(Main headquarters)
Komui smiled respectfully as he shook the hand of Manfred Gant, the head supervisor of the team of auditors that Central Administration had sent over. The man in his fifties took his duties seriously, but he had a gentle side as well. Coming from a noble family of the Queen of England's Royal Court, and having attended many other important functions for the Vatican and the Pope himself, Gant was certainly experienced in organising a formal function for a significant occasion.
"I assure you that my department and myself will do all we can in our power to assist your team in making this a successful event," Komui said proudly.
Gant nodded. "Excellent. Well, shall we begin then? Firstly, it is already decided that the most suitable venue of the Headquarters' building for the ball to be held would be the Training Room, correct?"
Komui nodded. The Training Room was the place where new Exorcists would begin their training on controlling their Innocence. (It is also the place where Komui secretly tests his newly-built Komurins as well, but that's another story.) "Seeing as it is relatively large enough to accommodate all the guests and for dances to take place as well, it is certainly the best place to hold the ball. My department has already made it all ready for the respective décor to be set up."
"Excellent again. Now, we have other things to discuss, like the catering of food, and the orchestra for starters…"
Lenalee paced around the hallway of the floor where her room was. Since receiving the invitation yesterday, all that had been occupying her thoughts were the formal event that would be taking place in that very building. It's not that she was nervous, or excited about it, it was just…
"I've never been to one of these things. So what am I suppose to do in one?" She sighed. Then suddenly, she heard a cry of anguish nearby.
"Sounds like…"
"OH MY GOODNESS! WHAT AM I GOING TO DO! YES, NOW I KNOW! I WON'T GO. THAT'S RIGHT! IT'S BETTER IF I DON'T GO! BUT…BUT, IT DOES SOUND RATHER FUN... OH WHAT SHOULD I DO?!?!"
'Miranda,' Lenalee thought, with a smile of amusement. She ran towards Miranda's room, which was directly below hers. Her pigtails flying, she went downstairs and saw that Miranda's door was slightly open. Peeking in, she saw an odd sight: Miranda was clutching what seemed to be the invitation to the ball, and she was on her knees, frantically debating with herself.
"Erm…Miranda, what's wrong?" Lenalee asked meekly.
Miranda turned and saw a concerned Lenalee at her door. She lunged forward and crushed Lenalee with a hug, sobbing about her worries. "Erm…" Unsure of what to do, Lenalee just awkwardly patted Miranda on the back.
"Oh, Lenalee, I-I-I just don't know what to do!! The ball… I don't think I should go at all!!" Miranda wept.
"Eh? But why! Miranda, I think you should attend…After all, you're part of the Black Order too!" the Chinese girl assured, trying to sound as optimistic as she could.
Miranda released Lenalee and slowly went towards her bed, before flopping down onto it. She let out a deep sigh, and studied her hands. "Lenalee, I'm bound to do something careless there. Like… accidentally knocking over the food table…or stepping on someone's foot when dancing… or spilling something on a very important guest… or–"
"Miranda." Lenalee gently took the older woman's hands in hers. "Those things may happen, yes, but…I think the ball is like battling Akuma, you know?"
Miranda shot Lenalee a curious look. The girl chuckled softly. "I mean, we don't know what's going to really happen, all we should do is go for it, right? And, who knows… we may end up leaving the place with smiles on our faces." She smiled kindly at the woman. "Don't worry, I'll be with you there, and we're going to enjoy ourselves at the ball, okay?"
Though still hesitant, Miranda slowly nodded. The two female Exorcists shared a hug in comfort. Then, Lenalee spoke up.
"Erm, Miranda? Do you know what exactly to do in a ball? I don't know anything about it… Like what to wear, and how to dance, things like that."
"Eh?! I don't know that either! Oh no! WHAT IF WE DO SOMETHING WRONG?! AHHHH!"
The giant gate of the Headquarters opened to allow a figure to enter. Striding with a calm pace, the figure walked through the halls, knowing exactly where to go. Some members of the Order stopped to stare, mostly out of respect, and some due to awe. You can hardly blame them for staring of course. It's not every day a General actually returns back to Headquarters.
General Cloud Nine, with her monkey quietly perched on her shoulder, walked towards a room where most members of the Order were not allowed to enter without authorized permission. Then, she opened the doors to it.
Komui was having a meeting with some of the Science Department and of course the team of auditors as well. Looking up to see the female General, he stood up from his seat. "Ah, General Cloud Nine, welcome back to headquarters," he greeted politely. "I expect you have received your invitation?"
The monkey on her shoulder suddenly held out his paw, and it was seen that it was gripping on the invitation card. Komui nearly cringed when he saw little teeth marks on the edges. 'She lets her monkey…chew on it?!' He then cleared his throat.
"Erm, yes then. Well, I can assure you that your room is the same just as you have left it," he said, reverting back to his usual polite mode. Cloud just nodded and left the room. Before she went out of sight, everyone could see that her monkey began to nibble on the card, and she didn't make any move to stop it.
Gant turned to Komui. "Charming woman, isn't she?"
Komui just shrugged. "Aren't all the Generals whacked in some way or other?" To Gant's amazement, several of the Science Department murmured in agreement.
"Ah! Miss Cloud! You're back!" Cloud turned around as she was walking in the hallway. The monkey on her shoulder stopped nibbling for a moment and screeched in greeting to the young female Exorcist running towards them.
"Lenalee, isn't that right?" Cloud began.
The pigtailed girl nodded with a smile. "Have you returned for the ball, Miss Cloud?"
Cloud looked away and replied with a bored tone, "More or less. All the other Generals are being hounded by your brother to return anyway. I figured I should save him any more trouble."
"Hmmm…does that mean even General Cross will return?" Lenalee asked thoughtfully. Cloud's monkey hissed at the mention of Cross. Cloud had to stroke its head.
"Who knows. Tiedoll will definitely come; he's the type to when it comes to important functions. Sokaro may or may not; it depends on his unpredictable mood. Cross…will be Cross," she replied nonchalantly, while scratching her monkey on the chin. Lenalee stared in wonder at Cloud's indifference. This was the woman known in the Order for her gentleness towards her own team?
Cloud noticed Lenalee shuffling her feet, as though wanting to ask something. "What is it, Lenalee?" she asked lazily. The Chinese girl started to twiddle her thumbs. Then, she plucked up her courage and gave a big smile to the woman before her.
"Miss Cloud, could you do me and Miranda a favour?"
Allen played with a fork after he had finished his ninth plate of spaghetti. Looking around him, he noticed that most of the other members were either running here and there with errands assigned by Komui or were trying to spruce up Headquarters. Komui and the Science Department had their hands full with this whole ball thing. He sighed and eyed a little card that was next to the mountain of plates he had plowed through earlier. The last line seemed to be taunting him.
It is not absolutely necessary for one to be escorted by a partner for the ball.
The white-haired boy sighed again. When he had first read that line, his eyes had turned towards a certain pretty female Exorcist standing just next to him. Allen knew what balls were (Cross used to brag how he got invited to such things all the time), and he also knew how a certain custom was for a man and a woman to go together…as dates.
'It might be nice if I were to go with Lenalee…but then again…' His cheeks were tinted pink. But in addition, the thought of asking Lenalee out horrified him. He buried his head in his hands. Timcanpy landed on his head, and Allen said, "You know Tim, I'd rather take on Akuma than go through with this."
Little did Allen know that he wasn't the only one thinking of asking a certain Chinese Exorcist out for the ball… Across the cafeteria from where Allen was mulling things over, an eyepatched Exorcist was leaning against the wall, thinking of the very same thing.
(Asian Branch Headquarters)
"Master Bak, I have already had your best set of uniform all dry-cleaned and ready for the ball," Wong informed proudly. The Head of the Asian Branch nodded and smiled in gratitude at his right-hand man, before diverting his attention to his phone call with Komui.
"Seems like even the Great Komui Lee can't worm his way out of this one, eh?" Bak smirked.
"Why, Bak dear, I didn't think you'd care," Komui cooed from over the phone, to which Bak replied agitatedly, "Don't call me DEAR!!"
Laughing, Komui continued. "Well anyway, it seems everything is going on smoothly here in preparations. Still, we haven't received word from the other three Generals whether they will return or not. I won't be surprised if General Cross wouldn't, though; it might be safer for the ladies if he didn't show up."
Bak rolled his eyes. "Thanks to this ridiculous event, that's all my people have been going on about! Just today, nearly a dozen of them have asked for a day off so that they can go shopping for what to wear!"
Komui laughed. "You can't blame that on me, Bak dear. Well, work has to be done now! I'll see you at the ball, my dear Bak!"
"DON'T CALL M–!"
Lou Fa sighed dreamily as she clutched her own invitation to her chest. To go to the main Headquarters was a dream come true! But to see Allen Walker all dressed up for the ball was an added bonus! She giggled to herself.
Then snapping out of her reverie, Rikei conked her head, reminding her to stop daydreaming and get back to work. "Ball or no ball, if Master Bak sees us slacking, we may be disallowed from attending!" he reminded severely.
The author speaks: Well, hope this chapter wasn't too boring. -sheepish smile-
Please R&R :)
Preview for the next chapter: Cloud has an uphill task ahead of her! Will she be able to fulfill the favour Lenalee so sweetly asked of her? Meanwhile, Allen still ponders on whether he should ask Lenalee out, and he isn't the only one either... Krory comes into the picture when he manages to coax Allen and Lavi to accompany him to town to purchase a suit (tuxedo I mean) for the ball! Wait, don't our two cutest male Exorcists need one too? And of course, another General returns!
