Zera: Hi, this is my first fanfic, and I'm open for criticism. ^_^ Just be polite, please.
Raizel: Just hurry up. -_-#
Zera: Okay, okay, Raizel-chan! Now, Layla! What do you say?
Layla: Zera doesn't own D. Gray-man. Thank the Lord. =_='''
~*Prologue to Darkness*~
It was a dark night like any other. The moon shone silver and illuminated the outskirts of London, England. Laughter could be heard in a small house outside London, and soon a small girl ran outside the door laughing all the way.
"Layla, come back here! It's dangerous to go outside after dark," a woman called from the doorway.
The girl named Layla turned around, a wooden sword in hand. "Oh come on Mom, it's not like the boogyman's gonna get me! Plus, I can see all around me thanks to the moon!"
Layla's mother sighed and crossed her arms. Her daughter was as stubborn as they come. Layla twirled under the half moon and pretended to be fighting invisible monsters. But then she heard a noise that made her stop. It sounded like a machine was getting closer.
"Layla, get away from there!"
The eleven-year-old turned around to see a machine-looking thing with a face and guns protruding from its body. Layla tried to run, but she was frozen to the spot. She heard her mother running to her, but all she could focus on was the machine-like monster in front of her. Her mother grabbed the child and ran away from the thing, but it pointed one of its many guns at the fleeing duo. Layla watched in slow motion and it fired and hit her mother in the shoulder. They were steps away from the home that she and her mother shared after the death of her father. Even after she had been shot, Layla's mother shielded her protectively. As they waited for the monster to get closer, people in tan cloaks ran to them and surrounded them. Then two people in black and silver coats with a rose cross ran at the monster and started to fight it. But Layla barely noticed this. She was watching her mother as she became covered in black stars.
"Layla… I'm sorry... I h-have to go now… But always, always remember, dearest… I love you…"
With those final words, the only family Layla had left turned to dust. Layla sat there in shock as the people in black coats fought. She sat in silence until what just happened registered in her mind.
Then an inhuman scream filled the night.
The strange people looked back and saw a small girl, tears streaking down her face, slowly stand. She looked at the creature which had taken her mother, and her eyes were filled with pure hate and rage. She ran towards the demon, the wooden sword she held poised to strike. As she jumped, the sword glowed with a green light and split into two.
Then she slashed with the swords of black and white, and down the monster went. It turned to dust, just like her mother. When the broken girl noticed this, she laughed a hate-filled and dark laugh so unlike the one she let out just minutes ago. The people who had come to rescue the girl stared with disbelief. One of them slowly walked over to her.
"Oi, little miss, we need to speak to you."
The girl stopped her maniacal laughter and looked at the man in such a way that made him flinch.
"We have nothing to discuss. I don't want to speak to a man who was unable to save my only family," Layla said scathingly.
A woman dressed in an outfit similar to the man came up and put a hand on her shoulder. Layla's eyes widened and she slapped the hand away.
"Don't touch me!" she snarled.
The woman sighed and rubbed her temples. "Listen, just hear us out. We can explain what happened here if you just listen to us for a few minutes."
Layla eyed the two warily, but let them lead her back to her house. The two sat down and tried to explain the situation to the small and weary girl. They told her of the Exorcists, the Soldiers of God, the Millennium Earl, the one who wanted to destroy all humans, and the Akuma, the lost souls that served the Earl. When she heard about the 'evil villain' called the Millennium Earl, she was interested. But she was came back to reality when the so-called Exorcists asked them to come with her.
That was when she snapped.
