four from his hand and proceeded to draw a new card.

The Third Apostle of Noah smirking mentally as he added the last six to his hand. The last six giving him four of a kind. The young man positive that no one at the table would be able to beat his hand.

Tyki could barely believe his luck tonight, he had the largest pile of winnings (which consisted of varying kinds of candy) and he didn't even have to cheat all that much to get it!

Nonchalantly the Third tossed in five candies, "I meet your raise," the sixteen your old said, before adding eight more into the center pile. "And raise you eight." The Noah of Pleasure not surprised when this got everyone's attention. Tyki knowing that only half his fellow Noah had enough candy to see his bet.

The Noah of Pleasure wagering that Lulubell, Road, and Skin would fold or go all in. Sheryl would carelessly meet his bet without any thought, and the Earl would most likely just fold, the First always playing it safe in all the games that they had played so far.

The only ones that Tyki wasn't sure about was Mana and Ellen. The Noah of Talent would most likely tell his daughter to fold, while he could go either way, really Tyki would just have to wait and see what the older man would do...

Mana Walker took a stealthily side glance at his daughter's cards, before giving her a slight nod. Young Ellen fidgeted with her cards nervously before timidly glancing at her father for reassurance. At her father's second encouraging nod, the skinny fragile looking child counted out thirteen candies and added then to the pile. "I meet." she whispered softly.

The Third narrowed his eyes just slightly, the young man running through the possible hands that the girl could have for the Thirteenth to encourage her to bet over half of the candies that she had left in her pile.

Mana smiled kindly at his daughter and also met Tyki's bet, "I meet your raise." the man said smoothly, meeting his frown with a half-smile then. The Noah of Talent then adding in five more candies after a seconds pause. "And raise you five."

There was a collective groan from around the table. Road kicking up her feet and slouching in her seat, her shoes bracing against the table rim. The twelve year old looking girl uncaring that she might be flashing people in the position she was in. The Noah of Dreams tossing her cards onto the table. "Well I definitely fold."

The Noah of Wrath looked absolutely crushed at the fact that he wouldn't be getting the large pile of candy sitting so temptingly at the center of the table. The large brutish man also tossing in his cards, grabbing his slim pile of candy, then standing and stomping out of the room muttering something about sweets and beating something to pieces.

Tyki glancing at the Earl, who simply watched the Noah of Wrath leave without a care that the man had left before he was supposed to. The Third shrugged and decided that it was probably for the best anyway.

Lulubell neatly laid her cards down with a sigh, before the blonde informed the family that she was also folding.

The First Apostle of Noah chuckled in amusement and proceeded to meet Mana's raise. "I will meet your raise, Mana-kun." The man declared jovially as he then added even more to the pot. "And raise you ten!~"

Tyki found despite his best effort to keep his face neutral, the young man couldn't keep his frown concealed. The Third knowing, even as his older brother proceeded to meet the Earl's bet, they all couldn't possibly have good hands. Most of them had to be bluffing.

The Noah of Pleasure carefully looked over his cards and his opponents, before deciding that there was no way, even if they had a good hand, they could beat his four of kind. Tyki meeting the First's raise without any more thought. "I meet."

Young Ellen was frowning rather confusedly at her cards, her silver eyes turning to look at her father again. Mana nodding to the girl, and the Fourteenth hesitantly counted out what she would need to meet, but finding that she was a few candies short. "Go all in Ellen." The Noah of Talent whispered to his daughter.

"Are you sure about that Mana-kun~? I have a very good hand!" The Earl sang out in question, the First continuing to smile as Sheryl seemed to finally get his head in the game and turned his golden eyes to the Noah of Talent. Mana Walker for his part only offered them a simple smile, as seven year old Ellen did as told, before sitting a little straighter in her seat.

Mana Walker following his daughter's lead and also going all in.

At the new position of the white haired girl's cards, the Noah of Pleasure could clearly see all but one of her cards. Not that the young man was purposefully looking, but Tyki felt his eyes drawn there regardless. His gold eyes narrowing in confusion at what he saw.

The young Fourteenth had literal garbage. As in, the child had the worst hand in the game.

It seemed that Mana Walker was using his daughter to up the pot and bluff his way to victory. The Thirteenth was making it seem that Ellen had a great hand, and that he was so confident that she was going to win, that he had her go all in regardless of the statement the Earl had just made…

The tactic would either force Sheryl, the Earl and himself to also go all in and call, or fold. And Tyki had the feeling that even if any of them called the bluff, Mana would have a hand that could beat any at the table.

So either way, the Walker's would win the suddenly large, and growing pot.

That was when it occurred to the Third, as his eyes moved from the girl's cards to meet the sudden gaze of the girl's father, that maybe lady luck wasn't with him tonight like he had originally thought.

So now Tyki Mikk had a choice to make, either go all in and risk the off chance the Noah of Talent had a better hand, or fold even though Tyki was sure the Noah of Talent couldn't possibly have a better hand then his.

Unless he was out right cheating.

And the man also had caught his quick glance at his daughter's cards…

Tyki's gold eyes narrowed as he met the unreadable gaze of the Thirteenth Apostle of Noah, weighting his choices. Decision made, the young man placed his cards on the table, face down, and leaned back in his chair. Tyki muttering a displeased "fold." Under his breath.

Tyki really hated losing in Poker…

Sheryl frowned, the Fourth looking over his cards in an almost tangible dismay, before sighing heavily. The man pushing in his much smaller pile, smaller than anyone else's pile who was still playing, into the pot. "Might as well…"

The Earl chuckled lightly and pushed his pile of candy into the center of the table also, "All it!" The First declared cheerily. The man a little too happy about the turn of events. "And I Call! ~"

Ellen laid her cards face up onto the table, the girl revealing her hand. Mana following and Tyki couldn't help but be thankful that he had folded, the Noah of Talent revealing four nines and the Ace of Spades.

The Earl chuckled as he laid out his cards. The First laying down the Ace, King, Queen, Jack and ten of Clubs.

A Royal Straight Flush.

Well damn, now Tyki Mikk was even gladder that he'd folded…

"I think I win! ~" The Millennium sang happily, his grin impossibly wide as he reached out to collect his winnings, seeing as nothing could beat a Royal Straight Flush-

"Not so fast Earl." Sheryl cut in, the man grinning like a fool. His brother placing his hand of cards down onto the table and spreading them out so they all could see, and Tyki couldn't believe what he was seeing, because quite frankly given the odds, it was impossible.

An Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten of Hearts.

A second Royal Straight Flush. With Hearts out ranking Clubs meant that Sheryl's hand beat the Earl's.

The Fourth Apostle of Noah chuckled a little wickedly as he collected his winnings. His brother going on about how he couldn't believe his luck, and blah blah blah. The Noah of Pleasure tuning out his cheater of a brother's ramblings in favor of discreetly checking his cards.

Tyki not surprised to find that his hand of five cards was suddenly only a hand of four, and that his King of Hearts now seemed to be missing.

The Third wisely deciding to keep his mouth shut and collected his deck of cards and what was left of his winnings. The young sixteen year old, and everyone else in the room saying their goodbyes and preparing to leave, and all but Sheryl grumbling over their losses.

Once his brother and he were home, Tyki planned to demand a cut of his older brother's winnings for his silence.

Smiling a little to himself, Tyki made to follow his brother out the door. The young sixteen year old happening to glance over at the youngest member of the Clan of Noah, and feeling a small amount of pity for the girl as she waved and bid everyone goodnight, changed directions.

Taking the few short steps over to the small seven year old and her father, Tyki offered the girl a handful of what was left of his winnings. The Fourteenth meekly excepting the candy (not that he really gave her much choice, because it was either she take the candy or they fall on the floor) with a stammered out and shy, "Thank you, but I can't-"

Tyki Mikk laughed and offered her a friendly smile. "Don't worry about it, you deserve it." The Noah of Pleasure assured. "You did very well for a beginner, I'll keep that in mind next time we play."

Tyki wasn't really losing anything by giving up a few pieces of candy, he was going to be getting a cut from Sheryl's winnings anyway, and the girl looked like she could use a friendly gesture of kindness.

Young Ellen offered him a wide and truly happy smile, nodding in eagerness. With that, Tyki exchanged goodbyes with a pleased Mana Walker and turned to leave, satisfied with how the night had gone even though he had lost.

Tyki's small gesture of kindness also had the bonus of smoothing over any ill feelings the Noah of Talent might have had regarding his slip up of looking at the girl's cards earlier. The complement also seemingly didn't hurt either.

Though, it would be a very, very long time before he played poker again with this group of cheaters.

Ok, so in case someone doesn't get it, the odds for so many good hands to be in one game of poker are very low. SO, in other words, everyone cheated.

Sorry this chapter was so short... Ok, Now I'm off to finish the new chapter for "What Lies Hidden: re-written" so I can work on new chapters for either "The Joker, the Jack, and the King" or "God's Clown", then I can work on the next chapter to "Line of Sight"! I need to stop making new stories... XP

As always please review!