The Awakening of a Noah.

Chapter 12: Family

Opening: Numb by Linkin Park. Album: Meteora.

Orphanages have always firmly held a special place of hate within Allen's heart. If it weren't for his loyalty to his family, Allen would rather aim Execution at his own heart than visit one of those Earl-forsaken human auction sites. However, it seems fate just loves seeing him squirm.

Flashback

The meeting was different than usual. Usually, the Earl would proclaim his love for his family, but this time no such proclamation came. Instead, the Earl stoically sat at the end of the absurdly long table with a beautiful ebony piano behind him. Allen takes his seat and patiently waits in silence for his Lord to speak. It was several long moments before that happened:

"Hello, my dearest family. There is much to be discussed today. However, before we begin, mourning is in order, so Allen-pon if you would please?"

Allen nods and stands up. He almost floats over to the piano sitting behind the Earl. Running his gloved hand over the keys, the ex-exorcist (;)) gently sits down and begins playing.

(Song: Fiction. Artist: Avenged Sevenfold. Album: Nightmare.)

An ominous melody drifts through the dinner hall as all the Noah close their eyes and look downwards.

Now I think I understand
How this world can overcome a man
Like a friend we saw it through
In the end I gave my life for you

A beautiful contradiction of red begins to flow from the family's eyes.

Gave you all I had to give
Found a place for me to rest my head
While I may be hard to find
Heard there's peace just on the other side

Not that I could
Or that I would
Let it burn
Under my skin
Let it burn

Left this life to set me free
Took a piece of you inside of me
All this hurt can finally fade
Promise me you'll never feel afraid

Not that I could
Or that I would
Let it burn
Under my skin
Let it burn

Akuma's all across the world bend their heads in honor.

I hope it's worth it
Here on the highway, yeah
I know you'll find your own way
When I'm not with you
So tell everybody
The ones who walk beside me, yeah
I hope you'll find your own way
When I'm not with you tonight

The Exorcist HQ falls silent, as the voice of their one-time comrade assaults their eardrums.

I hope it's worth it
What's left behind me, yeah
I know you'll find your own way
When I'm not with you
So tell everybody
The ones who walk beside me, yeah
I know you'll find your own way
When I'm not with you tonight.

Almost too quickly, the last key is played and Allen is back in his seat. A couple crimson-dyed handkerchiefs later, the Earl is ready to lead once more:

"There have been multiple accounts of symptoms akin to a Noah's Awakening. Under all of your plates are the locations of said accounts, you are to investigate and determine if there is actual Noah awakening. If evidence proves there are, then do what needs to be done to get them back to our family."

All of the family nods and begin to walk out.

"Also," starts the Earl. All of the Noah look back. "be careful, my beloved family."

The Earl watches them all leave then stands up. Walking over to the piano, Lord Millennium begins to think.

"This insufferable feeling of loss…I grow tired of this wretched feeling. No more. I will end this war and create my own world where no such feeling exists."

Flashback, end.

Sighing, Allen looks down at the card that was under his plate. In cursive it read:

London, England.

Our Love and Perpetual Hope, 17th Street.

Wisely, last name unknown.

Alleged memory is Wisdom.

"Ah, the memory of wisdom. I recall his last body's demise was rather…gruesome."

"Gruesome?"

"Hai. If memory serves correctly, his ability is Insight. He can read minds, so my coup couldn't happen if he was still breathing. Unfortunately, I didn't get to him fast enough and he warned the Earl. That pissed me off to a height I didn't think possible and you'd be surprised what you use Dominance for when you're that angry."

Allen dryly chuckles and responds internally: "I can think of a few things. There's no way in hell the Vatican is getting a quick death."

Before Neah can respond, the train begins to stop. Allen checks his hand and nods to himself.

"17th street."

Thirty Minutes of Terrible Direction Sense Later

Allen stares at the orphanage in front of him blankly. More precisely, he stares at the cracked window and pitch-black cat in said window.

With a sigh, Allen walks up and knocks on the door. He gently fumbles around the in-light-of-recent-events forgotten Cell Roron in his pocket. Not surprisingly, no one comes to the door. Allen turns around and prepares to look around town before the sound of a creaking door catches his attention. Turning around, the Noah sees a man with brown hair. The man is wearing a blue shirt with beige pants, but the odd thing is he only has one eye. The other has a long slash-shaped scar running through it, That lone-eye widens at seeing Allen's human form.

He weakly points at Allen: "R-Ray?"

The Fourteenth just raises an eyebrow in response. The man ushers Allen in and the two sit in chairs facing each other. There is tea on a coffee table in front of the two chairs.

Sipping on his tea, Allen calmly asks: "So, how do you know me?"

A rather simple question, but the gravity of it seems to crush the man. He looks down towards the floor and murmurs: "I'm your father."

No reaction comes from Allen. He just continues to gently sip his tea until a simple, "Why?" escapes his lips. The man wipes his forehead with a handkerchief and begins:

"Your mom was a great woman. We fell in love during school, and then decided to move out to the country. She was the one who picked Ray, y'know? Said it reminded her of her hometown. Anyways, she loved children. She couldn't wait to have you, but unfortunately complications reared their ugly heads."

The man wipes tears off his face. A soft green glow gently overcasts his right arm. The man doesn't seem to notice.

"She died giving birth to you. It took me awhile to figure out, but that arm of yours was her way of protecting you. I wish I figured it out sooner. I-I was the one who left you at the orphanage, and I'm sorry. You never left me, y'know? I even made this place, so maybe just maybe god can forgive me for what I did to you."

Another sigh.

"It looks like I'm meant for hell, huh?"

Allen stands up and walks over to the cracked window where the cat sits.

"Allen."

He can see the questioning gaze in the reflection.

"Allen's my name. It was given to me by my adoptive father. You said, you wanted a way to right your wrong, right?"

The man nods. Allen takes out a picture and shows it to him. Pointing at the boy in the picture he says: "Then, help me find this boy."

An hour later

Father and son walk together towards an alleyway not far from 17th street. As their walking, Allen notices flowers that were close to death become livelier and beautiful. Deciding on saying nothing, he follows his biological father. Inside the alley, a young charcoal-colored man with snow-white hair and a long scarf that covers his forehead sits on the ground. He lazily watches as Allen and his father walk over to him.

It was a long second before Wisely speaks up: "So I'm a Noah, huh?"

Allen stays silent.

Wisely chuckles and nods in agreement. Allen's father looks on confused before he's suddenly on the ground trying to catch a breath that isn't there. He can only watch as his son rips the Innocence off his arm.

Allen chuckles: "It's actually funny. Mom gave me her arm, but gave you her heart. I guess she truly loved you… Sorry, Dad but you were too late. I'm part of a different family now."

The Fourteenth tosses the Innocence in front of Wisely.

"You said you wanted more, right? Then, there's your chance. Accept what you are and become more, or stay here in this dirty alley living your pathetic life."

And just like that Allen walks away. A couple seconds later, the sound of shattering glass is heard and footsteps soon follow. The two walk silently; leaving nothing but dust and blood in their wake.

Ending: If I Lose Myself by OneRepublic. Album: Native.

And Scene! Hope you all like it! It's actually funny, everything with Allen's dad kinda wrote itself. So please tell me what you all think.