Reunion
It's been months , nothing was heard about the bookmen. The Black order Central higherups kept quite about them whenever she asked them. They simply said that the bookmen were too valuable for both sides and that they continued to carry out their bookman duty , the latter reason they said with a hint of sarcasm.
Usually, she would be worried sick for both Allen Walker and her bookmen friends. But right now, the akumas and their creators Noah family were still at large even after their defeat at the Headquarter. She didn't want to think about that time because that made her remember the reason Allen was defected from the Black order. Still no matter what reason, he's still her beloved friend.
A hand put on her shoulder. She snapped out of thought and turned around to see Miss Miranda and Noise Marie. They were both exorcists of the Black order and a hint of romance between them is rumoured.
"What's wrong Lenalee? You look concerned." Miranda asked but she probably knew the answer because Allen and Lavi were her friends too. Noise Marie said nothing but smiled at her with understanding.
Lenalee forced a smile that seemed real enough even for her. " I'm fine. Shall we go take a look at the festival over there? Since it's crowded, we may require there."
"Romania sure is gloomy without these festivals. Ohh. Lenalee. Come take a look."Miranda called out with much enthusiasm.
What she showed her were a variety of beautiful ribbons and head bands. Lenalee subconciously touched and smooth out her growing shoulder length black hair. It will take years to regrow her hair long. "Miranda. they are beautiful. But my hair is not long enough."
"That's fine. We can buy one now and use it when your hair grow long enough." Usually, Miranda was easily depressed and rarely cheerful and positive. She may be trying hard to improve my mood. Lenalee thought. "Thank you. Should I buy one now? "
Afterall, I love hairbands. Lenalee thought looking at the assortments of hair ribbons she had bought. Her thoughts went to when she lost her hair. The night she used her abilities pass the critical point. I hadn't expected to live. She thought. Only when she saw Lavi's face, she had realized that she was alive. A pain stabbed her chest more like something tightens around her heart and tears flew down her face. Allen is fine but Lavi...I'm not sure. I saw Allen before he went away for his own good and I could say goodbye . Lavi. I never had a chance.
A knock at the door. When she opened, Sora. the new exorcist recruited not so long ago was standing. The girl was the same age as Lenalee and she was strikingly beautiful. Her innocence was at the same level of beauty as her. Sora batted her long eyelashes, she did that whenever she felt shy, and said, "Miss Lenalee. I'm sorry to interrupt at a late hour like that. Can...can you accompany me to the shop next street?" Lenalee looked at the rookie exorcist with puzzle. "It is not that I don't know about the danger of going out of the group. It .. it just that I. " "Don't worry. I will accompany you"Lenalee said with a smile, "I will protect you .so, let's go where you want to go". Shy Sora face lit up with relief warm her heart.
"There miss Lena. That bookshop. " Sora pointed to an old bookshop. "What are we doing here?" Lenalee asked while admiring the shelves of old books. The shop looked small on the outside but the inside was big collection of old books. "I'm buying a book for general Tiedall. " Sora said with a smile. "Excuse me, madam. Do you have the second edition of the Little Island? " Sora asked the old shopkeeper. "The little Island? I'm sorry honey. I only have from fourth edition. The last and only second edition was bought last week by a young man. Quite a handsome fella he is." The old woman kept mumbling about how much she liked that male customer like a schoolgirl giggling about her crush with her friends. Sora put a smile on her face and listened to the old woman's chatting. Lenalee just wanted to laugh Sora's failed attempts to stop the chatterbox shopkeeper. "By the way. Why the second edition is so special? Why not first edition?" The shopkeeper stopped her chatterbox and frowned upon Lenalee's question. "I can tell that you don't read much. Do you, young lady? The Little Island is the adventurous and hilarious story about three friends stranded on a fantasy island. The first edition contains only words. The second edition is the special one. The illustrations in second edition were drawn by a famous artist whose name ,I'm sure you don't know. That said artist was accused of heresy and as you know how they treated people like him those days. The result was destruction of his works. The Little Island was reprinted with the illustration of another artist, a follower of the church. of course. Now, the church has more important issues than chasing down some old book editions." Lenalee looked at Sora who nodded in agreement with the old woman. "And yet you want to give that to general?" Lenalee whispered to Sora, careful not to get attention from the shopkeeper. Sora whispered back, "General Tiedall loves art. He don't mind. Since he treats me like a father, I want to give him a present so much. And in secret at that. Miranda is tired and Marie is with General. So, I'm sorry to bother you."
"I don't mind Sora. I love your company."
Sora absentmindedly played with a book she just took off from one shelf. "Thanks. Lena." This is the first time she calls me like thought. I feel closer to her now.
"So, Sora. You must love books very much. You found this little amazing shop and you know about rare books. That's so cool."
Sora blushed at her compliment. Her pretty face looked like a red rose. She sure is a shy girl. "I...I..ahh. My father is an antique book dealer. That's why I know. Nothing special about that. Actually, I wasn't much interested in old books when I was young. And I met him and he kind of motivated me." Lenalee never thought a person can blush that much. She smiled and chuckled. "I have a pretty good idea who he is." Sora looked up with a surprise face. Lenalee slowly spelled out words by words deliberately and mischieviously. "Your . First. Love. Right!"
Sora's face blushed once more. " Let...let s go back. I got one interesting book." Sora ducked her face and put the book in her hand,upon the counter. "This...this one please." The old woman looked at the book. " Are you sure you want this?"
"Y..yes." Lenalee tried to suppress her laugh when she looked at the shopkeeper said.
"Huh. Youths nowadays are quite passionate. 'Lovers' guide' is quite erotic you know. Only honeymooners buy that".
"What!I don't want that!"
They got back to their rooms safe and sound, Lenalee being more cheerful and Sora,much more shy. Before Sora said good night, Lenalee asked. "Sora. Let's have a girls' night". Sora's face lit up. "Sure. I love to". Miranda was tired and already asleep when they went to her room. In the end, their girls'.night ended up with Lenalee and Sora and with a lot of coffee and chocolate cake.
"Sora. How did you end up becoming an exorcist?" Lenalee asked. "You don't need to tell me if you don't want to. I don't mind". Sora said nothing. A few moments later. " I killed my brother." Her beautiful face was shadowed by emotions. Her revelation also shocked Lenalee. "Can I know what happened? Don't worry. I have known many people with pasts unthinkable." Sora looked at her, really looked at her. Her bright blue eyes pierced through Lenalee's as if searching for an understanding. When she found it, she continued her story.
" I love my brother. Everyone loves my brother. He's smart. He's caring. I thought he is the second most handsome person in the whole world". Lenalee held her tongue to ask about Sora's most handsome. "He was going to inherit the bookshop. I didn't have much interest in that as I told you before. Everyday, he would sit behind me combing my hair and telling me his daily lifestories. I miss him so so much". The shadow of a tear dwell in her sniffed. "Then. after I met Deak, I began interested in books. Brother taught me many things. Dad died last year and that was the time brother changed." Lenalee could imagine what happened. People tended to take desperate measures to keep their loved ones alive and the Noah family took advantage of that to create akumas.
"Brother became more and more aggressive and more hardworking. He severed ties with many old colleages. He literally destroyed the reputation of our family's name in the world of book dealership. Shady business is what others whispered behind his back about his work. Some said that he lost his mind after our dad died. Daddy was a great father. I also thought like them at one time too.
One day,he slipped out of house and went into the forest. I followed him. I saw him with some strange people and he nearly lost himself with them. He said he couldn't go with them and then, when those people tried to handle him, his nails stretched out like big long claws and pushed those people back. I screamed at that. How stupid of me to think that my brother is some kind of demon, while he is the opposite. I ran away and he followed. On the way, I ran into some of my father's old colleages to whom my brother severed their business ties. I ignored my brother shouting me to run away from those people.I told them my brother is a demon and the next thing I know, their bodies altered into disgusting creatures. And I might pass out after that. When I came to, my brother covered in blood and bruises and most of the creatures turning into ashes. One creature got behind me and took me as a hostage. That time, I was so scared I cried out my brother to save me. That must have distracted him. He was shot down and stabbed and ... "Sora couldn't her tears and so is Lenalee. " They killed him Lena. No. I killed him. And the next thing I know. Something bright and green flew out of his body and flew into me. The next moment. My hair grew out into long whips and they killed those akumas. After my brother's funeral, I ran away. From people. From finders. Until I met general Tiedall. He convinced me to join the Black order. The order my brother refused to join because of me. Now, here I am atoning for my sins." Lenalee couldn't help but hug Sora tightly. It is not you fault. "It is not your fault. Sora. It never is. I, no. We exorcists will be your family from now on. We'll take the burden and sadness you are bearing. "Lenalee smiled."What'd you say? Let me be your big sister." Tears flowed down her face indicating how huch emotion were dwelling inside her heart, Sora hugged back tightly. "Thank you Lena. Thank you so much".
The next day, both of them could hardly open their eyes because their eyes swelled so much.
After last night, Sora became closer to Lenalee and others. Usually, she would nudge close to general. But now, she looked so relaxed with other exorcists. Lenalee took a chance and asked her about her first love. Sora blushed like a rose. But she opened up. Everyone,including General Tiedall. showed great interest in that.
"I met him when I was was so handsome. I was in the bookstore helping out my brother in exchange for some chocolate pies from Merie's and he came in. Red hair like ruby and eyes green as leaves. He was a stranger and he was not alone. He chatted with my brother like old friends yet, they just met. I liked him instantly. From their conversation, he and his guardian were traveling together to interview soldiers about the boarder war, and rare book collection was a side job. He asked for that second edition of Little Island which my brother promised to deliver in three days. I learned his name is Deak. He came back the next day. To read of course. I was so amazed at how knowledgable he was. Not only he knew almost all the books in our store, he had read and memorised them all. He is so so cool." That sounds like someone I know so well. Lenalee thought. Lavi. Can it be that Sora's first love was Lavi or is there another boy with incredible memory and handsome face.
"Anyway. His knowledge motivated me to explore into litetrature". Sora's words cut Lenalee's trail of thoughts. "I might have started reading because of him but the more I explore, the more I love books." Sora's pretty face lightened up even more while telling about him.
"What happened after that? Did you confessed him miss Sora?" Miranda asked.
Sora blushed again. She blushed alot. "No. I never had a chance. He came by the promised day. Unfortunately, my brother failed to find the book. But Deak seemed fine with that. He even apologized brother for the trouble , bought a lot of new books and left." Sora again ducked her head,hiding her face and said. "He talked to me before he went. He knew my name. He said he wished to see me again in the future if possible because I would definitely become a beautiful girl. If my brother didn't give him and me a horrible stare, I might have kissed him on the spot." That was shocking to hear those words from a girl who blushed easily. Both Lenalee and Miranda blushed at the mention of General Tiedall laughed . He seemed to be thinking about the passion of youth and Marie kept his mouth shut but Lenalee caught his head turned a little at the direction of Miranda.
"By the way Sora. Do you remember how Deak's guardian looked?" Lenalee asked.
"Yes. why?"
"It's just kinda out of curiosity".
"He was a short old man with long hair. And he totally strikes an impressiom. Now, I think about it. I wonder how he keeps his little strands of hair straight up. Ohh. Deak called him Panda all the time and got beaten by him yet, they looked so close." That revelation made everyone remember Bookman senior and junior, their good friends who had disappeared ,probably kidnapped by the Noah. Sora seemed to sense the mood change but didn't know why. But she's polite enough to not immediately push a question.
A long silence passed. Miranda couldn't help but put her face against Marie's arm and cried softly. "I miss them so much and I'm worried for them." Lenalee clasped her hands tightly trying so hard not to betray any emotion. Sora who knew nothing, just stared outside the carriage.
The carriage passed a busy street. Music from the festival at the townsquare spread into the carriage. Everyone was list in their own thoughts. Suddenly, Sora snapped her head up. Her eyes fixed at someone in the crowd. Her face filled with recognition and longing."Stop. Please stop the carriage." Before they can stop her or spoke anything, Sora jumped down the slowing carriage and disappeared into the crowd.
"Sora!" Lenalee called out after her but Sora seemed to be deaf to her voice. General Tiedall said, "Miss lena and Noise. go after her and bring her back immediately. Although she is an exorcist, she's still a rookie. Considering the past incidents with Noah and akumas, she may be in danger."
Lenalee didn't wait a second and dashed after the direction Sora ran. Marie couldn't catch up to her speed.
"Sora!Sora! Where are you!" Lenalee looked around with the tightened heart. God. please not the girl. I have enough friends disappearing from my life. She wised and wished and wished while looking everywhere.
Her heart filled with joy and relief when she saw Sora standing nearby a pool.
"Sora!". Sora turned around and ran towards her. "Why did you do that? We were all worried about you."
"I'm sorry. Lena", Sora's face twisted in a way that she's about to cry. "I think I saw him. I just caught a glimpse of him and then, he's gone".
"Who?"
Sora said in a whisper tone."Deak".