"Okay, I think I got it." Ayden nodded as they sat at the bar that morning. Cross had ordered his usual while Ayden sipped hot chocolate. The General just explained the whole main stream of things; from the Cube of Innocence, to the battles of today with the Millennium Earl. "But I don't understand why the Earl would want to destroy the Earth. A smarter villain would just cook it well enough then rule with terrorism over what's left. What would he do all day if he blew up this joint? Dance on the meteors that are left?"

"He's not trying to blow the planet up; he just wants to destroy mankind." Cross corrected politely.

"Why?" Ayden made a face and was about to say more when Cross continued.

"It's just like spitting in God's face. He kills all humans or enslaves them like he does with the Akuma so he can laugh at God." He lifted his glass and took a drink.

"But if he kills off everyone, who's going to serve him?" Ayden swept a hand in front of him with a little head nod, "I don't know about you, but I would enslave them all so I wouldn't have to do things myself."

"Ayden,"

"What?"

"You're an idiot."

/\/\

Ayden nodded and pointed to the counter for mental guidance. "So the Millennium Earl is Satan, right?"

Cross stared at him dumbfounded, "No, where did you get that idea?"

"You said earlier, there was a flood that was known as Noah's Flood so the Earl is Satan, right?"

"This has nothing to do with the Bible." Cross shook his head and finished his drink before ordering another. This was going to be a long day.

"But you said that disaster was Noah's Flood." Ayden insisted.

"I said, 'it was referred to as', I didn't say it was."Cross sighed as he corrected him the thousandth time.

"Referred to but recorded as…"Ayden pointed with his finger. "So that chaos was Noah's-"

"I told you," Cross grabbed his refilled glass, "this has nothing to do with the Bible. The Bible is something else- which has nothing to do with the Earl or Innocence."

Ayden stared at Cross's growing impatience for a moment before raising his eyebrows at him. "If it has nothing to do with the Bible, then why is God in it?"

Stunned silence.

"God is in everything, dip." Cross took another swig. "And if that's not a good answer for you, you can ask the Chief of the Black Order that question."

"The Chief?" Ayden tilted his head, "So, what, is he the Prophet of God or what?"

Cross clenched his teeth together, "This…has nothing …to do…with..."

"Why?" Ayden asked the same time…

"The Bibble," that Cross finished.

Awkward silence was between their staring until Ayden snorted. "The Bibble? Really?"

Thwack!

/\/\

"Okay," he made slats with his hands to gesture a cluster of understanding. "So the Earl makes these balls of fire…"

"Akuma," Cross reminded him again.

"Yeah, right," Ayden shook his head to clear it, "So he makes the gun-balls to..."

"Akuma," the General growled.

"Whatever!" He exclaimed.

"Not whatever," Cross griped, "you are going to learn to say it right because you don't have time to do a three-to-two-word-description for a warning. Plus, people need to know what you're talking about."

"Anyway," Ayden gruffed, "The Earl makes the sphere with 'emo' faces to enslave…"

"Akuma," He hissed.

"The Ah-kak-mah…."

"Akuma," Cross snapped, "Ah-koo-mah!"

"Ah-poo-mah…"

"Ah-koooo-mah, there's a 'k'."

"Ah-kook-mah…"

"Akuma,"

"Ah.."

"Koo-mah.."

"Mah-ta-ta.." Ayden grinned.

Silence.

"What?"

/\/\

"Just shut up!" Cross barked, "I'm not answering your dumb questions any more. Write them down and take them to Chief Komui at the Black Order when you become a frickin' Exorcist!"

Ayden sat upright again after leaning away and rolled the bottom of his mug between his palms. "Black Order, eh?" he paused but the smirk on his face was physical evidence that he couldn't hold his comment much longer, "That sounds sacrilegious."

Cross yanked his stool from underneath him with his foot. This torture was never going to end. Suddenly, some grumbling caught his attention and his turning to see the grumblers, caught their attention too. The brokers glares reminded Cross that he had to leave. He smiled and looked down at Ayden who was nurturing his wrist from the unexpected fall. "You stay here," the General stood and quickly headed for the exit; not only to escape but to hide his smile. Heaven knows what Ayden still had yet to learn about karma.

Ayden watched him disappear curiously out of sight. His wonder about the sudden errand burned into questions but he knew that there would be no answering them until he came back. His return needed to be soon if he was going to stay any longer though. One thing Ayden hated most was mysteries.

"Hey," a strange voice nudged his shoe at him.

Ayden brushed himself off and stood up. "Can I help you?" He asked with a cup of annoyance. He didn't like how the guy touched him with his mud-caked boot.

"Yes, you're with that Cross, Marian, right?" the bald guy's brows narrowed his eyes.

Ayden didn't pay much care. This guy was probably just a thug with a grudge against Cross. If it came down to punching and kicking, he conceitedly noted, these guys wouldn't stand a chance.

"So you're his apprentice, right?"

Ayden snorted, "Supposedly, I'm not sure. He acts more like a governess, really."

"Good, this is what he owes us." The bald man flopped the stack of papers he'd been holding onto the counter for him to see.

Ayden wasn't sure what it all was but hoped it wasn't what he was thinking. "He gambles?"

"No, that's for the drinks he bought last night and this morning."

So it was what he was thinking…Ayden peeled back the pages to the very bottom like it was poison; his curiosity had the best of him although common sense nagged that he didn't want to know. He jumped, "Mother f-!"

/\/\

Cross sat down in the park on the bench under the street light that evening with a sigh. Yes, that evening. Joyfully, he hadn't seen Ayden all day since breakfast. The kid was probably out looking for him by now. He should've finished paying the bill with his body a few hours ago and was probably staring open –mouthed at the empty hotel room. He chuckled to himself, the mental image of that was too funny.

"Um, pardon me," a man with an unruly beard stood holding his filthy hands together. "That's-that's my bench."

Cross wrinkled his nose at the nasty coat he wore with his not-so-professional slacks with holes. "Too bad, this is my bench now."

The man paced then stopped in front of him again insistently, "It's my-it's my bench."

Cross folded his arm and crossed his legs; showing the jerk that he clearly wasn't about to move. "Go find another bench and quit bothering me. I'm not going to be here long so why don't you back off?"

The man twisted his fingers together before dropping them and sulking away. Cross felt no sympathy watching the man walk off.

"Hey Master," a familiar voice chimed behind him. Finally, Ayden had found him.

Cross turned around before BAM! The last thing he saw before impact were knuckles. His vision blacked for seconds the instant a hollow thud accompanied by a popping sound sounded in his head and out his ears. He could feel his cheek darkening under his eye and around his molars; his jaw felt stiff too.

Ayden stood there with half a smirk on his face but quickly let it drop. "If taking me in like a little lost pup and becoming your apprentice means to be your slave, I want out and I don't want to see your ugly mug again!"

Cross recovered…and revved…quickly. From a sitting position, he swung himself over the back of the bench; catching Ayden's chin with his knee. The boy regained balance and threw a punch. Cross politely blocked it then hit Ayden in the face with his own fist. He shook it off and immediately after went for a kick to the side. Expecting such a desperate move, Cross grabbed his ankle, lifted it over his head and spun under with the momentum. Now Ayden was facing away from him and missing a grounded foot.

Ayden jumped and twisted in the air; swinging his foot at Cross's face but missed. The General calmly leaned away and swung the youth into a nearby tree while he was still airborne. For just a second, Ayden blacked out but he speedily regained composure. However, when he opened his eyes, Cross was kneeling on his hands at either side of him with a hand on his throat; pinning his neck to the trunk of the tree.

Ayden struggled for a way loose but there was no way, especially with both his hands screaming pain up his arms into his shoulders. They were broken, he was sure. At the moment, he was at Cross's mercy which didn't look thoroughly charitable. The last splashing colors of the sunset's gold hues glinted in his eyes and faded into the shadow of his glowing ember hair. Ayden didn't need to know this man for more than a year to know he was far from impressed.

"If you'd rather go back to being a lost pup, go ahead. I'm not going to waste my time on a useless apprentice." He growled then released him and stood up. Ayden sat huffing in anger, disappointment, and embarrassment for the longest moment until Cross's gloved hand was in front of his face. "If you'll be a good little slave, I won't give up on you."

Ayden glared up at him, "I don't need your pity and don't do me any favors."

Cross faked a laugh, "Ha, that's the last thing you need. If I gave you that, you're head would get bigger. It's nice to know you see that."

The young man still breathed deep and hard; doing all he could from emotionally combusting.

"I didn't take you in as my apprentice because you looked like an abandoned pup and I felt sorry for you. The only way you could get my sympathy is through death. I did what I did only because you have the rare potential to be somewhat of a hero. If you don't want that, get up yourself and walk out now." Cross stood waiting with his inviting hand out stretched for him.

Ayden stared at it; the same hand that was clasped around his throat minutes ago. Somehow, he couldn't hate the owner of that hand. Before he met this old coot, he was at the top of the world. He was invincible, proud, and alone. For once, a father figure let him know that he wasn't by himself any longer. It was one thing less off his plate.

With a injured-pride smile, Ayden lifted a throbbing hand and clutched it around Cross's. He tried not to wince as the General hoisted him up like a friend.

"Than-" THWACK!

Once the black spots in Ayden's vision stopped, his brain concluded the cause of the throbbing, ringing, and stiff jaw. "Why did you hit me?"

"Pay back, fool." Cross dusted his hands together as he walked around to grab his bag. "Let's go little idiot, we have cities to see."

/\/\/\/\

"Where are we going that we have to walk so far?" Ayden moaned as he carried both Cross's and his own bag of spare clothes. Where they lay on his back, his skin was damp with sweat and something about that caused fatigue in his mind throughout his body.

"We're almost there, I told you." Cross sighed exasperatingly but continued walking.

"I know you told me," Ayden couldn't take it much more so he let the bags slide off onto the stone street, "you told me that an hour ago and the hour before that. Do you even know where you're going? It's almost morning; shouldn't we find somewhere to stop?"

"You're such a whiner," The General stated non-conspicuously on purpose.

"Cross,"

"It's Master, to you."

"You know we've passed five hotels, right? Why not pick one, Math-tuh?" Ayden rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue.

Cross huffed as he stopped then whipped around, "Because, imbecile, I'm not looking for a hotel."

Ayden folded his arms, "What then?"

"My business is my business, you're job is to follow suit and watch in silence." Cross turned again and continued his walk. He was gaining a lot of distance causing Ayden to pick everything up and hurry up to him.

"If we're a team, don't you think I should know what you're up to?" Ayden peered at him under the hat.

Cross stopped again, "Obviously, everything goes out the other ear with you. Now I'm only going to say this once so listen carefully. You and I are not equals so that doesn't make us a team. I'm your Master and you are my apprentice; that means I tell you what to do and you do it. What goes on in my head, I don't have to share with you; why? Because you are my apprentice, the student beneath me, the plank in my eye; do you get it?"

Ayden made a sour face, "That's not fair."

"Life isn't fair, did you know that?" Cross began walking again.

"I didn't say life wasn't fair, I was saying that you aren't being fair." Ayden retorted.

"Suck it up, we're part of life and my rules follow those rules." He paused to look down an alley way then turned into it.

"Really? Are we renting a trash can?" Ayden asked with a sarcastic face.

"Shut up,"

"Wha-?"

"That's an order, apprentice." Cross pointed threateningly.

Ayden let out a stubborn breath but nodded with consent; mostly to get Cross from staring down at him. The young man decided to skip that dare.

Ayden watched the man in front of him search the ground and he walked carefully. The boy looked down also and saw what looked like a tail fin…for a whale. His eyes bulged and his shock was snapped at the sound of a crack accompanied by a swear word from Cross.

"Cr-," He swallowed to steady his voice, "Erm, Master?"

"Shhh!"

He dared to look down again, the whole whale was here. The bones all lay on the ground but somehow kept enough form to give away its original essence. What could've dragged a whale into an alley in Barcelona without people knowing? The most frightening question was: what had a stomach big enough to consume it all?

Along with his curiosity, the silence made Ayden look up once again. Cross was gone.

"Cross?" Ayden called into the alley but didn't want to move his feet. When there was no answer, he carefully set the bags under a dumpster nearby; he was going in.

Like Cross, Ayden was mindful where he stepped as he held his red bow in front of him. He held it tightly and horizontally in front of him where ever he turned. Activate, he whispered in his head and the bow glowed a dim green.

Crash! Clang!

A cat howled and Cross cursed around the corner ahead. "Grab it! Grab it! Grab it!" He yelled as a cat came screeching around the corner at him. Ayden was confused as he watched the fastest cat he'd ever seen race by. "You idiot!" Cross bellowed and aimed his gun.

Ayden squirmed in place beginning and stopping a million ideas of escape all at once in a panic. "Wait, Cross!"

BLAM!

The cat shrieked as the bullet tossed and spun it into the air. It landed on its feet and scampered away. Cross growled and sprinted past Ayden; snapping the old whale bones as he ran. "Didn't you hear me say 'grab it', you dimwit?"

The young man stuttered for a moment in attempt to retort but gave up and ran after him.

"I did hear you but I didn't get any information before hand to brace myself for this conduct!" Ayden shouted as he ran alongside Cross.

"I said, 'I tell you what to do and you do it', why didn't you snatch the thing when I told you to?" He snapped.

"You're hopeless, do you know that?" Ayden rolled his eyes at Cross's impatient glare, "Alright, alright, don't get your old man diaper in a twist." He slid to a halt; rolling loose gravel as he readied his aim. Cross stopped later to watch as the green glow stretched from the hand on the bow, to the other hand aligned with his green eyes. Ayden's right hand, holding the end of the "arrow", started with two fingers but as he rolled the others partially forward, more glowing green arrows formed between his fingers. Then, without a verbal command, he released the arrows. As they flew like falling stars, they formed a circle and chased their target.

The cat looked back once to see the glowing streaks heading straight for it. It ran harder but the arrows easily kept pace and even flew over and ahead.

The men couldn't see where the arrows had landed until a beam of light shot heaven-wards in advance from where they stood.

"Did you kill it?" The General eyed him suspiciously.

"Tch," Ayden brushed his shoulder though there was nothing on it, "you told me to catch it, not kill it. Just because I ask questions, doesn't mean I'm stupid and I don't listen."

Cross had no retort but followed Ayden to the light pillar. There, the cat was meowing pitifully in a dome it fought to break free from. It's orange form paced around the edges and occasionally pawed at the barrier.

"Gotcha you tall and shorter version of a weasel." Ayden grinned as he easily reached in and grabbed the animal by the scruff.

Cross smiled, secretly impressed by the boy's talent, and took the fur ball from him. "You ate something of mine, you little creature." He grinned sarcastically amused at the feline.

Ayden blinked for lack of words to express his incredulous curiosity.

"However, you're not really a normal cat, now, are you?"

His curiosity finally formed a question, "So what is it then?"

"Some form of an Accommodator," Cross answered without taking his eyes off the kitty hanging by the neck in front of him. "I feel I'm missing something though," he fake-pouted at the cat wriggling around in mid air. "Oh yes," Cross lifted his free hand and slapped it on the nape of Ayden's neck. The youth bent forward with an exclamation of pain. "That's for the old man diaper comment," he hit the boy again in the exact same place, "And that's for not acknowledging me accordingly. Call me my name again and I'll punch your lights out and you'll wake with both your legs broken, got it?"

Ayden groaned as he rubbed his neck. The stars Cross caused to jump around in his skull gave him a headache from temple to temple. He rubbed his eyes too, while he was at it, to adjust his eyeballs back in their sockets. "Can't you just thank me?" Ayden stood straight, "I caught the thing, didn't I?"