"Ah, this is not good, Allen-kun" said Lenalee sighing, she rested against the cold solid fence.
"I know, there haven't been much missions lately and it's getting really boring" Allen replied closing his eyes resting backwards against the fence.
"I don't mean that! Of course, it's weird that there aren't many missions, but I meant Kanda."
"Kanda?" Allen turned around paying attention to Lenalee.
"Yes, he went on mission weeks ago and still he's not back."
"Well, now that you mention it…" Allen brought a hand below his chin thinking about it "I haven't seen him around, which amuses me…" then he remembered the way he treated him "but why should I care?"
Lenalee looked at him in disbelief as he realized how bad what he just said was.
"I-I didn't mean it that way! Uh… was… he looking for innocence?" Allen tied to sound interested.
"No, he went in a search mission."
"Search?"
"Yes, he usually takes less than a week for his missions, he is quick and clever, successful, in a search quest he would stay awake three days straight or so till he found what he was looking for, or in other case, were the mission's rank were higher, I would understand if it took him a week or two, on top of that, we lost contact. The first week he called from America to ask for more time, the second week he called from Europe asking for the same, but after that we haven't received any news and it's going to be a month since he left."
Now that he noticed the importance of the case he got a little disturbed.
"What he was looking for?"
"For someone."
Well, that could explain it all, his delay, looking for an object or innocence would be an easy task since you would search in a single place or maybe two or three to the most; but, looking for someone was way harder and sure he knew it since he had been looking for his sensei, General Cross Marian.
But still, it was too much time for Kanda, he is arrogant, he would faint from hunger or tiredness before giving up, something just didn't feel right added to the guilty of not realizing this earlier.
"My brother didn't tell me everything that detailed; he just told me he went looking for someone really important for the Order and since no one accomplished this mission before, Kanda was a perfect candidate that offered to do it."
"He actually wanted to do it?"
"Probably to test himself, but after that… my brother started creeping me out with his expressions and evil laugh saying something about being remembered for eternity for catching the sneaker."
They both sweat dropped knowing Komui's attitude, sure there was something going on and they weren't aware of it. They kept quiet thinking about the matter, Timcanpy rested on Allen's head. The Black Order was too quiet that he could hear the sounds of the far kitchen. Suddenly some footsteps caught their attention, both turned around to face Lavi walking toward them.
"Ohayo, Lenalee, Chibi-tan" Lavi said waving.
"Don't call me chibi…" Allen hissed giving him a death glare he ignored, Lenalee sweat dropped.
"Ohayo, Lavi-kun."
"Have you seen Yuu? I can't find him, I feel like he is hiding…"
"Ah.." but before she could continue with her phrase a door slammed open, making a big rack followed by footsteps and voices.
"Oi! I told you to let me down! Let me down! Baka! You're even a bad loser! You played dirty! If I could I would smash you against the wall right now! Let me down!"
The three exorcists laid against the fence looking for the source of the noise a floor below.
"Kanda?" Allen murmured.
Kanda was walking normally, but sure he looked like he hadn't have enough sleep in days, the only thing out of place was what he carried in his back, he had a girl tied up with ropes around her chest griping her arms, ropes around her legs from her knees to her ankles and some ropes loosened around her neck that were probably to shut her up.
Was she too dangerous? Was that little girl the source of his delay? What would have taken him so long?
"Omae, you still have energy to scream at me all the way back? Shut up already."
Kanda sounded pretty annoyed.
"Tranquilizers are such a lame trick! You don't deserve the title of exorcist!"
And the offences went on and on disappearing as he entered Komui's room.
Now, that was a pretty weird scene…
"Yuu!"
**
Allen leaned against the wall, he was outside the laboratory where they would examine the newcomer's weapon, he was really interested in her anti-akuma. In other words he was actually spying, he could clearly hear what they talked about.
"A new weapon! Kya!" Komui was overdoing it again, he must be scaring her. "Let me see it!"
"No way!"
"Come on! Strip! Promise I won't peek! It will be just a minute! I swear!"
Allen's eyes widened a bit as a blush spread over his face getting the whole thing going wrong in his mind. Was Komui such a pervert? Even worst… a pedophile.
"Hell no!"
Some metal sounds, a broken table, instruments flying around the room, the door swung open and the girl ran away, Kanda happened to be arriving and took the girl from her arm with a tight grip. She was forced to turn around and do did Kanda, there was a short time of silence.
"No way in hell" she hissed.
"Just shut up and do it" Poison dropped from his voice.
The girl tried to free from his grasp but it just tightened making it hurt; the girl moaned in pain and Kanda started to walk back to the lab as the girl lowered her head.
Kanda opened the door and threw the girl inside, he closed the door. Allen wanted to ask Kanda, but he was pretty sure he would either, offend him or not pay attention. He asked anyway.
"Who is she?"
Kanda took his time but he finally answered.
"An exorcist."
At this point Allen would have preferred if Kanda didn't say anything.
"Really!?" He said sarcastically "I think I noticed that, who is she, Kanda?"
"I don't have time for this stuff."
He said walking away leaving Allen alone again.
"Whoa! Such a nice weapon in an evil kid!"
Now Allen was really curious, the sound of one of Komui's instruments broke the silence.
"W-What the hell is that!?"
"I'm just gonna peek a little into your anti-akuma"
"NO! What are you doing!?"
And so the same story of all the times, screams could be heard everywhere in the castle just like a horror movie, like a haunted house, some staff member wouldn't sleep tonight.
**
Several hours later, or screams later, Komui finished with the lab thing, he was going to take the newcomer to Hevlaska, Allen quickly asked if he could go with them and so did Lavi who happened to be around.
The girl was about his height or maybe a bit taller, she had short black hair with some green hints and deep green eyes, she was wearing the same clothes that Lenalee had when he first meet her, but she had black thighs and black boots.
Everyone looked from the lowest floor, and by everyone I mean all the exorcists and Komui's co-workers; maybe some finders too, everyone except Kanda.
The girl maintained her head low avoiding eye contact. Hevlaska appeared as the platform bent down, the girl looked up at the new presence without words to express what she felt, but her body said everything, she was shaking. The girl backed a little, her eyes widened as Hevlaska came closer and took her up in the air with her tentacles.
"Oh, Remi, I've been waiting so long for this moment to come, and here we are, much sooner than I expected. Looks like Kanda-san did an excellent job with a bit of Komui's help. Let me feel your innocence."
Her eyes filled up with tears as Hevlaska's tentacles wandered around her body; surely she was scared that she couldn't even scream for help, Hevlaska lowered her face and touched the girl's forehead with her own.
"Checking compatibility… 3%... 12%... 25%... 40%... 53%... 61%... task completed. Remi, you got a low control of your innocence to be so good at battle, you managed to escape from our exorcists, but your low control it's understandable after looking at the size of your weapon. Soon you'll be given the chance of choosing between two paths, let's pray God you chose wise for our sake. "
And without another word she put her down. The girl fell to her knees; Allen stepped to help her but stopped when he saw that Komui and Lavi didn't move.
They looked up, the staff was still there, frozen like they just contemplated a murder; Allen saw Kanda between everyone else; slowly they started to leave without words.
Hevlaska disappeared leaving the place surrounded by darkness, Komui rose the platform, no one else was left except Kanda and Lenalee.
"I'll escort you to your room, Miss Remi" said Lenalee bowing, when hearing her name the girl gave her a death glare.
Lenalee moved forward hoping the girl would follow her, luckily she did without hesitation, Kanda walked behind them to prevent the newcomer from trying to escape since it looked like she didn't enjoy her stance.
"I'll go with Yuu-chan" Lavi said running behind them.
"Don't call me by my name!"
**
Allen was looking for the girl Lenalee escorted, they prepared a welcome party for her, maybe that would sooth her from her previous mood; but he couldn't find her anywhere. He looked in Komui's office, the place where Komui's staff worked, the library, the lab and some halls.
He started to think that she escaped till he saw her sitting near the fence in front of her room; he sat next to her, she looked down to where Hevlaska rested, ignoring Allen.
"Remi-san?"
"Call me Rue." She said seriously.
He guessed that was her last name, Rue Remi.
"Um… ok... Rue-san, are you ok?"
"…"
"It's ok if you don't like it here at first, later you'll see this place as your new home."
"I don't need a home." Rue grasped the metal bars in her hands narrowing her eyes.
Allen spoke softly "Everyone needs a home and a family; we'll be part of your family."
Rue looked at him in the eyes; he felt like she could see through him with those dark green eyes that reflected sadness and fear "I don't want to be an exorcist." She whispered.
Allen was taken back a little "I know you may be afraid of this, you still have to get used, everyone felt scared at first, but you see… if you take this as a way of helping humanity and all the people you love in this world… it makes it better in a way. Don't be afraid or don't think you're obligated to do this, think about it, it's a way to helping the world with people that understand you since they are the same as you, exorcists."
"Some things are meant to be…" she whispered, her voice shattering.
Allen looked down and kept quiet for some minutes till something popped in his head, her anti-akuma. He wanted so badly to know what her weapon was, the weapon that made Komui fall in love with it. Since she had to strip to make Komui see her weapon he thought that it may be about a parasite-type anti-akuma and also that it would sound pretty odd if he asked her to show him.
"Um… Remi-san…" Allen started.
"Huh?"
"Can you tell me about you anti-akuma?" Allen faced her.
Silence. She went mute and everything felt so empty, like the room just lost some degrees. Allen felt guilty like he just asked something forbidden and he didn't know what to do to bend it.
"U-um… yeah!... Rue-san! I was looking for you! I wanted to show you something?"
"What?" she asked coldly.
"Please follow me!"
**
"Yuu-chan!!" Lavi threw himself on Kanda.
"What are you doing in my room!?" Kanda prevented Lavi from hugging him with a hand, throwing him aside; Lavi fell on his bed.
"Yuu-chan!! I missed you!!" Lavi said like a spoiled kid.
"Stop the –chan thing!" Kanda sat on his desk viewing some papers.
"I thought Yuu-chan was hiding from me!"
"Sometimes I do."
"Yuu-chan! Don't be so rude." Lavi threw himself over him again hugging his head "Don't say such things!"
Kanda threw him aside one more time, standing up annoyed. "I told you to cut it up!! Don't call me by my name and get out of my room, baka!"
Lavi sat in Kanda's bed; he lowered his head listening to his harsh words that pierced like needles. He couldn't help but feel bad when Kanda yelled at him, but sure he wasn't going to cry. Minutes of silence… Kanda saw Lavi's saddened face and felt worst; he gasped and crossed his arms looking to other side.
"Tsk. Do as you wish, you can stay but don't mess with me." Kanda sat on his desk again not looking at Lavi.
Lavi didn't move. He didn't want to make Kanda angry again, but soon he got bored of doing nothing and looked at a corner of the room, he saw a small table with a bright hour glass that had a beautiful pink lotus flower inside. The flower looked enchanted, it was so beautiful that it left other flowers aside and he had to ask Kanda about it.
"Kanda… what's that?"
Kanda didn't have to turn around to guess what he was talking about; he took his time to answer. "An hourglass."
Lavi knew Kanda wouldn't talk about it anymore so he had to stick with the answer he gave him. He lowered his head again to hear Kanda stand up and attempt to get out of the room not wanting to see Lavi's sad state; but he froze in the doorstep. Kanda felt he should said something, he knew what to say but he didn't want to, he would never say such things, but at least he could say part of it before leaving Lavi…
"Sorry…" Kanda's voice drifted away as he exited the room.
Lavi took a minute to understand what Kanda just said; when he did a big shiny grin appeared in his face as he bolt up running behind Kanda throwing his arms around his neck. Kanda got annoyed by Lavi's sudden happiness.
"Yuu-chan!!"
"Omae, stop it!" Kanda's cheek got a pale pink color, maybe from anger?
"Yuu-chan!! I'm so happy!"
"I said stop it!!"
"Let's go to the welcome party Yuu-chan!!" Lavi almost yelled walking with the blue head by his side.
"Baka!"
**
"Where are we going?" the girl questioned.
"Ah, you'll see" Allen motioned Remi to follow him.
The girl followed annoyed, not annoyed about Allen anymore, annoyed because she didn't know why she was obeying the stupid whitehead. They walked around some halls, it was dark but her eyes adjusted quickly, she was getting impatient about what had Allen so cheerful, she couldn't see any good in that place. Being there was one of her least wishes; why she so hated the Black Order? Well she had her reasons, but they were of none importance to the Order, they needed her as a bearer of innocence and as an exorcist even if she didn't like it. The Black Order could be good in the eyes of some but they had their dark side with the ways they got new exorcists.
Remi was deep in thought that she didn't notice Allen coming to a stop, making her bump into him; he instantly told her to be careful in his caring known manner.
"Here we are, go inside and take a look."
They stopped in front of a big room that she didn't recognize, she stepped inside with Allen behind her, the lights went on and everyone inside the room shouted "Welcome!" She guessed it was a Welcome party? Well that was pretty obvious with the "Welcome party" sign and the yell. A lot of people was present, even Kanda and Lavi. Her eyes widened all sign of annoyance now gone. Allen placed a hand over her shoulder making her look back.
"Welcome to your new home." He said smiling.
Lenalee approached with Komui, Kanda and Lavi behind, she had a pink cup on her hand.
"Welcome home, Rue-san." She smiled handing the pink cup with the words R.R on its rear "This will be you coffee cup."
"A pink one?" Allen asked since everyone else's was white except Komui's.
"Yes. She's a girl! We girls need stylized stuff! And pink it's a girly color… but don't be jealous Allen! I can replace yours with a pink one if you wish." She smirked.
"A-haha, no thank you…" Allen laughed nervously.
Lenalee handed the cup to Remi, she took it looking down with a terrible silence, and they just couldn't guess how she felt. She gripped the cup in her hands, Lenalee thought for a second that Remi would smash the cup and go back to her angry state, but she looked up smiling at her, it was kind of shocking…
"Thank you." Her voice was barely audible.
She smiled again closing her eyes, Allen sighed relieved that she behaved; Lenalee smiled back thinking they succeeded in cheering her up but Kanda sure knew her smile was fake.
"All right! Let's party all night long!" said Lavi taking Kanda by the arm and leaving everyone else; Kanda protesting in the process.
And so the party went on with a busy chef having to cook for the whole Black Order and two really hungry parasite-weapon bearers…