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dgray_man2009-09-20 01:32 am
are-late.livejournal.com) wrote in dgray_man2009-09-20 01:32 am
Entry tags:
The Midnight Bell
Title: The Midnight Bell
Author:![[profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
are_late
Pairing/Character(s): Lulubell, Road
Rating: PG-13
Summary: That fated night the bells were a-ringing. Ding dong, ding dong.
Disclaimer: D.Gray-man belongs to Hoshino-sensei
A/N: First time posting here. Also, English's not my native language; feel free to point out any mistakes.
That distant drone woke her every night and made something itch within her very core. It was a feeling that made her restless, desperately awake. The delicate sound of the bell resonated against her bedroom walls, drumming in her ears. From the window next to her bed she could see the shadowy silhouette of the chapel, erected on an isolated hill, both contrasted against the radiance of the moon. It was torture. She just couldn’t endure it any longer, that mesmerizing sound, those feelings of impotence. It was calling her, summoning her presence. Constantly demanding, every night with every chime.
Mama had warned her, though. She was not allowed to leave the house at night, for men became vile in the dark, she had said. With the passing of the years, the mother had become awfully overprotective of her only daughter. But in her daughter’s heart there was no room for filial duty as she made her way cautiously trough the front door, utterly hypnotized by a faraway sound.
The bell stopped, as promptly as it started, and she found herself cold and barefoot amid the chilly air of night. There was not a soul to be seen nor heard among the streets, but she could feel the creatures of the night watching her every move. Her feet were sore from the gravelly road and for a few minutes she pondered on her recklessness, but her destination was only meters away and relief soon came in the form of the moist, grassy path. She walked by the overgrown foliage without taking her eyes away from her goal. Her cheeks flushed; blood was being pumped out from her chest at a rising pace. Her throat was dry and her once beautiful long hair was filthy and untidy, but she widened her steps and started running.
The entrance of the chapel, a marvelously engraved wooden door, became clear to her sight. The previously ringing bell stood silent at the peak of the tower, glittering supernaturally under the brightness of the moon. She sighed in exhilaration as she touched with her fingers the smooth surface of the cold wood, resting all of her weight against it.
Her eyes closed in relaxation while caressing the door. At last, she had arrived.
“Lulu, you’re late!"
In the blink of an eye, the doors had been swung open and she had fallen down on the ground. She raised her head slowly, completely taken aback.
“Come on, come on, get up! You’re awfully late!” It was a little girl that spoke, with dark skin and poorly dressed.
“How… how do you know my name?” she asked hoarsely, standing up.
The little girl giggled. “Lulu, why would I not know your name? Anyway, why did it take you so long? You’re so late!”
Lulu crooked her head with questioning eyes as the little girl grinned into the cool night. “I’m sorry, but late for what?”
“For the tea party, of course!” said the little girl, matter-of-factly. “Come on, they can’t wait to see you!” With a swift movement, the little girl took her hand and pulled her forcefully inside the chapel.
“Wait!” said Lulu, stopping on her tracks. “Who are you? Who’re they?”
The girl released abruptly the hold on her hand with a hidden expression. Her small shoulders dropped noticeably, and the serene atmosphere that flowed freely in the empty altar turned alarmingly dense in a matter of seconds. “Is it because… that woman?”
Slowly, the little girl turned around to face her, and Lulu witnessed how the spark in the girl’s eyes went blank. “Of course it’s that woman’s fault, right? Oh, Count, we should have known…”
“W-what woman? What are you talking about? I don’t even know you!”
As swiftly as ever, the little girl grabbed Lulu’s face between her hands, making her look directly into her eyes. “The woman that told you not to come. The woman that’s been keeping you away from us. The women that’s right outside those doors, calling for you.” said the little girl in a grim whisper.
“Lulu!? Lulubell!” hollered a voice from the outside, as if triggered.
“Mama?” It couldn’t be.
“Lulubell, come back! Please come back!” begged the mother, pounding the doors with all her might. “Don’t go with them! Please, come back, come back to me!”
“Mama!” she shouted. Lulu tried to open the doors desperately, but it was no use. She pulled and pushed, kicked and punched, and the doors didn’t move an inch. She was locked in.
“Lulu, take a look,” said the little girl, softly. “Come on, can’t you see? This is where you belong.”
She fell on her knees, shaking. It was hell, they way her head was spinning. Her mother screamed loudly as Lulu attempted to pull her hair off because of the pain. She could feel something warm and heavy oozing out of her forehead. It was blood, she was sure of it. Her vision became blurry. Mama’s screams were just a hazy melody in the background. The floor was cold against her cheek. And she was sleepy; it had been a tiresome night, after all. Her eyes were closing, she needed to rest. Maybe she should go to sleep for a while, just for a little while…
A pair of small leather shoes appeared right in front of her; they were black and shiny. She looked up, and saw the little girl with the most beautiful dress she had ever seen, with laces and ribbons and all silky pink. She looked trough the little girl’s legs and saw them all there, too. It was definitely the loveliest of all tea parties.
“Lulubell! LULUBELL!” a cry came in the distant.
She just smiled, stood up and entwined her fingers with the little girl. “Sorry, Mama”
Author:
are_late Pairing/Character(s): Lulubell, Road
Rating: PG-13
Summary: That fated night the bells were a-ringing. Ding dong, ding dong.
Disclaimer: D.Gray-man belongs to Hoshino-sensei
A/N: First time posting here. Also, English's not my native language; feel free to point out any mistakes.
* * *
It was midnight, as announced by the old murky bell. Two weeks had passed, and no one in that little town could explain how that church bell in the tower of a long forgotten chapel had suddenly come back to life. Some said it was the ghost of a monk that, even in death, continued to perform his duties. Other believed that mischievous spirits had taken over what God and men had left behind, but they were all too terrified to even approach the decaying structure. The bravest had tried countless times, and every time they set their eyes upon the gloomy sight an ominous veil that cloaked its surroundings drove them all far, far away. But nothing was as horrendous as the rough clatter of the cold, hard metal, they said.That distant drone woke her every night and made something itch within her very core. It was a feeling that made her restless, desperately awake. The delicate sound of the bell resonated against her bedroom walls, drumming in her ears. From the window next to her bed she could see the shadowy silhouette of the chapel, erected on an isolated hill, both contrasted against the radiance of the moon. It was torture. She just couldn’t endure it any longer, that mesmerizing sound, those feelings of impotence. It was calling her, summoning her presence. Constantly demanding, every night with every chime.
Mama had warned her, though. She was not allowed to leave the house at night, for men became vile in the dark, she had said. With the passing of the years, the mother had become awfully overprotective of her only daughter. But in her daughter’s heart there was no room for filial duty as she made her way cautiously trough the front door, utterly hypnotized by a faraway sound.
The bell stopped, as promptly as it started, and she found herself cold and barefoot amid the chilly air of night. There was not a soul to be seen nor heard among the streets, but she could feel the creatures of the night watching her every move. Her feet were sore from the gravelly road and for a few minutes she pondered on her recklessness, but her destination was only meters away and relief soon came in the form of the moist, grassy path. She walked by the overgrown foliage without taking her eyes away from her goal. Her cheeks flushed; blood was being pumped out from her chest at a rising pace. Her throat was dry and her once beautiful long hair was filthy and untidy, but she widened her steps and started running.
The entrance of the chapel, a marvelously engraved wooden door, became clear to her sight. The previously ringing bell stood silent at the peak of the tower, glittering supernaturally under the brightness of the moon. She sighed in exhilaration as she touched with her fingers the smooth surface of the cold wood, resting all of her weight against it.
Her eyes closed in relaxation while caressing the door. At last, she had arrived.
“Lulu, you’re late!"
In the blink of an eye, the doors had been swung open and she had fallen down on the ground. She raised her head slowly, completely taken aback.
“Come on, come on, get up! You’re awfully late!” It was a little girl that spoke, with dark skin and poorly dressed.
“How… how do you know my name?” she asked hoarsely, standing up.
The little girl giggled. “Lulu, why would I not know your name? Anyway, why did it take you so long? You’re so late!”
Lulu crooked her head with questioning eyes as the little girl grinned into the cool night. “I’m sorry, but late for what?”
“For the tea party, of course!” said the little girl, matter-of-factly. “Come on, they can’t wait to see you!” With a swift movement, the little girl took her hand and pulled her forcefully inside the chapel.
“Wait!” said Lulu, stopping on her tracks. “Who are you? Who’re they?”
The girl released abruptly the hold on her hand with a hidden expression. Her small shoulders dropped noticeably, and the serene atmosphere that flowed freely in the empty altar turned alarmingly dense in a matter of seconds. “Is it because… that woman?”
Slowly, the little girl turned around to face her, and Lulu witnessed how the spark in the girl’s eyes went blank. “Of course it’s that woman’s fault, right? Oh, Count, we should have known…”
“W-what woman? What are you talking about? I don’t even know you!”
As swiftly as ever, the little girl grabbed Lulu’s face between her hands, making her look directly into her eyes. “The woman that told you not to come. The woman that’s been keeping you away from us. The women that’s right outside those doors, calling for you.” said the little girl in a grim whisper.
“Lulu!? Lulubell!” hollered a voice from the outside, as if triggered.
“Mama?” It couldn’t be.
“Lulubell, come back! Please come back!” begged the mother, pounding the doors with all her might. “Don’t go with them! Please, come back, come back to me!”
“Mama!” she shouted. Lulu tried to open the doors desperately, but it was no use. She pulled and pushed, kicked and punched, and the doors didn’t move an inch. She was locked in.
“Lulu, take a look,” said the little girl, softly. “Come on, can’t you see? This is where you belong.”
She fell on her knees, shaking. It was hell, they way her head was spinning. Her mother screamed loudly as Lulu attempted to pull her hair off because of the pain. She could feel something warm and heavy oozing out of her forehead. It was blood, she was sure of it. Her vision became blurry. Mama’s screams were just a hazy melody in the background. The floor was cold against her cheek. And she was sleepy; it had been a tiresome night, after all. Her eyes were closing, she needed to rest. Maybe she should go to sleep for a while, just for a little while…
A pair of small leather shoes appeared right in front of her; they were black and shiny. She looked up, and saw the little girl with the most beautiful dress she had ever seen, with laces and ribbons and all silky pink. She looked trough the little girl’s legs and saw them all there, too. It was definitely the loveliest of all tea parties.
“Lulubell! LULUBELL!” a cry came in the distant.
She just smiled, stood up and entwined her fingers with the little girl. “Sorry, Mama”
* * *
It was midnight, as announced by the howling of the wolves. In that little town nothing could be seen nor heard among the streets during that silent night.
From the window next to her bed, she could see the shadowy silhouette of a chapel, contrasted by the radiance of the moon.
“So,” a voice resonated against her bedroom walls alongside a cracking sound. It was a lollipop. “You awake yet, Lulu? Did you have a nice dream?”
She just smiled into the dark, passing a hand trough her beautiful long hair, combing it with her delicate fingers and unintentionally revealing the marks on her forehead. “Certainly.”
Crack. “Heh.”
no subject
One suggestion--for the first couple paragraphs, I thought I was reading about Road. You might want to mention Lulu's name in the beginning, so it's clear who the POV character is.
The fic is lovely, though--I enjoy a good Noah origin story.
no subject
Actually, that was my intention. XD I didn't want to mention Lulu's name until Road said it. I hope it's not too confusing, though. Thanks for the advice! ^__^
Yeah, me too. I'm working on a more serious Noah origin story right now, but I just had to get this one out of my head. Plotbunnies won't leave me alone... orz.
no subject
I notice you mention Lulu's long hair in there before the name, so that should be enough to tell me that it wasn't Rhode.
It makes me happy that there's a Lulu origin story. I've encountered a good Skinn origin story too, so now all the earliest Noahs have them...Are you still working on that other fic you mentioned, btw?
no subject
There should be a Noah origin community, don't you think? At least Skinn's transformation was shown in the series, but nothing about the others so far. Well, except for Wisely, of course. Do you know any twins origin story? Or a Tykki one? I'd love to read some of those :D
On the fic; yes, I am. But it has evolved into so many different things that now I'm at loss on what do I want to express with it. It's about Mana and his brother, and how the second deals with the Noah memories and the 14th. I firstly intended to do a small series about it, but then I became obsessed with the Walker brothers and attempted to express every little detail of their lives. I have many drafts, but I currently I think that I should only finish the transformation scene and post it as a one-shot.
long! post is long. Also, /late reply fail orz
no subject
That would be pretty cool. I don't know how many people would post to it, though. However, there should be enough interest for a discussion post about the topic, at least.
I'm actually planning to make a Noah genfic rec post as per a friend's request! I need to hunt down a few more fics first, though. I can't think of any great Tyki origin stories right off, but I know some Jasdevi stories. The one I most recommend--I saw it as the definitive Jasdevi origin story--is Down Came a Blackbird" (http://community.livejournal.com/dgray_man/323898.html) by
I also wrote two Jasdevi origin stories myself. I'm kinda embarrassed to rec my own fics, but they fit your description, so...! Anyway, Chickenthieves: A Biography (http://symbolism-egg.livejournal.com/5980.html#cutid1) is a total crack version, and Waking in Midwinter (http://symbolism-egg.livejournal.com/12532.html#cutid1) is dark/serious take on their awakening. Warnings: violence, NPC death, etc.
I should add this fic to my list, because hey, Lulu origin story! The Mana and 14th project sounds very interesting. If nothing else, you should post the one-shot. :)
Pfft, not as late as mine was.
Time to go finish up that fic rec post.