smashcon | Snow Dreams - Short Story 2017

Title: Snow Dreams
Rating: PG
Prompt: "The future rewards those who press on. I don't have time to feel sorry for myself. I don't have time to complain. I'm going to press on." -Barack Obama
Fandom/Series: D. Gray-Man
Word Count: 1322
Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, profit from the story and all creative rights tothe characters belong to their original creator(s).
Summary: "Mana... Is this snow? It's beautiful..."

Snow Dreams

"Allen!" Mana called, chasing after an auburn-haired boy.

How long had it been since the day we left the circus?
I paused in the middle of a wheat field and looked up at the sky.
"Don't run off like that. I'm getting old, rascal!" The clown puffed, trying to regain breath.
No response.
"Allen?"
I reached a hand out and caught a speck of white. "Mana, is this snow?"
Speck after speck, the fields gradually turned a pure, untainted white.

"It's beautiful..."

"How ironic." Was the first thing Allen said that morning, after blinking away the haze in his eyes. Whilst trying to remember when and if that dream ever happened, he changed into the standard exorcist uniform and headed for the cafeteria, Timcampy leading the way. Before he arrived at the cafeteria though, there was a familiar whirring and dull pain in his left eye. Allen ran towards where the tortured souls congregated.

'You won't be able to take those level 4 without your Innocence, y'know.' A voice mused.

'So you finally decided to show up. What took you so long, Neah?'

'You of all people should know how stubborn Innocence is, dear nephew of mine.'

'You made sure that Crowned Clown agreed to share, right?'

'Oh, how you wound me. I wouldn't be here otherwise~'

'I'll trust you on this then.'

Silence reigned over them throughout the entire ordeal. The only words cutting the silence being:
"Holy cross that dwells within me, grant me the power to bring Salvation."
with the intermingling sound of explosions and inhuman screams.

O0o0o0O

"Oi, Moyashi! Why didn't you tell us there were Akuma here?" Kanda yelled as he approached from the rubble.

"There aren't any Akuma left in the building or the area surrounding headquarters. I'll go report this breach to Komui." Allen shrugged, completely ignoring the question. That was what he had planned to do at least.

"Answer me, Beansprout." He demanded once again, settling Mugen comfortably on the back of Allen's neck. He kept his silence and kept walking forwards, even when Kanda didn't follow. Having already recorded what was said, Lavi limped over to Kanda and shook his head.

"You know how stubborn that guy is. If it's something he doesn't want to tell us then he'll take that secret with him to the grave. 'I'll keep on walking as long as I live', was it? There's no need to worry 'bout him." Lavi offered a half-assed smile.

"He's changed though, hasn't he?" Lenalee pointed out, cursing herself for being two steps behind once again.
O0o0o0O

"Why did you.. Let us.. Self-destruct..?"

"Weren't you meant to save us!?"
"You traitor! Noah scum!"
"Allen... HoW DarE yOU Turn ME InTO An Akuma..."

"I Curse you... I curse you ALLEN WALKER!"

Jerking awake, Allen sat up, completely dazed and confused. Figuring it was probably just another nightmare, he skipped breakfast and instead headed towards the training room.

"Walker."

And just when Allen thought he was free. Of all the people he could've caught the attention of, it had to be this guy. With the exact same monotonous tone and straight face, Allen turned around and faced his... Whatever he was. Acknowledging their presence with a, not at all sarcastic or insulting;

"Two Spots."

"Do not call me that, Walker. You have another mission and I am to accompany you before, during and after it is completed."

'Do we have to deal with the Watch Dog again? Can't we just lose him somewhere in Zimbabwe?'

'Don't whine like a 5-year-old please, Neah. You've long since outgrown that stage.' Allen retorts, deciding to block out his Uncle's incessant whining. "Do you have the information in regards to this mission, Link?"

"The train that has been arranged will be leaving shortly. No luggage will be required." Link starts walking. "You are to dispose of the Akuma in Nafplio, Greece."

"Understood. When are we expected to return?"

"In no more than four nights." Link glanced over at his somewhat-temporary team member.

"Four nights... I see." Allen almost twitched in irritation when he heard the scratching of Link's pen on his notebook. If Allen and Neah aren't careful, their connection could be found out. They'd come too far to even consider backing down to anyone. The Vatican included.

O0o0o0O

Scattered rubble, bits of glass and chunks of concrete littered every inch of town square by the end of the third day in Nafplio. They had 24 hours left to dispose of the stragglers.

'It's odd though... Why were the Akuma here if there wasn't any Innocence?'

'They felt like taking a vacation from working under vindictive, murderous psychopaths?'
'If only they had the choice.' Neah hummed, humoring himself with the mass of memories stored inside Allen when he suddenly sensed a spike in Dark Matter.

"Link! I'm going to check the Forest!" Allen called out to roughly where Link should've been.

'Allen... There's a Noah here. We need to go. Right n-!'

CRACK

O0o0o0O

Allen's POV

When you close your eyes and think about the world, What do you see?
I used to wish that one day, I would wake up and find that everything was just a dream.
That it was all just a terrible dream. But.
I've made my own Oaths. To myself, that I would destroy all the Akuma.
To my friends, that I would fight side by side with them.
To this world, that I would save it.
This is the only path I have left, to know that I am truly alive.

I will forge on, I won't stop no matter what.
If I can't be a Saviour then I'll be a Destroyer who Saves.

'Why do walls have to be so white...?' I grimaced as I tried to open my eyes. 'Neah, are you there?'

'Yeesh that hurt... At least you didn't die on me.' Neah joked. 'Open your eyes, Allen.'

I was too tired to question why, so I did as Neah said and let them adjust to the light.

"L-Lenalee! Allen's awake!" Miranda shook the sleeping girl awake.

"Allen-kun? You're alright! Thank goodness, we were so worried! Do you hurt anywhere? Are you comfortable?" As soon as Lenalee started fretting, Komui cleared his throat and pulled his 'preciously innocent' little sister a 'safe distance' away from the other humans in the room. I glanced outside the window and to my astonishment, there was snow piled on the window sill. Just like all those years ago.

"Komui, how long have I been out of it?" I cautiously asked, not really wanting to hear the answer.

"Roughly for about a fortnight. Your nerves were damaged and several muscles were cut clean in half. We suspect that it was a Noah's doing since there were no traces of Dark Matter left on your person." Komui gave me an apologetic look. "If I had known that there was a Noah, I wouldn't have sent you to Greece alone. You have my sincerest apologies."

I weakly reached out my left arm towards the window. "It's snowing outside, isn't it," I muttered, a little dejectedly. In my state, I could hardly lift an arm, let alone go outside, which was why I merely stared as I was lifted onto a wheelchair.

"You want to go outside, don't you?" Lavi grinned. I hadn't noticed him there at all... Must still be drowsy, though I still nodded appreciatively at Lavi.

Once we had gotten outside, Lenalee covered me with a blanket. I pouted at this but couldn't do much against it. Reaching out, I watched in childish fascination as snowflakes melted almost instantly when they landed on my hand.

Komui watched on with a smile.

"Welcome home, Beansprout!" Lavi cheered as he pranced around in the snow, looking very much like a rabbit.

'You're meant to say, I'm home, y'know.' Neah teased.

'I know that!'

Putting on the brightest smile I could manage, I shouted:

"I'm home."

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