It was a snowy night and the stars shone brightly, only a few being curtained by clouds. A blue-haired Exorcist was making his way up the sparkling streets of an unknown town with three bouquets of flowers slung over his shoulder; one full of red roses, another with green roses, and the largest one with black and white roses.
It was Christmas time, and it was hard to mistake it with all the bright lights and trees in the shops and on the streets. The young man watched the civilians talk to each other cheerfully and enter warm restaurants as he made his way toward a horse-drawn carriage at the side of the road.
A Chinese man dressed in a white coat and earmuffs walked down the road in the man's direction and looked up at him. His eyes widened when he caught the Exorcist's gaze and rubbed his glasses to clear them up. After confirming that he was seeing right, the tall man ran toward the blue haired adult.
By time the Chinese man caught up with the young Exorcist he was already climbing into the carriage. "Kanda!" He cried.
Kanda turned his head and watched as the man caught up. "What do you want, Komui?" He asked plain-facedly.
Komui heaved a heavy sigh before replying. "I haven't seen you in a while, Kanda! Not ever since…. The Accident."
"I was busy." Kanda growled. "Is there anything you actually need me for?"
Komui hesitated. "Kanda…" His gloomy expression slowly lightened. "No, no I don't need you to do anything for me. Where are you going?"
Kanda opened the carriage's door and sat on the cold leather seat, closing the door behind him harshly. "No where important. Just saying hello to some friends."
Komui nodded and readjusted his glasses. "Oh, I see… Well, I'll be off then!" He turned around and headed down the street, waving behind himself as he went. "Take care of yourself, Kanda, and try to keep in touch!" He stopped and shouted after the carriage as it started to move. "And say 'hi' for me, OK?"
Kanda blinked in surprise and poked his head of the window to see Komui disappearing in the distance. He paused for a moment before responding. "I will!" he shouted.
The snow fell harder as the carriage slowed to a stop at the end of the road. Kanda was no longer a bright and cheerful city, but a dark and cold district toward the edge of town. He tipped the carriage driver before heading toward an iron-fenced yard. The gates were rusted, but he managed to pry them open, even with the snow barricading the way. Kanda scanned the area to see glittering snow and grey stones; grey tomb stones.
Kanda slowly wandered his way through the cemetery to three small graves at the edge of the yard. He stopped in front of the miniature graves and stood silently for several moments, trying to ignore the lump in his throat. Gently, Kanda brushed off the snow on the tombs before distributed the bouquets of roses to each of them.
Kanda grabbed a small note from the large bouquet full of black and white roses and cleared his throat before reading.
"Dear Allen Walker, Lavi, and Lenalee Lee,
I know I haven't been visiting you all very much, and I'm sorry to say that I will not be visiting any more. However, I want to wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Also, I'd like to wish Moyashi a very happy birthday (or adoption day). I know it's not much, but I think you all would have been very happy to see that I've actually shown up to say so. I always imagine what would have probably happened.
Lavi would greet me with his usual shouting and Moyashi would mutter about people inviting me in secret. Lenalee would give me a small hug and hurry me inside from the cold and Moyashi would vote against it. Lavi would try to make us laugh (and succeed for the most part), and Lenalee would wish Moyashi a happy birthday and bring out a surprise cake. We would eat, laugh, bicker, and then maybe fall asleep on the couch."
Kanda paused and struggled not to choke throughout the rest of the letter as he went on. "I remember all the moments we had, all the fights I've battled alongside all of you, and I will cherish those memories, good or bad. I will never forget any of you…. Never."
Kanda looked down at the graves and placed the note tenderly on the middle tomb. "So happy birthday, Moyashi. Thank you for the good times, Lavi, and for trying to stop Moyashi and me from bickering. And thanks Lenalee, for keeping all of us strong and for being so supportive when things get bad, even when you can't help. Thank all of you, for staying with me in the Black Order, for being my friend. And I want to especially thank Moyashi; without him, we wouldn't be what we are now. So thank you Allen, thank you so much. Thank all of you." Kanda looked up at the sky and forced a small smile. "Merry Christmas, and good-bye."
Kanda reluctantly backed away from the graves before turning to leave. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Komui said 'Hello'. Isn't that nice, Lenalee?" After waiting hopefully for an answer he sighed and exited the cemetery.
The snowfall slowed as Kanda walked farther away from the graveyard. He felt tears run down his cheeks and smiled. "And so I watch my sweet boy fall fast asleep…" he sang quietly. "… Like the embers, dying slowly in the fire. One by one, as my mind tires…."
Hello Dear Readers,
Merry Christmas, and happy birthday, Allen. I do not own D. Gray-Man.
Paths are as Dark as we imagine them -Brightpaw