AWI: My first ever pairing week entry! I honestly don't know if I'm late or what, so please have mercy.

Kasey: I can't believe how long it took you to write three pages.

AWI: Shut up. P.S. I do not claim anything!

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The Poker Pair Entry With No Name

Lulu Belle's POV

Lulu Belle looked upon the white clad boy before. He was beaten and bloody, but continued to try and wriggle out the akuma's grip. He suddenly shifted his grip on the oversized sword, warning her that he was about to attack. She slammed her hand down on his head, stray drops of blood flying out. He was out cold, which was only confirmed by his Innocence deactivating.

She smirked inwardly at the sight of blood staining his snowy hair.

One of the akuma holding him raised its hand to hit him again out of spite or something else stupid and typical of an akuma. But, she immediately stopped it.

"Wait. Just nice. We'll bring him along."

The akuma holding her nodded and brought her down to the purplish lake that was the New Ark before slowly lowering her down into its depths.

Some other person's POV

He watched in horror as the blood stained snow of Allen's head was lowered closer and closer to the abyss of the New Ark. Allen. Allen was going to disappear into the New Ark and die.

Shaking his head, the man grabbed the talisman nearby and jumped out, flicking it on to capture the akuma and boy in its light. The akuma were surprised, that was for sure, but he knew the ragtag work was nothing to be proud of and was already cracking as the demons beat at its walls so as to carry out their master's orders.

Behind him, he was vaguely aware of Reever jumping out to turn on his talisman and protect the other Exorcist, Bookman. But none of that mattered. He had to save Allen. He simply couldn't imagine life without the polite, boy anymore, even if he clearly did have a martyr-complex.

Somewhere behind, Bak and Johnny were desperately screaming for the boy to awake and get away. Johnny's screams were particularly heart wrenching. The young scientist suddenly let out a tear jerker cry, which did it.

Allen's Innocence activated and slashed through the two akuma holding him just as they broke the barrier. With what little energy he had left. He jumped out of the New Ark that was attempting to swallow him--

--Only to have his flight abruptly ended. Four level 3 akuma grabbed him midair, each working in sync. One grabbed his Innocence-clawed arm pulling it above him so that he couldn't get any good leverage. Another grabbed his hair and right arm, pulling them both back. The last one gripped his legs so he couldn't kick any of them off balance.

Completely coordinated, they all together pulled him forcibly into the New Ark, which splashed against them like a real lake, only made of pure evil and darkness instead of water.

The last thing he saw of one of their most beloved Exorcists was a pained desperate look in his eyes before he went under.

Allen's POV

The akuma continued to hold him in an iron tight grip, even after they went through the murky depths of the New Ark's Gate. He tried to struggle, but it was to no avail, he was already too weak and in too much pain, not to mention how well they held him. It was almost disturbing how coordinated they'd been, as if they had been expecting his escape. They probably had.

Through the pain, he was finally able to open his eyes enough to see the silhouette of someone before him. They were far too blurry for him to determine exactly who it was, but he could tell it wasn't Lulu Belle, at least. But, then, who was it?

"Deactivate your Innocence, bouya. Maybe then we could all get along," a disturbingly familiar voice said. Tyki Mikk. He automatically shivered as his memories of the man piled into his head at once. He shoved them aside desperately.

"Oh? Not cooperating? What a pity. Seems force is always necessary with you…"

A fist slammed into Allen's stomach, blowing all the air out. The akuma released his head so that he could gasp for breath, but kept a tight hold on his legs and arms. But, one of them abruptly released his left arm, just in time for Tyki to wrap bands of Dark Matter around it. The pain was almost unbearable. He screamed out in agony, his Innocence deactivating, unable to take any more abuse from the Dark Matter.

Weak beyond measure and now without Innocence, the akuma, and Tyki, clearly thought him a threat no more. They released him and he dropped to the floor like a stone, crumpling on its hard surface, his wounds coming back to bite him in the butt. He might be able to ignore them when his Innocence is activated, but once its glowing warmth is gone, he could only focus on the pain.

Tyki's POV

He looked down at the crumpled form of the once proud Exorcist, now nothing more than a bloody heap on the floor. With him so weakened, this game would be so much more fun. Now, the card shark could no longer cheat as well… He laughed evilly inside, but kept a composed smirk on his face.

Shooing the akuma out, he bent down to his favorite Exorcist, the scars aching somewhat.

Silvery eyes glanced blearily at him, wondering just what exactly it was he was up to. Why not just kill him already?

Tyki reached towards Allen's chest, the boy stiffening immediately. But, much to the Allen's surprise, he reached into his coat and pulled out that same deck of cards from so long ago. He smirked at the look on Allen's face, reveling in the openness.

Sitting down in a comfortable position, he set the deck down and started pulling out various things that brought some nosebleeds to mind.

"Let's play a game, shounen. What do you say?" Tyki pulled Allen up into a sitting position against the wall.

He eyes the older male with groggy suspicion. "…What kind of game?" he asked, eyeing the "toys" dotting the floor before him.

He smiled a wide, inhuman smile. "Well, the rules are simple. I pull out a card and you have to guess what it is. The farther off you are, more fun I have. The closer you are, less fun I have."

His eyes widened, but he tried to find a loophole or anything to help himself out of this hellhole of a situation. "What if I'm dead on?"

"I throw away one toy of your choice."

He gulped. "And if the deck runs out?" There were more "toys" than deck. By far.

"I shuffle and we continue. Simple, right? Game start." He shuffled quickly and pulled out a card in a flash so quick that Allen's dazed mind couldn't catch sight of what it was. "Go ahead. Guess." Tyki's face betrayed nothing and the card was held slightly down so that the image would not reflect in his eyes. He definitely knew what he was doing.

"…10?"

Tyki smiled a disturbing smile and grabbed one particularly menacing "toy", letting it gleam in the light before beginning Allen's torture.

--

Celine: …I'm impressed?

AWI: YES!! YES! It's a dream come true!!!!!

Celine: Did you not notice that I phrased that as a question. …Michael. Get out of your Emo Corner.

Michael: …

AWI: I think it's because of your nose bleed.