ATTENTION: If you read the previous chapter before 10th July 2009, please go back and re-read Chapter 1. It has been rewritten. Quite a bit has been changed/added.

In case you are confused, Kiara arrives after Allen completes his first mission. He has yet to go for the second one with Lenalee.

I don't own -Man. -Man and all of its characters belong to Hoshino Katsura. I only own my OC.

Italics represent thoughts, or the name of an attack.

Italics beneath a header in bold italics represent flashbacks.

*****

Kiara stared at the sleeping Komui, drooling on his paperwork.

Lavi pushed past her, bent down to him, and whispered something.

Komui awake at once, fake tears streaming down his face.

"My darling Lenalee! How could you get married without telling you dear brother?!"

Sister complex much?

*****

After Komui had calmed down, he passed them their mission briefs.

"You two will be heading to Brussels, in Belgium. There seems to be an influx of Akuma in that area. A piece of Innocence may have shown up there. Further information can be found in your mission briefs."

Kiara nodded, and the two of them left Komui's office.

*****

The train slowly began to pick up speed, leaving the station behind. Kiara sat next to the window, gazing at the trees and houses as they flashed by. It was going to be a four-hour ride.

Lavi had fallen asleep in the seat opposite hers, his head leaning against the window.

She reached into her jacket and pulled out her sketchbook and mini-art set. Flipping open the cover of her sketchbook, she extracted a stick of charcoal from the small metal case, and began to draw.

*****

Time passed quickly. Just as Kiara daubed the final bits of colour onto her picture, the train pulled to a halt at the station in Brussels. Hurriedly packing up, she woke Lavi.

Waiting for them on the platform was a young Finder.

"My name is Tobias," he said, bowing. "I will be guiding both of you during your mission."

Beckoning for them to follow him, he exited the station.

*****

The first thing that hit Kiara was cold. A chilly autumn breeze blew around her, dragging tendrils of dark brown hair across her face.

Fortunately, Lavi was in front of her, blocking most of the wind out.

Tobias led them through winding streets, past various derelict shops and homes. Finally, they arrived at an inn. Night was falling, as was the temperature, and Kiara was glad to be out of the cold, in a warm room.

Tobias spoke to the innkeeper in rapid Dutch. (1)

Moments later, he had two keys in his hand. He passed one to Kiara.

"Lavi-dono and I will share a room. Kiara-dono will get one of her own."

The innkeeper's daughter led them up the stairs, to two rooms next to each other.

Kiara pushed open the door to her room and bid goodnight to Lavi and Tobias. Taking off her Exorcist's jacket, she drew up a chair to the window and looked at the night sky. She didn't feel like sleeping yet.

In the sky above, the stars winked and sparkled like so many diamonds strewn upon a roll of black velvet.

So peaceful and tranquil…I wonder where the Akuma are?

*****

Kiara was dreaming.

She saw her sensei running away from five Akuma. (2)

"Run, Kiara-chan!"

She turned to run, but she couldn't. Her feet refused to move.

She could see his desperate face, motioning for her to escape.

I can't! She wanted to shout, but no sound came out. The Akuma were drawing closer. Their barrels moved to point at her.

They fired.

Purple flashes appeared everywhere, but none of the bullets hit her. Then she saw him.

Her sensei.

Black pentacles were spreading all over his face, and he suddenly exploded into dust.

The Akuma advanced towards her again.

And she let out a desperate, high-pitched scream…

*****

Kiara woke up screaming. Shaking, she tried to calm her racing heart down. The memory of her sensei's death had long stopped coming. Why, then, was it back?

She had loved her sensei. He'd taught her martial arts, and had given her the two daggers that she took with her everywhere. He'd raised her, taught her, named her. After his death, the memory of that night plagued her for a year.

Incidentally, that night was the night Cross had found her.

She groaned, burying her face in her knees, trying to block out the lingering horror from the nightmare.

Suddenly, through the silence of the night, she heard the sound of glass breaking. Instantly alert, she vaulted out of bed, and ran to the window.

Silhouetted against the night sky were floating balloons with spikes.

Akuma.

Grabbing her jacket from the chair where it hung, she pulled it over her long-sleeved white blouse and fumbled with the buttons.

She dashed out of the inn, only to crash into Lavi, standing at the doorway of the inn.

"Akuma," he told her.

"I know," she hissed back.

Lavi had already activated his Innocence. The giant hammer had probably taken out one or two Akuma already.

"They seem to be headed towards the town square," he said quietly, jerking his thumb behind him.

Kiara peered in the direction he had pointed. Indeed, there seemed to be a menacing black cloud blotting out the stars.

"Let's go."

They took off at a run.

*****

The town square of Brussels was its main attraction. In the middle of the square was an ornate fountain that granted wishes.

When Kiara read this in the mission brief, she had shaken it off as a belief, but now, she wasn't so sure. Akuma crowding near it could mean that the fountain was Innocence.

Arriving at the town square, they burst into action. Lavi swung his hammer in a wide arc, obliterating seven Akuma.

"Kiara-chan!" he called. "A little help here?"

She grinned.

Innocence, activate!

The black wristbands on her wrists obeyed her command, bursting into black flame.

"Let's go."

Blasting out orbs of black fire one after the other, Kiara destroyed five more Level Ones. She glanced up. There were still many more left. Thankfully, all were Level Ones.

She heard Lavi yell, "Gouka Kaijin!"

A giant snake of fire soared into the sky, barreling into the Akuma, destroying about half of them.

Cross Ring!

Slashing downwards with her right, Kiara created many black crosses, which went flying towards the Akuma. Each bound tightly to an Akuma.

Kiara narrowed her eyes.

Detonate!

As one, all the crosses glowed, and the Akuma exploded.

Then it was over. No more Akuma flew down to meet them.

Lavi jumped down from the rooftop he had been perched on.

"Saa, the Innocence is in the fountain, right?"

"Think so."

They began to walk towards the fountain, when Kiara heard footsteps behind her. She froze, and turned around slowly.

Standing there was the innkeeper's daughter.

Lavi relaxed.

The girl stared at them.

"What happened to the monsters?" she asked.

"Gone."

"Is that so?"

She grinned a savage grin. Kiara took a step backwards, instantly wary.

"What a pity."

Her head bent sharply to the right, and her eyes rolled. Tentacles began to sprout from all over her body.

"Then I'll kill you myself," she hissed.

Lavi groaned.

"Level Two."

*****

(1) In Belgium, they speak three different languages. French, Dutch, and…I can't remember the last one. I think it's German.

(2) Sensei means 'teacher'. Not to be confused with 'Master', which is Shishou. Both are Japanese terms.

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