In an orphanage of strange children, owned by two groups called Vaticanus and Materia, strange occurrences happen, such as murder, torture, and disappearances. A girl returns, completely unaware of what is happening.


"Let's play a game... a game in which I play... and you die..."


Prologue

"Stop, please!" a boy yelled, asking for mercy from the older boy. "I did nothing wrong!"

The boy smiled innocently, also having the smile seem dark. He licked the rainbow colored candy cane from his hand and walked forwards.

The smaller boy scooted back, only to have his back hit the wall. He tilted his head upwards to look at the other, fear in his eyes and nervousness clear on his face.

The older boy opened his mouth to speak. "But you don't need to do anything wrong," he said, a small evil glint. "besides no one will look for you... 'cause they all think you've run away."

His eye widened slightly as the other's hand rose, holding onto some sort of object. A sharp point of a pencil shone in the dim light of the room, and at the same time, the light made the brown eyes of the older boy glint. Having a painfully obvious idea of what would happen next, he shook his hands out desperately, mindlessly assuming it would protect him in some way. "No! Stop!"

A smile turned to smirk, proof showing that the superior boy was receiving satisfaction in the plead, but the waving arms annoyed him. His arm slashed down at the younger's eye mercilessly once he received a perfect chance, and a loud cry rung in the room.

A kick in the stomach silenced the younger boy while bloody tears streamed down from his right eye and his left eyes cried salty ones. Although the kick was not strong, the pain intensified because of the painful eye, and it resulted to wrap his arms around himself and his eye in self-pity. He knew he just lost a brown eye. (Eye patches were cool, though, he thought... He laughed inwardly at his stupidity and wrong timing for 'humor'. The emotion was quickly gone when he snapped back to... well... the guy in front of him.)

The pencil dropped from the dominating boy's hand as he turned around, looking for another object, just as sharp (maybe even more), to use. Oh... a broken ruler! How delightful. It was a bit on the dull side, but no matter.

He snatched it, turning around sharply again. He gave another jab at the boy's face, only to the other eye. Another scream echoed softly in the room, which murdered all the hope the younger had of receiving help, because the echo was just simply too soft to reach outside the room.

His screams slowly turned to whimpers knowing this, and also realizing he could not see anymore. It hit him... what would happen now? With his eyesight gone, he wouldn't know what hit him, literally. With this feeling, the unpleasantness increased and the gut feeling he had told him it was going to get worse. "So Arch*... where do you keep the scissors?"


Chapter one

It'd been a while since she returned, probably a decade or less. Seeing the large precious building brang forth excitement. Questions like, "How are the others?", "What has changed?", "Who was adopted?", and "Who is new?" floated around her, unable to be banished until answered.

As a young girl, she thought the orphanage was a castle and she would pretend that she would be a princess and all her friends would be royalty too. Their head caretaker would be the king while the assistant head, his wife, would be the queen. She remembered how she begged the small number of best friends she had to play 'Castle' with her, which caused one of them to become quite the gentleman.

Now the orphanage was... just in a different setting and viewed in a different angle. It was no longer a 'castle' anymore, but rather a mansion. The surroundings seemed to grow gloomy but (the fact was missed and) it was greener. The orphanage grew a maze garden and land that the flowers nearby it would probably die be to on, and would be jealous of the incredible numbers that were.

Lenalee Lee felt a surge of happiness bubble inside of her, it was even prettier than she remembered! "Come on, Nii-san!" she said in her simple blue shorts and plain white tee.

Her brother, Komui Lee, trailed behind her, a content smile settled on his face. His hair was tied in a long ponytail, and was naturally dyed a dark purple color. ** He wore a white overcoat and matching beret. Under the coat was a brown turtleneck and black dress pants. His socks had a light shade of peach while he wore sneakers.

"We're almost there, Lenalee," Komui said, checking his watch. "With time to spare too. There is no rush."

"I know! But I can't wait!" Lenalee exclaimed as she jumped. "Aren't you excited to see Bak and Reever and well, you know, everyone?"

"Of course," Komui said, smiling at his sister's increasing excitement.

The siblings continued to indulge each other into a nice simple conversation as they inched toward the front doors of the orphanage. They opened the doors to see a very old friend that often visited them as children, Hevlaska. Her hair was albino white, despite the fact she was only in her thirties, and her eyes were a dull blue color, but nonetheless, was surprised at the Lee siblings. She was once a visitor, and was now a secretary and caretaker for a group of children.

"Lenalee? Komui?" she asked, standing up from the seat she was previously sitting on. "What are you two doing here?"

It was like some type of tradition. Children at the Order orphanage, whenever adopted, if adopted, would not want to return. In rare cases, do the children return once again, willed. All other cases, orphans would stay and work at the Order, because they would feel like they would not belong anywhere else. Most had a reason to feel this way. Many were abandoned for some of the stupidest reasons. She was an example, but her brother was not.

She grew up very aware she wasn't wanted while her brother grew up in unwanted love. (He just simply found it unfair that his parents would dislike Lenalee that much to abandon her into a nearby orphanage and care naught for her.) He would visit daily as a child, until they were no long visits.

In her blood family, they much preferred males because they would continue to carry the family name and they were much more important. (They were Chinese so of course. Their beliefs were just more 'highly advanced'.) Adoption was not an option either, even if they wanted to.

When her 'parents' died, Komui came to the Order Orphanage as an orphan like all the others who had either lost their parents or were abandoned. He was no exception when his parents died. He was upset. They did an entirely inhuman and heartless thing, abandoning Lenalee because she was a girl, but they were still family, were they not? Lenalee, feeling none of their nonexistent love, could not find herself mourning for her deceased parents. She was untouched by their deaths, because deep down, she knew that they were not her family, but the orphanage themselves were and she was proud to say so.

All the boys would be her brothers or cousins, and all the girls would be her sisters or cousins. All the men would be her uncles and all the women would be her aunts. Or, by no choice, they would be friends.

Lenalee was Komui's only living relative that he cared for, so his love for her grew as he became more protective as the years moved on.

"We're the volunteer and new employee, of course, Hevlaska!" Lenalee said.

"What a surprise," Hevlaska said, with a bit of astonishment and a soft gaze. "Reever didn't tell me who signed up to work here. Welcome back, you two."

"It's good to be back," Lenalee smiled wider, if it was possible, and pulled Hevlaska in a fitting hug.

"Look at you... you're grown so well," Hevlaska returned the hug. "We've missed you so much."

After the small reunion, Hevlaska led the two to Reever's office while they tugged along their suitcases. (Employees were to live there after all, especially if they were intending to teach there. And Komui certainly wasn't going to let Lenalee live alone.) "Reever, they've arrived."

"Welcome them in," a nearly unfamiliar voice said. It was deeper since the last time they heard it, but was definitely Reever's. They did not go back to the past immediately. They, first, talked about their responsibilities and duties as a volunteer and an employee which led to Komui's job.

"Reever, I've been meaning to ask you," Lenalee said, earning an "hm?" from Reever. "How are Allen and the others doing?"

He became stern by the mentioning and said, "They're somewhat managing life."

Despite the unclear answer, she continued to ask. "When can I see them?"

"...when they come around, I guess..." Reever said, smiling his best.

The unclear replies poked at Komui's suspicion as Lenalee nodded, announcing that she would try to find at least someone to reminisce about the past with. After she left, Komui stayed, once again taking a seat as his expression became serious. "What was that?"

"What was what?"

"The hesitation, the vague responses," Komui said. "Come on. What do you take me for? An idiot?"

"Well, back in elementary school..." A look was shot at Reever that made him sigh. "Life's not as it seems or used to be around here anymore, Komui," Reever said, pausing as he tried to debate whether or not to tell Komui. "Things have changed for the worst. Children and teens are going missing, tortured, or worse, killed, every week or month. We only know they are within the staff and or children..."

"That's no good, Reever!" Komui protested. "Edward-kouchou did a better job!"

"He's dead, alright!" Reever said. "Right before you left, that's why he didn't come see your departure."

"What about Bak and Twi-sensei?"

"Twi-sensei died weeks after we found Edward-kouchou," Reever said. "There's an addition, the little kid, Archie. Remember him?" A nod. "He died from blood loss and torture a month after we found Twi-sensei. We just thought he ran away again because of the fight he and his caretaker had."

"His corpse was lying in a corner and in his palm was a note, written in blood with a pencil or pen... 'I was annoying while I was tortured and killed.'"

"Another note was in his other hand, 'I won't strike twice this year, for it's almost Christmas... so Santa doesn't know I've been a naughty person...' signed by... Tape."

"So this is a child?"

"We're not sure. The later killings have also hinted they were adults. They each used different names, but-," Reever said.

"Wait. Each?" Komui said.

Reever sighed. "But you could tell they're the same type of people," Reever said. "Sadistic, evil punks. There are about five to twenty of them."

"Twi-sensei rewrote the will... She wants us to find who did it," Reever continued. "Child or not, we have to find these individuals. Fast."


Lenalee was mainly looking for Allen, Kanda, Lavi, and Alma, her childhood best friends. Ah... she remembered comically when everyone switched their roles as a prince and sometimes the butler or servants. She remembered when Allen would rub it in Kanda's face when he was the prince and Kanda was his servant. (Strange, the chances.)

The two were never keen of the other, like polar opposites, like Yin Yang. The Yin and Yang couldn't live without the other. But don't take it wrong. They fought like Dog and Cat; Tom and Jerry; Night and Day. But they were friends nonetheless! They accepted and respected each other, given that they were so similar by how Allen introduced himself and was just as stubborn as Kanda.

Lavi was like her, only the mother did not want him and wanted to continue her lifestyle and the father was unknown because Lavi was made from a one night stand. His unknown mother was a party freak and his father was probably some bastard who fucked every night. But Lavi was wise not to dwell on it when he found out.

Alma was an abandoned child as well, but his parents tried to kill him by cutting a long deep cut, a scar, that did not enable itself to fade and left him in a garbage can to die and rot, buried in garbage to hide him as the garbage truck took him away with the useless trash, unknowing. But unluckily for his parents, the garbage men caught something moving and a few small moans before throwing the trash. A man went outside to dig out Alma hurriedly when he realized the moans belonged to a child. Alma's parents were arrested that morning and within the hour and he was hurriedly rushed to the hospital.

About the same time, Kanda was taken to the same hospital and used the same room as Alma. Kanda was unfortunate enough to be born to parents that slowly grew... crazy. Something convinced them to burn some kind of... letter onto his chest ('What was it anyways?' Lenalee thought.) and slowly began to sprout nonsense to him and abuse him. His parents were crazy lunatics and thus, Kanda cared naught for the couple called 'his parents'. Though, people wondered how long he'd survived this treatment.

Allen was different to all of them, and not just in terms of physical appearance. From birth, he was abandoned (for a different stupid reason; his arm), but on the streets. His parents remained unknown to him. He was found four years later, sprouting vulgar language he learned from random people, but Lenalee hadn't met him until he was six, which was resulted to years of friendship, softening features and attitude, and an entirely new him. From the spread of his fourth and sixth years of life, he was transferred to five different orphanages (that would all treat him the same; trash) before coming to the Order Orphanage in bandages after going to the hospital.

The strangest thing though, is they, Alma, Kanda, and Allen arrived at nearly the same time and day and had met/seen each other before. But enough about that subject...

She waved to other minor children she'd known in her childhood life before becoming adopted until she spotted a teen, probably a foot or more taller than her, with fire red messy hair and a bandana reading a thick book beside the orphanage's fountain. He wore a black jacket that had red on the rims of it while he wore gray tight pants.

"Lavi!" she called out as electric green looked up to find who ever called him. She walked over casually. "Hi, Lavi."

"Well," 'Lavi' said in a deeper, serious voice. "someone kept you uninformed, or you're a nitwit, because 'Lavi' isn't here right now. Come back later."

Lenalee's face became a little of anger. "Lavi Bookman Jr.! How dare you call me a nitwit?"

"How do you know his name anyways?" 'Lavi' said, continuing on as he did not receive an answer. "You new or not?"

'Lavi' stood up. "'Sup, whatever. I'm Deak. How very odd to meet you, Miss..?"

"Lenalee Lee," she huffed, dignified. "And no, I am not new."

"Wow," Deak said. "Lenalee Lee? Great, my peace is gone."

Suddenly, something bizarre happened. Deak had a huge change of character, from serious and rude to fun and playful... and familiar. His voice changed. Deep, but not too deep, and excited. "Lena-lady?"

Lenalee paused. "Lavi?"

"Heck yes, I am!" Lavi said. "Man, Lenalee! It's been years!"

Confusion took reign in her head. She thought Deak or whoever he said he was, said he wasn't Lavi? "But I thought your name was Deak?"

"Oh, did he say something? Sorry, just don't mind him," Lavi said. "He and I have problems."

Ain't that the truth? Lenalee shook her head. "Anyways, how are you and the others doing?"

"Others as in... Allen, Yuu, and Alma?"

"Precisely them."

They aren't here anymore."

"They were adopted?" Lenalee said, naively. "Good for-"

"No..." Lavi said, seriously, which made her wonder if 'Deak' was back. "They're gone."

"What do you mean?"

"Alma went missing a few months after Allen was adopted. Allen came back a year later. Kanda... went missing in late November," Lavi stated. "It's just me now."

"Where's Allen then?"

"Someone said Allen had something to do with it so they took him in for questioning..."

"When?"

"A week ago, maybe?" Lavi said. "He hasn't returned. It's a big chance that they weren't satisfied with his answer or they found him guilty and put him up in court."

"But Allen wouldn't do that!"

"Lena..." Lavi breathed out. "we've all changed."


* Arch or Archie is an actual character in the D. Gray-Man Anime. He's in the episode where the little kids try to get Allen into their little kiddie group. Archie is the leader of that group. Archie does have a dad, but, his 'dad' is his caretaker. Got it? Get it? Good.

** I'm sure you've noticed. Komui had long hair when Lenalee was younger, and I thought... "Describing Komui with "nine tails" as hair is weird." And I came along this fact after I realized... "Oh my god! Hold on! Komui had long hair!" I think you can see it somewhere in the chapters/episodes where the Level 4 attacks Head Quarters.


Credit to MagixSxientixt24 for the title who is somewhat my beta, vice versa... and my FB buddy on FaceBook. "^^v (Haha, I have two more, surprised?)

I have officially lived up to high school, and so has WhiteKuroNeko14, and P.S.I-Don't-Care. I've planted this on as a celebration, but I know it's not the wisest thing to do. But regardless, I submitted it anyways.

Vaticanus and Materia are just random names, and I'm not as skilled with names like Magix is. (I say, he is good at them~.) Vaticanus means Vatican and Materia means Matter. -shrug-

Also, the part where it says "Let's play a game... a game in which I play... and you die..." I just put it there for fun, but you'll never know if it'll mean something~!

I think if my dad would buy Cable or something, I'd spend 70% of my time OFF the computer than ON. And that's saying a lot...

Who do you think is "Tape"? Amuse me with your answers!

Creds to Tylor, Leo, and Magix for editing for me. Because I'm unbearably talkative, the reason why I have three is there are three phases I feel I must check. A, understanding for everyone. B, any changes that could make anything BETTER. C, if it's interesting and has grammar and/or spelling errors that I and my other friends have missed.

Leo is my A editor, Tylor is my B editor, and Magix is my C editor. (My pattern is A B A C A. Haha.)

If there's something that confuses you, go ahead and ask me in a review or PM.

Don't expect this updated again right away, or a week later, or a month later. I now update at random times or at times that I can afford it. :D Take it or leave it! ^^ See you next time?


Marked: 5:00 AM, 9/8/11
My excuse: Unexpected summer homework. -sigh- fml.


Edit: 1:07 AM, 9/16/11
Reason of editing: Minor spelling errors that I wanted gone.
Excuse for being up so late: Epic powers of procrastination does wonders.