Author's Notes: Hello, everybody! Welcome to our first story together! We were really excited to get this thing started. In case you don't know, we're actually a collaboration account with the authors Resoleon and AceThompson17 combined. We were really excited to have a story together on Fanfiction and now, this is it. We hope you enjoy this because we did, making this. This took at least 3 hours for me to edit but it's worth it for a story together. Anyway, hope you enjoy this.

We noticed that there were literally only two fics that featured these two as the main characters and seeing as how Noel and Rachel are our favorite characters respecively, we thought it would be fun to do fics about them, thus expanding the options available for them. It can even extend into Yuri. *Evil grin* Well anyway, that's enough rambling. I do hope you enjoy our first official story together. Here it is. Enjoy. -IXResoleon

EDIT 6/1/13: Proofread this one to reduce the tense switching. And nothing major to edit. :P

"Thoughts"

"Sayings"

And also, we hope you enjoy our first story together. :) - AceThompson17

Story Title: Heralding The Lost Lamb

It's nighttime inside the forest in the outskirts of Kagutsuchi. A blonde NOL soldier named Noel Vermillion is walking aimlessly, thinking for a way out while hugging herself for a sense of security. She has been hopelessly lost for the past few hours, trying to find a way back to the City of Kagutsuchi.

"I wonder where am I right now? It's so dark and scary... I hope nothing will jump in front of me." Noel shivers a few times before rubbing her hands together. "It's so quiet... I think it's safe to stay here for a while. I can't walk any longer... I'm so tired..." Noel refuses to believe it, but she is starving as well in addition of being lost in the woods with little hope.

After walking for another hour, Noel comes across a forest clearing with open a ground with no trees in it. "Is that...clear ground?" She runs into the open ground, steps for a bit to test it out to see if she isn't hallucinating. She sighs in relief that she will at least have a decent place to stay if she is going to be lost in the forest for a while. "Thankfully, I can rest now..."

Just as she is about to collapse herself on the ground, she feels an intense pick up of winds that has come out of the blue. Noel holds her hat to keep it from flying away into the wind. "Eek! What was that? Why are the winds getting stronger? Is there going to be a thunderstorm?"

Noel feels a sharp stare going straight at her. Subconsciously, her Bolverk is summoned to her hands because she feels the need to defend herself. "It feels like... someone is staring at me..." Noel aims her Bolverk in the direction of where she thinks the stare is coming from, trying her best to hide her fear. "W-who's there?!"

The breeze dies down as the figure comes into sight, revealing Rachel Alucard, a petite blonde haired girl, wearing two ribbons that ties her hair into twin pig tails with perfect bangs and clads in elegantly black dress. She holds a strange looking umbrella.

Noel recognizes the girl, and doesn't lower her aim to her, her grip on her guns tightening. "You... What do you want from me?"

Rachel stares silently at Noel, refusing to say a word. Instead, she just gives her an indifferent stare, which defines neither disappointment nor anger.

Noel's hands trembles a bit and clicks her guns to threaten her. "A-answer me!"

Rachel begins walking closer to her, not fazed at the sight of her guns pointing at her. "Be at ease, timid one. I am not here to quarrel with you."

Noel's arms slacken slightly but her grip on her guns doesn't change. "Then why are you here?" She wants to step back but her feet are glued to the floor.

Rachel continues to slowly make her way toward Noel, still maintaining the look toward her. "That is none of your concern. Our paths crossed merely of coincidence."

Noel becomes confused for a moment. lowering her guns to her side. "C-coincidence?"

Rachel feels a tiny amount of pity toward Noel for her continuous fear. She quietly shook her head, still walking toward the blonde. "I sense your fear...you have no need to harbor such an emotion in front of me."

Noel's tight grip on Bolverk quickly returns and aims it toward Rachel. "S-stay away from me!" Her hands tremble in fear along with her guns, giving a faint glow due to Noel's emotional instability.

"If you strike me, I will not hesitate to strike back...ten-fold." Rachel warns her.

Noel lowers her guns once more. Her hands keep shaking in fear. "Okay... I-I won't strike back..."

"Good..." Rachel stops when she is directly in front of Noel. She looks up and down Noel.

Rachel can sense the emotional instability inside Noel. She knows that something has to be done about this for if she has lost it, she will lose everything, including herself.

Noel swallows her saliva. She can't bring herself to raise her guns anymore so they disappears from her grip. Her hands unconsciously hug herself, trying to provide a sense of comfort and calm herself down. "W-what do you want from me?"

Rachel curls her left index finger towards herself. "Lean your head toward me..."

Noel is surprised but doesn't trust the gothic girl. "Huh? W-why should I do that?"

"I have a secret to share." She quickly explains.

Noel takes a few moments to put a slight trust to Rachel. "Okay..." Slowly, she leans her head toward Rachel... only to get slapped in the face.

"Terrible." Rachel declares in disappointment.

Noel places her hand on the spot on her face that Rachel has just slapped, rubbing it as gently as possible. "Ouch! What was that for?!"

Rachel makes her observation about Noel. "You are infuriatingly so slow...slow at what you must fulfill..."

Noel becomes confused once again, this time, raising her eyebrow. "Slow? Fulfill?"

Rachel gazes straight into Noel's emerald eyes. "...If I told you, you will never fulfill it."

Noel, as curious as she is, is not the type to butt into other people's business, so she just let it be. "Okay... I won't pry you."

Rachel slowly nods her head. "Very wise of you..."

Noel and Rachel maintain eye contact for a long time. Noel keeps trying to figure out why has this girl randomly appeared in front of her in the middle of the night. Is she trying to rescue her or something? Noel does not dare try to hope for that, knowing how...aloof she can be.

Noel decides to break the silence. "Um... where are you going?"

"That question should be asked to yourself. How long have you been out in this forest wandering?" Rachel wants to know why is she wandering in the forest. Who knows what may appear if she didn't cross paths with her.

Noel thinks about the answer for a few moments. "I think... for a few hours..."

Rachel sighs deeply. She looks directly at Noel's eyes with a huge sense on disappointment. "How...irritating...this cannot be allowed..."

Noel, her fear now gone, looks at Rachel with some curiosity. "Eh?"

Rachel knows that something has to be done. If the world is not going to drown, it is imperative that Noel is to be kept on the right track. "...Feel honored that I have felt pity toward you. I offer you a chance to take shelter with me...in my company for a while until you regained your sanity."

Noel looks into Rachel's ruby eyes with a sense of hope in her own eyes. "Huh? I can... stay in your place?"

"If you would rather sleep in this cold, I'll respect that." Rachel turns around, threatening to part ways with Noel.

Noel extends one hand toward Rachel. "W-wait! I'm going with you! Thank you for the offer, I'll accept it." She doesn't know why is Rachel doing this, but she knows that she is safer in her place than here.

Rachel does not bother to turn back toward Noel. Instead, she holds out her right hand to her right. "Take this hand...and do not let go..."

Noel starts to feel a small sense of sanctuary toward Rachel since she, of all people, offers her a place to stay for a while. "Um... okay..."

She holds Rachel's hand rather tightly as if Rachel is her last hope. For a second, Rachel's hand feels colder than the breeze yet she can sense...care..."Her hand... is so cold... but feels comforting to touch..."

"Remain alert...we are already here..." Rachel says while Noel is holding her hand.

Noel feels as though only a few seconds passes yet they are in a place entirely different. She quickly assumes that Rachel must have teleported them here.

She observes the atmosphere of this place. The twilight of the night, the haunting feel, and the sense of monstrosities that will possibly ambush them in this place. Noel slightly grips Rachel's hand tighter. "Where are we? This place looks... scary..."

"This is my personal den..." Rachel slowly releases her hold from Noel's hand. Then, with that same hand, she extends it toward Noel. "...Relinquish them.

Noel doesn't know what Rachel is talking about. "Relinquish?"

"Bolverk...now." She demands.

Noel feels her fear smoldering. "Eh? Oh, okay... but please, return them to me."

She slowly takes both of her guns and hands them to the vampire. Rachel teleports the guns away from Noel and out of sight indefinitely. Noel takes horror to this and gasps. "W-where did you put them?! How can you return them to me?!"

Rachel slowly turns around to face Noel. "Be at ease...I will return them...if you lose yourself, you'll lose everything. This is your warning. You are under my protection: there is no reason to feel the need to defend yourself. Relax..."

Noel nods. "A-alright. I'll keep myself together. I'll relax..." Noel takes a few deep breaths to calm herself down.

Later on, Rachel and Noel are sitting at a table that is near the edge of the Rose Garden, having tea.

Rachel holds a teacup over a saucer as she continues to observe Noel. "Does it not feel satisfactory to you?"

Noel thinks about her answer for a moment. "It feels better to be here, Miss... I feel more relaxed than before..."

"And the tea?" Rachel inquires.

Noel slowly takes a sip. After that, she finds herself gulping the whole thing down. "The tea tastes so delicious! I wish I can drink something like this more often..."

Rachel explains herself. "This tea is only exclusive to House Alucard. The herbs used to make this are collected in a place in which only my family knows. Ah, how I relish the just taste it gives...not like those artificially made ones."

Noel nods. "I see... so there is no tea like this in Kagutsuchi..."

"Indeed. There is no Rose Garden like the one you see before you also." Rachel points in the direction of it.

Noel looks at the direction she is pointing. She doesn't look closely at the roses but once she does, she can really see that they are a sight to behold. "Wow! They look so beautiful, Miss!"

Rachel lets out a small smirk. "I'm glad we understand each other." Rachel feels a warm sensation emerging from her chest. It somehow warms her heart to see Noel enjoying herself.

Noel observes the smirk from Rachel. "Eh? Um, right!" It is so rare to see Rachel smirk nicely to her.

Rachel raises one of her eyebrows. "...Is something troubling you?"

Noel looks down at the table and let out a sigh of worry. "Oh, it's nothing. I'm just worried... about where will I go next..."

Rachel speaks in a reassuring tone. "...You will know where to go, soon enough..."

Noel looks up at Rachel. "R-really?"

"I told you...keep your mind clear." Rachel speaks like a teacher to Noel.

"Oh, um, right." Noel let out a nervous giggle.

A long period of silence occurs between the two. Rachel breaks the silence with a light sigh. "...Share information about yourself to me. I'd like a conversation about you."

Noel is slightly startled at Rachel suddenly speaking. "Oh, okay... Um..." She fiddles her fingers in nervousness. "I work at the NOL...and I have a miss-, er, job to do..."

Rachel nods as she starts to sip her tea with her eyes closed. Noel continues while now fidgeting her fingers. "And uh... I got lost..."

Rachel continues to sip her tea as she nods, signaling to Noel that she is listening. "Then... somehow, I ended up in a forest... with no direction to go... and you came."

Rachel finishes sipping her tea. "Be fortunate that you and I crossed paths."

Noel gives a light bow to Rachel. "Y-yes, I'm thankful, Miss." She suddenly feels a sense of panic out of fear that she is probably freeloading in Rachel's home. "Oh no! I overstayed! I'm sorry!"

Rachel raises an eyebrow. "Hmm?"

Noel explains. "I stayed here longer than we planned. Please, don't hurt me..."

Rachel sighs. "I will tell you if you overstayed your welcome if it is so. And do not have a spike of emotion every time you speak. It's quite tiring to observe, I might add."

Noel looks down in shame. "I'm sorry..."

Rachel sighs, irritated at Noel's apologetic nature. She gets up and walks around the table, and stands still halfway across the table. She looks straight into Noel's eyes. "Stand."

Noel's eyes widens slightly at Rachel's command. "Huh? W-why?"

"Obey."

Noel quickly stands up, fearing if she doesn't obey, she will face a punishment. "Okay..."

Rachel slowly walks in front of Noel. Noel looks down at Rachel, wondering just what might happen. "Lean your head this way..."

"Um... okay..."

Noel obeys Rachel's command and she slowly bends over and leans her head towards Rachel. Rachel softly strokes her face and then quietly plants a soft and gentle kiss on Noel's cheek.

Noel deeply blushes at this and jumped back slightly from Rachel. "M-miss! What are you doing?!"

Rachel stares at Noel with a bit of...melancholy. "I was merely making a friendly gesture. You are too emotional for your own good, I'll have you know."

Noel cann't believe this iss the same Rachel she knows. "F-friendly gesture?"

"You have friends that you dearly miss...do you not?" Rachel asks, already knowing the answer.

Noel continues to blush but does not make any effort to lie to Rachel. "Y-yes..."

Rachel takes a few moments before talking again. "...I am not one to say this...but ...I will come to your aid...if you desire it so..." Rachel turns around to have her back facing Noel.

Noel becomes curious at the gothic girl. "Huh? H-help me? But why, Miss?

Rachel crosses her arms while facing away from Noel. "...I refuse to tell you...because you would not believe me..."

Noel takes a small step closer to Rachel. "Please... Tell me, Miss..."

"You said you would not pry into my business, did you not?"

Noel looks down. "Oh, right. I'm sorry..."

"Apology accepted..." Rachel continues to face away from Noel, still having her arms crossed. She lowers her head slightly feeling a sense of rejection. A small tear escapes from Rachel's eye and falls to the ground.

Noel can sense that Rachel feels lonely. She finds that it's a bit uncharacteristic for Rachel to feel such emotions. "Is she... lonely? But why?"

She gathers her courage to ask her. "M-miss...are you...okay?"

Rachel bites her lip to pull her wits together. "I am well..."

"You don't look okay to me, Miss..."

"I am merely having thoughts to myself." Rachel says to Noel to quickly get her off her back.

"Um, okay... if you say so..." Noel feels something...strong for the mistress...and acts upon instinct. She feels sympathy towards her. Noel feels the need to comfort her. So, she slowly walks up behind Rachel and wraps her arms around Rachel's stomach, hugging her gently from behind. "Miss..."

Rachel feels startled at the small act of affection upon her. Rachel wants to get Noel off of her. But...she feels...an odd sense of warm satisfaction so she allows Noel to hold her. She lets out a slight noise.

Noel continues to hold Rachel dearly against her. "I'm sorry, Miss... but I can't see you like this..."

More tears streams out of Rachel's eyes. "...You...take concern over me?"

Noel nods. "Yes... because you let me stay here, Miss..."

The warm feeling that Rachel feels in her heart grows as the embrace continues. She never feels such compassion, especially towards her. She isn't exactly sure how to handle this. "...You...have my thanks..." It was all that Rachel could mutter.

Noel closes her eyes as she continues to hold Rachel close. "You're welcome... Miss..."

Rachel closes her eyes as well. "...Your compassion...makes you such a honey trap...be careful who you take concern to..."

Noel nods. "I'll remember that, Miss... Thank you..."

Both girls are feeling a sensation of warmth and comfort as Noel is hugging Rachel from behind. It feels very nice to the both of them. They feel so warm to each other. It is...satisfying to say the least. They really don't know what to make of this feeling but they are enjoying it. That's all they can really feel. They enjoy each other's company in this moment.

Rachel softly speaks out loud to Noel. "...Release me."

Noel feels a bit sad by Rachel's request but she knows that they can't be in this position forever. "Alright..." She slowly backs away from Rachel but still stand closer to her. Noel is caught off-guard when she receives a shock from Rachel. "AAH! I'm sorry!"

Rachel turns around with a glare from her ruby eyes. "If I haven't taken in warmth and comfort from that embrace, you would have been a lightning rod for unwanted physical contact."

Noel slowly bows. "I'm sorry..."

Rachel can't deny that she enjoys it so she decides to let Noel get off easy. "I suppose it was called for...but be thankful your punishment is not as severe as I normally would make it."

Noel gives another bow, this time, quicker. "Y-yes! Thank you!"

"Now...let us make haste to our chamber..."

Noel's face flushes upon hearing that she has a place with Rachel. "O-our... chamber?"

Rachel give her observations. "It shall be where you shall sleep...under my supervision. You have not rested for almost 2 days now...and you are in desperate need of slumber."

Noel can't deny the truth. Rachel seems to have cared for her well-being, almost like a mother. "R-right... Thank you, Miss..."

Inside the chamber, Noel and Rachel are in bed together on a rather large one. Rachel tilts her head toward Noel who is still red as a tomato. "Are you comfortable, Noel?"

Noel mentally protests but she feels secure underneath the sheets. "This feels... so weird and wrong... but feels comforting and nice at the same time..." "Y-yes! I'm okay, Miss!"

Rachel's eye twitches upon hearing Noel yell when it is out of place. "There was no need to yell..."

"I-I'm sorry..."

Rachel sits up on the bed and gently traces her hand on Noel's forehead to comfort her and help her relax. "...Sleep...my child...I will watch over you..."

Noel feels her eyes closing. Just the gentle feel of Rachel's hand feels so soothing to her. For once she doesn't feel anything in the world can bother her. "Yes... I will... Thank you..."

As Noel is about to sleep, she let out a deep, relaxed breath. "She is very nice... and mean at the same time. If only I can see her nice side more often..." She quietly drifts into sleep with Rachel's face being the last thing she sees.

Noel opens her eyes to find herself at a clinic, lying in a cot. It is morning. She knows where she is. This clinic belongs to Litchi-Faye-Ling. She distinctly remembers falling asleep in Rachel's bed. "W-where am I? Why am I here?"

Right on cue, Litchi walks in to check on Noel. She gives Noel a smile. "Oh, you're finally awake. I found you unconscious near my clinic."

"Unconscious?" Noel feels a jolt of pain coursing through her mind. "Ugh! My head!"

"Easy...do not move for a while. By the way...someone here claims to know you."

The pain abruptly goes away inside Noel's mind. "Huh? Who is it?"

"He goes by the name Jubei." Litchi explains. "He'd like to have a word with you."

Noel nods. "Okay..."

Litchi leaves, allowing Noel to think alone. She finds it odd that Rachel gives her so much charity as well as hospitality. As she waits for him to come...she gives out her thoughts about her experience with Rachel. "This is so weird... Why is she nice to me? Why is she helping me? I am only an officer... I'm not that strong... but why? Maybe it's because... she wants to be friends with me? No... that can't be it..."

Noel sighs and just accepts what she's given and thinks of her next move in regards with her...strange association with Rachel. "I guess I have to get used to it... What should I do next? Should I call her out when I need help? If I should, how can I call her?"

Noel holds her head, overwhelmed by all the questions. "Ugh... my head... I can't think properly..."

Rachel's words echoes in Noel's head. "Keep your mind clear..."

"Right... I should keep my mind clear..." Noel closed her eyes and takes a few deep breaths to calm her down. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees two pistols that look all too familiar to her. "Bolverk!"

She takes the guns and hugs it tight against her. "I'm glad it's here! "She did returned it... I'm thankful... I guess she is not bad as I think she is..."

Author's Notes: Well folks, there you have it. Our first story together. We had a lot of fun making this! If you enjoyed it, then good for you! And we hope to make more stuff together for you guys! Thank you so much for reading! -IXResoleon

Alright! Now the tense is present, so no more problems. XD If you find any errors, please tell us in a review. Of course, we had fun writing our first Yuri pairing together. We hope we will write more together! Thanks for reading! - AceThompson17

Credits:

IXResoleon as Rachel Alucard

AceThompson17 as Noel Vermillion

Title and summary done by AceThompson17

Story-telling done by IXResoleon

Proofread done by AceThompson17