Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 1

"Ahoy, matey! There be treasure huntin' tonight! This scoundrel has a big bounty on his head, get 'im, I say! Arrr!"

"Shut up, Lavi."

Krory's tone was full of resignation, as if there was absolutely no hope of being listened to. The redhead laughed and scratched his head. "Sorry, big bro. But ever since I was invited to be a pirate, I dreamed about talking like one-"

"We aren't truly pirates, Lavi. Look at our captain. Does he feel pirateish to you?"

Lavi snorted. "No one here does. Well, no one but me," he said, puffing his chest in pride and pointing to his eye patch. "This is awesome. We are going to steal treasure and everything."

"It's not treasure-" the other man started, but Lavi was gone as quickly as he came. The young man had so much energy it was hard keeping up with him.

Krory sighed and smiled. It wasn't so bad.

Meanwhile, Lavi happily walked down one of the corridors. A strong wave then hit the ship, making it sway. He lifted his right hand to find support in the nearest wall, and heard a sickening retching sound coming from one of the cabins.

The reason I went to the infirmary, he thought, and knocked the door. A pretty young woman opened, instead of the person he came for.

"How is Komui?" Lavi asked stupidly, the loud coughing coming from the bathroom quite obvious. "Wait, forget I asked. Here's the medicine."

"Thank you, Lavi," Lenalee smiled as she accepted the bottle. "I'm sure he will feel better soon. He always does."

"Good, we need the only person who knows how to have the ship running to be fine, you know. See you," Lavi said and she closed the door and went back to attend to her brother.

Komui Lee, their resident insane scientist, was predisposed to intense seasickness. A very interesting trait in a pirate, Lavi thought. Once a day, he would be sick to the point of becoming useless. He wondered how the guy was still alive, and why he hadn't created some treatment to cure himself yet.

Then again, his last attempt at a medicine had reduced half the crew to drooling zombies for days. And Kanda had almost killed them all.

Lavi walked up the stairs to the deck, whistling at the happy thought of zombie pirate exorcists. The weather seemed much less amenable than it was a few minutes before, he thought. And there was the Captain, steering the ship right now. Lavi smiled in anticipation.

"Yuu!", he exclaimed boisterously, jumping by the other's side. The older man didn't startle, but his anger could be felt coming from him in waves.

Then again, when couldn't it?

"Rabbit," snarled Yuu Kanda, who apparently would much rather be named Anythingelse Kanda if he could, "How is Komui?"

"Turning inside out in his cabin, cap'n," Lavi answered truthfully. "He will be fine in an hour or so, he will."

"Inconvenient bastard, with his stupid health problems," Kanda complained for what had to be the millionth time ever since they travelled through the sea with Komui for the first time. "If he weren't up and about when we retrieved that last piece of Innocence, I would have him walk the plank, as you like to say."

Lavi laughed nervously. He did fantasize about shoving some evil enemy to the sharks, but he also had nightmares where Kanda did that to every one in the crew. But a plank would be cool, he always thought, him and his faithful friend Daisya being the only ones in the whole group to vote for it being at least implanted on the ship. Then they would only need a black skull flag to cement their reputation as awesome pirates. It could even be stylized to look like their captain. A skull with the Japanese man's fearsome scowl… yes, that would impose respect alright.

"Komui already finished examining it, didn't he?" Kanda asked, referring to the last Innocence they got from an island they had visited days ago.

"It's safe and sound, cap'n, no damage at all. I wonder how much we can get sellin' it, arrr," he joked, and left once Kanda started growling obscenities.

Jokes aside, he had to prepare. They would be anchoring soon.

::::::::::::::::::::

In the middle of a dark forest not many ventured to, there stood an enormous building of concrete and iron. Some wondered whether it was a prison, and others if it was the place of illegal activities. There were numerous rumors about what happened inside the place and to those who loitered around it. People who did travel through these woods and accidentally ended in that location rarely stayed for long, trying to abandon the surrounding area before being noticed by any of the horrible things that must reside there.

Inside the building, laughter and happy noise could be heard in the kitchen early in the morning, the kind that would baffle those who fed the frightening tales about it.

"And then Allen told the men that she wanted to play, too. She offered to bet all of her travelling money in order to get my stuff back," the bespectacled Johnny said in amazement, "and I was desperate because if she lost then we would have a difficult time getting back here."

There were other people seated by the table having breakfast, and even some who stood around just to listen to the tale. They seemed torn between worry for Johnny's and Allen's imprudence, and finding humor in their account.

"Allen said it was quite fine, though, and she seemed confident. So I stayed silent, because I had done enough damage by myself… and then she started winning every round and the strangers started offering their own things in order to have another chance at the game. In the end, Allen won with a… a… Regal Flush-"

"Royal Straight Flush," Allen corrected as she finished her large breakfast.

"Yes, that. I shouldn't have tried to play without understanding the rules. Anyway, every one of them but the little boy were left without anything but their boxers, in the cold winter. Allen was nice though, and gave them their clothes back."

"Shouldn't have done so. She won fair and square, and they wouldn't give your things back."

Many people around snickered, and the blond man who spoke raised an inquiring eyebrow.

Johnny laughed. "What made us laugh was the fair and square part. There isn't a single honest bone in Allen Walker!"

Allen coughed with her fourth bread piece still in her mouth and gaped incredulously at her friend. "Johnny! They were cheating, too! I'm not dishonest!"

Johnny raised his hands in apology. "Sorry, I meant you cheat in poker, only! Of course you are a good person," some rolled their eyes doubtfully at that, "but you guys had to see the aura of pure evil when Allen plays. It's like you should abandon all hope and valuable items the moment you pick your cards. She said she learned from General Cross Marian."

"Of course," said one of the few Exorcists around, the tall and usually somber Klaud Nyne. "That man can be a waste of recourses and space on occasion, but you do learn some things when trying to survive with him. I can only imagine your learning experience was painful, girl," she said to Allen, who nodded her head somberly, with the air of those who finally found someone who could understand their pain.

Other stories were shared as everyone finished their breakfasts and started walking towards their usual posts. Allen got up from her chair and left the kitchen to the corridor, where Link was waiting for her.

"Did Ms. Nyne give you the agenda?" she asked as they walked together.

"Yes. I am supposed to greet our visitors from France. The fight in La Rochelle, remember? It seems some lone Exorcist got hurt and no one there knows how to treat their Innocence. The Exorcist is coming with some French scouts.

Allen nodded. "What about me?"

"Surprisingly enough, you have nothing scheduled for today." Allen seemed confused. "Well, Exorcists do have some free time allowed when they come back here. You should enjoy this day, after your long travel."

Allen nodded. "I guess. Have a good day, Link," she smiled to her friend, "I hope you manage more than merely offering this Exorcist a medical treatment."

"Yes. Good day to you." Link said, leaving her. He knew what she meant. Their group, very much like any Exorcist organization in the world, would always be trying to recruit new members from the rare people who hosted Innocence.

Allen went to her room, that stayed in a complex with intricate security and comfort for the residents. There weren't many rooms here, this place being reserved to Exorcists, who should be watched over as they rested. Allen never liked the way she and the others who also had Innocence would be more secure in case of an attack. It was her belief that everyone deserved the same protection. But in a world such as the one they lived in, any human who hosted Innocence was always seen as irreplaceable and, at the same time, the target of great danger.

Her room had a somber but comfortable look, decorated little by little ever since she joined the Rose Cross years ago. The prospect of going back to bed didn't seem very attractive. She wished she could talk to Link, the talented man who became one of her assigned guards and a close friend. But today he had the equivalent of a diplomatic mission, and a very important one.

More than a month ago, La Rochelle was attacked by the Earl's many Akuma. The local Exorcists and two Rose Cross members who had coincidentally been close to the site fought against the monsters. The place was left a mess and, apparently, no one present was able to understand why the Earl would chose to destroy La Rochelle… until now.

It seemed like the Earl heard about a lone Exorcist living there and decided to find and destroy him. It was fortunate that he didn't die, and Allen hoped their Innocence wouldn't be beyond repair. Rose Cross was one of the few places that had the capacity to deal with almost destroyed Innocence.

Not only would they try to heal this person, but they would also try to recruit him. Allen wondered how it was possible for lone Exorcists to still exist in the world. Most were associated to some kind of group such as Rose Cross. Living by yourself was almost impossible when the powerful Earl and his minions tried to find and destroy every piece of Innocence they could put their vile hands on.

Her door suddenly opened with a bang and she jumped with her heart beating fast, Innocence arm twitching, until she found who it was.

"No need to be alarmed, kid," the tall, intimidating and most of all, annoying Cross Marian said, stepping inside without permission, as per usual. "Hope you enjoyed your night of rest, because we are leaving."

Allen was up and getting her bag ready as soon as he finished speaking. You didn't dawdle when Cross gave orders, ever. "Where to, Master?"

"A city near the coast. We're going to do some scouting and stuff."

"Scouting?" Allen exclaimed as she quickly changed her clothes, uncaring about having Cross in the same room. Long ago she had learned, to her relief, that the womanizer saw her as nothing more than a piece of talking flesh with Innocence attached. "How wonderful! Will we have a new Exorcist?"

"Don't know. And don't get too excited about the boy coming here today. You won't see him for some time, and I heard he's a disagreeable little shit. Could very well have us repair his Innocence and leave without a thanks, the annoying brat."

"Is he young?" Allen asked curiously, already fully dressed and picking up her large bag. Cross, seeing that she was ready, left the room and so did she, locking the door and putting the key inside a pocket.

"Yes, quite. You can play dolls together. Now hurry up. The train leaves from the city at nine."

Allen startled. "Then we have to hurry! Why didn't you warn me earlier? Why…" then she took a long at his tired, worn face. "You were drinking last night, weren't you? Probably woke up just now, and only because Ms. Nyne forced you to. I can't believe you, Master-"

The white haired girl expertly dodged the fist that came towards her head and kept a safe distance from the man who was clearly suffering from a painful hangover headache, if his expression was anything to go by. "Shut up and walk, idiot," he said. "It's only a few kilometers of dense forest until the station in half an hour. You'll manage."

::::::::::::::::::::

After a few days, their ship reached land. Lavi had to admit he felt good every time they left the sea. No matter his many pirate jokes, he wasn't made to live on water only. After weeks or months on the ship, almost any land could be quite loveable. But Komui took that love to a completely new level.

"Ah! Earth! My beautiful earth," the scientist exclaimed, throwing himself from the ship and landing gracelessly on the beach, laughing on a maniac fashion. "I feel I can live again!"

Some rolled their eyes, but most Exorcists felt bad for the poor man and were happy he could find some comfort, even if only for a few days.

"Maybe we can settle on this beautiful town! Doesn't this city look nice, My dear Lenalee? It's actually the most beautiful city I've ever seen. Let's buy a house and live here as pharmacists!"

Lenalee looked doubtfully at her brother, who was now scooping sand on his hands and throwing it in the air like one would with piles of money. Some locals were staring at the Chinese man as if he was completely insane, which wasn't very far from the truth.

Kanda tsked at the little show and called his companions for the day, Daisya and Lavi, to follow him. Some groups of exorcists were free to wander the place, while the others kept the ship safe.

"Hey, hey, you guys! You can't just leave your ship here!"

Lavi sighed. Kanda never bothered to send a message to the locals before they arrived. Well, it wasn't like the Japanese man couldn't deal with this situation.

Kanda shoved his hand inside his jacket and quickly took out his Exorcist documents, almost rubbing them in the angry local's face. "Exorcist ship, idiot. So shut your trap or you'll have to answer to your government."

Most of the men around, who also wanted the ship gone, seemed to deflate. The one who confronted them was still angry, but quite subdued. "This is the place where our suppliers will anchor soon. Can't you find somewhere else?"

"They can find somewhere else, dumbass. You are talking to the people who risk their lives everyday to save your worthless carcasses," Kanda snarled, "Try anything funny and you are screwed. Daisya, Lavi! Come!"

Lavi winced and sent an apologetic glance to the guy. Kanda would only talk like equals to other Exorcists and, even then, he could be a scumbag. Anyone who didn't possess Innocence was below his notice, unless they were Akuma, in which case they would fall under his tender mercies.

They were here for two reasons: first, to buy supplies for the ship. And second but no less important, to recruit two possible Exorcists who would be meeting them today.

It was a hard task to find new Exorcists, and two at the same time? None of them could believe it initially, but when they received the message from a respectable English Exorcist organization, they knew it was a great opportunity. Kanda had made sure to have many of their comrades nearby and ready for battle as soon as he sent a message from his Golem, though. From the ship to the meeting place it was a matter of minutes, even less if they truly ran.

"I do wonder why Rose Cross just doesn't try and take the Exorcists for themselves," Lavi said to Kanda and Daisya as soon as they reached the spot in the supermarket where they were supposed to meet these two people. "Now let us wait."

::::::::::::::::::::

Allen happily displayed her hand of cards, having her opponents, who were previously so sure that they would rip her of all her money, jumping from their seats.

"This can't be…"

"You cheated!"

So did you all, she thought, but said instead, "No, I did not. Now, be gentlemen and honor your debts."

One of the bulkier man sat down again noisily, taking all the cards in the table and shuffling them. "Another round, boy! Double or nothing."

"I'm afraid not," she answered, the same smile from hours ago still intact, "I have a place to be at now, you see. Please excuse me."

After taking all of the money from the table, she swiftly left. While she learned to drop her discomfort in such places, she frequently had problems to retrieve her winnings, and didn't have enough fingers in both hands to count how many times she almost got killed. People didn't like losing to a young boy, specially when her constant luck was an indicator of cheating, even if they couldn't prove it no matter how hard they tried.

She was a professional, after all, she thought, the happy smile of before finally turning into a smug smirk, even if just for a while.

The white haired girl entered the hotel she was staying at, walking up the stairs after greeting the receptionist. She knocked at door twelve before opening it and entering.

Knocking was a mere formality, of course, because she didn't expect her Master to be in the room. That's why she was so surprised to see him sitting on the sofa, elegantly drinking a single cup of wine and reading a tome with enough interest that it proved he wasn't drunk, yet.

"Master," she greeted, still checking around for empty bottles. Rolling her eyes at her paranoia – she should happily accept the miracle of a sober Cross Marian – she opened her bag in front of him, pulling out some of the cash.

"See? I said I would get enough money to pay for this place."

Cross took a quick look at the money and then went back to the enormous book. "Good. Leave it here," and she dropped the bag by his feet, before going to her room, but he stopped her.

"Wait. You know what, pick some of this money and go run some errands."

Used to sudden commands, she turned to him. "Yes?"

"Here are some things I need you to get," he said, passing a list to her. She started reading through a number of random items which didn't seem very valuable, but looked like they would be a little hard to find. Cross looked at the clock in the wall, "Start by the central market. Look through the stands, no need to hurry. These first herbs aren't too hard to find. For the books, you go south towards the place that specializes in selling the illegal stuff. They'll look like they're just selling boring shit like fruits or whatever, but you know what to look for and how to ask, right? Take your time."

Allen wondered about Master's emphasis about how she should not hurry at all, and then she realized what he meant, and narrowed her eyes. Of course.

"Why are you sending me this nasty look, retard?" Cross seemed irritated, but no more than Allen.

"Just give me some signal when your friends are gone, Master," Allen spat acidly, utterly disgusted, but resigned like one who was used to suffer for a long time. "Hang a towel in the window or something, and I'll know I can enter. Wouldn't want to walk into an embarrassing scene again."

"What are you yapping about… oh wait. Stupid idiot. I am not calling anyone-"

"Of course you aren't. Goodbye." Allen closed the door, resisting the urge to bang it, and went down the stairs with a sour mood. Take her time, indeed. Good strategy, Master. Send me to buy random hard to find and cheap stuff to get rid of me. The last days had been taxing, they fought in their way here and she had done many jobs without even a sign of the Exorcist Cross said they were supposed to find. She was looking forward to resting in a comfortable bed, but it wasn't to be. Worse yet, she couldn't just toss the assignment aside, because there was a remote chance Cross actually wanted her to buy some of these goods and would punish her if she came back with nothing.

She pulled her hood over her head, as she always did in new places so people wouldn't stare at her peculiar appearance, and started her way to the Market.

::::::::::::::::::::

"They're late."

Daisya winced and wished Lavi wouldn't have said that. Yes, the two people they were supposed to meet were late, but there was no need to emphasize that to Kanda, who was already irritated.

"Bloody idiots think they're dealing with just about anyone," the man growled, "One day we're fighting for our lives, the other we are waiting at a damned marketbecause some people won't carry a watch…"

Kanda seemed terribly peeved, but it was obvious he was also worried. Two amateur Exorcists lost in the world would be easy prey to Akuma if they didn't know how to fight. It would be unforgivable if they lost two precious soldiers in such a way.

"Don't kill the guys when they get here, Kanda, if you do so we might as well leave now…" Daisya murmured from where he sat with his legs crossed.

"Guys? Why not girls?" Lavi smirked hopefully, "Two cute Exorcists our age, both lovely, scared and in need of guidance in the new life they're going to live from now on, and without paranoid older brothers to keep us away!" by now his lone visible eye was sparkling in optimism, and Daisya laughed. Knowing their luck, they would be two middle aged men who would complain with the others about how annoying teenagers are or something.

Half an hour later, they were starting to be truly worried that they wouldn't show up.

"We should be patient," said Lavi, "We also are late sometimes, when we find enemies in our way, or when the weather is terrible…"

"If two unexperienced Exorcists found Akuma, I think it's safe to say they aren't going to be here anytime soon, or ever," Kanda snorted, but looked troubled and if things stayed like this, Lavi knew he would order them to do an active search through the city.

Their anxious thoughts got interrupted by a commotion nearby. Many tall and hostile looking men were forming a circle around a smaller figure, right in the middle or the market. Some vendors looked worried for their stands.

"I pity that lad in the middle," Daisya said, shaking his head. "Only one of these guys would be enough to break him in half, but seven? Let's hope they find an agreement before violence starts."

"Doubt it," Lavi said, unsurprised by the fight. "The shortie with the hood has been buying stuff, and these gangsters or whatever they are were already coming from every corner and planning an ambush for the past minutes."

"Should we help?"

"Nah, you know we don't meddle with people's affairs unless there's Akuma involved," Lavi said nonchalantly, but seemed a little worried for whoever the hooded boy was.

"Did you spend all of our money already, you cheating bastard?!" one of the assailants screamed, shoving the guy to the floor.

"My apologies, but it's my money," the boy said in a painfully polite voice. Daisya winced. The guy was that non fighting kind.

The commotion only grew, and some vendors hastily packed their things up and fled. Eventually, the boy, who started getting beaten, found an opening and ran from his enemies at an impressive speed.

He was coming in their direction, and the men were running after him. Unable to do anything but help, Lavi grabbed the boy and ran with him into a nearby corner. It was easy to lose their pursuers, and Kanda and Daisya disappeared as swiftly. A few minutes afterwards and they were behind an empty and shadowed building, and Lavi released the lad.

The hood had fallen off, to reveal a shock of uneven, shoulder length white hair.

"Now, don't make a mistake," the redhead said happily, "I usually rescue only the girls, but I couldn't help but feel bad for you. What did you do to piss these guys off, anyway?"

The boy smiled and said, "They're just sore losers. Thank you so much for your help," he bowed, and then raised his head.

And stared at them with a cursed eye, crossed through by a red scar that started with an inverted pentagram – the symbol of their enemy – and extended into an angry line that ended in the cheek.

Akuma.

Lavi glanced frantically at Daisya and Kanda – and where in the world was Kanda? But there was no time to check. It seemed like they were lucky enough to accidentally bring an Akuma to a secluded place without causing much of a uproar.

Time to dispose of it.

Lavi invoked his Innocence, watching as the demon's eyes widened in surprised at the enormous weapon that seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"That's right, monster," snarled Lavi, "Couldn't disguise yourself very well, huh? It all ends here."

"Wait!" the thing screamed, but Lavi paid no attention and attacked, wondering why it hadn't transformed to its true appearance yet.

His attack was blocked though, by the Akuma's left arm, that had grown substantially and effectively held back his hammer.

The two Exorcists gaped. Since when could the Earl's servants not only block Innocence attacks but also hold them back? They always expected their enemies to dodge and attack from far away, at least the intelligent ones, because some would always attack in a close range and make it easier for the Exorcists to destroy them.

Refusing to waste any time, Lavi went on attacking from many angles, but the white haired machine would block him in every turn, trying to say something he paid no attention to. This one must be a high level, one that stayed in human form, for some curious reason. "Daisya! Some help, here!" he screamed, wishing to end this without actually having to activate a seal.

Daisya still wavered and then said hesitantly, "Innocence… this person has Innocence. His arm."

"What in the world are you talking about?" Lavi asked indignantly, jumping at a far distance from his enemy, but still keeping a close eye on him. "Don't tell me he's an Exorcist who conveniently decided to tattoo our nemesis's symbol on his freaking face!"

"How else do you explain him being able to block you? His hand also carries the symbol of a cross-"

The Akuma clearly was a smart one, because as soon as Lavi was out of close range, it jumped to the rooftops and disappeared.

"After him!" Lavi shouted, and Daisya followed through. Whatever that thing was, they couldn't leave it roaming around freely.

::::::::::::::::::::

Allen cursed her bad luck as she jumped over the rooftops, trying to put as much distance between herself and the other Exorcists as possible.

Yes, her appearance had caused problems before, but this was the first time she was actively pursued by Innocence wielders with intent to kill. She thought they were just civilians trying to help her – and maybe they were trying to help. Why did she let her hood fall from her head? She would glue the damned thing on, next time. Meanwhile, she ripped off her tattered cloak and let it fall away, as it was now nothing more than a hindrance.

Her pursuers were as fast as her, and the girl tried to at least reach the hotel she was staying at with her Master before they caught her. She didn't know if she would survive a full battle against two Exorcists – the one who attacked her was clearly holding back. Plus, injuring other Innocence accommodators was considered a high offence, even if those two were doing exactly that to Allen.

Master would probably be there with friends from a nearby brothel. He would not be drunk, she hoped, and no matter how much trouble he could be to her, he was a powerful man with good connections. He would either end things peacefully or help her subdue the enemies.

She also had left her documents in the room. In the worst case scenario, she could show her organization's official papers and hope for the best.

Soon, she was breaking in the room through the window. A quick look in the only two rooms showed Cross was nowhere in sight.

Worse yet; there was not a single item left in the room. Even her things were taken away. Cross had checked out without her. Why?

"Damn it!" she swore uncharacteristically, just before her pursuers broke into the room too, cornering her.

"You weren't actually trying to hide here, were you?" the one with the strange hat and the Bell Innocence asked, and the redhead also had his weapon on his hand.

"Listen, just come with us, we don't want to ruin this place," he started, but Allen ignored his blabbering.

She usually liked to avoid conflict, but after these two's reaction to her curse, she didn't know what the others would do. Activating her Innocence once more, she felt her arm transform. Miserably, she wondered how many games of poker she'd have to win in order to pay the landlady the damage that would be done to her hotel.

But before the fight could even start, she felt a terrible and piercing pain coming from her back and hurting her insides horribly, and looked down in time to see a thin blade coming out from just under her chest.

"Ugh," she coughed and felt her Innocence flickering due to her discomfort and pain. Looking at her two pursuers, they seemed as surprised as her. Actually, their eyes were as wide as saucers, as they stared at the red blood gushing out of her torso.

"N-no Akuma oil, huh?" she gasped and spat some blood, feeling warm tears escaping from her eyes when the person who attacked her from behind twisted the blade inside of her.

"Fuck. Fuck!" the redhead sounded truly desperate, deactivating his Innocence. "Kanda, stop! It's just a person!"

"I figured," said the voice of her mysterious assailant, just as he quickly slid his sword out of her body. An uncharacteristically strong pain reverberated inside of her at that, and her vision darkened as she passed out.

::::::::::::::::::::

A/N: Feel free to point mistakes. English isn't my main language.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 2

As night time approached, Cross ran through cities, towns and the wilderness, because there were no means of transportation that could take him to his destination fast enough.

He could remember the very urgent message sent to his golem as soon as the brat left their hotel rooms for the last time.

The Earl is attacking Rose Cross.

Not “the Earl sent Akuma to attack Rose Cross”, or “the Earl ordered the Noah Family to attack”.

No. The Earl himself was there.

It seemed the suspicions he had for so many years were true and he couldn’t believe his luck. If he had wasted more time, he wouldn’t have taken Allen away from the organization in time, she would be there right now… God only knew what would happen if the Earl got his hands on the girl.

Then again, it would’ve been much better if the leader of the Noah Family had waited two more days or so. Cross had just dispatched his apprentice to meet the people from Yuu Kanda’s fleet. He was planning to leave today alright, but not in such a hurry.

He had, of course, done a great research before making his decision months ago. Being unable to know where to find Kanda and his crewmen, due to the fact that they were one of the few organizations that didn’t have a stationary base, he sent them an official message from Rose Cross telling about two Exorcists who were wanting to talk about joining a group.

Such an opportunity was one that no Exorcist organization would let pass and thus, he set a day and a place and waited there with Allen. No matter how obedient his apprentice was, though, he knew he couldn’t just hand her to a group of strangers and expect that she would cooperate without an explanation. Thus, he sent her to a happy stroll that would inevitably lead to where Kanda’s Exorcists would be waiting for her.

The plan was to have his golem get there first and instruct the guys about how to approach her but instead, Timcanpy came back to him  almost at the same time he went out, with the urgent message from Klaud Nyne that had him grabbing everything and disappearing so fast he was still planning while on the run. On a second thought, he made sure to order the golden golem to follow Allen and give her his instructions.

Against his better judgment, his thoughts went to that silly child he had just left behind. How would she deal with her new situation? Would her new comrades cause her any trouble? Was she prone to seasickness?

Cross growled, wanting to hit himself. Why was he worrying about that little idiot? Yuu Kanda could have the reputation of being a nasty ass, but he heard the rest of the crew was a bunch of merry do-gooders. He would worry about his organization and forget Allen Walker, who was probably being treated as a princess in Kanda’s cheery little cruiser.

::::::::::::::::::::

On a bed in the small laboratory lay the unconscious girl that was brought a few hours ago by Daisya, Kanda and Lavi. With a bandaged torso and dressed in a long white shirt that covered her until above her knees, she would have looked like nothing more than a sick civilian, if not for the black left arm, completely possessed by parasitic Innocence.

And the pentagram on her face. One should not forget the pentagram.

“She will be better, now. Thankfully, Kanda avoided any vital points.” Komui sent the Japanese man a glare, “twisting the blade was unnecessary, though.”

“Even cutting her through was unnecessary! All of it was,” complained Lavi, clearly distressed about the situation.

“What are you grousing about, rabbit? It wasn’t me who attacked first, and we would’ve had to scrape her off the ground with a shovel if she hadn’t managed to block your twenty-something attacks. What the hell.”

“I didn’t know… I didn’t know.”

Komui sighed, mollified by the boy’s misery. They engaged so frequently in violence and life or death situations… but they never actively pursued humans, and the ones who died amidst Exorcist conflicts were unfortunate casualties. It made sense that this incident would affect the redhead so deeply.

Letting his stern expression dissolve, he said, “it’s not your fault, Lavi. I agree this Exorcist is quite peculiar and could be mistaken, initially, as an enemy.”

“What’s the problem with her?” Kanda demanded angrily. He had asked this before, but Komui refused to answer before he finished treating his patient.

“It’s incredible, really. There’s Dark Matter inside her eye and on the whole scar, but also genuine Innocence on her left arm, and both somehow manage to coexist in the same body… but there is some stress, some conflict between them. They are completely opposite substances, after all.”

“Demons who hold Innocence…” growled Kanda, his hands clenching. “What kind of experiment is… her?”

Komui’s eyes narrowed. “Now, now, I think I made it quite clear that she is human and an Exorcist. She is not Akuma wielding Innocence. The thought is preposterous, such a thing could never happen!”

“What the hell is her, then?” Kanda snapped heatedly.

“A cursed Exorcist! And we don’t know the full details of the curse’s consequences, but if she had been completely possessed, her Innocence would have rejected her as a host. There is nothing else to do but wait for her to wake up, so we talk. Honestly, it’s just an eye. If she can pulverize other people’s Innocence with a look then we have a problem, but otherwise, she is quite harmless.”

Daisya snorted at the sarcasm, took a last worried look at the girl, and left the room. Kanda still seemed cross, but Lavi spoke, urgently, “are you sure we shouldn’t take this chance since we are still on land, and take her to a big hospital? I mean, she was spurting a lot of blood…”

The Chinese man shook his head. “Usually, you would be right. But very much like Krory, she possesses parasitic Innocence. It will heal her in a faster than normal rate.”

Lavi nodded, still seeming unsure, and Komui spoke, “there’s some equipment I need downstairs. It will help me to do some scans. Lavi, do help me fetching it, please.” Lavi nodded and they started leaving the room. Before he left, though, Komui sent Kanda a pointed glare. “Don’t do anything to her, Kanda. You are mistaken – deal with it.”

Kanda stared at the man incredulously. He couldn’t remember Komui being this stern with him.

Komui lead Lavi to the storage room and started looking inside many drawers, until he sighed and closed them all, deciding to stop with the pretense. The boy looked at him with a questioning look.

“I think it’s quite obvious by now that I brought you here to talk privately,” the scientist started. “I don’t know what’s up with Kanda. I know he can be quite unyielding and cautious, but his actions today were too much. I am certain the girl is human, and already assured you all many times, but he doesn’t seem to budge. I want you to keep an eye on things and look out for her while she is with us.”

“Sure, we will try our best,” Lavi said earnestly.

“Hurting another Exorcist in the era we live in is unforgivable. She is also a human and that should matter, too. I don’t want any harassment going on this ship.”

“I’m sure Kanda will stop being a dick soon”, Lavi said, and Komui raised an eyebrow. “Seriously. He will always be his cranky self, but I don’t think he will harm the girl as soon as we make him see reason. He’s not stupid, just too worried about this ship’s security… and his constant suspicion did save our necks more than once.”

Komui nodded, deciding that was all they could do for now. Clapping his hands together, he said in a much happier tone, “alright, Lavi, now let’s pick this box here and take it to the lab.”

Lavi laughed weakly. “It’s good to see you in a good mood again, Komui, seriously. I was scared back there, you really cared about that girl. It was almost as if we had attacked Lenalee…”

The temperature in the storage room dropped significantly and there was a deep silence. Lavi instantly knew he had spoken too much. He turned to look at Komui, who had the same fierce expression he had when he heard Kanda had stabbed the girl, multiplied tenfold.

“You would all be dead, and your carcasses would sink with this ship”, the scientist declared without hesitation. Lavi trembled, his hidden Innocence trying to activate against his will when it felt its accommodator’s life was in danger. “Now pick up the box.”

“A-aye, sir.”

::::::::::::::::::::

Kanda paced in the small space in the lab, taking occasional looks at the patient on the bed. He had been thinking about Komui’s words, and Lavi’s and Daisya’s worry.

When his two comrades helped the stranger to flee from a fight in the streets, he decided to follow them, but watch from afar. He was annoyed at their interference, and also at the commotion started in the very same street they were supposed to meet the two Exorcists at. Talk about bad luck.

He expected Daisya and Lavi to drop the kid somewhere safe and quickly go back to their posts, so imagine his surprise when Lavi started fighting the boy. Listening to their dialogue, it was made clear for him that the boy was an Akuma in disguise, and his comrades had expertly managed to take it away from a populated area in order to destroy it without hurting anyone.

And then there was confusion, and an arm blocking Lavi’s Innocence, and Daisya saying the kid was an Exorcist and then the supposed demon-exorcist hybrid freak fled and Daisya and Lavi followed-

What the hell, Kanda thought, pissed off at the two’s incompetence. I will deal with this.

So the Japanese man also followed the three, trying to remain hidden. When the Akuma-Exorcist-Whatever entered a room and the two followed through, Kanda also broke in the building from another entrance, stealthily appearing behind the boy-thing who apparently no one knew what was.

Seeing his comrade’s hostile instance towards the enemy, Kanda made his decision, piercing him with Mugen and waiting for the shrieks and the combustion that should come from an Akuma hit by Innocence.

Instead, only a pained gasp came, while Lavi cursed. Kanda twisted his blade.

“Kanda, stop! It’s just a person!”

As warm, red, human blood coated his hand and dripped on the floor, Kanda was more perplexed than ever. “I figured,” he growled, and hit the back of the kid’s head, just because.

So now that the confusion had dissipated and Lavi had confessed he had not thought the ‘boy’ was an Akuma initially, and just wanted to save him from the angry group of men, Kanda could finally think clearly and analyze the situation.

If he was honest to himself, Komui could be right. This person certainly looked inoffensive now, and the arm was clearly Innocence. The substance wouldn’t allow a demon host. Its very nature was to destroy them.

He could hear some low grumbling from the girl as she started waking up. Well, that was fast. He didn’t activate his Innocence, but wouldn’t sheath Mugen either. Staring firmly at her cursed eye, he watched as she slowly opened her eyes and stared around in tired confusion.

“Good night, ma’am,” he bit out sarcastically, making sure to be in her field of vision. Mugen’s blade glistened dangerously by the candle’s light.

“Ah… where,” said the soft voice, and then she gulped, staring not at him, but at his Innocence, “you…”

Her left eye twitched and widened unnaturally. Kanda growled, caution be damned. He took the two long steps needed to close the distance between them and pointed his sword right between her eyes. “Don’t move.”

The girl looked suitably frightened for a couple of seconds. Then, her eyes narrowed in livid determination that had no place in a person who just woke up from a beating, and she attacked.

::::::::::::::::::::

Komui happily walked back to the lab, wanting to see how his patient was. He just saw his dear sister in the corridor, and that always put him in a good mood. Even if they saw each other many times a day, because they lived in the same place.

Lavi had excused himself before, nervously saying he had to go to his room or something. Komui wondered what was up with the strange boy. He hoped the redhead wouldn’t waste time and bring the box soon. He did ask Lavi to carry something for him, after all.

There were clashes coming from the lab. Komui startled and ran towards it, praying to be able to solve whatever problem he might find.

His patient, that poor girl, was in a fight with Kanda. The nearby stand fell over and the bed where the girl was before had been kicked to the side. Both of them sported bruises and had their Innocence clashing one against the other, fierce looks in both faces, like one wanted to rip the other apart.

“Enough!” Komui roared, running to put himself between the two. Kanda hastily withdrew his sword so it wouldn’t hurt the scientist, and the girl did the same.

“What in the world is happening here?” he demanded, staring more at Kanda than the girl.

Kanda seemingly refused to answer. At the same time, Lavi entered the room with the box of bandages, and took a worried glance at the messed up room.

“Lavi. Put that bed back into place,” Komui said, while picking up some ointments from the fallen stand, and starting to tend to the girl’s bleeding forehead. She tensed initially, but, seeing his good intention, let him take care of her, even if her Innocence was still dangerously activated.

He made her sit on the bed as soon as Lavi had it up, and quickly had the shallow cut bandaged up before the blood could start seeping into her eyes.

Komui stared at the Captain, expecting an explanation. He couldn’t believe it. Ever since this poor girl had entered the ship, Komui had been forced to act as the only adult around. And Kanda’s silence only strengthened the scientist’s suspicion.

“He attacked you out of nowhere, didn’t he?” he asked the girl, while lifting her shirt and starting to undo her bandages. “Now, let’s take another look at your wound. It could’ve opened. Boys, get out.”

::::::::::::::::::::

Allen’s breath was only now slowing down. She had only a few seconds to wake up and take a look around her surroundings, before feeling a great pain in her abdomen and seeing the very person who caused it staring at her. She would recognize that blade anywhere, after seeing it protruding from her belly, covered with her blood.

And then the guy threatened him while she was still waking up. She just wanted to defend herself and get out of here, wherever in the world here was. They clashed against each other, Innocence against Innocence – and what in the world was happening to Exorcists nowadays, what about the unspoken global agreement not to hurt each other – then some guy in white clothes was screaming at them to stop, putting himself between Allen and her aggressor.

Now, it didn’t matter how mad she was, Allen wouldn’t hurt a person who was not trying to harm her.

Surprisingly, the horrible man who had been trying to kill her also withdrew.

She watched the interaction of the three men in the room. The doctor looking one approached her carefully, staring worriedly at her forehead. She understood what he wanted to do and let him help her, even if she felt too insecure to deactivate her Innocence.

The guy who had put the bed back into place was the same redhead who attacked and pursued her. He sent her a worried and apologetic glance with his lone visible eye. The memory of his worried screaming when he realized she was human came to her mind, and she sent him a small smile.

He smiled too, and his shoulders sagged in relief. Then he left the room at the Chinese man’s dismissal. The black haired bastard also left, to her relief, and closed the door behind him. She watched as this medic carefully undid her bandages and inspected her wound. If he noticed her Innocence was activated, he didn’t make a comment.

“The wound opened a little, but your Innocence’s regenerative powers are impressive. You’ll be fine, but no more fighting for a while, alright?” the man asked kindly, changing her dressings that were a little stained with blood.

Allen sighed. She’d love to stop fighting, if she could. “If no one attacks me again,” she said, and the man nodded, before standing upright.

“My name is Komui Lee,” he said, extending a hand. “I am this ship’s scientist and I also provide the Exorcists medical aid.”

Allen shook his hand out of automatic politeness, but was startled. “Ship?” she asked, staring worriedly at the only window in the room, a circular one that displayed the sea, but also the coast, and that calmed her down.

“Yes, but don’t worry, we haven’t sailed yet.” Was it relief in his voice? “What is your name?”

“I’m Allen Walker,” she answered, “an Exorcist for the Rose Cross organization.”

“Ah, Rose Cross!” Komui smiled, recognizing the name. “So you are one of the Exorcists sent by them?”

“Um… I guess you can say so,” she answered uncertainly. “I came here with my Master. Are you all Exorcists from an organization, too? You must be, I’ve seen three already…”

“Oh, yes, we are an Exorcist organization. Our base is this ship, and we retrieve Innocence in the sea, islands and other places considered remote for stationary groups. But I am not an Exorcist, just a scientist, really. My cute little sister is, though.” And he smiled dreamily, making Allen giggle. He was kind of funny, and dissipated the tension.

“That’s a lot of Exorcists,” she said.

“Yes, and there’s even more!” Komui smiled at her excited expression. “But I heard there’s a lot in Rose Cross, too. It’s one of the bigger organizations there is, right?”

Allen nodded. “Yes… there are only a few Exorcists. But the ones in there are really, really strong. Not me though, I’m just an apprentice. We also have lots of civilians who agreed to join us. It is quite nice.” She sighed. “Thank you so much for your help, Dr. Lee.” She stood and bowed.

“Just call me Komui, and please, do not stand,” he said worriedly, “you must rest.”

“Don’t concern yourself with me, I have had much worse,” she said, refusing to go back to the bed. “Again, thank you very much. Please inform your comrades that I am not a threat, just in case we ever meet again. I must go, now.”

“What? I insist you should lay down and recover for a while longer. You said you were with someone else, where is he?”

Allen squirmed anxiously. “I… don’t know. He suddenly left.” She remembered the empty rooms, with absolutely nothing left. What was her Master up to? “I must go and find him.”

Komui tilted his head. “I expected you to stay with us, to be honest.”

“How so?” Allen couldn’t understand. Why would the man expect such a thing?

“Well, we did receive a message from Rose Cross a couple of weeks ago. It’s the reason we are here at all, you know. We were told to meet two Exorcists looking for an organization to join.”

Allen was baffled. “I was told no such thing. Master came with me because we were to meet someone too, he said, but we were to recruit them.”

Komui scratched his head. “How confusing. None of this makes sense. Can’t you send them a message? We aren’t able to make any direct contact, they talked to us through a trustworthy informant in a distant town.”

“I will. No, wait. I have none of my things with me.” Komui stared at her. “I-I know it’s very strange, but my Master left without telling me anything. He also took everything we had, even my own things, with him. I’m not lying-”

“Calm down,” Komui said, putting a placating hand on her shoulder. “Listen, we were told to meet two Exorcists, and two Exorcists came indeed – you and your… Master. Ahem.” He looked a bit disturbed. “Even if one of you is gone. If he left of his own volition, doesn’t that mean you are to join us?”

“Uh? No, No!” she shook her head, denying the idea vehemently. “Leave Rose Cross? Of course not, if that were so, he would’ve told me, and why should I leave anyway-”

“Oh, heavens, we are going nowhere with this talk. Please lay on the bed again, and don’t hyperventilate.” Allen obeyed, even if just because she wanted to have some time to think. “I will go and talk to the crew. I promise no one will attack you anymore, and we won’t sail without warning, okay?”

“O-okay…” she answered, because she had nothing else to say, and watched as he left the room. What in the world was happening?

::::::::::::::::::::

“And that’s the situation,” Komui told the crew, that had been reunited thanks to a helpful Lavi and a grudging Kanda.

“I can’t believe you guys just attacked a young girl!” Lenalee said, scandalized, and her brother nodded firmly at her side.

“We didn’t know, okay?” Daisya said for what felt like the hundredth time.

“So you’re saying she could be one of the Exorcists sent by Rose Cross,” Kanda said, trying to interrupt the drama that became very tiring. “And also that she has lost all of her documents and was abandoned by her… did you say Master?”

“That’s how she refers to him,” Komui said, also feeling weird about that. “Each organization has different rank types. I can only say I’m glad you let us call you by your name or Captain.”

Some snickered at the thought of calling Kanda “Master”, but the man himself didn’t see very amused. “I think it is very suspicious that she would lose all of her documents and the person who should be with her mysteriously disappeared. Basically, she has no means to prove what she says is the truth.”

“Kanda, what would she earn by lying? Allen has expressed many times her wish to leave the ship.”

“And some of our best Exorcists came to us through suspicious looking conditions,” added Lenalee, glancing pointedly at Krory, who smiled and lowered his head in embarrassment.

Kanda sighed. “Fine. We will let her stay for now.”

“Good! I can’t wait to tell her,” said Lavi, jumping from his seat and leaving the room.

“What the… Lavi, wait!” Komui tried to stop him, but it was already too late.

::::::::::::::::::::

Allen woke from her short nap when someone broke in the room.

“Hey,” said the now familiar redhead with the eye patch, “good news! You’re staying with us!”

The white haired girl stared before stating, more than asking, “what.”

“Yuu has allowed you to stay!”

“I allowed myself… no, I did no such thing,” said Allen, nonplussed by the boy’s apparent insanity and inability to speak proper English.

“Huh? No, no. I mean, Yuu, our Captain, has granted you membership. His name is ‘Yuu’. Or you could just call him Kanda. That’s his last name, but it’s no fun at all-”

“Stop, stop,” said Allen, completely unable to follow. “I was serious when I said I was not going to stay. I am already part of another organization. I thank you for the considerate offer, but…”

Whatever she was going to say got interrupted by a commotion outside. Voices, cries and breaking things could be heard, until the door opened with a bang and from it a very familiar winged golden golem entered, baring his pointy teeth, followed by three haggard looking people.

“Tim!” Allen exclaimed, delighted. “I am so happy to see you!”

“You know that thing?” asked a very peeved looking young man. Allen took a look at the many bites and scratches in her surprise visitors.

“Yes, this is Timcanpy, my Master’s golem,” she said, happily patting him. “He must know what has happened.”

As if on a cue, Timcanpy stopped flying and landed on her knee, opening his mouth. From it came a projected message of Cross Marian, looking a little out of breath.

“Hello, idiot,” greeted the flickering image, and someone snorted, but she didn’t bother to see who it was. “I don’t have much time. As you must have surmised, I have left. The reason for which I did so is none of your business. I am ordering you to go to a tiny boat currently anchored in the coast. It is owned by some stupid dick named Yuu Kanda or whatever. The hobos there may be abnormal, but they’re actually an Exorcist organization, no matter how insignificant, and you’ll work with them. Timcanpy will stay with you. By the way, you’re not a member of the Rose Cross anymore, and you are absolutely forbidden of coming back. If you do, I’ll kill you. Enjoy your new life with your new silly little friends. See ya.”

The image flickered out, leaving a speechless Allen staring at the empty air with enough rage one would believe the Earl himself stood before her.

Meanwhile, it seemed like other people had entered the room and heard the message, too, and felt the need to express their opinions about it.

“Tiny? This ship is like, enormous! It’s almost a war ship!”

“We aren’t abnormal… are we?”

“Insignificant organization, indeed! Is Rose Cross much better? Do they know how many Akuma we have killed?”

“Hahahaha… stupid… dick! Haha! OUCH! Sorry, cap’n! He wouldn’t say that to your face, he wouldn’t, that scallywag. Arr!”

What was her Master thinking, Allen thought, and why did he do that to her? She wanted to believe Cross was just messing with her, but Master didn’t kid around. His orders were clear. She was to stay here… and not come back home.

She looked, disheartened, at the many people who had invaded the room and were now having a huge argument.

A small hand covered her shoulder. “Are you okay?” asked a pretty Chinese girl with a gentle tone. “My name is Lenalee Lee.”

“Allen Walker,” the white haired Exorcist answered. “I’m… well, not okay. But I’ll be.”

“Um, I don’t know your… Master?” Allen nodded. “But I imagine it must be pretty hard to receive a message like that. He was quite insensitive.”

Allen laughed bitterly. “You saw his softer side today. He’s usually much worse. But…” Allen stared at the floor, “being dismissed like that, and just thrown away from the organization… I don’t know what he’s planning.”

“There must be some hidden truth behind that decision. In the golem’s projection, he looked fairly tired-”

“Drugs to that to people,” was Allen’s dry answer. Lenalee gaped.

A pair of leather boots came to Allen’s field of vision. She looked up and growled when she saw the person she had learned to hate in little time.

“Welcome to my tiny boat, beansprout,” snarled the fuming man, “I’m Kanda. Let’s work together.”

Allen gaped at him. He was the captain, Yuu Kanda? This couldn’t be. They would never work together, they would kill each other. But, most importantly…

“Just what did you call me?”

:::::::::::::::::::

Piles of concrete, twisted metal and broken stone were amidst still falling debris and pieces of objects destroyed by great explosions. The once intimidating building in the middle of a certain European forest was now nothing more than a wreckage still in fire.

Limping, Cross Marian went to a pile of rubble that moved suspiciously. With his Innocence, the revolver Judgment, in hand, he moved away the remains of a wall, revealing a familiar figure.

“Hang on, Tewaku-chan. Can you move?”

The blonde woman coughed twice and started trying to get up. Deciding she hadn’t broken any important bone, Cross grabbed her arm and helped her to stand.

“M-Madarao… the others…?”

“Quite fine,” he assured her. “A little beaten up, but no more than you.”

She nodded in relief, and he took her away before more of what was still up from the Rose Cross building fell apart.

The Earl had underestimated their organization and didn’t come out of the battle unscathed, but also managed to destroy much of what they had.

“How many casualties, I wonder?” asked Klaud Nyne, who had been helping to find survivors and take them away from the dangerous place.

“Not too many. Most of our personnel were busy underground, fortunately.”

Klaud narrowed her eyes. “It didn’t collapse?”

“Nope,” answered Cross. “Everything from the floor and below is perfectly fine. We did well to reinforce everything recently. It withstood even the horrible explosions.”

The tall woman’s fists clenched. “That’s all very good, but too convenient. I don’t care if it was Reever who said we should improve the underground’s structure because of Hevlaska. I know quite well who suggested it to him in the first place.”

“Who?” asked Cross with what he hoped was a truly curious expression, but Klaud was unimpressed.

“YOU. Do not lie to me. Did you know this attack would happen?”

“Eh? Of course not. How the hell would I know? Let’s help Tiedoll and the others check for survivors and then you can rest your head. Paranoid woman.”

Klaud was clearly not over her suspicions, but then she remembered something important. “Marian. Where is your apprentice?”

Cross sighed. Of course he couldn’t expect everyone to conveniently forget about Allen’s existence, but he did hope a little. “I don’t know.”

“What?”

“I lost her in the city and then I received your message. There was no time to look for her so I just came by myself.”

“That is dangerous, the girl is still learning to fight. You should go back and look for her.”

“She knows the way home, I’m sure she will come back,” Cross lied. “Now, what about the dozens of workers who could be buried under our building’s ruins right now?”

Klaud had a fierce scowl on her face, but knew he was right. Saving anyone who was hurt or trapped was their priority. Cross regretfully let go of Tewaku, handing her to a worried Howard Link, and went back to the ruins to do the hard task of searching.

He could still feel the Earl’s rage when the leader of the Noah family hadn’t found his target. Even if this fight had been terribly unpleasant, it was a relief that Cross took the necessary measures in order to hid what that homicidal maniac most wanted. What were the chances of him actually looking for her in the sea?

Chapter Text

Allen was pleasantly surprised to realize the crew's attitude towards her differed considerably from that of the captain. Most of them were curious and happy about having a new Exorcist around and treated her nicely or, at least, politely. She had yet to get to know everyone, but it was relieving to know she wouldn't be tangled with hateful people.

Just one person, really.

"I'm the accommodator to a parasitic Innocence! I need to eat a lot," she protested, quickly ending her third large glass of juice.

"Suman Dark and Arystar Krory are the same, but they don't inhale half as much as you do, beansprout! It's something to reflect upon that the Exorcist with the freaking teeth Innocence would eat less than you do."

"I… I usually feed from Akuma," Krory murmured weakly, evidently anxious about being dragged in the discussion.

"My weapon draws energy from the atmosphere instead of my body," said Suman, and the crew sent him odd looks, not knowing whether it was true or he was just spitting out nonsense to promote peace.

"My weapon sucks out every drop of the energy it uses from my body and my lifespan," Allen said, unconcerned at pointing out something she usually didn't talk about. "So I'll eat heartily and you'll deal with it. Please pass the salt," she finished, rebelliously filling yet again her plate and showering it with a little too much salt someone hurriedly handed to her.

After a lunch that had been one of the liveliest they had, according to Lenalee, Allen approached a man who wore clothes almost identical to hers.

"Mr. Laboun?" she asked, and he nodded his head. "Thank you so very much for lending me these garments."

"Ah, no problem, Ms. Walker. I'm the shortest guy around, so we thought it would be fine. Feel free to keep them."

Allen was relieved he said so, because she'd already stitched the pieces so they would fit her. After eating, the Exorcists started going back to their posts. So did Yuu Kanda, who could be heard making up theories about her torso having only a single organ inside, a stomach.

Land was too far away to see already, and she had only travelled on a ship once. This ship was not a luxury one, but it was quite big and interesting. It was tempting to walk up the stairs and enjoy the beautiful scenery, but she didn't want to be seen idling while the others worked hard. She went back to her cabin, a small but comfortable space provided with the basic furniture she would need. Timcanpy was laying in the bed where she had left him in the morning, after waking up from the little rest she managed to get that night.

"What do we do now? Komui said I shouldn't go and work yet…" she asked the little golem, poking at her wound. It still hurt a little, and perhaps the man was right, but inside these four walls there was boredom and madness.

Timcanpy just flew around her, and she wondered whether she should open the door and let him out. It would be good for him to get to know the ship, but she worried the others would try to get rid of him. It was very embarrassing to greet the people still covered in bites and scratches from their fight with the golem from yesterday. And who knew? Perhaps this ship had a cat.

She started playing around with Timcanpy, pulling at his wings and tail every time he tried to escape from her reach, knowing he would eventually be fed up and bit her. Then she had an idea, and stopped messing with him. The golden golem hovered in the air right in front of her eyes, as if asking 'what is it?'

"Tim… would you mind playing Master's message again?" she asked, and Timcanpy complied, going to the floor and projecting Cross Marian in front of her.

"Hello, idiot. I don't have much time. As you must have surmised, I have left."

Surely there had to be something to this message. She spent most of the night wondering why she'd be expelled from Rose Cross – no need to sugarcoat the truth with words such as 'temporarily dismissed', as she tried to say in one of her most optimist moments – and ended having only a few hours of sleep before being woken up to meet the crew and have breakfast.

"I am ordering you to go to a tiny boat currently anchored in the coast. It is owned by some stupid dick-"

Undeniably, Master. Undeniably.

A knock to her door interrupted her sour musings. She asked the person to enter. Timcanpy didn't stop the message.

"Hello," said Lenalee, staring at unexpected image of Marian Cross' back, "Um… would you mind if we talked a little?"

"They're actually an Exorcist organization, no matter how insignificant-"

Allen winced apologetically. "Sorry for that. Please sit," said Allen, pulling the single chair for the Chinese girl. She snickered a little. "What is it?"

"Oh, don't get me wrong, but you are quite gentlemanly. When you first entered this ship carried by Daisya I thought, what a cute boy."

The white haired girl laughed, unbothered. "I'm used to playing the part. How may I help you?"

Lenalee seemed a little bothered by the third "person" in the room. Fortunately, the message was coming to its end, so Allen just decided to let it run out.

"Enjoy your new life with your new silly little friends. See ya."

"What were you doing?" Lenalee asked curiously after Cross' holograph disappeared. Timcanpy flew to rest over Allen's head.

"I'm trying to find some secret meaning in Master's message. I find it quite hard to believe he told me to go away."

The other girl didn't say anything about that but, if her face was anything to go by, she was pitying Allen for her unfounded hope. "Alright," Lenalee said, putting her hands together in her lap in a rather cute pose, "I want to see if you're ok. How is your wound? Brother was going to ask himself, but he is… busy."

"It is much better. I'm sure it will be properly healed soon."

"That's so nice! Are you up for a walk? This ship is not a cruiser, but it is nice to stay in. We could get to know each other better."

::::::::::::::::::::

As expected, Allen recovered very fast. The wound became nothing more than a small scar, for which Komui apologized profusely in his Captain's name. Allen didn't consider herself a vain person, and didn't mind the new blemish in her body. Finally considered healthy, she was given permission to work.

"We always have a schedule set on this board with everyone's duties for the upcoming week," Kazaana Reed, a tall Exorcist who was a close friend of Laboun's explained, "There are basic tasks such as cleaning, cooking, being the helmsman or standing in the watching post, among others. There is also the 'checkup', where you have to walk around the ship and verify if everything is alright. See if there is any damage, if the food and medicine are well stocked and how much is still left, look for leakage and so on."

She nodded, wondering whether anyone would teach her how to… how did they say it? Drive the ship? That just sounded wrong. But still, it would be a completely new and unexpected experience. She looked at the board, where the paper with everyone's duties was nailed in. The chores were distributed in a way they were evenly balanced, avoiding overburdening anyone. To her surprise, Kanda's name was written there too, tasked to do everything from steering the ship to cleaning it. She had expected the captain to avoid any manual labor, but he appeared in the same frequency as the others. Actually, only two names were missing in the sheet.

"Komui doesn't have normal tasks. His duty is to… well, keep this ship in one piece," Reed said when she inquired about it. "When you see it, you'll understand. And we couldn't have known he would discharge you today, so you're just to help Suman Dark. He's doing cleaning today. Is that alright?"

Allen readily agreed, and Reed guided her, descending the stairs until where the other Exorcist was already scrubbing the ship's storage room. There the two stayed by themselves. The older man wasn't one to talk much, being a very quiet person, and Allen was fine with that. They worked together peacefully for a couple of hours, when a alarm bell went off.

"Don't be alarmed," said Suman, "This one just means all Exorcists are to come to the conference room."

"A conference room? I've seen none as I explored the ship."

"Well, to be honest…"

It was revealed that the "conference room" actually consisted of the dinner area, with the table cleared of any plates and food, and everyone sitting around it. Kanda sat in the head chair. As Suman and Allen entered, he started speaking. Apparently, they were the last ones to arrive, likely because they were working deep down in the bowels of the ship.

"As you must know, we were in the standard operating mode, acting mostly as a patrol than anything else, due to the lack of information on new Innocence, accommodators, Akuma attacks and the usual matters we deal with," he started. "The plan was to head North, where stupid territorial conflicts are causing lots of deaths… and therefore, most likely, Akuma are being created. An informant's message today changed my mind."

"A message, right now?" asked Lavi. "How would they manage to send one to us while we are here? I didn't see anything approaching us, at least."

"That just proves how important this message was. You know we aren't the only ones Komui provided with golems; our most trusted contacts also have received one each."

"What happened?" asked Suman, grimly. Allen noticed everyone was worried about someone using a golem to send them a message. She hadn't seen many golems in the ship. Actually, the only ones she saw were a black, one eyed one that floated by Lenalee's side as she hurried somewhere, and her own Timcanpy. Golems were a traditional means to communicate in Rose Cross, and she'd have to ask what was the big deal about an informant using it to talk to the captain.

"Nothing bad," Kanda assured them all. Had something terrible happened the last time they received such a message? "At least, let's hope it's not. We should keep our guards up constantly. But it seems like a man named Sheril Kamelot wishes to strike an alliance with our organization, specifically."

The Exorcists visibly relaxed. Komui pushed his glasses that were slipping from the bridge of his nose up, looking unusually solemn. "What is this man's significance, if we are going to completely change our ship's direction in order to meet with him?"

Kanda rested his elbows on the table, looking impatient. "Lavi," he called.

"Mr. Sheril Kamelot comes from a noble Portuguese family. He is the Head of his branch of the family, which changed its surname and came to Italy in the past generation. They own successful businesses and hold a great wealth. He also started a career in politics ten years ago and has grown in the area with an alarming speed. Now he holds the position of Minister, being able to vote in the country's most important decisions. Add to that his many allies, and we can say he has an enormous influence over his country and, to a certain extent, others."

Most of them seemed surprised, even Komui. Allen didn't know whether to be more impressed by this Mr. Kamelot's power or Lavi's extensive knowledge.

Daisya broke the silence. "So… it would be nice to become friends with this guy, right?"

"It would be lovely," Kanda said, spitting the last word. "That is, if it's not a damned trap. You all know protocol: be prepared to fight at any time, and never leave the ship with less than four Exorcists. Keep your golems active and with you all of the time. This will not be a standard stop where everyone gets to leave the ship and take a stroll. They're not in Italy right now, but in an English city. We will go over the instructions when we anchor there, but I explained the basics. Any questions?"

No one said anything for a while. Then, Lenalee raised her hand. "You said at least four of us were to stay in the ship. Does that mean the rest will go with you to meet this person?"

"I don't know. There'll probably be a previous meeting with some messenger of Kamelot's to set how many people should go. I want enough people in the ship, and at least two with me. The others can patrol the surroundings and see if we're being followed or observed by third parties."

"Why are you so apprehensive that this could be a trap?" Allen asked. She couldn't help feeling this was a newbie question, but the others also seemed to think this meeting was abnormal.

"For one, Walker, you should always distrust good news in our line of work. I don't know much about the place you come from, but it is ridiculously rare for our organization to receive a proposal of partnership from such a powerful politician. Most of them are too afraid to intervene in our fight against the Earl to do anything to help us, and the ones who aren't bloody cowards are already affiliated to other groups." Kanda interlaced his fingers in front of his mouth, staring at the crew's newest member. "Second, our communication methods aren't safe unless they happen face to face and, even then, we have to be very cautious. It wouldn't be the first time one of our contacts got killed by the Earl's supporters, who would then send us a fake message, leading our people to an ambush."

"Even the voice recognition system I inserted in our golems is useless, as it is proved there are Akuma who can imitate people and sound exactly like them," Komui pointed out. "That is why we usually tell our associates never to send us messages through this system, unless it is really important."

Allen nodded her understanding, feeling uneasy. It was this serious, then.

"If that's all, you can go back to whatever you were doing. We will arrive to our destination in a week or so."

"Three days," said Komui, and the others stared. "I've finished the improvements on the ship. We can't afford to be too late."

That was wonderful, Allen thought. She had just discovered Komui not only worked on the golem's technology, but actually was improving the ship, too. Perhaps he even had a hand in building it. The intelligent man was clearly more than a medic responsible for first aid. Kanda looked at the scientist with a strange expression that seemed torn between satisfaction and… ire?

"Are you sure, Komui, that these improvements are perfectly safe?"

"Of course, Kanda! Nothing can go wrong. These engines are the result of months of hard work, and they will cut out travelling time to less than a half!"

"Are you really sure? As in, 'I know Lenalee is in this ship and she would die too if it sunk', sure?" asked Lavi, with an uncharacteristically narrowed eye.

The other Exorcists were staring at Komui with expressions much less amiable than the gratefulness Allen expected they would show the man. What in the world brought such feelings? Suman must have noticed her confusion, but he just gestured for them to leave the "conference room" so they could continue their job.

::::::::::::::::::::

They anchored in a coast city close to Bristol in three days, as predicted by Komui. It was quite fortunate the engines that accelerated the ship only stopped working when they were already close to the city. The crew was tense about this mission, due to their own cautiousness and Kanda's suspicion. Allen just hoped it was unfounded.

They had already rehearsed how each of them was to act. Daisya Barry, Chalker Laboun, Suman Dark and Allen would stay in the ship. Yuu Kanda, Lavi and Arystar Krory would check in a hotel as soon as they entered the city the Minister was staying in. There, they would meet Kamelot's representative and set the date and hour for the meeting. Lenalee Lee and Kazaana Reed would patrol the surroundings, looking out for spies, Akuma and anyone with hostile intentions. Komui Lee would…

Throw himself from the ship's railing and fall in the beach's fine sand, crying hysterically and loudly contemplating the possibility of leaving the crew and living in the city with Lenalee by working as a pharmacist.

"What is happening with Komui-san?" asked Allen, very disturbed by the display.

Lenalee had a smile on her face, but it seemed a little strained. "Brother is always like this. He suffers from seasickness. Every day he locks himself in our cabin for hours because of this… disorder. It is always a relief for him when we reach the coast."

"I never noticed he was ill," Allen said pityingly, still staring at the dramatic exhibition. Was the man actually building a sand castle?

Back on track, Kanda had prepared everything, and made sure everyone knew what they should do, so there would be no mistakes. Everyone received a position where they would have a very specific task that would put their abilities to good use. The Japanese was an impressive leader.

To Allen, however, the only instructions were to "kill Akuma if you see one, or call for help if you can't." He didn't even bother to learn about her Innocence and skills. It was very aggravating.

Another thing Kanda seemingly didn't care about was working on the anchoring arrangements. She could see angry men coming from the docks, complaining about their ship being fixed in an unauthorized place. How troublesome, she thought. Now they would have to find somewhere else to stay. Instead of listening to the man's demands, though, Kanda started to furiously snarl nonsense about how they would do whatever they wanted, because they were Exorcists and the other men weren't, or at least it sounded like that to Allen. How could this horrible person expect to go to a diplomatic meeting, with such horrible people skills? Seeing as no one else reacted to this pitiful exchange, Allen surmised this must be an usual occurrence, and found it unacceptable.

Calmly walking down the ladder, she reached the place of the commotion. Krory looked like he just wanted this all to stop, while Lavi whistled and took a look towards the city's buildings, obviously waiting for the conflict to solve itself. Kanda continued intimidating the men with his drivel. She was sure his violent countenance was what was making the men consider retreating, instead of his words.

She walked towards the Japanese man, staying just a step behind him, and to his right. "Good afternoon, gentlemen," Allen said in her most polite tone, pretending she was facing one of Cross' debt collectors. "Can we talk? I'm afraid my captain isn't feeling well, after the long and tiring travel we just went through."

"Beansprout! What the hell are you doing here? Go back to the ughh-" Allen pinched him, hard and from a position the harbor workers couldn't see, below the ribs in that special way she knew hurt like a bitch. Cross used to do that to her when she was rude to one of his lady friends.

"There, you see? It must be his old battle wound. He's been working too hard," she explained to the dumbfounded men. "Please, captain, take a rest, and let me talk to these friends. Lavi, take him to sit somewhere, he doesn't look too good."

Lavi snickered as they took the incensed and incredulous man away. Allen could feel him glaring daggers at her back, but paid it no mind. "I hope you can spare a moment of your time?"

Bewildered by suddenly dealing with a very polite young man instead of the monster of before, they didn't say anything for a while, until the one in the middle, a rotund middle aged man with a mustache, coughed in his fist. "Now, see here, lad," he said, regaining his posture, "you can't just anchor anywhere you please. There are places to discharge cargo, places travelers already booked to leave their ships in, and so on. Your captain just won't understand that."

"Ah, he is such a rude person," Allen complained, sending Kanda a theatrical glare, "I understand you absolutely, sir. You see, we are Exorcists in a mission, and we just received this urgent message from the Minister ordering us to come. We just had no time to talk to you before, otherwise we unquestionably would!"

"The Minister?" asked the man, appearing concerned but also suspicious. "Why would he call for you?"

"Why, haven't your heard about the…" she came closer to him "Akuma?" she whispered loudly enough for the whole group to hear, as if telling them a great secret. The men's eyes widened, as they visibly blanched.

"A-Akuma! You mean…"

"Indeed. These monsters have been attacking this place for a while, and now, it is only going to get worse. Italy's dedicated Minister counts on us to help the city. See, many of us came just for this job. It is for the good of everyone, really. Surely you heard about the disappearances?"

Allen knew nothing about any specific disappearances, but she knew any populous city would have plenty of them. It was just normal in a corrupt society filled with violence. Considering humanity's terror in face of the Akuma, blaming the demons for such incidents would awaken fear in the hearts of just about anyone. The previously peeved men now paled before her, utterly devastated.

"Oh, for goodness' sake, if you had just explained before… Lad! I mean, honored Exorcist! Please free us of such abominable creatures!"

"Of course, sir. It will be a dangerous battle, but we will put our lives in the line," Allen assured them all with a pained but courageous smile. They all nodded in unison, suddenly seeing the bothersome Exorcists in a new light. "Now, about the anchoring…"

"Please stay for as long as you wish!" A thin and tall man who stayed quiet during the whole exchange exclaimed. "And if you need anything, ask us! Anything to help you in your hazardous and noble journey!"

"Your cooperation is a great help," Allen said, eyes moist with fake emotion. "Thanks to your generosity, we will win this fight and rid this city of these monsters!"

The men cheered loudly and Allen smiled widely, before biding them farewell. Even as she walked towards Kanda and the others, the group of sailors could be heard chanting encouragements and blessings towards their ship. She even heard a "Long Live the Minister!" from someone. Krory and Lavi had eyes so wide they could fall out of their sockets, and even Kanda looked bewildered.

"Allen-chan, what did you just do?" Laughed Lavi, who gasped trying to keep a semblance of calm. Likely, he only refrained from rolling in the sand in pure amusement because the men would realize what had happened.

"When in a new place, we must take advantage of our surroundings and the people we meet. Now we don't have to worry about people trying to hijack our ship because of a grudge, and we can even ask these guys for a favor or two while we're here. They'll gladly help."

"Thank you, Allen," said Krory, looking happier now that there was no one hating them.

Kanda was far from grateful. He looked pissed. "You actually hurt me, you little…"

"You pierced me with your sword for no reason. I pinched you to stop you from being an idiot. Stop being such a baby!"

"You used your Innocence arm, idiot!"

She stared at the man's side, where some blood could be seen staining his shirt. Allen's covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh, heavens, Kanda. I'm sorry. I forgot-"

"Shut up. Just shut the hell up, and follow me, you damn woman," the Japanese barked, turning away from her – his ponytail actually hit her face – and marching towards the city.

"Shouldn't I stay in the ship?" Allen asked, confused, but following nonetheless. The others walked by her side, quickly accepting the new situation.

"You showed us an unexpected side today, beansprout. Let us put it into use. And if you try to rip off my flesh again, I'll shove Mugen down your throat."

::::::::::::::::::::

"The richer they are, the most stuck up. That's why we have to do this," Lavi complained, poking at his tie.

After they left the ship last night, they checked in a hotel as planned. It was quite decent and therefore expensive, so Kanda wanted to fit them all in the same room, arguing that there would be no scandal, as Allen looked like a boy. The others insisted at least Allen should get her own place to stay. Kanda complained about financial problems and pampered women, until she solved the problem by paying for three rooms. She handed a key to a surprised Kanda and other to Krory and Lavi, staying with the third.

"This way, this lady here can have her privacy," she said, winking at Krory, who had been defending her honor as a young woman, and Lavi, who protested against evil captains, "and no one deserves to share a room with Kanda, so he's by himself. Is everyone happy?"

They seemed very surprised and Kanda demanded to know where she'd gotten the money. The truth was that she had some reserves from what she earned in her last poker game before Cross abandoned her, but just said her Master gave her an allowance the last time he saw her, and they seemed to accept that. After dinnertime, a polite employee of the Minister informed them the meeting would be in the afternoon of the next day in Mr. Kamelot's mansion, and three people would be allowed entrance. Kanda decided he would go with Lavi and Allen and they talked about the standard protocol to be followed in this occasion.

The next day, the Exorcists were dressed in formal clothes, far from extravagant but decent enough that they wouldn't look strange in the rich community they were walking in. Allen was trying to get used to the feminine clothes, as it had been a long time since she last dressed in such a way. Lavi didn't seem much better, constantly fidgeting in a very uncomfortable looking suit. Kanda looked surprisingly good in his attire, his constipated look the same he always sported in general.

"These shoes are hurting my feet," Allen complained, "I almost tripped in the pavement. These decorative stones aren't pretty, they're dangerous."

Kanda hit the back of her head, to her annoyance. "Pay attention. I feel the need to reinforce that the Kamelot Family has been rising in power these past years. They are wealthy politicians, and it was a good surprise to discover they're interested in negotiating with us. It's very important to make a good impression. Of course, we will see if they aren't full of shit before starting an agreement, but first we have to be diplomatic and talk around."

"You've proved to be quite a little manipulator back in the harbor, Allen-chan, so we are taking you with us."

"I can comprehend that quite well," Allen said, not denying Lavi's claim. She was very adept at wearing masks and using her charms to have people doing what she wanted. However… "What I cannot understand is what you two are doing coming, too. Are you sure you're capable of polite, intelligent negotiation?"

Lavi looked hurt, but she didn't care much, as he was prone to dramatics. It was Kanda who answered her concerns. "The idiot rabbit is usually a nuisance because he wants to, but he is very knowledgeable and, I dare say, the best one in the ship for this sort of job." It seemed like it pained him to praise the redhead, if the disgusted grimace was anything to go by. "And I'm not some uneducated moron. I was never a bonbon from a rich household, but I'm not incapable of being civil."

"Could have fooled me," Allen murmured, annoyed at the way her legs kicked her skirt as she walked.

"Don't listen to him, I'll do most of the talking, and you can help. Yuu-chan will stay tall, imposing and silent in some dark corner while we do the civilized conversation. He's got to come because he is our leader, so it would be rude of him to be absent, like saying the Kamelot family isn't important enough, you know?"

Allen nodded. Lavi clearly knew what he was doing.

They finally reached the street to the mansion. Lavi let his arms, previously folded behind his head, fall to the sides. His posture straightened and his haughty expression turned one of cold arrogance, just enough that it wouldn't be rude but showed how sure he was of himself. Allen also started walking gracefully in her heeled shoes. She was not kicking her skirt around anymore; instead, it moved elegantly around her legs, as she suddenly showed the grace of someone who was used to wear formal attires, looking elegant even in her simple but appropriate outfit. Her bothered looks of before melted into a sweet and small smile, her face perfectly fitting that of a gentle woman.

Kanda stared at the two by his sides. "You two are fucking scary."

"Please mind your language, commander, it is most inappropriate in this formal setting," Lavi corrected him, all pompous and dignified.

"Indeed, we cannot afford to insult our friends with such callousness, isn't that so, Mr. Johansson?" answered the kind lady Allen Walker had turned into, and Kanda growled, feeling the glint in the eyes of his companions. This would be a long day.

::::::::::::::::::::

The Minister's mansion was easily the most beautiful they had seen in the neighborhood, and they walked through many lavish rooms before being finally taken to Minister Kamelot's office. Lavi made sure to drop a couple of polite comments when they passed near some pieces of art, sharing impressive insights and knowledge about the artists, their work and story. It was like when he adopted the fake surname of Johansson, he became a truly different person. She wondered how much he had to study in order to properly do his part, and was embarrassed at her earlier comments when she doubted his ability.

The Minister was a tall man with long hair and a friendly smile. Contrary to his welcoming manners, however, his face had some harsh lines in it, as if this person was most used to frowning than to smiling. The three Exorcists sat across from the him and spent some time in small talk about culture, family and the current state of the world.

There was a knock. Mr. Kamelot told the person to enter.

"Ah, it is so good that you managed to make it here in time. Esteemed visitors, this is my younger brother, Tyki Mikk. Tyki, these are Allen Walker, Lavi Johansson and last but not least, Yuu Kanda, their captain. They're all Exorcists."

"It is a pleasure to meet you all," said the man, who kissed Allen's hand and shook the hands of the other Exorcists, not sparing a glance at her left arm, completely covered as it was with white fabric. Tyki was, very much like his brother, a perfect looking gentleman. He had the same dark skin that was apparently a trait of the Kamelot family, and long black hair tied in a ponytail. Perfectly dressed and proper, he had a very friendly aura as he stared at them with his youthful face.

Too friendly, Allen thought. Used to pretenses herself, she usually could feel when someone was wearing a mask. While she didn't think the man was displeased to see them, his gentleness seemed fake, as if there was another emotion, quite different, lurking behind.

His dark eyes caught her grey ones and he smirked with a glint on his gaze. Allen almost gulped, but managed to keep her smile frozen in place. He knew she knew, and she was suddenly apprehensive.

Allen tried to let her worries go. It was quite normal for people to disguise their true feelings in diplomatic meetings. Wasn't she doing the same thing, herself? But somehow, that man bothered her.

Tyki also took a seat, and Mr. Kamelot easily continued the talking.

"As I was saying, we made contact with a few Brokers by pretending we were allies of the Earl. They gave us plenty of information in exchange for a decent sum of money. Thanks to this, we now know the identities of many of these evil agents in the country and beyond."

"That was… awfully dangerous," said Kanda, and in Allen's mind she immediately translated his speech to that was insane, you damn idiot. Do you want to die?

Kanda was trying very hard to be nice. How endearing.

"I can only imagine the danger your family went through," Allen said with a worried frown, and this time she wasn't faking it. She couldn't help but detest it when civilians were put in danger in order to fight the Earl. She heard Mr. Kamelot had also a wife and a child. But Allen knew it would be best for her to avoid putting emphasis on any sacrifices made by the Kamelot family, as the patriarch would surely use them to his favor.

"Undeniably," said Mr. Kamelot, doing exactly that. "But we must destroy the terrible Earl, no matter what," he said, and Allen felt a small suspicion, but tried to shake it off. It wouldn't help to be paranoid. They had Kanda for that.

"I suppose it would be better for you to get rid of the Brokers. When the Earl asks them for information they already passed to you, they'll realize you were pretending to be one of his allies," Lavi said sensibly.

Mr. Kamelot put his hands together and smiled nicely. "Ah, would it be wise to take such great measures all of a sudden? I don't know."

Translation: I can dispose of them, but only if we are in the same side.

"That's right," Lavi agreed quickly, interrupting Kanda, who seemed like he hadn't noticed what the man meant and was going to give the aristocrat a piece of his mind. "Well, Minister Kamelot, we know you and your family have managed to ascend admirably in society, and you have respectable resources and connections. We would truly appreciate having you as one of our allies in the fight against the demons who wish to destroy humanity."

Nice dramatization, Lavi. While it was all very true, it was important to point out they were fighting not only against their own enemies, but also against the enemies of the whole mankind, including the man who was negotiating with them.

"Ah, yes, but there is only so much we can do without taking excessive risks. Your friends pointed the danger themselves."

"That means-"

"I want protection. From Exorcists, to be clear. We cannot work from the shadows for too long while only relying on bodyguards who cannot defend us from Akuma."

"That's impossible," Kanda said quickly. "We don't have a stationary base, and can't afford to navigate in a limited area. I believe we are the only Exorcist organization to patrol the seas, if not in the world, at least in this side of the globe."

Allen hid her grimace, but wasn't smiling anymore. This wouldn't go well. While Kanda had a very strong point, Mr. Kamelot wasn't unreasonable to expect some sort of shielding. Couldn't the ship spare some fighters? It was always a blow to lose Exorcists, but they would still be under Kanda's command even while protecting the Kamelot family, and in exchange they would win a strong ally.

"I thought so," said Mr. Kamelot, and Allen expected the meeting to end here, so she was surprised when he continued, "that is why I want to do another exchange with you… I want information."

"Information?" Kanda frowned. Exorcists usually looked for those, but politicians rarely wanted data from Exorcists. "of what kind?"

"First of all, let me explain. I do require Exorcist protection, but it doesn't necessarily have to come from you. I've talked to other organizations, and there's one from Germany that is willing to listen to my demands. See, Germany already has quite a few Exorcist societies, more concentrated than in here. The group I contacted is small enough to be able to leave their country without causing a commotion, but also has enough members to make us feel safe. They are willing to actually transfer here to work as Exorcists and help with our protection in exchange for a few incentives, such as political and financial help and… information of the kind only Exorcists usually gather."

"What kind of information?"

"Most of the information you deal with. Where you are finding new Exorcists. The places where allies can be found. The discovery of new Innocence. While this information is very important to you, I doubt very much you can manage to recruit every Exorcist you find. You may also have in your possession Innocence of unknown accommodators. And the allies would be a help for the German Exorcists who will come here without knowing much about the country."

"Basically, whatever we can't use, we tell to you. Exorcists who won't work with us, Innocence in their crystal forms we can't find a person to synchronize with…"

"That's right. If you can take an Exorcist or use an Innocence, then they are, by all rights, yours. But there is no point in keeping such data for yourselves if you cannot do anything with it."

Kanda seemed quite tense about the proposal. Lavi also bore a closed look and Allen merely remained expressionless.

Knowing the final decision was his and his colleagues would not say anything right now, Kanda said, "We cannot accept your proposal. At least, not immediately. This sort of data is very confidential."

Kamelot nodded. "I would have thought it strange if you accepted immediately. Do not worry, but please think about it. I'm sure my offer would benefit both of us greatly."

And while this meeting was a great pretense of a friendly gathering, when the negotiations ended it was time to go. The Exorcists bid farewell to their hosts and started leaving the great mansion. Tyki accompanied them to the door.

"We hope to hear from you soon," said Tyki amiably, after they formally said their goodbyes. "Are you sure you don't want to stay over? We have many rooms to spare."

"Thank you, Lord Mikk," answered Allen, to whom the Portuguese man seemed to have warmed up the most, "But we must stand guard over our ship. One can never be too careful."

The friendly man nodded. A child's laugh could be heard from the garden. The Exorcists looked in its direction. There, a young dark haired girl wearing a beautiful dress played with a woman who wore a maid's uniform. Sitting in a comfortable looking chair by the shadow of a tree was a blond lady who observed the two.

"Ah, those are my sister in law, Tricia, and my niece, Road. They are enjoying the good weather."

Allen stared at the happy scene for a few more seconds before nodding and leaving with Kanda and Lavi. What a beautiful family, she thought. She hoped they would be able to find some sort of agreement so that everyone would be safe.

::::::::::::::::::::

As they left the posh part of the city, the three Exorcist's true characters were once again free. Allen got rid of the uncomfortable shoes as soon as they were walking in sand, and Lavi was once again in his characteristic slouch.

"What do you think about today?" asked Kanda. Allen remained silent, expecting Lavi to reply. The redhead was quiet and stared pointedly at the girl.

Allen was unsure Kanda actually wanted to listen to her opinion, but decided to say it anyway. "Rose Cross would never accept Mr. Kamelot's deal," she said, sure of herself. "Such important information is what actually allows us to exist as organized and relatively powerful groups. Not only it is usually disclosed exclusively to other Exorcists, but there must be a lot of trust, built from a long term relationship."

Instead of quickly dismissing her opinion, the captain seemed thoughtful. "You're right. On one side, we really need strong allies such as Kamelot. On the other, there is no way in hell we're letting him have such power over our dealings. If in the end of it all he is an enemy, we'll be destroyed after giving him so much data."

"We should try to meet him halfway," said Allen, "instead of becoming true allies with official bonds, do a favor for a favor. It can be useful some day and, on the other hand, we can cut off any kind of relationship at any time, without actually being disloyal."

They reflected about the meeting as they entered the ship, receiving a warm greeting from the very friendly harbor workers who wanted to know if they needed anything. Some had actually given them extra materials just in case their ship needed repairing. The Exorcists who hadn't watched Allen's interaction with the men the other day seemed very puzzled by the welcoming behavior from the people of the city. Kanda explained how the meeting went to everyone in a reunion, and they decided to stay around until they finally formed a decision.

::::::::::::::::::::

"Have you enjoyed making new friends?" Tyki asked, sprawling lazily in a rich purple sofa. "Esteemed visitors, indeed…"

Sheril turned from the window, where he had been staring at the three Exorcists who just left the mansion. "Don't you point your finger at me, little brother. You were quite friendly to that white haired woman, to an unnecessary extent, I must say."

"She's an old acquaintance of mine," the younger man answered, smiling as he stared at the ceiling.

Sheril raised an eyebrow. "How so? Don't tell me you're actually hanging around with Exorcists on your free time? That is not what I expected from your 'white side'."

Tyki smiled dreamily. "Last time I saw her, she stripped me from my clothes in a train's wagon. It was quite fun. She had the same smile of today, all polite but with an evil glint underneath. I couldn't help remembering the good times." Only silence met his outrageous statement, and Tyki stopped staring upwards, taking a peek at Sheril instead. The man's face was frozen, except for his left eye which was twitching continuously. He must be wondering whether Tyki was having him on, or not.

"Nonetheless," Sheril finally said, weakly, "there is no point in playing such games with these Exorcists if they aren't powerful enough to be of relevance."

"What are you planning to do?" Tyki asked, stretching. It had been a hard weekend, working with his friends to build a warehouse in a farm far away. It was nice to relax for a while.

Sheril just stared at the window once more. The Exorcists were already out of sight, but he knew exactly where they would be. "Let's give them a little test, shall we? Nothing too complicated. Just enough to see if they're worth our time."

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 4

"My hope is to gather more information about Kamelot before making a decision," Kanda finished in the 'conference room', after explaining they would meet an informant who travelled there just to meet them. "As I don't want to leave our ship unprotected, I will be taking two Exorcists with me. The rest will stay here."

"You know you can choose from any of us," Lenalee pointed out.

"Very well. You will come with me, and also…"

His gaze swept over every Exorcist in the room, wondering who would be the most convenient choice. He tried very hard to ignore an annoying hand that shot up and waved frantically almost in front of his face.

"Please take me with you!" Allen finally said, after realizing Kanda was purposefully blind to her request.

"No," Kanda deadpanned without hesitation, "I'll take-"

"Come on, Captain, what is the problem on taking Allen with you?" said Krory, who became friends with Allen after she dealt with the sailors.

"That's right, cap'n! Don't miss the chance of having two lasses by your side!" pointed out a beaming Lavi, who probably did that out of a belief he still owed the girl. The redhead had yet to get rid of his disgusting tendency of self recrimination and tears for having attacked Allen on their first meeting. It seemed like he would always take her side on everything. Sucker.

"It would be good for Walker to have some fieldwork experience with us," said a quiet Exorcist who had been staying silent in a corner.

Bloody hell, even Suman Dark, he thought, feeling betrayed by his crew. Cunning bitch. She's got all of you wrapped around her little finger.

"I can detect Akuma with my left eye," she added. Almost everyone, including the white haired eating machine, started staring up at him expectantly. She seemed to know exactly what his thoughts were.

"Fine!", he barked, "Lenalee, Walker, fetch your things. We are leaving in five minutes."

::::::::::::::::::::

Komui Lee was a bored man. After deciding it wouldn't be possible to repair the ship's engine without the proper materials and checking everyone's golem twice just because, he was left with nothing to do. His darling sister had gone out with their terrible captain, because really, why couldn't the man choose someone else? There was also the food that needed to be restocked urgently – Allen was a dear, she really was, but they would have to rethink their storage space at this rate – but Kanda had forbidden any Exorcists from leaving the ship without his permission.

Then again, Komui wasn't an Exorcist. He was just an ordinary, albeit extremely intelligent, person. A person with a debilitating illness that could only be treated through contact with solid earth. With such very logical thoughts in his mind, he picked a large backpack and left the ship.

Sighing as he finally touched the soft sand, he walked towards what seemed like one of the entrances to the city. The ship was anchored but still swayed a little and, if he could, he would just sleep outside of it until this mission was done. A deal with the Minister, Kanda said. Komui had hoped they would form an alliance quickly so he could start asking favors of the politician such as research material and equipment, but it wasn't to be.

The beach was a decent looking one – heavenly for anyone who travelled in the seas, sometimes for months – but it wasn't really a place for recreation. It seemed more focused on work, with sailors, traders and businessmen walking around and talking to each other while they inspected cargo, boats, animals and the occasional bottle of beer. Some of the men he came to recognize as the nice harbor workers who helped them with small repairs approached him, as soon as he had crossed half of the distance between the ship and the first row of buildings.

"Morning, Mr. Exorcist," greeted one of them, other two by his sides.

"I'm not an Exorcist," Komui felt the need to clarify, "I'm Komui Lee, the ship's scientist. And repairman. And other things."

"It is so noble of regular people to help the Exorcists," commented another man admiringly. Komui smiled. Yes, it was very, very nice of him to live in a ship, of all places. The things he did to be near his darling sister…

"Thank you," he answered. "I want to visit the city's tourist spots and maybe buy a couple of things before leaving. Do you have any idea of where I should go first?"

"Why, the first thing you should visit is right in front of you, sir," Tao, as written in a nametag in his chest, said, "Our beach's very best and only bar. You can have a pint and some good conversation there. And information. You can meet almost every type of citizen there."

"Not the Minister, but almost everyone below him," clarified other.

Komui was reluctant. "I don't drink alcohol…"

"How noble of you, Mr. Lee!" exclaimed the third person, who had stayed quiet until now. "Don't worry, we will prepare whatever you want, even orange juice," the others laughed at that. "Or coffee. Anything for the Exorcists. And their friends."

They had him when they said 'coffee'. "Alright. Why not?" Komui wasn't used to such great hospitality. Kanda usually made sure everyone in a hundred meter radius would hate their ship and everyone inside it as soon as he opened his mouth. The other men cheered and one put an arm around the scientist's shoulders, which was a feat on itself, considering how tall Komui was. He let himself be lead to what looked like a very large and crowded place.

::::::::::::::::::::

"Is there a standard protocol to follow when we meet our informant?" Allen asked, hoping not to embarrass herself on this mission.

"Yes. Unless there is Akuma activity, you are a nonexistent entity. You shut up, stay behind and let me do the talking. We are not in an audience with a pampered prince. He won't bitch because we aren't wearing the proper clothes or used a harsh voice tone or whatever."

Astonished at his rudeness, Allen kicked a pebble out of their way moodily. Why did he have to be like that?

She noticed that they avoided the richest places as they walked, which was only appropriate as their clothes weren't exactly ragged, but weren't at their best states, either. They didn't even approach the Minister's mansion. There was a stand selling chocolate covered popcorn in their way and Allen bought a large bag, because it had already been some time since she last ate. She shared with Lenalee, knowing best than offer any to their grumpy captain, and Kanda's eye twitched in the same rhythm they munched the crunchy treat.

"Mmm, this was good," Lenalee said as they ate what was left of the popcorn and threw the paper bag in a nearby bin.

They were now walking in front of a pub. Allen could smell the alcohol and nicotine. With a sigh, she closed her eyes. How nostalgic. It was almost as if her Master was right by her side, ready to tell her to fetch another bottle of whisky and light his cigarette.

Perhaps her actual company wasn't so bad, she thought, staring at Kanda. At least the man wasn't a drug addict.

Kanda raised an eyebrow at her staring, and she looked at the other side so he didn't have time to say something impolite. Then, her eye activated, and it was only through sheer willpower that she managed not to show any outward reaction.

"Kanda, Lenalee?" she called in a normal conversation voice, because they were out of the enemy's hearing range. "There are Akuma nearby. They must be watching us."

Both of them turned at her, surprised. "How would you know?" he asked skeptically, but fell silent when he saw her, now that she discreetly moved her white bangs from the left side of her face.

"This eye may be a curse, but it is a useful one," was the answer from the white haired girl, who now turned towards them completely. Her left eye, they observed with alarm, had changed dramatically. The white turned black and the grey turned red, assuming a demonic appearance; it bulged slightly and the red traces over her skin became thicker and darker, the inverted pentagram and the rest of the scar looking like a black fissure in her face. It reminded her why they had mistaken Allen Walker for a demon.

"Most are level one and easily dealt with," she continued, looking sure of herself. "Some… six, I would say, are level two, and one may be level three, but that is it," she finished.

Kanda looked reluctant to believe the accuracy of her info, but nodded. "I can't imagine why they're waiting to attack, but we won't give them time to follow through whatever plan they have in mind. Where are they?"

"It will do no good to point one by one, or they will attack right now. Let us attract them, first."

Lenalee activated her Innocence, that happened to be black boots that apparently let her do acrobatic movements and who knows what else, while Kanda activated his sword, with which she was acquainted too well.

Allen activated her own Innocence. Unlike when trying to defend herself from Daisya and Lavi, she activated it completely, and felt herself being covered by Crown Clown's white cape, silver mask hanging around her neck and left arm activated with its sharp and long claws. Lenalee stared at her in surprise.

"Shiny, Walker," disdained Kanda, "now… where are they?"

::::::::::::::::::::

Two dark skinned men dressed in fine clothes watched the clash of Exorcists versus Akuma that happened far away in one of the city's most distanced areas.

"They're not too bad," Tyki pointed out from where he stood in the roof of the cathedral's highest tower. "Last time Chiaki attacked a group of Exorcists, they all were down in less than a minute."

"Don't call that thing by its name," complained Sheril, sitting at the edge of the same rooftop.

Tyki huffed. Sheril never liked it when he called Akuma by their names. "What do you suggest I do, then? Call them number one, number two? Or call Chiaki 'the level three with the curvy blades?'"

"That would be preferable, yes. Ooh, look. Your Juliet just killed that level two with one finger. One finger."

"My Juliet?"

"As in Romeo and Juliet. Because you two come from different sides, and are absolutely going to die if you ever try to get together. Got the hint?"

"Huh?"

"Tyki, you uneducated little boy! I can't believe-"

"No, no, now I get it, seriously. I just forgot," Tyki grumbled, lying. Sheril chose the worst moments to point out his illiteracy.

"Even my dear Road read the whole story already, and wrote a paper about it. And she's only twelve, -"

"She is not."

"Why are you being so difficult today?"

Tyki chose to ignore his older brother, as he always did when Road become the topic of conversation. Creepy man. Straining his vision to see from so far away, he observed the three Exorcists who were cornered by the Akuma. The level ones could as well not have been sent, so fast they had been disposed of. Level twos were more of a problem, but it was clear they would eventually perish, too. The level three, though, looked like it was actually forcing them to give it their all.

The annoying Japanese captain used a katana and, with it, created illusions that followed and destroyed their targets. How inconvenient. He had expected the man to be a close range fighter only, considering his sword.

The black haired girl had Innocence in the form of boots that allowed her immense speed. He wondered about her power, until she ripped apart a level two with a well aimed kick.

And Allen… she was interesting. Her abilities were much more of a challenge to understand. Her cloak provided her a shield the other Exorcists could not generate. It also extended, allowing her a long range attacking ability and good mobility. Her arm, though, seemed to be the true weapon, as she only used it to try to destroy Chiaki. She seemed to be overwhelmed, but that was likely because she was trying not to destroy the buildings around them. There were people in there, he could see some hiding and spying from their semi closed windows.

How tedious. Their enemies would always have a handicap, if they felt like protecting weak people every time they fought. Then again, the fact that these Exorcists could do so without dying proved they were better than the last ones they killed.

"Does she have two Innocence, or what?" wondered Sheril, after seeing Allen with both the cloak and her arm.

"You know as well as I that she has only one. We can feel it."

"Yes, but it is a strange manifestation of… ouch, that got to hurt," Sheril said when the Chinese Exorcist got hit by the wind blades generated by a level two.

"Nah, superficial wounds," said Tyki, bored, and then his eyes widened. "Hey, what is that idiot doing?"

Yuu Kanda's illusions attacked the level three Chiaki, who had been trying to kill Allen. Chiaki was smart though, and managed to make it so that the insects hit and destroyed the extensions of Allen's cloak, that were holding it down. Now free and with an unique opportunity, the Akuma threw Kanda far away. The man hit a wall far away and fell with a crunch – something important must have been broken inside of his body. Meanwhile, the level three advanced on Allen, who managed to avoid the worst of the hit, but it slashed through her left arm, apparently making the Innocence there useless. The other Exorcist, Lenalee, still had to kill the two Akuma she fought against that had managed to drag her blocks away.

"I approve of them. These Exorcists are as good as we can get for the Earl's design," said Sheril, "it is better to hurry. You have work to do, little brother."

Tyki stretched lazily and looked at Allen, who was now toyed with by the level three. "At least it is not Yuu Kanda who needs help. I wouldn't save him even if you asked."

"Go already," Sheril said, and watched as Tyki disappeared, slipping through the tiled roof and running towards the conflict. Only three Exorcists, and they managed to destroy almost all of the Akuma the Noah sent. How many other Exorcist must be in the ship? Yes, this organization would do just fine.

::::::::::::::::::::

Allen fell to the floor, right arm breaking with a sickening crack. Her Innocence refused to move, twitching sporadically, and her legs had been trapped by fallen debris. The Akuma over her raised its blade, intent on cutting her in a half. Lenalee was fighting somewhere else, and Kanda screamed her name and tried to reach her, but he was just too far away –

She couldn't remember closing her eyes. She heard the sound of the blade cutting through the air and then through flesh, the smell of blood and the warm liquid washing over her, but there was no pain.

Allen opened her eyes and saw one of the last people she expected to see tonight.

The Minister's younger brother – Tyki Mikk, that was his name – leaned over her standing on his hands and knees, and was shielding her from the attack. The Akuma's blade shone red as it cut through him and almost pierced Allen herself.

"Oh my God…"

"Hey, girl… are you-"

Tyki was interrupted by a wet cough, and blood flowed from his lips, dropping on Allen's face.

"Oh my God… Tyki. We will help you," she said desperately, even if she couldn't exactly move and didn't know how to move him without making his wounds worse, either. A few seconds were needed for Kanda to destroy the remaining Akuma by running it through with Mugen itself. The man tried to remove the blade from Tyki without causing more damage, but only made the mess worse. He took the dark skinned man away from Allen and laid him on the floor.

"Lenalee, call for help for these two!" Kanda ordered, and only then Allen noticed the Chinese girl had just reached them. She gasped at their situation but didn't waste any time, swiftly taking away with the help of her boots.

"How are you?" Kanda asked, heaving the concrete that had fallen over her legs.

Allen panted, trying to ignore the pain coming from her right arm and her Innocence. "Forget about me! It's Tyki you should be worrying about…"

"You are the Exorcist. Now answer my question!" he demanded impatiently. "Is there any damage that you believe may become irreversible?"

"I don't know," she said, still unable to take her eyes off the man who saved her, laying in a bloody pool besides her. "My normal arm will be fine. I don't know about the Innocence, it may need specialized care…" she shook her head. "Now can you, for heaven's sake, focus on Tyki who's in a much worse condition?" she exclaimed in anger, anguished at this situation. Because of her ineptitude, Tyki, who came out of who knows where, had to interfere and save her. She had no idea why a man who barely knew her would risk his life in exchange for hers, but she would be damned if he died because of this.

"Tyki," she called at his fragile looking form, worried when he became too silent. "Listen to me. Don't sleep, okay? Lenalee is going to get help. She is terribly fast. You will be assisted in no time," she assured as she sat near his body.

"It's… fine," he said weakly. "You… okay?"

Allen held back a sob. "Quite fine," she answered. "And you will be, too. I promise."

Lenalee came back with a doctor who performed first aid, before a whole team came, together with a carriage to take them. When the authorities received the news that the Minister's brother was grievously hurt, they mobilized to help immediately. Tyki was taken to a hospital, while Kanda took Allen back to the ship, as they would give priority to healing her Innocence.

::::::::::::::::::::

Tyki watched as the doctor finished his bandages, giving some last advice that was supposed to keep him alive. He'd spent a long night in the hospital being operated, and only now had been able to leave the place.

"Really, Minister Kamelot," the doctor said worriedly, addressing Sheril, "are you really sure you wish for your brother to stay home? It is just too soon! He was only allowed to come back because it was you who asked, sir."

"Please do not worry, doctor. I only wish the best for my brother," Sheril assured him. "He will have a whole team of medics at his disposal while he recovers. This way he can stay home with his family, and he will not burden you in the hospital. I would like you to focus on the other patients. Tyki will be fine."

"If you say so, sir," the doctor said uncertainly. The door was knocked. Sheril opened it, and from it came four Akuma in human form, all dressed in white uniforms and carrying medical equipment.

"These are the doctors and nurses supposed to help my brother. I assure you they have a very respectable background. The rest of the team will be arriving soon," Sheril said, smiling.

"Ah… is that so? I am relieved, then," the man said. He finally bowed to Sheril and then to Tyki, and left the room.

The door closed and the man's steps disappeared as he was guided by a servant so he could leave the mansion. Sheril approached his brother, sitting by his bed. "Ah, Tyki. That you went through such lengths to protect your beloved. To watch you like this, it pains me so."

"Bastard. I was just following through your genial plan," he said, "but I've had enough of this." He ripped of his bandages, revealing a very hurt and carefully stitched torso, all blotched and looking like it would burst open any time. He pulled at the threads roughly, but the wound didn't have time to reopen, as it healed at the same time he transformed into his Noah form.

"Argh, finally. I almost couldn't stand it anymore. And to force my body to hold back from recovering, while those people poked and stitched. You owe me big time!"

"We both work for the Earl, you know," Sheril pointed out. "I didn't think we would have to do this, but the Exorcists had quite a good fight against our Akuma, weren't they? And only three of them… how many more must be in the ship? They'll probably last for a while in this world. I think they fit the Earl's description."

"Cute Allen did well until that retard got on her way," Tyki remarked, not even pretending to feel bad after watching his servants being killed one by one.

"Don't complain. What happened was to our benefit. You saved an Exorcist's life… at the cost of your own, almost. They don't know you can heal. This will surely take some of their suspicion away from us."

"I'm sure they would trust you even more if it was you who saved her," Tyki complained, prodding at his now unmarred stomach.

"But Tyki, it is you who clearly showed interest on her, whether it was an act or not," Sheril said. "That, plus your young age, would make you more susceptible to foolish, impulsive decisions."

"I'm twenty six, for heaven's sake."

"Heaven's? What's with that expression, you learned it somewhere?" Sheril asked, raising an eyebrow. "Never mind. The fact is that I, as the older brother and a successful politician, would hardly sacrifice myself for someone else. They would think it strange. You fit the role so much better."

"You just didn't feel like being butchered by an Akuma, of all things," Tyki complained, and Sheril messed his hair playfully. Tyki swatted his hand off moodily. Then, he smirked. "Hey. Saving the young girl from certain death would surely win me some points with her, right?"

To his pleasure, Sheril looked dismayed. "Tyki! Don't even think about it. I am going to tell the Earl!"

The younger man sighed theatrically, and watched as his brother worried about Tyki's allegiances. Sheril had been troubled ever since he was convinced that the train story was true, even if Tyki was making it sound like something else. Good, the idiot deserved it.

::::::::::::::::::::

"Where the hell is that bastard?!"

Allen wanted to cover her ears but, with both her arms incapacitated, she resigned herself to lay on the bed and listen as the captain screamed to his crew. They finally got in the ship, after Tyki had been taken to the hospital and Allen was carried by a surprisingly silent Kanda and taken to the same bed in the infirmary she had been at in her first day on the ship.

Kanda had immediately ordered the nearest Exorcist to fetch Komui, just to be informed the scientist had been gone since morning and had yet to come back.

The Japanese man had been furious and Allen hastily asked him to leave her on the bed, so she would be outside of his reach when he started raging. Half an hour had passed and Kanda told two teams of two Exorcists each to leave the ship looking for the scientist.

"No one else around here can repair Innocence. Fuck…" Kanda groaned, entering the room.

Now that Allen thought about it, her situation was worrying. Her Innocence had deactivated long ago, but the long laceration looked no less dangerous than it did when she was laying in the city's cold concrete. And her right arm's pain stopped, but that was hardly a good signal considering how hurt it still was. Had something happened to Komui?

The door opened with a bang, making her jump, and Kanda just glared daggers at the scientist who was dragged by his ear into the room by his younger sister.

"Where the fuck were you?" Kanda screamed, punching the wall. Komui said nothing though, quickly coming to Allen's side and examining her wounds on both arms.

"I'm so sorry, Allen. I really didn't think you would need me today."

"I'm sorry for getting hurt. Thank you for your help."

"Don't worry. We were short on some medical supplies, but I bought some today. There is anesthesia," he said, already injecting it on Allen and massaging her arm, "now close your eyes. It will be over soon."

Allen smiled. "Don't worry, I will be fi…" Komui took out of his bag an enormous device that looked too much like a drilling machine. "Komui, just what-"

"Close your eyes," the pseudo doctor repeated, and she did so, before the torture started.

::::::::::::::::::::

With both her arms heavily cast and too traumatized to care about being badly hurt again in a short span of time, Allen entered the conference room with Daisya's help, since she couldn't even turn the doorknob.

"Good, we are all finally here," Kanda said, "Today we had much to think about. First, this city was infested with Akuma, and may still be. We were ambushed in a planned attack, an interesting fact considering it happened right after our meeting with the Minister."

Most of the Exorcists looked serious, likely understanding there would be absolutely no agreement with the Minister, who had to be in league with the Earl. Allen wanted to say what truly happened, but Kanda would probably explain that by himself, and her post operation voice was still a little pasty anyway.

As expected, the captain continued. "Details about our fight will be given in a report open to anyone who wishes to read about it. I recommend you all do so, as it is always important to know about leveled up Akuma's different abilities. Lenalee, Walker and I fought against seven Akuma, and many irrelevant level one others. Walker's state is because of a mistake of mine, not her own incompetence, and for that I apologize."

People stared and she blushed. She couldn't believe Kanda was capable of apologizing, and even expected him to blame her for getting hurt. It was nice, in a way, of him to say this in front of everyone, but also embarrassing. She probably looked very pathetic with both her arms hurt like this while Kanda and Lenalee had only minor wounds and, after Kanda's declaration, the crew wouldn't believe she was weak because of today.

She nodded, acknowledging the apology, and Kanda continued. "The most important point of the fight was that Walker almost got killed by one of our most powerful foes, yet was saved at the last moment by the Minister's younger brother, Tyki Mikk. He was gravely hurt in her place. The wound may be fatal, and he was rushed to an hospital."

"What? A normal guy just threw himself in an Exorcist battle?" Lavi asked, disbelievingly.

"That's right. I also find that ridiculous, but his wounds were real. There are no news about his state, yet. We will have to inquire about it tomorrow."

"This is just too strange… did he like Allen this much?"

Allen opened her mouth, but found no words appropriate to express her thoughts. Yes, Tyki had been kinder to her than to the others when they visited Kamelot's mansion, but she doubted someone would fall for her in a day and then promptly throw their life away in order to save hers. She voiced her doubts and most people agreed.

"We owe the Minister," Kanda said without preamble, "that is a fact, and I doubt he will let it slip. I don't believe a member of his family would risk their life for one of us if they were the Earl's cronies. While it is still too soon to consider him a trustworthy supporter, it is likely we will make a partial contract with him."

"Perhaps we truly found a powerful ally," said Krory, sounding hopeful.

"Let's hope so. As per usual, don't let your guards down. We lost our meeting with our contact, and it will be hard to arrange a new one, but I still would like to know more information about Kamelot's background. More than what is exposed to the public, at least."

Komui raised a hand. "Hmm, about that…"

"What is it?" snapped Kanda impatiently. He had yet to forgive the scientist for leaving the ship and causing a ruckus, even if he did buy important supplies.

Komui cleared his throat, and stood up. "Minister Sheril was born to the Bragança family in Portugal, and Tyki was born five years later. They were reported to be normal children, unremarkable besides the fact that they were nobles. Sheril was studious and worked hard to meet his family's expectations, while Tyki was known to be a lazy boy, never caring much about self improvement. That may be because his family didn't expect as much from him as they did from Sheril, the one who would become the heir.

"They grew up and Sheril made his debut in politics when he was seventeen years old. The eldest brother seemed to be working towards his family's goals, while Tyki was just expected to marry a high ranking lady. Nothing remarkable about either of them, I must say again. Their family thought the boys were quite normal, and was proud of Sheril. That changed when the man became nineteen – Tyki was fourteen, by then.

"The city they lived in was attacked by Akuma. It was a small attack and it is only recorded in history because it happened in a place where aristocrats lived, even if none of them got killed. The interesting fact, though, is that Tyki got hurt in one of these fights. He had been in a carriage with his parents in the marketplace, when the horses got hit and they had to leave it. They fled, but Tyki was injured. Not by an Akuma, but by an Exorcist's Innocence – this Exorcist probably hit him by accident. Fortunately, it wasn't a fatal wound. But the boy screamed as if he was being skinned alive, and was taken back home in a hurry, where he was tended to by the family's doctor.

Komui continued, with everyone's attention focused on him. "Ahem. The doctor kept visiting every day and caring for Tyki, but the boy wouldn't recover. His screams could still be heard by the house's servants, and they were eventually ordered to stay out of the wing were Tyki's bedroom was at. As the boy wouldn't get better and the doctor didn't know what to do, rumors started spreading in the city that the boy was a demon, because he was being slowly killed by a strike made by Innocence.

"One day, the doctor came to tend for the boy once more, but he never came back. Friends of the family and even some curious nobles asked about the boy, and his parents said he was just fine, but refused to let anyone visit him. Sheril came back from a travel then, and stayed with Tyki on his bedroom for a few days, not allowing anyone else to enter. A week or so afterwards, he left the house, taking Tyki with him. He would lately appear in Italian society as Sheril Kamelot and his brother, as Tyki Mikk. It is known that they aren't very friendly with their parents anymore, having adopted new names and never visiting Portugal again. The Bragança family eventually managed to give birth to a new heir, and that is it."

There was silence to his long story, and Komui decided to sit down, letting everyone else absorb it all. Then, Lavi spoke.

"This is fascinating. It fits perfectly with the few pieces of information I had. I wonder what happened to Tyki? Sheril must know, and that ought to be the reason they left their house."

Reed looked pensive. "Such a negative reaction to Innocence…"

"I was wondering why they had different surnames. Plus it is said they're Portuguese, yet they became part of Italy's aristocracy…"

Kanda clapped his hands to silence everyone. "Before the onslaught of question starts," he said, staring hard at Komui, "I want to know where in the world you got such information."

"I was out doing a investigation today," Komui said with a self satisfied smile, and then cringed. "I'm sorry Allen had to wait for me to come back, though."

"Investigation. What kind of investigation? How, and where?"

Komui didn't seem to happy with having to share such information, and that only raised the crew's suspicions. He finally breathed in, then, resigned. "I went to a bar."

"What?"

"Brother!"

"Don't think poorly of me, Lenalee darling! I didn't drink anything," he assured everyone loudly, specially Allen, who was now staring, horrified, at both her arms who had been recently tended to by the scientist through his unorthodox methods. "I merely drank coffee. And ate some traditional delicacies. Did you know the harbor workers are really friendly-"

"We know!" barked Kanda. "But you still didn't explain how you got Kamelot's and Mikk's life story told to you."

"They are quite popular with the ladies," Komui said, "and just about everyone in the city visits this place. Everyone drank and was willing to talk. Infatuated women, some infatuated guys too, jealous businessmen and low tier politicians, students who know just too much, and the barmaids, ah, they knew the most of them all… what is it? Stop staring at me!"

"Komui, are you freaking serious?"

"How amazing, Komui! You must be quite a sweet talker," Lavi said, with pride on his voice.

"Brother, I am a little disturbed."

"How do you expect us to believe this information?" Krory asked. He had been listening intently to the story, but thought it came from safer sources.

"It does make sense, considering the fragments of info I already had," Lavi said, "and a good investigator knows not to only ask the people related to the events – they usually keep their mouths shut about it. Gossip mongers love to talk about other people's lives, and they mostly do it just for fun, but end up accumulating a great wealth of information. Now that we have a lead, it will be easier to scrutinize."

They had some questions and argued about it. Allen stayed silent through the whole interaction.

"Are you alright?" Lenalee asked, worried since the other girl just kept staring at the floor after Komui's story.

"I wonder…" Allen started, "I wonder if Tyki is alright. If he was so critically debilitated by a small wound in the past, and was hit again, now by such a powerful strike…"

Lenalee stared at Allen's anguished face. "Oh, Allen… he saved you, didn't he?" the Chinese girl now felt guilty. Everyone was suspicious of Tyki Mikk and his brother because of their past, but if they were truly good, they needed protection, and the younger brother even saved an Exorcist. "We will be informed about his state and help no matter what. I'll see if my brother can't go to the hospital too. Maybe he can be of help, since he has experience with Akuma inflicted wounds. Did Tyki… did he get infected?"

Allen looked at her with wide eyes. "No… he didn't. It is impressive. He was cut through by Dark Matter, yet he wasn't consumed by it. How lucky. I… hope he didn't get a slowly acting infection."

"Never heard of such a thing. If someone is infected, they die immediately." Lenalee shook her head, trying to leave the sour subject. "You look very tired. Let me take you to your cabin."

"Thank you."

Allen let herself be guided by Lenalee, but was unable to take Tyki off her mind. Meanwhile Kanda stared at the oblivious girls as they left the room. These past days had been incredibly strange and he couldn't help but think there was something very dangerous behind their apparent good fortune.

Chapter Text

Allen had a difficult night, with both her worry about Tyki and her physical pain making sleep a distant goal. Her Innocence was working hard on accelerating her healing but, considering how it was hurt, too, it all became a very uncomfortable ordeal. The possibility of asking for painkillers was dismissed as soon as it passed through her mind. She'd grown wary of Komui's healing methods. It wouldn't be surprising if the insane operations were proposed by Kanda as a way to incentive Exorcists not to get their Innocence damaged in battle.

The scar caused by Kanda's sword also pained her, and that was very surprising. She had endured greater wounds in the past, and they all healed perfectly eventually.

After a very interesting trial of flexibility and creativity where she tried to dress in her daily clothes with both arms in casts, she was resolute to accept Lenalee's help if she offered it again. Worriedly, she wondered how Tyki was faring, and then shook her head. The man probably had dozens of servants ready to attend his whims. If he was awake, that is, she thought sorrowfully.

She left her cabin and walked the stairs to the deck. Inclined on the railing, she looked at the city. It was so large, and seemed to have many attractions. There was a casino in the back of the pub she saw yesterday for these who knew how to play, but not even with her talents could she beat anyone in poker with both arms immobilized like that. In the sand below, Komui was laying in a beach chair reading a magazine of some sorts. Instead of tanning, though, he was turning into an unhealthy shade of red. Kanda, amidst death threats and insults, established a limit of ten meters for the man to stay away from the ship. She wondered if that would apply to her, too, if she wanted to go out.

Any thoughts about whether she could leave or not left her mind when she noticed that Kanda, Lavi and Krory were walking away from it, already halfway out of the beach. She was going to jump down, but then remembered her wounds and what a show it would be if she splattered on the sand, so she just ran towards them through the usual way.

"Kanda! Please wait," she called for him. The group stopped walking. Instead of looking annoyed, the captain merely seemed puzzled, and a little worried.

"What's it, Walker?"

"Where are you going?" she asked but, considering their formal clothing, the answer was quite obvious.

"Kamelot's mansion, of course," the Japanese answered.

"After what happened yesterday, we must talk to the Minister at our earliest convenience," Krory pointed out. "We decided to do it today."

Lavi laughed, but seemed a little pained by it. "There is no way we're escaping from repaying the favor. The guy is going to make it look like Tyki Mikk is dying, you'll see. If we're not careful in our negotiations, he will own our ship and our souls by the end of the day."

Allen found no humor in his speech. Tyki could be dying. "Then I have to go, too," she pointed out, "since I'm the one who was protected. It is only appropriate."

Kanda stared at her, incredulous. "Too many painkillers making you drowsy, beansprout? Maybe you should go back to sleep. There is no way you're coming."

"You can't be serious," she said in amazement. "My life was saved yesterday, maybe at the cost of other! It will be a terrible insult if you three go, while I stay comfy and cozy in my cabin!"

Lavi and Krory looked like they wanted to argue, but Kanda beat them to it. "Look at your miserable self for a moment, beansprout! Go to Lenalee's cabin, she's got a huge mirror and there you will be able to see that you have both your arms broken, are tired, drugged and looking like utter shit. Lay on the ground right now and try to get up by yourself, I dare you. Mikk saw your damage, and we will explain it to the Minister. It is more than enough reason for you to be excused."

"I am perfectly capable of walking until there!"

"Have you just forgotten this city is not safe? None is, but the fact we fought so many Akuma yesterday proves it definitely. And now you want to go with us, when you can't even activate your Innocence! If we are attacked, we will be killed trying to protect you!"

"But… but, Tyki…"

Kanda gave a long, suffering sigh. "Seems like you are not only physically incapable, but also mentally. You're staying in the goddamned ship, like everyone else. This is not like yesterday, where you could convince me with your whining. Go back, now."

"I will follow you, whether you accept it or not!" she growled, furious at his tactlessness. "I will even go by myself, if necessary!"

Kanda stared her with a fearsome scowl, and she almost flinched. Almost. "Don't you dare. Don't you fucking dare, you stupid bitch! Take another step and I'll break both your legs so you won't be following anyone anywhere for a long while," he snarled, stepping towards her. "Don't you think I won't do it. I've had enough of your bullshit!"

The others flinched at the other man, who was irradiating violence. Allen's heart started beating fast with the threat of the captain who advanced menacingly at her. She almost jumped out of her skin when two red hands held her shoulders from behind. Komui, who had been watching the interaction from his chair, decided to interfere.

"Calm down, Kanda," he said, and she remembered, amidst her nervousness, how this wasn't the first time the scientist protected her from the Japanese's ire. "I think you have a meeting to attend to. It is better not to be late."

"But-"

"Allen." He said in an serious tone, and she silenced.

Kanda turned to depart, but not before looking back at her once more. "You should live by yourself," he finally stated in a deadly voice. "You already act like an independent Exorcist who disregards everyone else. I don't know how they could stand you in Rose Cross." And then, his scowl turned into a cruel smirk, "now we know why they forbade you from coming back."

As Kanda finally left, Krory and Lavi looked awkward. The latter sent her a weak smile, as if saying sorry for the captain's harsh words, before they too left after their leader.

Komui lead Allen back to the ship, whereas bystanders watched the scene with curiosity and some fright. Allen swallowed hard, his words reverberating in her head and making her forget about Tyki for a moment.

"How are your arms feeling?" Komui asked her as they walked up the ladder, leading Allen with a hand on her back.

"Perfectly fine," she assured, because mentioning that her Innocence hurt a little could result in a world of pain in the wrong side of Komui's drilling machine. Komui nodded, satisfied, until they reached the relative privacy of the deck. Laboun was in the watching post, but he most likely couldn't hear them from the distance.

"Now, Allen, about what happened…"

"Please take your sunglasses off, Komui," she said, "I can't take you seriously while you are wearing them."

"Ah." He took the bulky dark glasses off, "Alright. Anyway, I hope you aren't… well, scared."

"He wouldn't really hurt me, would he?"

The silence answered her, revealing a truth that was a little shocking. The tall scientist must have seen her worried face, because he quickly said, "um, Kanda doesn't go around attacking Exorcists, but he has quite a temper, and you were trying him down there. He does attack Lavi and Daisya with his sword sometimes, but that is a bit of a comic relief in the ship, because they never truly get hurt, and… well, if Kanda wanted them dead, they would be, you know?" Allen's eyes were wide as she stared at him incredulously, not liking the way this conversation was turning to at all. "Ah… I must learn to express myself properly. Kanda wouldn't break your legs, I think, but don't defy him so openly, alright?"

"I… wanted to see Tyki," she finally said, miserably. She was going to hug herself, but ended hitting her broken arms one against the other, instead. Komui stifled a laugh at that, which was pretty ironic considering the large white patch on his sunburned face where his glasses had been.

"I understand. If I owed someone a life debt, I would want to see them too. To have them hurt because of such debt, then, I would be insane with worry!" Allen's eyes lighted up as he, apparently, understood her. "But," he said, raising a finger before she could thank him, "Kanda wasn't unreasonable when telling you to stay here. This place is risky, Allen, and you were the one to experience its danger the most!"

"It was just so I could thank him…"

"Tyki Mikk is most likely out cold still, if the description Kanda and Lenalee gave me of his wounds is to be believed," Komui reasoned, "I doubt very much he will be discharged from the hospital's intensive care section, where only relatives may visit, typically. Your visit would be wasted."

"I see," Allen said, face reddening with embarrassment. It did make sense. "I acted like a fool, didn't I?"

"Yes. But we all have our moments. Please go back and rest. Allen, you've shown to be a pretty restless person. That can be good and can also be bad, it all depends on the moment."

Allen shrugged, not really knowing what to say. "I'll try to control it. Thank you, Komui…"

::::::::::::::::::::

"This is it, then," the Minister said, running his pen over the contracts Kanda had also signed seconds before. "I hope this is the start of a good partnership."

After a long afternoon of negotiations, it was done. Sheril Kamelot also signed the copies, which Kanda gave to Krory to safeguard.

"This is the whole compilation of information I've gathered," said Sheril, extending a book and many brochures to Kanda, which he accepted and opened in order to quickly check the contents. "First, we have the brokers. The ones vulnerable to me, I will take care of personally. The ones who seem closely associated to Akuma, you will have the information about, so you can do to them whatever you wish. There are also some maps, each useful in a different way."

Kanda nodded, checking the documents. He stopped in a map that covered not only Europe, but the whole world. It was filled with dots, most blue but some of other colors and, observing the pattern in England, Japan and China, Kanda had an idea of what they were about.

"Exorcist organization headquarters, right?"

"Yes," answered the Minister, "I hope you understand I couldn't investigate about any in particular, as for a normal person to gather and store information about the inside works of Exorcist groups could be considered a treason," he remarked, satisfied when Kanda nodded in agreement. "But the locations could be useful to you. They are recent, and if you ever need help and one of them is nearby, who knows? You might find allies."

"That's an impressive map," Kanda said, surprised. He could recognize many of the organizations pointed in Europe, and some in Asia. The man had also managed to find some in America and Oceania.

"Thank you. Be assured this information is top secret; you're the first one I share all of this with."

"Good," said Kanda. "I hope you understand things should remain this way."

"Of course. As per stated in our contract, this data is exclusive to you."

Kanda narrowed his eyes at a particular dot, painted red. Staring at the legend, he saw the red dots meant eliminated Exorcist groups.

"Do you have any idea which organization this was?" he asked to Kamelot, who nodded somberly.

"Yes. It was destroyed recently, too, by a terrible force. God only knows who did that, because that can't be normal Akuma. Then again, I'm no specialist. But, if you open the yellow folder I gave you before, you will find a few pictures. Letter R, specifically."

Kanda did so, shuffling through many images he would examine properly afterwards. Under letter R were three pictures, only. The first was of a tall building that was impossible for him to identify. He stared pointedly at Lavi, but the young man shrugged, as if to say he had no idea what it was. Around it was a thick forest, dense trees everywhere as far as the picture would show.

The next picture was clearly zoomed and a little blurry, but he could see the tall and fit looking man. He had blond hair tied on his back, and two dots on his forehead. Wearing dark robes, the crest on his chest was unmistakable.

"This is…" Kanda started.

"Rose Cross," Sheril confirmed his thoughts. "So rare to see a member wearing the official uniform. He must have been on a mission where he had to prove his identity. I heard a true Rose Cross emblem is impossible to imitate."

The captain was, not for the first time, disturbed at the amount of information this politician had. Indeed, Rose Cross was one of the most reliable organizations he knew. Few enemies were foolish enough to try to imitate the official crest that was somehow infused with Innocence aura itself, most likely related to the talents of one of their Exorcists.

"Would you look at the last picture?"

Kanda did so, and had to blink some times before believing the photography that was in front of his eyes. "This can't be!"

The Minister shook his head. "Unfortunately, it is."

The picture in his hand showed a great wreckage, to the point where he would have no idea what it was about, had he seen it out of this context. It was clearly taken from far away, if one considered the small size of the trees, that were burnt and broken. An enormous, smoking crater was the focus, giant and dotted with many pieces of the great building that once took place there.

Kanda was almost speechless. "Rose Cross…"

"Was destroyed recently," finished Sheril. "Look at the date below the picture. Not even a month ago! The picture of the young worker – whether he is an Exorcist or an ordinary person, I have no idea – was the first thing I had sent to me. My precious informant managed to trace this man back to this building, that was Rose Cross' base. Some time ago, however, a great explosion was noted from the nearby city – that was kilometers away, you should note – and that was what remained of the place."

Rose Cross was gone. One of the greater, if not the greatest Exorcist group in the world. Who knew how many Innocence such an organization had in their power, how many Innocence had just beendestroyed-

"This date," Lavi said in surprise.

"Mmm?" Sheril asked in interest.

Lavi shut his mouth, knowing it wasn't his place to speak. Kanda, however, remembered that the trading of information was the main point of the contract he just signed. Swallowing hard and trying to control his grief at the distressing news, he explained, "This is the same date an Exorcist from Rose Cross joined us,"

"Oh, is that so? Which Exorcist?"

"Allen Walker. You've met her."

"Ah, that one. I see. But she joined you the exact same day of the destruction? Were you really close to the location?"

"She was… in a mission," said Kanda, and no one dared to contradict him. "They sent her to us. We couldn't understand why until now. Walker apparently didn't know about it, herself."

"I see. It is so fortunate that she didn't die with the others," Sheril said. "At any rate, as the captain must have checked, the documents contain all of the information I have promised you. Note the pages with green borders; they display the many places where you can find houses owned by me or my associates. Mention my name and you will allowed in, having food, shelter, clothes and whatever else you may need ready for use. Are there any questions?"

"That is enough. We will contact you if we need anything else."

"And you may count on us if you ever need it, of course," Lavi pointed out politely.

"That is wonderful. Thank you for your time," he said, shaking Kanda's, Krory's and Lavi's hands, before they shared parting words, and the Exorcists left the Minister's mansion.

::::::::::::::::::::

"The capital of Brazil… is… Brasília!" Road said happily, filling another blank in her homework. She then proceeded to number two. "Um, Tyki. What is the capital of Egypt?"

"Er… Egyptia?"

"No, stupid!" Road said, kicking his leg below the table both sat at. It went through, as Tyki chose not to let her hit him. "It's Cairo!"

"Listen, I have better places to go, and better people to meet. Are we quite done?"

Road pouted. "There are only 187 countries left."

There was a polite knock in the door. Tyki quickly and silently got up from his chair, slipping on his bed swiftly. He covered himself up to the chest, leaving his arms out. He coughed and answered with a weak voice, "Enter". Road rolled her eyes.

"Master," said the maid, "I have observed as ordered. The visitors are, indeed, Exorcists."

"Is that so? Tell them to come here. The white haired girl, specifically. Road was just leaving."

"I was not," the girl said, returning to her scribbling stubbornly.

"Sir, there is no-"

"Yes, you are, Road!" Tyki exclaimed to his niece, and then he turned to the maid. "Hey, Diana, please hurry up, will you?"

"Yes, sir," the maid said, not wanting to bother her poor, infatuated, sick master by saying there was no white haired girl here. She left quietly, hoping he would forget about it and go back to sleep.

Tyki messed his hair up, held his bottle of painkillers close to his chest for a dramatic effect, and let his eyelids droop a little. "Road… how do I look?"

"Like a pervert," was her answer. "Who are you trying to seduce?"

"None of your business. Get the hell out."

"I want to make friends, too!" she complained.

"Listen, I really need you to disappear only for a little while-"

Another knock on the door. "Enter," said Tyki, his voice small and pitiful, but his visitor was not the one he expected. "Sheril?"

"Why, my dear brother, should I have let you stay in the hospital, after all?" Sheril asked happily, very amused by his younger brother's theatrics.

"Hey, Papa! Help me with my homework!"

"Of course, my dear!" the man gushed, sitting in the chair Tyki was in before.

Tyki rolled his eyes. "Road! Sheril! Get out!"

Road walked to her uncle and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Don't be so stressed, Tyki. It does no good for your health."

"Sim, sim. Fora daqui, cough, cough, cough."

Road stuck her tongue at him and then danced out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Really, the mood wasn't very nice to start with, Tyki thought. Allen was to enter in a darkened room, heavy with the scents of changed curatives, blood, medicine and pain. She was then to lay her eyes upon his fragile but attractive body, the rescuer who was on the brink of death because he saved her. Sheril said such gloomy decoration would be an overkill, though, leaving his room as it was. Vases of flowers here and there offered the ambient a delicate sweet scent, and there was no medical equipment to be found. Even his bed clothes were depressingly cheerful, making it look like he was just taking a nap. Basically, it was quite hard to pity him.

Where was Allen, anyway?

He voiced his question, and his brother sent him an evil smile. "She didn't even come. Only Yuu Kanda, Lavi Johansson and a funny man named Arystar Krory. She told them to say 'hi' to you, though," Sheril finished, decided to make the female Exorcist look like a very cold person. This romance in Tyki's head would go nowhere, he knew. It was for the best for him to stop it before it even started.

Tyki growled, jumping from his bed and throwing the medicine bottle far away. "Come on!"

"Don't drop the act so fast, Tyki. Actually, I think it is about time your well wishers come. My friends from the Court are so worried about you."

Tyki sighed and went back to bed, his disposition to perform a moribund sod now quite low. Perhaps he would pretend to be in a coma or truly dead. The stuck up humans who wanted to win Sheril's favor just wouldn't end.

::::::::::::::::::::

Kanda and his two companions were back in the ship a few minutes before midnight. The Exorcists had decided beforehand between themselves what kind of agreement they were willing to offer to the Minister and the extent to which it could be expanded, so it didn't take more than a day for everything to be settled.

"I'm surprised he accepted to let us get away with offering so little," said Krory, as they approached the ship.

Lavi looked at the darkening sky over them thoughtfully. "Just the promise of sending news of our progress periodically and helping Italy if there is an emergency, huh? I don't know what he expects from that first one. I mean, come on. We won't really be sharing everything we do with him. Plus, what about the other Exorcists he talked about, the ones he wanted to ally with using our information as an incentive?"

"He knows an Exorcist's life is worth more than that of the average human," Kanda pointed out, after being silent during their whole walk back to the beach.

"Hey, Yuu…"

"Silence, rabbit. You know that is true. Yes, his brother – who is alive, by the way – risked his life in order to save an Exorcist's. But what I know, and Kamelot knows too, is that such an attitude is what is expected from any person dealing with our kind. While the man could've stayed hidden through the whole thing and Walker would've died, the fact is that in this world we are more valuable than the others. Anyone trying to demand favors from an Exorcist over helping them would be poorly seen by the public in general."

Krory stayed silent through the whole speech, not looking like he disagreed. Good, thought Kanda. He would bash sense into every one in his ship yet, even that retarded girl. Lavi, as expected, looked troubled by the whole ordeal.

"I know you're right in some points, and that we are very valuable soldiers in this world," Lavi started, looking uncomfortable with his words, "but not everyone follows through this unspoken agreement. People are expected to help us, but they won't always do it. They'd rather hid in order to avoid getting hurt. Mikk could have done so, and that he truly cared for Allen is remarkable-"

"A crush, and a very stupid one, that is what I think happened," Kanda pointed out impatiently. "A rich noble who was protected and spoiled through his whole life… older than me in years, yes, but not mentally. Probably took a fancy to Walker the first time he saw her. You know among the nobles it is an honor to marry an Exorcist, and he probably saw her as a potential trophy wife and recklessly threw himself between Walker and the danger, not really thinking about the consequences. Bet when he wakes up in a world of pain and is told of the many scars and probable permanent damage he'll have to deal with, he will regret ever trying to play the hero."

The others looked speechless for a while. Then, Krory said, with a light of understanding in his eyes. "I see… we cannot determine anything for sure, but he could be trying to court Allen."

"Uh… I don't know if I can believe that," Lavi said, scratching his head.

"Aren't you the one who knows history the best? It wouldn't be the first time something like that occurred. Actually, it happened to Lenalee, when a young Chinese lord decided he was in love with her," the Japanese sneered in contempt. "It was before either of you joined our group. I was going to interfere, but Komui acted first. The little lord isn't dead, but I hear his skin breaks into foul hives every time Lenalee's name is mentioned."

Seeing as the others were still speechless by the revelation, Kanda continued, "I bet Mikk dreamed of being visited by a very guilty Allen Walker, who would feel she owed him a huge favor, and would do just about anything he asked of her. Soon, she would be informing us she was leaving the ship, because Mikk needed her or whatever. Don't look at me like that," he snapped, irritably, "just think about her insane behavior earlier today. She's not right in the head, and can't be allowed near that noble for a long time."

The others seemed to agree, whether because of Kanda's marriage theory or simply because the idea of a small woman with both arms in casts happily trudging through the Akuma infested city seemed as ridiculous to them as it seemed to him. Since it was very late, he dismissed both men, deciding to talk to his crew tomorrow, when they would finally sail away from this city. They had not stayed for a remarkably long time, but he still felt as if they had been trapped here.

Nodding to Suman Dark, who was in the watching post this night, he descended the stairs, intent on grabbing a snack on the kitchens and then go directly to his cabin. Suddenly remembering about the state of their supply, he went to check whether they would have to restock here before departing. He was surprised to find the storage rooms replete with food. Must have something to do with the "friendly harbor workers" that became Walker's slaves. Good, she should repay them somehow, he thought crossly. Attached to the storage's door was a note written by Komui saying they should wait until he checked everything for poison.

Used to such a procedure, he took a bite out of the rice cake he found in the kitchen and walked in the direction of his cabin.

::::::::::::::::::::

Allen walked the dark corridors of the ship after just having the most difficult shower of her life. Lenalee had offered to help, but she felt too embarrassed. While this wouldn't be the first time someone bathed her, when such a thing happened she was usually unconscious, and it was a nurse.

So after somehow barely managing to clean herself with mostly unusable arms, she gave up trying to properly dry her body and put her nightgown in a sloppy fashion. The now wet cloth clung to her body uncomfortably, and her drenched hair dripped water over her shoulders and back constantly. She started regretting her shyness deeply.

Steps could be heard coming from the kitchen's direction. Someone was out for a midnight snack, then. She hoped it was Lenalee. She would swallow her pride and ask the girl to help her out.

The one she suddenly found herself face to face with was a different long haired Asian, though. Kanda, still dressed in the same attire he wore this morning, was munching on a now half eaten rice cake. He looked at her, sending an utterly unimpressed – and quite annoyed – stare at her appearance.

"Beansprout," he greeted after swallowing his last bite, "What the hell are you doing out here?"

"Is there a curfew I wasn't aware of?" was her automatic response, but then she remembered she actually wanted to make peace with the surly captain, somehow. "Um, I mean, I couldn't sleep, and showering took a while…"

"Showering? You look like you fell on the sea and just got rescued," Kanda said, looking over her shoulder at the water trail she was leaving behind her. "And you're making my ship a mess. Did no one – I mean, Lenalee," he corrected, remembering she was the only other female in the ship, "offer to help you?"

Allen reddened, and was going to answer, when he interrupted. "Wait. Shut up, you know what? I don't care. Since you are up and about, and not going to sleep any time soon – don't look at me like that, it's cold and if you go to bed in this state you're going to wake up in a coffin – then follow me. We need to talk."

That was an unexpected turn of events. She had been hoping for a chance to talk to Kanda, but surely not at this hour, and she thought she would have to request for a conversation herself. It was not surprising, she supposed. He probably wanted to chastise her for her behavior earlier. It was only appropriate.

She followed him to the cabin's corridor. He opened one of the last doors and, to her surprise, she found herself in what had to be his cabin. He closed the door behind her, since she would have trouble doing so, and gestured for her to sit, scowling in annoyance when they both heard the wet sound of her body hitting the previously dry chair.

"About this morning-"

"I'm sorry for the way I acted," she interrupted. "I… really let my heart take control over me. Komui reasoned with me. I understand I was wrong. I will try not to be so difficult from now onwards," she quickly spat out the memorized speech, because it would be hard for her to say it all otherwise. She was sorry for acting childishly, but also more than a little sour at the words he spoke to her back then.

"I see…" Kanda finally said, "Komui is able to operate miracles, then. I thought it would take a long time to shove some sense into your skull. Now, on other topic," he said, shuffling through his bag, that was full of documents, and she stared at him incredulously. That was it? But she chose to remain silent, not wanting to bother him and also curious about what else he would want to talk about.

"I have some questions about your previous organization, Rose Cross."

Allen tensed, not expecting such words, but scolded herself silently. Of course he would eventually ask. She did join in a most unexpected way, and, considering they hostile relationship, he had no reason to try to be understanding about it.

Seeing as she had nothing to say about that, Kanda continued, "Rose Cross is one of the greater Exorcist organizations in England, if not the whole world. Your Master was an Exorcist and part of it, right?"

"Right," she said, because that much was obvious.

From then on he proceeded to share some information he had about it. Most of it were things that were known to the Exorcists in general; some pieces she was surprised he knew about, but when he told her the exact location of the headquarters, she was speechless.

"Am I right?" Kanda asked, after pointing many facts about her home. Knowing it would be futile to deny it, Allen just nodded, wondering who else knew about it all.

"Good," said Kanda, staring at a dark book of some sorts. "How many Exorcists lived there?"

She shifted uncomfortably. She couldn't just say that. It seemed simple, yet it wouldn't do for people to know how many Exorcists they had to destroy until Rose Cross couldn't be considered an Exorcist group anymore. It wasn't that she didn't believe him, but it wasn't her place to divulge such things. She stared him in the eyes, silently informing him she wouldn't answer that question.

The captain kept asking more questions, like what were the other Exorcist's Innocence like, how many Innocence they managed to retrieve and store and where they did so, and many other crucial data she wouldn't speak about, no matter how angry he would get. With a sneeze here and there, she shook her head when he asked anything she considered an important secret, or simply stared at him until he gave up.

Kanda seemed tired and deflated from his interrogation. She felt exhausted herself, and wondered for how long she had been inside this oppressing cabin. The Japanese finally closed the remaining documents, and sat back on his chair. "At least you aren't the kind to give information about your allies. I hope you keep this attitude if you ever find yourself questioned by our enemies… or any outsider, to be honest, no matter who they are."

Allen gaped, unable to believe him. "Were you testing me?"

"Get used to it," he said unapologetically, "I was going to be more fierce about it, but honestly, you do look like you were told to fight a horde of level three Akuma with a baseball bat. You may go."

She got up, still terribly confused but happy this post midnight questioning session was over. Before she reached the doorknob, though, Kanda said, "wait."

Of course it wouldn't be this easy, she thought despairingly, before turning back to him.

Kanda picked a yellow folder from his bag. Opening it in a way she couldn't see the inside, he picked a single sheet of paper – actually, it was smaller than a traditional one. He closed the folder and called her back, and she did so, standing before him.

Still sitting, he gave the paper to her – a picture, she now knew, and asked, "tell me if you recognize this place. Do concentrate."

Allen stared at the black and white picture, doing as he asked. There was an enormous black hole – a crater, full of many things she couldn't recognize. Looking at its borders, she tried to recognize the things around it – to her surprise, they were trees, and by the tiny size of them, she could understand the crater was an enormous one. The light dots had to be pieces of debris, and nature around it was broken and burnt, the reason for which she found it so hard to recognize the plants around the place.

"Was this… caused by Akuma?" she asked, worried at the size of the destruction.

"Answer my question," Kanda said, not giving her the opportunity to ask anything else.

"No, I do not recognize this place. Even if I had been here before, it is just too devastated. Unrecognizable. Yes, it is a jungle somewhere, but there is no way I can say if I have ever been there before."

Kanda stared up at her with piercing eyes. She was, however, tired and cold, and had been under that same stare for some time, so it had lessened the intimidating effect, somehow. She gave him the picture back, asking if that was all. He dismissed her once again, turning on the chair towards his desk once again, effectively ignoring her.

::::::::::::::::::::

Dismissing Allen after she convinced him she couldn't recognize the place in the picture, Kanda didn't know whether to be disappointed or glad. His initial plan had been to, first of all, berate Walker for her attitude earlier; then, he would ask her questions about Rose Cross and finally inform the girl the place didn't exist anymore. Any hope she had of coming back would be crushed, so she could focus on doing her best on his organization, instead. He heard from Lenalee about how much Allen missed the place she called her "home", and wondered whether this attachment was stopping her from being a rational person.

Instead of doing as planned, though, he had the whole plan turned on its head. First, he didn't have the chance to properly chastise her, for she offered an apology and an honest understanding of her mistakes before he could open his mouth. Second, she didn't divulge any important information about Rose Cross, no matter how much he pried. That was surprising. He knew loyal Exorcists would never part with crucial information about their organizations, but he didn't expect the girl to have this kind of resolution. And third, he hesitated to tell her the truth about the elimination of the group she belonged to. He gambled when he gave her the photography and, when she didn't recognize it, he just let her leave, somehow unwilling to say the words that would force her into a definite decision – to ally with him or to disregard her Master's order and leave.

"Rose Cross… I always obeyed the organization back then. Always."

Kanda turned to her and raised an eyebrow. He didn't realize she had yet to leave, having dismissed her and lost himself in thought instead. Where did that little declaration come from? Allen shuffled uncomfortably before continuing, "They haven't abandoned me because of that."

Ah, so that's what it is. Kanda stared at her pathetic form, only worsened now that she stood up. Her wet nightgown clung to her thin figure. Her hair was somehow still dripping water over the girl and the floor around her, the messy tresses making her comparable to a drenched white rat. She had goose bumps in her exposed skin and avoided his gaze. The broken arms only enhanced the image of some kidnapped orphan who had no place on his ship.

It was hard to understand she was the same person who fought by his side and Lenalee's just yesterday… or the day before that, now that he saw it was past midnight. Had he not seen her in action, he would seriously consider hunting her guardian and asking him to please take her back. Her mental state seemed to be as fragile as her physical. Her affirmation of how Rose Cross hadn't left her because of her disobedience seemed like an attempt to convince herself more than him. And what's up with using the term "abandonment" instead of "dismissal", the proper one? She was fired by her organization, not left in the streets by her parents or anything like that.

"If what you're saying is true, then you're right," he said finally, and noted a shift on her instance, but she still stared at the floorboards. Not knowing what else to say, he opened a drawer in his wardrobe and pulled out one of his simple white towels, throwing it over her head and roughly drying her hair up.

She jumped, startled, and finally looking him in the eyes. "Kan-"

"Silence. I can only imagine the huge cold you will catch tomorrow if you go to sleep in this state. We will have to stay in the town for treatment, then. That is, if you aren't sick already," he grumbled, irritated as she let out another sneeze. "Be more responsible, woman!"

After some more fussing from both parts, Allen finally left the cabin, and Kanda sighed and started undressing, feeling uncomfortable about the past events. It felt like a day where everything was done in a half; their contract with Kamelot; their soon to happen departure from the city; and, finally, Allen Walker.

His first impulse was to tell the woman about how her dear organization had been obliterated by some terribly powerful force that could only be the Earl himself, rudely extract as much information as possible from her fragile mind through pressure and threats, and then finally shove the girl out of his room, possibly after ordering her to clean the mess in his cabin somehow. But he was the captain of this ship, the leader of this organization, and it was his duty to look for the mental and physical health of his subordinates.

Tomorrow he would ask Komui to examine her and determine whether she was in good health or not. It wouldn't do to sail with a sick Exorcist aboard. Then, they would start their hunt for new Exorcists, as they had stored many Innocence already and were reaching the point where it wasn't safe to travel carrying it all around anymore.

Perhaps he could lift his order to the crew to keep their Innocence storage room a secret from their newest member. She didn't have a loose tongue, at the very least. Kanda looked at the yellow folder once more, before securing it inside his drawer. With Rose Cross out of the map in an instant, they couldn't be too sure of their own future anymore.

Chapter Text

Rose Cross' temporary new headquarters had to go through many corrections and additions. Still, it was far from being appropriate to shelter the members of the organization. This building had been owned by a cookie factory that was closed years ago, and remained abandoned until it finally became property of the government.

"Bah! With cookies this bad, I know why they had to close," gasped assistant Masen, amidst a coughing fit. He then proceeded to throw the remaining cookies on the floor and step over them.

"You're going to clean that," grumbled Reever, "and what did you expect? These have been bad for more than a decade. How can you eat the stuff?"

The other just mumbled bad humoredly, before going back to his exploration of the old building. They had already made use of most of the suitable rooms, even though they were lacking a great amount of equipment. In one of his many pessimist moments, Reever wondered whether this was the end of Rose Cross. Their previous headquarters had cost lots of money, favors, sweat, tears and blood – quite literary. For how long would they have to stay in such an unsuitable place?

"Chief Reever, we have finished the warding of room number five," informed one of the members as soon as she saw him. "Would you like to check it?"

"Thank you, Tokusa. I must admit magical barriers aren't my specialty, though," admitted Reever. "I will still take a look and you can explain how it works, alright?"

"Yes, sir. General Marian would be the one responsible for the supervision, but we couldn't find him."

Ah, Cross. One of the strongest Exorcists known to men, and the only one to manage the extraordinary feat of possessing two Innocence… even if one of them was terribly shady and had to be breaking many moral and ethical laws. More than that, the man was also a very knowledgeable scientist and a powerful user of old magic. It was overkill, really. He could be called the perfect soldier…

…if he wouldn't disappear all the time, of course. That and his questionable drinking and gambling habits.

"I can't believe him," Reever said in a pathetic voice, because the anger had dissipated long ago, only to be substituted by depressed acceptance. "Alright. I'm sure you guys did a great job. Let's go."

Madarao, Tewaku and Tokusa were young magic users who joined their organization years ago. Brought in by one of their youngest members by that time, Howard Link, they had no ties to any family or group and wanted to help the Exorcist cause. Not being particularly skilled in science and unable to become Exorcists, they, to everyone's surprise, became apprentices of Cross Marian, who offered of his own volition to share his knowledge in magic. Now, they were good battle reinforcements and effective in protecting the base against Akuma until the Exorcists could destroy them, among many other interesting abilities he had yet to learn of.

They finally reached the room. While Reever couldn't examine the magical symbols and manifestations by himself, an explanation from Tokusa was enough for him to be satisfied, for now. Room five was the current home of their most important Exorcist, after all.

"How are you, Hevlaska?" he asked curiously, seeing as she stood in a floor also covered in many symbols, these ones familiar to him – they were used to store Innocence.

"Much better," answered the ethereal woman, "I was finally able to remove most of the Innocence pieces from my body and can now watch over them instead."

A human whose body was consumed by Innocence, until one didn't know whether to call her an Exorcist or an Innocence itself. Hevlaska was an unique member capable of protecting, examining and nurturing the precious dormant anti Akuma weapons. That came at a heavy price, though. Her habits were far from human. She didn't wear any clothes, her humanoid features not showing anything a woman would want to hide. She also never ate and slept only for very short periods.

He wondered if she missed being a normal woman, but never broached the subject.

"I think I can say everything is fine for now, Tokusa," Concluded Reever. "Of course, when the General comes back, he should take a look, too."

"Reever, there you are!"

The man in question turned to the agitated cook who called him, surprised. "Jerry? It's good to see you," he said, and was very honest about that. Their food stocks were ending and they reached a point where he almost wanted to try one of the ten years old cookies himself.

"There is no kitchen here!" the boisterous man exclaimed, "no kitchen! When I was told this used to be a cookie industry, I was very happy, as I expected to find at least basic supplies and equipment, but they just gave me a dark room with so many unrecognizable burnt stuff, I wouldn't mind betting it used to be a crematorium!"

"I'm sorry, Jerry, but it's been only a week since we started settling here, and it will take a… little while," he said, staring dubiously at the precarious construction, "to set things up close to what they used to be."

"That's very fascinating, but do you want to eat, or not? You could as well have told me to cook in the crater that used to be our home!" Jerry said angrily, and then sniffed at that last part.

Reever rolled his eyes, praying for patience. "I understand, but the thing is, we are currently setting up the laboratories, now."

"The kitchen, man, the kitchen! Set your priorities straight, please."

Reever was going to make a run for it, but was interrupted by a voice that was very welcomed and hated at the same time. "Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

"General! You…" Jerry stopped midsentence, and then narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Where is my Allen?" he demanded angrily, and Reever started retreating slowly.

"She died while trying to protect us using a Love Shield," the redhead explained, to the distress of the cook and the exasperation of the scientist. Did the General have to provoke everyone?

Jerry's wails could be heard in the whole building, to the point where some people came to see if everything was alright. Even Klaud Nyne came. Upon seeing the other General, she calmed down. It was as if she thought it was perfectly normal for an adult to be crying because of Cross.

"What is it now, Marian?" she asked impatiently.

"We won't have to stay here for long, dear. Some 'friends' jumped at the opportunity to give our organization a new place and funding. Will take some time to be what it once was, but money isn't a problem."

Klaud thought it was a joke, but her eyes brightened when she saw it was for real. "I will want to take a look at these files before we proceed. We cannot accept help from just about anyone, and we know what is the standard of friends you keep."

Cross feigned a hurt look, but his face was so used to being set in a smug expression it was mostly ineffective.

::::::::::::::::::::

Blue everywhere, from north, south, east and west moving in small waves. Allen had been excited about being on the watch post for about two minutes, before her enthusiasm drained out and she noticed that watching unchanging blue ocean was incredibly boring.

"How long do I have to stay here, anyway?"

Lavi, who was steering the ship, laughed from his position far below her. "I knew you wouldn't last for long! Five hours, me beauty. But pay attention! You never know when enemies will come."

"You seem awfully eager for the possibility of an attack."

"You will, too, after the first couple of hours up there. Just you wait."

Her arms were completely healed in a matter of days. Fortunately, she rarely got sick, so the cold Kanda expected her to develop never happened and they left the city, much to the crew's relief. With her Innocence having done the job of healing its host, Allen was once more allowed to help in the ship, starting today.

So she remained in her post, Lavi breaking the silence sometimes and making her feel better, but she still wished she could be doing anything else. Lavi left after an hour, being substituted by Laboun. Timcanpy eventually flew towards her. She smiled and let him stay over her head. To be honest, she worried about him flying to the sea and disappearing, never to be found.

Bothered by the prospect, she patted him as he lay nested in her hair. The golden golem flew and started floating in front of her. She stared at him wistfully. He was the last thing she had remaining of Rose Cross. There was no way she was ever going to let him disappear. She had created him long ago, and he was one of her greatest friends –

Allen frowned and shook her head, as if awakening from a state of confusion. What was she thinking? She didn't create Timcanpy. Maybe insanity was one of the side effects of staring at the horizon for so long.

::::::::::::::::::::

Like most members of the crew, Daisya was happy to leave the city. He never had a problem with living in the sea, and Kanda's tension had been killing him. The man was never relaxed for long, but he seemed about to explode back there.

He walked the stairs up to the deck so he could look for the watch he had lost, but there was someone up there blocking the exit – just the man he had been thinking about.

"Hey, Kanda," he greeted, and the captain took a step to the side so the other could pass.

Daisya was going to leave him, but was curious about what was keeping the Japanese here. Looking in the same direction the other was staring at, he saw Allen on the watching post. She dutifully observed the sea, her strange golem flying around.

"Is it really ok for her to be working already?"

"Komui said she is fully healed. I had my doubts, so I tried to avoid giving her any job that would require physical labor."

"Are we free of the terrible watching post for a while, then?"

"Not only now. Her ability to detect Akuma make that place all the best suited for her."

"That's right, you said her strange eye can feel the enemy's presence. Does that mean she could even detect them if they are underwater?"

Kanda's mouth tightened at that. He could still remember that attack; even attentive watchers couldn't detect subaquatic Akuma and only a couple of level twos were enough to almost sink their ship. Komui had joined them recently, and did a incredibly fast job of repairing that helped them navigate with a very damaged ship until they reached the nearest shoreline. Kanda stopped telling the scientist to leave the crew after that.

"I don't know. It seems like a very useful ability, but it is clearly limited. Walker detected the Akuma only when they were twenty meters away or so. Very useful in a crowded city, but not so much in the sea."

"You could just ask her for details about her eye," he pointed out.

Kanda growled, and Daisya raised an eyebrow. "She's a… very difficult person to deal with," the Japanese explained.

Daisya laughed so loud Laboun waved to him from his position by the helm. "Really? I think she's alright. Kinda blue when we talk about Tyki Mikk, but other than that, no problems with her."

Rolling his eyes, the captain stopped staring at her, now turning his attention to Daisya. "Times like these make me wish Marie was here. Blind, yet the best at feeling the enemy's presence. Plus he would listen to the beansprout's bullshit and then soothe her with calming words and other nonsense."

The younger man stared at him in surprise. Kanda usually refrained from talking about their comrades of years ago. For him to mention one of them… could Daisya risk mentioning the other? "I wonder where they are… Marie and Tiedoll, I mean."

The response was immediate. "I don't care about what that old man is doing!"

"Fine, fine!" Daisya said hastily, surrendering before a true fight could start. Kanda stormed off angrily, and Daisya sighed. The Japanese was like a brother to him, but he could be a pain when family was mentioned.

::::::::::::::::::::

Kanda wanted to hit Daisya. That guy was an idiot. The past should stay in the past, and there was no reason to mention that barmy old man.

"It is not that I can't understand that you're hurt, that you feel like correcting your mistake. But that is it; it is your mistake only. Yuu… to use others, to risk their lives in order to accomplish your own goal without even telling them about it is… extremely egotistical."

"You know nothing!" he snapped at the Tiedoll that existed in his mind, always reprimanding him for his errors. Kanda couldn't forget the other Exorcist's last words to him before he departed to who knows where. Marie followed their mentor, clearly also condemning Kanda for his choice.

Despising himself for yet again dwelling in such a topic, the captain decided to take another look at the many data provided to them by Sheril Kamelot. While he had painstakingly studied it all, they had yet to explore the many advantages that came with owning such documents. On his way to his cabin, he stopped when he saw light coming from the crack below a particular door that was rarely opened this time of the day. Deciding to take a look, he opened it and went inside.

Lavi was leaning over the desk, carefully studying maps and old calendars. Books were open all around him. Kanda glanced at it all, but it took a while for him to understand what it meant.

"Is it time?" This was bad, they would have to change all of their plans. Gone would be the chance of looking for new Exorcists. They would have to navigate very far away to a most dangerous location, with many Innocence in their ship…

"No," said Lavi, in an uncharacteristically serious voice. "It was time to check the island, though. Who knows, with how peculiar this wild Innocence is?"

"If it's Innocence to start with," said Kanda. One of their greatest worries, and they didn't even know what it was for sure.

"Doubt it isn't. If this was a trap from the Earl, everyone would be dead already. We would have given him two easy chances to kill us."

"Don't tell me…" no matter how hard their worked, their vulnerability was inevitable and very disturbing. It was difficult to admit it, but it was a miracle the crew was still alive. "What time will it happen?"

"In a few months. I would say three, but there's no way to be too sure. You know we only get precise when it's a month or so away."

"Fine. Keep monitoring," said Kanda, and then he left the room with one more worry to occupy his mind. This pending mission of theirs had been bothering him for years. Who knew what could happen there? Would they experience the first death of a crew member?

Back in his room, he opened one of his drawers to pull the first of the documents from Kamelot out, but even before he could open it Kanda already knew he was in no state of mind to study it all. Exasperated, he threw the folder back in the drawer and closed it with a kick. He then sat in the bed, covering his eyes with his hands.

Find and protect the most precious items in the world, and also the most important people – Exorcists. Destroy the greatest killing machines that existed and their creator. Deal with brokers, the traitorous humans who decided to side with the Earl. Travel through the world to the most dangerous locations, including that island that devoured everyone who came too close to it. All of that, while trying to choose the right path in order to keep everyone alive.

The captain thought of every person in the ship, the people who somehow became his responsibility. The objective he had been chasing in secret… was he being fair to them?

::::::::::::::::::::

Japan, 1869

There was no dramatic event that ended Yuu Kanda's family and inserted him in the orphanage. He lived there since he was a baby, and its light blue walls were part of his life for as long as he could remember.

It was a nice habitation, maintained by the government's money and generous donations as well. The children there hardly ever missed anything, being raised with good food, clothing, education and a decent amount of entertainment. The orphans lived in better conditions than many youngsters who still had their family members alive. It was the place where well to do families would look for children to adopt, as there they would find healthy, educated boys ready to live in society.

"You are very lucky to be here, children," one of the caretakers, Hori, would always say. "There are places outside which are very difficult to live in. Here you have everything you need, so you'll grow healthy and happy – a luxury nowadays."

Five years old Yuu took her words to heart, and decided he was quite fine where he was, thank you very much. Thus devoid of any desire to join a happy family, he would always find a way to be left alone by the prospective parents who made visits. Be it through rude manners, pretending to be absolutely stupid or faking a disease, any adults wishing to take him home would eventually decide to choose another child.

"Exorcists are special people with magical powers to destroy evil," once said an outsider who sported a black suit and a black tie, and had a crest of some sorts on his chest. He had interrupted their morning class, and the children were happy to close their Math books for now and listen to him.

"We are in a great fight against the monsters created by the devil – um, the bad enemies," the stranger corrected himself, after a sharp glare from the teacher. "Exorcists are the only ones capable of helping us, thanks to their special weapons. So it is our duty to serve them well. Have any of you ever seen an Exorcist?"

The class stayed silent until one boy, six years old, raised his hand.

"Me, me, mister!" said him, "I think I saw one once, because he could jump really high, and had a cool cloak. And it looked like he was flying!"

Most of the children stared with wide eyes and some even said Ooh. Yuu glowered. He never liked Haruo, because the older boy would always mock his blue eyes.

"Maybe he was real, indeed. You were quite lucky to see one," the stranger said. "Exorcists are really great people."

The man then proceeded to talk about these Exorcists, tips on how to identify one and how to know who the bad enemies were too, but Yuu remembered the words monsters and devil more clearly than anything else he said. Unfortunately, the officer eventually left, so they started studying Math once again. But they would eventually receive some books about Exorcists, from the government, the teachers said, and there they read some really great adventures. His favorite one was that of the really, really strong Exorcist who had an enormous sword and killed lots of the bad enemies with a single swing, freeing a village and becoming the guardian of the people there.

Hideki the Exorcist carried only his clothes and his magical sword. He didn't need any money, because people always have to help Exorcists whenever they can.

Below these words was the drawing of the cool Exorcist in his white armor, great sword strapped to his back. Around him, people smiled and offered things.

Slowly but surely, the orphanage children started knowing more and more about Exorcists. There would be an extra class every week to talk about the topic, and they were told they should always be willing to aid them. A true Exorcist visited the orphanage once, but the children were so hysterical Yuu never managed to talk to him. He would be sore about that for years.

I will talk to a real Exorcist some day, he thought many times, dreaming of adventures and saving the world. Exorcists were different and superior, and you couldn't study and work to be one like a doctor or lawyer. So he only dreamed of being an Exorcist, as he hadn't been born magical.

1871

Alma Karma's family died when she was seven. It was really messy and fast, and the sobbing but unscathed girl was dragged to a new home, an orphanage, in the blink of an eye. It was a really scary and ugly place, and the adults were irritated all the time. But the children were nice and they all became friends, before she and a couple of other girls were transferred to another place.

It was a month since she joined this new orphanage, even if she found it difficult to call the place that, because it was too big and beautiful. Orphanages weren't like that, she believed. They usually had broken walls, ugly floors and angry people.

Then again, the angry people were there, still.

The director, who wasn't very friendly but wasn't evil either, explained that this place used to be only for boys, but now they would take girls too, and she was one of the chosen. More girls from other orphanages would come, and also from the streets and from families that were gone. They were all blessed, he said, and should study very hard and always be good children, so they could find a great new family and everything.

But it didn't take long for Alma to realize no one really liked her. She never felt comfortable there and almost hoped to go back to the unpleasant place she was in before, because at least there the other children would want to speak. She knew she was different, with her wavy blond hair and her wide eyes. When they first saw her, they would widen their eyes with their fingers and laugh, and would also pull her ponytail when the teacher wasn't looking. Even the two girls who were her friends back at the first orphanage stopped talking to her, because they had a normal appearance and were fine.

It was Sunday, and the children could do whatever they wanted after visiting the church. Alma went to the gardens. The other girls were there, with the blue dresses everyone wore. She tried to approach them but, as per usual, they would all leave at once, whispering and laughing. Already used to it, she walked to the lake, wishing her brother was here. Or maybe dad or mom. They looked like her and if they were here, everything would be alright.

She stared at the muddy earth near the water. It was almost the same color as everyone else's hair. Alma picked some with her hand and, after some indecision, splattered it over one of her yellow locks. It became brown, but didn't seem normal. Perhaps it would be the right color after it dried?

"What are you doing?" asked someone behind her, and she jumped in alarm, and then reddened. It was a boy from the orphanage who looked the same age as her. He was dressed in the white shirt and blue trousers of the uniform. He also held a pointy stick. She finally looked him in the eyes, and was surprised at what she saw. They were blue, like her own!

"What is it?" asked the boy, when he felt her curious stare.

"Ah… er… your eyes. They're blue."

He scowled and crossed his arms. "Yeah. So are yours. Is there a problem?"

"Um, no. They're… beautiful."

The blue eyed boy looked sceptic, but didn't answer that. Instead, he said, "So, what were you doing?"

Alma finally remembered her now dirty hair. "I… I…" she didn't want to say she was trying to look normal. Maybe he would understand, because he also had blue eyes. But they weren't big and strange like hers, and his hair was dark and straight as it should be, so maybe he would think she was weird too.

Seeing as he was becoming impatient, she blabbered the first thing that came to mind. "I'm playing a game."

"What game?" he asked suspiciously, and then his eyes widened. "Are you playing the Exorcist game, too?"

Alma wasn't, really, and she didn't know what game that was, but she had three classes about Exorcists already and knew what they were. "Yes," she answered, because if she said no, he would ask what she was playing instead.

"Good," he said, finally giving her a smile, "I am, too. Let's play it together."

The blond girl was thrilled. "Really?"

"Of course. No one else wants to play right now. They're all stupid," he said, looking at a group of boys in white and blue far away. "So it will be the two of us. I'm the Exorcist, though," he said firmly, as if to leave no space for arguments.

"Um, what am I, then?" she asked, scared he would discover she lied and go away. This could be her first friend!

"You're the Akuma, of course."

"A-akuma?"

A torrent of images, sounds and feelings invaded her mind. A broken door, screams, a fight. Mom and dad hiding her together with her brother in the small cupboard. More noises, and then her brother, who was scared for their parents, left their secret place. He screamed, and never came back. Then something opened the door, and she saw the ugliest thing ever, a monster from Hell, from the worst nightmares ever, with blood on its claws and a disturbing smile she still saw in her dreams.

"I'm not Akuma!" she screamed, and then covered her mouth. The boy looked shocked.

"Well… I'm not, either," he said, but seemed more disturbed than angry. Uncomfortable, he started poking the soil with his stick. Then, he finally looked up. "It's okay if you don't want to be Akuma. I hate them, too. Let us both be Exorcists, then, and we will destroy Akuma together."

She was still trying to control her emotions, but nodded. "Alright."

His name was Yuu Kanda, she would learn, and she told him she was Alma Karma. Like everyone else, he would say her name in a funny way, but he eventually started pronouncing it correctly. His favorite pastime was the Exorcist game, where he would replay scenes from the school book about Exorcists.

"There it is," Yuu pointed from where they hid in the foliage. A boy, slightly taller than them, stood below an apple tree, looking at the fruits longingly. "The evil Akuma! It will become a monster if we don't destroy it very fast, and will eat the other boys. We will…" he then stared at her empty hands. "What is your magical weapon?"

"I don't know," said Alma. "What's yours?"

"This, of course," the boy answered, waving his stick. "My magical sword, like Hideki's! You need a weapon, too, or you're just a boring, normal person. Let me see…"

After a while, he came back with a bunch of small, round stones. "Here," he said, and she obligingly opened her hands, accepting them.

"Natsu is an Exorcist from the book, too. He's not my favorite like Hideki but he's great. He can touch stuff that will become kind of, bombs, and explode Akuma. So these are your magical weapons and you're going to help me kill Haru – I mean, the Akuma, with them, alright?"

Alma nodded eagerly, even if she didn't understand very well. She was very excited about playing with her new friend. Not long after, the two left their hiding place and attacked, intent on exorcising the monster.

Half an hour later, being scolded together with Yuu in the teacher's office, she realized it wasn't really nice of them to run after the other child throwing stones and hitting him with a stick. Their victim's name was Haruo, and he exploded in anger and immediately told the caretaker, who wasn't happy with them at all.

Still, there was something about being grounded together that brought some sense of camaraderie between the two miscreants. Yuu became a close friend, and they would always play together. She learned he was really, really obsessive about Exorcists and insisted to play with the others, but would end all by himself because he wanted to be the Exorcist in every turn. Tired of playing alone, he was happy to have a partner now. She eventually convinced him to imagine the Akuma in their adventures instead of attacking other people, and she didn't care about the other girls not liking her, anymore. One friend was enough.

1874

It was a rainy afternoon and he was in the library trying to finish a very annoying piece of homework he had been avoiding for days, but even the rain outside seemed much more interesting than the exercises on syntax.

"Yuu!" exclaimed Alma, and he looked worriedly around, but the librarian was nowhere to be seen.

"Shh, Alma!" he said, not wanting to be scolded. If they got expelled from the library, he would have to do his homework in the dorms, and the other boys were making a mess there.

"We are going to travel!" she said, ignoring his reprimand.

The boy looked incredulous. "What are you talking about?"

"It's true! Mrs. Junko told me," she said, looking excited, "we are going to travel, far away, in some Exorcist related trip!"

Alma's news were confirmed soon. According to the announcement made the next morning, the entire orphanage would be taken to this mysterious place, so they could have their first chance to help the Exorcist cause. There was no specification of where and how, nor how long it would take. Some adults looked uncomfortable, and the older children and the teenagers were a little more suspicious than their younger counterparts.

Now, many people would say Yuu Kanda was a peculiar child. He wasn't very extroverted and, after getting attached to the foreign girl, he closed off to the others even more. A very pretty boy, yes, but not exactly Japan's brightest. Add to that his fascination with Exorcists and he would lose his marbles when the heroes of the nation were the subject of a conversation.

That is why he, very much like Alma – not famous for being sly and cunning either – didn't even think about how strange such news were. The children had trips, yes, but they were few and never to very far away. Instead of reminiscing on such strange matters, though, they almost screamed in happiness, already wondering what awesome quests they would be part of.

::::::::::::::::::::

Exorcists are evil, thought Yuu as he trudged in the forest in the cold afternoon, not really knowing where he was going to. The heroes he always loved were wicked people. They killed everyone.

Alma is so fat, too, he supposed, because even missing two limbs she was very heavy to carry. But he wouldn't stop. Everyone had gotten very hurt and lost body parts and blood, but Alma was alive. He just needed to take her to a hospital… somewhere.

So he walked through this place he didn't know anything about, the blonde girl awkwardly carried on his back, waiting for Alma to wake up so he could scream at her for being stupid, for getting hit like an idiot and washing him in her smelly red body juice, because that wasn't blood. Still, he was hurt and tired, too, so he stopped to catch some air.

Alma fell from his back, and he didn't manage to hold her before she hit the floor. With a wince, he hurriedly tried to see if she was alright. There was no warm liquid seeping from her body anymore. Actually, she was very cold. Terribly so. And she didn't move an inch. He growled at her wide open eyes, and closed them with his hand. Who slept with their eyes open?

Wanting to pick her up, but still feeling too tired to do so, he laid on the rocky earth by her side, trying to rest for a minute or so.

When he woke up it was dark, and the moon was already up and shining in the sky. Disorientated for a couple of seconds, he sat up trembling and with his heart beating fast, after memories of the past days hit him fully. Sure enough, Alma was there, by his side. He quickly went towards her, but stopped at what he saw. Alma's skin had a reddish-blue color. She was dreadfully cold to the touch, and he found it impossible to move her, as her body was horribly stiff.

It could have been her unresponsive body, ripped apart from hours ago and rigid in the ground, or maybe her now dried blood that coated his clothes and his body. Or maybe it was just that the few hours of sleep returned his sanity, but he finally realized that his friend wasn't alive anymore.

"Hello, boy," sang a inappropriately happy voice, interrupting his mourning. He looked up from the floor where he sat holding Alma. Her body became pliable again after a few hours, but he didn't try to carry it anymore. There was no point.

"Who are you?" asked Yuu, staring at the ridiculous man… thing with odd clothes and a bizarre smile. "Are you an… an… Exorcist?" he spat the last word with a mixture of hate and fear.

"No, no, I'm none of these wretched people," he assured the nine years old, watching as some tension left his small shoulders, even if he still watched the strange gentleman carefully. "You know… if you lend me your cooperation and your voice," said the grotesque person, "I can bring Alma back."

::::::::::::::::::::

Present

Kanda got up from the bed, his eyes replete of the same determination that made him start his organization years ago.

It was too late to ponder whether he was being fair or not. He made a promise, and he would see it fulfilled.

Chapter Text

"You look a bit off. Are you alright?"

Kanda stared at Walker, whose annoying observation attracted the attention of everyone else in the dinner table.

"I'm good," he said, hoping his tone would make it clear there would be no discussion about the subject.

"Now that she mentioned it," said Lenalee, "you do look strange. Tired, maybe. Have you not been resting?"

"I am fine," he repeated, stabbing a potato with more strength than necessary.

The one who couldn't stay quiet spoke once more. "You complained that I didn't take care of my health, but aren't you doing the same?"

"Walker, don't you have anywhere else to be?"

"Staying in the watching post provides me with two hours of rest afterwards -"

"Thanks for pointing that out. I wouldn't know. It's not like I created this rule, or anything."

The white haired girl frowned, and thankfully set her attention back on her food. The others seemed a little bothered but knew better than to pester him, so dinner continued without any other nuisances.

It was very inconvenient that people could read his emotions so well – specially Walker, who barely knew him. He used to have a much more closed off expression, to the point only Daisya, Marie and Tiedoll, who had known him for years, could tell what he was feeling. Was his self control slipping off? He couldn't let his worries of earlier transpire.

::::::::::::::::::::

"Our next mission will most likely be an Accommodator searching one," said Lenalee conversationally, after inviting Allen to her cabin. It was early morning. The girls had both woken up hours before they should start working and met in the deck, so they decided to talk for a while before having breakfast with everyone. "We just have too many Innocence aboard. It is not safe."

"How do you know if you will find the Accommodators?" Allen knew Innocence would react when near a compatible person, and had seen the process once, since Master always carried Innocence with him. But from what she understood, that occurrence had been mere luck.

"We don't," answered Lenalee, confirming her suspicions. "Accommodators do not have any special characteristics that distinguish them from ordinary people. If that's for the best or not, we don't know. At least the Earl can't identify them, either. These missions consist on travelling at high speed in populated places, and hope for the best."

That seemed a tad too arbitrary, but she could understand. It wasn't like they would easily find accommodators in the sea. "I see."

"If finding Exorcists was easy, our organization would be much bigger," said the Chinese girl with a sad smile.

"I know… Rose Cross didn't find Exorcists easily, either."

Lenalee looked hesitant, but decided to ask what she had meaning to for days. "Do you have any news from them?"

Predictably, Allen's mood soured, making the other girl regret asking anything. "Strangely enough, I do not," said Allen, "it seems like the decision of cutting me off wasn't exclusive of my Master."

Lenalee looked to one side to the other, feeling a little nervous. She never knew how to answer when they broached this subject.

"A mirror," she finally said, because random words were the way out of complicated topics.

"Huh?"

"You need a mirror. What kind of girl doesn't have a mirror in her room?"

"Ah, I don't really care about that…" said Allen, and that was true enough. The British Exorcist never changed her wardrobe, and still looked very much like a boy. Sometimes that bothered Lenalee. She felt every girl should have at least a little vanity, but it wouldn't do to bother Allen by questioning her choice.

A little prompting wouldn't hurt, though. "I have an extra mirror in here, you know. It's round and cute, but I don't really need it anymore. It would give an extra color to your room," Lenalee offered, hoping the other would accept. It was nice for her to have a girl friend to talk with, even if this friend acted like a guy most of the time.

Allen laughed. "Alright," she said, because it would be rude to not accept such a polite offer. Lenalee proceeded to open her wardrobe and sort the things inside. Meanwhile, the white haired girl stared at Lenalee's own mirror, not for the first time. It was five centimeters short of covering the whole wall. Kanda was serious when he made the mirror remark back in the beach, then. Somehow, she found the thing a little creepy.

She saw Lenalee's cabin's door slowly opening in the mirror's reflection. From it peered the face of the resident scientist, eyes narrowed and expression dangerous.

"Komui?" Allen asked in worry, because the man never looked like that.

"Ah, Allen dear," said the tall man, his earlier frown melting into his usual friendly expression. "It is just you and my dear Lenalee, then. I heard voices and decided to check it out-"

"Brother, stop that!"

"Have fun with your pajama party, girls! I'll be vigilant so no one enters," exclaimed the Chinese man, before the ship swayed and he ran away, covering his mouth with a hand and looking rather green.

Lenalee looked very cross. "Brother can be such a pain. He thought it was one of the guys in my cabin."

"Is it forbidden for men and women to be in the same room?" Allen asked in worry. If that was the moral code of the ship, then she would already have a bad reputation. Lavi, Reed and even Daisya dropped by sometimes to tell her something and they ended having a long talk.

Lenalee laughed. "No, it is no problem. Brother is paranoid about my virtue, though. Let's not talk about it, it's disturbing. Oh my, where have I put that thing – ah, I think it could be behind that box. It's my brother's stuff, actually. Behind you, Allen."

She turned to find a large cardboard box filled with books and strange metallic objects. Allen lifted it up with little effort, and found the mirror was behind it indeed. It was a nice, circular one, red in color and decorated, about sixty centimeters tall. She didn't usually acquire girly stuff, but had to admit it would look good in her otherwise boring cabin.

The scar in her abdomen tugged painfully, more than ever before. With a start, she dropped the box back in the floor. It missed her foot by a centimeter and made a loud noise, some of its contents scattering over the floor.

"Allen!" Lenalee ran to her side. The white haired Exorcist stared at her torso in worry. The pain had never felt so fresh, and it still bothered her now, pounding like a bad headache would.

"I'm so sorry," Lenalee continued, "brother told me you were completely healed, so I thought you could pick the box up…"

"I can. But this scar has been perturbing me for a while," she said, touching her stomach, "it's not about my arms."

The other girl didn't seem calmed by that. "The scar made by Mugen… you should have my brother look over it."

"Komui isn't well right now…"

"Come to the infirmary, I will tend to him and he will come to you soon."

Allen really didn't want to make a huge fuss over that scar. It seemed mostly closed, and the pain she experienced was always insignificant… until now. She felt bothered by it, mostly because her Innocence ate away at her lifespan so it could repair her body. Why wasn't it doing its job properly?

::::::::::::::::::::

"I honestly can't find what is wrong with this wound, Allen," said Komui, looking truly worried. "It is really closed, and there is no internal damage. I'm afraid I can't tell the reason behind your pain."

"That's fine, Komui," said Allen, wanting to comfort the scientist. "I'm sure it will eventually pass. Thank you for your time."

"Still, to have an Exorcist working while not in perfect health…"

"I was hurt many times in the past, and always healed fast. My arms are proof of this," said Allen, lowering her shirt once more. "But this was the first time I was attacked with Innocence. I wonder if that is why it is so hard to heal."

Komui frowned. "I will have to do some research in the subject of the effect of Innocence attacks in humans, even if I don't think there will be much material to look for."

Komui let her out, promising to try to find a solution for her problem. She went back to her cabin, only to find the red framed mirror in her wall, already. The previous owner was right, it looked quite nice. Attached to it was a note left by Lenalee.

Hope you're better. I told Kanda & he took you out of duty for now. I'm cooking today if you need anything. -Lena

Oh, no. What would she do, now? There was no need to take her out. What did her friend tell the captain, so he would show such consideration, anyway?

She was fine, Allen decided, and wouldn't catch dust in her room. Going to one of the storages and picking the cleaning supplies, she went to one of the lower level rooms and started dusting it. The wound didn't bother her anymore, and she was managing to do a fast job. Timcanpy appeared and flew close to the many books that covered the walls. It was almost as if he was reading the titles in the spines. Maybe he was.

"When I take you off the task schedule," said a voice behind her, "I'm not offering you a rest. I'm ordering you to."

"You don't even know what happened," she complained, turning to the dark haired captain, "and the cleaning duty isn't too difficult."

Kanda looked like he was about to say something, but seemingly gave it up. He dropped to a chair near the desk, staring at her. She was a little disturbed, to be honest.

"So…" she said when the silence stretched for too long. She had finished cleaning, but felt it wouldn't be right to leave before he said whatever he wanted.

Seeing as she had stopped moving and now stood silently before him, he asked, "how does your left eye work? What are its advantages? Its limitations?"

"Oh," she was surprised at that. Pulling a chair and sitting in front of him like that last night in the city, she explained, "it is not very complex. If I look at someone who is actually an Akuma, I will be able to… see they aren't human."

"What if they are behind you? Or if there's a wall blocking your vision?"

"As long as they are in a range of thirty meters or so, it is fine… initially, I would only see them if they were in front of me, pretending to be people. But as years passed, my eye became a little better. If I concentrate, I see a dark field around me, and the Akuma are the bright spots, their intensities varying according to their level."

Kanda nodded. "It is useful. How did you get this ability?"

Allen stiffened. She didn't want to tell this story, but it wasn't wrong of him to ask. Still, to share this part of her life with him… "An… Akuma slashed my eye. When it healed, it became like this."

Being likely the only one to have been through such an event, it wasn't like her small explanation was any clarifying. She waited for the onslaught of questions, but nothing came from him. He didn't seem nearly as inquisitive as last time.

"I see. It must have been a very peculiar Akuma. Exorcists have all been hurt by them at some point, but I don't see any of us developing Dark Matter based abilities." It felt like a clue for her to speak but, when she said nothing, he didn't press her. She was grateful. This story would have to wait for another time, if ever.

"Walker."

"Yes?"

"What exactly do you see when you look at an disguised Akuma? Do you see a projection of their true forms?"

She stared at him with wide eyes. Then she let out a smile, but it seemed far from sincere. "I wish."

Kanda seemed disinclined to ask, but did so anyway. "What exactly do you see?"

"I see their souls."

He stared at her with wide eyes that didn't fit his usual expression. They said nothing, until his eyes narrowed again, as if to warn this conversation was no play.

"Are you messing with me?"

"No," she answered honestly without batting an eyelash. This was the usual reaction people had to her statement, and she mas more than used to it, even if Kanda's glower was more intimidating than any others. "They are the trapped souls. You know how Akuma are made of the soul of the deceased, and the body of the person who called them back?"

"I know. I… most Exorcists know. But for you to actually see the souls… are you absolutely certain?"

"I am. Sometimes they look like they did before they died, and others, they look like clothed skeletons. They are chained to the Akuma, tormented for as long as we don't Exorcise them… the higher the level of the machine, the worst the condition of the soul, it starts deteriorating to a point that -" Allen sucked in a breath, remembering the time she first saw a level three. She hadn't been able to fight it, her Master having to do the job instead. She never managed to see the soul being properly restored. "I said too much," she concluded. What was the point? In the end, most people didn't care about this fact. Akuma were to be destroyed; what was inside of them was an irrelevant detail.

"No, you didn't."

Kanda seemed very disturbed by what she said. While Allen knew how terrible the sight was, it was rare for a person to look so worried after hearing about it. They usually made a casual comforting comment, before going back to their business. The fact that there was a human soul inside each Akuma was common knowledge between most of the greater Exorcist organizations.

"How are they… do they look better when we destroy the Akuma? Or are they permanently damaged?"

How shocking. That question was asked with such worry, such anxiousness, she almost couldn't identify the man in front of her. But she knew she wanted to tell the truth. "They are… perfectly well. They mend, recover and leave in peace… I can see the joy in their faces as they dissolve, going back to… whenever they came from. Heaven," she guessed.

Kanda let out a breath, and then nodded. "That makes our power all the most important. Thanks for sharing this with me. It is priceless."

"More people would know it, if they would just believe. But most of the world see Akuma just as monsters," Allen said, feeling relieved by letting this out of her chest to someone who actually cared. "I find it easier to fight to save the souls than to destroy Akuma. It is all the same thing, but the point of view changes everything. It can drive you more or less."

"That is right. We have to save all of them. From the Earl, and from these disgusting humans who dare to mess with life and death."

Allen froze, her peace evaporating away. "They do it… out of pain. And love."

Kanda snorted. "Don't say such a thing. It's ridiculous. They do it out of selfishness. The person is dead and gone, but they greedily want them back, even when knowing they must be in a better place. They want to drag the soul back to this impure world, and then both parts are condemned for this vile act. I can only be thankful no one would try to call me back. If they did, I would want to destroy them, very much like Akuma do to their human hosts."

Allen held the sides of her chair tightly, trying to contain her emotions. It was like he was talking about Mana and herself. Mana had been infuriated with her back them. She was comforted by the thought that he was already being controlled by the Earl, who gave the soul no choice but to destroy the human who had called for it. But if he thought like Kanda, if he wanted revenge… she touched her left eye with her normal hand. Father had cursed her by slashing through her face with Dark Matter. Was this special ability his intention? Or did he want her dead only, and her new skill was an unwanted consequence?

"No," she said, even though Kanda couldn't hear her troubled thoughts.

Kanda laughed bitterly. Gone was the caring person of a minute ago. "'No' what, Walker? Don't tell me you want to defend the creators of Akuma? They are like associates of the Earl. Worse than Brokers, they help that devil to create the demons themselves."

"You wouldn't know, you haven't been through it!"

"Have you?" Asked Kanda, with a smirk that held no mirth. Of course he would be skeptical. When a person called a soul for the Earl, they died. She, however, was very much alive… for good or bad.

But Allen wouldn't share what had happened to her, she couldn't. Instead, she decided to tell one of the many painful stories she had been collecting ever since she joined Rose Cross. It was pretty dirt of her to expose someone else's story instead of her own because she was afraid of being the target of Kanda's judgments, but she couldn't help herself.

"Some years ago, I was sent to a town that was the place of mysterious deaths. It was one of my first missions by myself. Master stopped being with me all of the time. Timcanpy wandered around, and a cat had swallowed him and fled. You'd be surprised if you knew how frequently that happens," said Allen, and she knew she was saying the funnier and less important part because she wanted to soften the seriousness of the situation, if possible.

"The cat went to a church, and I followed it. Inside were two policemen and also an Akuma. I saved one of the police officers from it, but got arrested as she believed I was the one behind the attack-"

"How old were you?"

"Let me see… fifteen."

"I was smarter at that age."

She huffed. "Well! Long story short, I escaped and eventually discovered the police officer's brother in law was an Akuma. She interacted with him daily, and he frequently disappeared in order to 'eat'. I learned some backstory about that. Apparently, the brother in law's name was Mark. He was going to marry a woman, Claire, but she died in a horrible accident in the church. He used to be a clergyman, but after that he cursed the church instead. I bet that got the Earl's attention. In his despair, he called Claire back…"

"Bastard."

"Kanda! He didn't know what would happen!" Allen hadn't known when she called Mana, either.

"You are pissing my off with your advocating act, woman!" exclaimed Kanda, getting up from his chair all of a sudden. Allen was startled, and got up, too. She was much shorter than him, but didn't want him towering over her if she could avoid it. "Humanity will never win this war if we tolerate and forgive every mistake committed by people! Unfortunately, we are in this together – us, Exorcists, and the ordinary civilians. Unfortunately. Because we depend on those bastards to get their act together and to help us as they should or, at the very least, avoid doing stupid shit like assisting the Earl in the creation of his damned aberrations!"

Allen opened her mouth, but Kanda held up a hand, forbidding her from speaking. "Long ago… there was a sole Exorcist Organization. You must have heard the story. The Black Order," he spat hatefully. "They were rotten, Walker. I didn't have the displeasure of knowing them, and neither did you, considering our ages. They were sadists. Exorcists were their slaves, having no will of their own. It made the current world look like a walk in the park for us. But the Order had one redeeming quality," he said, holding up a finger and staring down at her, hard.

She had heard about the Black Order, but only pieces and small stories. Apparently, their cruelty towards the Exorcists and other workers eventually caused a rebellion that made the enormous organization fall piece by piece, and the Church eventually lost its strong hold over Innocence worldwide.

"They were ruthless with the enemy. The Earl, the Akuma, the Brokers, and even idiot humans who committed the most terrible of sins because of love," he said, the last word soaked with sarcasm. "If you were a foe, you were going down. If there was an Akuma anywhere, it would be destroyed, never mind hostages, emotional tricks or whatever that got in the way. They started spreading the word about what happened to anyone who tried to revive a person, to shove some sense into the population, explaining that they could only try to save someone while they were alive, because the deceased should be left the fuck alone. When the Order's workers died, their families weren't told of it, just so their hurt and loneliness wouldn't call the Earl's attention.

"The Black Order is gone, and good riddance," concluded Kanda, "but they had a fucking point when they damned any fool who helped the Earl, purposefully or not. People who do this shit are the cause this war still exists. The Earl uses a black skeleton to attach the soul," he said, running a hand through his tied hair in agitation. "A filthy skeleton of Dark Matter that looks like a thing out of nightmares, and with an inverted pentagram on its forehead, to top it all. Even children know it is the symbol of our enemy. Who needs more of a warning? Who in the world is so demented as to wish to make their supposedly treasured ones live in such a monstrosity?"

Allen didn't even notice she had been backing down until her back hit a bookshelf. They stared at each other in silence. Did Kanda know? Did he investigate her and somehow discovered her secret, and was now talking about Mana and herself? Was he right?

Instead of saying such a thing, however, Kanda simply strode out of the room, still in a whirlwind of angry energy.

Allen leaned against the bookshelf, defeated. She had spoken too much. Why did she even care? The captain had proven to be an inconsiderate man from the very start. It was a waste to try and reason with him.

Except, that wasn't so true. He had shown his moments of comprehension and understanding, and that had surprised her. Even at the moment she considered the hardest between them until today, their fight in front of the ship, in the end he proved he was right, and that he wanted the best for them all. But until now, she had judged his attitudes as cold and professional. So when he became so open about the matter of the souls inside of Akuma, she felt disarmed.

Allen often felt she was a different person. That much was obvious for any Exorcist, but even among her comrades, she would feel out of place sometimes. Parasitic type Innocence were rare among Exorcists. Not overly so, but enough that one would stare at a person who had their bodies merged with their anti Akuma weapons. Her peculiar appearance was a bother, and she often covered herself when exploring places where people didn't know her. In that aspect, that unanticipated walk to the Minister's mansion where she wore a dress and feminine shoes had been a surprisingly refreshing experience. While she kept her arm safely hidden in long white gloves, walking without any covering over her head and without caring when the wind blew over her hair and pushed her fringe aside, displaying her infamous scar, was very pleasant.

Her eye was the reason she felt so different. Not so much because of the pentagram, but because of what it showed her.

For many years she accepted that as what Mana called it, a curse. From the time when she was a child, Allen had been forced to stare at soul after tortured soul. Cross had been the one who roughly shoved the reality of an Exorcist's world at her face, and helped – or forced – her to grow up much earlier than any young girl would. But after watching the release of the tormented people trapped inside the Earl's machines, she learned to not only accept but cherish her gift. It was a curse to have an eye infected with Dark Matter, yet she could turn it into a blessing if it helped humanity somehow.

But it was just lonely, being the only person with this ability. Most Exorcists would envy her skill, saying it would be ever so convenient for them to detect Akuma. They were skeptical when she told of how hard it was to have the dark visions as a part of her every day. Some didn't even believe her about the souls, they saw the Akuma as demons and fought purely out of anger.

Maybe it was this desire to have someone understand and be a part of her cause that made her drop her defenses and babbler. His apparent empathy for the soul's fate had been so touching. In the end, though, Kanda also fought out of hatred…

Why did she care this much? There were so many people in this ship who were nicer to her. Logic dictated she shouldn't pay Kanda any mind.

But she wanted him to understand.

::::::::::::::::::::

She could see souls.

Kanda had been so shaken by the revelation he doubted he had managed to hid his discomfort when Walker told him.

This caused a great impact on him. While he had already known, in theory, what was the destiny of the souls trapped inside Akuma, to think they were right there, looking at them as they fought the machines… he guessed it was easier to keep your cool while fighting the monsters as long as you didn't think about the deceased people inside of them. Could they even be called deceased? The dead were supposed to be resting, after all.

What about Alma? How come the Earl managed to turn her into an Akuma without using Kanda's body for it? The recently awakened Mugen hadn't allowed his tormented friend to get close to him, and the Earl took her away before Kanda could free the girl from the Dark Matter skeleton. He already knew the theory of souls by then, but that made it irrefutable. People who hadn't been witnesses to the creation of an Akuma would never truly know the dark secret behind it.

Still, he had hoped the souls would run out of energy, somehow. That they would tire of supporting the monsters and be released, going back to rest. It was a small hope, but he had tried to believe in it. Of course, it was too good to be true. Kanda had been right to persist on his goal, in the end. Forgetting about Alma would be a great treason. She could be out there, mangled by –

Then they had started talking about people who aided the Earl with creating Akuma. People like him. He had made his opinion clear, and didn't think he had been unfair. He was criticizing himself more than anyone else. He wanted to redeem himself, yes, but he would never accept his past actions, would never forgive himself for his horrible decision.

For some reason, the beansprout seemed to take that personally. She was decided to defend everyone who created Akuma, who knows why. He couldn't understand it. Exorcists were usually much less forgiving to this kind of people. His kind of people. They had, after all, to fight against the monsters created by these fools during their whole lifetime. Yet, she was resolute in trying to convince him of her point. He wouldn't tolerate it, and couldn't understand her apparent distress.

Now, he tried to have dinner with the others in peace. Everyone but Lavi and Daisya, who were in the helm and in the watch post, respectively, were here.

He looked at the others who also ate right now. By his side, Krory and Suman Dark were talking in low tones about something or other. Both men weren't as easygoing as the rest, but they seemed to enjoy each other's company.

Reed and Laboun laughed while they discussed something or other. They were almost like copies of Daisya and Lavi – an annoying pair, but not as annoying as the original one.

Then, further away from him, there was Komui. Who was, for some reason, stacking his baked potatoes. By his side was Walker, and then Lenalee, who talked animatedly to the white haired girl.

Walker seemed to look everywhere but at him. Their eyes eventually met, and then she lowered her gaze again.

Lenalee immediately noticed her friend's shift in behavior. She stared at Kanda and, catching him looking at Walker, glared at him fiercely, putting an arm around the girl's shoulder protectively. Komui, who had an invisible antennae constantly connected to his sister's mood changes, observed the situation and proceeded to put an arm around the white haired girl too, glowering at Kanda with Lenalee.

Walker, the cause of it all, somehow looked oblivious to the Lee sibling's defensive stance.

What the hell.

::::::::::::::::::::

Allen went back to her cabin, after calming Komui and Lenalee. They truly cared for her, and she was very thankful for that. But she was tired of causing people troubles. She would have to harden herself and stop displaying so many weaknesses, before everyone in the ship started thinking they had to look after her.

She stared at the mirror that was already on her wall. It was definitely pretty, and made the place look better. Staring at her reflection, she couldn't help but want to comb her hair. Would she become a little more vain, now that she was going to look at her face every day before going out?

In the mirror's glass, Allen saw a shadow behind her that made the Exorcist turn around quickly, Innocence activated. She looked everywhere, but there was nothing. It wasn't like it could be Akuma; she could detect them, and why would a crew member invade her room?

She turned back to her mirror, wondering if it had some kind of defect. Her reflection stared back at her, Innocence activated and giving her that ethereal look.

Her wound hurt.

Chapter Text

Allen walked in the bowels of the ship, the combination of the many candles she had lighted and the flashlight she held enough to allow her a good view of the whole structure of the room she was in. In her hands there was a small survey board with a paper and a pen. After carefully perusing every inch of the ship's lower areas, she checked another task out of her list.

"Now, the supplies storage," said she, blowing the candles and leaving the room. There was a list of items and minimal quantities they should have of each, having the levels of full, intermediate and critical state.

There was quite enough food of each type, though the oranges were dangerously low. Allen wondered why everyone seemed so adamant about oranges – there was a rule they had to eat at least one every day, but couldn't eat a lot at once either, as if it was some precious resource or something.

After writing down this new worry about the fruits, she went to the medicine cabinet. It seemed quite fine, being stored with mostly cheap and easy to find medicine, but the penicillin was at the so called 'intermediate level,' so she took note of the need of buying more of that, too.

She then went to the coffer locked in the room beside the captain's. She had been granted access to that room and the Innocence one recently, and felt a certain happiness that there were no parts she was forbidden to visit from now on. The clearance meant they trusted her a little more and, though she suspected she would never feel absolutely in place here, it did help ease the feeling of being an outsider a little.

Carefully counting the money, she checked it with the register book. It was a detailed record of every entrance and each coin that was spent. They had some main contributors, mainly a few rich families – now the Kamelot one also included – and also some churches and prefectures of places their work as exorcists had helped. Exorcists themselves also made money sometimes, staying with a percentage of it and leaving the rest as a contribution for the crew. Some made a greater amount of money than the others. Allen noticed Lenalee's and Kanda's contributions were the smallest, while Komui, Lavi and Daisya topped in money earned for the ship.

That said something about everyone's capabilities of earning money through normal work, and she wondered about herself. She could easily top the higher earning trio, but only through her usual methods of gambling. Would she have to report where the money actually came from?

Making sure their finances were alright – it wasn't a terribly complicated affair, and they did have a good amount saved – she locked the coffer and the room it was in once more, before going to the request box, a place where everyone reported needs that weren't terribly urgent to be checked by the end of the week.

Leaving the others to their own tasks and knowing hers was done, she walked to the deck, intent on enjoying the rest of the afternoon. Perhaps sit down and let her legs dangle from the railing, or something. As of late, she'd been feeling quite restless.

More than once, she had seen some shadow moving behind her. That happened only when she stared at reflective surfaces, of course. After the incident in her room, she had started to avoid looking at the mirror. It was silly, really, but it was as if, by acting like that, she could avoid the occurrence entirely.

Optical illusions and her fertile imagination aside, Allen had been feeling terribly itchy. It was as if she couldn't spend more than a few hours inside a room without needing to take a breath of fresh air. Usually, stopping her work for about five minutes to take a breath solved her problem but, as of late, that didn't seem to be enough. Even in the ship's highest point, the watching post, she would feel bad. The sea that was once merely an expanse of boredom now caused her nausea and forced the girl to avert her eyes. She would sometimes come to the deck, close her eyes and enjoy the breeze, trying to pretend she was in a clearing, back in the blessed earth, far from the waters and the ship. But then the floor under her feet would sway because of a wave and the spell would be broken, making her feel quite sick.

Staying in the railing was hardly the nice experience she had hoped for. Instead of sitting and relaxing, she stood still and stiff instead, fingers tapping the wooden structure frantically. She stared to her right, then her left and back and then ahead of her once more. Blue, blue, blue. Only the sea and sky everywhere around her. Where was the land? When would she see it again? She felt she should be somewhere else, anywhere other than here. She was trapped and just needed to leave –

Allen gasped, shaking her head and trying to calm her thundering heart. What was happening? She was feeling far worse than usual. The hand that had been lightly, albeit agitatedly, tapping the railing was now crunching it.

She forced her closed hand to let go, flexing now sore and stiff muscles. The anxiety had reduced a little, but wasn't completely gone. What was happening to her? She'd been here for a while, but never felt this level of discomfort. Was she… was she…

Becoming Komui?

The very thought made her shudder. No, no, this wouldn't do. She could visualize herself greening and locking herself in the bathroom for hours every day, and the very imagery made her sick. Not only it would ruin her quality of life, but it would also make her even more useless in the ship.

Allen knew she had showed a number of failures ever since joining the group. It wouldn't do to, on top of all that, show herself incapable of staying in the sea for long. Komui had a strong revulsion to travelling by water, but his skills and helpfulness far made up for it.

She wasn't so sure about herself.

::::::::::::::::::::

"We are going to anchor soon!" exclaimed Lavi days later as Allen, cliché as it may sound, peeled potatoes in the ship's kitchen. She was in the cooking duty today. "Relish, landlubber!"

She almost threw the vegetables in the air. "Really?" she asked in excitement.

"Aye!" the redhead answered with a huge grin, before picking a bread stick and biting on it. He must have just left the watching post if he was idling during work time.

"Where are we going to?" she wondered if that was the Accommodator searching mission. Allen was curious on how they would go about that.

"Foulness Island!" Lavi exclaimed with enthusiasm that didn't match his words.

Her eagerness dimmed a little. "What's with that name?"

"Heh, it is somehow related to wild birds and masses of land," he explained, but Allen was far from convinced. "Anyway, we're just going to drop by-"

"We aren't going to anchor in Foulness Island, Lavi," said Daisya, who joined them in the kitchen and also picked a bread in the basket. "Kanda said Southend-On-Sea is where the documents from Kamelot are going to work."

"Heh, since when does he care about that? I thought he would kick protesters out of his way as per usual. Or maybe Allen dear would turn dissenters into puddles of goo."

"Long live the Minister!" laughed Daisya, and they all chuckled at the memory. Kamelot must have had a rise in popularity in that city due to Allen's sugarcoating only.

"Wait," said Allen, "Southend-On-Sea is a part of England!"

"Indeed, lass. From there, we're going to London. Well, Krorykins and I are," Lavi said, scratching his eye patch in that way that made her flinch. "I don't think Kanda wants too many people to leave the ship's premises."

"London? We're just going to England, then? What about the Island of Foulness?"

"Foulness Island is a part of England. Do your geography homework, me beauty," Lavi said, and Allen reddened, while also feeling a little cheated. Had they travelled for a whole month just to end so close to her home? She expected to arrive in tropical America or something.

When, hours later, the ship finally anchored, ceasing most of its constant movements along with the waves, Allen let out a heavy breath. This past travel had been quite trying on her. She had done her best to hide her nervousness about being restricted to the ship, but the other exorcists had been sending her looks that clearly showed her pretense of comfort had been unsuccessful.

Watching as Komui did his traditional beach jump and feeling quite gleeful herself, Allen followed suit. The scientist seemed out of words at seeing her laying in the sand by his side with the same expression of elated relief, but it wasn't long before they were building a sand castle together.

"I grew to understand your pain," declared Allen solemnly as they erected a sand tower for their respectable construct.

Komui was teary eyed. "Oh, Allen, you are a woman after my heart-"

"WILL YOU TWO CUT IT OUT!" came Kanda's fearsome scream, and Allen almost jumped out of her bones.

"Oh, chill, will you!" Allen screamed back, and almost sent the captain a very rude hand gesture, before stopping herself just in time. That is not how I have been raised, she thought in horror, this man truly brings out the worst of me. So she settled for raising the Japanese a threatening, closed fist.

"Yes, you can't force us!" shouted Komui, who clearly had no such reservations when it came to offensive hand signals. As a former street child, Allen was impressed with his skill with them, actually.

Kanda seemed thunderstruck. So was the rest of the now silent beach, before everyone, exorcists and citizens alike, returned to their own tasks.

In the end, Lenalee had asked to have a turn to walk around with Allen. Kanda consented, as only Lavi and Krory would be travelling to London to do who knows what and the others would be around. Did the Japanese man have a soft spot for Komui's little sister? She couldn't imagine him liking anyone, but he did call Lenalee by her first name and wasn't too rude to her, only a little short. Before they left, Lenalee combed Allen's shoulder length hair and put a shiny hair clip on it. Allen protested, but it had no results, as the other girl insisted she used it for today.

To be honest, the white haired Exorcist was a little worried. She hoped Lenalee wasn't becoming attached to Allen as the image of a girly, feminine friend – and that was exactly what Allen thought was happening. Lenalee was becoming too close. While a new friend was always welcome, there was only so much she could do before she would want to go back to her androgyny. Things had been like that for more than a decade, and she didn't feel like changing that aspect of her life any time soon. It would be so much easier if the Chinese girl just treated Allen like one of the boys.

The girls started their small journey together. Having her feet over solid ground was enough to make Allen's mood better, though she still questioned the long travel that only made them return to England, so Lenalee explained that they had been circling a region in the sea that was unapproachable because of Innocence. The whole story had an air of mystery to it, but the Chinese girl clearly didn't want to elaborate and merely wished to enjoy their outing, so Allen didn't pursue details.

After hours of sightseeing and some shopping, they were about to enter a bookstore in the large public square when their excursion came to an end. All of a sudden Allen's eye activated, feeling an Akuma meters above them, most likely over some building. She didn't even have time to warn Lenalee before an attack hit the place they were at, but it seemed like she didn't have to. Lenalee had activated her Innocence, grabbed Allen and jumped out of the way of the attack just before it hit the place they stood at a second before. The girl's reflexes were impressive.

"What was that?" she asked, because she couldn't even identify what they had been attacked with, being able only to see the damage on the floor, that now had many cuts running over the pavement.

"Looked like a wind based, long ranged attack," said Lenalee, releasing Allen. "I can't believe we had the bad luck of finding Akuma. And in our first day in land, too! Where is it?"

"It is over there," she said, pointing to a building. Realizing it had been spotted, the Akuma left its hiding place, glaring at them from its advantageous position.

"I'll take care of it," said Lenalee, jumping towards their foe, and Allen analyzed the situation. Above the Akuma was a chained soul, in a state of damage that indicated a level two. It was painful to look at, but she had learned to manage to do so in order to assess the enemy.

Allen activated her Innocence. Just then she felt the presence of another Akuma in the exact opposite side of the public square, and she cursed. How many more would appear?

Deciding to deal with the newcomer as it would be dangerous to leave one Akuma alone, she advanced, hoping to be able to cut through it with her claw. It was too fast and managed to intercept her with a strange attack of cold fire, though. The mere graze of it made her skin hurt terribly, and she understood she would have to avoid it at any costs – this wasn't one of those fights where she could take the brunt of an attack in order to destroy her opponent.

Seeing as Lenalee appeared able to deal with her own adversary, she decided to focus on this one, who looked like a grotesque, melting doll. Fighting it shouldn't be too hard. Exorcising level twos was usually well within her abilities, and hopefully they would be able to deal with this fast enough so not much more of this place was destroyed.

The Akuma had very powerful attacks, but didn't have a good mobility. Allen attacked with her Clown Belt, and it hadn't managed to dodge properly, so it couldn't be a hard target to hit. Sure of this, she started invoking Cross Grave, doubting her opponent would be able to escape from it.

A gasp from Lenalee called her attention. To her horror, the girl's body was partially buried under a pile of debris, and the other Akuma was floating above her, ready to deliver a killing blown. Lenalee's situation was very much like Allen's when she fought that level three and had been saved by Tyki. Horrified by the idea of the other girl's death, she immediately turned her back to her current enemy, trying her best to reach it before it could hit Lenalee.

It was then that she felt the presence of a third Akuma, ever so close, but the Exorcist was so focused on Lenalee's fight she couldn't mind her own. A strange and powerful attack hit her fully. It was a novelty to her; there were no visible wounds, yet she felt her muscles convulsing, unable to obey her commands properly. Allen was hit by a second wave of sound. It hit her in a tormenting surge that shook her mind and made it feel like it was going to collapse. She was paralyzed and a physical hit threw her in the square's large fountain, sinking in the water and falling unconscious, unaware of Lenalee's screams.

::::::::::::::::::::

Lenalee woke up in a very uncomfortable position. Unknown objects poked her from all sides, and she could see nothing. Alarmed, she struggled, until whatever things covered her fell away.

They were boxes, she realized as soon as she managed to see again. Most were big, some taller than her and decorated like birthday gifts but, if the weight indicated anything, the contents inside were nothing but air. Walking away from the mess of fallen "gifts", she looked around herself.

The place she was in was very strange. If not for her habit to deal with things considered by many as extraordinary, she would have freaked out.

First of all, there was black everywhere. She would say the floors, the walls and the ceiling were all painted a solid black, if not for the fact that there was no way to distinguish them. She wouldn't even be able to separate up from down if not for gravity.

Scattered everywhere were many items that made her think this had to be what a young child's dream looked like, if not for all the darkness. There were other piles of gift boxes in many places, and also colorful pillows distributed around. Girlish furniture could also be found placed in random spots; a pink wardrobe here, a dotted sofa there, a purple bed covered in blue fabric with little hearts, and dozens more. Also many toys, tiny, small and giant could be found, and striped candles of the most different shapes and colors floated, their light the only thing allowing her to see. Distance was impossible to measure. She couldn't tell north, south, west or east, and couldn't imagine where this strange dimension ended, either.

"Allen?" called Lenalee, wondering whether the girl had been brought here, too. Long, silent seconds made her consider the possibility of being alone, until she heard a small sound that would usually pass unnoticed, but could be considered loud in this quiet place. A drop of water, and then another. She turned around, and saw a small puddle forming in the floor. A new drop fell in it, making it ripple in small waves.

She looked up to see what was the source of leakage, and was surprised by the sight of a person – Allen – meters above her.

The Exorcist was sitting in a stuffed chair of flowery pattern. Allen was almost impossible to recognize, if not for her trademark characteristics – the white hair and the facial scar. However, she looked absolutely different to her usual self. There was no sign of her usual jacket and trousers. Instead, she was clad in a summer dress, light blue in color and with delicate decorations. There were small bows over her pair of pretty white shoes. She was also adorned with things such as earrings and other jewelry, and there was a flower of the same color as the dress in her hair. It was still wet from when she was thrown in the fountain, and from it fell the water drops that were hitting the floor.

It was so strange but, at the same time, such a pleasing image… if not for the situation they were in.

"Allen?" Lenalee called from her spot meters away with uncertainty, but the British Exorcist didn't open her eyes. What in the world had happened?

"Doesn't she look better, now?" said a voice that came from where Allen was, but couldn't be her. From behind the large stuffed chair appeared a strange smiling face – Akuma? – that revealed itself to be a young child.

Or at least, it looked like one. Judging from the voice tone, the clothes and the height, Lenalee would say this was a young girl, about twelve years or so. From the neck below, she was quite normal, wearing a common white dress and black schoolgirl shoes with white stockings. But her whole head was covered by a mask of white fabric, where two eyes and a smiling mouth had been roughly drawn with some sort of pen or paint.

"These clothes of before were ridiculous, don't you think?" The girl or whatever it was continued, ignoring Lenalee's wary posture and analytical eyes. "With my help, she became much better, though. The hairclip, I decided to leave. Blue is always a nice color."

"Are you Akuma?" Lenalee asked, because who else would be this comfortable in this strange dimension?

"I'm not, how dare you?" said the girl, sounding indignant. She sat in one of the chair's arms, cradling Allen's head in her hands. Lenalee's heart was beating fast. What could she do? She couldn't let the unconscious Allen get maimed, but there was no way she could get rid of this strange person fast enough without risking hurting Allen. No matter the small size and childish voice, she could feel this person was dangerous. She just didn't know to what extent. "Here, I will show you once more what Akuma look like."

Pink and purple doors appeared out of nowhere, matching the juvenile theme of this bizarre place. Out of them, to Lenalee's horror, appeared four Akuma. Three of them were the ones that had attacked and defeated the two girls some time ago. Was there any chance Lenalee would be able to deal with them by herself? She could only hope Allen would wake up soon.

::::::::::::::::::::

Allen's forced sleep was disturbed by loud noises of destruction. "Lenalee," she gasped, because seeing her friend in terrible danger before blacking out was something she remembered with clarity.

"She's not too bad," said a calm voice by her side, "but there's only too much she can do against those four. And I can call in as many Akuma as I want, in the end."

"What are you…" said Allen, disturbed by the sight of the masked child who was so close to her she was almost sitting on the older girl's lap. The laugh of Akuma called her attention though, and she saw Lenalee was fighting not one, but four level twos. It wasn't truly a fight; she was clearly being toyed with by the monsters, and was in a bad state. Her blood splattered a large part of the ground, while only one Akuma seemed to have taken significant damage.

Allen jumped from the floating chair, not even caring about the peculiarity of it, or the scenario around her. The strange masked girl let out an 'eep!' as she lost her equilibrium and almost fell from the chair, herself.

"That is enough!" Allen screamed, running through an Akuma with her activated Innocence arm. The others, who had been too comfortable fighting against Lenalee and hadn't been prepared for a surprise attack, let surprised screams as their comrade was erased. The remaining monsters then proceeded to attack Allen with everything they had.

The Akuma she had just destroyed had been the one capable of producing sound attacks, but the other who generated wind blades and the one with ice fire were here, and she couldn't recognize the third. They eventually went back to their strategy of attacking them all at once, making everything very difficult for the two Exorcists to dodge, as Lenalee was already hurt and had her mobility severely compromised.

The third Akuma attacked her with a barbed whip. Allen barely managed to dodge it, but it almost hit the masked girl who was sitting meters away, missing her by a few centimeters. Allen startled. She had absolutely forgotten there was a third person in this place!

"You! Get out of there!" exclaimed Allen hurriedly, pointing at the masked girl. She just tilted her masked head in amusement.

"Allen, she is an Akuma!" shouted Lenalee. Really, that much was obvious; the 'girl' had never gotten hit, and had been enjoying threatening them for a long while. How could Allen think she was human?

"She is just a normal person," said Allen with certainty, both eyes, grey and black, staring at the laughing child.

"That is right, your eye…" said Lenalee. "But still, there must be a mistake! Why would a child be ordering Akuma around?"

The mysterious girl laughed. "There are humans, and there are special humans," she explained, as the floating chair where she was at slowly descended to the ground. She sat on it as if it was a throne. The girl's face was covered, but somehow Allen could feel she was smiling. With a snap of her small fingers, dozens of the striped colorful candles that floated above them turned pointy and sharp, morphing into daggers of hardened wax. Another movement from the young girl's hand had them pointing at Allen and Lenalee. They barely managed to escape. One of the candles hit Allen's arm, piercing through it painfully. Allen gasped and hoped it would start healing soon. She didn't have time to worry about such a superficial wound, but it was bleeding considerably.

This strange person clearly could control this dimension. Never before had Allen seen anyone having power over the supernatural, besides the Exorcists, the Akuma and the Earl himself. Lenalee gasped in exhaustion. Allen didn't know for how long the Chinese girl had been fighting before she woke up, but she was clearly close to the last of her energy.

Allen felt her own knees weaken, and she felt like she could collapse any time soon. The effects of the sound attack still lingered, and her tiredness only made it worse.

"Why… are you doing this?" panted Allen, struggling to stay up. "You are… human!"

"Yes, but that doesn't automatically mean I'm in your side. You are very cute, but I have my own friends, you know."

"Please stop that… you don't know what you're dealing with!"

The girl seemed bothered by what Allen said. "I don't know? I know much more than you, Allen. But that's fine. Every day, you can learn something new. Guess what?" she said, before turning to her right.

"Hey, you," said the girl to the doll like Akuma further away. "Self destruct!"

Both Allen and Lenalee widened their eyes at the command, but they were no more surprised than the Akuma itself. "M-Mistress! Why?"

"Ten," she said, to the horror of her ally.

"What are you…" started Allen, but the girl interrupted.

"An Exorcist who can see souls," repeated the girl, with a fake solemn voice. "When Akuma are destroyed by Innocence, the souls recover and fly far away to… wherever. But what about those who are killed by other means?" she asked, her voice growing giddy with excitement. "They are shattered! Allen Walker… whatever you see now, whoever you see now, is going to disappear in Dark Matter!" She start jumping in animation, before declaring, "nine."

Allen's eyes widened in horror, as she stared at what, for Lenalee, was nothing more than empty space over the Akuma's deformed head. She seemed truly horrified, and Lenalee had to wonder about the insane little girl's words. Could the other Exorcist really see the souls that were supposedly powering Akuma? Was this how she knew who was an Akuma and who was not?

No, she must have misunderstood.

"Eight, seven," the girl continued happily, as the pleading Akuma started gathering so much energy Lenalee could tell something terrible was going to happen just by looking at it.

Allen started to run in the direction of the Akuma, but Lenalee grabbed her arm. "Allen, wait! Can't you feel it? That thing is really going to…"

"Six."

"Release me!" screamed Allen in such an angry tone Lenalee almost did so. Almost.

"No way! It's dangerous, Allen, and if it is going to self-destruct, than what is the problem? It is our enemy!"

"Five. Four."

"Get your hands off me!"

"No!"

"Three. Two."

Lenalee suddenly felt energy coming from Allen herself, as her Innocence's cape extended and pushed her away. Allen jumped in the direction of the Akuma. The ground around it trembled with the constant release of excess energy that was going to be let out all at once soon. Perplexed at what was happening, Lenalee ran after Allen. Her boots were damaged but still gave her incredible speed, even if Allen was already far away. She struggled against her body's limitations, knowing she had no right to rest right now.

"One," said that voice she was learning to hate.

Lenalee grabbed Allen just as she jumped towards the Akuma, Innocence claws raised, because there wasn't time. Putting all her will in this move, the Chinese Exorcist jumped as far away from the exploding Akuma as possible.

"Zero."

The detonation was all she expected and more. It was so strong it was capable of causing damage to the abnormal black floors their battle hadn't managed to even scratch. The wave of wind and heat hit Allen and Lenalee before they even managed to land in the floor after the jump, making them fly even higher before finally falling painfully in the ground. Many of the toys and decorations around them had been obliterated in a large radius, splinters and pieces flying everywhere.

Lenalee stared at the crater where the Akuma used to be in horror. They had almost died. This wasn't the first time she risked her life, but being so close to meeting her end shook her soul to its very core.

Glancing at Allen, she didn't know what to say. The girl seemed far from happy from having escaped from death. Instead, she looked at the empty space the Akuma used to be in in horror. It was as if she was watching an horrible scene, and Lenalee just couldn't get it.

"Allen," she said, trying to call the girl back from her troubled thoughts.

"Why did you stop me?" whispered her, before her voice morphed into an horrible screech. "Why did you stop me?" she asked again, with such hate it was hard to believe that was coming from her mouth. Lenalee was scared for a moment, before that emotion morphed into boiling anger inside of her. Why, she asked?

It was when she felt stinging pain in the palm of her right hand and saw Allen's reddening face turned around that she realized she had slapped the white haired girl.

"Because you were going to die," Lenalee whispered angrily and brokenly. A disturbing laugh cut the moment short. That vile girl seemed thrilled with the outcome of her actions.

"This was more amusing than I expected," said the girl, before she got up from the chair. "Now, aren't you tired of messing with these petty things? Perhaps you'd like a real opponent-"

She was cut short, and that seemed sincere, instead of a mere farce. After some seconds of tense silence, the girl tilted her head. "Well, you won't believe it, but I'm being called home. Oh, it was too bad. I hope we can play again. I have all sorts of pretty dresses for you two."

And with that, incredibly enough, the girl turned their back to them nonchalantly. Doors grew from the ground once more, as colorful as the other items in this appalling place. They opened to what looked like different dimensions. The Akuma quickly left through their designated doors, while the girl walked calmly towards her own.

Allen was up and had her claws around the girl's neck in an instant. Lenalee was surprised. Allen had so much animosity in her face, now. Would she kill the girl she just said was not Akuma?

"You can't do it, can you, Allen Walker?" the girl asked too calmly, as if her death wasn't a squeeze from Allen's Innocence away. "You can't kill a human."

Tears fell from Allen's eyes, even if her expression never melted from that terrible fury, and she didn't move.

"You know, if you keep acting like this," said the girl, calmly prying Allen's claws away from her thin neck, "you won't have any friends. An Exorcist who cries because an Akuma dies? It just won't do."

She then walked away in the direction of the door and once she had passed through, all of the doors in the place closed with bangs and disappeared.

Lenalee looked around them, wondering how in the world they would get out of here. She had been so absorbed in that tense moment of farewell she had forgotten to try and stop the girl before she went away.

But as if cued by its master's disappearance, the world around them started collapsing. Cracks in the floor became holes and started swallowing everything. It was so fast they could do nothing but fall too, to who knows where –

And then they were back in the ruined city square.

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Allen felt sick. She had watched one of the worst scenes she'd ever seen in her life. She had seen a person die. No, more than that, that person had been destroyed.

She had been a second away from saving that person, but that wasn't enough. The chain that trapped spirits broke apart when the Akuma exploded, but instead of being released, the soul was swallowed away as it asked for help, staring at Allen and pleading with empty eyes that disintegrated with the rest of it. For a moment, she had a glimpse of the soul's original form. What kind of person had that woman been?

In that moment, more than anything, Allen wanted to stop walking. To break her promise and let go. What was the point of being alive, if she couldn't even save that single human?

There had not been much conversation between Lenalee and herself after that incident. Most of what happened had been hard to explain and they would have to report in the ship, but that was it. Lenalee didn't seem inclined to speak, and neither did Allen. Looking at the Chinese girl who walked by her side, Allen wondered whether they could really be friends. Lenalee had stopped her from protecting a person, she would have managed to save them –

Because you were going to die.

No, Lenalee, it doesn't matter, thought Allen. It was no excuse. Allen couldn't stand what happened and she wanted to blame something, someone other than herself, because she already had heavy weights of guilt on her shoulders and this new one would make the whole burden too heavy for her to carry.

It seemed there were situations where there was no help for the Earl's victims, and that changed Allen's viewpoint completely. She always thought everyone had a chance as long as they found the help of an Exorcist. The Earl could be destroying souls permanently right now, just out of amusement…

Help me!

The scream only Allen in the whole world could hear echoed in her heart and mind. She sobbed and felt more alone than ever.

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"Lenalee, Allen! Are you al…"

Reed's exclamation was cut short when he saw the state of the two exorcists. They both had tattered clothes and looked like they had been through hell, emotionally and physically.

"Hey, girls… what happened?"

He tried to help them, but Lenalee slapped his hand away and stood in a corner, and Allen was mostly unresponsive. Other people had already seen the girls and were already causing a commotion.

"Explain," said Kanda, even as he carefully assessed the two beaten up Exorcists.

There was silence, until it was broken by an angry and, at the same time, sad Lenalee.

"Allen is suicidal."

Allen's head snapped up at that, and she angrily stormed out of the room. She didn't want to talk to Kanda, Lenalee, or anyone else. Going in the direction of her cabin, the Exorcist didn't know what she would do when she got there. It wasn't like she would find any peace of mind any time soon.

Her wounds throbbed, and she reconsidered her course of action. It wouldn't do to be stupid and go to her room while this hurt. She didn't want to think of the lecture she would receive from Kanda if she did so. Turning around, she walked towards the infirmary, hoping Komui wouldn't ask too many questions.

"Allen! What in the world happened?" asked Komui worriedly. He seemed terribly disturbed, and Allen considered her appearance, strange clothes and battered body and all, and couldn't blame him.

"We found Akuma," she said predictably, because what else could leave her in this state? Komui looked horrified, and she knew what he wanted to ask. "Lenalee fought too, but I don't think she is in any danger. She will come here soon."

To his credit, Komui didn't storm from the room to find his sister, though he looked like he wanted to do exactly that. He started tending to her wounds with a pensive expression, while Allen tried to deal with the fact that there were some souls that would be forever beyond salvation.

Chapter Text

Allen usually felt sad when things didn't end well, specially when they involved her. From a failed small task to a ruined mission, she would always scrutinize everything that had happened carefully, trying to find where exactly she had done a mistake.

Not today, however.

Today, she just felt angry.

Not for a single second ever since leaving the battle scene and returning to the ship had Allen stopped replaying the events in her mind. Again and again would she see the tragic scene that had been burned in her memories, likely for life. And though she had initially hated herself, barely able to raise her face because of the shame for failing someone so spectacularly, the fire of her pain eventually froze into cold resentment.

Perhaps it had been the way Lenalee had not talked to her al all during their difficult walk back to the ship. Maybe it had been because Allen had time to judge her actions over and over and could find no hesitance or weakness of her own that ended in that horrible tragedy. Or, more yet, it was possibly due to the fact that she had seen the worst scene of her whole life, a tortured soul simply disintegrating before her eyes while screaming for help – not just anyone's help, but hers, Allen's help, and she had been held back and forced to watch as a human being wasn't only killed but utterly destroyed. And whether that person had been damned to nonexistence or eternal suffering, Allen would probably never know, but afterwards she had been slapped by her so called friend and mocked by that horrible child.

Her efforts had been spat on and made fun of.

That dying woman had been spat on and made fun of.

And that was definitely more than Allen could ever take.

::::::::::::::::::::

Lenalee and Walker came from their walk absolutely ruined, and Kanda regretted ever agreeing to Lenalee's request to go out.

Lenalee's Innocence had taken some damage, and scraps and cuts littered her clothes. Blood could be seen seeping from shallow and deep wounds alike. Walker, meanwhile, was dressed in strange womanly nonsense, and was as beaten up as Lenalee.

What bothered him the most, however, were their eyes.

For an exorcist to return to the ship after a fight and require medical help was hardly a rare occurrence. But one look at their expressions had him knowing something was very, very wrong with them both.

"Explain," he demanded from the two immediately. Whatever it was, should it have any further consequences to the crew, the group would have to be prepared.

And then Lenalee spat something he certainly wasn't expecting.

"Allen is suicidal."

The girl's voice was venomous as she stared at Walker. Turning incredulous eyes towards said white haired girl, Kanda could only watch, dumbfounded, as the newcomer threw Lenalee a glare twice as vicious as the Chinese girl's and disappeared, hopefully to look for Komui's medical assistance.

"Lenalee," Kanda started, but the girl also ran away, leaving him and the other crew members who were around inert in their shock.

"Fuck," said Kanda finally, breaking the silence. "Goddamn it! What the hell is happening?" he asked, but no answers were forthcoming from the useless crew members. Frustrated, he immediately entered the ship, heading first to the cabins and, should no one be there, then to the infirmary. Someone else would probably let the two young women have their time, because they were shaken or whatever, but he wholeheartedly disagreed. They were exorcists fighting against the devil himself, warriors, not children inside a theater's drama. He would get his explanations, and he would get them now.

And despite his fierce resolve, once he stopped in front of Lenalee's door – the one closest once he entered the corridor, anyway – he still raised his fist to knock and tried to control himself.

Lenalee had been the first to work with him, the one who had been with him from the very start. He wouldn't ruin it all by shaking the nonsense out of her, no matter how much he wanted to.

::::::::::::::::::::

Komui had been attentive to Allen, helping her even when she refused to answer his questions. He didn't press and, for that, she was grateful. After he finished stitching a particularly ugly gash, she took the gauze from his hand and cleaned the skin by herself. It wouldn't do to cause him more trouble than necessary.

"Thank you, Komui. I can manage from now," she said, and tried her best smile but, if the scientist's frown was anything to go by, it was far from convincing.

"Allen, perhaps you should-"

The door opened, and Kanda entered. Well, at least he hadn't decided to kick the door this time, Allen thought, as she had grown to associate banging objects with the presence of the angry black haired captain.

"Kanda, perhaps it isn't the time-"

"I must talk to her," said the captain, and though his expression was entirely unpleasant, he seemed in control. That seemed to be enough for Komui who, with an apologetic glance, left the infirmary, closing the door as he left.

"What happened?" he repeated the question of an hour ago. Kanda looked frustrated and annoyed.

Allen didn't care.

"I'm sure Lenalee told you the whole story," said she, unable to keep bitterness out of her voice. A fool almost killing them both for the sake of a demon; that's how Allen must have been portrayed in everyone's eyes.

"Don't you dare," snarled Kanda with such viciousness Allen flinched, and just had to look up and stare at his unforgiving eyes. "Don't you dare be angry at the person who saved your life, almost at the cost of her own! Don't you have any shame?"

The injustice of it all made her hands clench the bedsheets in anger. She lowered her head, allowing her fringe to hide her eyes. "Two people," she whispered.

"What?"

"There were only two people involved in the fight, right?" she murmured in a low but clear voice that reverberated in the silent room. "Only two humans worth saving… Lenalee and I. Right?"

Kanda seemed puzzled by her words, and then something clicked. "If you are talking about that female child," he immediately said, "she clearly isn't-"

"I'm not talking about her," said Allen with finality. I'm talking about the other one, who received a fate worse than death. The one you can't hear or see and thus cannot care about.

"Stop speaking in riddles," demanded Kanda. "Do you understand what you did wrong today? You've almost thrown your life away, and Lenalee's-"

Allen laughed bitterly, quickly growing tired. They didn't speak the same language. They never would.

Taking her laugh as mockery, Kanda paced in front of her, agitated. "You're a wild card, we can't trust you. You aren't fit to be in this ship."

"Then leave me here. We are in the continent, I can find my way back to Rose Cross," said Allen, trying to maintain a cold expression, no matter how much his words hurt.

The captain, for some reason, seemed disturbed at the notion. "They aren't going to take you back," he finally said, his expression closing off, from anger to coolness.

How presumptuous of him, thought Allen furiously. "How would you know that? What do you know about Rose Cross?"

"Not much, but your Master's orders were quite clear."

"Yet, as time passes, I can't help but think the man went insane! His neurons must have drowned in alcohol. I should go back and ask for explanations myself."

"You're going nowhere. The way you are now, you will never arrive in one piece."

She wanted to prove him wrong, but felt out of energy. So she allowed the captain to stare down at her with disdain as if she was an unruly child, before he growled some nonsense she refused to pay attention to and left. By then, she could hear him barking instructions to everyone else. The mood in the whole ship seemed to have soured, she noticed as she made her way to her cabin, and Allen wondered, dejectedly, just how Lenalee and Kanda had managed such a feat all by themselves.

She heard the hurried movement as everyone left their posts. Today's purpose was now clear: because of the great amount of Innocence stored in the ship, they had to try to find accommodators. The exorcists would go out in pairs and explore the continent; if any Innocence they carried got within a certain radius of an accommodator, it would make its way to them and give birth to a new exorcist.

Allen learned she had also been scheduled to this task. No one was to be left in the ship as, since all Innocence would be gone, they wouldn't have the same need for security. However, after happened, Kanda had simply distributed the Innocence between the other exorcists and sent them in the mission through the country, leaving her in the ship without any sort of instruction.

The white haired girl stared from the deck as nighttime started and the others reunited in the beach before leaving in separate groups. She had been discarded as useless fodder and, to be quite honest, perhaps this was for the best. It had been a grievous mistake to think she would be successful by working with these strangers, even for a while. Things had only gone wrong ever since she joined the group, and it was time to stop this farce.

Kanda and his crew existed to destroy Akuma; she existed to save them. And this essential difference made them like oil and water.

Her distaste for the idea of staying here until the others returned was so great the city where she had just fought at seemed more inviting than returning to the cabin she'd locked herself in. Getting rid of all the clothes and trinkets bestowed upon her by the monstrous masked girl, she was ready to trash the jewelry too, but hesitated.

What right did Allen have to remove all the evidence of today's failure? She stared at the jewels, specially the ring. It was small and delicate, topped by a simple blue stone. Some would call it pretty, but Allen had always hated wearing such things.

Having made her decision, she placed the golden band back on the ring finger of her right hand. This would serve as a memento of today, and remind her she was alone because of what only she in this world could see.

After disposing of everything else, she grabbed clothes good enough to keep her warm and hide her gender, caught Tincampy who was fortunately easy to find, and made her way out of the ship by herself for the first time in months, ignoring the weak protests of her healing body.

::::::::::::::::::::

It should be worrisome, to walk alone at night in a street that could be inhabited by Akuma, but Allen didn't feel terribly troubled. The anger that burned inside of her actually made her wish an Akuma would appear, just so she would tear it to pieces… and free its soul.

Quite irresponsible of a hurt girl who just lost a battle, yes, but she felt justified.

The whole point of the rule of leaving with another exorcist or remaining in the ship was that so no one would be alone should the enemy appear, yet they had all left the ship with only her inside. Since they had taken all the Innocence fragments with them, the ship had immediately lost most of its value to the crew; Allen could have easily been attacked in her state and, should the number of Akuma be too overwhelming, she would have died without any aid.

These considerations weren't made with bitterness, but simply taken as observable facts. The way things were now actually worked for her. As they had left her defenseless, she could leave the ship without feeling any sort of guilt.

Her steps weren't directed towards any specific spot, they just took her away from the ship and the sea behind it.

The streets were filled with noise of the people, as the night was merely starting. She allowed herself to aimlessly pass in front of stores, calmly treading in the sidewalk. Ignored by people as just another one in the crowd, she felt a certain freedom. No one was waiting for her. No one would be mad because she didn't come back.

And just as she dwelled in the bittersweet thoughts, a man literally flew in front of her. Nonplussed, she watched as other people left the bright establishment, screaming at the fallen person and accusing him of using loaded dice.

Allen stared towards the casino, so inviting and irradiating familiarity. She then took a look at her distressingly light money bag.

The exorcist smiled tentatively.

::::::::::::::::::::

While Allen's expertise was in cards, she was also very resourceful in other sort of luck games, so long as she could manipulate the results with her hands. That is why she was wreaking true havoc in the casino. The small white haired "boy" had fallen like a bomb in the place. Her innocent voice and unyielding smile, coupled with her youthful looks and the immense pile of currency growing by her side made her opponents sway between wanting to kill her and having an apoplectic fit.

She usually avoided causing such a ruckus. While the number of people Allen had cheated in cards was probably too large to count, she usually did only enough so she could pay her Master's debts and provide for their travels. The girl never hoarded any money, because she didn't feel like doing so, and also because… well, it was too dangerous.

Even as she rolled two dices with the sixes up yet again, she could feel the angry stares of everyone she had fooled around her. They were everywhere, most of them staying around even though they had stopped playing – it wasn't like they had any money left to do so, anyway. It was obvious she wouldn't be getting out of here easily, but that didn't worry the girl as it usually would. Allen knew she could be having worse worries and pains in her mind, and thus would happily accept to temporarily forget them by pondering about how she would get out of this casino alive.

Eventually, two casino workers came close to her, one on each side. They were there to protect customers. If she was attacked while inside this building, it would ruin the casino's reputation. She also knew they wanted to catch her cheating.

Good luck with that, suckers, she thought with an evil smirk wanting to surface. Nonetheless, her face remained presenting the same calm and dead smile, even in front of the red faced, furious people still losing to her.

"Meu Deus," said a voice nearby. "É assim que exorcistas passam o tempo livre?"

Allen wasn't surprised. This place had quite a few foreigners, and more than a few were grumbling in words she could not understand. But this voice called her attention. She wanted to look for it, but didn't have to. Soon the voice's owner was in front of her, ushering away her current opponent in poker none too gently and sitting in his place instead. The man who was just lost his seat didn't protest too much, probably realizing this was an act of mercy. He would be left with nothing otherwise.

Not that any of this mattered. Because in front of her was Tyki Mikk, and her poker face broke in pieces for the first time in that night.

"Tyki…" she whispered, after noticing the smirking man wouldn't say anything.

"Careful, dear," he said, taking the cards from the table and the ones in her hand and shuffling them with experienced hands. "With this kind of expression, you're never going to win at this game again."

Instead of answering, she just trying to kept herself from collapsing. It had been a difficult day. No, scratch that, it had been an atrocious day, and she'd been gambling in order to avoid being taken by her emotions…

And now, the man who had sacrificed himself for her, the only one who would do such a thing for Allen – besides her father, whom she had killed – was miraculously alive. And it wasn't in a bed or in a wheelchair, but in front of her, looking as comfortable as one could, shuffling cards like a person who had his abdomen shredded by Akuma really shouldn't be able to.

She felt her throat close and her eyes burn.

"Heh, look at the little bastard's face," said one of the spectators. "Looks like he's pissing himself."

"They must know each other. I hope the shitty albino gets his ass handed to him."

Neither Allen nor Tyki paid them any mind. She wanted to ask just how, but her brain was still processing information and it had been a very long day. So she played, but her movements were mostly automatic and she didn't cheat even once.

"You… how can you be here?" she asked over their game, unblinking eyes not leaving his face.

"Would you believe it if I told you I ran out of money? I spent Sheril's far too much. He is going to kick me out of the house if I don't recover some of it." The dark skinned man then stared at Allen's sizeable bag of winnings, and raised his eyebrows, smiling maliciously. "Will you be the one to help me pay my debts today?"

Allen was too dazed to do anything but stare at him in apprehension, almost waiting for him to suddenly fall apart in a bloody mess.

"Four of a kind," sang the dark skinned man. And she blinked.

Tyki won against her – earning a round of applause from almost everyone around them who started hating Allen long ago – and then the girl woke up.

Because, what in the world. She had just lost at poker.

With a growl, she called double or nothing and shuffled the cards herself, ready for a bloody battle.

::::::::::::::::::::

Allen left the casino with a bag filled with money, but it wasn't as full as she expected it to be. Tyki had been an amazing opponent, and it wasn't that he had formidable luck.

He was just very good at cheating.

She never used the highest hand in poker all the time, because that would make the cheating too blatant. Still, against Tyki, she had no chance but to find a way to cheat for Royal Straight Flush every time she could, or she would lose. They ended almost in a draw. He had two wins over her, and her competitive spirit wanted to force him to sit down in the dirty sidewalk and play yet again, but her hands were cramped from so much cheating. When you resorted to tricks, your hands worked too much, and too fast. She would have her revenge on Tyki some other day, she swore to herself.

The playing had been so intense it had done its mission of taking most troubles from her mind; but now that the whole strenuous mental activity was done, she restarted gaining her senses, and logic simply dictated that Tyki was walking far too easily for someone who had been on the brink of death.

"It's a miracle of medicine," said Tyki once she asked him, "and, well, great doctors. The best in the country. You know when I said I almost broke Sheril? Well, some surgeons out there are retiring as millionaires."

"I… see," said Allen quietly, wide eyes never leaving his face.

"Come on, girl, don't be like that. I'm not a zombie or anything. Aren't you happy I am fine?"

::::::::::::::::::::

The day hadn't gone as planned. Tyki hadn't been bothered by the Earl for a while, and would have enjoyed meeting his human friends, but they were too far away and it had been too long ever since they last met; Tyki would have to track them down. Unable to enjoy the lavish lifestyle provided by Sheril's games as a Minister, since he was supposed to be half dead and decidedly not appearing in social circles, he decided to leave the house and enjoy a night doing one of the things he most liked – gambling.

Needing to avoid the greater establishments frequented by the richest lest he was spotted, he chose a less known casino, and what a surprise it had been to see a certain white haired exorcist causing the same terror she had once brought upon him and his friends in that train.

He had thought she would smile at seeing him well, and then accept his challenge. Instead, she lost control after recognizing the nobleman and, though she had seemed suitably angered at her pathetic game against him the first time, she hadn't fully recovered no matter how many times they played.

"Aren't you happy I am fine?" he asked as they walked together – to where, he didn't know. Certainly not towards the ship, as they were going in a direction opposite of that of the sea.

He wanted her to break out of her stupor. She certainly should be surprised at his miraculous recovery – she didn't know he was a Noah, after all – but it wouldn't do for her to keep staring at him as if he were a mystery for the whole night.

"Of course I'm happy," she said weakly, and he raised an eyebrow. "Really… I…"

She then finally raised her face, staring his eyes, and smiled so brilliantly it took his breath away.

A tear fell, sliding down her cheek, and she wiped it hastily, almost like a reprimand to herself. "You… I… I have been so worried… and they wouldn't let me see you," she said sadly, but her smile didn't falter. "Oh, God, I'm such a mess. I'm sorry, I have had a hard day… and I'm not very composed…" she said, fidgeting, and now staring at the floor once more. "But I'm incredibly happy you are well. You don't have any idea of how much. It's been eating at me… oh, alright, I will stop."

He watched her blabber with wide eyes, but this time, it wasn't a façade. This had been affecting her much more than imagined.

"Thank you for saving me," she continued. "I mean it. I don't want you to ever, ever do that again, but… I will always be grateful. I promise."

She didn't say that with the weariness of those burdened by an unwanted debt, but merely looking so happy and staring at him with something that should make him very proud, but instead filled him with nausea.

Because he had never saved her, and he also knew very well what made her so distraught today.

"Don't… don't mention it," said he, patting her shoulder friendly in the hopes that she would forget any gratefulness towards him. It was what he had wanted, a strong emotion from the girl to toy with, but the whole notion didn't seem as pleasurable as it did before.

They resumed their awkward walk, though she seemed pretty content and the discomfort resided only in himself. He barely had time to contemplate what was wrong with him when he noticed them – the men from the casino, he recognized, and some others, following them in what he supposed was an attempt to be discreet. The young exorcist by his side seemed oblivious to it all, probably trying to sort her thoughts, and he grumbled in annoyance at the interruption.

"What is it?" asked Allen, noticing the shift in his mood.

"We have company," said he, discreetly pointing at their pursuers.

Her eyes widened in worry. "Oh, my. They have weapons," she observed, seeming very anxious indeed. Tyki hadn't noticed; humans could hardly come up with anything capable of destroying him, anyway.

"Well, it's alright," decided Tyki. "You can go ahead. I will take care of them." At least this time he would truly be her savior – sort of. She probably didn't want to use her Innocence on civilians, and therefore would need some help.

Instead of shyly blushing or whatever other reaction he expected out of her, Allen sniffed instead. "Yeah, sure."

He stared. "…Allen?"

"Really, men can be so prideful," she scolded him. "What did I tell you about trying to save me again? Furthermore, what can you do against a dozen men, Tyki?"

Rip their limbs off. Crush their organs without leaving a trace. Break their bones one by one, though this is more of Sheril's specialty. "Um," he said instead.

Allen smiled, before activating her Innocence in a sudden move. He had to restrain himself in order not to attack the hostile element, and the girl became enveloped by her white anti Akuma weapon.

"Now listen, you can't possibly-" attack these civilians with Innocence, he wanted to say, but Allen cut him short.

"Don't worry, I will be gentle," she said with a wink, before gathering the astonished Noah in her arms and taking off.

Chapter Text

Tyki was being treated to something he'd never imagined before – a ride in the arms of a young woman… an exorcist, no less. He would take the time to be embarrassed, if not for the horrible discomfort he was currently in.

Innocence was touching him, both in the form of her cape and her arm, and he had to use every inch of his self control in order not to grab her left hand and destroy the source of his pain.

Kill, kill! Destroy the Innocence!

Oh, shut up, Joyd. I'm trying to get us laid, he joked.

Hearing that, the Noah inside of him fell in contemplative silence, and Tyki freaked out a little.

Still, he was trying to score some points with the girl, damn it, and whispering sweet murder threats in her ear wouldn't help his case.

She finally let go of him once they stopped in what likely was the other side of the city, her strange cloak having helped guide her acrobatic movements until now. Happy for the reprieve, Tyki quickly removed himself from her grasp, doubling over in pain. His body burned where her weapon had touched him and, to his regret, he couldn't hide his strong discomfort.

"Hey," she whispered, a soft hand on his back. "Did I hurt you? I have tried to soften my movements, honestly…"

"No, I'm fine," said he, feeling the burns hidden by his clothes slowly dissipate. "Really."

Allen still looked deeply troubled, the worries she'd expressed before now reborn. "I shouldn't have carried you like that," she said in obvious remorse. "It's just that you were making me so sure of your well being…"

"I was being honest," said he, now easily righting himself. Her Innocence was already dormant once more, and the hostility of it against his kind stopped its deadly resonation. "Now, where exactly are we?"

"I don't really know. I just wanted to get away from them. Where are you staying at, Tyki? Did I take you too far away from home?"

"No," said he, and then made a show of staring at the surroundings with a surprised expression. "You know, I can now recognize this square; the place I've rented is just nearby," he lied easily, "but where areyou going? I only see us distancing ourselves from the sea more and more, and it is getting quite late. Have you also paid for a room?"

"Um, no, not really," said she, shuffling uncomfortably.

"Then I guess you will go back to the ship?"

That only seemed to make her awkwardness worse, and he wondered why that was so. Did she have different plans? Perhaps it was some exorcist secret or something. Tyki wouldn't press; were it relevant enough, Sheril would eventually get to it.

"I will take you to your house first," she decided all of a sudden, and he almost blanched, "just for safety – I owe you as much. Where exactly is it?"

Nowhere around here. Oops. "As I said, nearby… er, follow me."

She agreeably matched his pace, seeming to calm down but also carefully watching his movements and looking for any sort of discomfort. Perhaps his little pain back then had been good; it had made the whole act more believable.

::::::::::::::::::::

Exorcists, scientists, guards and everyone else who was a part of the large group stood together in careful watch. They were like a small army, standing together in anticipation. This was a special day – the day when they truly won against their hardships. Despite being almost destroyed by their enemy, the exorcist group rose once more, ready for battle. Everybody stared at the five sorcerers, responsible for the final touch that would officially announce the rebirth of Rose Cross.

"Is everyone ready?" called Cross Marian from the top of the construction.

"Ready!" answered Madarao, Tokusa, Tewaku and Link.

"Then, on the count of three," commanded the tall redhead. "Three!"

Already used to the general's idiosyncrasies, the young magicians activated the seals that connected their energy to the drawings that circled what once was a cookie factory, now rebuilt into a very respectable fort. The semi transparent dome started growing from each of their positions, until it had covered the whole building, reaching the general's position in the ceiling and being sealed by the talented man. With that, the work was done; the shield disappeared from sight, but still remained very present and active, and now they had the same level of defense they used to in their last home – only better.

Cross jumped from his position in the roof, being met by the other tired sorcerers in the grounds around the building. The workers from Rose Cross admired the finished job with pleased expressions. Every person had an essential role in the rebirth of Rose Cross, and this was the culmination of their efforts – a new home that would start a new story.

"Well, that was easy and fast," praised Masen, nodding towards the fine warding job.

Cross' eyes narrowed. Grabbing the man by his coat, he growled, "it's the result of many, many years of research and toil. Care to repeat that?"

Seeing the indignant expression from basically every one of Cross' students and the lit cigarette coming distressingly close to his forehead, the man mumbled, "n-no, no sir."

Cross grunted and released him. "Good."

Their task was finally over. Yes, they had to start rebuilding the headquarters from scratch, but Rose Cross had invaluable experience that came from years of work, and also good supporters.

"It seems Rose Cross is truly back," declared Tiedoll with a sniff, looking quite sentimental. Some patted the friendly general's back. Cross distanced himself in disgust.

"Yes, it is really almost complete," said Jerry with an unexpectedly scathing tone, "what a pity that we are lacking one very, very special person."

It was like a switch had been turned off, or a candle's fire had been blown by an artic breeze; like a sudden general drop of temperature from a sunny thirty degrees Celsius to a freezing seventy below zero. The members of Science, Medical, Security, Communications and Intelligence sections all seemed to stop in their tracks, shoulders slumping or lips thinning with grave determination. Even the nerds of logistics now wore severe glares: any hint of laughter and happiness had been mercilessly squashed by the extravagant cook's dour observation.

Yes, just like that the mood was ruined, and Cross opened a bottle and unceremoniously started to drink it all. Let it start.

When he left Allen in Bristol, Cross knew he'd get some amount of shit from basically everyone in the group. The kid was well known and liked, and he thought he'd get the worst from Klaud and Tiedoll, who sometimes fancied themselves parents of the stupid apprentice.

He'd never expected the level of animosity he was getting from the organization's cook ever since, however. It had been months and Cross still had to steal food from others, since getting anything directly from Jerry's hands would end up in a bad case of poisoning.

"I already told you she didn't die," grumbled Cross, missing the good times when his customized meals were presented in front of him every day, and people didn't accuse him of murdering teenage exorcists and hiding their corpses.

"Yes, and that means someone has to go and look for her, and bring her back," exclaimed the hysterical cook, already ruining everyone's good disposition at the rebirth of their organization. They were all glaring daggers at Cross, despite the fact that just a minute ago they were praising his skills.

"Then go yourself," objected Cross in annoyance. It wasn't like he was getting to eat anything lately, anyway.

"No way!" exclaimed almost everyone around him. Well, you got your stomachs full, don't you, mused Cross in resentment.

"Jerry is indispensable to the survival of our organization," declared Klaud, that beautiful, beautiful traitor. "You, however, we can dispose of. It's been far too long. Get the girl back!"

"I am disposable?"

"The warding is done, the young sorcerers are already well trained, and any scientific help we need from you, we already got. So unless you have a very, very good reason for Allen Walker to leave our organization, you are going to bring her back."

He crumbled under the weight of the woman's judgmental gaze. And they said he used people! "Fine, I'll go," lied Cross, picking his few belongings and chugging down the rest of the wine. "I'll be back in a pinch."

Can't go swimming through the five oceans after her, he grumbled internally, she could be navigating in the Arctic for all I know.

It would be better for him to just apply his time in more useful things. He would just leave Allen where she was, for now. It wasn't like he could tell the other generals about the motives behind his decision. Kanda's group was a new one and had mostly young members, but they had managed to survive for quite some time, without losing a single exorcist. They would know the importance of an accommodator and would never leave one of their own unprotected. Of that, Cross was sure.

::::::::::::::::::::

"Shit."

Reed stared at the Japanese man worriedly. "…captain?"

Kanda said nothing else, and the exorcists resumed their run. His mind was running furiously with the many ways things could turn out badly. I am an idiot.

"…I left the beansprout by herself in the ship."

Reed stared at him dumbly. Kanda was the one who would beat someone up if they merely thought of going anywhere by themselves. His incredulous look was obvious, and Kanda scowled and averted his gaze.

"We can't go back now, it will ruin the whole schedule," grumbled Kanda, more to himself than anyone else. "Even Walker can't fuck shit up by being by herself for a few days, right?"

Silence.

And then, "your words sound like a bad omen, captain."

"Shut up."

They had parted in a terrible way, thought Kanda angrily, and it was partially his fault. He was the leader of a sizeable organization, all things being considered, and he didn't manage that by being a bastard to every person he met. Walker got on his nerves with an unsettling frequency and he still was annoyed at her stupid behavior and actions, but he did step out of line back then. She'd looked even more furious than he had been, and now Kanda had left the woman alone to simmer in her resentment for days.

Somehow, he doubted Walker would be apologizing the same way she did after their fight some time ago, when he had refused to let her visit Mikk.

He let out a breath, trying to clear his mind of such problems. He was an exorcist and, together with his partner, was carrying a large amount of the most precious substance in the world. He had enough to worry about as of now. Once they got back in the ship he would control his temper, and try to have a decent talk with that difficult woman. She'd seemed out of her mind with irritation, and it wouldn't do to lose an exorcist because of their disagreements.

::::::::::::::::::::

It had been a short walk, but felt much longer due to the pressure caused by Allen's growing confusion as they never got to Tyki's so called place. Finally spotting a decent building, Tyki almost let out a breath in relief and tried to act natural. "Ah, here it is. This is where I am staying."

"Okay then. I bid you a good night," said Allen amiably.

"Do you want to come in?" Damn, why did he say that?

"Ah, I better not. I must go back…" she seemed uncertain.

It would be easy to just leave her outside. For all she knew, he was a mere civilian, unable to protect her. Moreover, it was clear she had an agenda. But despite the fact she was one of the few people chosen as a wielder to the greatest threat to his life and that of his family's, despite the fact she had to have seen more death and destruction than any girl her age should, the fact was that right now she just looked like a small, young female about to be left alone in dark streets.

"It's already too late," he said, making his decision and hoping things would just work. "I doubt your friends will be terribly angry if you are missing for a few hours. I have a spare room you can sleep in if you want because… well, I don't want to be rude, but you look pretty tired."

She seemed to consider his words carefully, before nodding. And that was good and bad; bad because he had no lodging in the damn building, but oh well, never let it be said that he wasn't a crafty person.

"Just a moment. The key is hidden in a safe place."

Running towards the other side of the building under her amused gaze and making sure that he was out of her field of vision, he used his power of choice to take a tour around the building by passing through the walls. Besides one scream from a lady who saw him and he promptly knocked out, there were really no problems; travelling lodging by lodging, he stole a jar of juice from the first, an apple pie from the second, and finally decided for the last one which seemed decent. Placing the items on it and easily making a couple unconscious and hiding them in their own wardrobe, he proceeded to get the key and once more leave the building, making sure to appear behind the building and walk back from the same place Allen had seen him disappear on.

::::::::::::::::::::

"Here it is," said Tyki, coming back with a key and by heavens, he did take quite some time. Had the key been lost? Allen supposed such a rich person would want to hide the key to their house very well.

Both made their way up the stairs to the very last apartment. Opening the door, Tyki turned the lights on and she observed the place. It was all quite simple considering who he was, but perhaps there was no sense in lavishly decorating a place the noble would stay in only for a short while.

She noticed a picture in the wall, and was surprised it wasn't one of Sheril or the other members of his family she saw, but one of a man, pale skinned, blond and skinny, and who didn't look like a Kamelot at all.

"Who is this?" she asked curiously.

Tyki's eyes widened when he stared at the picture. He seemed lost when looking at it for a while. "Ah, that's… Alfredo. Just old uncle Alfie. Nobody impor-"

"He must be very special to you if you took his picture even to a place you rented."

"Yeeeah," said he weakly. She smiled. There was nothing wrong with caring for family members.

She started staring at the other pictures and making questions, too. It warmed her heart that he cared so much for these people he would take so many of their framed photographs to a rented, temporary place. They were all very fair skinned, light haired people, though there was a couple of brunets in their midst. So she got him to tell the story of his family and was truly intrigued. She had always cared about such subjects, and thought she herself would like to carry the pictures of many Rose Cross members with her, were she allowed to.

::::::::::::::::::::

"And there's cousin Morgana. She's too fond of her whiskey, and causes quite a ruckus in every one of Sheril's parties with inappropriate jokes," continued Tyki lamely, trying to memorize every one of the random names he was just christening each framed face with.

But with cousin Morgana it was over, and he really hoped she wouldn't ask any more things. He was still cursing himself for not having the clarity of mind of getting rid of the pictures before she entered.

"Your family is larger than I expected," said she when after he presented what was a group of people larger than the Noah family itself. "It is so nice of you to carry their pictures around, and remember such things about each and every one of them."

"Love keeps memories fresh in our minds," said Tyki, staring in what he hoped looked like fondness towards the frames of the humans he truly didn't give a damn about. By now, he had already forgotten half of the fake names.

Allen, unaware of his deceit, only smiled warmly. "That is absolutely right," she said softly, grey eyes distant and reflecting some love and some sadness.

Tyki shifted uncomfortably, before guiding her to the kitchen's table. He offered the stolen pie and juice, and she ate with dainty bites before giving up the pretense and ending the enormous dessert almost all by herself. Tyki himself had only had a thin slice; for a reason unknown to him, he felt a little sick in the stomach and had to work hard on looking comfortable as he sat across from her.

"Heh, thanks," said she, reddened with embarrassment. She had frequently asked whether he really wouldn't eat any more. "For letting me stay. I hope it isn't too much trouble."

"Of course not. Your day must have been quite hard. Allow yourself some rest," he answered diplomatically. She shifted a bit, and he raised an eyebrow. "You seem uncomfortable, worried about something," he observed out loud, ignoring the fact that that was also true about himself.

"Ah… I…" he knew how it would be. Exorcists usually didn't open up about their daily affairs. She'd likely drop the subject in a polite way, and he'd let it go.

To his surprise, however, after she fidgeted in silence for a minute, she eventually raised her head in determination.

"I am going back to Rose Cross," she said, as if imparting a great secret.

"Is… that so?"

"Yes. I've been working with the exorcists you saw, but it hasn't been going well. I am not a good match for the group. I realized that today, more than ever."

"I see," said he, trying to occupy himself by refilling his glass with juice.

She smiled a bit, clearly detecting his awkwardness. "I know it is a random thing to say to you, but I've been wanting to get this out of my chest. I hope this won't bother Mr. Kamelot; the group is quite able without me. Actually, I believe they will be better without my presence. Internal conflicts are never a good thing."

He thought of the problems she spoke of, of the troubled air she had carried ever since they met that only vanished in some moments and then grew once again, making her countenance heavy and upset. He also pondered about the fights she had been implying she had with the group.

In another situation, he would have inquired what troubled her, made some small talk and tried to calm her like the gentle noble he was posing as would. But one thing just didn't click, and he couldn't help but let out the words that had been on the tip of his tongue ever since her declaration.

"How are you going back to Rose Cross, though?" he asked, thoughtlessly. "I doubt there is anything good for you remaining in that crater."

As oppressive silence ensued and broke any remains of their pleasant exchanges of before. Reluctantly, he admitted to himself that he had been a little inconsiderate in his declaration.

And when he stared at the girl, whose face was impossibly pale with alarm, he thought he must have said the most rude thing he could, ever.

But really, hadn't she had enough time to deal with the fact that her organization was dead? He supposed that for a sentimental person like her, it would be a huge loss, but surely by now she could talk about the fact without looking so…

"Look, I'm sorry," he finally said with a sigh. It wasn't like he could understand the situation that well anyway, so he wouldn't judge. "My words were harsh. I shouldn't have talked about them like this-"

"Crater?"

Her voice was impossibly low. Her gaze towards him wasn't scared or angry, just pressing, demanding an answer and forbidding him from looking anywhere but at her face.

"Um, yes. Should I have said something else? Er, sorry, alright? Seriously. It must be a painful subject, and I shouldn't have touched it at all."

"What subject?" she demanded, and her loudness made him jump. Now he couldn't help his own surprised look.

"Rose Cross'… destruction," he explained. Was she having a mental breakdown? It was as if his words didn't properly reach her at all.

"Rose Cross'… Rose…?" she said, getting up from her chair. In the suddenness of her movement, it fell to the floor with a clatter. "What in the world are you talking about, Tyki?"

Oh.

Shit, shit, shit, he cursed loudly in his head many times. She hadn't known. For some ridiculous, unexplainable reason, she hadn't known her organization was no more. That was why she'd wanted to go back to them.

He wanted to think about a solution, about a way to take his words back, but Tyki only drew a blank. There was nothing that could be done now. He also got up from his chair, more calmly than her, turning towards the now horror stricken woman.

"Your organization has been destroyed a few days after you joined Kanda's group," he explained gravely, and his wariness wasn't a pretense. "Sheril told your friends so; I had expected you would have known by now."

She shook her head slowly, to the left and then to the right, her body trembling. No tears, no fury, only a haunted gaze.

"They," she finally started, her voice such a low whisper he couldn't have known whether she really wanted him to hear or not. "They never told me anything."

He'd expected her to break down. He was ready to try to bring her some comfort, to call forth his most human side and try to deal with the situation in the best way possible. For some reason, he cared deeply about this night's outcome. He would allow her to calm down, and then properly explain the situation to her. Make sure she understood, while also ignoring the nauseous knowledge that it had been the actions of his leader that had killed the people she loved so much, that were now making her so miserable.

Nothing was turning out as he expected, however. In a moment, she stared at him in incredulity, and in another, she left his apartment through his window with such speed he turned into his Noah form instinctively, as a reaction to the activation of her Innocence. She didn't see it, having left in such a hurry, and he knew he couldn't follow her and match her speed while keeping his disguise of a normal person.

The now grey skinned man stared at the dark night from the tall building, wondering what would be the consequences of his actions.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 11

It was in an uneasy state of mind that Kanda made his way back to the ship after finishing covering the assigned area with Reed. He ran with all the speed he could afford, forcing his companion to do the same, and hoping his unease was unfounded and that, in the end, everything would be alright.

Of course, it could all be an exaggeration on his part – he did have the habit of allowing a small concern to grow into a state of alarm of enormous proportions. But they lived in a world where monsters with supernatural powers lived under the command to destroy them. More than once, also, his worries had proven to be valid. It came to a point where he stopped dreading having that talk with Walker – he actually hoped they would speak, since that would mean she would be alive and well.

Once they reached the beach, Kanda let out a sigh of relief. The place still had the same movement of always, with people trading, carrying crates, cleaning, or just standing around. The somewhat peaceful scenario proved no attack had happened. Had any Akuma tried to enter the ship, its fight with Walker would have at the very least attracted the attention of the people close by. The authorities would have interdicted the area or, at the very least, the people would have left out of their own volition and fear.

The ship also showed no signs of a struggle or battle. Kanda did not display his satisfaction at that fact, but Reed smiled up at him knowingly, and he didn’t berate the man. They went to their Innocence storage room and sealed the shards they had taken away.

“I’m going to look for Walker,” said he to his companion.

“Sure thing. Good luck,” said he, before turning to make way to his cabin. It was obvious the man was beyond exhausted and would like to have a rest.

Kanda walked towards Walker’s cabin. He knocked twice. Seeing as there was no answer, he knocked again, this time with a bit more force. Only silence could be heard, however. Wanting to make sure she wasn’t there and simply couldn’t – or did not want to – hear him, he turned the doorknob. It wasn’t locked and opened easily.

There was nobody there, indeed. The room was bare of anything but the most basic furniture and an old, red framed mirror he was almost sure had been placed there by Lenalee’s insistence. He had been inside Walker’s cabin twice, even if he had not really entered, but he did notice the white haired exorcist was like him in that she did not decorate her space in any way. It was almost as impersonal as his own cabin, signaling it was only used to sleep and store a few clothes and other personal possessions inside the wardrobe. It was natural she would not be locked in her room as it was still daytime, he decided, and he turned to leave and look for her somewhere else.

Before he left, however, a flash of blue on his peripheral vision caught his attention. Kanda looked back at its source. It was a trash bin by the side of Walker’s bed, and it was filled to the brim with some sort of bright, light blue material.

It didn’t take him long to realize that this was the strange dress Walker had been wearing when she returned from that confusing battle against Akuma she fought with Lenalee. According to the Chinese girl, Walker had been dressed with it before she woke from her trauma induced unconsciousness. He picked the cloth up, and some trinkets that were tangled on it fell back to the bin – earrings, a small pair of shoes, and other nonsense. The cloth he held was torn apart in many places, and he allowed it to fall back into the bin. He would later tell the girl to dispose of it all. It made him uneasy to have objects that belonged to the enemy inside his ship.

“Kanda?”

The voice surprised him, and he turned around. Unfortunately, it wasn’t Walker, but Lenalee, who stood in the doorway.

“Lenalee. How did it go?” he asked, taking on the tired looking girl. She looked quite exhausted – more than he would expect from someone like her, whose specialty was to travel in high speeds.

“We didn’t get hurt. There was no conflict at all. But we didn’t find any accommodator, either,” said she, still clutching the bag with Innocence to herself. He nodded, not surprised by that. If every mission such as this one ended with at least one accommodator found, their organization would be far greater, after all.

“That is fine. Seal these Innocence and go take a rest,” he said, signaling for her to make way so he could pass. She ignored it, however, and stared at him with troubled eyes.

“Where is Allen?” she asked, and her voice was devoid of any resentment.

“I don’t know, but I’m searching for her. Don’t look for her, though. I want to speak to her first, but if you two fight once again, it will only complicate matters.”

She seemed somewhat hurt at his statement, and he bravely resisted the urge to hit himself. He truly didn’t know how to deal with those two. Never before had he dealt with such a great internal conflict, and he hadn’t thought it would complicate their daily life this much. Hopefully, the two women would eventually reconcile, despite the hatred they seemed to hold against each other the last time he spoke to them about their fight with the bizarre child-looking Akuma leader. Until then, however, he would very much like it if he could stop them from seeing each other for at the very least a week or so.

“I’m sorry about what happened,” said Lenalee, and that surprised him. “I was very angry, but… I’m not anymore. I travelled for days without anything of relevance happening, so… I had a lot of time to think. And I may have… overreacted.”

Kanda hadn’t expected that. Lenalee was a girl of a good disposition, he knew that, and she hated fighting. But when she got angry, it would take a lot for her to go back to her usual self. He knew she was a good person, but she also held grudges, and that was why he didn’t expect her to be in good terms with Walker anytime soon. To see her changing her opinion so easily…

“What happened?” he asked, despite the fact that he had been wanting to simply leave the room only a few minutes ago. “You told me the story yourself. How Walker risked both your lives, just to save an Akuma. I understood why you felt like you did. Now you are acting like you are in the wrong. Before I speak to Walker, I need to understand why.”

“It’s not that I think I’m in the wrong,” protested Lenalee, “because I care about Allen… I love her, and I won’t have her killing herself!”

Kanda raised his eyebrows at her bold declaration. He had not expected Lenalee to attach herself to the new member so fast.  He certainly didn’t expect her to consider Allen family after their bout. Still, he didn’t interrupt her.

“But…” Lenalee continued, “but I may have mistaken her feelings. At first, I thought she was just being reckless, and wanting to save a monster, but… I had time to think of the way she acted, and she looked very angry, but she was also very sad… very sad, Kanda. I still think what she did was very wrong. But it may be that she was confused. It was like… it was like she could see something I could not, and that was what made her try to save that thing. At the cost of her own life.”

“So you are basically accusing her of insanity instead,” said Kanda, fed up with the whole situation. “How come there would be anything she could see that you… could not…”

He slowly stopped speaking, as those words triggered an understanding of things he already knew. Indeed, despite the absurdity of the whole story of the fight, the strangest of all facts had been Walker’s actions. To beg to the enemy so the Akuma wouldn’t be killed, to almost kill herself in order to save it – those actions had almost resulted in the loss of two exorcists, Lenalee and Walker herself.

“I see their souls.”

The memory of Walker’s whisper in what felt like a long time ago made his veins feel as if they had suddenly been filled with ice – very much like the first time she told him that secret, only now it meant so much more.

He felt weak with the revelation and the understanding. Yes, Walker had seen something Lenalee hadn't, indeed, and it was a soul. A human soul, a sight neither the Chinese girl, nor Kanda or anyone else would ever understand. The enemy ordered the Akuma to self destruct and Walker didn't see an enemy dying, but a person. That had to be it. That was why she tried to sacrifice herself to save it, and why she hated Lenalee for stopping her.

He would imagine an Akuma's destruction would free the soul trapped within but, for Walker's reaction to be that desperate, it meant that something much different would happen. Something awful, so horrible that it would make the white haired exorcist, who was very used to the darkness of this world, return to the ship looking haunted. He had expected it to be some sort of guilt for risking Lenalee's life for nothing, but it seemed the truth was far deeper than that.

And so was the trouble he had dug himself into. He had called the girl selfish and basically told her to leave the ship. Kanda knew he could never be called a caring man, but even he knew that was going too far.

Forget the talk - he would have to outright apologize.

"Kanda?"

"We will talk of this later," he said, now wanting to find Allen and settle things with her as soon as possible.

"Alright, but... where are Allen's things?"

He froze.

"What?" He demanded, ceasing his attempt to leave the cabin.

"Allen always has her things around when she's here, such as her bag, and Timcanpy, you know? If you haven't sent her on the mission, shouldn't those be here?"

He didn’t know how to react to that statement. He had expected her room to be always this empty. Of course, the golem seemed to have a life of its own, and could have simply left to explore other parts of the ship.

Without answering Lenalee, he took two steps towards the wardrobe and opened it. One of the doors hit the wall with a loud crash. Some clean clothes were hanging there, and he could recognize them as Laboun’s old hand-me-downs the Allen always dressed in. Nothing else was left there, however, and he knew something was wrong. Allen had a few personal items, not to mention her money and the documents the Minister had arranged for her recently. It didn’t make sense for none of them to be here, if the had not left the ship.

He closed the wardrobe and turned towards Lenalee, who had grown pale with the realization he also just had.

“Go look for Laboun and Reed, and tell them to scrutinize the whole ship to find Walker,” he said, with calm he didn’t feel.

“You don’t think…” she started, but the glare he threw at her made her stop. “Alright.”

She departed, and he did the same, starting his search. It wouldn’t take them long to explore the whole ship, but and he had the strong feeling Allen would be nowhere to be found.

To leave by herself without a warning, still damaged by her last fight – of all the reckless, insane things –

“We can’t trust you,” his own words reverberated inside his skull, taunting him. “You aren’t fit to be in this ship.”

Then again, he had given Allen her leave himself, hadn’t he?

“Damn it all,” he growled, starting his frantic search, but already thinking about what he would do should his fears come true.

::::::::::

Kanda’s golem received a call, just as he scrutinized the last of the ship’s rooms. It was with a tense command that he answered, closing the door of the storage room behind him, Walker nowhere to be found.

“Kanda, I finally got to you,” said Lavi’s voice, and his grave tone and lack of friendly greeting told the captain something wasn’t right.

As if we didn’t have enough problems as of now, he thought angrily, but answered Lavi, “what is it?”

“Listen. Allen has left the city during our absence. I was just talking to Minister Kamelot about it.”

Kanda’s trail of thoughts were thrown in a loop for a moment, but he continued his walk down the corridors. “What? Walker left? Kamelot?”

“I know it’s strange, but I just got a call from him. He said she talked to Tyki Mikk, before leaving the city and returning to Rose Cross.”

The Japanese man froze, stopping on his tracks.

“Explain it properly. Now.”

“There is not much to say. Minister Kamelot said his brother found Allen walking by herself in an area distanced from the ship. They spent some time together, and she gave some indications that she wanted to leave our group. She said she was going to return to Rose Cross. Is she going to pay her respects? Though I understand her, it has been quite a while already… and she should have taken one of us with her, for her own safety. We wouldn’t mind, right? They were her family. Honestly, it surprises me she didn’t break apart when she got her news. Perhaps she’s been in denial until now…”

Lavi trailed off, while Kanda desperately tried to calculate the magnitude of the complications this whole mess was about to bring. There was silence in both sides of the line. Unfortunately for the captain right now, Lavi was a smart man, and it didn’t take long for the redhead to break the silence, his voice as serious as Kanda ever heard it.

“Kanda, listen. You did tell her about what happened, didn’t you?”

Silence.

“Kanda.”

“Nothing could have been done to save them. There was no need to distract her with the news.”

“KANDA! I can’t believe you!”

Lavi’s furious shout made Kanda grateful the golem was not a telephone attached to his ear. He tried to keep himself from arguing with the redhead, however, as he knew the younger man was right.

Still, this wasn’t the moment to fight.

“We don’t have time for this,” he said, but Lavi didn’t stop his fierce berating. “Walker could be in danger! Set your priorities straight!”

That shut him up.

“Alright. What are we going to do?”

“Are you nearby?”

“Yeah, almost there. You are in the ship, right?”

“I am. Get the Innocence here as soon as possible. We are going to leave towards the location of Rose Cross. Any objections?”

“None. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

With that, the call was off. Kanda returned to the meeting room, waiting for everyone else to come back and readying himself to give them the news.

::::::::::

Lavi and Crowley hurriedly made their way back to the beach. The older man looked towards his companion worriedly.

“So… a tragedy has fallen upon Rose Cross?”

“Yeah,” Lavi said, closing his eyes for a moment, his feelings anger and regret mixed altogether. “They were destroyed. I… thought everyone knew. You, too. I guess I never wanted to broach the subject because I didn’t want to hurt Allen. She seems like the kind of person who cares deeply about family. So I guess that’s why I never talked about it to anyone else. I wonder who else doesn’t know.”

“There is a good chance only you and Kanda knew,” said Crowley honestly. “Lavi… if that is why she left, do you think we are going to see her again?”

Lavi’s hands clenched for a while. He let out a breath, slowly, before expressing his honest opinion.

“I’d say we are. She should come back. She has no organization to go back to, and though she has a certain experience as an exorcist, it is far too dangerous to work alone. Very few of us do so nowadays, it is almost a death sentence, unless you are ridiculously strong.”

“She could be angry at us, however.”

“At Kanda and me, you mean. You and the others didn’t know anything. And Kanda and I are going to team up to retrieve her… we are the worst team to do this, aren’t we?”

Crowley said nothing to that. Then, “what if she doesn’t want to come back?”

Lavi stared ahead, having the same thoughts. “She should come with us. If she thinks rationally, she will. If she doesn’t… I don’t know. If what Allen told us about herself is right, she has nowhere else to go. We can’t in good conscience leave her by herself.”

“But we can’t force her.”

“Yeah… we will deal with his problem when we get to it, though. And also tackle our communication problems. It is ridiculous that only Kanda and I knew of something as important as the disappearance of one of the greater exorcist organizations. We were negligent.”

They reached the ship then, so Crowley said nothing more. Together, they sealed the Innocence back and went to the meeting room.

Everyone else was waiting. They all seemed troubled and were tired, in varying degrees, so Kanda must have told them at least part of what happened. Speaking of the Japanese man, it had been a while ever since Lavi had seen him looking so troubled. The man raised his gaze from his crossed arms when they came, and waited until they sat on the chairs that were left.

“We don’t have time to lose, so I’ll be brief. As you all know, Allen Walker has left our ship. As this is partially due to my own actions, I am going to take responsibility and bring her back. Lavi, who is well informed about the place she has gone to, is coming with me.”

“Where did Allen go?” asked Lenalee, looking as if she had wanted to ask this question for a long time.

“Rose Cross,” said Kanda. “Lavi, I’ve already arranged for our provisions. This travel is usually about three days long, but I expect us to make it in a much shorter time. If you need anything else gather it, because we are leaving now.”

“I have what I need,” said Lavi, getting up from his seat mere seconds after sitting.

“Good. Lenalee, as the senior member who’s left in the ship, you are to take command until I come back. Despite everything that has been happening, I expect you to keep a level head. Do you understand?”

Lenalee, who until them seemed too worried to act, bit her lip and nodded. There was determination in her eyes.

“Send someone to fetch your brother. Everyone stays here and waits for us, unless you see the need to depart and, in such a case, communicate with us immediately.”

“Wait,” said Suman Dark, “Forgive me, but everyone seems very troubled about this situation. If Allen has returned home, however, is there truly a problem? Her organization is powerful and, according to her own words, it was only one of the members who had insisted she left. Surely there is nothing too bad about her returning to her place of origin?”

Crowley looked down towards his lap, not feeling like clarifying anything right now. The others, however, seemed to share Suman’s opinion.

“It was great having her here and we would like her to stay, but if she prefers to return home, that is her right,” said Reed. The man had known Allen had been left by herself, and understood the girl had decided to return to the safety of her home. The travel would be dangerous, but staying alone in a known exorcist ship could be even worse.

Kanda pinched the bridge of his nose. He then threw a key in Lenalee’s direction. The woman picked it, recognizing the pattern and staring towards him in surprise.

“There is a yellow folder inside one of my drawers. Look for the page under letter R. It shows Rose Cross. You will understand. Lavi, enough dawdling. Let’s go. We can’t lose another exorcist.”

The room grew somber as everyone started understanding how grave the situation was, even if they couldn’t understand why. They suddenly worried more for the white haired girl, who had been in such a poor state the last time they had seen her.

“Well,” said Lenalee, getting up, eyes tired but resolute. “Let us see what Kanda was talking about.”

::::::::::

Allen was not a superstitious person. Sometimes, however, terrible events happened one after another in an unending chain, in a way that made her question whether she had been cursed with bad luck by one of the Akuma she fought against.

Less than a week ago, she saw a soul being destroyed irreparably for the first time, and was then stopped by one of her own allies from saving it. Later they fought, and she was clearly abandoned by the new group she had just started becoming a part of. Then she found Tyki and enjoyed his company, finally finding some sort of respite, only to…

Only to…

She dragged weary limbs as she made her way through the forest. What had started as a travel that had been as fast as her parasitic Innocence would allow was interrupted by an attack by Akuma as she made her way back home. That should not have been surprising, and she should have dealt with it easily. However, the fact that she had been travelling with her Innocence fully activated only served to gather the attention of many of the monsters. When they approached her, she felt her energy wane, due to the arduous run she had forced herself into and her lack of sustenance for who knows how long.

Her body was strong and could recuperate fast, but it also demanded great amounts of food and rest in exchange. She had given it neither, and that battle ended in her victory both due to her desperation, battle ability, and sheer luck.

Now, bleeding from wounds her exhausted Innocence healed sluggishly and fighting the darkness that creeped over her peripheral vision, Allen understood more than ever that she had been horribly careless and stupid. If this world was one where a person could travel by themselves, without any sort of provisions on their back, it would be an easy place to live in indeed. In her haste to get home and know the truth as soon as possible, she had forgotten all common sense and almost gotten herself killed. Still could get herself killed, actually. If another enemy accosted her, she knew she would be done for.

Her rush made her who knows how many days late.

Still, with every ounce of strength, she marched onwards. Rose Cross… her family. Her safe harbor. No matter how many dangerous tasks they sent her to, she would always feel the safest when working under them. She couldn’t imagine the strong building that housed her, the wonderful people who had been by her side for so many years, were… gone.

She had to know. Had to. Tyki was a civilian. A fun person, a good hearted one, but what business did he have knowing about the fate of secretive exorcist organizations? He must have heard it wrong, and transmitted the wrong message to her. Really, it made no sense, she told herself, avoiding obstacles as she made her way. Yes, no sense at all, she decided firmly, forcing a weak smile to bloom on her face. Should Rose Cross be destroyed, Kanda would be the first to tell her. The dour man would have no reason to spare her feelings. He would rather trample on them, she thought bitterly. Tyki couldn’t have known what he had been talking about.

As her body protested more and more, as her pace grew slower and she had to stop more in order to catch her breath, she kept repeating this mantra to herself in order to keep her strength. Everything would be fine. She was almost reaching home. The security would likely intercept her, unrecognizable as she was, but after they noticed it was Allen… they would surely open the large metal doors and allow her entrance. She would meet everyone, she would embrace them, say she missed them, that it wasn’t her intention to stay away. That everything was Cross’ fault. Then she would embrace the man for good measure.

Noticing she actually thought, in all seriousness, to give Cross a hug, she started laughing breathlessly, and felt a tear fall from her eye.

I must be growing insane indeed.

The strange thing was, right where she expected to start seeing the grey of the large walls, there was nothing but more trees. They seemed sparse and misplaced. Her heart clenched. Did she mistake the localization? After so many years going back and forth towards the fortress, could she have simply forgotten her way and gone to a completely different place? Cursing herself, she forced her legs to continue yet one more time. Her body wouldn’t stand yet another travel, for God knew how many hundreds of kilometers. She couldn’t have made a mistake… she couldn’t –

She didn’t.

Her knees felt weak and she fell to the ground ungracefully, struggling to keep her upper body straight with the aid of her arms. The vision of an enormous hole, a crater, that consumed the ground for almost as far as her eyes could see, filled her vision, before everything was blurred to unrecognizable shapes by the tears that started to fall uncontrollably.

“I doubt there is anything good for you remaining in that crater.”

This hole in the ground, filled with rubble… was it all that was left of her family? She thought about every exorcist who tutored her and who she fought together with, thought of every member of the organization who would do their very best to help her, so many people she would give her life away in order to keep safe. She thought of everyone, from the most serious ones to those who were overly affectionate, and no matter what side of the spectrum they lay in, there was not a single person there who hadn’t cared about their organization, about them all. About her.

With the forceful acceptation of the reality she now found herself in, recent memories came back to the forefront of her mind, once buried by the tension she had been going through the past days, but now vivid and clear and painful.

“I can find my way back to Rose Cross.”

“They aren’t going to take you back.”

Kanda…

“Tell me if you recognize this place.”

A black and white picture inside a yellow folder. A giant crater circled by trees, all small in comparison.

“No, I don’t recognize this place.”

Kanda showed her the picture of her destroyed home! And she hadn’t recognized it. But he didn’t say anything – why?

“Your organization has been destroyed a few days after you joined Kanda’s group,” she remembered Tyki’s words, remembered his eyes that were so full of worry. “Sheril told your friends so. I had expected you would have known by now.”

Kanda had definitely known.

Her ‘friends’, indeed.

Where had she been, when death fell upon them all? Had she been laughing? Had she been working, sleeping, playing a game, living peacefully, ignorantly, while the enemy destroyed everyone she held dear?

Were their bodies really buried inside this ugly place? Were really their abilities, dreams and hopes been entombed here forever? She thought of Klaud and of Tiedol, of Jerry and Johnny, of Link and Madarao and Cross and -

The thought of Cross made her finally fall, her forehead touching the broken floor painfully. Cross had been the one to find her as a child, to take her in. He was the rude man who never let her rest, who treated her unfairly and made rude jokes, who overworked her and made her pay his debts. She had often told herself she hated him, always complained about his troublesome presence and rude behavior. Now, however, she couldn’t summon any negativity towards the man. Allen wanted him right now by her side, even if just to mock her crying form, grab her rudely by a hurt arm and force her up. But the tall man, her mentor, was likely also buried below the rubble, his broken body left to…

Something made her despairing trail of thoughts stop.

Immediately, she knew what it was.

The very idea of a dead Cross, gone all of a sudden, not to finish the most important mission of his life, not saving the organization, but simply gone, for no reason –

It did not sit well with her.

“You aren’t dead,” she spoke to no one in a small voice, but there was strength in that soft declaration.

Cross had always been ridiculously strong. The other members of the organization, specially the other Generals, were also powerhouses on their own, but Cross – he contradicted nature. He was a master of magic, of science, and an exorcist on top, with two Innocence. Allen had seen him rise again and again after impossible odds, learned to never mourn his death because it never happened. It was one of the few things she had always believed her whole life – Cross Marian’s strength.

Yes… Cross was alive.

And despite his questionable ways, he wouldn’t let the others die, either. If Cross was alive, then so were the others.

She would find them.

She didn’t know how long she spent there, trying to rest, trying not to look towards the broken pieces of walls, of furniture, of equipment. Then, with the few last remnants of strength she had in her body, Allen resumed her walk, this time looking for the closest city nearby, one she had visited so many times. She abandoned the place where Rose Cross had been built in with no regrets.

Her family wasn’t there, so it wasn’t home anymore.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 12

Allen woke up for the third time ever since getting there, but it was the first time she could actually move. Before this, her time here had been filled by pain and nonsensical dreams that confused her mind. Opening her eyes, she tried to examine her surroundings, only to realize she lay in a bed circled closely by white fabric. The faint beeping of the machine that monitored her vitals confirmed that she had been taken to an hospital, as she had hoped when she had stumbled, half dead, upon this city.

Disliking the way her vision was blocked by the privacy screens, she forced herself up from the bed. It took more effort than she had expected, and pain punished her whole body, while fatigue urged her to return to the somewhat-soft bed and the warm comforter. She ignored the temptation and took a few steps away. Wincing at the pain in her arm, Allen noticed she was dragging the IV that slowly and steadily delivered some healing substance to her body. Figuring she had enough time here, she carefully removed the small curative from her arm, and then the needle placed inside it. Then she removed other wires that were also attached to her body, and one such removal made the monitoring machine beep loudly and continuously. She hurriedly unplugged it, and hissed at the pain the sudden movement caused.

Finally leaving her enclosed space, she realized she was inside a white room inside of which at least other five patients lay, also in privacy, behind curtains. It was very dark, but she could see well, thanks to the street lights that invaded the room through the glass of the sole window.

Allen tried to move her heavily bandaged arm. Doctors from small cities could hardly be expected to be able to take care of parasitic Innocence, and thus it had likely been treated as a normal limb would… that is, if the medical team had had the courage to do more than to wrap it tightly and hope the healing would happen by itself. To the white haired exorcist's surprise, the arm responded well, and was actually the part of her body that hurt the less.

The rest of her was still a wreck, however, and it was with very slow and hesitant steps that she made her way to the window.

She seemed to be in the second floor, and the street below one was one filled only by commerce. So late at night, however, it displayed no movement, every window closed, every light inside the buildings turned off. Not a soul could be seen nearby. Silence permeated the whole space, broken only by the monitoring machines of the other patients' and the occasional insects that made noise outside, buzzing around and insistently hitting the bright lights.

It should have been peaceful. It should have been the prelude of a night of restful sleep.

It wasn't, however. Instead, Allen's fingers trembled faintly, and she looked at every dark corner below with troubled eyes.

She was alone and hurt, and this was a small town, one she had entered notoriously, with faltering steps and dripping blood.

Everyone had to know an exorcist was here.

And as such, it felt like every shadow could have eyes. Any small movement could mean something was there, outside, waiting to strike. Detecting it with her eyes would do little to help if she couldn't defend herself. She would be an easy opponent to anything above a level one Akuma, and no flimsy hospital walls would keep her safe.

She tried to breathe, knowing it would not do to panic, but her last memories were of being almost killed in the forest, and then of realizing her home had truly been destroyed. Being alone now hurt not only because of the loneliness itself, but also because of the great danger it exposed her to. There was a reason for which lone exorcists almost did not exist. It was a death sentence, unless you hid well, were a remarkable fighter, and also had a fair dose of luck. Analyzing herself critically, she knew her strong point was usually that of blending with the crowd and disappearing easily, but even that had been ruined, now; luck did not accompany her, and she was still too young and unexperienced to merely march around provoking the enemy and fighting anything that challenged her.

She would have been better off with Kanda's crew, she knew, and that left a bitter taste in her mouth, but was also undeniably true.

I was an idiot, she thought, but then let out an irritated breath and tried to disperse the useless, self recriminating thoughts. What was done was done, and she would have never been able to stay there knowing her family could have been hurt. Moreover, they had left her alone. Kanda's ship was well known as a belonging of an exorcist organization, and she could have been attacked there as well as she could here.

Having regained her clarity of mind, she also decided she had to leave, and now. Allen didn't know for how long she had stayed unconscious, but she had had inexplicable good fortune to not have been killed until now. Perhaps there were no Akuma around, or they were weak and afraid of exorcists. Either way, she would not take her chances, anymore.

Allen made her sluggish way to the corridor and then descended the stairs. As she approached the reception and found nobody, she thought she would truly be able to leave unbothered. Alas, it wasn't to be, and it was as her hand touched the door handle that she heard a gasp and quickly turned around, her heart beating far too fast for her taste.

It seemed to be a nurse – A middle aged man, doing his rounds. He stared at her with some semblance of shock, and the words Allen wanted to say to him fled her mind.

"You are still hurt," the man then spoke softly, and it was a surprise when compared to the heavy reprimand Allen had expected to receive.

"I know," she whispered, and it sounded so loud in the silent hall that she almost winced.

He took another look at her form, and then said, "then go back to your bed."

Allen felt weak at that proposal – she wanted to, she was tired, and ached all over…

"I can't," she said weakly, in order to disperse the temptation that was starting once more to take over. It was dangerous. Everyone knew she was here They knew –

"Why not?" the man asked, approaching her. As he did so, there was a noise outside. In retrospect, Allen would think later, it could have simply been a street cat exploring the trash cans and allowing one of the metal lids to fall. But right then the noise made Allen jump and turn her eyes towards the outside with a frantic look, the paranoia seizing her by the throat and squeezing.

Hearing no more noise, however, she felt her heartbeat return to normal, and turned tiredly towards the kind nurse. "Mr. Colman?" she asked, having taken a quickly look at his nametag.

"Yes?" the man asked, still looking worried about her reaction.

"Have you ever seen an Akuma?"

That question was asked by Allen with the same quiet voice she had been using, but she could have very well shouted, as the man became rigid and pallid with fear as soon as he understood her words.

"N-no… I have not", he finally forced himself to say, as she stared at him pointedly, waiting for an answer.

"Let me go, then," Allen spoke quietly, "and perhaps you never will."

Nurse Colman stared at her with fearful eyes, before reluctantly turning them towards the outside, and she now saw in him the same fear the had just felt.

Allen saw the exact moment in which his shoulders drooped, his posture weak with resignation. She expected the man to simply turn and quietly leave, and was about to make for the door, when a hand was placed over her head.

She stared up in surprise, too shocked to do anything about the appendage that ran briefly through her white hair. The nurse's expression was sad, and he allowed his hand to fall, before turning away from her and resuming her rounds.

Inexplicably, his compliance with her request didn't make her feel any better.

Then, knowing her previous clothes had been utterly ruined and armed with nothing more than a white hospital shirt, light green pants and soft plastic shoes, she left the building and disappeared in the night.

::::::::::

After speaking to the workers the nearby station and understanding that nobody with Allen Walker's name or characteristics had recently boarded a train, they started their travel to Rose Cross through the only other way: by foot, and through the dense forest.

"It would have been more sensible to follow the train tracks, or, better yet, to take the train. However, if she has realized what has happened to Rose Cross, as we suspect, I somehow feel she would wish to take the straight-line route… which is the exact same path we are going to take."

In any other situation, Kanda would have called it nonsense. However, he knew Walker wasn't exactly a sensible person, and was also very moved by her heart. It wasn't difficult to imagine her imprudently making her way alone through the dense forest, instead of waiting for a train like a normal person.

However, thinking about how he would react should he hear of the demise of his own group, it was easy to imagine himself acting exactly like her.

The past hours had been very troublesome for Kanda, what with actually starting to understand at least part of Walker's point of view and also knowing his actions what were caused this whole mess. That was why he marched furiously through the way Lavi indicated, stopping only occasionally, when they truly needed to take a rest. There was nothing around them but trees and rocks and dirt, scattered around randomly and stopping them from truly making a straight line. The whole deal should have been useless, if not for the fact that Lavi had the keenest eye for details; if Walker had left any signal of her travel behind, and if they happened to pass by, the younger exorcist would be sure to catch it.

"If she's passed by more than a day ago, then the rain has already ruined our chances to catch footsteps or other markings in the floor," Lavi had said, uncharacteristically solemn, but nonetheless staring carefully at the still damp earth.

And so their travel continued, and it was only halfway through that the redhead stopped, signaling for Kanda to come closer. The Japanese man did so quickly, and looked grimly towards the trees. The closest one had deep cuts inside of it, seemingly made by claws.

"Couldn't they have been made by some animal?" Kanda asked, even though he himself doubted that very much.

"No. This tree is almost falling over. The cuts also go far up, and don't have a pattern found in nature. We've found out first clue. Let's go on."

To the alarm of the two men, what had started with the damage found in one tree continued in a trail that indicated a ferocious battle. The claw marks were always present, but the forest had also been broken by fire, impacts of blunt force and occasional indications of explosions that even the heavy rain of the past night had not been able to clean away. Soon, the captain no longer needed Lavi's help in pointing the way, as the path of the recent fight was clear before his eyes. Their steps became more anxious and quickly became a run, as the vestiges of dark matter that stained the earth and killed the greenery started mixing with small remains of human blood.

"There were too many Akuma," he said to a shocked Lavi, as they got closer and closer to Rose Cross. "We can see too many different attack patterns. She has been attacked all the way to Rose Cross."

The other exorcist said nothing, clearly restraining himself from activating his own weapon. The travel grew more draining than ever, both to their bodies and their minds. Kanda didn't want to say it out loud, did not want to admit it even to himself, but he had stopped looking only for signals of the battle and started also to keep an eye out for a corpse. Lavi's nauseated expression indicated he was likely doing the same thing.

Eventually, the vestiges of the battle grew more and more sparse, and eventually died out, and they didn't know what to make of it – didn't know what that meant for Allen, whether it was an indication she had won, or lost.

Later, they found the ruined remains of the enormous organization, and took a silent moment to stare at it.

"It was… far larger than I imagined," admitted Lavi, looking solemnly at the sad remains of what had once been an impressive fortress.

"We are always vulnerable," said Kanda. "Let's remember this. We should never feel safe only because our numbers grow." He then turned his back to the crater. "Do you think… Walker managed to make her way until here?"

Lavi's lips tightened, and he looked as if he was angry at himself. "I don't know. I suppose we would have found her… her remains, if she had not."

"Then she did get here, got the answer she wanted. What then?" he asked Lavi as much as he asked himself. He had seen Walker in action, had also seen her speak a little of her beliefs, had seen her interacting with people. Still, she remained a stranger. Kanda couldn't claim to know her. He only knew she was a capable fighter, although burdened by too much compassion, too soft a heart. He knew she would risk her life for a stranger, even if that stranger was merely a civilian. He knew she thought her previous organization was like a family or sorts. He knew she could see souls. He knew –

The understanding came then, and made his heart heavy.

Yes, Kanda knew Allen Walker. Not all of her, but far more than he had thought.

And now he had to hope this knowledge wasn't going to become the memento of a gone person; he had to know whether he had sent that girl to her death.

"Lavi?" he asked tiredly, and realized the man's green eye had been upon him this whole time, looking somewhat surprised.

"Ah… I suppose if she hasn't collapsed here, then she must have made her way to Brarron. It's the nearest town. The region must be quite familiar to her," Lavi said, and his words were the most amiable he had said to Kanda ever since he discovered the man had kept the truth from Allen. Kanda didn't know what to make of it, nor did he want to. "I know where it is. Let's go."

::::::::::

Two weeks later

Inside a large English city there was a clothing store. It was one of many, a popular one, in which most of the cheap pieces were displayed in large piles scattered around the room, with only the somewhat expensive garments placed in hangers for perusal. A small form, clothed in a simple green jacket and black trousers, perused one of the piles, looking for something that would fit her.

Allen had quickly left the city she had woken up in, after pilfering the clothes she now wore from a still closed store. She hadn't been proud of it, but all her money had been lost and the hospital clothes had been unfit to travel, not to mention too attention-calling. The mysterious story of the exorcist who appeared in Brarron and was hospitalized would end with an unexplained disappearance.

Allen would have felt more bothered about the stolen clothes and the unpaid hospital bill, if she hadn't been to preoccupied with keeping her own life.

Even then, she wouldn't fall into a life of robbery, if she could help it. As an exorcist, she actually could count with the help of the government, but didn't feel like exposing herself in such a way. Akuma lay everywhere, inside the skins of any sort of people, from street children to politicians in high positions. As such, she tried to earn some money, by trying to take on temporary jobs in the city's commerce. It took long to find a merchant who didn't dismiss her as a sickly child or a beggar, and she had managed to earn enough to buy food, if not shelter.

Allen had been through far worse before being taken by Cross, however, and endured the difficult times.

Still, even as she finally gathered enough money to buy new clothes and thus get herself out of her now filthy ones, she couldn't feel truly at peace. She examined piece upon piece and chose the somewhat better ones, the ones that fit her body and were of neutral colors, such as black, gray and brown. Her plan had been to disappear, to become insignificant in the middle of the crowd, and she had already managed to – she was now no more than what they called a street dweller, making only enough to survive and as unremarkable as a person could be in this society. Only very unlucky coincidence could bring Akuma to her metaphorical door, and the terror at the prospect of being suddenly attacked while still hurt had left long ago. Still, she couldn't find peace, and it wasn't only because of her deplorable living conditions.

Her problem was deeper than that.

Hadn't she promised herself she would find Rose Cross, hadn't she swore that upon the ruins of her past home? She had managed to find hope in the middle of despair. And yet, less than a month later, here she was, living a life almost as bad as the one she had when she was a young child: in the streets, with little to eat, invisible to most. She was not even killing Akuma, her Innocence now useless weight attached to her shoulder. It was like she had reverted back to the worst times of her life, and she felt disgusted at that, but didn't know how to make it stop.

She was no detective; Allen had no contacts of her own, no allies she could trust, that weren't from Rose Cross. The idea of starting an investigation on the end of which she would find her family was laughable – Rose Cross had always been an organization that could never be found unless it wanted to. Their base had fallen, yes, but that didn't make them incompetent. Her friends – the exorcists, the scientists, every single worker from the group – would likely hide better than ever before, now that they were in a state of fragility. No, there was no way Allen would be able to find them by herself. No matter how great her determination was, she couldn't fool herself into going into a hopeless journey when she knew very well Rose Cross had managed to evade the government, Akuma and the Earl himself for so many years.

But then, what to do? It wasn't like she could simply give up. And yet, if she couldn't find them…

She froze amidst her activity of choosing clothes, staring at one of the nondescript outfits she now had in hand, and felt the answer come to her. And it wasn't a pleasant one, but was certainly enlightening.

If she couldn't find them… then, they would have to find her.

Despite her occasional moments of sadness, Allen was sure, with all her heart, that she hadn't been abandoned by Rose Cross. She wanted answers, yes, but she also felt a great trust that they wouldn't leave her alone, not if they could help it.

And still, how could she hope to be found, when she insisted on becoming unremarkable, on disappearing as well as she could? They wouldn't, couldn't meet her, even if they wanted to, because Allen herself was making it difficult.

They were both hiding, the organization and Allen herself, and the white haired exorcist could understand their point of view, as they had almost been destroyed a little time ago. No, it was no fault of their own that they could not send her a signal. But that also meant that she would have to be the one to do so.

Allen dropped all the garments she had chosen back in their piles and left the store hurriedly. She would still change her clothes, yes, but she was looking for different, now.

Gathering all the money she had managed to earn and making her way to a different street, she uncovered her head, dismaying but at the same time relishing in the way people stared and whispered about her stark white hair and her scar.

It was time to leave the shadows she had always lived comfortably in.

::::::::::

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 13

“This weather is awful”, a moody voice said form one of the living room’s windows.

Sheryl looked up from the clothing magazine he had been perusing. The purple curtains were all pulled back and the windows displayed a grey sky and a constant, weak drizzle that maintained the cold climate. Still, that was hardly awful weather. He dismissed his younger brother’s words and turned his gaze back to the section that displayed mother and daughter dress sets. 

“It’s been so boring here. I feel it’s been today for a week already.” 

Usually, Sheryl would have let out a biting remark, about how he could easily point out some work for Tyki to do. Today, however, he didn’t want to start a discussion, and tried his best to focus his attention on the green and white dresses displayed by a woman and a child models. 

“I wonder when the Earl will give us a new task,” continued Tyki, apparently unfazed by his sibling’s dismissal. 

Then again, Road had been favoring blue, as of late. She and Tricia would look adorable in those dark blue sets. 

“...Come to think of it, have you any news of Allen Walker?” 

Sheryl let out a long, suffering sigh. “You aren’t subtle at all, Tyki,” the politician said, abandoning the magazine on the small desk. He would take another look at it when his bothersome sibling wasn’t around. 

Tyki huffed in annoyance, and abandoned his pretense of boredom. “Well, do you have any news, or not?” 

“I do not,” said Sheryl truthfully. “I have fished for some information on her, as the Exorcists have requested, but I am not digging too deep. By herself, she is of no interest to us.” 

Actually, this was the perfect opportunity to eliminate her, Sheryl thought, but he kept these words to himself. The Earl’s interest was in organizations and their info, and not on individuals. With Allen Walker having left her group on her own, it would be easy to eliminate her without a trace. 

He had no idea about where she was, however, and he wouldn’t trouble himself going on an extensive search for her. The girl had likely managed to find death all by herself, what with leaving the city without any provisions or company, and by foot. As soon as he heard the story from Tyki and, later, from the worried exorcists that visited him and asked for the favor of locating her, he already dismissed the white haired accommodator as dead. 

These thoughts, he didn’t mind voicing to Tyki. As expected, the younger man’s dark complexion paled with fury. 

How… predictable, thought Sheryl with disdain. 

“She isn’t dead,” Tyki almost growled, before getting a grip on himself and trying, once again, to put up a façade of composure. It was, quite frankly, pathetic. “She was reckless, but she’s a strong exorcist. Shouldn’t you be looking for her more carefully? You want to stay in this group’s good graces, don’t you?” 

“As of now, yes. But I am doing enough to do so. Even if I never get any results, they cannot blame me for her foolhardiness. Actually, going after someone who has fled their organization out of her own volition is far more than they should expect me to do. Even if I brought her corpse back, they would have to thank me, I am sure.” 

Tyki had his lips pressed tightly together. When he opened his mouth to say something else, Sheryl held up a hand to silence him. The older Noah left his chair and, as he did so, his eyes turned gold. 

It seemed he had to, once again, remind Tyki about who they were.

“Your ridiculous interest in the exorcist has been troubling me from day one, little brother,” Sheryl said slowly. “I must admit this tragic fate of hers is a relief to me. If I find out the girl hasn’t been killed, then I will do the honours myself. This game you are playing is dangerous, and it can’t be allowed to continue.”

At the mere mention of the possibility of his murder of Allen Walker, Tyki’s whole countenance changed, and he stood in the room in his Noah form. Sheryl refused to do the same and, as he stared at his brother’s true form, he had to wonder about how things had devolved so quickly. He knew the man had an inappropriate interest in the enemy, but he thought of it as no more than a fancy - a desire to play with a toy he didn’t wish to share. It had annoyed Sheryl, and he had voiced his displeasure many times. To see that his brother might actually be developing a more… permanent fondness towards the girl filled him with both disgust and worry.

What had been going behind the scenes, that he hadn’t been able to watch? Should he have locked his brother down, so as to know his every step?

Then again, how could Sheryl, even powerful as he was, trap the Noah of Pleasure, of choice? Nobody but the Earl, and perhaps his Road, could do so… and he very much wished to keep them both out of this matter.

“You utter imbecile,” Sheryl whispered with as much venom as he could muster. “If I killed anybody in that ship, you wouldn’t bat an eyelash, but you are troubled about that ridiculous girl? How did his happen?”

Tyki looked as if he wanted to reply with the same measure of animosity, but words apparently couldn’t leave him. Good. Perhaps he started to finally realise, at least in part, the error in his ways.

“We are the Noah family,” he said slowly, as if explaining maths to small child. “The exorcists, despite our charades, are our enemies. You can consort with them, but only in appearance.”

“I know…”

“I know you like to have your toys,” Sheryl said because, despite his own anger, he wanted to defuse Tyki’s ire. It wouldn’t do to have a fight here. It wouldn’t do to catch anyone’s attention. “I’ve witnessed your anger when I threatened to kill your ridiculous friends, and so I stayed my hand,” he said, remembering the homeless humans Tyki enjoyed accompanying so much. “But if you want a female, find a meaningless one, without influent connections, without Innocence. An exorcist is where we should draw the line.”

He was pleased to see his brother didn’t look as if he was about to start a fight. Sheryl tried to calm himself with the thought.

“Listen. I do not care about what you do with your private life. Actually, I am honestly happy when I know you are enjoying yourself, even if your pastimes are questionable. But when I tell you to keep away from this exorcist, I do it out of worry for you. You don’t want to be labeled a traitor.”

Tyki’s eyes widened at that. “A traitor?” he finally spoke. “Are you out of your mind? That’s too much, Sheryl!”

“What do you expect to happen when you actively express an open desire to protect an exorcist? The Akuma in these rooms are mindless servants but, regardless of that, their eyes and ears are always connected to the Earl’s. I don’t want you to catch his attention, Tyki. Road and I are the ones who communicate with him and, as of now, he’s content to see you as someone the two of us direct. If he decides to have direct contact with you, however, I assure you that you will find it much harder to live with the ease you always do!”

It was with satisfaction that Sheryl watched as his words finally reached Tyki, and his sibling finally understood the danger he was in. Good.

“I… understand,” Tyki said finally, his voice having some defeat in it. “You are right. I… think I have adopted a her as a new toy. And I was having some fun with her,” he continued, as if finally understanding the truth. “I… didn’t want her taken from me. Until I was done playing.”

“That, I can believe in. You almost murdered me when I said I would kill those ugly mongrels you enjoy mining and drinking with,” said the Minister, and though his words were malicious, his voice lacked animosity. No, he wanted to steer Tyki to the right conclusion… and there was only so far he could go through his brother with violence.

“Well, I guess we don’t have to worry about it anymore, do we? With her being dead and all.”

“Most likely,” agreed Sheryl, and though he knew Tyki’s nonchalance was faked, it was also an advancement from being unable to tolerate the idea of the girl being gone.

And she was, very likely, dead, so it didn’t matter. Any attachment his sibling had developed towards her would eventually die out, and he had already received his warning. He wouldn’t slip again, not with an exorcist. All would be well.

“You seem like you are in need of a distraction,” Sheryl finally declared, “so do come to work with me. So long as nobody sees you, it will be harmless, and I am tired of having you whining about boredom while I work my butt off.”

He turned his back to Tyki, and heard him chuckle at the rare expletive that came from Sheryl’s mouth.

It seems things are back to how they should be, thought the Minister with satisfaction.

If he had seen Tyki’s expression behind him, however, he would have had very different thoughts.

::::::::::

He never stayed to work with his brother.

He couldn’t label what he felt as he calmly left the mansion, dressed in casual clothes and with nothing but a simple backpack filled with basic necessities and a fine amount of money. Even as he took the train to the city in which Rose Cross had been stationed, he couldn’t quite define what actually was going through his mind.

Yes, he was looking for Allen Walker, and this was something he couldn’t properly explain. But he wished to go after her, had wanted to ever since she had left him in a hurry two weeks ago, and Tyki had always done what he wanted, regardless of consequences, regardless of even knowing why he wanted to do something - because if something brought him pleasure, he would pursue it. It had been his nature even when he had been fully human, and the awakening of his Noah only strengthened this habit of his. He didn’t even know what he would do once he found her: there was a limit to the number of times he could randomly appear in her life without causing suspicion.

But as the comfortable ride in the first class compartment of the train went on and he watched the dense forest pass by, he still wondered why he felt the need to find the exorcist. He wasn’t in denial, and could easily admit to himself that he had enjoyed her company more than once. But those times had been too few, too far in between. Once when he had been an ordinary human in her eyes, stealing money from people with poker tricks - and back then she, with her short hair and boring clothes, had also looked like an average human - , once when she had greeted his brother together with the other exorcists, another time when he had pretended to save her from an Akuma and one last one in that night when she was emptying everyone’s pockets in that bar - a night that had started so well and ended so badly.

He had enjoyed every interaction, in a way. Or at the very least he found some of them interesting - allowing one of the Akuma to actually hurt him had not been enjoyable at all. Still, that couldn’t possibly be enough for him to develop the… feelings his idiot brother had mentioned. Even now, without knowing whether she was dead or alive, he didn’t feel any dread consuming him, but rather a strong curiosity to know whether he would see her again. And a need to satiate that curiosity as soon as possible.

It was difficult to not focus on his small goals when he did not have greater ones, after all.

::::::::::

After their restless journey in search for Allen, Kanda and Lavi finally got answers when they reached the town that was the nearest to Rose Cross. The first person they questioned in the street actually talked a lot about her, and they got a description about how a strange boy, white haired and beaten halfway to death, came upon them and was taken to the hospital looking very much like a corpse.

Everyone else they talked to had a version of the story. Listening to the theatricals of the enthusiastic inhabitants of the pacate place, they grimly noticed that most of the story had been distorted by senseless gossip and the excitement from people who finally saw something different happen and wanted badly to have an interesting story to tell. Still, it was possible to gather the raw truth and separate it from what were most likely tales concocted little by little by the people, and they soon found themselves at the hospital, where the staff was quick to give more proper information when they realized they were exorcists.

That had been an encouraging start to their journey.

That had also been three weeks ago.

Lavi woke in the small hotel room they had been sharing for the night. Looking towards Kanda’s bed, he noticed, unsurprised, that it was empty. Outside, it was still dark, and all he could hear was the muffled sound of water coming from the bathroom, plus some small movement as some establishments outside started their day.

Kanda left the bathroom and mumbled a robotic good morning, which Lavi tried to answer a bit more enthusiastically, before going to take a shower himself. His mind was troubled, like it had been every day, and it was not only about Allen’s disappearance.

Once he returned to the hotel room, Kanda was already fully dressed and had his things ready. Lavi quickly did the same and, in a matter of minutes, they were out in the streets once again.

They marched towards another train station, one that would, yet again, not take them to their ship. Staying a few steps behind his captain, Lavi paid attention to the way he walked. The movements that were once fueled with angry determination now looked tired and forced because Kanda knew, as well as Lavi did, that their trail had gone dead cold and they had done absolutely no progress since Brarron.

And Lavi hated it, but the truth was that they needed to go back. They had done their very best to find Allen but, ever since she had left the hospital, no one had ever seen her. The nurse who saw her leave seemed to have a good head over his shoulders and no interest in dramatics, explaining calmly that she had left the hospital much before she should, insinuating that Akuma were after her.

The idea that she was supposed to find it difficult to even walk, much less fight, and that she had already been detected by the enemy and left by herself was a grim one, and they had done their very best to extensively search for her.

But she wasn’t the only one in danger.

Yes, Lavi hated it, but it had been a long time since they had gone to the ship. One of the strengths of their organization was that they were able to move their base however they liked. However, they had been anchored in the same city for a very long while because of the long string of events that happened - their dealings with the Minister, their search for new Accommodators, and now Allen’s disappearance. The ship was not only well known to house exorcists, but it also carried all the Innocence shards the group had managed to collect.

Three times a day, Lavi and Kanda contacted the ship, to understand their status and confirm they were doing well. Until now, nothing remarkable had happened - everyone was staying inside the ship, as parting ways right then would be dangerous. They had already purchased provisions with the intention to travel, so there was no need for anybody to leave, and the enemy had not been seen even once.

However, staying still like that wasn’t good for them. They were exorcists, but were not contributing to the city in any way, because they had orders to stay in the ship. Thus, Akuma could run rampant around them but, so long as they weren’t in their sight, there was nothing they could do. They also had a planned schedule of cities and allies to visit, as well as the approaching mission to Miranda’s.

He ran a gloved hand over his face, sighing heavily as they reached the station. Before Kanda could get their tickets, Lavi tapped his shoulder.

“What is it?” Kanda asked in a monotone, and his defeated tone only made this harder for the redhead.

“We need to talk.”

Dark eyes narrowed. “We can do it in the train. It is going to depart soon.”

“No, we can do it outside the train,” said Lavi firmly, “because we shouldn’t be boarding it.”

“What do you mean?”

Kanda had visibly grown tense, as Lavi had expected, but he didn’t bulge. He couldn’t - someone had to be rational here.

That duty usually fell to Kanda, but today Lavi would have to do it.

“Kanda. We are taking a random train to a random city. We no longer have any clues as to where Allen could be. We are trying our luck, and you know how lacking we are in that department.”

“I’m aware of the lack of progress in our search,” the taller man said with clear disgust. “But do you have a better idea?”

“Yes, I do. We go back to the ship.”

The Japanese stared at Lavi as if the redhead had suddenly developed some mental illness. “She won’t be there, you idiot. If she was going to return, she would have done so long ago.”

This was just so difficult. “No, Kanda. We are going to back to the ship, you and I. And then we are going to depart, and hurry up with our schedule, because I’m always telling Lenalee what she should say to our allies to explain our absence, but I’m running out of excuses.”

Kanda finally seemed to understand, his wide eyes and clenched fists showing his surprise. “Walker…”

“I hate saying this, Kanda. I really do. I’d honestly wish you were the one telling me this instead, because then I would feel better about myself,” Lavi said honestly, and more than a little disgusted at his own selfishness, “but we are getting nowhere. Allen has definitely disappeared and any chance of finding her is scarce. We will likely comb the whole country and keep getting negative answers. And meanwhile, our group is by itself, stationed in a dangerous city, doing nothing. We aren’t fighting the enemy, we aren’t finding Innocence or Accommodators, and we are making everything we worked for - the ship, the Innocence, the exorcists - be placed into risk because of that. Kanda, I hate saying this. I swear to you, I really want to find Allen. But we can’t lose everything because of her. We… we can’t. That would be unfair to everyone else, that would destroy everything we fought for, that…” Lavi finally stopped. His voice, that he had forced to sound so sure at the start of his tired, ended frail and unsure.

He thought of Allen on one hand. Thought about a girl losing her entire family, and then acting recklessly and losing herself too, all because of grief.

But he also thought of Lenalee, of Komui, Daisya, Laboun, Reed, of Suman and Krory, and of everybody who helped them not because of ulterior motives but because they honestly believed in their cause. He thought about all of them losing their leader, whose focus was suddenly on something different, whose vision was clouded by guilt. And he thought about Kanda, too, because the man had always risked life and limb to the cause. This was a life where everything could end because of a mistake.

Lavi couldn’t let that happen.

"We made a mistake with her,” he finally said. “We should have been more careful with how we dealt with her. I suppose this teaches us that we aren’t just soldiers, we are people too. But this search is unreasonable and we already know it. Kanda, let’s return to our friends before we receive bad news from their end, too. We can ask our allies to keep an eye out for Allen, but we have done all we could.”

The younger exorcist had expected a fight. During those weeks that almost turned into a month, he had grown to know a side to the man that he hadn’t known existed. If this was how Kanda reacted to losing one of his exorcists, then now, more than ever, Lavi could understand his inflexible orders, and the way he wanted to know where everyone was, all the time.

Perhaps Kanda needs somebody to take care of him, too, he thought. Maybe he should talk to the others about it.

The Japanese man didn’t react violently, however. Instead Lavi watched, with a curious and very guilty fascination, as his words deconstructed the captain. Whatever it was that had kept Kanda focused on this task, it finally lost its grip on him. Kanda’s defeated countenance was something Lavi would never forget, but also something he wished to never see again.

When the dark haired exorcist turned to the ticket booth, Lavi followed him quietly. As expected, he purchased tickets to return to Bristol.

Lavi had managed to convince Kanda. Still, returning to their ship felt like their first true failure ever since their started working together.

::::::::::

Exorcists working under organizations usually travelled wearing something that identified them as such. It could be an uniform or an insignia - this way, they could easily get aid from the inhabitants of any community they visited.

This way, they could also attract the attention of an enemy they otherwise could not see.

Allen usually didn’t have this limitation. Any Akuma who approached her would be detected by her eye. Of course, they wouldn’t always approach her, due to the unremarkable way she dressed - but she was rarely sent on any missions by herself. She was always accompanied by Cross, who donned a large insignia of their organization, and whose whole wardrobe called attention. Due to her very mediocre choice of clothes, Allen was frequently mistaken as the redheaded exorcist’s servant. She hardly minded, as it allowed her to do her job.

Now, however, she didn’t have Cross, and she had gone through a change.

She didn’t have access to uniforms of her organization, but she did purchase something that came quite close to it. Going to a tailor with a careful description of what Rose Cross’ uniform looked like, it only took her a few days to have two new sets ready, made of sturdy material and with the insignia she drew and handed to the tailor. Rose Cross’ symbol was something that was firmly etched into her mind, and now also over her heart, sewn into what would now be her clothes. A black shirt and trousers, black boots and overcoat, all lined with red. A silver insignia shone on her breast. Her stark white hair was left uncovered, and also combed back so it would not hide her scar.

There was no way anyone would mistake her for anything but an exorcist.

And there was no way the enemy would give her even a single moment of peace.

This was horribly dangerous. She was all by herself. She could be killed any time, if the enemy had numbers, of if their level was too high. She could imagine the voices of almost everyone she ever met calling her a reckless imbecile - some in worried, careful tones, and some in far more explicit ones, according to their personality.

But if there was one thing she knew, was that she couldn’t stand staying still. She needed to make progress with every step she took, and so she would pay the price, no matter how high it came to be.

Between staying alive and useless, once more a street rat, or risking her life and actually doing her job and getting a chance of finding her family once again… her choice was obvious.

It didn’t take long for her to get help from the government. In exchange, she cleaned the cities, pursuing Akuma with her eye, and also fighting the ones that ganged on her. Yes, she was helping the city, but she was also leaving a trail of destruction behind her.

The citizens knew that, too, and gave her a wide berth whenever she passed by, eyes full of wonder, but also of terror. She attracted the monsters, and they knew that well. She was there to help them, but staying close to her also could mean a death sentence.

She knew it, too, but didn’t resent the way they avoided her like the plague. No, she was grateful for it… had to be. Because they were leaving her alone and, in some cases, they were also despising her - but they were doing their job. Word was spreading from wherever she set foot.

She would find Rose Cross or die trying.

::::::::::

Returning to the ship empty handed after any mission felt like a defeat but today, in Kanda’s mind, that feeling had been enhanced tenfold.

He could see it when Krory, who had been keeping watch, saw then and ran to tell the others. Could see in everyone’s eyes, as they left their places and went to meet Lavi and him - the excitement and expectation that quickly turned into deep disappointment once they realized only two people were back.

He had tried to think of some sort of speech to give, but he did not have any proper words. Instead, he simply walked towards the conference room, not taking a moment to wash up or rest. Everybody also followed silently. He stood by the head chair, not bothering to sit, and waited until everyone had gotten to their places.

“Today, we depart and continue according to schedule. We are very much late and I will draw up a new agenda. I understand we have enough provisions for two week of travel?”

Komui’s head nodded in assent, whereas everybody else didn’t make a move or a sound.

Kanda looked at everyone’s eyes, then took in a deep breath. “You are free to speak to me if you think I am making any mistake during my directing of this group,” he said stiffly. “You always were, but I want to reinforce that. Raise the anchor, I’m going to the helm. Let’s go.”

“You should rest,” said Lavi finally, and Kanda was grateful for hearing something other than his own voice.

“Yes. I will do it,” said Daisya. “If the plan’s not changed, then I already know where to go. You two go and rest for a while.”

The captain was silent for a few seconds, before nodding. Looking at everyone else, he waited to see if they had anything to say. Receiving only silence in answer, he turned around and took his leave.

That left Lavi alone with everybody else.

“You can rest too, you know,” said Komui quietly.

“Yes, I will,” said Lavi, but his slouched posture in the chair indicated he wasn’t about to leave.

Silence.

“I won’t even ask how things went,” said Lenalee quietly.

Lavi nodded. “That’s for the best.”

“I guess someday this would happen, right? The day when we would lose someone.”

The sullen words were spoken by the sullen Laboun.

“Yeah, I suppose.” Lavi didn’t feel strength to do anything but linger with the others and simmer in the depressing atmosphere. When he heard Lenalee’s first sob, however, his heart raced and he bit his lip, trying to contain his own grief.

Incapable of looking at her, he quickly left the room, feeling like a coward.