Author's Notes: Yeah, started a new fiction which I will probably never get round to finishing. D. Grey-Man belongs to Hoshino-san. I've also realised that the start parallels how the manga starts to a degree...I apologise. Also, they are not exorcists and Allen's hand is the result of serious burning at birth. I wasn't sure how to bring in the akuma in this kind of setting. Hope you enjoy the story anyway. Long chapter again.)
Allen stared up from the courtyard to the towering building before him, each window darkened by heavy, lavish curtains. He studied the crumbling brickwork of the ancient construct and trailed the ivy that grey up the south facing wall. The feeling of oppression soon consumed him as he stood isolated in the cool shadow of the school, clutching his leather-bound suitcase in his white gloved hand. Above the sky swirled with darkening grey clouds that teased the smallest droplets of rain. Soon the droplets of water began to fall in rapid succession before courting a dense mist to swell about the boy's ankles.
Yet as he stood, unyielding against the harsh elements that battered his exposed face, his eyes began to climb the lonely tower that stood erect behind the main body of the red brick construction. It's spire like roof pierced high into the sky like a single stretched finger wishing to stroke the clouds. At its pinnacle was a panelled, spherical window that stared back at him. For a moment he thought he saw a figure beyond the stained glass and shivered against the cold until he dismissed the apparition for a simple trick of the eye. Looking about he watched as various bodies pooled past him, some with their blazers high over their heads to protect them from the lashes of rain.
Allen was reluctant to climb the stone steps towards the large oak door, its dark, varnished countenance no more inviting than the thick tower that lingered towards the rear of the school grounds. However, he found himself captivated by the architecture; the arched doorways, the various pillars that suspended much of the buildings face and the heavily decorated work carved into the bricks sent his imagination into a dizzying state of euphoria.
Overall the school held the appearance of a regal castle which demanded the utmost respect as it loomed high above the multiple students that wished to gain entry into its heated belly. He could see the vast length of hall that extended from the main entrance, the marble floors lines with thick carpets of the deepest red. Taking a deep breath he ventured closer, taking each step with a deliberate stride. As he drew closer, feeling the warmth of the interior caress his sodden cheek, he felt the fears melt away and a warmth burn at his stomach; he had heard so much of the prestige academy and never in his wildest fantasies did he imagine that he would soon be attending the following season.
Autumn had come quickly, as had his letter of acceptance. He remembered the brilliant wax seal that had fastened the letter closed, its ebony surface greedily absorbing the light of the dim candles he had positioned at his desk side. He took great pleasure in breaking the wax lock and having been filled with the sense of importance he couldn't help but feel a bubble of pride well in his chest. The face of his master then appeared at the forefront of his mind, his languid smile that had stretched sluggishly from one ear to the other as he studied the cursive handwriting that welcomed Allen into the institute.
The memory soon faded from his mind as he stepped within the confines of the aged building, the musky scent achieved over time filling his lungs along with the mixed aromas of the students that pushed past him, they too eager to escape from the rain that punished their tardiness. Letting his eyes wander once again he studied the two snake like staircases that emerged either side of another thick oak panelled door, as the ascended to the second floor, their walls lines with various portraits and candle holders, they soon came to meet again. Like much of the floor underfoot they too were coated with luxurious carpets however, the frequent trampling of feet had worn away some of the colour and resulted in the embroidery become faded and mangled. As he stood in awe of the buildings majesty a voice sounded behind him, soft and melodic. He turned to see a young woman, no older than himself. Smiling she extended her hand, waiting patiently for him to introduce himself. He noted how her uniform seemed somewhat different from the other students that passed him though his wandering, perplexed gaze alerted her to his confusion. She informed him of the school's varying dorms, each of which have their own individually coloured uniforms. It appeared there was a form of hierarchy within the school that was not strictly confined to age but to skill.
"Sorry, where are my manners," she giggled softly with a respectable tone, "I am Lenalee Lee. It is a pleasure to meet you…" she trailed off, waiting for him to utter his name. Placing his bag upon the floor he placed his hand to his chest before bowing low. Once he had risen he then set to formally introducing himself.
"So you are Allen Walker." She mused, curling her finger through one of the extensive curls that fell from the top of her head. Allen nodded silently, smiling awkwardly as she inspected him. As he stared towards the young girl he could not help but wonder what uniform he would wear, thus he set to inquire, hoping that she may know.
"The letter didn't say anything specifically, nor the dorm I'd be staying in. Maybe you can show me where to go?"
Lenalee smiled in response, leaning down to take Allen's surprisingly light bag in her small hands. Though she did not know exactly where Allen's quarters were located she insisted that she knew exactly who to ask; her elder brother, who she later introduced as Kamui, was one of the tutors and was responsible for organising late arrivals. However, when she spoke of him as the two made their way down an extremely long corridor she did not sound the least bit hopeful.
"Even though this is a prestigious academy my brother is no so organised. It may take some time before we know which dorm you have been assigned to." She had hoped to brighten Allen's spirits, yet the prospect of being further detained only incited a growing concern to emerge at the back of his thoughts. Having come to a new school entirely, in the past he had not been able to fit in at all well with the other students for various reasons. As he thought back to his past experiences he couldn't help but subconsciously press the tips of his white fringe with the tips of his fingers. It had never been simple in explaining his odd hair colouration.
It wasn't long until Lenalee stopped before a slightly open door, the weather had again taken a turn for the worst and having darkened the skies it was nearly impossible to see within the shadowed room. Lenalee then proceeded to open the door fully, allowing Allen to make out the slight glimmer of a dying candle rested atop a small desk towards the rear of the room. Despite the lack of illumination it was clear to see the room had been inundated with reams of paper and various unopened letters which had been neglected, being allowed to collect dust over time.
"Honestly." She sighed, folding her arms crossly over her chest as she ventured into the small allotment. Meanwhile, Allen lingered behind, not wanting to intrude. Lenalee only laughed at his reluctance and insisted that he enter. Stepping in he was shocked to see that someone other than themselves was situated at the heart of the chaotic paper mountain. A bespectacled man stared hard towards him from his seat, his hands crossed in front of his face as he examined the new student. He wore what appeared to be some kind of beret though the rest of his attire was reasonably similar to the uniform worn by the students. Yet, whereas Lenalee's attire consisted of shades of green her brother's was almost all white save for the lapels which were of a light azure along with his tie. After observing Allen and deducing that he did not recognise the youth he turned to Lenalee, his face bright with a smile. Nonetheless, she was not as quick to dismiss the issue Allen posed and inquired in his stead.
"Check your desk again, brother. His name is Allen Walker; you must know which dorm he is in." By this point the young girl was losing her patience, her foot was tapping at a dangerous pace as her hands clenched ever tighter into small fists. Minuets passed as the senior rummaged through his desk, sending small hills of paper work cascading to the floor. Allen had half expected the man to erupt in a frenzy of curses and insults but he simply laughed to himself and muttered under his breath.
"Ah yes." He then exclaimed, emerging from behind a relatively high stacking of books with a black clipboard. He scanned down the list of names until he came to 'WALKER' which had been written rather roughly. "You, Mr. Walker, have been assigned to the Ruby dorm. Lenalee will show you where to go." He chuckled. Allen watched as Lenalee turned quickly on her heels, her face a mixture of displeasure and impatience. He followed after her like a shadow, never falling more than and arms lengthy behind her as she trailed past and weaved amongst the throng of students that lined the corridors, busying themselves with idle chatter. Many turned to Allen, glaring towards him with unexpected venom. As he was, in his usual attire, he felt out of place. Until he had received his uniform he would not feel as if he belonged within the prestigious confinements of the golden carved walls.
They soon emerged once again at the main entrance hall, the floor now slick with water which had been dragged in by various students who were unfortunate to have been caught in the storm. It had only come to his attention as he stood patiently that the corridors were aligned with silver replicas of medieval armour, their metal surface alight with the candle's afterglow. Lenalee caught him studying one such suit, his eyes scanning the indentions and the grooves created by the metal plates. Each metal soldier stood silent, his hands clasped over the top of a steel sword which dug down into the wooden podium upon which they stood.
"Your room is on the third floor. The second on your left." She informed him, smiling as she did so. Allen thanked her for her assistance, believing that he could find his way from the main entrance. Taking his suitcase he began to hesitantly ascend the broad staircase, letting his hand glide against the smooth banister. Two students stood between him and the next floor, engrossed in conversation as to not notice his presence. However, they seemed, like those who had witnessed his arrival, glare at him with some distain; he noted the colour of their uniforms, a dark navy blue that almost melted into the dark ebony fabric of their blazers. It was then that the slight shimmer of silver caught his eye. The two boys each bore a ring encrusted with the smallest of blue gems pressed into a silver base, possibly an opal of some form. It was shades lighter than the navy uniform they wore. Both sneered as he passed, one remarking upon Allen's oddly coloured hair.
After climbing the next two set of stairs which had emerged towards the rear of the connecting halls Allen soon found his place of residence. Before leaving he had been given a rustic key which he had turned clockwise in his hand several times for inspection before placing deep into the thick black lock that had been buried deep into the wood of his door. With a resounding click the door fell open to reveal the rooms barren interior; there was a single, plain bad towards the far corner of the room, just to the side of a reasonably large bay window. On the other side of the room a small writing desk had been assigned net to a set of shelves and a single set of drawers in which to keep his clothes; he was expected to fold his uniform over the back of the wooden chair provided for him
A cold breath crept from the window, its cracked edges obviously in need of some repair. He resisted the urge to sigh allowed as he studied his room, feeling overall dissatisfied with the quality, however, he realised he hand his own basin and bath in a conjoining room, its curved edged just visible past the door embedded deep into the westward wall. Feeling somewhat reassured knowing he would not need to expose himself amidst a group of stranger in a primal public shower room he set to organising his belongings; he placed his journals atop the shelves, neatly leaning their faces against one another before seeing to his drawers. He had brought only four pairs of nightwear, having been told that regular laundry calls were issues at the school, but as he stared at the void of his remaining drawers he could not help but feel as if he had packed insufficiently.
Outside he could hear the scuffling of feet against carpet and the hushed whispers of those looking in on him. Like him many of those who had come to inspect their new floor mate had been assigned to the Ruby dorm, hence why much of the corridors consisted of rose coloured curtains and the same thick carpets that lined the vein like corridors that interconnected at various intervals. Their young faces stared at him eagerly, not a single gaze hinted with venom or distain but a quiet adoration for the mysterious air the newcomer imparted. Bowing his head in a minimal greeting her placed his case below his bed and stepped closer to the door, hoping to conceal himself behinds its obscuring face. After a few second of observing the three-bodied crowd that had formed at his door he soon shut it, feeling at last peaceful in his own privacy.
I should probably change, he contemplated, staring towards the uniform that lay nestled over the back of his chair. Upon closer inspection he found the attire rather charming, the exuberant red of the tie suited him rather well, along with the coloured blazer which was trim about his waist and hugged his shoulders comfortably. However, he threated over the pristine shirt, worrying that it may be impossible to preserve the purity of its colour as they days went by. Nonetheless, Allen was reluctant to remove the gloves which pressed close to the skin of his hands, realising that none of his fellow school mates bore that item of clothing. Maybe they will pardon me, he muttered aloud, hoping frantically that the tutors would allow him the mercy.
Soon enough a loud rasping echoed against his door what sounded like four times in quick succession. He extended his hand towards the handle, feeling the cold surface through the thick fabric of his gloves and revealed Lenalee once again before him, her expression no different than when she had left him. It seemed she had been given the duty of escorting him about the school, a task which she herself did not mind, yet it was the company which lingered behind her that had further piqued her foul mood. She had listen to a group of girls giggle and snicker, making various pejorative comments which he later discovered to be directed, unsurprisingly, towards him. Lenalee had scolded their behaviour, being in a higher ranking dormitory that had listened to her abrupt words and had scatted once Allen had appeared from within his chamber.
"Thank you." Allen beamed, realising he had not thanked her for her previous assistance. It seemed she turned a slight pink at her cheeks which shone like illuminated blossoms as her eyes averted to the ground. Though it was of no trouble she explained, she was glad that he was beginning to feel more at ease regardless of the foul comments and heated glares many directed towards him.
"The dormitory's are quite competitive." She muttered as they traversed down the stairs, adsorbed within their own conversation to notice the handful of crowding students further along the corridor. For a single moment it seemed that Allen would not be the source of such a commotion. Once Lenalee had caught wind of the disruption ahead she burst into a light sprint before pushing herself between the bodied that had formed a tight circle. As Allen went to stand by her side, his curiosity getting the better of him a collective sigh emerged from the student. Whatever the cause was it had vanished, though Allen had caught sight of the trail of dark hair that vanished behind the next corner.
"What's wrong?" Allen asked, dismayed that he was unable to view the scene properly. She informed him that sometimes disputes may arise between members of different dorms, that it was nothing but ordinary. She then remarked on past events, of fights that had gotten out of hand, "But they seldom occur," she assured him, not wanting to add to his worries.
"The way you talk," he began, though he soon felt rude for asking. Nonetheless she replied with a brisk laugh.
"Yes, it is a bit formal, but I've become so accustomed to it since coming to the college." The weight of her tone signalled a wave of melancholy to cross Allen's heart; she did not enjoy the atmosphere at the school and constantly reminisced of happier days. Staring towards his with her dark eyes she realised her mood begin to sway Allen's own temperament and quickly changed the subject.
In the time it had taken for them to reach the main door the weather had cleared, exposing the bright orb of the sun which had just begun to set behind a line of trees across the field that surrounded the buildings. Following close behind, the two ventured outside, glad to be away from the oppressive, hostile tension encased with the collage walls and in the open space of nature.