He wasn't anybody, he supposed. Just somebody that helps get rid of time, something that occupies the time of heroes. He was a bookman. Everything served different purposes in life, and his was to record history. It was simple. Heroes made history; Bookmen recorded it down. Bookmen are not heroes. One could even say they are traitors, shadows that stand at the side and watch coldly while comrades die. What those people do not understand, however, is that a Bookman has no comrades, he snorts in contempt. They never understood, and never would. Bookmen put on masks as the occasion saw fit, and pretended and lied and did what they did in the name of duty.
They were the best representative of mankind.
He sighed, rather weary. Bookmen lived forever as long as they do not fall in battle. They would never succumb to trivial things as illness or mortality. Bookmen do not fall in battle. They do not battle.
But he... He was different. He battled. He was deemed to be one of the weapons, one of the heroes. But he had another destiny, they said, and they put him as the apprentice, uncaring of anything else. What, exactly, was God's will? He questioned, at times, and was sharply rebuked. One does not question the invincible beings as they like and choose.
"Is there anything wrong, Lavi?" Ah, one of the heroes. He was important, the Bookman knew, and he shook his head at the white-haired boy. The cursed boy. From what he knew, the curse was a blessing in disguise. Just like his eyes, except that this curse was decided by human minds, not paranormal powers. It was his eyes that got him noticed, got him his hammer, his eye-patch and his apprenticeship.
He hated them.
They made him see the world, battle Akuma, gave him the ability to be suspicious of everybody he met. It gave him power and freedom to see, to suspect, but it caged him in, and he is unable to escape his destiny. His destiny of being a Bookman and an exorcist. Something he never wished for and never wanted. Sure, it made him friends, but it also made him who he was now; a liar, a coward, and alone.
Smiling rather bitterly, he licked his ice cream, the sweetness infringing on the edge of his taste buds, wiping away the unhappiness he cannot conceal, brushing on layers of happiness and cheeriness that he didn't know he had. Acting was involuntary, he thought with slight regret. Such was the life of a Bookman. The ice cream tasted like artificial honey, like the falseness that he was, and he is reminded of how short his life with his friends would be. As much as he wished they were not friends, there was no lying about it. Pity he would have to leave. Smiling rather wryly, he put it aside and walked to catch up with the others, fully aware of, and ignoring, the dull ache of hollow sadness in his heart.
XXX
The world spun for a moment as the Akuma caught him in the stomach. Blood splattered, his blood, onto the cold paved stones as he stumbled back. He was going to die, he supposed. He didn't really care, he realized again. Falling backwards, his back hit the rough pavement and he gasped. "Lavi!" Here comes the hero, he thought wryly. But he had one last card to play. One he never wished to use. It was time to escape, to leave the exorcists behind, to start on a new life. No more attachments this time, he grimaced as the hammer grew. "Sorry, Allen," he gasped out and summoned the wind element of his hammer. A gale brew, whistling through the buildings, blowing apart the Akuma into ash. At the same time, he launched off, while the ash was getting into the rest of the exorcists' eyes, and disappeared, right in front of their eyes.
The first part to escaping death.
XXX
He didn't know where Bookman was. All Bookmen had techniques used to escape death and Bookman's was still unknown to all. Roaming rather uncertainly around on the streets all over the world, four years passed him by while he observed, learned and recorded. Ink on paper was all humans were, and he followed the traditional Bookmen's way, hiding in the shadows for observation. One deviation from their technique was that he talked to others, gaining information and skills rather unknowingly to others. Due to this, he had been introduced to a secret branch of the Bookman clan; this branch had the ability to obtain first-person experience in the sense that they were psychics, and could read and peek into others' memories and experience them for themselves. The rarity of these psychics could not be overrated and he was in-training currently, attached to a "senpai" who taught him and trained him in the ways of this branch of the Bookman clan.
Currently, however, she was on a mission somewhere else in the world, and he was left to his own devices to see if he could catch any moments of human life that might seem important. He had done this about half a million times over, and it was quite interesting. Human nature was something he enjoyed studying.
In this clan, he was on his 50th alias; his name remained the same, somehow, strangely, because his "senpai" had requested it; he didn't object. However, in this clan, everybody had nicknames; he was called Red, due to his hair, and responded more to Red than to Lavi now. His "senpai"'s name was Luckie, but her nickname was Hazel, because she had hazel eyes. Nicknames were used by everybody outside this branch of the Bookman clan, and only the people of the same branch would know your real name of this alias. In front of others, only nicknames could be used by the Bookmen as well.
He was a gentleman in his character, and unwilling to harm innocent people during the course of whatever he was doing. He liked slim, tall, quiet girls, and he himself was a quiet, slightly withdrawn person who enjoyed walks, the beach, books and sad music as well as the night. He slept a moderate amount, disliked soba and enjoyed Yakiniku, one of the only traits he shared with his previous alias beside his name. He preferred to wear thigh-high boots, a long, orange, winding scarf around his neck, an eye-patch over his right eye and wore mainly dark colours and long coats, regardless of season. He fought with two daggers of different lengths that were slightly longer than traditional ones, but kept his hammer in a small pouch on his belt next to the rest of his weapons that were usually concealed by his coats. Having gotten used to the rhythm and habit of the clan over time, and was now almost ready to be called a full Bookman.
As he wandered the streets, lollipop in his mouth, his eyes and mind scanned the streets, analysing people and objects, and searching for his mentor who had promised to meet him here. Preoccupied, he turned down a dark alley, a shortcut he knew to the fabric store to maybe get a new scarf to replace his current one that was almost in tatters from his last scrape with an Akuma, he walked straight into a dark-haired female exorcist finishing up an Akuma.
XXX
He turned to leave immediately, but too late; the exorcist had spotted him and had already moved to cut off his escape. "Lavi?" the exorcist's eyes widened in surprise as she caught sight of the redhead, taking in his eye-patch and scarf in the dim light available. Her boots skidded to a halt on the rough tarmac and he tilted his head to the side. "I'm sorry?" he inquired softly as his fingers tapped out a slightly impatient rhythm at the side of his leg as he felt his mentor's presence on the other side of town. "Lavi! You're alive!" Moving to embrace him, she missed as he sidestepped, a strained, polite smile gracing his features, something she had never seen of him. "I'm Lenalee! Don't you remember?" the confusion that crossed her face pained him but he sighed softly. Of course I remember. I remember everything, including the adventures of a hero named Lavi, he thought with a grimace that he didn't show. "I'm sorry, how do you know me again? Have you mistaken me for someone else?" his brows furrowed with a slightly puzzled frown, and she gasped, a sharp intake of breath between her lips as she stepped back. He took that chance to lead her out the alley by the elbow, depositing her outside the sweets shop opposite the shop selling the scarf he wanted. He probably had just enough time to snag what he wanted and pay for it before leaving and meeting up with... Oh, she was in the store already. Act like we are lovers. she commanded, talking to him using telepathy as he stepped into the shop, bell tinkling above his head. What?! But he didn't question her, knowing that she probably had good reasons to do so, and stepped up to her, tilting her head and kissing her lightly on the lips in full view of Lenalee as she followed Lavi into the store.
XXX
The female exorcist's eyes widened just as another exorcist stepped into the store; this one dark-haired as well, his long ponytail swinging as he walked in, and having caught the scene, spun around to leave before noticing Lenalee and Lavi. "What-" His eyes were alight with rage and he drew Mugen before Lenalee could calm him down, and jumped forward to slash at Lavi from behind. However, Hazel blocked his slash with a flick of her fingers as her metal fan revealed itself from the inside of her sleeves and she defended Lavi's back before he could turn to stand next to her. Her face reflected innocent confusion as she glanced at Kanda and Lenalee, then turned her gaze to Lavi.
Hazel-senpai was his mentor, and the most active branch member, also the most powerful, with abilities past the standard psychic. Most psychics could read minds and use telepathy, but she could teleport herself as well as various articles all over the place, as well as put ideas and illusions into others' minds, and in some cases, could slip past other psychics' defences and intrude into their mind. Standing at a rather formidable height of 1.7m (for a girl) with short, black hair and hazel eyes, she was normal except for her height. Easy to remember, even easier to forget. She lived by an odd set of honours, but he respected her all the same and had learnt much from her.
"You bastard! Where were you? We searched all over, we thought you were dead!" Kanda shouted in Lavi's face, but he remained unfazed. "I'm so sorry, have you gotten the wrong person? Red? Do you know them?" Hazel lifted her questioning, slightly troubled gaze to meet Lavi's equally confused one. They both knew that the other was acting; Hazel had already read all of the other three's memories and her gaze turned pitying for a moment before she turned back to Lenalee and Kanda. "I think you've gotten the wrong person... Who's Lavi, though?" she seemed genuinely interested and Kanda scowled darkly at Lavi, ignoring her. "Fight me, now." His gaze was almost murderous and Mugen flashed out before the others could react. Lavi, having anticipated the move, sidestepped so it missed and left the shop in a flash, jumping over rooftops and away from the town centre. Help me get a new scarf, will you? he requested of Hazel as he moved away from the town to a field he knew was abandoned at the side of town. Will do. Don't go crazy there, I know some kids like playing in the fields. See you later, then. Candy store. she replied and he allowed himself a small grin in anticipation of the upcoming battle. He was probably not going to escape with just a torn scarf.
XXX
He didn't expect it to be that easy. Once you could read a person's mind, their entire attack route was known to you and you would know when to defend, when to attack, the strategies to employ. Using only his two daggers, he would say he was defending pretty well. Shut off your mind. This is a good time for you to learn to fight without using your mind, Hazel commanded as she kept tabs on the fight by looking through Lenalee's mind while she was in the town. I need this to fight against Kanda. He is a general, Hazel, he reminded her and felt her snort. You can beat him. Shut off your mind or I'll shut it for you, she insisted and he did so reluctantly. The second before he did that, Kanda's memories regarding him and Allen flashed through his own mind, and all his own bubbled to the surface, causing him to freeze in fear, paralyzed by the strength of the memories surging back to him. You baka! That's why! He's trained in this form of the psychic arts! Hazel reprimanded him just as she dropped into the field, pulling Lavi back from a lethal slash from Mugen and a raging Kanda. Time to go, Lavi, she commanded and teleported the two of them away with a smart, mocking salute to Kanda.
XXX
The room was empty and quiet except for the crackling fire and the mentor and apprentice sitting in the corner, the former sipping her drink and the latter finishing up his dinner. "Thanks, Hazel," he smiled slightly at her and she shook her head, her hazel eyes slightly troubled. Lock away the memories yourself, she instructed simply and he nodded, wetting his lips with a sip of water. Concentrating, Lavi took the memories of today and his past memories in his mind, locking it away quickly in the back of his mind, covering it with memories of other times, he let out a sigh of relief as the turmoil and weight of the memories left him and hung his head, having been emotionally worn through by the day's events. Be more careful; always learn to sense the mind of others. You are a strong psychic, but there are stronger ones out there, she smiled wryly and he nodded. Gulping down the rest of the alcohol, Hazel got up and stretched. "Well, go sleep. Tomorrow we're returning to HQ," she told him and left the room and the boy to his own thoughts.
XXX
He had a shock when Hazel presented him to the Clan heads with a flourish. "He is ready to be called a full Bookman," she stated clearly, her voice loud in the small room. Peering down at him, the Elders murmured among themselves before nodding. "Red, you are now a full Bookman. Go by the name Red as instructed by your branch. Your real name is Lavi, but you are forbidden to reveal this to anybody outside the Clan. Go forth, then." They dismissed Lavi and Hazel with flicks of their wrists and the duo bowed before leaving the stuffy, confined room.
XXX
"What was that all about?" Lavi demanded the moment they left, and Hazel smiled. "I thought you were ready," she grinned and he rolled his eye. "I've only been with you two years." She shrugged his comment away and handed him a new scarf instead. "Here. This scarf won't tear, so it should be good for you. I fortified it with some help from my friends. And it will help you in defending your mind," she added as he took the neatly folded fabric, feeling the smooth warmth it gave and smiled softly. "Thanks, Hazel." "No problem!" she grinned and he took a turn away from her to go back to his room. That was the last time he'd see his mentor in a long, long time.
XXX
In the cafeteria, Lavi learnt new things about Hazel-senpai. Finally able to mingle with others as a full Bookman without his mentor hovering him. "Hey, hey! Lavi!" Someone was shouting at him and he walked over curiously, joining a table of youths that seemed close to his age as he pulled out a chair and sat down with his tray, digging in and listening to the gossip. "You're Hazel-senpai's apprentice, right?" one of them, a brunette female, asked first. "Erm... I'm a real Bookman now," he smiled slightly, politely, and the table erupted into congratulatory calls from everybody. "You're Hazel-senpai's second successful apprentice," they informed him, and he looked up from his meal, his green eye glinting in interest. He did know much about his mentor, to tell the truth. "She had three other apprentices, two of which lasted one and three months each before dying because their emotions carried them away and they got caught in the crossfire of various wars that they were posted to," one of the boys contributed and Lavi kept the information away quickly, reflecting only a mild, polite interest on his face. "The other is a full Bookman like you, and she's posted somewhere else for the time being. When are you going for your next mission?" the first girl inquired and he shrugged. "I don't know," he admitted and the table quieted for a second before resuming its noisiness. "Hazel-senpai is only 25 years old, I heard," someone else added and he hid his surprise. Twenty five, and she had already had four apprentices? Maybe he would have to do that too. Considering that he was already twenty three, he wondered briefly about Hazel-senpai's unknown past. Where she trained was unknown, when she joined the Clan was unknown, why and how... So many things he did not know about her in the two years they had been training together.
Of the four years since he had left the order, the first was spent wandering, the second was spent training as a normal Bookman alone, and the last two had been spent with Hazel-senpai.
"Her lover died too, a few years back," someone else said thoughtfully as Lavi's thoughts snapped back to the present. Lover? He kept his interest veiled, and got up as he finished his lunch. Having kept his mind to himself throughout lunch, he let it probe into the others' and found that they were shielded, but he slipped past the defences easily and read through their minds. The information was confirmed by the most of them, and there was no more to be said. "Thank you for your company," he bowed politely and left the table to put his tray away. The Clan Leaders were calling him using telepathy for his first mission; he would need to hurry.
XXX
A/N: Nya done~ inspired by The Journey: Black and White by Ezekeel, so this chapter is for Ezekeel :)
Next chapter: Tyki Mikk! No slash though, so if you're looking for anything more than hints about the Lucky pairing, look elsewhere :D