Disclaimer: I do not own D.Gray Man.

Author's note:

Long time no see, huh? D.Gray Man finally came out in English here, so when I was reading the first book I got hit with a wave of inspiration. Hopefully I'll be more active again.

-Rei

the novelist

A page turned, and a gloved hand resumed writing. Red ink oozed fluidly from the pen with each articulated stroke; marking yet another word in the metallic crimson ink—blood. With each stroke the pure-white paper become more and more diluted with the substance; more corrupt and twisted.

A crooked smile formed across the author's deranged visage as he closed the cover; chuckling joyously to himself as he did.

"Did you finish, uncle?" The man turned to face his niece, pushing his spectacles further up on his gnarled nose. He only shook his head in reply, smiling wickedly and exposing his contorted and haphazard teeth.

"No, Rodo," he told her, batting a gloved finger in front of her inquiring eyes. "Only the prologue, I'm afraid." She slouched in the cozy armchair, pulling the top hat she had stolen from her uncle over her eyes. "That's a shame."

"Yes, yes, but it will be finished soon enough," the Earl assured her confidently, causing the girl to slightly lift the rim of the hat off of her eyes. She watched, disinterested, as his composure suddenly altered. "I will be back, Rodo," he began, looking for his umbrella. "There is something I must take care of, you see?"

"I will be able to play later on, won't I, uncle?"

"Yes, yes," he waved, walking out the door.

Rodo stretched lazily in her chair, dipping her head over the armrest of it, allowing the top hat to fall to the ground, forgotten. Her eyes drifted across the desolate room, taking in the ancient library of her uncle; and with that, the book that lay on the desk before her.

She had never asked what he was writing about; as it was of no concern to her. However, his pleased reaction of having finished something a minor as a prologue intrigued her, and piqued her interest. She pushed her hair out of her cross-embedded forehead before pulling herself out of the armchair, picking up the discarded hat as she did. Rodo promptly placed it back on her head, cursing silently as she pricked her finger on a thorn of its latest ornament.

She strode calmly over to it, sitting beside the novel on the desk and crossing her legs as she picked it up. The girl turned over the book, looking for the title. It was etched in fine, small letters into the leather binding; distinctly in her uncle's handwriting. A cruel smile formed on her lips as she read it, and she let out a soft chuckle as she threw the book back down on her uncle's desk.

"I'll come into the plot sometime, I'm sure," she gleamed darkly, pulling the rim of the hat over her eyes. "I have to, if it is what it is. I'm sure it'll have a magnificent ending, knowing uncle." She stood still, lacing her fingers behind her back.

"It must; it is the Demise of the World, after all."